My Attempt at Rest

Thanks to the flu and a week's worth of high dose of naproxen sodium, my Meniere's disease has flared up with a vengeance. The last horrible flareup was when Abby was a few months old, a lifestyle change of low to no sodium everything corrected it. This time, I'm just waiting for the effects of the flu to pass, so my buzzing, spinning world will return to normal.

Unfortunately, the only way to make the symptoms of Meniere's disease go away is to stop. Be still. Wait.

Today, I have tried to take it as easy as possible, even though every room in our house is a complete mess. I fought the urge to clean it and rested in hope that tomorrow will be a better day for it.

Here are a few snapshots of what slowing down looks like for me.

A spot of egg nog in the morning with a cockatoo.

Lots of cuddle time with Princess Abby.

Another creative craft project with these well-loved shoes and a sweater that no longer fits the hubs.

Woolah! A new pair of sweater boots.

So cute! So chic. So ummm.... snowy white?

Sadly, they only lasted 30 minutes.

Abby came by to admire and wiped some extra dark grime on them that stained their front. Once I get to a thrift store, I'll buy a much darker sweater and do a try 2. I liked them!

After that, I baked a ham for supper and whipped up some potatoes with steamed veggies on the side. We all bunkered down on the couch to watch a good Disney movie on our new TV and blueray player (thanks parents!) and then decided to call it a night.

Hope your Sunday was great too!

Happy Birthday Bryan!

This has probably been one of the worst birthday weeks Bryan has ever had.

Seriously.

His wife gets a horrible case of the flu and is down for the count. Mostly bed-ridden for days.

She can't cook, clean, care for their kid, do laundry... nothing. She's too dizzy to walk more than a few feet and too weak to sit up for more than a few hours. She's too out of it to even remember when her next medication dose will be. It's all on you. Happy Birthday.

Instead of sipping a full glass of OJ in the recliner and staying in a separate room with a can or two of Lysol, Bryan tirelessly served me while I was sick. While I have felt guilty enough for both of us for being down for so long, Bryan didn't complain or treat me with resentment. He was loving and patient. He worked HARD.

Today, I'm not back to 100% but I am able to celebrate Christmas Eve today with our families and to celebrate Bryan's birthday with him. Because he gave me the chance to rest, I am so much better than I was a few days ago. Yay!

Bryan... When I married you 4 and a half years ago, that was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I respect you so much Bryan and am so thankful that I married you! You are a great husband and the best daddy! Happy, happy birthday! I wish every pastor was like you. If they were, I think pastor's wives would be a whole lot nicer and their kids wouldn't go AWAL. You are the kind of guy I hope Abby finds one day. I'm glad you are mine. (Back off ladies *warning eye*).

Flu Empathy

This morning I woke up feeling much more human again.

I still don't feel great, but compared to death warmed over, I am sooo much better.

As I began praying to feel better today, I realized in my heart I was praying this detached, kind of half-hearted prayer. Almost like I really didn't believe that God cared that I was still sick and wanting to feel better.

Then, it hit me. The reason Christmas is a big deal is that Jesus was made flesh. We don't have a High Priest who is unable to relate to our weaknesses (remember that verse in Hebrews 4?).

Jesus has been sick. He has been me. He cares a whole lot.

Right now, if you told me you were sick with the flu, I have an ocean of empathy for you. Last week if you had told me, I'd care but not that much. Without having the flu before, you can't really understand how miserable it is.

Jesus took on flesh for us. Got sick. Felt miserable. Loved us. Died. Rose Again.

We have a reason to celebrate this Christmas. What other god has done this for man?

Only Jesus.

Merry Christmas to me!

Much to my relief, I'm not a wimp. I have the flu.

I may be too delirious right now to write anything worth reading, but this is what is on my heart.

I am miserable. I can't remember ever feeling this sick before.

My body aches. My head is swimming. Even my eye sockets hurt.

Hello flu.

Right now, even though I feel awful, I am inwardly at peace. Thank You Jesus.

I have the hope that I will feel better soon as my prescriptions are being filled now.

I have an awesome husband who is caring for me while he fights a cold and a loving family that is supporting me by watching Abby and keeping her away from my germs.

Out there in the world, there are other sick people feeling miserable without the peace of Christ and without the hope of getting better ever... no medications are available to them. They don't just feel alone- they are alone.

Let's continue to give generously to Lottie Moon this Christmas so that the sick can be treated. So those who are alone will find out they are not.

May you have a very blessed, healthy Christmas.

Get a flu shot.

Forgotten

Last night, I dreamt this really crazy dream. Bryan, Abby, and I were in a small trailer in the middle of nowhere fighting off people that wanted to kill us. In one part of my dream, Bryan left and never came back then I was killed a little while later. Instead of my dream ending there, it turned into this odd slow-mode slideshow of photos of Abby growing up without parents. It had her playing with her toys alone afraid at night. Getting more independent as she needed to be to survive but all of the while sad.

When I woke up in the early hours of the morning, I was so emotional. Obviously, it's a dumb dream, but the horror of a child... my child not having a family to love her and to care for her. The way it felt to see her alone was crushing.

God spoke to me in the quiet. This is what it is like to be one of the forgotten children in the world. One of the orphans on the street. This is why you should care.

At Christmas time this year, we're overwhelmed with our own needs. We're finishing paying off medical bills from my miscarriage and now my MRI stuff with my knee. We're working hard to save up for Bryan's seminary tuition which is a good chunk of money. So, this year, wonderful things like Lottie Moon just seem a little too much at times. I really do love to give. I just know how far our money needs to stretch.

I pray that God will stir your heart too this season to give generously until it hurts... so that forgotten children will meet Jesus, the One who has been there for them all along. So those who are hungry will be fed. So that those who walk in darkness may see the light... our Light.

Let's be like King David, a man after God's own heart, who said, "I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing." Let's not give in a way that does not cost us anything. After all, Jesus has given us everything.

Let's be joyful givers this season so the world may know and love Jesus too.

I am praying you will. I will.

Daddies Matter...

Today, I took Piper to a new groomer, because it really needed to happen soon and because the person we usually use was booked up for a month out.

When the lady found out I did web design, she asked me to post this letter and to spread it to all of my friends. Her dad abandoned her mom and her when she was only 3 months old, but she still thinks about him every day. Here's the letter she has written to her dad.

Peter David Hitz,

Beverly and yourself in March 1960 had a little girl. I have spent lots of time and money trying to find you. This is my last effort. All I would like is some of your time, and some answers… like you are happy and well? Do you have children other than me? Do you ever think of me? I would love to tell you about my life, my children, my grand children, my dog, and my home. In short, I would love to share a small part of your life.

With love to my father,

P.T.S.

-Please email her at cynetss@yahoo.com if you know anything about the whereabouts of Peter David Hitz.-

So daddies out there, if you wonder if you matter, you do. This grown woman still aches for the dad she never had. You matter a lot.

Living in Purgatory... Welcome to the South

I'm reading through 1 John again this morning for the second time in the past month. There's just so much good stuff in here.

"We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." 1 John 4:19-21

These words are weighty... serious... life-changing. Not everyone is easy to love... Not everyone do want to love.

Down in the deep South, I refer to it as "purgatory." Most people I meet think they are "saved" but seem to be continually trying to earn God's approval. They seem to think, "I'll do this "blank" God, so you can answer"blank."" It's this horrible cycle of guilt, try to earn back God, fail, guilt, try to earn back God, fail, guilt... you get the point.

Jesus told us that He came to give us life and to give it to us abundantly. This cycle is not it.

Why the cycle?

1) There are many Christians out there that don't know the Word and do not live in it. They try to do the Christian life on their own when God has ordained for the Christian to do life within His body- the Church.

2) There are many "Christians" out there that aren't Christians at all. They have been in church just long enough to learn enough to "inoculate" themselves from the true Gospel. Feeling confident of their salvation, they live in purgatory- unable to help themselves or anyone else. Doomed to hell. They hate themselves and everyone else.

How can we be confident of our salvation?

It goes back to the verses I quoted in 1 John. Do we love God? If so, do we love others?

Just in case we might misconstrue the meaning of "love," God included a nice breakdown of the word in 1 Corinthians 13 (not self-seeking, not rude, not arrogant, never fails, etc...)

Check your heart. Don't be deceived. Too many are. John wrote at the end of 1 John, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may KNOW you have eternal life. (emphasis mine)." 1 John 5:13

Do you know?

Preachers Can Dance

Merry Christmas from the Cirlot Family!

Watch this if you need a good laugh! ;)

Peripety Designs

Peripety Designs is in the East Central/Vancleave Link Newspaper this week.

Click here to see where newspapers are sold or to buy an e-edition!