No one is Immune.

No one is immune.
Now Let me say that with a gentle heart,

No one is immune to the trails and tribulations of life.

I was poked, inspected, examined from my head to my lungs.
I felt like a pin cushion. One IV on my right to push the Morphine and one on the left to get blood cultures.
Well I did have right side pain but Morphine was never discussed, by the time I knew it my chest felt heavy and my stomach turned.

No vomiting but a sense of relief that I was getting somewhere with this sickness. The cough just wouldn't go away. Day after day, until I couldn't breathe.

Take me to the emergency room I sternly told David, I'm sick, I think I have pneumonia and also, I can't breathe, my right side hurts."

Yes, he responded and off we went.
It was funny listening to the nurse and my husband converse about my symptoms and personal information as to how much I weigh, what was my social security, etc.
Uh , my husband says, not wanting to offend me if he said 130 or 140, not wanting to give me an extra 10-20 pounds. (these weights are fine for some, I'm short so 125 works fine for me).
Height?
Nope, he didn't know
Social Security? No, I used hand gestures to relay because I couldn't talk.
Ask me if I know his. And the answer would be yes! Weight? Yes. Height? Yes. Medications he takes? Yes. Every doctor, appointment or lab test he's had? Yes. I know everything about his diagnosis.

And it's okay. I wasn't mad or anything. Just funny.

So as I lay there on the stretcher, I prayed. I praised God for the doctor, the nurse and my husband. Then I began to think of my calling as a Nurse. I was proud at that moment. I was at that moment happy to have been called to become a nurse.
In those moments where you feel crummy, tired and the weight of the world on you, you are reminded that these people are here to take care of you. I needed them . I wanted them to make me feel better.
Fix me. Heal me. Jesus I would cry out throughout the day, Lord, just heal me, please!

Immune to sickness? Nope. Immune to hardships? Nope.
No matter how healthy I eat or how many miles I run, or how many times I pray, I am not immune.
Viruses exists and they want to invade anything and everything they can. Bacteria lingers around waiting for you to snatch it up. All these and those super bugs that are out there are ready to steal your joy, make you want to curl up and die.

But there is a Healer and His name is Jesus.
Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. The sweetest name I know. So during these times, when we are tested, crushed and bruised we cry out,

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Sweetest name I have ever known.


(as of 6pm today, I have slept. Writing helps me get me mind off being sick. So with a breathing mask on and a pen in my hand, a journaling I will go . Please continue to pray for healing)

Titles

It's 2 am, "Do you know where your children are?"

This question was usually asked around 10pm or 11pm as part of a public service announcement for parents on American television.  Nowadays it"s more like 2 am.  

Today, for me, it's like, "Sudafed, Why have you done this to me?"

Yup. Sudafed.  David remembers when this drug was so popular that now it has to be kept behind the pharmacy because so many people were abusing it. Now I know why.  I've never been a pill taker. I just moan, groan, roll over in bed and cry.  Seriously. I don't like being sick and when I get sick, I get Sick.  I'm the worst person to take care of while being sick because I just moan and cry and pray out loud for the sickness to leave me. But then again, Who want's to be sick?  No one I tell you, including me.  Which brings me to the realization that people out there suffer illnesses far greater and worse than anything I could be going through.  God then begins to show me that I'm not immune to Sickness.
Which then brings me to the question, "Who am I?"

Yup.  "Who am I?"  In society, we tend to define ourselves by the things we do, the things we say, the TITLES I should say  I moaned about how this week I am not a mom, a Teacher, a gluten free baker, a seamstress or a runner.  During that moment, I defined myself with TITLES.

Do You define yourself with TITLES?  I could definitely add more to the list, If I had to define everything I do it would look more like this,

Laundry Lady

Pooper Scooper for Nibbler (my little Shitzu)

Butt Cleaner
 (I'm a Nurse and have to help with this sometimes)

Med Dispenser 
(I've been referred to this several times at work, they actually call me the Med Aide)
Waitress
Taxi Driver 
 Teacher

Depressed/Angry Mom

Happy/Energetic Mom

Religious Lady/Jesus Freak 

Crazy Runner Girl/Yoga Girl

Jennie (The girl who makes JennieBands)

I bet I could think of 10 or more TITLES  to give myself, but out of self respect, I'll only leave you with these.  As I started to think more about these TITLES, I began to think about how God sees me and how he sees you.   

When he's up on his throne in Heaven, you know sipping on a cup of Java, what does he think about me?  Does he define me by my TITLES?  Does he love me according to the more TITLES I or the world gives?   

Well, to tell you the truth, NO. 

God does not define us by TITLES.  When God created Adam and Eve, he made us in His Image. Woman was created for man.  We, women are more than just the TITLES we have stuck to us. 

Hello, My Name is                                                                                         

(Fill in the blank)

Click Here for Video (Click Blank Spot, for some reason)

 We are cherished far greater than we can imagine. We are Daughters of the Most High. We are Redeemed.  We are Loved.  We are Magnificent. We are Cherished. We are Forgiven.

Mary, the Blessed one who birthed Jesus would have been given the Title of Sinner if Joseph didn't take her as his wife.  She would have been put to shame for birthing a child out of wedlock.

But God had called her differently.  She was and will be referred to as Blessed Mary. 

Indeed, Pure and Holy because she was without sin. She was Chosen. We are Chosen.  

Chosen to be made Perfect and Holy just like Mary.  We are chosen to behave in a Godly manner.  We are chosen to live by the TITLES given to us by our Lord, not the ones we or the world gives us.    

So, UNSTICK those TITLES you or the world gives, they mean nothing to the Lord.

Instead, think of all the wonderful things the Bible says about us, 

We are, 

Loved

Cherished

Holy
Wonderful
Fearful

Talented
Perfect

Righteous

Truth

Beautiful

Forgiven

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Romans 8:9 ESV / 

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

John 4:24 ESV /

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Until Next Time,

Eat Organic!

Eat Gluten-Free!

Jennifer

Stillness

Birds chirping. Singing to each other. Doves flying in the trees.  The sun coming up and making it's way into our beautiful world.
"Namaste."  In the Yoga world this means "I bow to you", and " thank you."  My Yoga instructor, Veronica will add in an interpretation of her own, such as "the light in me bows to the light in you."

Stillness.  Quietness.  Peacefulness.  Love.  These beautiful words are what described my morning salutations.  The Sun shone on my face as it was making it's way into this world.  God whispering in my ear, telling me his wonders. 

A new day.  

12 years today. 12 years of stillness. 12 years of His promises. 12 years of His Love.  12 years of Sickness. 12 years of Tears. 12 years of Joy.

12 years of Learning. 12 years of God holding my husband's hand and giving him the strength to make me who I am today.  

I will never forget that day at Wal-Mart where I lied to you, David, telling you I was looking for a backpack.  You always tell everyone that I saved your life, but to tell you the truth, You saved mine.  Thank you for bringing me to Christ.

I love You!

There will be Gluten-Free Cake Today!!!
Jennifer

Are you Listening?

Calls of frustration. Calls to ramble. Calls of Joy.  Calls to ask how the kids are doing in school. (Now we have Edmodo so the kids message me directly.)  Having a husband means you have the greatest friend that will listen to all your numerous complaints, and in my case, all the numerous times I call him  because I need to just talk.  He just hangs there on the other line, LISTENING.  There are times when I think he's hung up the phone but he's again, Just LISTENING.  Sometimes that's all I need.  Just someone to listen to me.  Are You LISTENING?

I began then to think about how we as humans have the choice to listen.  You see it's a choice.  No one forces you to sit in a college course and listen to the lecture, you invested your time and energy into that class so you will do your best to get the best grade possible.  Are You LISTENING?

At work, I interact with so many different personalities.  Co-workers can be difficult to get along with, especially if they don't like you or if they are unhappy with their job.  Many people tend to blame others for their unhappiness.  Jesus loves you and wants to give you eternal life with happiness.
Are You LISTENING?

Everyday I would wake up at 6am, go for a run, get back have my devotionals and then home-school the kids. My wake up time these days have been 9am lately.  I plan my runs along with each activity I'm doing either with the kids or my business.  Have you been listening to your body that tells you sometimes to GET UP and GO or just to SLOW DOWN AND BREATHE.

A view from one of my morning runs.

I incorporate Yoga into my weekly schedule.  These are my slow down and breathe through days. Exercise doesn't have to be complicated.  Grab a weighted 5 lb ball, a kettle bell and a mat and there's your workout for the day.  Twists, lunges and some simple Yoga moves 30 minutes a day.
Or hit the pavement and run a simple 2, 3 or 4 mile run or just simply walk.
Are You LISTENING?

Last night we started our series of The Bible on the History Channel. We prerecorded it and watched it as a family.  Emily loved it so much that last night she was searching through every Bible trying to match up the stories. 

She was listening.  

Are You? 

Until Next Time,
Eat Organic,
Eat Gluten-Free,
Jennifer