October 25, 2008

It's October 25th. Can you believe it? Just a month till Thanksgiving and just 2 months till Christmas!!! Time marches on.

We have a new addition to our Parable Church family. Colton John Mihelich arrived on Monday. Everyone is doing well. I can't wait to hold that wonderful bundle of blessing.

Erin is still battling her migraine headache. It's been going on way too long. Much prayer is needed for her comfort and for the medical team to figure this all out.

I'm still on my journey of stomach problems. It's been very interesting. There was a mix up with my test results it had my Doctor thinking that I had tumors on body parts that I don't have any longer. It was a wild 24 hours until it all got sorted out, but I knew God was in control of it all and I was ready to follow the journey wherever God took me. After studying the reports, it was clear that the cancer belonged to another woman and that my results were not as scary. The main thing to remember is that God is in control and the only real truth about anything, health included, is what He says.

So far we know that my colon is good and other organs seem happy. With the exception of my liver. It's not in very good shape at the moment. I am getting quite the education on how the liver works and what is and is not good for it. It amazes me how complex God has made our bodies and how He knows every cell in them. I definitely need to make some dietary changes to heal my liver. Basically, I will be cutting out most of the foods that I love. Thankfully, I like the foods that I get to keep eating, so it won't be too bad. Goodbye to red meat, pork, dairy and eggs. I will eat more fresh chicken and fish, fresh veggies and fruit, whole grains and nuts. All organic, of course. I love milk and meat, so giving them up will be really hard. I tried soy milk today for the first time. I'm not a fan. But I will just use it on cereal and to cook with. I don't think I'll be chugging glasses of it like I did 'real' milk. I'll just stick to water and juices. There are more adjustments to make, but I'll take it as it comes and try to learn to live healthy in baby steps. Hopefully, by Christmas I will see a real difference in my liver. Getting through Thanksgiving will be interesting, though. I'll be trying lots of new recipes and experimenting with foods. This will be interesting in my teeny kitchen. But, hey, people survive all over the world with less!

I want to share something I wrote in an email not long ago. It helps me to remember God's lessons for me...

This week I'm celebrating the uniqueness of how God has created every person. The fact that He has plans for every life and that every person is just as important to Him as the next intrigues me. We impose so much assessment and judgment upon others based on our path and forget that their path is unique to them, and most importantly, ordained by the Father. A lot of our frustration and unhappiness is a result of people not meeting our expectations. That's what needs assessment and examination - our expectations. Are they aligned with HIS perceptions? I have to ask myself this question all the time. I feel like the unsettling, frustrating, disgruntled, etc feelings are His guides to keep me on the right path. Kind of like guardrails along the highway. If you waiver and bump into them it's not usually pleasant (and if you are going too fast, it can be painful). But they keep me from going off of the road to where He is sending me (and from speeding ahead of Him). Other people are on these paths and I shouldn't expect them to drive the way I want them to, they have to deal with the guardrails in their own journey with Him. I want to travel with them and not cause road rage!

Okay, I don't know where that analogy about driving came from. I haven't even owned a car in the last 18 months! The traffic and commuting in NYC is another story! Subways are mostly about getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible( and hoping you find a line and station that is nearby to where you are going). Buses are slower and the routes are not as direct sometimes, but you get to look out the window and actually See the journey as you are on it. And my favorite is walking, which allows for Participating in the journey. (I know, I'm spending way too much time alone and in reflection these days!)

I'm really missing my friends back at my home church in Rogers AR. I like keeping up with some of them on Facebook. If you have facebook, please add me as your friend. I want to keep in touch with as many people as possible. And don't forget to email me at vickiejocline@yahoo.com.

Time for a snack of nuts and berries! Until next time... Blessings!