Spirituality Guide

How is it that a sinus infection can be a blessing? Well, after I was examined by the doctor and he had listened to my lungs and looked inside at the back of my throat, his news to me was startling. He told me that it was a good thing that I had come in then because if I had waited one more day, I could have presented with mycoplasma. To the layman, that’s “walking pneumonia.” Yikes!! How in the world could this be? Thankfully, I only had a case of bronchitis and with a 10-day round of antibiotics and plenty of fluids and rest, I would be good as new. Back to my old self. Well, kind of.

The blessed part of this being sick was the awareness of it. You see, I’m just as busy as everyone else is. Running here and there, carting kids back and forth to activities, helping people, cooking, cleaning, meeting deadlines, faxing, negotiating, copying, writing, phoning and everything else on a day-to-day schedule. With so many, many things to do in a course of a day, who in the world has time to be sick? Not me! I had been having slight sinus drainage with a headache and congestion for a few weeks and it was slowly starting to catch up with me. After three weeks of taking Benadryl on a routine basis, it had stopped working and the congestion was starting to settle in my chest. That’s the rattling the doctor heard when he examined me.

I feel strongly that our bodies “talk� to us and tell us when they’re not feeling well. We should listen to its subtle hints. If I had not gone to the doctor that day, I could have been sicker than I am now and possibly hospitalized. Nothing, I do mean nothing, is worth my health.

You decide now…will you listen to your bodies?

Giving to others gives us a feeling that no one can explain. A feeling that is simply euphoric because you had the ability and capability to practically change someone else’s life. Whether it’s in a big way or a small way, the same feeling applies. That’s also the feeling you can expect if you participate in a contest that is being sponsored by the American Red Cross out of the Connecticut Blood Services Region. The Red Sox has used the American Red Cross numerous times in the past to benefit the organization and to draw fans to their games. The Red Sox has found it to be something that the public loves to participate in and look forward to. In this contest that is going on now, all you have to do is give a blood donation and your name will go into a drawing for a chance to win two World Series game tickets. The winning name is going to be pulled just before the game, which is what is enticing World Series fans to go, give blood and cross their fingers for a chance to win some of the hottest tickets out right now. Paul Sullivan, the CEO for that division, says the he has a “whatever it takes� attitude to draw donors in, but realizes that for this contest the draw is a chance for WOW tickets. I can imagine that the donors feel wonderful knowing that they have contributed in a significant way to help others.

And in this case, it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

I had a very long day today. I had been sick for about two weeks, and my youngest son had been sick for almost 4 days. I had a headache, coughing, sneezing and general discomfort. Although I took my son, who also suffers with asthma, to the doctor right after he showed cold-like symptoms, I elected to “wait� because I had a lot to do and just couldn’t slow down to go the doctor. The doctor? I’ll get to that later.

When I got to the doctor, I had an idea that I “might� have a slight sinus infection as a result of dealing with allergies. I had been at the beach the week before so I figured the salt water has taken its toll on me. I was having sinus drainage and coughing a little. The doctor started examining me, looking in my ears, looking at my throat and listening to my lungs. After he did a thorough examination and asked me a few questions about my symptoms, he told me that I had a slight bronchial irritation in my lungs. But what he said next is what REALLY got my attention. He told me that it was a good thing that I came in there when I did because things could have been uglier than what they were. He said I had a case mycoplasma. What??!! Mycoplasma is the technical term for the walking flu. Its symptoms are similar to a cold with coughing, fever, body fatigue and a few others. But what’s also strange about this sickness is that you can be sick and not even know it.

Tomorrow I will share with you how this sinus infection almost attacked my body but God was working in my life to turn it around. A sinus infection brought me closer to God.

Come back tomorrow and I will tell you how.

My three-year old snuggled up close to me today, telling me he had a secret for me. He kept telling me over and over, “I love you mom”. He always says that when he wants something. What was it that he wanted? Chocolate milk of course. He had been drinking chocolate milk for the last few days and really, REALLY liked the taste of it. Although I had been telling him no for the last eighteen times he asked, he insisted that he loved me and he HAD to have that chocolate milk…now!Sometimes, if there is something that we really, really want, we may be tempted to make promises that we might be able to keep. Think about it: have you ever known anyone to cheat death? What about someone who prayed and prayed for their child to recover from a horrible illness?Promises that we make in the time of emotional turmoil are never ones that we should take serious. If they were THAT serious, why should we wait until we are in trouble to make them? Even after this, after we make these ‘promises’, remember we have a vow to keep.What was your vow? Stop smoking? Eat less? Drink less? Work less? Exercise more? Come on, you have to admit, you’ve done it. When you had the last miracle to take place in your life, did you make those same or similar promises?  Keep in mind this one thing. No matter what life brings you or how hard things become, promises shouldn’t be taken lightly. Be prepared to follow through and make good on your promises no matter what the situation is. Be prepared to follow through on your vow. 

You just might get some chocolate milk instead of broken promises.

There we were at the football field yesterday for practice when all of the whining started. No, not from the players but from the moms and dads of the players. Their complaints? Their child’s uniforms weren’t right or “cute� enough, their child hadn’t had fair playing time or who was supposed to bring the snacks this time, it’s getting late, blah, blah, blah! I just listened to them and shook my head. Not to sound condescending or rude, but it just amazes me sometimes how we’re able to put so much energy and thought into so many things that really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I mean, really, is it all that important to worry or even argue about whose turn it is to be on sign duty when there are people around us who are sick or even dying?

I read on April Gilford’s blog about a friend of hers who has stomach cancer. It really touched my heart because it reminded me of a friend I know who is sick. Really sick. And, when I think about her or I see her, I always wonder how she really feels about her life. I’m sure she doesn’t take time to trivialize over the little things we think are so important. What’s really important are those “lastsâ€? of everything. Like, what was the last thing I said to you before you went to sleep. Or how did we last say goodbye. How about that last look before they disappeared into the building. The lasts. That’s all that’s important. I wish I could get people to understand and appreciate life just the way it is. I wish people would get over themselves and just enjoy what time they have and hey people they have to share it with.

The lasts. That’s all that’s important.   

My daughter is pretty impressed with me as a mom. She thinks I’m her hero. Of course, I’m not, but it feels pretty good to be thought of as a “hero”. While, as we know, a hero is a person who performs great, superhuman powers. A hero is someone who doesn’t know pain or at least doesn’t succumb to it.

A hero, I’m not.

However, I do like to think of myself as a God-chaser, someone who strives daily to find and commune with God. I think that if there is a purposeful, direct focus on striving to have a relationship with God, you can find success. He, is our hero. He is our super-human (does that apply?) rescuer. He is God.

I read some excerpts from the Life as a Christian Woman Blog and I noticed some similarities. While we think sometimes we should live and act a certain way, it is more realistic to understand that we are not all perfect. We are all just human. Humans needing and seeking for our superhuman, all-powerful God to rescue us and give us protection. In this post at http://www.lifeasachristianwoman.com/finding-losing-and-finding-god-again/ we read how she was disappointed time and time again by those who were in the “faith�. Those that were in the church seemed to hurt her more and more with their words and their narrow-minded thinking.

Whether we praise God or not, unlike Kathy Griffin did in this post at http://www.findreligion.net/jesus-can-suck-it/, we have to know before it’s all over as to who our God is. God IS our hero. He is our saviour. Kathy thinks he’s insignificant. I think He’s wonderful. Because of my beliefs, I strive daily to teach my children who the real hero is. Who the real person to glorify and worship is. Sure, I can single-handedly bake cookies, review spelling words and blog an entry. But who else can erase sin, offer redemption and hope and help us get through the tough times? No one else but God. Yes, He’s my hero.

Now, my daughter thinks He is too.

Have you ever wondered about your time here on earth and what you’re supposed to be doing with it? Ever wondered if you were doing all that you could do within the abilities and skills that you have?

We were never supposed to feel like we can or should do EVERYTHING. That’s just not right. We are only supposed to do what we can and what is reasonable. Or, is that right? Is that all?

When Jesus walked the earth, He did for everyone. The deserving and the undeserving. But I have to wonder; did He ever say NO to anyone?

I think we get confused with the acronym WWJD. After all, although we are to be like Jesus, we shouldn’t expect to be Jesus. Think about it. Jesus wasn’t a parent so He didn’t have kids to shuffle around or homework to oversee. And just think…if we neglected our kids to go to the hospital and visit the sick or sit with the elderly all afternoon, what kind of parent would we be? Would Jesus be pleased with that? I don’t think so.

Yes, be like Jesus, but don’t try to be Jesus. Jesus was called, anointed and equipped to do a very, very special work. Once we realize that, maybe things would be easier.

When we think we’ve had enough is when we seem to get more. When we think we can’t take anymore is when it seems more comes. Just because your plate is full doesn’t mean you can’t get some more food!

What I am saying is this: don’t give up or become exasperated because you feel overwhelmed. Remember, God will not allow us to go through any more than we are able to bear. I have a story…

The other day I was sitting in the hair salon waiting for my turn to get my hair styled. I was next in line, so I would be in the chair maybe in the next 10-15 minutes. Then it happened: my cell phone rang. I looked at the number but didn’t recognize it. I usually don’t answer numbers I don’t recognize because, you know, ::telemarketers::. Anyway, I had to answer it because my kids are all in school and I didn’t know if it could be one of their schools calling. Well, it was. It was the little one’s daycare school. He’s three years old.

I answered it and right after the cordial “hello”, there was the director on the other end saying, “Your child, ____ just threw up. He was eating his lunch and just threw up. Sounds like he had a little congestion but he’s fine now. As a matter of fact, they are about to go down for a nap. But, you have to come and get him”. Now mind you although he is my son, and I do love him more than life itself, I DID NOT WANT TO GET UP FROM THE BEAUTY SHOP CHAIR AND GO GET HIM!!!!! There, I said it. I really didn’t. The time I spend in the hair salon is a luxury to me. I was simply exhausted anyway and when they called, I really just wanted to cry. Going to get him meant I would have to go get him and bring him back to the…(gulp)…hair shop with me! No, no, no I didn’t want to do it. That’s when I made the comment that changed my whole perspective that day.

A lady sitting across from me had heard my conversation with the day care teacher and asked if everything was alright. I said yes, my son is sick and I have to go get him. And I was supposed to be next in the chair and I was 45 minutes away from the hair salon. Did I mention that I was supposed to be next in the chair to get styled?

As I sat there for a few minutes contemplating my exit strategy, I made the audible comment that “if it ain’t one thing it’s another!”. Well, the lady sitting across from me didn’t think I needed to say or feel that. She promptly said this to me.

Don’t ever say if it’s not one thing it’s another. That’s not true. Things could always be worse, but they’re not. Don’t think like that or say things like that. Just be grateful for things the way that they are. Things will get better…but they can get worse.

Those words hit me and they hit me hard. I heard her loud and clear and mentally vowed to not complain anymore, ever again. Well, at least no more for the rest of they day. But it did cause me to stop and think. We only go through and experience the things we need to for the time that we need to. There is nothing that we go through that wastes our time and teaches us nothing. We are better each time we come out of a situation if we just stop and recognize what is going on around us.

So my new motto for the day is, “if it is one thing, I will become a better person for it”.

I have a “problem”. People come to me all of the time wanting help, answers to their questions, my advice and input. There are all sorts of things that I get thrown my way. What color drapes should I get? Where is the drycleaning? Do we have a PTO meeting tommorrow? What time are we supposed to have the meeting in the conference room?

Questions, Questions, Questions!

The thing is, is I don’t mind so much answering these questions. It’s just that I DON’T HAVE THE ANSWERS!!

Sometimes when we have questions about our lives, we ask everyone else but God. Counselors, Friends, Online Chat Rooms, even Oprah! But there is only ONE who has all of the answers to life’s complexities. If we just turn to Him, go to Him and depend on Him for everything and to fulfill our needs, we son’t have to worry everybody else about everything else.

Just ask Him.

There is something that I want to get off my chest today. That’s forgiveness. I wonder, how bad could it be if we never forgave a person for wronging us? I know, I know…the Bible says for us to forgive our brother seventy times seven. What if you can’t get past the first hurt, or even the second misdeed? What if that person just keeps on doing the same thing over and over and over and over and…you get the idea. What if that person just continually did the same thing and KNEW because you were a Christian, you would automatically (or supposed to) forgive them.

Does that give them a license to wrong you over and over again?

Does that let you Christian light shine through?

Tell me what you think…

There comes a time in every Christian’s walk when they have to say…STOP!

I got that feeling the other night when I heard first of Juanita Bynum’s situation, then, of Paula and Randy White’s divorce.
It would seem that the gates of hell have been let loose on their lives. But, no. That’s not, I think, the case.

What’s really going on is that we ALL have just lost sight of God in our daily doings. We have taken Him out of everything and expect everything to continue to run smooth.

Who’s fooling who?

This is the the day that we drudge through - Wednesday!

The day where we can barely stay awake, getting through it the best we can, trying our best to keep phone calls to a minimum, paperwork to a minimum and coffee breaks to a maximum. The day where if we can just get through it, things will be alright.

Wednesday…

If we look at our lives as just something tgo “get through”, we will waste valuable amounts of time, just waiting for time to pass. Time is a precious commodity, one that once it leaves its hard to retrieve.

So, make it a fabulous Wednesday, not a grudge day!

Remember yesterday when we talked about life in the fab lane? Let’s review.

This morning my “fab lane” was quite hectic. Spending time in God’s presence should be key in the life of every believer. However, the realistic thought is that sometimes, life happens and that quiet time or peaceful time just doesn’t manifest. What should one do?

Press on and keep doing what it takes to get in the presence of God. That’s life in the fab lane, isn’t it?

I’ve been watching Kimora Lee Simmons’ reality TV show, “Life in the Fab Lane”, and I’ve been able to glean a lot from it. See if you can follow me there;

Kimora lives a fabulous life, filled with wonderful riches, glamour and success. She has gopher and fetchers at her beck-and-call. There is very little that she is allowed to do for herself. She doesn’t do anything that requires too much physical or even mental work.

I remember in one of the first episodes, she had her assistant to order her a new salad. The salad that she had was full of chopped chicken and other things that she obviously didn’t like. She instructed the assistant to order a new salad and have them remove the chopped chicken to one container and the vegetables and lettuce to another container. Huh??

Well, the assistant scurried away to make his master satisfied and proud. They never showed her again, enjoying the salad, but I’m willing to bet that she got her salad, just the way she ordered it.

This episode got me wondering about my life in the fab lane. First I wondered what fab lane is that? My fab lane as a Christian consists of trials, tribulations, discomforts and situations. But it also consists of overwhelming peace, joy, happiness and total satisfaction. How can I have all of these things? Easy. Although we go through this life with more questions than answers, our faith is what sustains us. It’s what builds us up and gives us character. Our faith is strengthened by our relationship with God.

Life in the fab lane…

Yes, I’ll take it anyway of the week.

Have you seen it? Anywhere? Does anyone truly have peace in their lives?

Sometimes, no a lot of times, we fill our lives up to the max with things that stress us out, fill us up and leaves us empty. What are all these things that stretch us but don’t give us peace? Are they worth it?

It’s no wonder that Christ admonishes us in scripture to be content with the things such as we have. They are enough for us to have; things that is.

If we are to have total peace, what do you think peace is?