Nick of Time by Tim Downs

Book jacket: The Bug Man is getting married on Saturday . . . if his fiancée can find him. Forensic entomologist Nick Polchak lives in a world of maggots and decomposing bodies. Nick and Alena are scheduled to be married on Saturday-but there's one small problem. Nick has disappeared. Caught up in a murder case involving an old friend, Nick finds himself on a manhunt that's drawing him farther from the church where Alena is waiting. Could Nick's single-minded focus cause him to forget his own wedding? Is he really pursuing a killer, or is he running away from something else?

Anyone with a mild interest in any of the forensic tv shows on today will enjoy this book immensely. The science is fascinating! Not only that, the characters are quirky enough that we care about them. They make us want to know more about them, and they provide a lightheartedness against the backdrop of the murder mystery. The plot is intriguing with good twists and turns, and I love that it didn’t end in the predictable way. This book made me want to read the ones that had come before it and the ones coming afterwards! I definitely recommend!

New Wii Rules (Say that 3 times fast!)

Today I established new Wii rules in the home.  I've been meaning to for a while, but this morning's events necessitated I implement them immediately.  The one clear cut rule we have had is no electronics before school, and the kids broke it this morning.  Things have been a little wonky with the Christmas holidays, so I didn't punish them beyond making them get off immediately.  [Although since I came up with our "new" Wii rules while they ate breakfast, they may consider it a punishment!]

Disclaimer:  The purpose of these Wii rules is for boundary setting, not extreme limiting.   Our Wii rules are going to sound very generous.  It's not as much the time I am concerned about as actually wanting to teach my children to get on and off the Wii when I tell them.

Our new rules:  

1)  3 hours a day for ALL electronics (Wii, computer, and tv)
2)  Each child gets 6 30-min increments.  Use it or lose it.
3)  Back to back increments are not allowed to be used on the Wii.

Electronics time that doesn't count against them:  School work on the computer and CF Vest treatment

Adding this rule tomorrow (because I didn't think about it when I wrote the rules today):

4)  If I get any sort of disrespect when I notify them of the end of the 30 minutes they lose another increment.

So far it's working as well as you can expect the first day of new rules to go.  Samantha made it 20 minutes into her first Wii span, and then got distracted.  She wanted to be able to use up the other 10 minutes later, but I'm not doing that (see #2).  That's actually part of my plan for creating 30 minute increments.   She has only used up that 1 chunk.  Timothy has already used up 4 of his 6 chunks (1 hour on Wii, 30 min on computer, and 30 min on tv).  He's going to have a rude awakening pretty soon, but it won't be my problem!

2012: Back to the Basics

I'll be honest.  Goal setting is not my favorite thing to do, but after reading my friend's blog post for her 2012 goals I was inspired to organize some thoughts.  The irony is that I started writing this post this morning in my "free time", and at the end of the day I'm not even half way done. And me getting side tracked by blog writing falls under the #6 priority I'm going to list, so I'm condensing this entire post in the hopes to start the year off right! The most important event happening in our family this year is the birth of our 3rd child in April, and so because of that my "Word of the Year" is "BASICS":

1.  Bible Reading-it is foolish to think we can enter a new year on solid ground without this.  I have found a read the Bible thru in a year guide.  I don't plan on pressuring myself to complete every last verse with a newborn on the way, but having a guide will maximize the reading I can do!  I know that one-on-one time with the Lord is special.  And reading his Word daily will help me focus on eternal things when life is being lived in 3-hour eat-play-sleep cycles!

2.  Household Chores-boy this one doesn't sound nearly as enjoyable as #1!   Fact is it has to get done, and everyone in the home is more relaxed when they have a clean house and clean clothes.  I will most especially push this in the next 3 months to get us off on the right foot!  To stay motivated, I'll utilize some handy websites (www.flylady.net, www.orgjunkie.org) and read good books to help me with my attitude (The Practice of the Presence of God, Taking Care of the Mommy in Me).

3.  Health & Fitness- My husband and I could always lose more weight, my daughter always needs to gain more weight, and my son needs to increase the number of foods he eat.  Food is a bit of a stressor in our home!   I'll be using the Best Odds Diet to get me through the 3rd trimester and nursing.  I've already started meal planning, which although time consuming, definitely helps in the grocery run and helps me not have to think of what to make on a given day.  Sleep deprived people can always benefit from not having to make smart choices in a hurry.  The calendar can just tell me what to cook!  I know working out regularly will also help my sleep patterns with a newborn.

4.  Finances-Before we moved a year ago we finally gave away all our baby stuff because "we were done".   So in the next 3 months I have lots to buy.  It's not the time to forget what I know helps our sanity...living within our means.  So it may get hard to make all those purchases with cash, but for our own peace we must.

5.  Medical-Our daughter has a disease that requires daily medications and breathing treatments.  Our son receives special services weekly that benefit him greatly.  My husband and I both take prescription medication for chronic conditions.  It will be crucial that we learn how to stick to these necessary routines while integrating a new member into the family.

6.  And so the most important priority is that we don't do anything else!  I realize these "basics" are as simple as it gets, but that's the point.  At the end of this year, I may not have quantitative markers to show I accomplished anything, but if we have been able to continue the "basics", live in *relative* harmony, and introduce a fifth person into our mix after six years of being a family of four, then I will be satisfied. 

Sharing a Book Giveaway!

Heidi, over at Our Out-of-Sync Life, has started a series called "A New Year...A New You!".   To kick off the series she has posted a Book Review and Giveaway today!  With all kinds of fashion tips to make looking our best easier than it is now, this book looks fun and beneficial!

2011 > 2012

2011 In Review:

• February "Blizzard of 2011"
• April-Timothy got glasses.  He loves them!
• June-My first homeschooling conference.
• August-Dan made Chief, and I found out I was pregnant! 
• September-Samantha's sinus surgery & first CF related hospitalization
• November-Discovered we were having a little girl

2011 was a kind year to us.  The 5 years prior to this one have stretched us beyond belief, so I have to admit it was nice to have a slight reprieve. 

 

Looking ahead to 2012:

• As Samantha continues to have weight issues, she will be getting a g-tube if we don't see some consistent progress.  Praying hard about that.
• In early April, we meet Hannah Grace!  Big changes ahead!
• Timothy will continue receiving amazing therapy.
• Dan will start getting paid as a Chief-yippee!!

I'm grateful to God for the hard years and the "easier" ones.  Whichever 2012 turns out to be, I can't wait to experience it with my precious Savior.

Cystic Fibrosis Vest Compliance

Don't give up no matter how long it takes!

Six years ago today we received the news that Samantha has Cystic Fibrosis. That knowledge created a flurry of emotions including fear, shock, horror, and confusion. As I look back over these last six years I realize that none of my initial feelings would be the overarching issue we would learn to deal with…the DAILYNESS of this disease. I’m sure some people I know think I talk about Samantha’s CF way too much. Others don’t even know she has it. And somewhere in between those two extremes is where we live…daily making sure she gets the preventative (and not so preventative) care that she needs.

Imagine how many times a day you breathe, eat, and go to the bathroom. Every one of those bodily functions is affected by Cystic Fibrosis. Therefore, each time Samantha experiences these seemingly normal activities we must consider what her body is doing or what treatments need to be done. Because of that, it is impossible to discuss Cystic Fibrosis without speaking the word “compliance”. Here is a piece of our journey…

Merriam-Webster defines compliance as "the act or process of conforming, submitting, or adapting to a desire, demand, proposal, or regimen."

Merriam-Webster would define Samantha as "an antonym of compliance":

• At 8 weeks she needed a spinal tap and fought so hard she stopped the spinal fluid from coming out. They barely got enough to run the needed tests.
• At 1-year she screamed so hard at her annual blood draw that she cut off the blood flow completely. What should have taken a minute, took MUCH longer as we tried to calm her enough to get it out.
• As recently as this week at her 6-yr annual blood draw 3 people had to hold her down…and they were working hard to do it!

There is no doubt in my mind our girl is a fighter.  The very part of her being that resists submitting to us is the same thing that will help her long term fight of this evil illness. But for now we battle the daily issue of compliance. I’ll use The Vest as an example. She has had The Vest for over a year, and to say it has been rough would be an understatement. Crying before, crying during, wanting to pause every couple of minutes, not letting me leave her side, and scared to talk because of how The Vest makes her voice sound. A treatment that should take 20 minutes has taken as long as an hour on some days.

As if that’s not enough, I also feel all alone. I don’t ever hear anyone else having these problems for this long. All CF kids will have compliance hiccups like this, but the parents try a thing or two and it all seems to fall into place. I’ve dreamt of the day that Samantha would happily watch a movie or tv show during an entire Vest treatment.

After 15 months, that day came THIS WEEK!

Tuesday we had the very first treatment that she didn’t ask for a single pause the entire 20 minutes. I was in awe!! So exciting! And then yesterday she played the Wii for the first time during a treatment! And once again she never asked to pause the treatment! She said, "Mom, this is awesome!"  Not only that, she told me all about the video game she was playing the whole 20 minutes!  I’ve never gotten more than a short sentence or two out of her! It’s seriously like dealing with a different child!

So I hope our story can encourage someone reading this who is in the middle of any kind of long term training with their child. Maybe it’s CF compliance. Maybe it’s been a year of potty training that feels like will never end. Maybe math isn't clicking no matter how you explain it. Whatever it is…don’t give up:

1. Explore every suggestion you are given. 
2. Keep trying without acting out of desperation.
3. And above all, remember to love your child whether he or she learns to comply or not.

Just because it hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't happen!

Ndamukong Suh, What's up with you?

An event happened in the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day game that has everyone talking, and since I love NFL football I feel the need to jump in!  Defensive Lineman Ndamukong Suh hit the head of Green Bay Packer's guard Evan Dietrich-Smith into the ground 3 times and then stomped on his arm while walking away.  Here's a video of what happened:

And just to add insult to injury, here's what Suh said after the game:

If somehow you bought any of that, please go back and watch video #1.

Of course everyone in the NFL has a different way of expressing their opinion on this, but I am happy to observe that everyone is in agreement on this one thing:  There is NO place for that behavior in the NFL.  Thankfully, Commissioner Roger Goodell tends to have a pretty heavy hand for this kind of thing, so I suspect I will agree with whatever decision he makes next week. 

This event is being likened to the "Albert Haynesworth stomp" of 2006.  Haynesworth stomped his helmet-less opponent on the head.  Haynesworth was ejected from the game and suspended for 5 additional games.  Considering the fact that Suh has been fined 3 times already for unsportsmanlike conduct many think in addition to another fine, Suh will be suspended for 2 games.  After careful consideration of this possible 2-5 game suspension, I have decided I want to see a 4-game suspension:

Game 1:  Head butt #1
Game 2:  Head butt #2
Game 3:  Head butt #3
Game 4:  Stomp on the arm

The BEST part of a 4-game suspension is that there will be 1 game left for Suh to play in the season.  And guess who the Lions will be playing?  The Green Bay Packers...again...IN Green Bay!!   And Green Bay can settle this the way it's supposed to be settled...by beating the Detroit Lions.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

This week I heard someone speaking to a group of people say something to the effect, "Just in case you didn't know, Thanksgiving isn't all about food."  That struck me a little funny at the time since the first Thanksgiving was literally all about the fact that the Pilgrims finally had food!  I know the point he was making...let's not gorge ourselves all day like mindless fools.  But as I contemplate our Thanksgiving banquet table this year, 2 thoughts keep popping up:

1)  I'm thankful for the food.  This year my family had some financial surprises that threw us for a loop.  For a few months, I was digging in the pantry on more than one occasion to pull out some canned tuna just to make it to pay day.  It wasn't pleasant!  Am I trying to say it was anywhere near what some people experience every day, every week?  No.  But did it teach me to be thankful for canned tuna?  Absolutely!  And when I bought groceries this week to make our Thanksgiving meal, I was particularly mindful that if that financial shock had happened in November, we would be eating tuna for Thanksgiving...and we would be thankful we were eating at all. 

2)  Jesus told a parable of a great supper to symbolize grace.  In Luke 14:15-23 we read that a man had prepared a feast, but everyone he invited had an excuse for not attending.  This man wanted his house full and all his food eaten, so he told his servants to go get the poor, sick, blind, and lame.  This is the invitation made by Christ.  His grace extends to everyone!  Sadly, those who often have their lives "together" don't recognize their need for the feast!  It's only those who admit their own need that cling to Christ's invitation.  So as I gaze on our Thanksgiving meal this year, I will ponder how that abundance of food represents the abundant, mercy-filled life that I live.

Aren't you glad you have been invited to the feast?

Good Friday: An Earth Day Testimony

Two years ago my birthday fell on Good Friday, and let's just be honest:  it was awkward being happy. How in the world could I fully enjoy celebrating my birthday on the day that my Lord gave his life for mine? This year Earth Day falls on the same day as Good Friday. Signs celebrating Earth Day are everywhere, and every one of them makes me a little sad. As much as I think we should care for our earth, I just wish the giant banners were marking Good Friday.

I wonder if anyone realizes the ultimate Earth Day was the original Good Friday.  Look what happened in Matthew 27:51-54...

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

Did you catch that?  When the guards saw the earth quake, rocks split, and tombs break open, they believed!!!  The earth shared a testimony that pointed directly to the glory of God!

May we speak about the Creator as boldly as the earth did that day! 

And may those who hear us believe!

Hearts at Home Bloggers: The Miracle of Miracles

I am excited to be a part of the Hearts at Home blogging community! The third Thursday of each month this community will blog about a pre-selected topic! I can’t wait to read all the diverse and original points of view. So for this initial post, we will get the ball rolling with the following question:

Have you experienced any miracles in your life?

Most definitely! I’ve been very sick, and awakened one morning completely well! I’ve given and received forgiveness for wrongs that could only be possible with the intervention of the Lord. I’ve been on a mission trip to Kenya where an evangelistic conversation that began needing two translators ended in the American and Kenyan understanding each other directly! All very powerful experiences, but by far the most amazing miracle I have experienced is…

being raised from the dead.

You read that correctly. I have been raised from the dead. Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people…” Subsequently, 1 Corinthians 15:21 says, “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.”

Which is what makes Romans 5:6-8 MIRACULOUS:

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us!”

He did that for me! He did that for me? He did that for me!! Miraculous!! While I was still dead in my sinful nature, completely unable to even make the first step towards Him, Philippians 2:8-11 says he took these ENORMOUS, MIRACULOUS, GOD-SIZED steps towards me:

8 And being found in appearance as a man,  
   he humbled himself
   by becoming obedient to death—
   even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father.

And this truth in my life leaves me with no other response but the one Peter expressed in 1 Peter 1:3-5:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

I hope that no matter what miracles you have experienced in your life, that you also have experienced this one. It will not only change your heart, it will change your eternity! If you don’t think you have experienced this miracle personally, please email me: experiencingeachmoment@gmail.com. I would be more than happy to talk with you about it! The miraculous work has already been done-you just have to choose to receive it!

Book Review: Same Life, New Story

"Move from what is to what can be by changing how you think and talk to yourself" is a description of the book found on the book jacket. I would add that Jill Silvious also emphasizes an important step before that: accepting your individual story (not denying it, resenting it, or running from it) so that you can embrace what amazing things God has in store!

Not only would I HIGHLY recommend this book, I actually have already endorsed it in multiple conversations ever since I’ve read it! Somehow Silvious put into words thoughts that have been swirling around in my head for quite some time. Silvious peals away at the lives of women from the Bible and present day women she has come in contact. In doing this, she shows us what a difference our lives can make if we accept our story…not someone else’s, not what we always wanted, not what is easy.

There have been so many things in my “story” that I didn’t want to accept and it was such a good reminder I’m not the only one! The Bible is full of women who were used to fulfill God’s plan, and who wants to be comfortable with their own story when the God of the Universe is writing one for you! This book will inspire you!

Disclaimer:  I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Books for my honest and impartial review.

Siesta Verse:Tax Day

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?

Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 

Matthew 5:46 NIV

Wordless Wednesday: Giddyup Elephant!