The Silver Lining of Sickness

Pat and the boys left this past Friday for their first-ever, week-long deer hunting trip. This means that I am pretty much on my own this whole entire week. My "girl", as the oldest grandbaby calls her, is the only one here. She's nineteen and in college, so that will tell you just how much she's around.

I have been looking forward to this special treat of a week for over two months. I had a girl's night planned with my two best friends. I was going to hang out with my mom for two days. I was going to shop for the supplies that I need to make my Christmas presents and spend time making them. I was going to enjoy the peace and quiet. As a mother of seven children, quiet is a new found joy since four of them are on their own. This is honestly the first time ever that I have been here with no one to cater to; no one to teach; no one to cook for; no one to pick up after; no one to cart around; no one to butt heads with.

As I mentioned, the guys left on Friday. Fate would have it that I got sick Saturday morning. I knew it was coming on, but I thought it was just your standard cold. No way! I felt so terrible by Saturday night that I was near ready to cancel the girl's night. I decided to wait to see how I felt in the morning after some rest, tea, and remedies. I felt a little better, so I went through with it despite the fact that I had none of the prep work done on the food. The girls didn't mind, and we still had a fine time.

All the way through today, however, I canceled my plans. No hanging out with mom as to not get her sick. No trip to Karmanos for my first ever appointment with the nurse practitioner and maybe a mammogram. No trip to Sandusky for my appointment I made over a month ago with my friend for some alternative therapy in relation to my Meniere's Disease. No trip to the antique mall with my mom. No browsing the cute, little shops in Lexinton with my mom. No overnights at her house or mine. No crazy cleaning and organizing and moving of furniture like I planned. Basically, nothing like I planned.

Then, it took my good friend to point out that there was indeed a blessing in the timing of my illness. I get to be sick by myself with no demands or expectations. I get to lay on the couch and watch movie after movie. I get to soak in the tub for two-and-half hours. I get to read a novel cover to cover without interruption. I get to go to bed and get up when I want. I do not have to do anything for anyone other than myself. For those of you that are mothers you certainly know that this is a RARE treat. It seems a little strange to say, but I am happy I was sick while they were gone, and I got to just be sick. Now, my goal is to be well by Thanksgiving so that my family can still come over for dinner.

Angel Food Ministries

With the focus being on penny pinching so much lately I thought it would be prudent for me to share a wonderful resource that is available in 35 states across the nation. This is an amazing food program that is open to anyone regardless of income. Angel Food Ministries was started in 1994 by Pastors Joe and Linda Wingo in Monroe, GA, and serves over 500,000 families monthly through their food distribution program.



Each month Angel Food Ministries offers a new menu to choose from. Orders are placed and paid for ahead of time and picked up at a local host site; usually a church, school, outreach center, or organization. Once you've determined your local host site, you simply contact them to place your order. They even accept Food Stamps (EBT).

With each order you will receive a copy of Servant Magazine. This magazine gives you up to date information about Angel Food Ministries, inspirational articles, the next month's menu, and reports from various host sites across the nation. You will also find useful recipes on their website for inspiration while using the food you purchase. For those of you that enjoy cooking and creating in the kitchen, you can even submit your favorite recipes to share with fellow participants or those simply visiting the website.

This is a wonderful resource for those on a fixed income, including senior citizens. There is a special menu designed especially for seniors which is comprised of complete meal choices. The menu includes 10 fully cooked meals that are nutritionally balanced, complete, and ready to heat and serve.

If you are vegetarian or vegan, this may not work for you since the main package always has meat in it. However, if you have a carnivorous friend you can benefit as well. Supplemental packages are available with the purchase of a main package. So, your friend could benefit from purchasing the main package, and you could pay for the addition of the produce package. You cannot beat the pricing!

Special holiday packages are available as well. They special design supplemental packages for the holidays. Traditional food items are included at a tremendously discounted price compared to local grocery store prices.

Just as Angel Food Ministries helps meet the needs of the general public, they have needs of their own. Volunteer opportunities abound. Maybe your church or organization would like to be a host site, or maybe your group is looking for a worth while cause to support via donations, fundraising, or actual volunteer time. Angel Food Ministries can benefit from your skills and talents. This is a wonderful organization and well worth exploring as a customer or a volunteer. You may even find a job opening!

Trauma in the Front Room

Do any of you have "irrational" fears? Today I was traumatized, "willingly". I have an uncontrollable fear of needles. To say I detest them is an understatement. I turn my head when one comes on television. The mere thought can bring me to tears.

Today we had an appointment with the nurse for a life insurance company. This is the first time in my 37 years that I have ever had to get weighed, measured, give urine, and, of course, blood. I argued and pleaded when I first found out. "I have never had to do this before. Why now?", I pleaded. You'd think I was the one giving out strange and shocking information. According to them it is standard practice. Why, pray tell, have I never had to have it done before, then? Why has my husband never had it done before? No explanation was known or offered.

So, as I mentioned, today was the day. My eyes are still swollen from crying. It is beyond my control. There is no such thing as mind over matter for me in this case. It doesn't matter how much I, "Try to relax!", as my husband's advice directed. There is nothing I can do; not even pray, and that gets me on another level. Why is it that I cannot cope with something like getting my blood drawn through relying on the strength of Christ? Does this mean that I am a weak Christian? Should I be able to stand in the face of any fear, even an irrational one, with my eyes on Jesus? Do I know him well enough, or am I slacking? Will my ability to deal with frightening situations increase as my relationship with God matures? Or, are there just some things that we never transcend?

You see? The way things are today, and where our world is headed in the keeping of prophecy, I cannot help but wonder. There are plenty of things I could be facing WAY worse than getting my blood drawn. What then? Is that different? I almost feel like I have to ask forgiveness for being such a wimp. Does that seem silly to you, or do you get where my thinking is coming from?

As I mentioned, I am a mere 37 years old. I have seen a lot in my life, and I have faced many challenges. God has carried me through tough times when I didn't even know Him. When the time comes again that I have to face something tremendous, painful, frightening, jaw dropping, will I be able to cope? Honestly, I believe that I will. That is, as long as it does not involve needles. Then I am not so confident.

Over the years I have thought long and hard about what it is that terrifies me so in regard to needles. There is nothing concrete. Therefore, the only conclusion I can draw is the surgeries that I had as a baby. Lord knows I do not remember them, and I am sure thankful. Although, I do have to believe that it left a terrible imprint on my brain. My mother, grandmother, and great aunt have all commented on the fact that I was terrified of the vacuum and other loud noises when I was little. When I asked my mom about it she said that it started after the surgeries. I was never afraid of them before. So, I believe my hypothesis to be true.

A little word of advice. There is nothing you can do when someone has an irrational fear except be supportive. No matter how much you tell them to think of something else, just relax, or get frustrated with them it will not help. You just need to be there and support them. Your frustration with them will only make the fear worse. Thankfully, my husband was there for me today. When he did things that were not helping I told him so, and he just held me after it was done and let me cry. That's all I needed, and it was greatly appreciated.

Thankful Thursday

This may seem a strange post for a Thankful Thursday, but here goes.

Despite the support of family and the skill of doctors my father-in-law, Evin Thomas Smith, passed away at 7:25AM on Saturday, November 1, 2008. He would have celebrated his 80th birthday this coming February. Now, he lays in waiting for the Lord.

Amongst the sadness there are many blessings. Ervin was a special man. He was the father to seven successful children and grandfather to numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was honest, kind, and had a strong work ethic unlike any I'd ever seen. Ervin was a fun-loving husband to my mother-in-law, Barbara Ann Smith. He loved a good practical joke, given or received and had a wonderful sense of humor!

I may not have been close to him, but it was a privilege to know him. I see him in his son, my husband, Pat, everyday. Sure, my husband has his idiosyncrasies, but those are also the things that make him special and unique. Those are the things that make me lovingly comment, "I swear I married your father!" or, "Okay, Ervin!" My husband loves to pick on me, just like his dad did his mom. My husband always gets up to open the door and look outside for every slammed car door, just like his dad. My husband always offers you something to eat or drink, or two, or three, just like his dad. My husband doesn't usually answer the phone, but he wants to know who you're talking to, just like his dad. My husband really loves me, just like his dad did his mom.

It can honestly be said that Ervin never did anyone wrong. He was trustworthy and dependable; someone you could really count on. It is a blessing that he knew the Lord. It is a blessing that he did not suffer. It is a blessing that he died in his sleep. It is a blessing that he was surrounded by family. It is a blessing that through his death his family has grown closer.

Death and dying are not things we are taught to deal with or how to process through in our culture. However, from my experience there is much to be gained through death. Life continues and those that once lived will forever impact those that knew and loved them, and through those people will impact the lives of countless others that never had the privilege of making their acquaintance. What legacy are you leaving those that go after you?

Get out and VOTE!