A Daily Dose of Grace

Adoption: From Daddy's Perspective

2013-04-16T13:10:00.000-04:00

Below is a letter my sweetheart of an introvert husband sat down and wrote to share with our church about our adoption. I may have cried a little bit when he first shared this with me. To be honest, I have spent so much time talking about adoption and, sadly, little time letting him think about his own take on it. It was really beautiful to see him share his heart a little bit. Oh, how I wish I had a transcript of what he added when our pastor brought us forward to pray for us.

Dear Church Family,

Do I feel called to adopt? Well, I know my wife is called to adopt. Ever since I met her, she's talked about adopting a child from Asia. In the back of my head I figured it was a fad -- linked to some cute Korean kids she was an ESL tutor for while she was in college -- and that after she had a couple of her own kids she would grow out of it. Well, four kids of her own and 10 years later she hasn't been able to shake the idea.

I love my wife and the more I spend time with her, her interests become my interests. For instance, I grew up overseas in a third world country without TV, especially American TV. Well, Becky frequently quotes movies in conversation and when we first started dating I had no clue what most of the quotes meant or where they came from. Today, I still don't know where some of the quotes come from, but I find myself recycling those same quotes in conversations with her and other people. I think those of you who are married can relate to that. So, even though I am a little nervous about a fifth child running around the house, I have warmed up to the idea over the years for a number of reasons.

First, my family is my primary area of ministry. It’s also probably the hardest. Having another child in the house adds to the responsibility, but it also opens up the possibility of being able to lead them to the feet of Christ. I have a long way to go to become proficient at this but, as a believer and a Dad, I have an obligation to find ways to keep the gospel in front of my kids. This should happen through the way I live my life, treat my wife, the words I speak, the things I place a lot of importance in. . .all in addition to feeding them God's word.

Second, we were adopted by God when we didn't deserve help. I see this as another opportunity to reciprocate God's unconditional love for us through Christ in a very practical way, to our adopted child as well as our other children and our friends.

It is also another way in which, with your help, I get to make one of my wife's dreams come true. I’m thinking major brownie points here. So, even though the idea to adopt started with my wife, God has used her and this body of believers (particularly Clint and Jennifer) to push me over the edge. Now, I’m just as anxious as my wife to learn who God has planned for our fifth child.

Adoption Fundraiser: Yard Sale!

2013-04-08T14:25:00.000-04:00

What a way to officially kick off our fundraising! We had an amazing 30 families contribute their gently used items to our adoption yard sale. We also had a couple of church friends volunteer to round up items from their neighbors. Everyone really contributed to this.

Family and friends came to help us prepare, run the sale, and break down. We could NOT have done it without them. It was a crazy day. I am definitely not a fan of aggressive early bird shoppers. People were literally pushing their way into my garage demanding prices for my husband's tools as we were trying to set stuff up. It got a little stressful for a bit there.

We stayed pretty busy for most of the day and it ended up being some chaotic fun. Many people shared kind words of support with us, gave us "a little something extra", or shared their own adoption stories with us. It was great meeting some neighbors and catching up with friends we don't see often enough.

Our sale went from 8 am - 2 pm. When we tallied things up that afternoon, we had made just under $1400!

We have since been trying to sell some leftovers by listing them individually. As it stands now, we may try to do another big yard sale in the fall. It was a lot of work, but really ended up being fun.

And we're a little bit closer to our daughter. :)

If you'd like to help us on our adoption journey, you can find out more by visiting our main adoption page.

Adoption Fundraiser: Adoption Puzzle

2013-02-21T12:54:00.000-05:00

I found this idea on a few blogs and really loved the concept. We have purchased this puzzle to be displayed with clear glass on both sides in the room our daughters will share. We are asking for friends to sponsor a puzzle piece (or more than one) for $10/piece. When you purchase a piece, we will write your name on the back of that piece. When the puzzle is complete, we will have a beautiful reminder of everyone who helped bring our daughter home. Butterflies have always been one of my favorites. They are such a symbol of new creation and new life. We want to celebrate our daughter and those who helped bring her to her new life!

Would you consider sponsoring a puzzle piece for $10? Our church is accepting funds on our behalf. You can make payments to:

Pillar Church
PO Box 622
Dumfries, VA 22026
(Please include "Wire Adoption - puzzle" on the memo!)

Or, you can donate through the church's adoption fund via PayPal below. Again, please make a note of "Wire Adoption - puzzle". (Please keep in mind that PayPal will keep a portion of your donations as their service fees. For $10, it'd be about $0.52.)

Thank you so much!

We're Expecting. . .A Long Wait!

2013-02-12T12:23:00.002-05:00

(Edit: Are you looking for adoption updates?)

. . .even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. . .Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV)

Adoption. It has been on my heart and mind since I first learned what that term even meant. Having four sweet babies of my own has not caused that desire to go anywhere. In fact, it has really increased my longing to care for a little one that might otherwise not have the chance to know how much they are loved.

My family and I are making plans to adopt a little girl from Taiwan. We don't yet have a specific child referred to us as the process for adopting from Taiwan can be a long one. But, we are plugging ahead with our first steps. And there are going to be quite a few costly steps.

We are looking to raise *gulp*. . .$35,000. That's an insane amount of money, but we are willing to work to get there. We are trusting our heavenly Father to provide. And, we are believing that our family and friends will help us however they are able.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18 (ESV)

Firstly, please PRAY. We want to act wisely. We want to wait with a sense of peace and contentment in God's plans unfolding exactly how they should. We trust him in ALL things. We'll trust him in this. Please pray for our heads to stay on straight. Please pray for our faith to be strong. Please pray for our little one and her family who will go through such a challenging time in their lives.

Secondly, we will be having several fundraisers over the next year or so. If you are able to participate in these, please do. If you would be so kind as to share them with friends and family, please do.

Finally, if you would like to donate to our adoption fund, you can do so a couple of ways. Our church is accepting donations in our name. This works out to be tax deductible for you. If you would like to donate through our church, you can send a check here:

Pillar Church
PO Box 622
Dumfries, VA 22026
(Please include "Wire Adoption" on the memo!)

Or, you can donate via PayPal below. Again, please make a note of "Wire Adoption". (Please keep in mind that PayPal will keep a portion of your donations as their service fees.)

As we move through this process, I will be updating the blog and beginning some posts about Taiwan. Please join us in this journey. We welcome any questions you may have, and hope you'll be patient with us when we don't know the answers yet. :)

Thank you, sweet readers and friends!

Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you. Isaiah 43:5 (ESV)

His Grace: Much More Than A Dose

2013-01-29T00:20:00.000-05:00

Where would I be without Jesus?

I often wonder this when thinking about my weaknesses, or the things I tend to fall into based on my personality and such. Knowing what a strong grip issues like pride and anger have had in my life even with my Savior beside me, I am not sure what I would look like. I am not sure I really want to know. I mean, yikes!

My home life growing up was full of chaos and violence. Church was a place of refuge for me. There was definitely a facade on my part where I didn't reveal what was happening in my home, but there was a genuine connection being made in my heart. Knowing I had a heavenly father who loved me no matter what. . .this was priceless to me.

Now, I had a lot of misunderstandings about grace. Part of that was immaturity (both mentally and spiritually). Most of it was this feeling that I was incapable of doing anything right to the point of not being good enough for someone to love. Oh, I certainly believed grace and salvation to be a gift. The very definition of grace is unmerited favor, right? Unearned. But, strangely enough, I simultaneously thought that if I couldn't get myself together and stop acting out in anger and selfishness, then maybe it wasn't quite sticking. Like, I was somehow doing this whole grace thing wrong.

On some level, I sort of had the right idea. I can't do any of this on my own. I can't be the type of better that adds up to too much in the end. The very reason I need saving is that I am not good enough. I am not holy like God is. I am not righteous, as the Lord is righteous. If the standard is the holiness of God, none of us can get there. But, my standard bearer understands more about me - more about my true worth - than I could ever understand myself. Jesus offers me (and you) a trade. It is the greatest trade in all of history. Sometimes, I imagine it a little something like this:

"You know that thing about you that makes it impossible for my Father to look at you? That's sin, and I want you to give it to me. I want your secret ugliness, your selfishness, your hatred, your bitterness, your anger, your rebellion, your dishonesty, your unfaithfulness. I want to take it and wear it all like the cloak of shame you have been wearing. And, in its stead? You can wear my goodness, my selflessness, my love, my joy, my obedience, my peace, my kindness, my faithfulness. You can wear it as the cloak of glory that is mine. When my father looks at you now, he will see this glory. He will recognize it. He will embrace you as his very own. And he will never bring up that shame again. You will remember the shame. Oh, yes, you will remember it, because now you can really see how awful it is. Just a glimpse of the Light makes the dark so much deeper. . .so much more insidious. Sometimes you will slink back into those shadows, but you will not remain there. You just cannot. He will take your hand and never let you go. He will lead you. And you will want to spend the rest of your days thanking, loving, and learning about the One who gave you this new life."

I talk a lot about grace on here. (Have you seen my site's title?) Of course, the name is sort of a play on our medical issues, but the reality is that the grace of Jesus is much more than whether we have physical health or an easy life with "perfect" children. Challenges, struggles, and even times of carefree joys are all temporary. Grace is eternal. I never want to look at my life and think that such a gift is somehow just about finding peace and comfort. If I were to do that, I would indeed be doing this whole grace thing wrong.

Giveaway Winner: Thirty-One Gifts Market Thermal Tote

2013-01-24T00:33:00.000-05:00

It's time to announce the winner of our first giveaway, a Thirty-One Gifts Market Thermal Tote!

And the winner is. . .

#145, Lindsey M.!

Congratulations, Lindsey! Check your email for a message from me.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to all who entered. This was fun!

Would you like more opportunities to win some great prizes? Stop by my online party where there is still a chance to win some great items from Thirty-One! Hurry, the party is ending soon.

ONE lucky customer who places an order over $50, will receive one additional item for 1/2 price. (Personalization of that additional item is available for 1/2 price as well. Please note that collegiate items are not available for 1/2 price.)

TWO lucky customers will win a bonus item. (Names will be drawn at random on Sunday, January 27th.)

And, don't forget about the fantastic customer special they are having this month!

I can't wait for our next giveaway. Talk to you soon!

Giveaway: Thirty-One Gifts Contest and Online Party

2013-01-16T22:36:00.000-05:00

It's our first giveaway! I'm so excited! I have tons of ideas for future giveaways, too. (If you'd be interested in sponsoring a giveaway, please contact me with the details.)

A while back, I began to hear a little bit about Thirty-One Gifts, but I really didn't look too much into the company. I'm not naturally a purse girl and, I really just thought it was a company that sold purses. I did not realize that they make organization super easy (and cute!) and just have a ton of products to fit all kinds of needs.

This company really caught my eye when a wonderful friend, Jennifer, became a consultant. Here's what brought her to become a consultant:

"I choose to sell Thirty One to help my family reach a dream of me being a stay at home mom and homeschooling our 5 kids! My husband is a church planter, and I'd also like to be able to help him more. I also LOVE the Thirty One bags and totes!! I enjoy the different styles as well as the patterns. And I like that it is a Christian company."

Her motivating factor is to help support her husband's church planting efforts and be in a position to begin homeschooling their kids. Awesome, right?

I attended a couple of parties and started purchasing a few items before hosting a local party. And now, I'm pretty excited to host an online party featuring one of my favorite products as a giveaway.

Market Thermal Tote!!

Since this is also an online party, I'd like to introduce you to the monthly special. January's customer special is a great way to introduce the new items found in the Spring 2013 catalog.

If you'd like to check out their great items and make a purchase, you can go to my party listing. Keep scrolling below for some great incentives available to those who place an order.

Ready for the giveaway details? Okay!

There's still room in there.

The pic I first saw that convinced me to get this. :)

This giveaway is for the Thirty One Market Thermal Tote (a $45 value). It is a great sized bag (Approx. 13.75”H x 17.5”W x 8.75”D) that is fully lined with a waterproof thermal lining for keeping your items at the temperature you want. I have mine in "Black Pick Me Plaid". I use it every week for grocery runs and picking up our grassfed deliveries. It keeps things nice and cold with plenty of room. There are tons of uses for this thing! It's quality made, easy to wipe clean, and is just stinkin' cute. It is available to be personalized, but I really just couldn't think of what to add at the time of ordering. :)

Now, as cute as mine is, here's another pattern that is available. Lotsa Dots!

So cute, right? I love this print! The new season brought this print back in a ton of fun products.

When I email the winner, you'll have to let me know which print you prefer: Black Pick Me Plaid or Lotsa Dots. Your choice!

Not only is this post about a great giveaway prize, but I'm also offering some fun incentives for the customers of my online party. Why not go for them, too? :)

Online Party Prizes:

1. The 1st customer to place an order, will receive FREE personalization on any eligible item.
2. ONE lucky customer who places an order over $50, will receive one additional item for 1/2 price. (Personalization of that additional item is available for 1/2 price as well. Please note that collegiate items are not available for 1/2 price.)
3. TWO lucky customers will win a bonus item. (Names will be drawn at random on Sunday, January 27th.)

Those goodies are in addition to the January customer special which an order over $31 already qualifies you for! So fun!

Ready to shop for your chance to win? Visit Jennifer's Thirty-One Shop and enter my party.The party closes Monday, January 28th, 2013 @ 8:00 p.m. (E.S.T.)

Want to enter the Market Thermal Tote giveaway? Enter below. There are several great ways to earn extra entries. Rafflecopter will decide our random winner for us at the end of the contest. The giveaway runs through midnight (E.S.T.) on Thursday, January 24th, 2013.

Here are some rules:
*Enter by midnight (EST) Thursday, January 24th
*One lucky winner will be chosen at random.
*Entries will be verified. Invalid entries will be removed from the drawing.
*Open to US mailing addresses only.
*The winner will be contacted directly and must respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected.

Hope you win, and happy shopping!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

On Fear, Faith, And Being A Turtle

2013-01-11T16:35:00.002-05:00

Lately, I've been picturing myself as a turtle. And not one of these turtles. But, like, this little guy hiding in the grass:

Oh, yes, a shy little box turtle. Okay, where am I going with this?

When a turtle gets scared, he retreats inside his shell (his home). And that is exactly what I felt like I had to do following Eliana's diagnosis of desmoplastic medulloblastoma. There was the physical part of the retreat. I stayed home from church and events quite a bit to avoid all illnesses when her counts were low from treatment. I lived in the hospital for weeks at a time, and then cuddled my other three kiddos relentlessly for a couple of days before the next fever would send us back to our ~~hospital room~~ dungeon. Once her treatment was complete, I was desperate for time together as a family just cuddled on the couch with no fear of fevers or faulty implanted pumps filling our princess with toxins. We pulled back from many responsibilities and were hesitant to create any new ones. But, I don't think that anyone who truly knows me would have said I intentionally shrank back into my shell. I didn't attempt to shun family and friends, or completely become a hermit. But, I had quietly sounded an alarm and fallen back in some external and internal ways.

I began a very marked focus on my home. I hauled boxes of packaged foods, BPA-lined cans of pesticide-soaked veggies, and bottles of toxic cleaners to the trash. Some of those trips were highlighted by gasps from my husband as I threw money away. Some of them I just made when he wasn't home. Okay, I was a little ashamed of my actions, but I was more horrified at the thought of potentially feeding my daughter's cancer any longer.

At home, I sought to read everything I could about rebuilding my daughter's battered immune system. No one at the hospital talked to me about that, or has since talked to me about that. So, I decided to put myself through a crash course on nutrition, detoxification, gut health, natural alternatives to products (both personal and household), etc. That crash course has seen several extensions for over two years. :)

Since Eliana's illness threw our homeschooling off quite a bit, I reveled in the chance to create my own homeschool curriculum plan and really just have homeschool be the way I always dreamed it could be.

All of these things were done with great intention, but also quite a bit of trepidation. I didn't want to miss a minute with any of my babies. In making tons of changes around the house, I wanted to do all I could to "save" them. . .even driving myself to tears at times because I ~~would~~ can get so overwhelmed with all of the information out there about what's best to keep my family healthy.

When the truth is - the Truth is - all of this acting with fear as a powerful impetus is futile. I can't save anybody. I can't predict whether Eliana's cancer will return, or one of my other children will be lost in some tragic accident. . .or whether I will pass before any of my children.

If you've followed my blog at all, you'll see that that this balancing of faith and fear is an often visited topic. I not so secretly hope you will look at the hand we've been dealt, and understand why this would be such a common theme. And I'm sure, if you were honest, you would admit that you have your own balancing act with its own specifics.

Fear is not somewhere I truly want to live. I believe with everything in me, what the Psalmist says:

Source: 25.media.tumblr.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

I believe that, "Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" Psalm 118:5-6 ESV

And although that certainly doesn't mean we wont face frightening things, it means that no matter what happens to any of my children or myself, we are held in strong hands. These hands will not break our shell without molding us back into something more whole than when we first began.

Come, let us return to the Lord;
for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. Hosea 6:1 (ESV)

I trust this Healer who has proved himself so faithful, and I thank him for how much I've learned in the breaking.

I am slowly sticking my head out of this little shell o' mine. Oh, I will continue to learn about taking better care of my family, because I am genuinely interested in the learning and applying of it. I believe there to be value in it - not salvation - but value. Yet, my studies will be with a continued (renewed) focus on God's sovereignty over the body he created. My little turtle self is pushing out those feet and taking steps of normalcy with my family. Last night, we took this brave biggest brother to his first basketball practice. I was so excited to see the joy in his sweet face, that I embarrassed my husband with my enthusiasm at his running drills. Ha!

Next month, we'll start hosting a small group Bible study at our home. . .something we haven't done in years. And those two things may seem so simple, but they are hugely significant in my mind. Something about these inchstones refreshes my soul. There is a genuine fearlessness I feel coming over me. Another gift of God's grace.

P.S. I realize a turtle's shell is actually part of his backbone, not a home that he would move in and out of like a hermit crab. BUT, this was my analogy and I wanted to stick with it. So, there ya go. :)

Ten Favorite Uses For Coconut Oil

2013-01-09T11:35:00.002-05:00

We love coconut oil around here. I'm sure we have more than ten uses for coconut oil, but these are our most ~~common~~ beloved uses.

1. Sub coconut oil for other oils called for in baking recipes (vegetable oil, canola oil, etc.). Polyunsaturates are dangerous for our health. Coconut Oil is a healthier cooking oil alternative.

2. Fever/headache/cough/sinus/allergy relief - Mix a few tablespoons of coconut oil with 10-15 drops of eucalyptus radiata and lavender essential oils. Apply this to the chest and bottoms of feet for relief from congestion issues. Apply to the back of the neck and temples for fever/headache/allergy issues.

3. Insect repellant - Mix a few tablespoons of coconut oil with 10-15 drops of lemongrass and rosemary essential oils. Apply as needed for your next outdoor event.

4. Itch relief - We use straight coconut oil for any type of bug bite and for eczema.

5. Pink Eye - Here's my most popular post about using coconut oil for pink eye.

6. Body lotion/moisturizer - Mix a few drops of your favorite essential oil for scented lotion without harsh chemicals.

7. Facial moisturizer - Mix a few tablespoons of coconut oil with 10-12 drops of grapefruit essential oil.

8. Lip Balm - Would you believe I just use the same coconut oil and grapefruit combo for my lips? :)

9. Deodorant - I use Wellness Mama's Natural Deodorant Recipe (#2). I make mine with vanilla and orange essential oils. I love it!

10. Anti-Frizz Serum & Detangler - Now, this can get tricky because a little goes a LONG way and you don't want your hair to look greasy. For my curls, I just sort of swipe my fingers along the container for just a tiny bit and apply gently. My daughter loves to have a little matted rat's nest every morning. She really appreciates just a swipe through her hair for a painless detangling session.

Do you love coconut oil, too? What are your favorite uses?

Our 2012-2013 Curriculum Plan

2012-12-18T13:33:00.000-05:00

Around the holidays, homeschooling gets a little bit of a flat tire around here. So, I thought I'd reignite my excitement about the year by putting down all my curriculum plans that I was SO excited about a few months ago. Makes sense, right?

Here's what we're doing for our school year this year. We don't do all of this every day, and some days we hardly get any of it done. Ha! #realtalk

Fourth Grade

Bible: Foundations 1: Creation to Christ

Grammar: Essentials of the English Language; Our Mother Tongue

Math: Math 4: Teaching Textbooks (We decided to just get the book and not use the program, 'cause we're ~~thrifty~~ cheap like that. We have the kids write out their math problems on notebook paper and leave the text mark free.) Also, Your Business Math (Pet Store)

Spelling/Vocabulary: Reading Key's Reading Vocabulary program

Science: Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology

Literature:The Chronicles of Narnia: 7-Volume Set

Geography/History: Confessions of A Homeschooler's Road Trip USA

Art: Confessions of A Homeschooler's Artist Study (We're big fans of Erica around here!)

Sign Language:Sign Language for Everyone

Writing: Institute for Excellence in Writing's All Things Fun & Fascinating: Writing Lessons in Structure & Style

Penmanship: Copying 1 hymn (using both contemporary and traditional songs) a month and Spelling Wisdom

Music: Essentials of Music Theory, Volumes 1-3, Student Version CD-ROM

Second Grade

(Just about all of the above with only core curriculum changes, and he obviously uses the 2nd grade spelling/vocabulary lists.)

Grammar: Two FREE classical texts a friend recommended. We are in love with Elementary Grammar & Composition and Practical Lessons in the use of English

Math: Teaching Textbooks Math 3 (We used their placement test and using their level 3 has been fine for him.)

Preschool & K4

Confessions of A Homeschooler's Letter of the Week

Confessions of A Homeschooler's K4 (Told you we love Erica around here.)

Woo, that's a lot, right? Good thing we're not locking ourselves into 9 months. . .or even completing it all this school year. ;) Some of those things we haven't even cracked open yet, but they are in the plan. That plan may include 2013-2014.

So there you have it. Our crazy, but fun plan for the school year. Now, I'm all excited all over again. Mission accomplished.

P.S. This post contains some affiliate links as described in our disclosure. If you like what you see here, please consider clicking through and making purchases from the Christianbook.com links you find above. I would make a tiny percentage of your purchase, without any additional charges for you.

Ruth and The Redeemer Bible Study - Week 4

2012-07-06T16:41:00.002-04:00

Continuing on in our Ruth and The Redeemer Bible study, we're at Week 4 now. We're still reading through Chapter 3 of the book of Ruth.

Last week, we reviewed some information about kinsman redeemers and levirate marriage, according to other places in Scripture. Any thoughts you'd like to share about what you've learned?

Since we're spending two weeks on Chapter 3, I want to jump right in to the homework. So, here's Ruth and The Redeemer Bible Study Week 4's homework

So, who's with me? Are you joining in our 8 week study "Ruth and The Redeemer"? Check in in the comments. Introduce yourself. Give a prayer request/praise. Don't forget to come back and comment on the week's homework. You can also check in at the Facebook page. Talk to you soon!

Ruth and The Redeemer Bible Study - Week 3

2012-06-29T17:29:00.000-04:00

For those of you participating in our Ruth and The Redeemer Bible study, how are things going? I am enjoying how rich this little book of Ruth really is.

This past week we read Chapter 2 of Ruth. Ruth went off to glean to provide for herself and Naomi. She ended up in Boaz's field and the two meet. It is a beautiful chapter for many reasons.

Take a look back at your Day 3 of Ruth and The Redeemer Bible Study Week 2 homework:

What blessing does Boaz give Ruth (2:12) and why (verse 11)?

We had a little bit of a discussion at our meeting about what captured Boaz's interest when it came to Ruth. Was there a physical attraction there? Well, we don't have that in Scripture. We just don't know.

It is quite interesting that there is no description given of Ruth's appearance. Other places in Scripture do not shy away from physical description. In Genesis 24's story of Isaac and Rebekah's marriage arrangement, for example, we learn that Rebekah was "very attractive in appearance" (Genesis 24:16, ESV).

What we do have in the text is that Boaz was interested in Ruth's story - - in her compassion toward her mother-in-law, in her rejection of all she'd known, and in her turning to the Lord. Boaz has taken note of Ruth's huge risk and sacrifice. He recognizes that she has taken "refuge" under the "wings" of the Lord (Ruth 2:11-12, ESV). His statement acknowledges an understanding of Ruth's spiritual conversion and a great deal of respect for the fruit it has produced.

Boaz shows Ruth kindness above and beyond what was expected. He provides for her and Naomi in an abundant way. And he does so, according to his own words, because of what Ruth has done. Boaz is in a position to bless her and he does just that.

One more stop before getting to Week 3's homework. Turn to Day 4's homework.

Look at Naomi's statement in 2:20 and then back at what she said in 1:20-21. What has changed and why?

Naomi was (rightfully so) devastated after the loss of her husband and her two sons (Chapter 1). She felt the Lord had turned against her. She had seen the Almighty's hand act in a way that took away all she had. She says, "I went away full, and the Lord has brought me back empty"(1:21). She even tells those who greet her to call her Marah, which means bitter, instead of her name Naomi, which means "pleasant".

But, circumstances have changed. The Lord brought Ruth to the field of Boaz, one of their redeemers (2:20). Boaz showed their family tremendous kindness. They have food. Ruth has work. There are other layers of hope in that Boaz happens to be one of their family's redeemers. (More on that next time.)

Naomi acknowledges that the Lord's "kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead"(2:20). What a turn around from how she described the Lord at the beginning of the barley harvest!

For both Week 3 and 4, we'll be looking at Ruth Chapter 3. Up first, some more background for our Chapter 3 reading. Here is your Ruth and The Redeemer Bible Study Week 3 Homework!

Are you joining in our 8 week study "Ruth and The Redeemer"? Check in in the comments. Introduce yourself. Give a prayer request/praise. Don't forget to come back and comment on the week's homework. You can also check in at the Facebook page. Talk to you soon!

Ruth and The Redeemer Bible Study - Week 2

2012-06-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

If you joined us for our Ruth and The Redeemer Bible Study Week 1, you may have noticed we skipped a week. That's because our local group had to cancel a session and I thought it would throw things off too much to have the online and local schedules out of sync. So, I'm back with Week 2. First, let's close out week 1.

Week 1 Review

How did you do with your Ruth and The Redeemer Bible Study Week 1 homework? Get it all done? Almost all of it? It's okay. There are a few major points I really wanted to hit.

Context: The Setting
(From your Day 2's homework)

What do we know about the time of the judges?
Read Judges 2:16-23 and Judges 17:6.

Moabites
(From Day 3)

Look over the origin of the Moabites (Genesis 19:30-38).

There is some information about the relationship between the Israelites and the Moabites in:

Numbers 21:25-26
Numbers 22:1-20
Numbers 25:1-9
Deuteronomy 23:3-6 (It's important to note that the Hebrew for "assembly" (qahal) doesn't refer to the inclusion in the nation, but to the services of the tabernacle or temple (https://net.bible.org/#!bible/Deuteronomy+23)).

Religion of the Moabites

Numbers 21:29
1 Kings 11:7
2 Kings 3:26-27
2 Kings 23:13-14
Jeremiah 48:13

Ruth's Vow
(From Day 4)

Read carefully through Ruth 1:16-17. Your Day 4 homework tells you to fill in the blanks of 7 things Ruth declares. This is a hugely powerful vow Ruth makes. She is willing to deny her homeland, her people, her ethnicity, her religion. . .even the significance of being buried in her land.

There is a conversion that takes place here. Naomi tried to convince both of her daughters-in-law to return to their land and seek new husbands. Orpah returned to her people and her gods (v. 15). But something has changed for Ruth. It is more than loyalty to Naomi. It is a desire to be fully included within the people of Yahweh.

". . .it is Ruth's foreignness that enables her to choose the Israelites in a meaningful way. Indeed, the more radical her foreignness, the more meaningful the sense of chosenness that results from her choosing.The more deep the enmity between Moab and Israel, the more profound the friendship that is declared in its midst. The more radically particular the convert, the more obviously universal the divinity that compels her to join up." (From Famine to Fullness: The Gospel According to Ruth, by Dean R. Ulrich (pgs 41-42))

Even in the 1st chapter of Ruth, we see there is something far, far greater going on here than simply a narrative of loss and new beginnings. Isn't this exciting?!

Are you ready to begin Week 2?

Read through the session notes below for some background to consider.
Begin your Ruth and The Redeemer - Week 2's Homework

Gleaning

What is gleaning?

According to Wikipedia: "Gleaning is the act of collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields after they have been commercially harvested or on fields where it is not economically profitable to harvest. Some ancient cultures promoted gleaning as an early form of a welfare system."
P.S. I love that it said “see also: dumpster diving”

What commands does God give the Israelites regarding gleaning?

Leviticus 19:9-10
Deuteronomy 24:19-20
Leviticus 23:22

The WHY of this
Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Ruth is a foreigner, a Moabite. She also happens to be a widow. Both of these types of people are of special importance to the Lord and he spoke of them to the Israelites.

Foreigners, Widows, and Israel

Deuteronomy 10:17-19
Exodus 22:21
Leviticus 19:33-34

God reminds the Israelites that they were once in need in Egypt. He showed his glory and his power through providing for and protecting the Israelites during this time (and a thousand others). The Lord blesses the Israelites (and us today) and tells us to bless others in return as a testimony to the his goodness and his power.

Are you joining in our 8 week study "Ruth and The Redeemer"? Check in in the comments. Introduce yourself. Give a prayer request/praise. Don't forget to come back and comment on the week's homework. You can also check in at the Facebook page. Talk to you soon!

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link for a book I highly recommend. I would receive a small fee if you make any purchases through the link. I have enjoyed the book. No one asked me to promote it. :)

Ruth and The Redeemer Bible Study - Week 1

2012-06-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

This is going to be a little different of a direction than what I have recently been writing, but here goes. At my local church, some ladies and I are studying the book of Ruth for 8 weeks this summer. When I mentioned that I was putting this study together, I had several non-local friends/readers ask me about joining us. So, I've decided to post my session notes and weekly homework in hopes that we could have an online "course" happening simultaneously. Now, this may flop completely. . . but it might not. :)

What I'll be doing is posting my session notes as a blog entry pertaining to each week of study. I hope to have these up on Fridays. In these posts, you'll find a PDF of the week's homework for your daily study. Each week will have 4 or 5 days of homework. This first week we’ll be learning a lot of background about the time, the place and its people. We'll be dissecting chapter 1 quite a bit.

You ready? Let's go.

For week 1:

Read through the entire book of Ruth. Don't panic - it's only 4 chapters. :) At our first meeting, our local group read through it together before we had the discussion found below.
Read through the session notes below on some literary analysis to consider before moving onto
Ruth and The Redeemer - Week 1's Homework

Literary Genre

What literary genre are we looking at with Ruth? Why is it important to examine genre?

Ruth is a Hebrew narrative. As a general term, we understand the definition of narrative to be the telling of events that may be true or may be fiction. However, there are specific attributes regarding a Hebrew narrative that are worth exploring in order to gain a better understanding of Ruth.

Some aspects of a Hebrew narrative:

Uses regular events, but clearly illustrates the providence of God in these events.
Contains literary devices such as poetic prose (Ruth's vow to Naomi), word-play (Naomi asks for a name change), contrasts (full vs. empty; helpless vs. cared for; death vs. life)

(Source: A Literary Analysis of the Book of Ruth, Heather Goodman)

In Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart’s, How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth,the authors discuss several aspects of Hebrew narratives and some pitfalls of forgetting the genre’s purpose. We’re going to examine a few of them briefly:

Narrator: Omniscient, but doesn't tell all he knows. He does not always offer comments on what is taking place. His role is storyteller and his point of view is the divine.

Characters: There is usually not much interest in creating a physical picture for us, but a person's status, profession, and family/clan is emphasized. Characters may often be put in contrast or parallel with other characters.

Dialogue: This is the main tool of characterization. The initial dialogue is usually crucial to the plot and gives a great picture of the speaker. A narrator will often highlight important parts of the story through repetition or summary given by a character.

A couple of things to remember:

A Hebrew narrative is not always going to spell out if a person’s actions were right in the eyes of God or not. It is telling a story of events. It is not offering significant commentary on the actions that take place. It is not going to spell out the “moral of the story”.
A Hebrew narrative was given to a specific audience for a specific purpose. Not everything written in those pages was meant as a direct message to us today.

Narrative Levels

Fee & Stuart discuss three levels of narrative to remember when we are looking at an Old Testament narrative.

The top level, or the “metanarrative”, contains God’s complete plan. It is how he is moving in and through all of creation and time. From creation to Christ to commission, what is the ultimate theme of God’s story?
The middle level is that of God’s specific work in redeeming people for his glory. There is a story of the old covenant through Abraham and the Israelites. There is also a new covenant. For an Old Testament narrative, we are obviously focusing on the first covenant.
Finally, we have the base level. This is the level where we find lots of narratives featuring individuals who are in some way a part of the other levels .

Explicit and Implicit Teaching

Another point Fee & Stuart make regarding Old Testament narratives is the importance of distinguishing between implicit and explicit teaching within the text. Implicit teaching within a Hebrew narrative may be understood as references in the story that would be common knowledge to the narrator and his intended audience. These references might include knowledge about the Law, culture, particulars about a nation, etc. Without considering such points, we can end up reading more into the narrative than what was intended. We may apply our own beliefs or biases and wrongfully interpret the text. It is important to remember that an OT narrative has a narrator who is acting as simply a storyteller. Just because he doesn’t condone or condemn a particular decision made by a character, doesn’t mean a moral precedent has not previously been established elsewhere.

(Source: Fee, Gordon D. and Douglas Stuart. 2003. How to Read the Bible for All It's Worth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.)

A superficial glance of Ruth gives us a sweet story of loss and new life. We have what appears to be a love story. However, not seeing that this story is more than that would be a pretty significant error. There is quite a bit going on beyond simply the relationship of Ruth and Boaz in these 4 brief chapters.

So, who's with me? Are you joining in our 8 week study "Ruth and The Redeemer"? Check in in the comments. Introduce yourself. Give a prayer request/praise. Don't forget to come back and comment on the week's homework. You can also check in at the Facebook page. Talk to you soon!

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link for a book I highly recommend. I would receive a small fee if you make any purchases through the link. I own the book, and I think it's great. No one asked me to promote it. :)

Gratituesday: It's Been A Good Year

2012-05-15T11:08:00.002-04:00

May 2011


May 2012

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Mothering Tender Hearts

2012-04-28T11:49:00.000-04:00

For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him.

1 Samuel 1:27 ESV

I always wanted to be a mother. Sure, I wanted to be other things at different times. I wanted to be a teacher, and I am. I wanted to be a writer, and I am a pretend one. For a while, I wanted to be a marine biologist. Jacques Cousteau was my hero for quite a number of years. There were other things that didn't quite stick as long. Even as an adult, I've played around with ideas of what *else* I wanted to be.

But, ultimately, I just wanted to be a momma.

I prayed for these babies of mine. The Lord gave me three sons and a daughter. I often will talk about my daughter, but for a bit I'm going to focus on just my boys.

I feel such a tremendous responsibility to raise them in a manner that pleases and praises the Lord. Alongside my husband, I am trying to do my best. But, "trying to do my best" contains a lot that is wrong with how I parent.

My boys can be wild and hilarious. They can be sensitive and fragile. They are imaginative and creative. (I so enjoy seeing their new Lego creations and their made up story characters.) They are so naive about many things, but they have witnessed quite a bit of the heaviness of life in recent years.

They are sinful and in need of grace. And so is there momma.

As I attempt to try my best as a parent, I realize how much more (and more and more) grace I need. I am sinful. I struggle with a great number of manifestations of that sinfulness. My place at home means those in my home are who take the brunt of how selfish and sinful I can be.

I don't want to break my sons with things that broke me at times. I want them to see that the only thing that keeps me whole and the only thing that will make them whole is Jesus. The only one who will truly teach them how to be men, husbands, fathers is THE Father.

I want them to see me as completely dependent on Jesus. I want them to see me desperate for his attention and affection - hungry for more time with him.

A while back, I learned about The MOB Society (Moms of Boys). I was intrigued by an idea they put together for 21 Days of Prayer for Sons which is based on the eBook, Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most, by Brooke McGlothlin. The MOB Society is sponsoring a new session to begin May 1st. You can join up with them and follow their posts as well as their Face Book page events.

I will be participating in this 21 day challenge and blogging about it. I invite you to join me here at the blog where we can share what we are learning as we go through these 21 days. If you have a son or hope to one day, have one on the way, a nephew, a friend's son, a neighbor. . .please join us here on the blog or on our Facebook page. Over this challenge, I will be introducing you to my sons a little bit and what areas I want to focus on praying for them. I'm sure it will reveal much about myself along the way.

I am committing myself to praying through these 21 Days for my sons, but moving beyond that. Over the entire month of May, I'm going to be sharing some struggles I have as a mother in a sort of thematic way. I hope that by being transparent here, I will help others to be as well.

If you'd like to join me in praying for your sons, please let me know in the comments below. If you'd like, please share the names (or initials, if you prefer) and ages of your sons as I commit to praying for them alongside my own. My boys are Jonathan (8), Caleb (6), and Liam (4). (That picture is from a few years back, but one of my favorites!)

Will you be joining me for this challenge?

Guest Writing Today

2012-04-20T15:03:00.000-04:00

Today, I am a guest blogger on Home Educating Family.

I was asked a little while back if I would write something from a cancer mom's perspective. It was not easy to sit down and put those thoughts into something new where I was sort of reliving them. Before sending off my draft, I read it to my husband. Or should I say, I blubbered it out. His very sweet response, "You should write a book. Or two. Or three." I greatly enjoy my biggest fan. :)

Please take a moment to stop by and leave a comment on God's Plan: Cancer, Grace, and My Baby Girl.

Thoughts on Jealousy and "Perfect" Children

2012-03-29T10:13:00.000-04:00

Eliana, sleeping in MRI recovery

I do not like to admit when I am jealous about something. Besides the obvious sinful ugliness of inviting jealousy to come along for the ride, I just simply do not like admitting I am that vulnerable. (Yup, there is pride involved in it, too.)

Sometimes outlets like Facebook & blogging are more disastrous than helpful. Social media can shove things in your face at times when you are more sensitive than perhaps you even realize. I enjoy celebrating the milestones of life and the blessings of watching children grow. I really, truly do. But every once in a while, I find myself bothered when hearing of a little one's latest triumph. I know that sounds awful, but this is a confessional for me right here. So, here goes. . .

I am sometimes jealous of your children with their perfect gaits, their occasional sniffles or bellyaches, and their overall precise adherence to developmental milestones.

I want to celebrate your children's achievements, but part of me is occasionally stung by simply the thought of those little "normal development" markers.

I have intentionally walked out of a room when you cheer about your child's big moment, because I am just too uncomfortable to remain in the conversation.

I have fought back tears when I witness your much younger child effortlessly do something my child could not even begin to attempt.

I have quietly resented your newborn/infant/toddler/preschooler/child, and then hated myself for it.

I know that my children have been blessed with life and health. Before our daughter was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, I found myself answering question after question about what it was like living with Liam's hypotonia. Many conversations ended with me saying something along the lines of, "Yes, all of these appointments and his struggles can be overwhelming, but Liam is healthy and he's progressing. I think about parents dealing with something like cancer. I can't imagine what they have to go through."

And then one day, I was one of them.

As I'm writing this, I can imagine that other parents might look at our situation and think, "Yeah, well, let me tell you about my day." I want to be sensitive to that, because my children are breathing and living and thriving. I am blessed with their very presence. I know that. I don't want to forget that. We are all moving along in life with the lot the Lord has decided for us. With his strength and his grace, we rise to live another day with whatever our journey may bring us. Mine will not look like yours.

I do not want to trade my children for more "normal" children. I do not want a 4 year old son who can run and jump freely in exchange for my 4 year old son who cannot. I do not wish to trade my daughter for one with scarless skin and a flawless immune system. I adore my children - just as they are - with everything that is in me.

I just want to freely (and as humbly as possible) admit that there are days where I wish my children had less struggles. There are instants where I can't quite stomach squeals of joy over another skill acquired "on time". I want to be able to say this without feeling like a monster for doing so. There are moments - brief, sporadic, and unpredictable - where I will feel that heavy sadness trying to find a place to stay. However short I allow that time to be, it still happens and it is painful. Big "squeezie squeezie" hugs from my imperfect children are the perfect salve.

I am a special needs mom. I am a cancer mom. And 99.9% of the time, I am okay with that.

Fats, Farms, & Factories: Butter

2012-03-10T16:05:00.001-05:00

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Our family's growing interest in Nutrition & Health led us to not only begin to translate labels, but to attempt to decipher the good from the bad food choices available.

Our daughter's little body had been ravaged by chemo and she desperately needed to have her fragile system somehow restored. Her tiny frame was in need of some nutrition and some healthy fat, but what is a healthy fat and can you actually find one on a supermarket shelf? We wanted to stay as far away from processing and chemicals as possible.

Talking to some "make it from scratch" friends and researching eating a less processed diet, led me to the studies of a dentist practicing around the 1930's. Yes, I said a dentist. Dr. Weston Price spent years researching the diets of traditional peoples as he discovered Americans were facing increasing health ailments with their more industrialized diet.1

Traditional peoples ate traditional foods and fats. They did not eat fats created in laboratories and factories. Exploring the nutrients found in those traditional foods and then finding how we might find access to our own traditional fats became an important goal to our family. We knew that vitamins - and especially fat-soluble vitamins - were important to the healthy development of all of our children.

We wanted to learn more about what a diet rich in fat-soluble vitamins looked like. Dr. Price's research had some interesting answers. Looking into the nutrients found in traditional/native diets, Price found that these diets offered close to 10X the amount of fat soluble vitamins of their American counterpart. Price's research looked at a 1930's American diet. Today's diet has dramatically reduced our intake of animal fats. We can imagine what the comparison may look like today.2

Let's look at some different types of traditional fats. We'll explore different ones as this series of Fats, Farms, & Factories continues.

Butter

I love butter. I always have. We're not supposed to admit how much we love butter, because it's BAD. Or is it?

Dr. Price's research found butter to be crucial in a large number of native diets. He discovered that these people truly treasured a "deep yellow butter" from "cows feeding on rapidly growing green grass". Examining this type of butter revealed it was high in fat-soluble vitamins (especially vitamin A). Price referred to these types of vitamins as "activators" and his studies showed that our bodies cannot use consumed minerals without them. Even if our diet is high in these vitamins, we need these "activators" to actually be able to use the minerals.2 We need healthy animal fats, and particularly from grass-fed (or pastured) animals.

My husband and I had previously heard of grass-fed beef, but honestly didn't think it was much more than some hoity-toity way to get your steak. See, it's okay. We used to make fun of people who ate organically, too. But, there are actual health benefits found when things like butter (as well as meat, milk, and eggs) come from grass-fed animals. Modern day research seems to confirm what Dr. Price was working on all those years ago.

1. Increased Vitamin A: The golden color of that traditional butter Dr. Price described is actually a result of increased carotene. Carotenes are where we get our retinol (Vitamin A). Among other things, Vitamin A serves to regulate the function of the immune system, particularly supporting white blood cells.3

2. Increased Vitamin E: Pastured meat has 4 times the amount of Vitamin E compared to feed lot cattle. Vitamin E, an antioxidant we could all use more of, has been found to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer.3

3. Increased Omega-3s: Omega-3s are essential for brain development. Research has linked them to a possible reduction in cancer risk, as well as slowing the growth and preventing the spread of certain cancers. Grass-fed meat contains 2-4 times more Omega-3s than conventionally fed cattle.4

4. Increased levels of CLA: CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) particularly caught this cancer momma's eye when I learned it has been shown to shrink tumors. You will find 3-5 times more CLA in a cow fed from a pasture than from a conventional feedlot.5

These are just some of the good things to be found in grass-fed butter and other products. For obvious reasons, I focused on some of the research involving cancer, but there are a range of benefits.

Now, if all of that is not enough to convince you, perhaps a closer look at the pink slime in 70% of supermarket ground beef might make you want to reconsider your source. Yeah, ew.

If you're ready to find some local grass-fed sources, you can start with Eat Wild's directory.

Looking for grass-fed butter at the store? Kerrygold butter is a grass-fed butter imported from Ireland. It can be found at some local supermarkets or health food stores. We find ours in the "cheese shop" of our local Wegman's. Organic Valley makes a pasture butter that I have heard good things about, but personally have not been able to find locally for our family. Tropical Traditions has a grass-fed butter you can order online.

That's a pretty big bite of nutrition information for now! We'll talk more about healthy fats (and about some unhealthy ones) in upcoming posts. See you soon!

Sources:

Weston A. Price, DDS
Mary G. Enig, PhD and Sally Fallon. "The Skinny on Fats." The Weston A. Price Foundation January 1, 2000.
C.A. Daley, et al. “A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef.” Nutrition Journal 2010, 9:10
Health Benefits of Grass-Fed Products
The Secret Sauce in Grass-Fed Beef

Disclosure & Disclaimer

Medulloblastoma: One Year MRI

2012-03-02T10:25:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we had Eliana's 1 year MRI. We are thrilled to announce that her MRI was completely clear! Everything looked great! According to her oncologist, this is a huge step forward in the percentile studies about medulloblastoma's likelihood to return, but that the 2 year mark is really where things jump. She also had to point out "especially since radiation was not involved". I felt a bit awkward at the way she chose to mention it, but we are still happy with our choice. Truth be told, if we knew then what we know now, we may have chosen an alternative route to even the chemo we allowed. (That part didn't make it into yesterday's conversation.)

We are praising God for Eliana's good health and her continued progress. She is jumping and trying to run now. Although she has some hearing loss due to chemo, it doesn't appear to be slowing her down in communicating with her family. She is even age-appropriate with her growing sassy mouth. We are not particularly enjoying that, but we're delighted that she is developing appropriately even in her attempts at independence.

Next week, we begin seeing our beloved speech pathologist for an evaluation for Eliana. We are also going to be scheduling an audiogram soon for a more updated look at Eliana's hearing.

And, we have a big birthday/praising God for life and health party to get started planning. . .

Review: Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

2012-02-27T23:16:00.001-05:00

I get a kick out of being known as the "coconut oil girl" with friends and family. Having opportunities to answer questions or offer those I love suggestions on how to use it, is almost as fun as actually discovering new ways to use it myself. Almost. ;)

I first discovered the benefits of coconut oil for my curly hair before I even began to realize the many, many uses of it. A company that I consider the "coconut oil company" is Tropical Traditions. The following video outlines the story of how they discovered coconut oil and why they are so passionate about creating a product that remains free of processing that would destroy how wonderful this oil is.

There are several products I have enjoyed from Tropical Traditions, but today I'm going to talk about their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. This is their handcrafted product, traditionally collected and prepared. The taste is very light, so it is not an overpowering coconut flavor. We use coconut oil in our cooking and baking as a replacement for commonly used oils. We also enjoy it as lotion, hair product (as mentioned above) and other cosmetic uses.

Tropical Traditions has many coconut recipes available on their site. Our family has enjoyed several of them. There is also quite a bit of research available about just how great and unique coconut oil is. Read the research for yourself and check out this fabulous product!

Virgin Coconut Oil, Gold Label - 1 quart

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review. (I actually requested to review for them, because I enjoy this company so much!) I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.

Disclosure: If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.

Medulloblastoma: One Year Mark

2012-02-23T17:22:00.001-05:00

Eliana, in March 2011, during her last chemo

A week from today, we will have our daughter's 1 year MRI as part of her continued monitoring for medulloblastoma. Next month marks one year since we finished a grueling course of chemotherapy. A lot has changed in that year.

One of the things I've noticed is that what seemed like out of reach dreams have actually come true. I am grateful for Jesus allowing those things to happen for us. We have normalcy and it feels wonderful. The other day, a friend commented that he had forgotten that Eliana was even sick. I remarked that I forget myself sometimes. Every once in a while, I'll think things are just normal and then I'll spot her scar from her tumor resection or one of her broviac surgeries. Then it all just kind of hits me like, "Oh, yeah." Strange, I know.

I've been thinking about how much I've fallen in love with Eliana over this past year. Truth be told, it was often hard for me to fully connect with her while she was so sick. I don't know if this will make sense to anyone, or just sound awful, but I felt like I had to emotionally keep a distance at times. When your child gets diagnosed with a brain tumor, it's quite difficult to picture a future with them. You're almost too afraid to picture it. But, we are not called to live in fear. And my Lord is a healer. He has strengthened her and healed her. I am going to love on her and celebrate each day with her as the gift that it is.

So, bring on next week's MRI. Bring on the next one after that. I know who holds her future and he knows what he's doing.

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Label Confusion: Excuse Me, What's In There?

2012-02-09T17:23:00.000-05:00

As promised in a previous post, I am going to begin posting in a series of sorts about Nutrition and Health: One Bite At A Time. I'm starting with our family's journey. Our family has made some major changes in how we eat and how we live since our daughter was diagnosed with medulloblastoma. Some may call it paranoia. I like to call it simplifying. The biggest change we've made is in our diet. We are "real foodies" now.

So, what is real food? Well, we didn't eat play food before, but I suppose some of it might as well have been. Go ahead and look up Dimethylpolysiloxane. You'll find it's an ingredient in chicken nuggets AND silly putty.

Real food for us means paying close attention to what is in our food and what is not in our food.

Reading labels is a great place to start. As a teenager, I discovered that both aspartame and monosodium glutamate (MSG) gave me horrible migraines. This also happens with my mother and sister. Growing up, I just learned to avoid both of those whenever I found them on labels. I also began to learn about the dozens upon dozens of pseudonyms for MSG. And just because the local take out says "No added MSG" that doesn't mean there's not already MSG in their pre-made sauces. If it's in a box or can or bottle, there's a high chance that it has MSG hidden in it. In recent years, I've learned that both Aspartame and MSG have been linked to a lot worse things than migraines.

As nasty as those two chemicals are, there are lots of other scary things lurking in our boxes and in our BPA-lined cans. Some ingredients are more easy to identify than others. Growing up avoiding certain ingredients in order to not be stuck in bed all day with all the curtains drawn, prompted me to be a better label reader. Though I was not always consistent with this, the more I looked into nutrition and our health, the more I began to be bothered by lengthy lists of unpronounceable additives. Just because some celebrity endorses a new trendy magic formula for weight loss, doesn't mean we shouldn't do our own research. I'm looking at you, artificial sweeteners!

For our family it came down to this: If we don't understand what the ingredient is or why it's actually necessary to be in there, then why are we eating it? We shouldn't need a background in Latin and biochemistry to be able to know what we're feeding ourselves and our children, right?

Now, all this label talk hasn't even touched the dangers of GMO foods, rancid vegetable oils and refined ingredients our bodies neither need nor want. Remember, we're taking this whole thing one bite at time. :)

♥
Rebecca

Coconut Oil and Pink Eye

2012-02-06T21:26:00.000-05:00

Update: This post has been getting a lot of traffic and many questions. I love the questions and I'm thankful for the interest! I just wanted to kindly remind my readers that as stated in my disclaimer, I am not licensed to diagnose or treat any condition. I'm simply a mom looking for natural ways to take care of my family. I will share my advice and experience, but that's all it is. Thanks for understanding!

This past week our family got hit with pink eye (conjunctivitis). I don't even remember the last time any of us had pink eye. Aside from some stuffy noses and the occasional brain tumor, we've kept relatively healthy around here. But, in the past few weeks we've been slammed with some stubborn viruses that pop up with a fever and then one with pink eye. (Thank you, Jesus, for sparing us from the pukies or anything bathroom related.)

Knowing the kiddos were bouncing around stuffy noses, coughs, and fevers, we figured this virus had to work itself out. But, if you've ever had pink eye you know that gritty feeling can be pretty unbearable. So, I thought of our trusted organic coconut oil. Why organic coconut oil? Organic coconut oil boasts antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, and pretty much antizombieapocalyptic properties. One reason is because of this beautiful thing called lauric acid. Lauric acid is a medium-chain fatty acid/triglyceride with antiviral properties that is found in just a few things besides coconut oil. One of those things is breast milk.

The lauric acid in coconut oil is used by the body to make the same disease-fighting fatty acid derivative monolaurin that babies make from the lauric acid they get from their mother's milk. The monoglyceride monolaurin is the substance that keeps infants from getting viral or bacterial or protozoal infections. Until just recently, this important benefit has been largely overlooked by the medical and nutrition community. 1

Pretty interesting, right? So, here's what I did. I took a small spoonful of coconut oil and placed it in a small bowl. (It's consistency is based on the room temperature, so it's solid these days.) Then I placed the smaller bowl into a larger bowl filled with hot water. I chose not to nuke any of the coconut oil's good properties. When it was melted, I took an infant medicine dropper and used it to place two drops in each eye. My oldest said his eye felt fine just a few moments later. I continued with the drops and he experienced no more discomfort the rest of the time. His eyes cleared up and the goop didn't stick around past those first few applications. It wasn't an instant cure, but the comfort he experienced was outstanding. He was so surprised by the difference that he kept remarking, "My eye just feels like a normal eye now!" For our younger lot, I applied some coconut oil to a tissue and wiped it all along the eyelid, eyelashes, and into the corners of the eye. If you're going to do this, obviously use a different tissue or swab for each eye so as not to spread the infection. I even gave it to those who didn't yet have pink eye (after a day or two where I hadn't thought of that). Our sweet little princess with a trashed immune system didn't even get it!

We are big fans of coconut oil around here. We cook and bake with it. We use it on eczema, mosquito bites, and as a light sunscreen. (But, we like Vitamin D, so we don't want to completely block out our exposure to it!) We use it as lotion, moisturizer, hair product, and diaper rash ointment. So, it's always fun to me when I find new uses for it. My husband laughs at me that I seem to always be enthusiastically shouting, "I bet coconut oil would work on that!" I do think he has to give me some credit for this one, though. :)

♥
Rebecca

Sources:
A New Look at Coconut Oil by Mary G. Enig, PhD

Virgin Coconut Oil and Viruses

Nutrition & Health: One Bite At A Time

2012-02-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

Since our daughter was diagnosed with desmoplastic medulloblastoma, our family has made many changes in how we view nutrition and health. We understand that these changes don't guarantee anything. We don't live in or want to live in fear. God is perfectly in control of our health, of our daughter's health, and of all our futures. God's sovereignty is such that nothing we do can alter his ultimate will. We could make a thousand changes to our home environment and our pantry, and if it is his will for our daughter's cancer to return, then it will. We trust him regardless. So, please don't misunderstand our efforts here. We have no plans to place health on the throne where only Jesus should sit. We are simply attempting to use wisdom in our choices. And whatever your particular beliefs may be on how strictly to interpret 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, our family is operating under the assumption that we should use the knowledge that has been granted in a way that honors God.

And there is a lot of information available, isn't there? It's overwhelming how it all seems to contradict. There are people with very strong opinions out there about which way of eating is ideal. It's enough to make you give up completely and just eat whatever you want.

That is where the "one bite at a time" comes in to play. I have been researching like a maniac, and I just need to attack my research one area at a time. Since I'm currently not tackling my studies through coursework complete with assignments and learning assessments, I've decided to self assess here at the blog. Over the next several months and beyond - interspersed with other blog entries - I'm going to be writing about what I have discovered and how I've applied changes to our family's way of doing things. Sometimes it will be through articles. Sometimes through books. Sometimes through other blogs. We'll just see where it goes. As I continue my research, I will be blogging what I learn. Consider me your unofficial health coach. If you'll have me. :)

Hi, there. Thanks for coming by for a visit! I would love to hear from you. Go ahead and leave a question or comment. To keep up with future posts, please subscribe by email. You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook.

♥
Rebecca