The Sweet Aroma of Time Off

Do you ever have those weeks that just never seem to end?  Each day you wake up thinking it's one day closer to the weekend only to discover that you've got yet another day to face?  After being sick last week, this week has lasted longer than a Friends marathon, and boy am I glad it's over!

I'm so thankful that I get to take next week off to spend some time with my family and visiting with friends who I rarely get to see except at Christmas time.  I'm so blessed to have plenty of paid time off and actually get to use it!

A couple of friends asked me if I had any plans this weekend - to which I replied "To stay in bed as long as humanly possible!"  Somehow I don't believe they think I'm actually serious :)  But, after this crazy busy work week (and since I'll be sleeping in a bed that is not my own for the entirety of next week), I fully intend on doing just that!  I have the most comfortable bed so I will be taking full advantage of it this weekend before heading home for Christmas.

A random "happy" find this evening:
Streaming Netflix has a series of 3 episodes called Fireplace for Your Home.
Episode 1:  Crackling Yule Log Fireplace
Episode 2:  Crackling Fireplace
Episode 3:  Crackling Fireplace with Music

Let me tell you, this is my new favorite thing to see on my TV!  Having always lived in houses that had a fireplace, the soothing sound of the crackling fire lull me to sleep like almost nothing else...it's pure peace :) If you've got Netflix, you should definitely check it out.

I bid you goodnight and Merry Christmas from my little corner of the web and may God bless you richly!

 photo credit

But a Vapor

I've been pondering this post since Friday unsure of exactly what to write.

On Friday, I received notification that a friend from college passed away at the very young age of 38. To say the least, this is a huge shock among my fellow classmates...I mean, 38?!?!  How in the world could this be?As it turns out, my friend was diagnosed with stage 4 liver and colon cancer on 3/7/2013 and was only given 6-8 months to live...and just over 8 months later, he left our earthly home.

I've been going over and over this in my mind as to how a person so young, who spoke so much of God's Word, was stuck down with such a fast moving illness?  I'm not necessarily asking why or questioning God in any way.  The purpose for the questions rolling around inside my head ais more of what was the entry point that allowed the enemy to attack his body beyond what he could fight?  Although he never gave up hope or faith and continued to speak God's Word until the day he moved above, I do wonder how the sickness was even able to get started...it's almost baffling.

I recently saw a Facebook post that gave examples of how our bodies are affected by our emotions:
Anger:   weakens the liver
Grief:     weakens the lungs
Worry:   weakens the stomach
Stress:    weakens the heart and brain
Fear:      weakens the kidneys

The thought that allowing unresolved anger, grief, worry, stress and fear to stay within yourself is physically weakening your organs is a stunning thought.  One of my favorite medical professionals, Dr. Caroline Leaf, has said on numerous occasions that emotions like extreme loneliness can be very taxing on the immune system, which can open the door to sickness and disease.

Knowing that my friend went through a pretty taxing divorce last year, it occurred to me that maybe the stress and all of the other emotions that lead up to divorce may have been the open window for that terrible sickness to get started in his body.

Tonight is his memorial service and thankfully, his family has put up a live streaming link for those of us that could not attend.  As I watch his service and listen to the stories of friends and family, I am more determined than ever to make every effort to take stock of my emotions and keep control of them.  If negative emotions even have a remote possibility of being the gateway entry point of sickness and disease in your body, I don't want any part of it.

We'll miss you Larry.  See you in heaven, buddy!

Post by Dr. Caroline Leaf.

The Saga of the Merge

For the last 7 months, my (professional) world has been...oh how shall I describe it...under the weather, in the midst of upheaval, spiraling toward the face of the blazing sun...shall I go on?  The long and short of the matter is the company where I've worked for 5 years was purchased by another (smaller, adolescent) company.  We had approx. 60 corporate associates, the purchasing company had less than 20.  We had 28,000 units, the purchasing company only had 8,000.  We had been in business for over 30 years, the purchasing company had only been in business for 8.  But, what they lacked in size and experience, they more than made up for in money...and by money, I mean they have a lot of it.

The problem with this kind of dynamic is that the people with the money, who lack the experience, seem to have no respect or concern for anyone else in the organization and/or the policies and procedures that have been in place for years.  In addition to that, they seem to be completely incapable of producing any type of communication in order to keep everyone on the same page.

Having been an associate of this company for over 5 years, this is simply a problem...but moreover, it is a problem in which I cannot control the outcome or affect change.  They seem to be so focused on growth that their company is now suffering profusely...you cannot grow from 28,000 units to 39,000 units in 6 months and not add any new associates to the teams that support the rest of the company.  That kind of thinking is ludicrous!  Being stingy and wanting to grow your business do not usually fall into the same bucket; you can either have one or you can have the other, but wanting both is simply not good for business.

So, my plan is to change the only thing I can...my own path.

The Butler

Tonight, my friend and I went to see The Butler...and I can't begin to say enough about this movie.  It made me laugh; it made me cry; it made me angry; it made me sad; it made me smile.  Other than the previews, I really had no preconceived notions regarding this film; however, on the way out the door, one of my neighbors mentioned that she had already seen it and proceeded to give her (unsolicited) take on it.  Since I don't put much stock in the opinions of most people, I tried to forget her semi-negative synopsis since I prefer to make my own judgments.  And can I tell you, I'm so glad I did!

This film is brilliantly acted and the slew of amazing actors adds such depth to the story.  The story...just the story alone is amazing, but Forest Whitaker was absolutely stellar!  Not to mention Oprah Winfrey...her performance was fantastic!  

One man who worked hard to try and make a difference in our country...and he did.

Beautiful :)

A Curd by Any Other Name

I'm not sure about you, but the sound of the word "curd" is simply not very appealing to my palette.  However, let me assure you that what just came out of my kitchen holds enough redemptive power to counterbalance any put-off feelings this word may give you.
What, you may ask...

LEMON CURD...and not just any lemon curd, but lemon curd that has been test dozens of times by the fine folks at America's Test Kitchen to the point where it practically makes itself!  Ok, maybe not that last part, but it is extremely fool-proof and ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!  I've only made lemon curd one other time in my life and it was so unbelievably icky sweet that I never wanted to venture down that sugar-high road again.

The reason for this adventure to Lemontown is simple...friendship :)  One of my best friends is having a birthday tomorrow and I simply love her.  Turns out one of her favorite things in the entire world is lemon curd and since this is her 50th celebration of life I felt she should have her favorite!

Incidentally, I'm also making her a lemon pound cake to go with the pint jar of lemon curd that is now a temporary guest in my refrigerator.  So, without further delay, here's what you really want...the recipe, the picture, the end :)

Thanks to Carolyn T for her awesome blog post!

Lemon Curd (America’s Test Kitchen)

Recipe: America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
Serving Size: 12 (maybe a lot more)
NOTES: This really takes no time to make and it’s SO much better than the store-bought type. I also like this recipe because it’s not teeth-achingly sweet. It’s “just right.”
7 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar — + 2 tablespoons
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter — cut in 1/2 inch pieces
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1. Whisk the egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar together until just combined. Whisk in the lemon juice, zest and salt.
2. Transfer the mixture to a medium nonreactive saucepan, add butter, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the curd thickens to a thin sauce-like consistency, about 5 minutes.
3. Strain the curd immediately through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean nonreactive bowl and stir in the cream. Cool and chill completely.
Per Serving (probably high as I think this will serve more than 12 scones!): 163 Calories; 9g Fat (48.8% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 175mg Cholesterol; 37mg Sodium.

I hope my friend enjoys eating her gifts as much as I enjoyed making them for her :)

Time is tickin' away!

Do you ever find yourself in the midst of a mountain of projects wondering how on earth you will ever get them all done?  I must be honest, I've not felt this way in quite a while, but things seem to have compounded all at once lately.  Just the fact that was able to wash 3 loads of clothes the other day seems like a huge feat! Sad...I know :)

So, what does the craziness of my life look like?

Work:  Our company is in the middle of merging with another company and I am in the IT dept so to say that we have our work cut out for us is an understatement.

Side work:  I have recently begun sub-contracting social media/website maintenance for a friend's business customers.  I am so happy to be getting paid to play on social media!

PTO:  Due to new PTO policies at my company I can only carry over 40 hours as of 6/30 (which means anything over 40 will be forfeited).  To ensure I do not lose any time I must take 4 more days before 6/30.

Work travel:  I have 2 travel items on my agenda so far - 1 is a software training class in NC and 2 is a software user conference in Denver, CO.  I am very excited to visit Denver for the first time :)

Graduation visit:  My niece is graduating on 6/9 and I still have not settled on the perfect gift yet.

Cleaning:  Seriously...does house work ever end???  At some point in my life, I will make enough money to have a house keeper at least twice a month.  Mark My Words!

Writing a book:  Oh yes!  I've been working on my book idea for about 5 weeks now, but with all of the other things that have recently been dropped into my world I'm having a bit of difficulty in carving out enough time to work on it.  I hope this weekend will bring me some free time to really focus on the book.

I take comfort in Ecclesiastes 3; it reminds me that even though I may feel like there simply are not enough hours in the day, God says that everything has a time and a season.  Some seasons are busy and full of activity and others are quiet and still.  I know His grace is sufficient for every single thing He has for me :)

A Time for Everything

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

On a nostalgic note, as soon as I typed the title of this post I was immediately reminded of the old DC Talk song "Time Is"...and of course, that made me smile!  Please enjoy this trip down memory lane to a tune of my youth!

Living on Borrowed Time

Many songs and speaches have been written about this subject, most of them in reflection of someone who has been lost.  I was watching a movie recently where a boy had fallen into a freezing lake and had gotten trapped within some tree branches and died.  When the boys mother came to the hospital and was told of her son's death, you could see her entire world being pulled from beneath her, she cried, yelled and could barely breath.  At that very moment I had a realization...

What if we lived each day like everyone and everything around us was just borrowed for a short time?  What if we allowed only God to fill the deepest of voids in our lives so that everything else that came into our lives after that would be just a gift?  What if we removed our deepest of  attachments with people and replaced them with full reliance on God? 

When two people fall in love they become so wrapped up in each other that sometimes it's hard to know where one ends and the other begins - I believe that is the true meaning of two becoming one.  But, a great many relationships are based on the invalid notion of being together forever and never leaving each other.  Even parent-child relationships have an air of this; many children are told that their parents will always be there for them and will never leave them - this idea may be giving us a false sense of security at the time the words are spoken, but those same words cut deeply when the very person who promised you forever vanishes from this life.

Imagine for a moment if we took a different approach to relationships.  If we think of our heart as a glass, most people begin filling their glasses from birth with their parents, family members, friends, classmates, boyfriends, girlfriends, co-workers, children and so on.  Now, imagine a storm of life, a tragedy, an accident, a death...when the glass is tipped and begins to spill its contents you must react quickly to prevent everything from spilling out.  Some lesser tragedies may not affect the content level of your glass very much such as losing a person who was not very close to you, but what if you lost one of the people at the very bottom of your glass, someone who you believed to be your foundation?  How do you even begin to pick up the pieces of your spilled heart and go on without your foundation?

Now consider this...what if your foundation was not a person?  How would your life be different if your ultimate foundation was built on someone who would actually never leave you?  What if your foundation was built soley on God?

Imagine God as wax; once the wax is poured a glass and allowed to cool, all the shaking in the world will not move the wax or cause it to fall out.  Now imagine this...if we first filled the very bottom of our hearts with God and His Word and then layered all of the other people in our lives on top of that firm foundation, no matter what storms would come our way, even if our glass was turned upside down and completely emptied out, we would never be truly empty because our firm foundation is stuck at the bottom of our heart.

What if we realized the people we love are just borrowed for a short time?  What if we viewed each one of them as a traveller wandering through our lives, always anticipating their departure?  How would this change the way we treat people?  How would this change the way we react in tragic situations?  How much easier would it be to pick up the pieces of our lives after a storm of life knowing that the foundation of God that is stuck in the bottom of our glass will never go away?

 

Storms will never cease to blow into our lives; and tragedies will always try to get in our way.  But those things do not determine the outcome in our lives...our reaction and the foundation of our lives is the only determining factor in our future.  Tragedy can leave us devistated if we choose to allow it; storms can destroy everything we have worked for including our resolved to move forward if we succomb to its powers.  But, if our hearts are built upon a foundation that cannot be moved no matter how strong the winds might blow we can choose to stand up, dust ourselves off and keep pressing toward our goal.

 

I'm reminded of the song I Will Not Be Shaken by Tommy Walker.  Here is my favorite version of this song done by the choir at my church, Mount Paran Church, Atlanta, GA.  Enjoy!

 

 



It's Not About Me

I just love that when God gives you a revelation He doesn't just give it once, but instead He reinforces it over and over again.  Recently, He has been showing me again and again that my life is not about me.  While many people would look at me and say "Of course, Jenni.  Didn't you already know that?  Everyone knows that!"  But how many of us actually understand what that means and even more so, how many of us live our lives with that realization?  What would we do differently?

Two days ago an old song came across the radio that stopped me in my tracks because it carried with it the very thought of what God was trying to tell me.  How simple yet how poignant.

In my life, Lord, be glorified, be glorified.
In my life, Lord, be glorified today.

So, what is it that glorifies God?  How can we glorify Him in our lives?  Ironically, or maybe not so much, my pastor used this verse in his sermon today.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵ And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Imagine that!  When we are compeled by the love of Christ we should no longer live for ourselves but for Him...ok, so what does that mean?  I think it comes down to just two things...Mark 12:30-31

³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.

So what does love have to do with it?  If we love Him, we know His voice.  If we love Him and can hear His voice, we bring glory to Him by our obedience to His words. 

So if it's not about me...who is it about?  It's about others!  As the hands, feet and mouth of God we all have jobs to do, and these jobs bring Him glory and us fulfilment.  I shudder to think of the millions of people who die each year without ever experiencing their first day on the job with God.  I don't want to be one of those people; I want the fulfilment that can only come from following the voice of the One who died for me.  What about you?

When you were created God planted a tiny seed in you...a seed of the work He wanted you to accomplish...a seed meant to bring joy, peace and love to you and all those around you.  What have you done with that seed?  Have you watered it?  Have you fed it?  Have you sheltered it?  Have you pruned it?  Have you cared for it?  If not, it's never too late to start!

Whether your seed yields an athlete, an actor, a business owner, a teacher, a doctor, a minister, a mechanic, a scientist, a mother, a chef, a store manager, a grandfather...or in my case, a friend - remember that this gift is just not for you, but is meant to accomplish the job you were born to do.  You were meant to change the world with the gift that springs forth from that tiny seed that God placed within you.  He even gave us an instruction book to keep us on track...He thinks of everything :)

But what if you don't know what your job is?  That's easy!  Just follow His leading step by step and eventually you'll figure it out.  And then one day, you might just hear it while taking a shower, or going for a run, or washing the dishes, or getting into an elevator (like me).  Whenever and wherever it happens, take note!  Remember that moment; write it down; cherish that calling; protect it; and above all else, never let anything or anyone deter you from fulfilling it.  Don't worry about how you will do it...just focus on following His voice and He will lead you step by step.  Just imagine how different the world would be if everyone on the planet was actively doing what they were born to do, fulfilling the job God has for them...what an awesome sight that would be!  Only you can do your part :)

95 weeks since my last confession...

It was exactly 95 weeks ago, on a Thursday, that I confessed my undying love for the Blues Brothers.  Don't believe me?  It's true!  Check it out here.  Now, as a person who loves numbers, this is extremely intersting to me especially since I love multiples of 5 and graduated in 1995...you do the math (hardy, har, har)...or better yet, let this nifty calculator do it for you!

Each Thursday night, my favorite movie theater, Studio Movie Grill, shows a $1 Movie Classic and tonight just happened to be my beloved Blues Brothers.  Having never seen it on the big screen, I jumped at the chance to see my favorite characters bigger than life. 
Let me tell you, it was heaven - except...the jerk 3 seats down!

Let me just clarify that this film was released in 1980; therefore, anyone in the theater tonight has most likely seen it enough times to quote each and every line as well as sing every riff and tune.  HOWEVER, just because you CAN do these things does not mean that you SHOULD!  I mean seriously!!!  What is the reason for my rant, you might ask...

There I am, sitting in my comfortable chair, enjoying my amazing coconut chicken tenders with sweet potato fries, getting ready to watch my most favored film...when 3 seats down...some smarty pants guys felt the need to recite the entire movie and sing most of the songs!!!!!!!  What tha?????  Does he not know that most of us can do the same???  Does it not occur to him that the reason we are all there is to enjoy our beloved film by hearing the actual characters speak the lines and sing the sings and not hear some cheap fan knockoff???  I mean really dude!

Like most normal people who have watched a film more times than they care to admit, every single line was running through my head, each choreographed dance move cycling through my brain and every last note of music echoing throughout my person like a canyon.  But those moments should be kept to myself unless in the comfort of my own sofa with no one there to ANNOY!

Ok, now that I've invested too many words than this low life deserves...back to the movie!  It's awesome...what can I say?!  If you've never seen it, it's a must if you're a lover of blues or soul music, but I caution you, do watch out for the language.  Normally, I just don't watch many movies with much language in them, but this is my one exception.  In fact, I never knew there was any bad language in it until I was a teenager and saw the real uncut, non-TV version...man, was I ever surprised...and you should have seen my Mom's face!  However, I choose to overlook it because this movie is a part of me, a part of my childhood, a part of my father...and that is a beautiful thing :)

So, please enjoy one of my favorite scenes; I just love the look on Ray's face right before he takes them to school on his rockin piano. It's like "I know something you don't know"! 
And he's right!!!

My Cup Doth NOT Runneth Over - Ladies Only!

Just as the title implies, this post is meant strictly for the ladies...in fact, this could also be considered a TMI post, but it's for your own good...trust me!  This pic from my favorite big wave photographer, Clark Little, sums up what some of us deal with each month when that "special" time arrives...can I get an amen???

Aunt Flow, your monthly cycle, your period, surfing the crimson tide, Eve's revenge - no matter what you call it, most of us ladies deal with this dreaded affliction each and every month.  Exactly one year ago I was introduced to something that has given me much more control than I ever had in regards to my monthly visitor...the menstrual cup! 
Let's rewind 12 months, shall we...

Last May, something was completely amiss in my hormone world; I had cramps for the first time in my life (like really, really bad ones!) and was dealing with a flow that was so heavy I couldn't keep it under control.  For the majority of my life I've had your average, run of the mill, 7-day, medium to light flow...so this was completely out of the realm of normalcy for me and forced me to do some research to find out how to contain this river.

After doing some research on how to naturally relieve cramps, I came across an article that caught my interest...it stated things like:
*The absorbant material in pads and tampons have been shown to lengthen your flow.
*The bleach & chemicals used in tampons throws off the pH level of your internal parts.
*Tampons have been shown to cause micro-tears in the skin as well as dryness.
*The average woman uses enough menstrual products in her lifetime to fill a bathtub. 

What tha???

(courtesy of Google Images)

As a lifetime tampon user, all of these things came as a complete shock to me (I seriously hate to admit that, but it's true!)...I just had to know more!  For the next several hours, I researched menstrual products until I could no longer stand it...how could I have not known about this before??? 

And then I saw it...a menstrual cup...what on earth is that???  Turns out this little invention has been around since the 30's and makes a comeback every couple of decades, but most recently, the Green movement has really given this little device the momentum it needed to make a huge impact.

So, what on earth is a menstrual cup, you might ask?  It is a bell shaped cup made from medical grade silicon (one brand is made from rubber) that collects your flow as opposed to absorbing it.  Even after a year of using this little gem, I'm still as obsessed with it as the day I brought it home! 

Here are most of the current brands available online (courtesy of Google images):

What are the benefits of a menstrual cup?
*No risk of TSS!
*No absorption = no dryness and pH is not disturbed.
*Some women have noticed shorter periods due to no absorption.
*Some women have reported a significant decrease in cramping.
*Much better for the environment as there is no waste.
*The product can be used for years = mega savings!
*It can be worn for 12 hours at a time, meaning no more trips to the work restroom!
*No leaks (when inserted correctly) = a full, peaceful nights sleep!
*It makes travelling so much easier!
*Men love it because they are never asked to go down "that" aisle again!

Really???  With a list like that, who wouldn't want to try one?  While I was slightly intimidated, I knew I had to do something to contain the flow I was dealing with at the time, so I decided to take the plunge.  I was able to find the Diva Cup brand at both Whole Foods & REI - I think I saved $1.50 at REI so I got it there - you can also order them online, but I was in desperate need and couldn't wait.

Size of the Diva cup (courtesy of Google Images):

 

 

Many women are intimidated by the size, but to be perfectly honest, the size did not bother me...but the thought of getting my hands dirty made me a little apprehensive...I know, I know :)  Since I was in such dire straits, I decided to buy a box of disposable gloves; this turned out to be the best decision ever.  There are tons of YouTube videos, blogs (this one is excellent!) and forums to show you how to insert and extract this little darling as well as troubleshooting tips for new beginners...and trust me, there will be a learning curve, but most good things require a little practice.  By the way, I only used the gloves for 2 months...I'm a pro now! :)

 

How it works (courtesy of Google images):

 

 

 

Ok, back to last May...I finally got up the courage to try this little baby & was pleasantly pleased with the results.  In fact, within just 6 hours of using the Diva Cup I noticed a dramatic slow down - while this may have been purely coincidental, I choose to believe my new friend was the saving grace.  Starting the very next month, my period dropped to 4 days and has remained at 4 days each and every month!  Happy, happy, joy, joy!!!

 

Let me tell you, this cup makes travelling a breeze!  While getting all of my last minute travel details ready one morning last August, my monthly visitor decided to pick that very moment to show her snarky face...are you kidding me???  I had to leave for the airport in 15min!  If I had been using traditional monthly products I would have been up the creek...I had no stock under my cabinet, no time go to the store and was going to be in aiports, planes and rental cars for over 9 hours!  I put in my trusty little friend and went about my day...3 airports, 2 planes and 1 rental car later, I checked into my hotel and of course, all was well in Womantown :)  Talk about a lifesaver! 

 

Since I have been using the Diva Cup I have only had 1 leak and that was due to me not inserting it correctly (ie. suction is your friend).  But, to only have 1 leak in the course of an entire year is something to sing about...I mean really...can pads or tampons make that claim???  Negative, ghost writer! 

 

Plus, to think of all the money I'm literally NOT flushing down the toilet each month, along with the fact that it's so much more comfortable to work all day at the office and never have to make that awkward visit to the restroom with my purse in hand.  And the lack of trash I create is amazing; imagine...now, no one has to know!  You never again have to leave any signs behind that you're in the flow; despite the TMI of this post, I am a pretty private person and would rather not leave my monthly trash behind in the trash can of someone I happen to be visiting.  Since the cup only has to be emptied twice a day (unless you are experiencing a tidal wave) you can do it in the privacy and comfort of your own home; once when you wake up and once before bed is usually all you will need. Secrecy at it's best!  

 

It's amazing how empowering this little cup is...it gives you the ability to handle your monthly cycle with privacy, grace and ease...when was the last time you heard those 3 words used to describe your period?  It's true!  I could not imagine going back to pads or tampons; in fact, my cup has already paid for itself three times over!  I spent $38 and have saved a boatload of cash, time and frustration.  Also, the sheer number of chemicals I am not exposing my body to makes me feel much healthier and stronger.

 

Keep in mind, not all bodies are made the same - which means that the differences in cup size and shape depend of manufacturers and may yield different results or fits. I have a friend who tried the Diva Cup and was just never comfortable (when inserted you should not really be able to feel it all- in fact, I forget about mine most of the time)...it just seemed too long for her. After she tried another brand that was slightly shorter in length, she was thrilled with the result. So, don't be afraid to research like crazy and try a different brand if the first one doesn't work well.

 

If you have questions or just want more info about menstrual cups, please send me a comment or message. 

 

Thanks for reading and may the cup be with you! :oD

 

(Again, not my pic...thanks Google Images!)

 

The Hard Truth About Beauty

As much of my inspiration comes from Facebook, a friend's status post has tugged at my heart all week...she wrote "When I feel crappy, I like to look through old pics in which I look awesome. I look into those eyes and say, "Oh. There you are." Not into the made-up face or the beautiful skirt, but into those confident eyes that say, "I am awesome." That is why I think every adult woman needs beautiful photos." 

Beauty.
Everyone talks about it.  We are constantly bombarded with everything from laser hair removal to clothes to makeup to weight loss to hair color...it never ends!  Recently, Dove put out a new Real Beauty campaign where they brought in a sketch artist and had him blindly sketch women based on their verbal descriptions of themselves.  Then, after the women had met up in pairs, the artist did another blind sketch based on the verbal descriptions of each other.  The results were astonishing and truly show how differently we see ourselves versus how others see us. 
If you've got a few minutes, watch this video for yourself.



My heart goes out to these women and more importantly to my Facebook friend - who, even though she was raised in church, still equates her beauty with what she does or doesn't see in the mirror.  It seems like everywhere I turn this week Beauty is rearing its ugly head, and all the while, I keep thinking of this verse:
Proverbs 31:30
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. 
I began to research the word Beauty used in this verse and it turns out the Hebrew word used here is yophiy - which means spendour, brightness, beauty, gracefulness; this word is used 19 times in the Old Testament.  It is interesting to note that only 1 of these verses depicts Beauty in a positive light with regards to a woman's beauty...all of the other verses are either describing God, a prophecy or lust.

After a little more research, the word Beauty shows up 49 times in the Old Testament and is translated from a total of 20 different Hebrew words.  One of the other words translated as Beauty caught my eye:  Chamad (to desire, covet, to take pleasure in, delight in)
Psalms 39:11
When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity.  Selah.

This particular word appears 21 times in the Old Testament and has also been transalated as:  pleasant, desire, covet, delight, delectable and lust.  After reading that list, the kind of outward beauty most people desire just doesn't look so good.  The Word tells us in Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

Just the fact that this verse exists tells me we are to see Beauty differently; we should not be caught up by the standards of this world.  Every human body is aging and dying and society's definition of Beauty is fleeting.  The US alone spends over 7 Billion dollars on cosmetics annually in addition to the over 12 million cosmetic procedures performed each year.  To base the majority of our selfworth on outer Beauty is sheer madness! 

 

Several years ago the YMCA published an eye opening document on The Consequences of America's Beauty Obsession on Women and Girls; it's definitely worth a read. 

 

If I am not defined by outer Beauty, what defines me?  If you are a child of God, he's got an entire New Testament filled with what He says you are!  So, who does God say I am?

 

• I am a child of God.

But to all who have received him--those who believe in his name--he has given the right to become God's children … (John 1:12).

• I have been justified and redeemed.

But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24).

• I have been set free from the law of sin and death.

For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).

• In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption … (1 Corinthians 1:30).

• I am a new creature in Christ.

So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away--look, what is new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

• I am no longer a slave, but a child and an heir.

So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God (Galatians 4:7).

• I have been set free in Christ.

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1).

• I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ (Ephesians 1:3).

• My life is hidden with Christ in God.

… For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

• God loves me and has chosen me.

We know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you … (1 Thessalonians 1:4).

The more we embrace these truths from Scripture about who we have become in Christ, the more stable, grateful, and fully assured we will be in this world.

 

 

Need more convincing???  Check out the whole list!

 

It is my hope and prayer that women around the world learn who they are in God and who He has made them to be...only then will they know true Beauty from the inside out.  If you have taken the time to read this blog, just know that I will be praying for you too :)  Goodnight, sweet friends!

All for the sake of milk

Tonight, I watched Cinderella Man for the first time.  I had only a small idea what this film was about prior to watching it...in fact, the main reason I added it to my Netflix queue was due to the fact that it had Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger in it - and I happen to like them both.

For 145 minutes I have been completely unglued from my seat!  I felt anxious as if I was watching a real fight and rooting for the winner...I was yelling, gasping for breath as our leading man was pummelled time after time, almost in tears when his wife sent their children away because they could not feed them and so on. 

This film was a brilliant combination of superb acting, insightful cinematography, flawless directing and above all else, a truly inspirational story.  In fact, I can't wait to see it again!

With a failing career, the Great Depression bearing down on the nation, a wife and three young children to take care of and scarce work opportunities, Jim Braddock persevered when there did not seem to be a shred of hope.  One of my favorite lines from the film came as an answer to a question about what was behind his comeback - "This time I know what I'm fighting for," he replied - the reporter inquired as to what that meant; his answer "Milk."  His wife and three children were his motivation; and when you're fighting for family, it comes from the heart. 




I found a wonderful article using the principles of this film to reach your goals...good stuff!
Success: Are Your Goals Worth Fighting For?

If you've got 50 minutes to spare, check out this documentary on the real Jim Braddock :)

Be Careful Little Ears

Today my blog post inspiration comes (again) from Facebook!  Enter evidence A for your viewing pleasure:

So here's a question...
If there was a song that had a catchy tune and you really liked the music but the lyrics were really bad or even evil, would you choose not to listen to the song?

Now, what followed were some good, some bad and some just plain stupid comments...but what it really boiled down to was a bunch of opinions that had not a hill of beans to do with the Word.  While I certainly understand that some people have convictions that others do not share, the scripture should be what we, as Christians, base our decisions on.

I seriously heart music...like a lot...almost as much as I love air!  From the age of 10, when I heard my first real "secular" pop song (Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend), I have struggled with listening to music that I KNOW does nothing to build up my spirit and I would imagine that anyone who has been involved in music in any way has dealt with this on some level. 

Now, I know what you're thinking:  "Really, Jenni?  Here, let me help you down off your soapbox; we live in the real world.  Simmer down, sister!"  I'm sure most people don't talk like that, but Hey, it's my blog, Jack! :o)  ...and I digress...now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

My friend's question got me thinking about MY convictions about music.  Since I do try to live my life by the Word of God, that's the first place I turn when looking for answers.  (I ended up finding two articles that go into way more detail than I will go into on this post, but they are definitely worth a read...links are at the bottom.)  The first verse that came to my mind talks about what comes out of your mouth...now, I understand that music goes in your ears, but what you put in your ears will eventually come out of your mouth...and that music going into your ears is coming out of someone else's mouth.  Chew on that one!

Eph 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed from your mouth.

 Greek word “sapros”

      1.       Rotten, putrefied
      2.       Corrupted by one and no longer fit for use, worn out
      3.       Of poor quality, bad, unfit for use, worthless

Sapros is only used 9 times in the Bible & every single reference (with the exception of Eph) refers to bearing fruit...interesting, huh?  So, logic would say that corrupt communication=bad fruit, right?

Matt 7:17

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

Matt 7:18

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Matt 12:33

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt:  for the tree is known by his fruit.

Matt 13:48

Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

Luke 6:43

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit, neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Eph 4:29

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

 

If we backup a bit to Proverbs, we are reminded of the power that resides within that stinky little mouth muscle called our tongue...and once again, we have fruit!  To me, this plainly shows that your mouth or speech or tongue is a clear indicator of the type of fruit you are bearing...whether good or bad, your true colors come out through your mouth. 

Prov 18:21

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Ok, so what does this have to do with what you listen to???  I'm so glad you asked :) 

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

It's like the old saying "Garbage in, garbage out".  To me, having a song stuck in my head is a form of meditation...albeit subconcious meditation.  It seems that David had some great understanding of meditation as 15 of the 20 mentions of meditate or meditation in scripture are all in Psalms.

Psalm 5:1
Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalm 49:3

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

Psalm 77:12

I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

David was really onto something!  Almost every time he mentions meditation, he also mentions words or speaking...these two things are most definitely related!  I once heard a pastor say this and have never forgotten it, "You are what you behold".  This speaks volumns to me about how our brains work!  There is so much power in what we say or hear others say that we can literally change for the good or not so good just by what we subject ourselves to.

I feel like I could write for days on this subject, but it's got to end somewhere, right?  I'll end with this last and final throught.  Music is made by what?  Voices or speech and instruments, right?  The speech has already been discussed, but I feel this next verse tells us the end result of what happens based on what we meditate on or give place to or listen to.

Romans 6:13
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

God made us to be instruments for His use, to carry out His good deeds.  But when we allow other things to steal away the words of our mouths, the meditations of our hearts become unrighteous, which makes us instruments that are unfit for His use.  This is a sobering thought but I'm so thankful the story doesn't end there!  His grace is enough to cover any failings we may have!

As promised, here are two fantastic articles about this subject...and as always, thanks for playing!

The Power of Music by Glenn Pease
Oh, Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear! by Alicia Bookout

Can't Beat the Real Thing!

Catchy sermon title, huh?  Yep, that's right...you heard me...a sermon!  Who would use this slogan from Coca-Cola to express a Biblical truth?  Oh yeah, this girl!  While in Bible school (many, many years ago), I wrote this very sermon; in a nutshell, my point was this:

Anyone can be happy when things are going well, but only the true joy of the Lord can keep you going when times are tough.  Don't settle for a cheap imitation...always choose the Real Thing - which is the Joy of the Lord!

During an outting tonight with some folks from my church small group, I was reminded of this sermon.  After our dinner was over, we took our conversations outside and my friends toddler, Isabella, decided that she had been cooped up waaaay too long and really needed to use up some energy.  While the other couples talked, I followed her up and down the sidewalk, up and down the sidewalk, up and down the sidewalk, up and down the sidewalk...you get the idea :)  Now, we are currently experiencing an extreme spring cold snap here in the ATL and the temperature tonight was 42 with misty cold rain.

I'm not sure how many people would have enjoyed chasing a toddler up and down stairs and sidewalks in the freezing drizzle, BUT it was an amazingly joyous time!  God can grace you with joy in times when you least expect it...and may not even be aware of it until after the fact.  When I got in the car to leave, I realized that only God could have brought joy out of running around in the freezing rain and I was very thankful to Him for allowing me to experience that joy tonight :)

Romans 15: 13 (Amplified)

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

Tonight, I feel like I had a "bubbling over" moment with Miss Isabella...and it was fantastic!  While God can use anything to teach us, tonight, I'm thankful He used a sweet little girl and not something else...like a talking donkey :0)

Numbers 22:28

Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and it said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"

1 potato, 2 potato, 3 potato...7?

Oh yes, I said it...7 potatoes!  To be fair to me, they were baby yukon golds...mostly the size of a golf ball...but yes, there were 7...and I ate them all!  Tonight, I finally tried the Pioneer Woman's recipe for Crash Hot Potatoes and I'm pretty sure that heaven opened when I took these babies out of the oven.

Last year, a friend of mine gave me a paper bag of freshly picked organic oregano.  Having accidentally forgotten about said oregano, I discovered I now had perfectly perserved organic dried oregano still on the stems!  I've used this jewel of an herb just a few times since last year, but tonight it truly shined atop these amazing crispy potatoes...swoon :)  The only thing that could have made them any better was a dollop of sour cream, and dollop, I did!

Unfortunately, I was simply not able to snag a pic due to my extreme eagerness to indulge in these potatoes, so I leave you with a pic from the Pioneer Woman herself.  Trust me, try them...soon!

I love cruisin, yes I do! I love cruisin, how bout you???

Hello world!  I'm finally back and semi caught up from my amazing, fantastic, incredible vacation.  I realized that it had been 19 months since my last vacation...I guess that could explain my extremely wacked out self just prior to leaving for our cruise.  Let me just say, anyone who is comtemplating giving a cruise a try, please keep this info in mind...

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

For my first cruise, I chose very carefully and did a tremendous amount of research on each cruise line to determine which one I would enjoy the most.  I must say that my choice of cruising with Celebrity was a fantastic decision!  I could not be happier with my cruise experience with Celebrity and I think everyone should sail with them at least once!

While on our cruise, we received word that another Carnival cruise ship had engine issues and the cruise line decided to fly all of the passengers home from St. Maarteen...this made me oh-so-thankful I did not allow the inexpensive ticket prices of Carnival to sway my decision to choose Celebrity.

I'll do another post a little later on the rules my sister and I made for first-time cruisers...information I did not find on any blog or forum during all my weeks of pre-cruise research...it's good stuff!

Until then, please enjoy my sweet little cruisin video :)

  

3 days and counting

Today, I feel like a high school senior with 1 week left to graduation...which is equally exciting and frustrating at the same time.  See, I'm going on my first week long true vacation in more years than I can count.  In fact, I'm going on my first cruise ever and am supremely excited about it!!!

I've decided that 2013 is my year!  Since declarations are best christened with action, my first action was to do something I've wanted to do for years and just never had...take a cruise!  To say that I'm excited is a dramatic understatement; to say I'm really done with work and cannot wait until 6pm tomorrow evening is the biggest truth you've heard today.

On a final note, let me just say that choosing cruise parking (having never been on a cruise before) is much more intense than booking the actual cruise.  After tons of research and reading a thousand forums and reviews, I honestly had no idea what to do...and then...Facebook saved the day!

I found a parking lot that had several great reviews that were very recent...but one of the reviews (from the end of February) was from a guy named Matt Keller.  Now, I have never met Matt, but when I clicked on his Facebook profile one thing stood out to me...he just happens to be a Pastor!  I swiftly took that as an answer to prayer and booked the parking lot.  If my parking experience ends up like Matt's, I will be sure to tell him thank you for his unsolicited good counsel :)  Night all!

The Bible pt. 1

Let me just begin by saying how much I enjoyed watching part 1 of The Bible mini-series.  Watching the miracles of God being depicted on the History channel was both surreal and amazing.

While checking facebook I couldn't help but notice all of the criticizing going on from Christian people...this is disheartening to say the least.  Of course, this is only my opinion...but then again, it is my blog so I'm definitely entitled to my opinion in my space.

Here are just a few of the facebook posts I've seen this evening:

*Some things bothering me about The TV series The Bible : the Hebrew land of Goshen was NOT affected by the 3rd plague and on... They made it seem like it was dark in Goshen as well. Also, there was a cloud that God placed between the Egyptians And the Israelites so that the Israelites could cross the Red Sea... They were held back until until the right time.

*There were many inaccuracies. Sarah never ran after Abraham when he was going to sacrifice their son. And that was no ram!! Oy, my boys were really disappointed.

*Wow... A little disappointing!!

*It’s been brought to my attention, by a reliable source who conducted thorough research, that there are a number of unbiblical and very questionable things in “The Bible” television series–about the deity of Christ, the character of God, and the reality of sin (among other things). In light of this recent revelation, I cannot endorse this series. If you choose to watch it, I would urge you to do so with a discerning heart, testing all things.

While I can understand that as Christians we want any retelling of God's story to be accurate as possible, I feel many have missed the big picture while focusing on such small minor details.  Does it really matter that the land of Goshen "seemed" to be affected by the angel of death?  Does it really matter that the movie depicted a lamb instead of a ram?  Do either of these things diminish the miracles that God did or the strength He showed on behalf of the people He loved?  I think not.  I've spent some time thinking about what Jesus would think if he was watching; I cannot for one moment think that He would get wrapped up in the details of a film depicting His story when the bigger picture is that thousands and maybe millions of people have now had the opportunity to watch on screen the amazing works of His Father. 

Let's look at some facts:
The average screenplay created from a book is 1.5 - 2 hours long; most books that are turned into screenplays have around 16-20 chapters...in fact, the Lord of the Rings series has 30 total chapters and the sum of screenplays equal 9.2 hours of total viewing time. In stark contrast, the Bible has 66 books & 1189 chapters and the entire story is being scrunched into 10 hours minus an average of 35 minutes of commercials per episode = approx. 7 hours of total viewing time.  I don't think most people understand how much longer this production would have to be in order to add many of the factual details they have complained about; for the time constraints & budget, I am amazed.

If we used the number of hours in the Lord of the Rings movies compared to the books as a guide, the Bible series would have to be over 20 hours of solid viewing time (if we made each of the 66 books a chapter) - making it almost 3 times as long as it currently is in order to supply a similar amount of detail.  The fact that for 7 hours over a 5 week span may possibly open the truth of God's Word to those who have never heard it before is truly amazing.  After all, I feel that most screenplays created from books were made to interest the watcher to actually read the book...I know, a shocking thought!

Imagine what would happen if thousands of people were inspired to actually read the Bible after watching this series to find out for themselves the detail of what actually took place all those years ago...this could inspire a revolution for Christ that the world has never known! 

I wish Christians could gain a new perspective and not be so focused on being factually accurate.  There is definitely a time and place for complete detailed Biblical accuracy; however, in my opinion, a 7 hour mini-series on national television is not it. 

God can use anything to show how much He loves us & call us to Himself...He has used a flood, a talking donkey, countless foolish things, rubbing mud on a man's eyes...and maybe even a 5-part mini-series called The Bible on the History channel that may contain a few historical inacurracies.  Instead of looking for inaccuracies, I choose to pray for this series - that people's hearts and minds would be open to the truth of God's Word and His love for them by watching it.  I also pray for Christians to remember that this mini-series is probably more for those who do not know Christ than for those who already do.

PS - I have totally been inspired to go back & read the stories shown on tonight's episode before next Sunday...hope I can read it all!

And so it ends.

If you read my last post, I was on a water fast...and boy, do I have stuff to tell!

My last blog left off on day 4 feeling nothing short of not-so-hot; however, I felt that if I just pressed on (like all the blogs and forums said) that those feelings would subside & I'd hit my fasting stride.

Day 5 was very similar to Day 4 only the headache was not as severe and since it was Friday, I left work at 3pm and could spend the rest of the day in my pajamas...never a bad thing :)

Day 6, however, was a world of difference!  For the first time in 5 days, I had absolutely NO HEADACHE!  Praise Jesus!!!  While I was supremely thankful for that, I noticed quickly upon waking that I seemed to have virtually no strength...to the point of having to stop 1/2 way through my shower just to catch my breath.  This was a new development and one that forced me to pace myself and move much more slowly. 

Day 7 gave way to even more weakness, but also included major stomach acid issues (or so I thought).  From everything I had read, the digestive system (including stomach acid and bile) vitually comes to a halt during a water fast once the body realizes it's not getting anything to digest.  However, there are some people whose bodies never get to this point...in fact, their bile keeps producing...and you guessed it, I'm one of those lucky ones!  Day 7 just happened to be the Super Bowl - if you're a football fan, the last thing you want to be is weak and tired when the Super Bowl is on.  The bile got so bad that it actually felt like it was burning a hole in my esophagus...even drinking a small sip of water was excruciatingly painful.  After some sobbing & conversation with God, I decided it was time to break the fast.

All of my research said I should break my fast with fresh juice & my friend had a juicer, so off to her house I went (of course, while the Super Bowl was enjoying the now-famous black-out).  She juiced, I drank...it's wonderful to have good friends to help take care of you :)

By the next morning, I was in even more pain than the day before & had no idea what to do to help the situation, so as before I consulted with the Lord and He told me one word...potato.  I researched to see if anyone had ever broken a fast with potatoes before & after 2 hours of searching, I finally found something helpful.  I found a blog from a man who had used potatoes to break his fast, but the reason why definitely caught my attention:  he said that the enzymes in freshly squeeze juice are terribly high & for some people, it's extremely hard on their digestive system after fasting.  AHA!  That was the reason the juice made me worse...but the potato made me better!  I'm so thankful that God is infinitely smarter than I am & if I listen to Him, He'll always lead me in the right direction.

After that, I decided to stop researching & stop reading blogs and forums & just pray to ask for His wisdom.  He created my body so He knows it (and what it needs) better than anyone else!  It took me 7 full days to regain all of my strength & eat a regular meal, but He sustained me through it all.  Now for the good stuff:  even though I endured several difficult things, God used this fast to bring about healing in my body and I'm sooo thankful He did!

1. chronic headaches = GONE
2. chronic sinus pressure = GONE
3. over 20 years of lower back pain on my right side = GONE
4. autoimmune hive issue of 3.5 years = GONE

PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!  I knew this fast was for a reason, but I could not have fathomed that all of those things would be completely erradicated from my body.  I'm often reminded of the story of Jesus' first miracle; most people remember the fact that He turned water into wine.  But the thing that always stands out to me is what Mary says to the disciples "Whatever He says to you, do it."  I strive to apply this directive in my life daily; no matter if I understand it or not, whatever He says to me, I should do it!  This fast was a true example of Mary's exhortation...I had absolutely no idea why I was doing it, but He said to and I followed...and now, my body is FREE from issues that could have kept me from His Kingdom business...I'M FREE!  Glory to His name!

Just remember, whatever He says to you, DO IT!  If you follow this simply formula, He'll never lead you astray!

And so it begins...

Have you ever fasted before?  I don't mean fasted watching TV for a couple of days or gone without a couple of meals...I mean a total water fast for an extended amount of days?  No?  Me either.

Until a few weeks ago, fasting had never entered my mind...and then all of the sudden, there it was.  For some reason (known only to God), fasting has come to my mind several times over the last few weeks.  You can only think on things for a certain amount of time before you have to make a decision to do them or not.  While I many not have any idea (at this point) as to the reason behind the fast, all I know is that I am supposed to do it.

So, as of Monday morning, I am officially on a fast.  I do not know how many days I will fast; just as I knew to begin, I am trusting that I will also know when to stop.  Usually, when someone goes on some type of restriction, whether diet or otherwise, they seem to crave the restricted item even more.  However, when the restriction is something you have been graced to do instead of something you just made up your mind to do, the grace takes over and you don't experience those cravings.

I'm quite amazed at how the thought of food is not remotely appealing; while I'm still dealing with the feelin of gastic juices (also known as "hunger pains" to most of us), they typically do not last very long before receding back into the depths.

Instead of writing a wordy blog post each day, I will use this one post & update it each day as to remain as stress free as possible.

Day 1 - 1/28
Everyday should be like today!  I literally only felt 'hunger pains' twice - which was unexpected since most of the blogs and forums I've read said that Day 1 was often very trying.

Day 2 - 1/29
Today, the gastric juices decided to rear their ugly heads a good portion of the day...which resulted in my drinking over 4 pints of water...and of course, also made me visit the bathroom no less than 7 times.  I got a dull headache in both sinuses & had some sinus issues and sneezing while at work as well as intense mouth pain - not like tooth pain, but it felt like actual pressure in my cheek and jaw bones.  I ended up getting very tired and worn out by the end of the work day so I came home and actually laid down for a couple of hours. Then, at 9:30, it was like I had been recharged and felt much better...thank goodness!

Day 3 - 1/30
More gastric lovliness...hoping this ends soon.  Today, the headache developed on the left side & once again, continued throughout the day.  As with yesterday, I felt the need to rest when I got home from work, but this is perfectly normal as your body is using the majority of it's daily budget of energy to cleanse & regenerate cells and organs.

Side note:  I'm so thankful that I live alone and have a peaceful home that allows me to relax and rest.  The fact that my cats surround me most of the time just adds to the peacefulness...just think about how much of their day is spent sleeping.  I love my furry babies!

Day 4 - 1/31
Today has not been very fun...the entire right side of my head has pounded most of the day and became very tired around 4pm and could not wait to get home.  I laid down and ended up sleeping for 3 hours, only to awake with the same headache I'd had all day.  I'm hoping this is a good sign that whatever has caused me sinus headache issues in the last few years is being wiped away and expelled from my body...but only time will tell.  Last night, I got a very cool revelation on grace that I had never really seen before; I plan to do a seperate blog post on that soon.  Even after my 3 hour nap, I'm pretty sleepy, so it's off to bed I go.

The Harbinger

Rarely do I come across something that rivets me to my very core; however, the words of Jonathan Cahn have done just that.  Yesterday, a friend on Facebook posted a video of Jonathan Cahn speaking at an Inaugural Prayer Breakfast.  My friend gave this admonishment:

Whatever you do, watch this!!! Will you get offended? or will you get chills up your spine?. Will you scoff, and laugh? or will you get fired up? Will you get angry that they invited this man to speak at the Inaugural prayer this week, or will you listen and take it to heart?

Since this is a friend is a believer, I decided to watch all 35 minutes of the video and man, was I in for a treat!  Jonathan Cahn is a messianic Rabbi and speaks truth from the Word of God unlike anyone else I've ever encountered.  He is an excellent story teller (like Jesus and His parables), but even more importantly, he brings out undeniable truth.

After calling my mother to tell her about the video, she reminded me of a brief conversation we'd had over Christmas about a book called The Harbingers...by Jonathan Cahn (which I only vaguely remembered).  After purchasing the e-book last night, I proceeded to spend the NEXT 6 HOURS reading it from cover to cover!  I finished the book this morning at 6am & have been on an inspiried high ever since.

All I can say is...READ IT!  While the book is written as a ficitonal story the truthes contained within its pages cannot be denied.  My heart and mind are a flurry of activity and inspiration today!  My hope is that more people find the truth and use it to affect change in our nation. 

In the city of Sodom, God only needed to find 10 people who had a heart for Him...just 10 people who did not go along with the status quo of sin...10 people who would help show others the truth of His Word, but the city was destroyed because those 10 people could not be found.

In the story of Noah, imagine how history would have been different if Noah would not have had a heart for the things of God above all else.  Would we even be here today if it weren't for the faithful heart of Noah?  Noah's family were the only people left on the planet because they heeded the warning of the Lord, chose truth over sin and followed God's way of esacpe in the form of the ark.

It is ludicrous to think that we, the United States of America, are above the rules of good and evil.  Where there is evil and sin, judgement follows; but where there is truth and light, safety and abundance can flow.  We have been living under the safety and abundance of God's mercy for many years simply due to the prayers and dedications of our fore fathers.  But, the further away those prayers and dedications get in our history, the more we see that light and truth have been replaced with evil, sin and now, judgement.

We, as the body of Christ, have a responsibility to bring light back into our darkened land.  Just as Jonah was sent to the city of Nineveh, who was headed toward the path of God's judgement, God sent them an alarm, a horn, someone who was not eloquent of speech, but someone who preached the truth.  God sent Jonah to give the city one last chance to avoid His wrath and judgement...his words were not flowery, they were not politically correct, they offended many who heard them, but in his words were Truth. John 8:32 says "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  And that is exactly what happened!  Jonah was sent to spread the Word of truth, the city heard the truth and allowed that truth to affect change, then they were set free from judgement....until.  That small 5 letter word can dramatically change the course of a person or a nation.  Nineveh had repented before the Lord and had enjoyed His favor and protection until they forgot what got them in trouble in the first place...sin.  Once they allowed sin back into their daily lives, they hardened their hearts against the very One who saved them from destruction.  The veil of protection was once again lifted and they were destroyed.
 

2 Chronicles 7:14

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

I have heard this verse used my entire life, but after reading The Harbinger, I have a new understanding and hope in this verse.  We have the answer to the test...it's open book!  We have the answer to avoiding judgement and the collapse of our nation; we have the answer to every single one of our nation's problems right here in this verse!

Today, I discovered a speech given by President George Washington on October 3, 1789 proclaiming the first Thanksgiving "Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me 'to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness'."

Herein lies our nation's key to extinguish the judgement that has been set in motion.  George Washington, along with the House and Congress, proclaimed a public day of thanksgiving and prayer for all people of our great nation to humbly come before the Almight God and thank Him for allowing them to be safe and happy.  Thanksgiving is not about turkey, it's about humbly bowing before God with a heart of thankfulness for how He has kept us and our nation.  We must allow the shallow thoughts of our current society to continue!  We must rise up with renewed faith and conviction to fight for truth and truth alone!  Only truth can set us free!