Right Place and Time

Anxiety can weaken arms and legs, then ultimately our hearts

2010-07-22T09:26:00.004-04:00

Hebrews 12:12 (New Living Translation)
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.
Hebrews 12:12 (New Century Version)
Be Careful How You Live
12 You have become weak, so make yourselves strong again.

Matthew Henry Commentary
Hebrews 12:12-17 A burden of affliction is apt to make the Christian's hands hang down, and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him; but against this he must strive, that he may better run his spiritual race and course. Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace and holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure. Peace with men, of all sects and parties, will be favourable to our pursuit of holiness. But peace and holiness go together; there can be not right peace without holiness. Where persons fail of having the true grace of God, corruption will prevail and break forth; beware lest any unmortified lust in the heart, which seems to be dead, should spring up, to trouble and disturb the whole body. Falling away from Christ is the fruit of preferring the delights of the flesh, to the blessing of God, and the heavenly inheritance, as Esau did. But sinners will not always have such mean thoughts of the Divine blessing and inheritance as they now have. It agrees with the profane man's disposition, to desire the blessing, yet to despise the means whereby the blessing is to be gained. But God will neither sever the means from the blessing, nor join the blessing with the satisfying of man's lusts. God's mercy and blessing were never sought carefully and not obtained.

Nursing Assistant

2009-07-12T07:43:00.000-04:00

Nursing Assistant

Crown of Thorns Galaxy

2009-04-09T21:00:00.003-04:00

GOOD FRIDAY IS TOMORROW AND YET GOD REMINDS US IN THIS PHOTO THAT HE IS IN CONTROL AND HE LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE SENT HIS ONLY SON WHO BORE OUR PAIN AND SUFFERINGS!! Luke 21:11 (New American Standard Bible) and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
(THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE AND A GREAT SIGN FROM HEAVEN THIS WEEK.)

OPEN AIR Second Principle in the 8 Laws of Health

2008-12-03T01:05:00.003-05:00

I think all people will agree this law of health is a no brainer. Open, clean, fresh air is vital to life. An obvious important part of our everyday health. Still not sure? An inexpensive self-test of holding your breath for 1-2 minutes will give you all the immediate confirmation you'll ever need on that point. Okay...that's an over simplification, isn't it? Well, it is and it isn't. Who do you know who would intentionally rob themselves of air? How about swimmers? They do that all the time, the key is learning how to challenge their bodies without actually drowning in the process. Living only 8 miles from the beach, (Atlantic Ocean) it is sad when visitors don't realize the ocean can be very dangerous. Even the experienced swimmer is not safe when the rip tides are stronger due to a tropical storm or a hurricane many miles away from the shoreline. At first they feel it's manageable and don't realize until they are dragged far from shore and then don't have the strength to fight their way back in. I know a little about that because at age 5 I almost drown. However it was at a public pool when I followed my older brother off the diving board. I wanted to feel as accomplished as he so I followed him into the swim lanes rather than swim toward the ladder. After swimming 1/4 way through the Olympic size pool, my 5 year old lungs were hyperventilating and I could not catch my breath; fatigue had quickly set in. I called out for help but no one could distinguish my cries in the crowded noisy pool. Even the life guard was talking! It was my first encounter with the reality of death. I remember thinking, "Today I am going to see God" Then the lifeguard pulled me out by the hand.

There is a great song by Mercy Me that became a favorite a year or so ago. The lyrics remind me of my near drowning and reminds me that I can be drown even on dry land if I take my eyes off Jesus.

I'm in way too deep
I've forgotten how to swim
I can't tell which way is up or down
Save me before I drown down here
I just need some air

I'm coming up to breathe
Oh, I'm coming up to breathe
I've held my breath for all my life
But I am breaking free tonight
And I'm coming up to breathe

I just need to break these chains
I just need to leave this place
Before now this was all I knew
But with just one glimpse of You I see
You're the air I need

I've done everything I can
To get myself up on dry land
Lord, here I am again
Reaching for Your hand

So as the song eludes, air and breathing are more than just the physical act of moving the diaphragm up and down. It often is connected to our mental, relational, physical, vocational and spiritual health. We can feel choked, smothered, elated, lightheaded and/or invigorated in any or all of these areas. Wow, I feel the need to take some slow intentional deep breaths after that last concept. Oh yeah..laughter (I hope at least your smiling) is a great form of exercise for the heart and lungs. Take time everyday to focus on some activity that helps you take in more open fresh air. One way is to get out and walk for 20 min every day. If you live in a place with a lot of air pollution, chose your time wisely. Early in the morning within the hour of sunrise, may provide the best air of the day rather than at the height of rush hour. If you can walk briskly at a well ventilated gym or mall, that may be your next best option. Healthy heart and lungs go hand in hand and the more we are aerobically fit the greater our lung capacity will be. The greater our lung capacity the deeper we breathe and the more air we can exchange. May you never take the ability to breathe easily for granted. Try breathing in till the count of eight seconds and then try slowly releasing the breath over another 8 seconds. Do that for 7-8times at least once per day. It is the fasted way to refreshing your mind and
often relaxes the muscles in your head and neck that can create tension headaches if they are not well oxygenated. Check out the link and share it with someone you know who is feeling down. http://www.thedontquitpoem.com/

Let's also help others breath deeply by regularly sharing inspiration. (Inspiration comes from a word that means "to breathe")

What is success?
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Godly Trust in a Faithless World

2008-11-07T07:36:00.005-05:00

Godly Trust (1st Part of 8 Laws of Health) Godly Trust:
A few weeks ago my husband and I attended a couples retreat in Lake Mary, Florida. Our pastor presented at one of the sessions and he spoke about how important trust is in our relationships. He summed up how marriage has times of testing and explained how God often allows times of testing for some very good reasons. An obvious one stated by Pastor Mark is, "How can we trust what has not been tested." I have been meditating on that concept and am amazed at how practical and true this concept has been in my life. Trust is the first milestone in human development according to Erikson. We learn to trust when we experience consistency and responsiveness from our caregivers. When you think about it we test things all the time. We like to know if product is reliable before we place our faith in it. Even new foods are offered for taste testing at local supermarkets. Doesn't the scriptures encourage us to, Taste and see that the Lord is good?
Link: http://www.vtaide.com/png/Erikson.html

Sometimes we trust too quickly, especially when things don't add up and we forget to use our heads. God understands that, and how it takes time to build trust with each of us. He knows how fragile it is and how quickly it falls apart and how difficult the relationship is to rebuild when it is lost. Most of our life is spent rebuilding trust. That is why health is strengthened when we have our trust firmly planted in God. Everything, and everyone is less reliable and subject to change. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb 13:8) He is not a man that he should lie; (Number 23:19, Titus 1:2,Romans 3:4) His promises are true and amen.( 2Cor 1:20) We need to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding, to acknowledge Him in all our ways and He will make our paths straight.

Proverbs 3 (Message version)

5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this.

TLC is the Best Medicine!

2008-10-26T09:16:00.005-04:00

Children and Pets need lots of TLC! (Tender Loving Care)
If you are not the warm and fuzzy type, listen to this little song and learn the words. It will help get you there...I promise, this is an old time favorite. :)

When you click on this link, it is so sweet you or whoever you share this with can't help but feel the love with every cutie pie endearing term of affection.
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/cuppycake.htm

Now that both my children are away at college. One in England, the other in Minnesota, I want them to know that I think about them all the time. I really do miss those early years and this little song brings them back like it was yesterday. As the tears roll down my eyes I'm so grateful for those years. They were full of tender moments and love along with the crazy ones too. Isn't that really why we are here? To learn how to love perfectly, unselfishly and for all time.

"Love doesn't make the world go round, love is what makes the ride worthwhile." - Elizabeth Browning

Wisdom of the Ages

2008-10-25T10:24:00.005-04:00

The important lessons in living and learning are hard fought for in this life. We have the choice of being guided by God in our journeys or driven by our own understanding. Prayer is an invitation asking for divine intervention in personal and public matters.

Scripture meditation: The Lord will guide you always Isaiah 58:11; Don't worry about everything. Instead pray about everything, and thank Him for His answers. Phil 4:6

Keep in mind:
God answers all prayers
Sometimes He says "Yes"
Sometimes he says "No" and
Sometimes He says....
YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!

More reminders of God's love: I John 4:9-"This is how God showed His love among us:He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him."

Watch this sweet video entitled "The Sky Angel Cowboy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0r_FbARIn8&NR=1

To Love and To Be Loved

2008-10-18T10:53:00.004-04:00

There are so many ways to communicate love. The book The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman drove that home to me many years ago when I was going through a phase of Love is....saying the words, "I love you." For some people or cultures, putting it in words can feel like learning a foreign tongue. It is awkward and way out of their comfort zone but in the meanwhile love is still being communicated. I was getting too focused on my primary (preferred) method and was missing those tender moments of affection others were trying to give to me. Isn't our walk with Christ simply learning to love as He loved. Sitting at His feet is the only way to really learn. Hurry sickness, aimless living, surviving the rat race...can be themes that rob us of the very moments that give us ultimate joy and fulfillment, loving others as ourselves. When Christ sent people out two at a time I thought that was sensible, until I heard a sermon that explained that could have also reflected the mentor and protege relationship. That is not only sensible, it's an idyllic training model. Who isn't out of their comfort zone when people ask you who you are and why you believe what you believe. When I came to the end of myself and finally cried out to God to forgive me for some horrendous sins , I was set free and had a lot of zeal without knowledge. Just like falling in love, it can be pretty obnoxious to be around folks who are in that altered state of euphoria. There is very little self awareness in those moments but it is clear to those who are eye witness' you are smitten and it's for real. However...time will tell if it's just infatuation or the lasting kind. I want my love for God and others He has given me to love be an outpouring of devotion as in the poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning How do I love thee let me count the ways."
How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Breast Cancer Update

2008-10-15T21:17:00.002-04:00

The Best Cancer Prevention is through Vigilant Health Management

1st Corinth 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

The famous ad slogan, “We’ve come a long way baby!” sure sums up where we are in our knowledge of breast cancer compared to a decade ago. It’s hard to believe that the following statement was found in the October issue of 1996 Harvard Women’s Health Watch, “Unfortunately, there is little we can do to reduce our risk of breast cancer.” However, having more information has not changed the American Cancer Society’s death toll projection this year of 40,910 lives (40,460 women, 450 men) due to breast cancer in the U.S. To date, it remains second after lung cancer for taking more women’s lives than any other form of cancer. Oddly, the bright side of this report is when diagnosed early, there is greater than an 80% chance of survival.

So then, what is the most recent talk regarding a drop in the breast cancer rate? According to the July 2007 Harvard Women’s Health Watch, the most significant drop occurred from 2002-2003. Why are those years significant you may ask? That was when the New York City based Women’s Health Initiative long term study came to an abrupt halt. It was a time I can easily recall due to being newly hired to Christian Care and it required a crash course in HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy, due to the sudden intense call volume. You may have been one of those frantic members who called us at that time looking for direction. As a matter of fact, since that time, women have had to look to a variety of resources to educate themselves about breast cancer protection and HRT. The hush from the medical community was proverbially deafening in those early weeks and months when medical providers were scrambling for guidelines for their patients. Most providers had actively promoted and prescribed the pharmaceutical conjugated estrogen/progestin therapy as if it were candy. The press release from the WHI study in July 2002 was actually an historic medical event. It was indeed a catalyst that led many women to move away from medical providers with a disease management approach to ones who supported healthy life management. In summary, scientists from the famous MD Anderson Cancer Center studied the research and explained the 7% drop rate was coming from women over the age of 50. The precise age group who were traditionally using the prescription form of HRT! By the end of 2002 HRT prescriptions dropped 40% from the previous year. Between 2002 and 2003 it fell 50%, so they concluded this was by no means a coincidence, but rather a clear indication that HRT was an obvious contributor to breast cancer!

Breast Cancer -the notebook is a powerful little book published in 2006 by Christian author Julia Chiappetta. Julia succinctly covers her experience with breast cancer, anatomy, risk factors, staging terminology, treatment options, reconstruction, lab tests specific to breast cancer, and prevention all in fewer than 30 pages. She also adds a glossary of medical terms that a woman with breast cancer will encounter, helpful internet links, a list of the Top 10 Breast Cancer Hospitals in the U.S. and nutritional information on how to increase your body’s immune strength and more.

Some of you may be wondering if men need to be concerned about breast cancer. The statistics in the first paragraph referred to 450 deaths of men due to breast cancer, yet the expected cases of breast cancer diagnosed this year is anticipated to be around 2000. Men’s type of breast cancer is 80-90% due to IDC- Infiltrating or Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. This type of cancer is most successfully treated with surgery alone, but sadly men often wait too long after finding a lump. Because the diagnoses of these cases are delayed, tumors are allowed to grow and the cancers advance in stages negatively impacting an otherwise good prognosis.

The conclusions of both WHI –Women’s Health Initiative and the recent Nurses Health Study report. (See insert) is good news to women who have worked hard at personal health and fitness. It’s time to take charge of your health like never before. We know the threat is real and together as a body of believers in Christ, we can prayerfully take appropriate steps to learn how to lower risk factors, improve healing and recovery, and eliminate the threat of reoccurrence. Keep the insert in this newsletter along with this list to protect you and your loved ones from the threat of breast cancer.

Why not start today by learning your risk with the Harvard Center for Cancer prevention. http://www.yourdiseaserisk.harvard.edu/
www.breastcancer.org Learn how to correctly perform monthly self breast exams.

Many areas of the country offer low-cost or free mammograms that are provided as part of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) or through community organizations, such as the YWCA. To find out more about whether there is a NBCCEDP program in your locale, contact the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at 1-888-842-6355 or on the Internet at www.cdc.gov.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month; many radiology facilities offer mammography at a reduced rate. To find out how to get a low-cost or free mammogram or to find a certified radiology center in your area, call the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation's National Toll-Free Breast Care Helpline at 1-800-IM-AWARE (1-800-462-9273).

Red Bands of Courage

2008-09-28T16:16:00.006-04:00

Click here for more Red Band stories: http://www.calvaryccm.com/en/submenupages/livedangerous.aspx

A few months ago my husband and I heard screams from the house across the street at about 8:30PM. We found our neighbor's 56 y.o. husband on the kitchen floor unconscious and barely breathing. 9-1-1 was called and we performed CPR. It seemed like at least 10-15 minutes later the paramedics arrived. I called from the door for them to bring oxygen because through most of the rescue there was no pulse or breathing. We all prayed fervently as the EMS gave shocks and life saving meds. After he was stabilized, I drove my neighbor's wife to Wuestoff Hosp and stayed for several hours until he was admitted to the ICU. At about 2AM I encouraged her to let me take her home because she had called family across the state who would be arriving in the morning. The medical team could not find the cause of the cardiac arrest but we prayed in spite of the distinct possibility that he might not ever wake up again. Long story short, he woke up slowly after about 3 weeks and spent about another 2 months in the hospital and rehab, and is home now. PTL! As I drove into my home from work on Friday, I could see he was in a wheelchair with his wife across the street in their driveway. As we chatted I noticed that his wife was wearing the red band to "Follow Jesus and Live Dangerously" She had recently began attending CCM. Then my husband came home, the same Deputy Sheriff referred to by the CCM member on jury duty, and our neighbor seemed to recognize him and said his name. We all stood in a circle wearing our bands beholding a miracle of God. Please continue to pray for increased healing of his mind. He is struggling to remember so many of his memories of even his grown children. Yet is reliving the night of the rescue, perhaps as the result of PTSS-post traumatic stress syndrome. We are commanded to snatch some from the fire and that night we were called on to do just that. My husband and I have both been CPR instructors for several years, I as an RN, he as a Sheriff Deputy, and we just so happened to be home together at the right time. We were actually supposed to be out on errands but were delayed for some reason. "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous" -A. Einstein. The red bands of courage to live dangerously for Him is truly God's call to His people for such a time as this! PTL!!!

Tales from the workshop....

2008-09-14T16:56:00.007-04:00

The first part of this poem was found on Suddenly Christian today, I added the second stanza. It took me less than 30 min to write and post it on that blog. Right after doing so it lead to an exploration of an important topic from Ephesians. I hope you enjoy it!

In Religion on September 12, 2008 at 11:23 pm
It’s time for us to be brilliant now
To break through battered clouds
It’s time for us to be brilliant now
To cast off tattered shrouds
It’s time for us to be brilliant now
God’s bored, he cannot wait
It’s time for us to be brilliant now
It’s Him; it’s us; it’s late.

The brilliance that you speak of
can only be from love.
The kind that’s sacrificial,
an outpouring from above.
The brilliance that we need
touches each and every man.
For God so loved the world,
His Son did all He can,
To teach us how to shine His light
where darkness is prevailing.
Let’s live in brilliant hope,
for in His love there is no failing.

Love never fails. I Corinthians 13:8

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10
A book entitled, “The Bride’s Pearl” by Brian Kinsey is a commentary written on the book of Ephesians. It explains that the word workmanship used in the Greek translates poiema, meaning the act of creating, work of art, or masterpiece. We get the word poem from this word that makes me think how beautifully we can be shaped by God the Divine Artist. He teaches us, His projects in the work, so we can discern and even take part as His students of Art .

Why I like poetry?
Funny you should ask, but early in my life I thought poetry was mostly unclear sappy gibberish. But then I began to write a few and I realized there was more to it. My sister, who was a year and 10 months older than me, was a dedicated poet who often passed me many of her poems for late night reviews and exchange of thought. Sometimes it was little exasperating for me because she would often present 3-4 works at a time just when my eyes were in the half opened state. Perhaps that was a brilliant strategy on her part realizing the worst response the poems could elicit was a tired polite, “that’s really nice” or perhaps that rare, “well what made you write about this topic” from a more wide awake devoted reader.
My memory has a mix of both, as well as vivid recount and respect of the right hemisphere’s tendency to be a bit of a creature of the night. While one was writing poetry, my other sister, who was the firstborn, was composing music and lyrics on our old Wurlitzer upright piano. Notes striking typically at the midnight hour. Is it any wonder I became a night owl in those early years of menarche? Hormones and poetry…ahh now that is something I could really explore further but in the words of Scarlet Ohara, I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow.

OChristian's videos

2008-08-03T10:28:00.000-04:00

OChristian's videos

The Great Awakening

2008-08-03T10:19:00.000-04:00

Well well well...how randomly precise

2008-07-22T18:55:00.003-04:00

If you have ever pondered the age old question, "Which is better for digging…the pick or the shovel?" or perhaps lived by the axiom, A Pail From Our Well Beats A Container From Town,
then this link is definitely for you!
How to dig a hand dug well.- http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Dig-A-Hand-Dug-Well

For everyone else, you may want to watch it sometime as an antidote for insomnia. I have such a fascination with some forms of manual labor. This one is an ancient one that dates back to the beginning of mankind. It's so fundamental to our survival I think it's worth watching.

Wealth of Information

2008-07-21T08:23:00.003-04:00

Work entails a lot of writing mainly in the form of documenting and planning.
It is sometimes a joy to have written something uniquely descriptive but mostly it feels like a chore. I have written for our quarterly magazine from small snippets to 2 page full spread articles. As I wrote I had managerial responsibilities of tackling the tough cases or capturing necessary policy and procedures. So after all that I think I would like to write to express the after hours topics. However, working in the health care field does lend itself to what feels like on the job discussions over many an off hour. If I had a dollar for everytime someone told me what a wealth of information I am, well I would be fiscally very well off. Sometimes I think I secretly want a blog to capture all the topics I could ever be challenged with and storehouse them here so I can say…funny you should ask…I wrote about that not so long ago…

Sisters See Image Of Jesus In Paint On Wall - News Story - WMAQ | Chicago

2008-07-20T12:07:00.000-04:00

Sisters See Image Of Jesus In Paint On Wall - News Story - WMAQ Chicago

Welcome and hello!

2008-07-19T19:16:00.001-04:00

Recently I have become a fan of some bloggers and decided to join the community at large. It is my hope that this page may also serve a purpose for family, as well as old and new friends to drop a note as they so feel led. I have to warn you...when I type I occasionally omit words and make small grammatical errors that can alter the meaning of a sentence beyond my intention. Sometimes I get a big kick out the alteration and the way a mistake can take on its own personality. So, let's try to keep it less formal and as natural as we can. Okay?