Why the Colts

Very recently I was asked, “Why the Colts? Why not Dallas, the Eagles, or any other team?” I’ve asked myself the same questions, and the more I watch Peyton Manning, the better I understand where my obsession with him and the Colts began. You see, Peyton & I have much in common.

John Madden says of Peyton Manning, “…he is everything you would ever want in a quarterback…not just one of the best quarterbacks of all time…but in the top 5 of all time…” He knows everything that’s going on around him and knows the game better than most coaches. As Madden has said about Peyton, “…he’s the best because he works the hardest. Nobody works harder…” But watching him can be stressful.

Okay, now take Tom Brady – this guy has amazing talent…almost as great as Manning. He DOES have something Peyton Manning doesn’t have, and that’s freedom – freedom to make mistakes and move on. Brady has come to the realization that although he can play a great game, there is NEVER a perfect game. This is not only because he can make a mistake, but also because there are other factors that will determine the outcome of the game. It’s easy to watch him play because you know while he’s playing his heart out, he’s enjoying the freedom of fun.

Now I’m sure that Mr. Peyton has fun while he’s out there breaking records with M. Harrison; however, he is still so wrapped up in attempting to play a perfect game, that he is a slave to himself and the mistakes that he makes.

I can relate with him all to well, and so that’s where the obsession began a few years ago with the Colts and more specifically Peyton Manning.

it's been forever...playing catch up

Nathan & I stayed home for Thanksgiving. It wasn’t how the plans began, but all in all, we enjoyed our time. We even started a new tradition – puzzles. We started a Thomas Kinkaid puzzle on Thanksgiving day and worked on it on and off until we finished it that following Sunday. Let me just say that Thomas Kinkaid’s 750-piece puzzles are not the easiest in the world. I’m glad I prepared myself I knowing we wouldn’t complete it in just one day.

Since that time, life has been busy with the regular holiday activities. The husband and I have been able to talk about goals we have for this coming year, etc. Some exciting opportunities may be opening up for us, but for now, we’re just taking things one day at a time.

The Solid Rock

Do you ever ask, "Why me?"? I don't know that I ever really asked God about that out loud until recently. You know, it's easy to say 'yes' to Him sometimes, but then we hit some rough seas. The winds and waves come, and we're tossing and turning, wondering what in the world is going on. This seems to happen most often when we're going about our own business serving Jesus, doing the things we know to be doing. We have our days, but then - CHAOS.

Recently it was like I had this conversation with God about it. See, I was going about my merry way when BAM, BAM, BAM from every direction. It was so draining, so complicated, so beyond what I could fix that I literally just wanted to sleep for peace or just sit and stare off into space.

So this conversation went something like this...

Me: Um...could you do something about this? I'm done with.
God: Just follow me.
Me: I've been doing that, and THIS is what I get? I didn't realize that saying 'yes' to you meant THIS. Can't you just fix it, turn it around?
God: Follow me. Take up your cross and follow me.
Me: But I'm seriously tired. I'm worn out. I can't do it.
God: Come to me when you are weary and tired. I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. MY yoke is easy and MY burden is light. .
Me: But you won’t change the situation?
God: Let me work on YOU and change YOU. I’ll take care of the rest in my timing, but for now, follow me. No discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful. Later, you will see how it has produced righteousness and peace in your life.
Me: But what did I do to deserve this?
God: You said ‘yes.’ I don’t waste anything. I will use it ALL. I love you, so will you trust me and surrender to my love?

And that’s kinda where I left it. THIS is love? I’d hate to know what God’s anger is then.

This happened all in the middle of a night during which I woke up and couldn’t sleep. I woke up singing “On Christ the solid Rock I Stand” over and over. I can say that and mean it because when situations and circumstances in my life have been shaky, when the word around me was falling in apart – He was my Rock. He was all I had, and He was ALL there. When I called on Him, He was there. Never was there a moment in which He left me. During the most lonely times (and boy, were they ever lonely), HE was faithful.

So now I’m in an unknown place – a placed I never imagined. I mean, c’mon, has He seen my resume – what I’ve done, what I can do? I’ve come to see that none of that matters. And I honestly have no idea why me. I mean, ‘onward Christian soldier’ – I’m a doer, I’m a go-getter, I’m not one to be held back…especially because of other people. No, they can stay behind.

…but His will is that I follow Him. Today that means I allow Him to change me. Today that means I submit to His ways and leave mine behind. Today that just means that on Him I stand.

So instead of asking "why me?" I'll say, "Thank you that it's me. Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for not leaving me as I am but for loving me enough to change me."

And I sing the song by Edward Mote:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ the solid Rock, I stand -
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In ev'ry high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

On Christ the solid Rock, I stand -
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

Rules, Rules, Rules

I've said it before, I'm a rules girl. I like rules because they set the boundaries for me. They set the expectations. You tell me what the rules are, and I know what's expected of me and how to perform. Without them, I can get a little lost and frustrated because I don't know if I'm performing up to your expectations.

Of course, this was great for my mom when I was growing up because I was a pretty good kid for the most part. The problem came in when I accepted and loved people for how they’ve followed the rules and met the standards and expectations I placed on them. If I followed the rules and they hadn’t, I was better, and I treated them like I was better. Sad? Yes. Did that pride ever cause me to fall? All too hard.

Lately it seems God is forcing me to face my demons one way or another. The past month for me has been one stressful month in trying to find my way through some issues. There’s now way God was going to allow me to ignore them this time, so He, in His faithfulness as a loving Father, has allowed different situations to overwhelm me so that I come to the end of myself.

Last week I really needed to hear from Him. It didn’t matter what, but I needed to just know…know that He would in fact speak to me.

…and that He did.

I opened my Bible early one morning and immediately closed it. I then spoke to Him out loud, “Take me where you need to…I NEED to hear you.” I was prompted then to divert from my scheduled reading from the gospels to Galatians.

Boy, was I freed up!

I spent over an hour reading it and then re-reading some key verses over and over. I’ve never read and understood Galatians the way I did that morning.

Quick overview – Paul is writing to the churches in Galatia about grace. Basically they had gone from the gospel of grace that he preached to them back to the ‘other gospel’ of law. They were becoming slaves again to ritualism when Christ had set them free and were now under grace rather than the law.

This is what the Lord was speaking to me about – being free under His grace rather than a slave to law, to rules. I’m not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Christ. As Galatians says, if my righteousness comes through the law, through works, then Jesus died in vain.

I had ‘fallen from grace’ and was attempting to be justified by the law.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty for which Christ has set us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage,” says Galatians 5:1. I always thought this verse was talking about freedom from sin. Although that’s true in a sense, this is talking about being free from the bondage of living under the law.

I realized last week that I had again been living in bondage of the law. I had been attempting to be ‘justified’ by works and performance rather than by the grace of God. At the same time, I had been accepting and loving others by that same standard. It’s no wonder then that I’d felt so frustrated and trapped. I couldn’t measure up to the standard nor could anyone else. I was a slave.

So where is freedom and how do I attain it? Well, Jesus attained it for me. All I have to do is walk in it. I can walk in freedom from the law by walking in the spirit. Paul said that the law is fulfilled in this – loving my neighbor. Love is the fulfillment of the law, and I can be free to love people regardless of what they do or how they do (performance) because we’re no longer under bondage of fulfilling useless requirements.

The fruit of walking in freedom, walking in the spirit, is love, joy, peace patience, etc. Now I’m free to love people for who they are rather than by what they do, and I’m free to receive unconditional love.

What a relief this has been to me! What freedom I’ve received! I can be free to be me, and you can be free to be you.

Now you know why I’ve been absent for a while. I’ve just been ‘stuck’ (for lack of better word) reading Galatians over and over, gaining new understanding of God’s grace towards us.

It’s crazy too because I’ve read Galatians I’m sure hundreds (??) of times and knew it but never really KNEW it.

So thank God that His Word is truly living and active. It has the power and life to convict us specifically when and where we need it.

I challenge YOU to live daily in the grace and freedom Christ has provided us.

Silly People=Silly Comments

So a couple of weeks ago I was telling this acquaintance about my desire and passion to raise God-fearing children. I can’t wait until I have lil’ Poffinbarger babies running around to train in the ways of the Lord. I really do have a passion for my family. So I was sharing with this acquaintance how I get excited thinking about serving God in serving my family and staying home with my kids (when they come). This um...person has the audacity to say, “I don’t see you doing that. I don’t see you being a mother, and I definitely don’t see you staying home. It’s not you…can’t do it…etc.”

Uh, so who made her God? Who is she to say that motherhood isn’t for me? I don’t really care to be stereotyped, and this particular one just rubbed me the wrong way? Why so much? I really took this personally I guess because it hurt. I’ve heard this from other people before, and it’s not cool. They don’t know me well enough to know how much I want to have children and be at home to raise them.

All they know of me is that I work and sometimes crazy hours. Yes, I work, but that’s because Nathan & I are in a season during which I have to, and the great thing is that it’s all a part of God’s plan for us. He knows where He’s taking us, and this is what He’s chosen for us for this season. What’s also great is that our loving Father God has always put me with great people with whom to work and great jobs that I’ve enjoyed. The last season was in preparation for this one, and this one is preparation for the next. None of it is by accident, and so I’m content with what He’s doing.

Do I always want to be here? No. That’s why this is just a season. This too shall pass, and I’m just glad I can enjoy it.

So the next time anyone wants to tell me what I can or cannot do, maybe I should recommend they leave that up to God since He is ultimately the One who knows. Amen.

Birthdays Birthdays

This one's LONG - bear with me.

Don’t you love birthdays? Birthdays are very special to me because since I was a little girl, my mom always made a big deal out of my birthday. Because our birthdays were only days apart, my aunt & I (who only have 5 years between us), celebrated our birthdays together. This celebration was no small thing. My mom would begin making plans weeks in advance. She would decide on a theme, and everything would fall along the lines of that theme. She would also hand-stitch matching dresses for my aunt and me. Then came my favorite part – the birthday cake, sure partly because all of that sugar was like heaven, but more so because I knew that the cake would look like strawberry shortcake, Barbie, etc. My mom has this amazing gift with cakes. She can turn an ordinary square or round cake into the most amazing pieces of art that both children and adults fall in love with at first sight.

It’s no small task – making artwork out of a plain piece of cake. My mom would begin sometimes with several cakes. She would cut one here and the other there and would assemble the pieces to make the base of the cake. That wasn’t it, though. The more difficult aspect was the frosting. That was everything. If the frosting wasn’t done right, no matter how great the shape was, the cake could be at risk to be butchered. So she would begin that process with some white frosting. Then my mom would divide the frosting into different bowls and added several drops of food coloring to each bowl – all different colors. Sometimes she mixed different colors together to form a purple or an orange-colored icing.

Applying the frosting so that it looked just like Strawberry Shortcake or Cookie Monster – wow – that took some time, patience, and really – a lot of love because she knew the “Ah” moment with the kids would only last as long as their stomachs could hold back from devouring the art. She did it anyway. I have no idea how long it took to ice some of the cakes she made, but I can only imagine.

Then, in a few minutes, all of the work she put together would be cut a part and torn into by a bunch of kids who cared more about eating it than appreciating the work that was put into the creation. Then it was gone. Yet, the cake served its purpose.



Just as my mom would take the time, energy, and patience to make cakes these wonderful cakes, so God does with us and with our lives. Before we are in our mother’s womb, he has already thought of and known us.

God takes a piece of personality here and some character qualities there to form me…but wait, he’s not finished yet. Then comes the icing – the physical me. Every intricate detail about me is no mistake. Now, I’m not talking about the sin part of me or the wear and tear of my body. As kids bite into a cake, so life bites into us. We live in an imperfect world, and until our bodies are glorified, we will have ‘wear and tear.’

But here and now, He created me with certain details because He will have me fulfill certain tasks. He knows about the ‘bites’ that people will take out of me, and He knows how I’ll be used. None of it is a surprise to Him because He in fact set it all in place already.

For me to serve my purpose, however, I must be available do what God has prepared for me to do. Can you imagine a cake rising up and saying, “You cannot eat me. I am too pretty to be eaten”? Obviously a cake can’t do that, but it was created for the purpose for which the baker made it. It must fulfill its purpose.

We have been created on purpose, with a purpose and for a purpose. I will never be fulfilled unless I daily walk in that purpose. God wants to use us for each other. At the end of this physical life, he will ask me if I have been used on this earth how I was created to be used. What I have been given must be used for the sake of other people. I cannot sit around for myself in life, then come to Him and say, “Yes, Lord, look at me. I kept to myself all of my life so that I could stay pretty for you.” He will want to know if I used what He gave me to accomplish what He’s called me to do on earth.

As cake is fleeting at a child’s birthday party, so our lives are on this earth. We must allow Him to use us as He’s intended, so that when it’s our time to transition from this life to the next, we can hear, “Well done.”

P.S. Above is one of my mom's great creations. I’m the boy-looking girl with the finger in her nose.

Mom, thanks for taking the time to create these wonderful cakes and for making birthdays so special.

In the headlines the past few days is a pastor from Colorado who has admitted to involvement in some questionable acts. I’m not writing to talk about whatever we may or may not know about this. I’m writing this to ask you to pray. Pray for this pastor and his family, pray for your pastor and his family, and pray for our leadership in general.

“Everything rises and falls on leadership.” John Maxwell. I believe that. To get to us, satan first attacks our leadership, whether that’s in the church or family.

The thing is, we all struggle with something. None of us is removed from temptation of any kind. Those in leadership are often put on this pedestal and are expected to be perfect – whatever that means. It’s true, but they are people just like we are. They put one pant leg on at a time just like we do. They are held to a higher standard, and the minute they show a weakness, we’re so quick to point it out and ‘throw stones.’ Oh no, but if WE mess up, God forbid that anyone mention it publicly.

I’m not excusing sin. Sin is sin, and wrong is wrong. I just think we need to be careful of how we respond to these situations.

Let us pray for each other and those who serve the body of Christ. They are under intense scrutiny and sometime have little privacy. The stresses and pressures are beyond what we can imagine. Again, the best thing we can do is pray for and encourage them.

In Spite of Socks

You know how we all have innocent habits that may drive other people crazy without our knowledge that it drives them crazy? With husbands and wives this can be the topic of many heated discussions. Several years ago, a very dear friend told me about an incident between she and her husband that began with a little habit of his. He had this habit of taking off his socks and leaving them in a certain place on the floor almost every single day. It drove wife crazy, but husband had no clue.



One day, she kindly asked him to, "Please be more mindful of where the socks are left." He was more mindful for a few days and would leave his socks elsewhere, but by the end of that week, they were back where they had previously made their home.

This time it was personal. She explodes, "I've asked you to take the socks from this place and put them in the bedroom! What is it going to take?!"

Husband responds, "I am so sorry. I didn't realize this meant so much to you. I will make it a point to be more mindful of it."

However, he adds, "BUT let me ask you a question - what if I never change? What if I keep doing this over and over and over? Will you still love me the same?"

Where did that come from? Over a pair of socks? She was puzzled by the question, but it really made her think.

That phrase comes to mind often. It almost haunts me. Many times when my husband and I are discussing habits or the like, I remember those words, "What if I never change? Will you still love me the same?"

Well, am I supposed to? What does the Bible say about a wife loving her husband? So I go look it up. That doesn't help my cause. What does the Bible say about loving other people. Oh - that doesn't help my cause much at all either. Isn't there a stipulation somewhere in the Bible that gives me the freedom to love my husband conditionally? I mean, what if he doesn't do the things he's 'supposed' to do? What if he doesn't fulfill certain aspects of his role? Can I love him based on his peformance?

Fortunately God didn't ask for my help when writing the Bible because I'd be in trouble. If God loved and accepted me by how I perform and by how well I do, He wouldn't be able to love me much because I don't measure up to His standards. I have fallen short and will continue to fall short of what He would require.

His love and acceptance, though, have nothing to do with what I have or haven't done. When He sees me, he doesn't look at my shortcomings and say, "Well, today you messed up here, here and there, so I'll love you a little more today than yesterday because yesterday was a real bad day for ya." God's love is everlasting and complete. He loves me today the same as He did yesterday and the same as He'll love me tomorrow. I never have to work for it, and I never have to measure up.

Jesus' life and death have given me access to the Father's inexhaustible supply of love regardless of my failures. When God looks upon me, He sees Jesus righteousness. He delights in me and is absolutely crazy about me...no matter where I leave my socks.

What an emotionally draining week last week was:

Monday – on a high from not having to work all day. Yes, I still enjoy my job, but there’s nothing like a day off.

Tuesday – really annoyed that it takes me 45 minutes to get to my running spot. What – does everyone get on the highway on Halloween night? Then I find out that my husband has cut his leg with a chainsaw. Don’t ask.

Wednesday – we get a call at work from a co-worker’s husband that his wife (co-worker) was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with a blood clot in her brain and fluid in her lungs. At one point during the day, we received news that she had passed. As we were still processing those emotions and what comes with that, we received yet more news that it was false. Praise God, she was still with us.

Thursday - a couple of friends then called me with disturbing news about some transitions they are choosing to make in their lives.

Friday – I find out some close friends have gone into labor. Yay! Life!

Saturday – it’s my bday! Have a good run on the trail and then lunch with a pal I hadn’t seen for a couple of years. Good times. The evening was rather eventless, but it was the way I wanted it this year.

Sunday – the couple that had the baby on Friday receive tragic news about their new baby girl…

So it doesn’t seem like that much when I write it out, but I guess mixed together with personal drama it’s just a good pot of …life.

Prayer Request

If you're reading this, I ask that you please take a few minutes to pray for my friends, Joel & Valarie Sewell and their new baby girl, Rhema Evangeline. This little treasure was born on Friday, November 3, and after some tests, the doctors discovered she was born with an extra chromosome. Her condition is worse than Down's Syndrome, and the doctors have told Joel & Val that she won't make it past her first birthday.

The first news I heard was actually a bit different than what I heard first-hand from Joel a few hours later, so it seems things are just very up and down, and Rhema's condition is not always the most stable.

Please pray for this family. Joel and Val are as well as can be expected. They have many questions to which they know they may never get answers, but they know that our heavenly Father is not surprised by this. They know He is sovereign and in control. Nothing can touch us unless He allows it. He himself formed Rhema and loves her more than Joel and Valarie could ever love her.

Sometimes things happen in life that leave us questioning our theology, that leave us questioning God. That's especially true when we've lived in surrender to God and His will, doing the right thing living for Him to the best of our ability and knowledge.

So what does it mean when He allows the unimaginable to happen? What did we do wrong? Where did I mess up to deserve this?

Those questions may never be answered. We may be left with a blank. But one thing I know is that He hasn’t left us during those times. His ways are higher than ours, and His ways are past our complete understanding. He holds on to our pain, and only He can truly understand and heal our broken hearts.

We’ll never comprehend His ways on this side of heaven. It's during these times that we must fall back on who God says He is and on the promises He has made us. We must trust that He has our best interest in mind, for “all things work together for the good of those who love Him.” It may not appear to be good at the time, but “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.”

...and after we have done all of those things, to stand.

I am Job Hunting

So is there a job that would pay me to read whatever I wanted to read all day long? I’ve always been a geeky reader. My mom even had to teach me how to read at an unusually young age because I could keep her up all night reading me every book I could find. I still have not grown out of it. All I want to do most days is sit on my sofa with a blanket and a few books. At least it’s a good habit. As a good friend of mine likes to remind her younger siblings, “Readers are leaders.” I’m hoping that kicks in at some point.

For now, all I’m looking for is a job that will pay me about $1 MM per year to read books I want to ready every single day. So I kindly ask that you keep me in mind should you hear of a job with this description. Now I’ll get back to turning pages.

Dirty Sneaks

Last night during a short run with a friend, we came upon a crossroad...well, sorta. The sidewalk seemed to give us 2 choices - continue on it and take the long way, or cut through the lush grass to get to our destination. Am I one for shortcuts? Yes, if they work. Oh, but they must work in order for me to take them. When it comes to running, I'm out there to run, not to take short cuts. Well, we had never taken this road before, but there didn't seem to be any problem with the shortcut. In fact, it looked quite appealing. Even though it was dark, we could see so much lush green grass. So in the few seconds that we had to decide which way to take, we just jumped right off of the sidewalk and into the grass.

We hadn't jogged but a few feet when "SLOSH! SLOSH! SLOSH!" Yuck! We didn't realize it, but underneath what appeared to be lush grass was mud. It wasn't just a little mud in one area. The mud started at the front line of the grass and went to the end of the line. The entire shortcut was filled with mud. As soon as we stepped in and realized it, our feet were moving too fast to stop and turn back. Everywhere that we turned to try to move out of the mud, there was even more.

Isn't that just like life? God has a way, a road mapped out for us. Along the way we see a shortcut. It's appealing. The grass looks lush and green, but it's not necessarily the road we should take. Hastily we rush into it because all we want to do is get to the other side. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with the shortcut, but we get stuck in mud. It's not what it appeared to be. In desperation we step here and there and everywhere to try to find a way out. The only way, though, is back on His road and not ours.

When I got home, the first thing I did was wash my messy shoes. I tried to use a wet little scrubbie around the edges to take the mud off, but that wasn't doing a thing. I literally had to immerse my shoes in the water to clean the mudd off. Today my shoes don't look like they did yesterday before the muddy episode. They're a different color, and you can tell they've been through the mud.

If we get ourselves into mud, sin, mess, it's not enough to just to sprinkle a little Word on ourselves. We must allow God to immerse us in Himself so that we are truly cleansed. Afterward, we may look a bit different. We may feel and act differently, but He uses it all for Him. What was a mess, He can now use for His glory and His name's sake as we submit ourselves to Him.

So next time you're running and see a great shortcut, think twice. The point of running is in fact to run, not to take the easy and shorter way. Take HIS way, whatever that may be.

A Break

Last weekend I’ve spent quite a bit of time with none other than me. I wanted to get away from the chaos so I did. I didn’t necessarily go anywhere, but I was still able to separate myself from the stresses and pressures of life to take a long overdue break. I even took a day off from work for a few extra hours of rest.

Nathan was away for the weekend, so for the first time in a long time I was able to just do the things I wanted to do without having to consider anyone or anything else. Yep, quite the selfish weekend it was. I read, browsed the internet, read, browsed more, watched football, and read. I did manage to get some cleaning in as well as some cooking and a few quality hours with some of the most quality friends I have (we’ll miss you big baldy).

At the end of my marvelous weekend, I seriously had to take a break and thank God for His perfect will and timing in my life.

I mentioned to a friend that I’ve been so selfish with my time lately that I really hope I’m not like that when the kiddos come. I’m enjoying this time as much as possible because I know that life will drastically change one day.

Ode to You

The longer I live in Dallas away from my family, the more I miss them. I would love to be able to call my aunt (more like a sister really because she's so young) to go on one of our shopping extravaganzas. I'd love to just go hang out with my brother, sister-in-law and the kids. I miss just hanging out with my 'cuz,' who's always been one of my bestest friends. And I miss my mom like crazy. On weeknights when I just want to call a family member to chill out, it gets difficult holding the tears back sometimes (yes, Susy cries).

You know what I do have, though? I have some pretty amazing friends who have become like family away from 'blood family.' There's nothing like tried and true friends with whom I can cry, laugh, and just be.

It's true - friends come and go with the seasons. I thank God for the investment each one has made in my life and continues to make as we journey through life.

Dirty Little Secrets

http://www.mercola.com/2006/oct/17/dirty-secrets-of-the-food-processing-industry.htm

My Favorite Commercial

I love football season. One of my favorite things to do on Sundays and Monday nights is to watch football. If it was up to me, they’d play year round. It’s especially nice if you’re at the game – LIVE in 40 degree weather. Bundling up and watching any football game live with a crowd is such a high for me.

I also enjoy college football, but since it’s more difficult for me to keep up with, I stick more with what I know.

Okay, and there’s nothing like watching the #1 most accurate quarterback EVER with the laser rocket arm, Peyton Manning. He is everything that you would want in a quarterback not only because of accuracy, but he can call plays and runs the best no-huddle offense. Hands down he’s numero uno.

So on November 19 I get to watch the Colts take on the Cowboys LIVE in Irving. Sorry Cowboys, but the Colts have the game.

"Put That Salt Dauwn"

My husband has a friend who when he (his friend) eats any meal and picks up the salt, will say to himself, “Put that salt dauwn (down).” This gentleman said that growing up if he picked up the salt at dinner to spice his food up a little bit, his mom would always use the phrase, “Put that salt dauwn.”

That’s some great advice for all of us, and if we all took that advice, how much better our health would be. I know all too well, though, that this is advice very few will take because we are so accustomed to using salt in everything we eat. Some of us not only use it, but we douse our food in it.

Even the doctor’s orders to ‘put that salt down’ and his warning of the health risks associated with salt don’t seem to deter us from pouring it on during breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even on already salty snacks.

So you ask, “What’s the big deal? Is it really that bad?” Yes. Salt really is that bad. Dr. Mercola (www.mercola.com) has written an article about it (http://www.mercola.com/forms/salt.htm), but I’ll save you the reading and will give you some main points. Then, I’ll list some alternatives.

First of all, we NEED salt in order to live. The problem lies in the kinds of salt we consume. Today’s table salt is completely different from the natural salt our bodies need.

“Your table salt is actually 97.5% sodium chloride and 2.5% chemicals such as moisture absorbents, and iodine. Dried at over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, the excessive heat alters the natural chemical structure of the salt causing the potential for a myriad of health problems in your body.” (mercola.com)

“What remains after typical salt is "chemically cleaned" is sodium chloride - an unnatural chemical form of salt that your body recognizes as something completely foreign. This form of salt is in almost every preserved product that you eat. Therefore, when you add more salt to your already salted food, your body receives more salt than it can dispose of. This is important as over 90% of the money that people spend on food is for processed food.

Typical table salt crystals are totally isolated from each other. As a food, table salt is absolutely useless, and can potentially act as a destructive poison. In order for your body to try to metabolize table salt crystals, it must sacrifice tremendous amounts of energy.
Inorganic sodium chloride upsets your fluid balance and constantly overburdens your elimination systems, which can impair your health.

When your body tries to isolate the overdose of salt you typically expose it to, water molecules must surround the sodium chloride to break them up into sodium and chloride ions in order to help your body neutralize them. To accomplish this, water is taken from your cells and you have to sacrifice the perfectly structured water already stored in your cells in order to neutralize the unnatural sodium chloride. This results in dehydrated cells that can prematurely kill them.” (mercola.com)

“For every gram of sodium chloride that your body cannot get rid of, your body uses twenty-three times the amount of cell water to neutralize the salt. Eating common table salt causes excess fluid in your body tissue, which can contribute to:

• Unsightly cellulite
• Rheumatism, arthritis and gout
• Kidney and gall bladder stones

When you consider that the average person consumes 4,000 to 6,000 mg of sodium chloride each day, and heavy users can ingest as much as 10,000 mg in a day , it is clear that this is a serious and pervasive issue.” (mercola.com)

Did you know that there are dangerous preservatives in table salt that aren’t required to be listed on the label? “Calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and aluminum hydroxide are often added to improve the ability of table salt to pour. Aluminum is a light alloy that deposits into your brain - a potential cause of Alzheimer's disease.” (mercola.com)

“Many people believe sea salt is a healthy alternative to table salt, but this is no longer the case. The oceans are being used as dumping grounds for harmful toxic poisons like mercury, PCBs and dioxin. Reports of oil spills polluting the sea are becoming more frequent. With some 89% of all the sea salt producers now refining their salt, today's sea salt simply isn't as healthy as it used to be.”

The solution – EAT PURE HIMALAYAN CRYSTAL SALT
Benefits – 1) not bad for you!! It can even be a healing agent
2) has a balancing effect and does not contribute to high blood pressure, etc.
3) minded by hand and hand washed
4) There is no limited shelf life and no need for silica packets to prevent clumping

Read more about it here: http://www.mercola.com/forms/salt.htm

Milk - It Does a Body ...Bad?

“Have you had YOUR milk today?” Hopefully you have not. Thanks to the FDA, our country and most people are clueless as to the effects of drinking milk – all negative effects. I’m talking about the milk we buy at Wal-Mart or our local grocer. There is NOTHING good about drinking that kind of milk. Period.

Why, then, are there so many commercials with milk-mustached celebrities promoting and encouraging the consumption of milk? The simple answer is money $$. That’s right - money for the FDA, the milk companies, and even the pharmaceutical industry. This will wait for another blog, but just know that these organizations are not out for our well-being. They’re out for our money, and if that means that we continue to get sick so that we can feed the pharmaceuticals, then so be it.

Back to milk – when milk is heated as part of the pasteurization process, the protein molecules are damaged and then even function as a potent allergen. That’s the reason milk is the number 1 allergen today.

“Pasteurizing destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamins, denatures (damages) fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamin B12 and vitamin B6, kills beneficial bacteria and promotes pathogens. Pasteurized cow's milk is the number one allergic food in this country.
Pasteurization has been associated with a number of symptoms and illnesses ranging from diarrhea, cramps and gastrointestinal bleeding to heart disease, cancer and arteriosclerosis.” (mercola.com)

The pasteurization process also turns the sugar in milk (lactose) into beta-lactose. “Besides destroying part of the vitamin C contained in raw milk and encouraging growth of harmful bacteria, pasteurization turns the sugar of milk, known as lactose, into beta-lactose, which is far more soluble and therefore more rapidly absorbed in the system, with the result that the child soon becomes hungry again. Probably pasteurization's worst offence is that it makes insoluble the major part of the calcium contained in raw milk. This frequently leads to rickets, bad teeth and nervous troubles, for sufficient calcium content is vital to children; and with the loss of phosphorus also associated with calcium, bone and brain formation suffer serious setbacks.” (mercola.com)

Organic pasteurized milk is not treated any differently. The pasteurization process is the same. Please read http://www.mercola.com/2003/mar/26/pasteurized_milk.htm for more information.

Food for thought – did you know that humans are the only living creatures that drink milk past the infancy stage?

The solution:
1) Stop drinking milk altogether (this includes the consumption of dairy products).
2) Drink grass-fed cow’s raw milk (see this website for states that can legally sell it http://www.magma.ca/%7Eca/rawmilk/sale.htm, and see this website for locations in your particular state that sell raw milk www.westonaprice.org) See this site for a complete report on untreated milk http://www.magma.ca/%7Eca/rawmilk/demand.htm

Lawlessness

A hot topic in America today is the controversial subject of illegal immigration in this country. Every person I’ve spoken to believes it’s wrong, but each one has his own opinion about how to solve the issues. The problem is that these solutions don’t address the real problem.

A stuffy nose, coughing, and a fever are all symptoms of a deeper problem. If I take over-the-counter medications, the symptoms may subside for a while, but they will return because I haven’t taken care of the root of the problem.

The proposed solutions to illegal immigration won’t take care of the issue on a long term basis. The heart issue must be addressed if we want real solutions. The end.

Oh, not the end yet. So it was funny – I was riding to a gathering with some friends, and our conversation during the drive somehow led to this whole illegal immigration thing. All of the people, friends A, B, and C are adamantly opposed to illegal immigration, and each, of course, had his own opinion on now to solve the issue. The bottom line, though, was that it’s illegal, and we are to submit to the laws of the land as long as they don’t contradict the Word of God. What’s funny is that when we got to a toll booth, friend C says, “Just run it.” Friends B and C don’t have change, so they say the same. Friend C goes on to say, “I pay taxes, etc., etc., so why should I have to pay to drive on this road?”

My issue with this – that’s just as lawless as a person crossing the border illegally. Just as murder is breaking the law, so was “just running” the toll plaza without paying. Clearly the Bible says that we are to submit to the governing authorities unless they contradict God. A governing authority in the state of Texas and city of Dallas requires us to pay a fee when using a particular road. It doesn’t contradict Scripture; therefore, not paying is disobedience to God’s Word period. We’re not even forced to use these roads. We are free to use other roads. When we choose these particular roads, however, we’re to pay a certain fee. Not paying this fee is wrong.

Excuses, Excuses

Okay, so you know what really annoys me? Well, a few things do, but right now what’s annoying me is people using their ‘personality’ as a crutch. What I mean is people not being willing to change just because they are this way. Yes, God made us with different personalities and backgrounds. This plays into who we are and what we do. This, however, shouldn’t negate God’s Word that tells us to be joyful and encouraging, etc. We should always be willing to grow and change. Just because we’re not naturally positive people, it doesn’t mean we can’t grow. Isn’t that what being on this earth is about? It’s about growing. It’s about being changed. It’s about being perfected into who God wants to make us. So if that means a bit of uncomfortability so that we can look more like Jesus and therefore impact more lives for Him, then I think we should stop with the excuses. Thanks.

My Planks

So this morning for some reason (back to this later) I was prompted to review some Scriptures I had previously memorized back in high school. Low and behold I come to the first part of Matthew 7 - what I call the plank verses. As soon as I began reading them, I knew God needed to get a message through to me.

He has been dealing with me about righteousness, not His righteousness but SELF-righteousness...mine. There you have it. Sweet lil' Susy has self-righteousness, pride issues. What's sad is that my poor husband has to put up with most of it.

See I tend to um, be 'real proud' (in the not-good way) of ALL the stuff I can do and how little everyone else can do. Yeah, that's one of the uglies of me.

Nathan puts up with it and knows that eventually I'll come down to earth and realize who I am (or am not), but one day he just had enough. I'll never forget it. We were heading home after spending the day house-hunting, and I started it - telling him oh, of how much I was doing and how much he wasn't. "I'm going to school, working a full-time job, AND a part-time job. On top of that, I can keep a 4.0 GPA, a clean house, AND a social life." TOP THAT! Boy did he.

I knew that I was wrong for intentionally trying to put him down and hurt him (I know. I'm awful). I knew what I was doing.

This time my great husband didn't take it. He politely said, "Susy, just because you do all of these things doesn't mean that you're better than me or anyone else. Choosing to busy yourself isn't a sign of godlyness."

I started to defend myself (by the way, defensiveness and never admitting mistakes is another sign of my self-righteousness) with, "I'm not saying I'm better..." But he was right on target.

Wow, this has gone into a different direction...well, all that to say that this pride thing is not pretty. Who in the world do I think I am looking down on people that way? As Matthew says, I must first take the PLANK out of my eye to help remove the speck from my brother's eye. You know, a plank is a large piece of timber, while a speck is a speck. It probably means that this issue of mine might be a bit larger than that lil' piece of lint I see in others.

How in the world does Jesus put up with our planks?

What a Savior we have in Him!

I'm hanging Wonder Woman

Many little girls grow up dreaming about being gymnasts. They watch girls flip all over the floor and a 4w-inch wide beam while looking as graceful as a ballerina. I was no exception. From the time I can remember, I was glued to the television during the Olympics watching these girls. So I decided to give it a try. For a few years I took gymnastics and became eligible to compete in some competitions. During one competition, I wore a red, white, and blue outfit that earned me the nickname "Wonder Woman."

It was annoying at first - you know, the whole 10 year-old boys calling me names, but when I got older and the name had worn off, I began to miss the name. I wanted the name back because I think I started believing it. I started believing that I could be her - Wonder Woman.

One of the challenges of my personality is that I try to take on too much and have a difficult time saying no. I've known this since my teenage years, so I've made it a point to keep myself in 'check.' I mean, c'mon, wonder woman can do it all. Her name alone says that. She can save the world while still put on a pretty face. She's Wonder Woman.

I think I have come to realize for REAL that I AM NOT. I would always tell people that I knew I wasn't. I would even tell them that because I was aware that I had the tendency to take the world on, that I wouldn't - that I knew how to keep myself in check. But even that was my Wonder Woman act.

So here I am today, sharing with you that though an inkling of me may want to be Wonder Woman still, I can finally admit to myself and to you that I am not. I fail, I fall, and I make mistakes. Oh, and most importantly, I can't do it all. God has reserved that exclusively for heaven. So I'll wait patiently for my cape.

Babies?

From the time Nathan & I got married, I was ready for kids. Since then, the world has changed, yet still no kids for us. We have friends who have since been married and have had kids (yes, plural), and yet here we are – none. I’ve been asked if Mother’s Day is difficult for me because I’m not yet a mother. I could see why people would ask that. It’s very kind of them to do so, but to be honest, we’re happy. Yes, we think about kids and can’t wait to have them, but boy are we enjoying TODAY. We enjoy the ‘irresponsibility’ of just being and going. I enjoy waking up early to get ready for work everyday (less and less lately, but I still do). I enjoy hanging out with friends on a whim. I enjoy lazy days. I enjoy making memories with my husband, my best friend.

I believe that the reason I can enjoy life this way is because God has me where He wants me. I wouldn’t be fulfilled if I was out of His will. In my short life, I’ve come to know that it’s only in His will that I’m truly content. That doesn’t mean life will be problem free. No, it just means that I can be in a place of peace and have the kind of joy and satisfaction that comes from walking with Him daily.

just

Recently I took yet another disc test. Of course, it reaffirmed some things of which I’m already aware – I’m a demanding perfectionist, who takes criticism way too seriously. During different season of life, different things have been required of me. At work, I don’t function as a dominant person, but otherwise, that’s who I am…etc, etc.

You know what, though? I’m a perfectionist all the time, and to be honest, it’s stressing me out. I’M stressing me out. Even from the time that I was a little girl, I felt like I had to be perfect. I always had a clean room growing up because I would think, “What if the President of the Unites States decided to show up at my front door?” (I really did.) Now sure, this was great for my mom because she never had to reprimand me for not cleaning my room or the like. If I really think about it, my mom didn’t have to reprimand me much growing up. Okay, that sounds so self-serving. I wasn’t perfect, BUT because I felt like I had to be, I didn’t cause many problems (that and the fact that I learned from my older brother’s mistakes).

This is why I’m a great performer – because I feel like I have to do that all the time – perform up to others’ expectations of me. I’d be great in Hollywood. But to be me?

This perfectionism has now stemmed into adulthood, and today I have stressed myself out because of it. I have these high expectations of me that I don’t know that I can meet today. I don’t know that I can meet the mark tomorrow or even the next day. I don’t know that I can please you, or them or myself. I hate the insecurity that drives me to please the whole world.

But I do know this – that this burden I’ve placed on myself to be perfect wasn’t placed there by God. His Word says that He’ll never give us more than what we can handle. His Word says that His burdens are light. I don’t have to try to live up to anyone’s expectations, especially mine. I’ll always fail. I can’t please even me.

I must remember that I’m called to Jesus. He doesn’t require me to come to Him as a perfect vessel. He just wants ME. How long I’ve waited to just rest in His arms.

Welcome

For a while I was blogging elsewhere, but I wanted a fresh start, so here it is.

I started journaling at a young age, and I’ve come to realize how therapeutic it is for me. I don’t claim to be a writer. Although I love doing it, I'm not good at it. You’ll see that I sometimes even have conflicting thoughts. It’s just part of the ‘working-through-it’ process. So why open myself up to the world? What makes me think anyone cares what goes on in my crazy head? It’s my way of working through life. Enjoy my musings.