Of Pills and Pencils

To the point.  October 3, 2008.

Elliot, our amateur humorist, called after me, "I hope he doesn't try to take away your pencil!"  I laughed out loud, grateful for the gift my boy had just given me.

His comment stemmed from a conversation we'd had a couple of days ago, when someone had overheard me grumble about having to go to a doctor's appointment and then asked me what was so bad about it.  This is how I explained it, more or less:

Imagine you had to go to a class that required you to do a lot of assignments.  Let's say that the teacher wanted to help you, but whenever he called you to his desk, he would try to take away your pencil.  Well, that's very similar to what the doctor does whenever he looks at my blood levels; he tries to take away some of the drugs I need to do my work.

I've written about this before, but since then, I just haven't had much success in truly getting my hypothyroidism treated.  My blood levels show an excess of T4, raising the concern about developing osteoporosis, but I have lower-than-normal levels of the active T3.  However, receiving T3 supplements was never an option, as the endocrinology department is officially too concerned about me developing heart arrhythmia.

As I prepared for this appointment, I bolstered my courage with this pencil metaphor, spending a great deal of creative energy as I tried to finesse it for this more scholarly audience.  I fully expected to be in another tug-of-war over that pencil this afternoon.

Then something completely out-of-the-blue happened.  After waiting over an hour to see the doctor, he made an offer that just about blew me over.  "What about Armour?"

Armour Thyroid is natural thyroid which contains both T3 and T4, plus all the mysterious, but "most assuredly junk," stuff that a real thyroid produces.  Armour stands in contrast to my Levothyroxine synthetic hormone, which consists completely of T4.

So, what about Armour?  Why wasn't this mentioned before, when I'd pressed so hard about supplementing my T3?  Who knows.  But my prescription will be ready for me to audition this Wednesday, and I'm so grateful.

I am wary of putting too much hope in these drugs, as though they'll completely solve my constant struggle against lack of motivation and continued weight gain.  Truly, it is the Holy Spirit who inspires and strengthens.  But I've read so many testimonials of people who have been where I am, and the outlook is rosy.

So not only did I not have to fight for my pencil, I was offered a better one.  Let's see how it works out!



from Psalm 118:

 8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD
       than to trust in man.

posted on Monday, December 15

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Gifts

What's old is new again.  November 22, 208.

Some mothers are sacrificial by nature.  Others are sacrificial simply out of necessity.  I wish I were more like the first, a woman whom a daughter could admire for her selflessness, but I'm afraid that all too often my spirit struggles with the grace needed to freely give up what I'd like or truly need when our family's requirements outrun our resources.

It's mostly just new clothes and shoes that pass me by in favor of our growing children, but recently a bigger sacrifice challenged me to the contest.

For a long time I've promised Aelsa her own sewing machine.  I've wanted to make sewing more available to her, to enable her to work on projects without having to secure permission from me to use my machine in the dining room.  She has the space in her bedroom, both for sewing and storing her materials; all she's lacked is a machine to use under her own initiative, and with her birthday in October, I knew the time had come.

I had already decided that I would hand my machine down to her; she learned how to sew on this simple model and seemed to feel intimidated by having to learn a new machine.  The problem was that I didn't have a replacement for myself.  I knew I needed to let mine go, but I didn't want to be without a reliable machine.  I did not want to make that sacrifice.

So I turned to God, and I turned to Craigslist.  One evening in October Paul drove us down to a southwest suburb, to a dimly lit garage crammed full of old odds and ends, and to a Singer Touch & Sew 468 in a broken case.  "Oh, Lord.  What's going to make this machine any better than the two I already have?"

I already have two old Singers.  I bought them both second hand, just to discover both times that they needed work I haven't been able to address.  While I knew the price of the machine in front of me was less than what it would cost to fix either of the others, I was wary of adding another hopeless cause to my collection.  It would have to work well for this exchange to work well.

Taking a deep breath, I tried the machine out, and it seemed to be okay.  After asking several questions, I breathed a prayer and told the woman I would take it.

So now I had a dirty machine with no promises, but Aelsa received a sewing machine for her birthday, anyway.  The machine was no longer mine.   I didn't have the faintest idea of where that would leave me, and I was not enjoying this sacrifice.

It wasn't until this past week that, armed with a new tube of lubricant and a new bottle of oil, I was able to set about the business of cleaning the machine up.  From deep within my spirit I prayed, "Oh, Lord, please help me really take delight in this machine."

What happened that evening went beyond my expectations.

It turns out that everything is solid.  I didn't need the broken case, so I tossed it.  But there's more:  long ago, when I bought the first old Singer, I  also picked up a couple boxes of accessories.  It turned out they weren't compatible with that machine and were completely useless.  However, they are perfectly suited for this slant-needle model.  One of them: a professional buttonholer.

This gadget is so cool.  I'll have to post a picture sometime.  But the reason why this is so incredibly exciting for me is that buttonholes have been my Achilles' heel.  I haven't sewn a blouse for... ever, because my buttonholes turn out so poorly.  The mechanism works; I just can't wait to try it out on fabric when the machine is threaded.

So Aelsa wasn't the only one who received a gift this fall.  My new old sewing machine promises to be a wonderful tool, and I take that as a gift from God.  Not only that, but my sacrifice was short-lived, and that in itself is a gift.  However, I continue to throw myself on God's mercy for the life of His Spirit to produce the greater gift in my life, the fruit of love and joy, peace, kindness, and goodness in times of sacrifice.  I pray that Christ's faultless sacrificial nature may increasingly become my own.


from Ephesians 5:

1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.  2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

posted on Saturday, November 22

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If April showers bring May flowers, what do Mayflowers bring?

Goodies!  November 21, 2008.

Ask my children about Mrs. Gerald E. Jones, and their eyes will light up, and smiles will brighten their faces.  She's a favorite around here, but we've never met her, and we've never seen her.  She might even be as mythical as the Tooth Fairy, but every year in mid-November she makes herself known by the gifts she sends our way.  She's sort of a Thanksgiving Santa Claus or Easter Bunny.

While Santa rewards kids for being good, and the Easter Bunny rewards them for the hunt, Mrs. Gerald E. Jones rewards them for sending artwork to her at the Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of Wisconsin.

This year she was particularly generous, as Robin's drawing was selected as the winning entry in the age 9 and under group by the Wisconsin Mayflower Society Governor at the Compact Day luncheon last week.  Apparently Robin dazzled Governor Robert Hunt with last year's buckle-hat Pilgrim holographic stickers aboard his Mayflower drawing, so Mrs. Gerald E. Jones sent Robin a huge package consisting of a Mayflower Adventure game, a cut-and-assemble Mayflower model, and a Mayflower kids' book.

Elliot also received some super-cool goodies: a Pilgrim-themed pad of paper, pencil, window clings, and Thanksgiving-themed stickers.  All this from Mrs. Gerald E. Jones.

But behind every holiday mascot, there's always a real-life benefactor smiling in the background.  In this case, it's my father, who spent years compiling the genealogical documentation which earned him a membership in the Society of Mayflower Descendants.  He enrolled all his grandchildren as Junior Members, and they've been spoiled by Mrs. Gerald E. Jones every since.

The kids are very grateful, and I'm grateful.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!


from Hebrews 13:

15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

posted on Friday, November 21

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Mumble Jumble Contest

Here's a teaser, and whoever can e-mail me with the right answer will receive a free digital copy of my Early Church Persecutions, Heresies, and Creeds notebook unit once I've completed it.  If more than one person figures it out, then I'll draw for the winner.

Here's what it is:

Mix my name around and you'll give me some much-needed advice: "No más, nut!"

Rules:  1. Please don't use a computerized anagram tool to help you.  That just spoils the fun.  2. E-mail me; don't risk your chance to win by leaving a comment for other people to see.  They might dilute your chance to win. :)   3. Be sure to tell me who this person is, and why this advice, while somewhat undiplomatically stated, would be appropriate.

Hint: the prize is related to the answer.  Surprised? ;D


from 1 Kings 10:

3 So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her.

posted on Thursday, November 20

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Step right up! Get your free Trivium Pursuit downloads here!

My friend, Laurie Bluedorn, offers all new e-mail list subscribers to download some truly wonderful resources available through Trivium Pursuit.  Check it out!

Special Offer from Trivium Pursuit and Christian Logic

 
Our readers have the opportunity to receive two free ebooks from Trivium Pursuit.
 
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posted on Saturday, November 15

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