Second Sunday in Advent

A very busy Sunday indeed! Michael preached at three services. The children attended two services and Religious Education. I went to all three services.  I found cause to chuckle as I went through the day and heard three different labels for the second candle of Advent. I loved that no one was bent around the axle over it....

Finally home and we had the once a week ice cream which Gherkin tradition dictates......and we did NOT read or do an Advent clue....BUT since this is my blog...I figure I can recreate history if I want too.....

"Tonight's" clue was - "Ai yai yai yai..."

The kids needed a bit of help but eventually found the gift nestled in the Sombero Krista brought home from Mexico.  It was a new deck of cards and Stacia was ready for a rousing game of, "Go Fish," immediately.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Names and Memories

Michael spent the day at work, Arielle spent the day in bed, the others raced around in the snow. I spent the day putzing around.

BUT this evening!

We all gathered to discuss a Name of Jesus - one we don't often consider in connection with Jesus...

It's right there in Isaiah 9:6. 

Clue # 8 "Who is the fairest of them all?" Yes, the gift was hidden behind a mirror. 

Years ago the only gift we purchased the four older kids for Christmas one year was the fishing game....and they loved it. We thought it would be fun to reintroduce the game...but  the boards are much smaller now, no strings for fishing line and no little magnets....wind up instead of battery....

Ham of the camera....then play

It was still fun....we thought it funny than the one Nolan and Arielle were playing didn't even have fish - it had TIRES - redneck fishing? 

Tomorrow will be a long day as Michael preaches 3x....then one more day of work and 2 weeks off.  ::grin:: I seriously think this will be the most laid back Christmas we've had in years. Things are not done...but with Michael have surgery and me not driving they just aren't going to get done...and I'm o.k. with that. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Unauthorized Version

Via Google Images

Stacia is the lead angel in this year's Christmas Play. This means she needs to say a LONGISH passage of verses....quite frankly, the words are getting tangled. 

Tonight with great gusto she said, "Don't be Afraid...I bring you good news....born this day in the city of David XAVIER (a savior)....you will find the child  lying in a manger, SWALLOWING PAPER!"

We've got one more week to nail this! 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

More Thoughts on that Food Thang!

I have no plans to turn Choosing Joy into a dieting blog.  My current journey away from food addiction to freedom in Christ IS, however, currently a big part of life.  I don't desire to be overly candid here about the reasons for my struggles with food...frankly, some folks aren't very nice with the vulnerability of others (a big lesson I'm learning). I've deliberately kept this battle fairly close, sharing parts of it with a few. 

More and more women are asking me HOW I'm breaking free of food addictions, what I'm eating,  what I'm doing.... As a whole I'm a fairly open individual in real life, on this blog, in workshops, while facilitating Bible studies...I'm considering how to balance what may be helpful to others  with  my need to protect myself as I journey to strength.

I have not discovered a magic weight loss formula. I have not come up with a new program to break food addictions or cure eating disorders. I shared HERE that I was desperate for answers and God clearly impressed on me He was the WAY out of food addiction if I would choose to Follow Him to Freedom....It began with a 3 month chocolate fast...followed by a six week Daniel Fast. This went a long way to breaking strongholds in my life. It also gave my body time to detox while I continued to pray and consider the next step.

I determined not to fall into a fad diet, but to follow HIM....not Dr. Russell, Dr. Mercola, Dr. Furhman, Rip Esselstyn, Dr. whoseit or Sally Q Famous! I read The Daniel Fast, A Woman's Guide to Fasting, the Word, and I prayed about each and every eating situation. I then followed what I felt was the right thing to do in that situation....I know it sounds fruity...but that's how I lost 28 lbs in 6 weeks.  When my PA said, "Keep doing it, but consider adding fish once a week and chicken once a month," I realized I had an eating plan. ::snort::

I began to read other authors,  research online,  watch documentaries while I worked out and have found all  helpful in confirming what was laid out to me during my fast. Along the way, I'm learning some amazing things about myself, about others, about food, about God. I believe some things are shared as confidences between friends - and I don't look to share everything discovered on this journey.

One thing I'm learning, in a deeper way, is things done in secret, things hidden, are easily manipulated by satan. He can't KNOW my thoughts, he can't be everywhere at once. Things I  hide, or do in secret, clue him in to my weak areas. He mercilessly attacks. He was able to keep me in bondage, at times nearly crippled by shame, because I worked for decades to keep my brokenness hidden, most of the time denying it even to myself. I didn't want to bring shame on Christ, my family, a mission organization....he exploited . When I bring my brokenness to the LIGHT (Jesus), God's truth is able to heal, His life floods in and precious healing occurs.

Many of you have talked to me over the years about being "too open."   I'm praying about where God's line falls between protecting myself and keeping things hidden which should be brought to light.  Don't look for unending posts digging up the past sins done to me, my past sins done to myself and others etc. but from time to time I may share a key part of the journey if I suspect it will help others.

Bottom Line: I will begin to share book reviews, thoughts, documentaries as I continue on this journey and I wanted you to know you are totally FREE to simply delete them. I don't plan on the whole blog becoming a food addiction blog....so if you read because you like photos of Japan, family stories, or homeschooling stories...they'll still be here....and I wanted you to be at ease that I'm not changing the entire direction of the blog when I start posting book reviews etc.  Deal? 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Another Surgery

BLUF: Michael will have what we believe will be outpatient surgery on 11 Dec. We ask you pray for no drug reactions, no complications, total fix and the flu bug to LEAVE OUR HOUSE (arrived Thursday)!

Those who know Michael well, may have noticed he's been "off" his game lately. He seems pre-occupied at times, a bit grouchy  tense when not engaged in a conversation, he isn't eating much, isn't working out much, often is seen holding various spots on his stomach and staring into space. Some of you have noted he isn't on outings with the kids and I  on his days off (no marriage problems to report).  I have been authorized to share his secret; he has been in chronic pain for months. He has had many sleepless nights of pain. I have no idea how he has managed to keep up the pace he does, feeling as poorly as he has.

For a man who doesn't take drugs, had never had an I.V. or stay in the hospital, and is in good shape, this year has been a rough one. 

It started with Acid Reflux which turned into Gall Bladder, and was pooh-poohed by the clinic until it was acute and gangrenous. Surgery was a rough recovery. His body didn't like the drugs, there were a couple of complications. Then the heart scare in June/July.  While we were traveling he began to have sharp pains in his right "side." 

We got back to Misawa and all our docs had moved. This meant starting over with doctors who don't know you and are looking only at records.  Michael had a couple of appointments with whoever he could get into when it was particularly bad. Unfortunately, it would seem some docs don't look further than the "obvious." The obvious in this situation is that Michael is "older," was complaining of lots of pain when working out, and had just had surgery. The obvious dx was "surgery adhesion" or, you know, someone trying to game the system and get out of  PT tests. The cure seems to be lots of laxative? 

We googled the pains he was having and none of the things we found looked good. Michael continued to wait. It seemed pretty pointless to continue going to appointments as they kept saying, "It's surgery adhesions and you'll need to learn to live with the pain." 

Unique pain management techniques? 

Michael continued to cope with the pain (non-medically - which explains the tense blank looks, the deep breaths, the holding of stomach). He finally went in to see his new PCM (Primary Care Physician), who BTW we really like. Nolan has seen him too. He listens.  He ordered an ultrasound.  Five months of chronic pain and finally a test. They found a hernia and referred him to surgery. The Surgeon wanted another test as he thought he found something else.  They discovered two more hernias. I maintain it's all the crunches... ::snort::  

In any event Michael will have a triple hernia surgery on the 11th of Dec. He is counting down the days to feeling better. This should be three laprascopic incisions and should be out patient.  He will be on convalescent leave until 25 Dec.  You won't see our family around much because the winter driving ban on "someone" has been reinstated....so don't worry...we're just cocooning. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Day 7

Oy vey! Nolan had flu-like symptoms yesterday. He seems to be better, but Arielle is laid low today.  I'm praying this thing STOPS....we don't need a flu bug right now. 

Michael wasn't feeling well today, Arielle wasn't feeling well today, I was feeling worn out...we spent a restful day at home. 

Tonight we talked about Jesus as the Holy One.  Ah, look at Jared on the tree. ::grin:: 

Clue number 7 was "I'm as cool as a cucumber!" It didn't take long for them to figure this out!  

I had heard this was a good movie and got it for one of the gifts. It was - but it is a tear-jerker too!  I do believe the message to cherish every moment will stay with us.  We watched it tonight. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

SHAKING IN MISAWA

It's been quite a while since we've had a real rattler. Tonight, as dinner baked, Stacia screamed. I had just sent her up the stairs with the laundry, Michael was taking the trash out, Arielle was sick in bed, the boys were playing on the computer upstairs....

Stacia doesn't usually scream when putting laundry away....it seemed the house was shaking. About the time I realized this the rest of the kids realized it. Stacia is our advance earthquake alarm...she lets us know if there is a HINT of a quake and sometimes she's right. Tonight she was.

7.3....it was long...it was loud as things began to fall.... I began to get "land sick." ::snort::  I felt confident to remove bungee cords from the shelves a few months ago.....Zander got under the table and was promptly beaned by the MOCA prayer journal notebook. 

Notice the laptop was sliding off too

The clock fell off the wall

Several dolls fell off their perch

Basket of computer cords

A medium quake....they fell over but none of my pictures fell off the shelf

It was enough to get our attention...maybe our last good rattler before we move. The power stayed on, the water and gas are fine, no tsunami warnings and the phone lines stayed up....all's well.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...