Ahhh!

I am not sure I can do a 10 day fast. I did three days only liquid now and it is getting hard. Lena is not sleeping at night and that doesn't help. I'm too tired to wash, peel and juice anything so I think that made me a little weak and yucky feeling but also the toxins should be leaving me about now. I will persevere because all my stomach pains have gone away and so have the ones I had in my colon area. I need to let it continue to heal before I put food on it. I'll be pushing to get this done by Thanksgiving but plan to actually do 8 day juice fast followed by a 2 day fruit/veggie so that I can a little bit to eat on Thanksgiving. If any of you have done this before you can't just go back to your regular eating or you'll feel sick. I've done this twice so I have some experience but always "cheat" before the end. The kids are eating up our peanut butter so that's a plus (they are having mostly peanut butter sandwiches :) ) Not actually, but they are eating more. Last night I made spaghetti sauce with hamburger on spaghetti squash again and they just eat it up. Isaac can have it so we like to do that with home canned green beans and homemade applesauce. I also am getting my squash cooked up and frozen! It's going bad in my garage and oh, is it hard to watch that rot away. I paid almost $8/squash in the store this last winter and spring to make Isaac's special pancakes so I see every rotten squash as money out of our pocket. I'm up to about 10 thrown away ($80!!!!) If I cook up 5 a day I'll have it done in 10 days.

My hubby has shingles, well, I am pretty sure that's what all those blisters are that itch him and are cropping up new in different places each day. He's been stressed although he doesn't feel he's overly worried about anything in particular, just really busy and lots on his mind. It doesn't help that Lena isn't sleeping. She is going downstairs tonight and maybe staying there! We both need some real sleep.

Isaac is starting to have some side-effects of the prednisone. He is weaning off of it but it is causing muscle pain and itchy eyes. Please continue praying for him to heal up inside as he weans off of it. He has a chest cold. Pray for that to pass quickly as the prednisone wreaks havoc with his immune system and his body can't fight these kind of things as well as normal. It is hard to never go anywhere but maybe we should have until he was off the prednisone?!? The other kids would not go for that. We've tried to be smart and washing hands and all but you can't stop every germ.

Maybe I was wrong...

The next day Isaac had blood again and the next so I don't know what to think. I'm still (trying) to claim healing. Isaac is doing great still and was in trouble Saturday for fighting with Caleb! (Life feels more normal when they act like that). It doesn't feel like I have a "sick" child.

I am on day 4 of a fast. I started having some concerning symptoms a week ago and I read what I could about how to overcome it and a fast seemed the best move. A three day fast will remove toxins, a five day will begin the healing process but a 10 day will actually reverse things. It is actually a 14 day process as you start two days before and two days after eating only raw fruits and veggies. So, I'm on day 2 of the juice/tea/lemon water/water part of it. 8 1/2 to go!!! Can I do it? I'm not sure yet. I feel fine so far. Tired because Lena's not feeling good and kept me up most of the night. Hungry! I want to give over the cooking to other people. I like to eat as I'm cooking so it's a nightmare. My concerning symptoms all but disappeared when I changed to a soft-food diet last week! Praise for that!

The girls and I went to a Ball practice yesterday. Friends have a Ball every year with line dances; Virginia Reel, Posty Jig, Patty-Cake Polka. It is so much fun. Jordan says she needs to jog everyday until the ball to get in shape. You move constantly and it wears you out! It's Emily's first year that she is old enough to go.

Have a good week. We have the usual busy week.

Friends of ours had a new baby. Check them out at www.ourfamilystabletalk.blogspot.com

Premature praise?!?

Can you have premature praise? I'm learning that we are to "count it all joy my brethren when you fall into various trials" and we are to praise God in all things. I have trouble doing that most days (finding joy in my trials) but today Isaac showed absolutely no blood in two of his bm's!!!! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! I pray it continues to show improvement and I will try to continue praising the Lord even when it doesn't turn out the way I want every single time. I'm reading a devotional booklet by Joseph Stowell about how good we are to look for ways God is working in our life and how quick we are to expect Him to continually show Himself to us but we don't want to give God what is required of us, worship and glory and obedience and love, etc. He told an example of a baseball player who was a hero one day and the next not based on his pitching. He learned fans live by the motto "What have you done for me today?" That's all that counts. We as Christians tend to ask "What had God done for me lately?" I tell you this walking by faith is such a continual process. I keep thinking I'm almost where God wants me to be and then I learn and grow some more. I'm aiming for not asking God what can He do for me now to show He's there but what can I do to show Him I'm trusting in Him. :) I'm a work in progress.

We went to a concert "The Rochesters" tonight as a family. It was wonderful music. Most of the kids thought so. We met a nice couple having their first baby in two weeks. How exciting! Having a baby is about the most exciting thing in the whole world, especially your first. My first baby is almost 17. I really don't feel like that's possible. Her first concert is Dec. 6th for the Symphony Orchestra. Call or email for details if you want to attend. I'm real excited. I don't actually know any details yet but I'll post them when I get them. She's playing her fingers off on the violin.

It is back...

Our computer came home without much wrong. The hard drive had gone out on it but the nice computer guy was able to save ALL of our information and put it back on!!! It is slower though.

We had a good day for Isaac yesterday so you can all join us in praising the Lord for only 1 bm. He'd been having some increase in that and we've been working with a doctor trying to figure out how to get that to change and it worked! Isaac actually has a good day everyday. I didn't mean to make it sound like he's sitting around some days sick. I'm the only one really looking at those physical signs and judge good day/bad day based on them. He's got energy! He cut down almost a whole row of raspberry branches and helped load up the rest of the leaves after doing all of his school and now is building castles with his brother Caleb. I've been playing catch-up on the computer. I checked emails but they were mostly newsletters to this or that. Two weeks of no computer and I didn't get one personal email :( It would make me think I have no friends but I know that's not true. I have some of the very best friends.

Kevin is enjoying his "new" job. It's not so new in that he was already doing it part-time. I'm enjoying seeing him more. He comes home! He used to go to work after he got off work if you know what I mean. Sunday, was pretty much the only day we saw him. Now, we see him every night and most nights around 6 p.m. We have even been eating supper before 6:30 some nights. When he's not here I don't jump on getting it on the table until way too late. It is more complete when he is at the table.

Thanks again for the prayers. Please keep Isaac on your list for improvement, no blood at all and complete healing.

Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

Trying to think "happy thoughts" and keep on praising the Lord for His goodness.

Happy Birthday Mom!

I'm at my mom's checking my email on her birthday.  I haven't even gone in to say hi yet.  They are having fun with Lena Mae :)  

Pray that Isaac would continue to show improvement.  Pray for continued healing for Isaac and for the rest of our family.  We seem to be continually challenged with something and we cherish your prayers for healing and peace upon all of us.    

Lots of things...

My computer crashed two weeks ago now and it looks like it has to be wiped clean and redone so I have not had time to get to a friend's to do any updates. In a nutshell, our computer crashed, the dog killed the rest of the chickens (something else got about 30 of them a while back), we have the lice thing under control (praise!!!), Isaac's follow-up in the Cities went well, kids had blast at Mall of America doing the rides, Kevin quit his job to go full-time on his own business as an electrician (they are very busy (praise!!!)), and just general stuff that goes on.

Please keep praying for complete healing in Isaac. My motto comes from several verses in the Bible that tell us with man things are impossible but with God all things are possible and also that we are to put our confidence in God and not man. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. Claiming it. Life seems hard again but we are claiming this!