Prayers for Caden

My neighbors growing up were this dear Christian couple named Ed and Peggy White. Their son Darin is my age and we have known each other since we were four. Darin's son, Caden, is five years old and was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. After much treatment and prayers, he has been living cancer free (Praise God) for the last six months. I just received word that the cancer is back and the new tumor is growing rapidly. The doctors are saying that the cancer has developed immunity to it so additional treatments would be ineffective. We fully believe in the power of God to heal Caden, the doctor's have numbered the time in weeks. Please find your knees and pray mightily for this sweet boy and his wonderful family. I have included a link to his website (CADEN WHITE) and encourage you to go there and read the update from the family as I feel my words are so inadequately expressing the situation. My heart breaks for them and my broken heart seems to render my writing senseless.

Prayers Needed

I received an email from my sister today that literally stopped me in my tracks. Here I was late to work because I was home with my 11 month old who had both pink eye AND strep throat. Then I get her email about this unimaginably brave young woman named Stephanie and it put my very small problems into perspective.

I am giving you my friend, Stephanie's, website address. www.stephanievest.com. She is the one I told you that was diagnosed with Gamma Delta lymphoma of the skin. She has been through the ringer....kidney problems, dialysis, fluid-filled lungs, feeding tubes, ventilators, congestive heart failure, and last week they found cancer in her liver via a PET scan. She had two diff. forms of chemo. last week, but her liver did not respond to them. Her liver has stopped performing its normal function of ridding her body of toxins and is solely trying to fight the cancer. Thus, her bilirubin is at a 38 and the toxins are going into her body. The average person goes unconscious at a 15, but our Stephanie has been conscious, even singing hymns as her family and friends held a mini church service around her bed yesterday. She even requested bible verses. She also put on her own chapstick yesterday. Jen, she is so amazing and strong, not only as a person but in her faith as well. Please help me pray for a miracle for her. Please pray that God heal her liver, that He rid her body of the cancer and heal her completely, for her husband, Eric, for her to be able to go home and hug her boys, Zach,7 and Cole, 4 and so that her 4.5 month old daughter, Gracie, will be able to know her mommy. My heart is breaking in two for them. At this time, she is in God's hands. So, all we can do is pray, pray, pray.

Please take a moment to pray for her, her family, the doctors, etc. Check out her website too as it is an amazing testimony for her faith.

Costumed Kids

Like most people last Friday night, we went trick-0r-treating. It was not without drama since Jackson was "strongly opposed" to the grim reaper costumes of a couple of the neighborhood kids but finally he decided that it was fun. Since Gavin isn't walking yet, he just strolled along behind and instead of collecting candy, he just made mental notes for his first official trip next year. I don't have all the pictures yet as I am the only person in the country who still uses a film camera BUT I do have a few quick pics of my costumed kids - ENJOY!

Upping the Intensity...with Pride

I know I know, it has been a while... but when life gets busy, blogging gets left behind. I did have a weigh in today (our final one for this six week period) and I lost one more pound. My total for the six weeks was 11.5 pounds which is good but I was a little disappointed in my turtle like progress. I was venting to my sister, who by the way is a fitness maniac including running marathonS (yes the S is capital on purpose because while I understand the goal fulfilling part of running ONE - a person must be ever so slightly mentally imbalanced to do it....again). She was trying to help my frustrations over the sluggish weight loss and suggested that I try upping the intensity of my workout. Not that I can't up my intensity (because seriously - besides her - who can't??!!??) but I felt the need to tell her about my trip to the gym last Thursday morning.

So I took the day off to clean/get ready for our annual Halloween party over the weekend which involved 18 people at our house for food, games, and a costume contest. Even though a busy day was ahead and I didn't HAVE to get up for work, I went ahead and got up at my usual 4:30 am and (drum roll please) went to THE GYM! (Pick up your jaw and keep reading..). So I was surprised to find that they actually have CLASSES at this insane hour of the morning. Honestly at first I thought – what idiots are getting up at this hour to work out and then I reminded myself that both my sister and mom (yes the sickness is hereditary and apparently I didn't get that gene) get up very early and I get up that early for work so…okay not idiots – maybe zealots is a nicer word. ANYWAY, I guess it was too early to have sound judgment because I decided to take this 30 minute “Core Training” class also known by its longer name “Midsection Torture: How to Feel Completely Fat and Uncoordinated”. I survived the class taught by a woman who weighed as much as my right arm and was so proud of myself that I decided to stay for the next class that she was teaching – a ONE HOUR (I would use bigger than capital letters here for the type of emphasis I mean) step class. Now I have taken step before and am a fairly coordinated person but suffice to say it has been a LONG time. At one point in the class she looked DIRECTLY at me when she said “how y’all doing – everybody okay? Take a break if you need to – this is a long class”. Hmmm…. needless to say I was VERY sore the next day and I haven’t been back. It was not that Fitness Barbie the instructor wasn’t good, I just think I need to only do that class on a monthly basis…if nothing else than for my own pride.

Huffman Hallolympics 2008

I'm Walkin', Yes Indeed

Yes another song title but come on, watch the video below and tell me you don't sing that song in your head!

Yep, can you believe it, Gavin at 11 months has started taking some steps. They may be assisted steps, and we may lack a little in the graceful department but we are putting one foot in front of the other....metaphorically AND literally speaking! And just for comparison sake, you can see an eerily similar version of Jackson (at 13 months) back in 2005.

I did have to laugh at the fact that although it is the same toy, Gavin's is mysteriously minus the fun little characters and part of one wheel is broken...poor second kid. I do want to point out however that I was able to capture him doing this on video the very first time I saw him....no reenactment needed (come on moms - admit it, us second kids get a lot of after-the-fact documentation! Sniffle, sniffle...they grow up so fast!

Suggested Reading...

Maybe it is the weather and the hint that we will get to have a fall before Christmas this year or maybe it is because our family is on this treadmill of activities lately but the thought of curling up with a good book just sounds so inviting - doesn't it? I happened on to a book review/summary and wanted to share. I haven't read the book myself but her descriptions of the main points sounds like it is one that I could sorely use! Man don't you just love it (and hate it at the same time) when someone boils life down to just eight pure and simple steps? Why do we have to make things so complicated!?!

Here is what I gleaned from...
A Wife After God's Own Heart, by Elisabeth George:

#1 First things first - my own relationship with God - how is it? I can't work on anything else til I'm sure that's growing in the direction it needs to be. Like any other relationship, it requires time invested, time spent together, regularly.

#2 Husband and I need to be a team, and someone has to be in charge. God said husband is, whether I like that every single day, whether the rest of the world out there agrees or not. He leads, I follow. My job is to help, follow, respect and love him. I don't worry over what his job is, I just do mine. Our team comes before
anything else in life, except our own personal relationships with God.

#3 We need to communicate well, and there's always going to be room for improvement. My words are to be soft, sweet, suitable and scant. My son, who is soft-spoken and short on words, told me he decided years ago not to talk much because he realized he'd get in less trouble that way. Smart boy!

#4 Continue to make intimacy a priority, even if it means getting out the calendar and scheduling it. If I'm continually 'too tired' then I need to look at my priorities..... husband has told me he thinks as we get older, there are many areas that fit the 'use it or lose it' bill, and this is one!

#5 My money is his money. If I am wasting my money I'm wasting his money too. How we spend our money is a great megaphone of where our heart is. We decided many years ago, (after I bought a new washer without consulting him) if an item was $100 or more then we'd discuss it with the other before making a purchase. I think that's still a good rule to follow.

#6 Make the bed, every day. Our home is to be a refuge, a welcoming place to come in from the storm of life. Little things make a difference. Again, if I don't 'have time' to care for our home then I need to look at how I'm spending my time. Making beds, making a to-do list every day, planning menus, etc. all honor his efforts to provide for us, and make our home a nicer place to spend time.

#7 My relationship with my children continues after they are grown, and comes before all other relationships except that with my husband. I loved reading this! My children, and their spouses and their children - time, money, prayer - all are to continue to be invested in them. Elisabeth called it, 'befriending' them. This was one of my favorite chapters in the book, especially now that our children are grown and a delight to spend time with.

#8 Serving the Lord falls after my personal relationship with God, my husband, my children. I'm to make sure I'm baking cookies that stay at home before I'm busy baking cookies to deliver to VBS. This one area is so easy to mess up, and I'd love some redo on it. I don't get any do-overs, but I can look at my calendar today and be sure it's in order. I'm to serve, but not at a level that causes me to neglect higher priorities. Overall, great book, very readable, very encouraging!

Now if I could just find time for reading...I did see a woman at the gym with a book on the elliptical machine. That could spell disaster for me....we'll have to see if I am coordinated enough for that. Speaking of the gym, for those of you who are keeping score, Wednesday brought another 1.5 loss so I am back to my total of 9.5 pounds down!

Good Mom, Bad Mom

I'm feeling a little deflated since the weigh in today didn't go exactly as I would have hoped (1.5 pound gain) so I decided to post this great devotion I received from my sister the other day which lifted my spirits....ENJOY!

Good Mom, Bad Mom, Good Mom
Lysa TerKeurst

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the
strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26 (NIV)

Good Mom? Bad Mom?
Good Mom? Bad Mom?

Do you ever feel as though you are the ping-pong ball in a heated match bouncing constantly between feeling like a good mom to a bad mom?

One minute I have a great discussion where my child finally gets it... GOOD MOM! The next I get an e-mail from a teacher that lists the three parents who have yet to turn in that permission slip and I am on the list for all the world to see... BAD MOM! I calmly handle the stresses of the morning routine... GOOD MOM! But then during the afternoon homework session, my child's irresponsibility over a last minute project just about sends me over the edge. I find my neck muscles tensing and my voice rising... BAD MOM! I make sure they pack something healthy for lunch... GOOD MOM! The schedule falls apart in the late afternoon and I wind up feeding them sugar cereal for dinner... BAD MOM! Sometimes I feel like that ping-pong ball mom bouncing from feeling good to bad. Yesterday morning I sat down at the kitchen table after getting everyone where they needed to be and cried. Sometimes having kids is the greatest thing that has ever happened in my life. Other days I feel like the task of parenting little people is driving me to the brink of craziness. Just the other day I was processing some recent family things with my friend, Renee, over the phone. Suddenly a strange theme seemed to arise. I just started laughing. I told Renee that so many of my days seemed to tell the same kind of story... I was on the verge of a breakdown and then I spent time with Jesus and He made things better. Renee quipped back to me, "Well, isn't that where most of us live every day?" Not that we are on the edge of a breakdown, but we live in a place of utter dependence on God. I know as a mom, I live in constant need of His love, encouragement, wisdom, perspective, strength, patience, and grace. Anything I do right as a mom is because of my constant dialogs with God. Anything I do wrong as a mom is because of trying to do things in my own strength and slap wearing myself out. That's where grace steps in. And I need lots of grace. God's grace steps in and says, “Lysa, you are doing better than you think. Stop bouncing from feeling good to bad to good to bad. In the good times, rejoice and thank me. In the not so good times, call out to me quickly." And suddenly it occurred to me; with God I'm never a bad mom. I might be having a bad moment... or two... or seventeen. But a few bad moments do not define me as a bad mom. God's grace is there to cover me. Teach me. And even in the middle of a bad moment, interrupt me, redirect me, and change me. Forgiveness is there. Love is there. A second chance is there.

You are a good mom my friend even if, like me, you’ve had a few bad moments... you is the exact mom God knew your children needed. Let's live in that truth today.

Dear Lord, being a mom is a great privilege but one that can be so challenging at times. Teach me how to lean on You with every action and every reaction. And when I mess up, please help me to not define myself by my mommy failures. Help me to only be defined by Your love that assures me and Your grace that covers me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen