If Only My Words Were Written in a Book

Most of you reading this blog (as far as I know) probably know that I've been struggling the last 3 years or so with weird, unexplained illnesses. I've never been one to slow down much, so it's been a struggle to constantly fight with fatigue, nasuea, headaches, and whatever else it seems to throw in our path. Besides the sickness I've had at least 4 miscarriages, which have also tired out my body. I tried seeing our family doctor, an endocrinologist, and a gynecologist, and I was quite tired of seeing doctors. I decided not to see any more, and just pray that if this was a serious problem, that God would make it worse, and more obvious, for a wise doctor to take care of. It has been both literally and figuratively, a "thorn in my side."

Thankfully, this last week, we had a wonderful answer to our problems! Most likely it is endometriosis, and I'll be having surgery next week. I never thought that I would be so grateful to have something wrong with me--but just giving the illness a name, and knowing something can be done about it has been wonderful.

I've felt a lot like Job these last few years, and I've talked with my husband about what God has been wanting to teach me through all this. He explained that although Job never cursed God for his trials, he didn't praise Him for them either. Job's last companion, Elihu, who speaks the truth to him before God shows up, condemns Job for not praising God for what He has brought him. My husband also explained that this is why the Book of Psalms follows Job; unlike Job, David praised God continually in his adversity.

I know I have failed many times in being thankful, especially for a gift from God that I didn't want--like this illness. It's been a hard lesson, but one worth learning. May God give me the grace to show gratitude when all the daily trials come!

Would You Let Your Kid Eat This?

This was my favorite cereal when I was 4. Nobody else ever remembers it, but someone in You Tube-land does. Maybe it's because none of my friends were allowed to eat the stuff.

The Luckiest Day in Christendom

I enjoy celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Despite the red hair (which is Norwegian), I have absolutely no Irish blood in me whatsoever, but St. Patrick is my hero. Besides, St. Patrick's Day is certainly not an ethnic holiday--St. Patrick himself was British! I love to tell my kids about how he bravely saved Ireland from demon-worship. I love to sing his song, St. Patrick's breastplate-- what other song in the hymnal has wizards in it? And I love whiskey. St. Patrick's Day could also represent another holiday redeemed on the calendar from the pagans, much like Easter or Christmas.

The Ides of March (March 15th) was previously the most unlucky day of the pagan calendar. This was the feast day of the god Ares, or Mars, the god of war. Considering that most wars were fought in the spring, it was often a time of battle and death. Also, most famously, it is the day Caesar was stabbed by his friends ("beware the Ides of March"). In fact, even in modern times, the Russian Revolution was considered complete on this day when Czar Nicholas abdicated his rule. Then St. Patrick, the Christian missionary, goes and dies at this time of year, and his feast day replaces Ares. Considering his life--miraculously preserved from wicked kings and Druid priests, saving the Irish nation, and eventually saving western civilization--his saint's day unknowingly changed the unluckiest time of year into the luckiest.

Hopefully, Someday He'll be as Theologically Astute as His Namesake

My 4-year-old on the Gospels:

"I think that maybe the 12 disciples were wizards, because normal men can't do magic."

Maybe He'll Work for the Health Department Some Day

Here's an interesting conversation I had today with my 5-year-old while he was eating a hot dog for lunch.

L: Mama, Papa told me what hot dogs are made of.
Me: Oh yeah? What did he say?
L: It's intestines. It's pig intestines. I didn't know that it was made of intestines.
Me: Is that gross?
L: Yeah.
Me: Are you still going to eat it?
L: Yeah, because it tastes good with ketchup on it.