Obeying Jesus...

Bug Girl : "Mommy, sometimes it's not a good idea to obey Jesus when people are laughing at you."

Mama: "Bug, there will always be people who will laugh at us and make fun of us for obeying Jesus, but when we choose to obey Him, He will bless us and reward us."

Wow, I couldn't believe my girl who will be three in a few weeks just came up with that one. I think that she must have been trying to relate to Jesus, as we've been reading the Easter story qutie a bit in the last many weeks before and after Easter. There's so much going on in the minds of babes.

Pneumonia

Hey everyone,

My Bug girl has pneumonia. Yuck. We found out the official diagnosis yesterday after about a week of intermittent fevers and cold symptoms, including a pretty "chesty" cough. I'm so thankful that the dr. had her get a lung x-ray, although Bug hated that part. She screamed while the x-ray was being taken. Poor kiddo. But alas, the dr. showed me on the x-ray how part of her right lung had some fluid in it, and he could tell by the pattern that it was bacterial pnuemonia. Amazing all the things that dr's have to learn and know. Then he gave Bug an RX for ammox_icillin, so hopefully that along with some good 'ol TLC from Mama & Daddy will help rid my darling of her illness. She was at her worst yesterday, with a fever of 104 late last night...and then, PRAISE THE LORD, the fever BROKE and my dear girl was a completely sweaty mess. I was so grateful and kind of in shock that it had finally broken. I hate to think how high that fever could've gotten if it weren't for some Ty_lenol helping to keep it at bay. I've never seen my daughter so ill. The only other time that she had something so serious was when she had croup last winter and we took her to the er.

Now, I have to get Bug to drink! She's not doing so well with that part of her healing plan, but today was slightly better for fluids than yesterday. And I'm doing my part to try to pester her to take sips all the time. I remember that when I was sick, my mom was always trying to get me to drink. And it works, people! The body needs that fluid to rid itself of the illness.

If you think of it, I'd appreciate your prayers for complete healing for Bug. And I have my seasonal allergy/sinus gunk kicking in. Good times! But, I'm really happy to say that with the help of my sinus rinsing pot and some Ty_lenol to reduce swelling, I'm able to keep the symtoms under control and hopefully won't have to take any other meds. I haven't taken antibiotics for a sinus infection in quite some time due to this lovely method! It's some awe, I tell you. ("some awe" is something I learned from pastor/speaker/writer/teacher Louie Gi_glio. He says that nothing is awesome except for God, and that we should really think of everything else as "some awe" instead of the much overused "awesome." Great thought, really. I have a lot of respect for that guy.)

On another note, check out this very cool website with cards made by a darling girl named Reese whose daddy died just a few weeks ago from ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). If you purchase a pack of cards, your proceeds go to helping this family in their time of need.

http://www.cardsbyreese.com

Blessings,
Melody

Stellan made it through!

Praise the Lord - little Stellan made it through his surgery today. There will be a piece about him on our local KSTP news tonight at 10PM.

STELLAN NEEDS PRAYERS

Friends, please please be praying for dear baby Stellan as he is currently either still in heart ablation surgery or perhaps has already completed it. You can follow his mommy's blog if you wish. She was a classmate of mine from college.

http://www.mycharmingkids.net

Time Bandits

A few months ago at my MOPS group, we watched a video by Andy_Stanley of North_Point_Church in Georgia. The message was all about how we need to be really careful with our time. The main points were:

#1 - "There is a cumulative value in investing small amounts of time in certain activities over a long period."
#2 - "Neglect has a cumulative effect as well."
#3 - "There are rarely immediate consequences for neglecting single installments of time in any particular arena of life."
#4 - "There is no cumulative value in the urgent things we allow to interfere with what's most important."
#5 - "In the critical arenas of life you cannot make up for lost time."

Much of what Pastor Andy was referring to in regard to time was how we relate or choose to not relate to our families, and specifically husbands and wives. It was such a good reminder to me of the importance of focusing much of my time and energy towards my family during, especially during this phase of life. Small children require much time and attention, but I feel that they along with my dear husband need to be some of my top priorities right now.

Pastor Andy listed four areas of our lives and made the challenge to us to find something within those four areas that we could try to change. Mine were:

1. Physical - workout more often
2. Relational - be kind daily
3. Professional - practice my singing more often
4. Spiritual - read my Bible with more regularity

The reason I'm posting all of this is that I'm working on cleaning off our office desk which is currently HIDEOUS and in much need of attention after I have NEGLECTED it for way too long. I'm such a procrastinator, and trying to get better at taking care of things as I see them rather than waiting for them to mysteriously take care of themselves. Anyone else relate to that?

SO, back to cleaning my desk...and be challenged to not neglect the small things in life. It is those that will pile up and become large things if you don't tend to them.

Blessings.

Spring has Sprung

Hello! Alas, I write a blog entry after such a hiatus...but you know, it has been a good hiatus. I have taken some time away from writing on this blog because this along with other things like face_book and even reading other people's blogs have ended up taking TOO much of my time away from doing things that I need to do around my home. I am such a procrastinator and sometimes find myself spending too much time online. But lately, I haven't been online much at all! And I feel like I'm not missing much, to be completely honest with you.

I'm SO happy that it is now spring time in these northern hinter lands! I love looking outside to see the new formed buds on the tree branches, the grass beginning to perk up into its greenish state, and the birds and bunnies roaming about in the yard and making their sweet sounds. A lovely time it is, indeed. Spring is one of my favorite times of year, second only to fall.

Well, my little Buzz boy is crying for me, so I must go for now...but I hope to be blogging a bit more again!

Blessings,
Melody