In The Refiner's Fire

By now I should definitely know better than to think things are going to get "easier" around here any time soon.  I think that's a pipe dream until both John and I are done with school and then we will have new challenges but hopefully a little more "wiggle room" in the schedule and the budget! Last week I hit the wall with my health yet again. I knew I was sick but I had no idea how sick.  One thing that living with a chronic illness has taught me is that it is very hard to know if you're actually sick otherwise. At least when the illness is similar to what your chronic illness is.  I have chronic sinusitis and a chronic digestive tract problem too.  It turned out that this last week I found out I had not only a full-blown sinus infection but a very bad case of pneumonia too.  Bad enough that I would have needed to be hospitalized if it was any worse than it was. They think I've had both for 6-8 weeks. Yikes. And no wonder I've been so ti...

Eggplant Parmesan Since I'm trying really hard to recover from pneumonia (yes, you did read that right!) this week and John has an extra-busy week, I'm trying to keep meals really, really simple this week.  John was a rock-star in doing the grocery shopping for me this last Saturday - even showing the children how to pick produce at the grocery store (Love that man!) - so we have some 'easy' things in the fridge and pantry this week including 4 cans of crescent rolls that we got for a complete bargain, a frozen pizza we got for free (whoot!) and a box of macaroni and cheese we got for about 40 cents.   So we're eating a few things we don't normally eat - and I'll be eating salad with leftover turkey on it instead - but at least I don't have to try to cook big meals this week.  For that I am so very, very grateful! Here's what we're eating: Sunday, November 11:   Breakfast: Cereal and Milk   Lunch: Baked Eggs, Bacon, Cinnamon Rolls and ...

For the last few years we've been in a season of being busy.  Sometimes way too busy. Both John and I being in school. The kids starting elementary school. John working full time plus call. I'm work a full time job and a part-time job. Church commitments. Owning a home. Needing to handle day-to-day things. Traveling with John's ministry (though this, thankfully, has been quite minimal and mostly local). Family events in other states. Me fighting two chronic illnesses continually. I could go on. It has left me weary. This last week God hit me upside the head with the proverbial two by four and I have been having to take some time to rest.  More than the usual time I take, that is.  Because, you see, lately I haven't been taking much time. Rest is good.  Very good. And so very necessary. There's a reason that the Lord has keeping a Sabbath day holy in His laws for our lives.  Taking that time to rest, rejuvenate and maybe do some things th...

A while back I wrote about having to decide what to do about our "home" congregation and our involvement there.  You can read that post here: Decisions . For the last several months - almost a full year even now by this time - we've been praying for an answer for what to do. A couple of weeks ago when John had his Endorsement Hearing we received our answer. It is very common to pass Endorsement with conditions. One that almost everyone receives is the completion of the Master of Divinity (MDiv) from one of several accredited institutions. Occasionally someone comes into the Ordination process already having the MDiv degree - it is a Master's Degree after all, so those who want to do certain types of pastoral counseling or work in certain non-ordained positions in the church have the degree too. One of John's cohort members needed to work public speaking skills. Another needed to take an additional class in a particular area. Many needed to work on th...

Pork, Broccoli and Cauliflower salad, and fruit. YUM! Last week was a bear! I had thought the the previous week was tiring - no match for last week!  I guess that will teach me to complain..... Anyway, we have a relatively quiet week this week before having another crazy couple of weeks - probably for the rest of the holiday season.   We're looking forward to the lower-key week here.  I found baby eggplants on sale this week and bought a couple to make Eggplant Parmesan again, since John has been asking for it.  The only eggplants I had seen were really huge and I wasn't going to try making it with huge eggplants.  I also needed to get the 2nd turkey I had bought last year out of my freezer and make room for fresh. Here's what we're eating this week: Sunday, November 4:    Breakfast; Cereal and Milk    Lunch: Fundraiser for the local Food shelf at church    Snack: Popcorn, Halloween Candy    Dinner: Tu...

Singing with the church choir. Lighting candles in memory of our loved ones gone home. Hearing that a friend is now out of the hospital and into a rehab facility after a really, really, really long surgery road. Finally getting my grading all caught up (loooong story!). At home date night with my husband watching "Clue" on Netflix and eating bacon-horseradish dip with pretzels. Getting some really, really good deals at the grocery store this weekend. Having the kids so excited about playing outside in the good weather. Getting rid of the futon that's been sitting in our garage for 6 months now! Being able to park "my" car in the garage for the first time in 6 months.  Seeing my best friend this morning. My best friend being well enough to sing with the church choir today (she has terrible asthma). Big hugs from my Buddy. The smell of fall leaves. Fall bonfires. Hot tea, hot cocoa and hot coffee. Gettin...