Monkey in the Rain

It rained a lot last night between 11pm and 12am. Not as much as our friends a bit further south in the metroplex, but enough. So while it rained I was talking to my mom about how my grandmother was doing. Then I talked to D about it. Got tired. Its after 12am by now. Say, "I'm going to feed Monkey and then go to bed." Get up off the floor where I was sitting, walk into the kitchen and then, and only then, do I realize that Monkey had been outside the whole time. Oops. I yelled (quietly) "Monkey is outside!" And then we both dashed outside laughing about it. She probably didn't think it too funny, but it was amusing especially at 12am. She was fine. Her tray was full of water so I dumped it and put in dry newspaper and Monkey got rubbed down with a dry towel. She looked funny, but she was alive and well this morning and no worse for the wear. Poor bunny. She didn't know that when the child came home, she got moved down the totem pole. It's been a tough 2 years for her!

6 Months Later

So it's been almost six months since Hashimoto became a word in my vocabulary. Well, in truth that word didn't enter until November when I found a GOOD doctore, but nevertheless. I feel less tired than I used to, but it's still a rollercoaster ride. I need to go back to my doctor and get my meds readjusted. I also am going to have them test for Celiac Disease and something else that I can't remember. Celiac Disease is closely related to Hashimotos. I feel like an old lady lately. (Sorry old ladies) I get so stiff and sore when I sit in one position for too long. Especially if I'm sitting on my knees. That isn't normal and from what I've read could be Celiac. BLAH. Not fun. I also have some days where I could clean the whole house followed by days of not wanting to do anything. Again, not good. I need to reserve a day to sitting and waiting and going back to the doctor so that I can get to feeling better again. I've lost my creative side most days and that I hate the most. I just don't feel like sewing or scrapbooking or anything. Too much mess, too much thinking. Gotta get down to the bottom of this so that I can feel better.
Oh and my toes hurt with cold on chilly days. And I'm tired of being cold all the time still!

To Santa or not to Santa

Santa or no Santa is the current debate in our household. I do not wish to perpetuate the fantasy of Santa to our child(ren in the future). I don't see the point. Yes, we all lived through it and amazingly still trusted our parents after the pulled a huge rouse over our heads. I just can't do it. What makes me highly amused this Christmas is looking at the thought of Christmas through non-believers who celebrate it anyhow. Those people with the "holiday" trees and such. If you look at Christmas strictly from that view it is hilarious. They are celebrating a fantasmical man who "breaks" into houses to leave gifts. What is the point???? It's absurdly funny. Celebrating a fat man whose belly is like a bowl full of jelly. Pointless. Yes, you can say that it's the spirit of St. Nick that they are celebrating. Giving to others. That is a good thing, don't get me wrong. But why must we do it under the cloud of some nice guy that lived a long time ago? Why can't do we believers go along with the fat man idea and tell our children that some mystical person cares about them enough to give them presents? Why do we do that? What about the real reason of Christmas? The real person who came down to earth, the real person who gave us the best gift of all. Why don't we give eachother gifts in memory of Jesus coming to earth? Why do we buy into the fantasy fat man?
Maybe it's the magic of being young. But it seems shoddy that we have to lie to our children to give them some magic in their lives. I think the magic in life can come from the amazement of how a tiny acorn becomes a mighty oak tree. That kind of magic will even cause adults to take a second look at the amazment of it.
So my reasoning abolishes the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny from being acceptable facets of the holidays and the like. Not everyone in my household agrees with me mind you. Why did I come to this line of thought? I have two children whom I give cooking lessons to. They were here about two weeks ago and they were going on and on about Santa and how they have seen him here and there and some elf creature that lives in their house who goes to the North Pole every day to report on their behavior, etc. etc. etc. It pained me (really it did) to hear them, ages 10 and 7, go on and on and on about this. I felt awful listening to them and going along with the lie that they believed. I didn't agree with them or encourage them. I didn't say anything except "wow" and the like. I didn't need to because they were so excited.
Maybe I'm being overly analytical about this whole thing. Maybe I should just relax and let my child believe in the fat man. But I don't know why I should. Why should some fat guy he's never met love him more than I and buys him gifts that he'll love get all the thanks? Not that I need praises from my child, but I don't think some nobody should get the credit. I want to focus on the real reason for the season. I want my family's view to be that of Jesus and not a guy in a red suit. Is that so wrong?

Come Lord Jesus

I regularly read a blog and I came across this from an entry on this particular blog and I agreed a lot with the sentiments that she expressed -

Honestly, I am grieved over other things…I am grieved that some Christians are walking around with anxiety, gripped with fear that O is the Antichrist. I am also grieved that other Christians are walking around rejoicing in a man’s ability to save them from all their sorrows, all their pain, their financial woes, and who knows what else. If people were to actually read the Bible they would see that God has always been aware of who is in office and at times, appointed leaders to teach His children lessons. I am grieved that for some, so much emotion is put into a political election that when their candidate wins or loses, some actually think it is the saving answer or the end of the world…So? What if it is? What if it is the end of the world? Why does that thought provoke paralyzing fear in some people, namely people who claim the name of Christ? Either God is on the throne or He’s not…He is who He says He is or He’s not…either He is truth or He isn’t…either He knows what He’s doing, or well, if He doesn’t, we are all screwed, frankly, so none of this really matters…I rest in the peace of knowing that God is good, He is on the throne, and that He loves us too much to allow us to become complacent...He is sifting, therefore, He disciplines those He loves. (noahsteven.blogspot.com)

It is true. It is interesting that people think Obama is going to save us from ourselves. He can try, but he is man. Man cannot save himself or anyone else. And does it really matter about O's position on life? Not really. We're all responsible to God for our decisions. If we support abortion and partial birth abortion murder then we answer to God for what we believe. I wish that people didn't believe that abortion was a good answer to an unwanted pregnancy, but unfortunately it is. But whether or not it's legal or whether or not our president elect is for or against it, he will answer to God just like everyone else. All we can do is to pray for those who feel that way because answering to God for the murder of an innocent human being is going to be quite a scene, one that I never want to be a part of. God knit everyone in their mother's womb from the time of conception onward. He is the one that is going to be angry at anyone who thinks that abortion is a good idea. We don't have to be angry at them. We need to feel sorry for them and pray that they will have a change of heart.

And also to comment on the quote I have above, I agree, so what if it is the end of the world? If you're a Christian, what in life is there to fear? Nothing and no one but God himself. He is the only one that deserves our fear. It is He who controls the storms and the wind and the waves. It is He who provides and gives is what we need. Not man, not a president. No one but God Almighty is to fear. And if the end of the world is coming, all I have to say is "Come Lord Jesus."

Find Your Fun

I had orchestra rehearsal last night. I finally practiced my piece with some determination to master some rather difficult parts with nearly impossible fingerings. I'm tell you, Tchikowski was no flute player. That's besides the point. As I was playing and finally able to play those tricky measures I realized how much fun I have playing. I think when we get to be adults we put behind some of those things that use to give us so much pleasure as children. Who says that you can't still play on a soccer team or still play your musical instrument? There are plenty of outlets in most major cities for people who want to continue something that they enjoyed earlier in life. I think that not finding a fun outlet is another reason why so many people are so glum all of the time. I'm around other mothers quite often and I don't see a lot of sparkle anymore. I sometimes think, do these women really know how to have fun anymore? We get so bogged down by the trials and not so fun stuff that we have to deal with as adults that we forget to have fun once in a while. I love playing my flute in the New Life Symphony Orchestra. Yes I'd love it more if I got paid for it, but that isn't the point of this orchestra. I have fun, it is challenging, and it is something that is unique and different about me because I really don't know a whole lot of adults who still have hobbies that they began when they were only 11 years old. Go find your fun. Join a club, band, team, whatever and stop being so gloomy and feeling sorry for yourself.

Was Jesus a Socialist?

Interesting thing to think about on the heels of yesterday's election. Obama's name is closely associated with the word socialist it seems. You could say that Jesus held socialist ideals. One big idea of socialism is equality and giving to the poor. A sort of Robin Hood idea - steal from the rich to give to the poor. So here are some verses in which someone could make an argument that Jesus would be okay with socialism -

- Galations 3:28 "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. "

- Luke 12:33 - Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

- Luke 18:22 - When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

I'm sure you could find more, but you get the point. However, even if you could find 100 more verses supporting a socialist thought in the New Testament, you are failing to see the heart behind the matter. Jesus doesn't force anyone to give to the poor. He doesn't make anyone do anything that they don't want to. Jesus gives us the freedom to give to those less fortunate then ourselves. And another thing, though there are many verses that speak to being generous with one's possessions, the focus on Jesus's ministry was on spiritual matters, not material. He also made it quite clear what his true priorities were. For instance, when asked if he had come to abolish the law that was set in the Old Testament, he replied:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 5:17-19).

And how about what he wanted us to do with our lives?:

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Mark 28:18-20).

He wanted and wants us still to spread the Gospel, give to the poor because we know it is the right thing to do, not because someone forces you to do so. And another thing, true socialism, since it wants to erase classes and differences would take away your freedom.
As Pope Benedict XVI has written:
"Let us recall the fact that atheism and the denial of the human person, his liberty and his rights, are at the core of the Marxist theory...Moreover, to attempt to integrate into theology an analysis whose criterion of interpretation depends on this atheistic conception is to involve oneself in terrible contradictions. What is more, this misunderstanding of the spiritual nature of the person leads to a total subordination of the person to the collectivity, and thus to the denial of the principles of a social and political life which is in keeping with human dignity."

Hashimoto!

Isn't that fun to say? Hashimoto. Come on, say it out loud, fun, isn't it? I mean, it's great to get diagnosed with something that is actually fun to say. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Tons of fun.
I finally found a doctor that I like! Never mind that I was there for THREE HOURS. But, he is into holistic medicine and it makes me happy! He actually believes in propolous for the immune system! Go figure. God made things that can help us feel better? No way! I like God made cures for things. Even my new medication isn't synthetic. Yay! Oh and for more giggles, his first name is Vladamir (like Dracula) and I saw him on Halloween, and they took blood. hahaha.
Basically after I had Knox, my immune system went crazy and as my doctor said, "Your immune system woke up and it was like it got a machine gun and went Boom! Boom! Boom! and it shot your thyroid." Even the way it happened is amusing. This explains why my allergies have been something awful this past year. My immune system is just trying to hold it all together. I'm surprise that I didn't get really sick this year. I think all I've had was a cold or two. Yay for washing hands and eating healthy. So basically it will slowly deteriorate throughout my life. Oh well. It could be worse. Well, potentially it could be. Type One Diabetes and Celiac Disease are related to Hashimotos so hopefully I don't get either one. I haven't figured out which causes which others so maybe I don't have to worry. That's a question I'll need to ask next time I spend the afternoon at the doc's office. But seeing as I can pretty much understand his English despite his Russian/Ukrainian accent, he's into holistic medicine, and he actually TALKED to me, I'm a very happy Hashimoto Thyroiditis individual. It doesn't take much to make me happy these days!