END OF THE YEAR NOTES

Happy almost New Year everyone! We had a very blessed Christmas this year. My husband's parents spent the whole week with us. My mil and I went to Kohl's several times. This is her favorite store. We also had fun doing other things, like watching movies. Every time my in-laws are down here for Christmas we end up watching A Christmas Story. I think every year TBS runs a 24 hour marathon of this movie. While we didn't ever actually sit down and watch the whole thing from beginning to end, we did watch the ending several times because it's sooo funny. If you've never seen this movie let me sketch the background of it for you. It's set in 1940s mid America. Ralphie lives with his parents and younger brother and all he wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB gun. Throughout the movie you hear Ralphie narrating the story from his future adult perspective. The way he tells this story and the serious tones he uses, along with the huge vocabulary is hilarious. I won't ruin the movie for those who haven't seen it but I have to say something about the ending. Their Christmas turkey is ruined (I won't say how) and so they go out to eat on Christmas day at the only restaurant that's open, a Chinese restaurant. The owner is so gracious and supplies them with their own personal choir to sing Deck the Halls. ROTFL!!!!!! You have to see this movie.
Another movie we so enjoyed watching was Fiddler on the Roof. My in-laws received it for Christmas from their son and his new wife who are missionaries in Albania. We miss them a lot especially because I couldn't go to the wedding which was in Belarus. Anyway, we really liked this movie as well. It was the classic version with Topol playing Tevia. The songs, even though I had heard them many times, were so great in the context of the movie. And the ending was really sad. But for days afterward, you could hear someone in the house singing, "Tradition, tradion....tradition!"

Christmas morning was one of the best we've had. Great food, great company and the kids weren't too antsy to open their gifts. We're still trying to set up kid #2's fish tank. This is more expensive than I thought at first. Oh well, it's a trial run for buying a dog for kid #1 next Christmas.

We're laying low for New Year's Eve. We've never been ones to go out and party all night long. For one thing, it's REALLY hard to get a sitter for that night. So the last couple years we've gotten together with a certain couple and sat up playing games or watching movies and eating munchies until midnight. We'll do the same this year.



TO ESV OR NOT TO ESV (?)

I've been excited about the English Standard Version ever since I heard about it from Ligonier and skimmed a book about bible translation that was written by one of the people who put the translation together. But I've been reluctant to buy a new Bible because my current one is so precious to me. I'm the kind who writes all over her Bible and circles and dates verses that God has used in my life. Plus I can find almost anything in it because I have a sort of photographic memory. For example, I can remember where a certain verse or passage is because I can picture the page in my mind. Or I remember it was on the left hand side of the page or the right hand side. By the way, I have NASB. I have liked this translation and in looking at certain passages in the ESV it doesn't seem that much different.

Everything I've read about the ESV has been positive. The fact that Ligonier has been using it in Tabletalk for the past year or so has, in my mind, put its qualifications beyond reproach. But I recently read the first negative comments about it. If you subscribe to the Bluedorns' email loop you may have read Harvey's review of the ESV. It was in general, not positive. He criticizes the translation from a couple angles. He says that it has a poor textual basis. This means that the manuscripts it relies upon are not the most accurate. He also says that it isn't literal enough to satisfy him. He recommends the NKJV because it relies on more accurate manuscripts.

Question: If this is true then why has Ligonier spent a bunch of money recommending this version and marketing it? Why did they switch from using NKJV in Tabletalk to using ESV? I am confused. I respect Harvey Bluedorn's opinion, but is he a Greek scholar? What are his credentials? Are they equal to those at Ligonier? Have any of you heard of this? What is your opinion? For now I'm going to stick with NASB.

If you want to read all of Harvey's comments go to www.triviumpursuit.com/list/issues/332.php.

Blessings.

INTO THE LIGHT

I don't mean to turn this blog into a continuous update on my mom but I just wanted to give one last update. Thanks to all who have been praying and will continue to pray. Yesterday I talked to her for the first time since Thursday. She sounded OK. Not as out of it as the last time I talked with her. She had come home on Monday and went to an appointment with a psychologist. She will see a psychiatrist next week. My sister drove up from NYC to be with her and my dad this week. She said she was trying to get some food down and she had some of her friends visit and bring food. That's good because my dad doesn't really cook. My sister will probably be doing a lot of that. My mom said one thing that was quite revealing though. She said she never thought it would get this bad but it was a long time in coming. So perhaps she's realizing the effect of her controlling, perfectionist ways and finally surrendering them to the Lord. That's what I'm praying.

This week is like running a bunch of 100 meter dashes all at once. I'm hoping we'll all settle down and direct our attention to the Savior in these coming days. As always, DH has waited till the last minute to do a lot of his purchases so there will be a lot of wrapping and hiding going on in the next 72 hours.

Blessings on your Christmas!

OUT OF THE VALLEY

Last night I talked with my dad. Mom was doing OK. It was hard for him to say just how she was doing. They had her on a new medication, Effexor, and had done a clinical evaluation. He said when he got to talk to her it seemed as if she was ten miles away though. At the end of our conversation I asked if I could pray for him over the phone. He said I could and when I finished there was a long silence. I said I had to go and when he spoke next I could tell he was choked up. I think he's really struggling. He's been to three AA meetings in the last three days.

Update: My sister called this morning and said that my mom is going to be released today and will go see a psychiatrist this afternoon. She's still on Effexor and is not experiencing any bad physical side effects. My sister will go up tomorrow and stay until Christmas Eve. Then she needs to go to Vermont to spend time with her husband and his family. Right now I'm not planning to go up but that may change. I'm going to try to call them tonight.

Thanks again for your prayers and concern.
Blessings.

DOWNHILL

Yesterday my sister called to tell me that my dad was driving my mom to the hospital to get her admitted to the the mental ward. I hadn't talked to her since Thursday and much had happened since then.

Thursday afternoon my mom said she had a stomach ache. Later that night the nausea got so bad that my dad took her to the ER where some brilliant (read stupid) doctor took her off the drugs completely. Now, I wasn't necessarily a fan of her going on these drugs in the first place but anyone whose read anything about these drugs KNOWS that you DON'T take someone completely off them no matter how long they've been on them. Unfortunately, I don't think my mom had the capacity to understand this and I don't know if my dad had the knowledge. So Friday my dad takes off work because my mom freaks out when he's not there. Then Saturday he had to go in to work for a couple hours so two friends come over to look after her. This is when I called on Saturday morning. The friend I spoke with said I couldn't speak to my mom and that made me feel a bit concerned. After my dad had been at work only an hour and a half my mom's friend called him and said he needed to come home and take her to the hospital. My mom was requesting to be taken to the hospital. No wonder. She hasn't been able to see her doctor or a psychiatrist since being prescribed these drugs and wasn't going to see anyone until the 31st. She needed care and needed it right then and there. So my dad takes her to the hospital and they proceed to wait 4 1/2 hours in the waiting room during which time my mom starts freaking out to the extent that they have to give her more meds. Then they don't want to admit her!!! So my dad raises some holy you-know-what and finally gets her in. He says she's where she needs to be. She'll be there for a couple days and hopefully be properly medicated and taken care of.

I still feel strongly that the Lord is taking her through this valley to break her of her need for control and perfection. My dad informed me of other things that have been going on and it seems he has a little understanding of the spiritual aspect of things. He's not a fan of the drugs although he sees the need for temporary use right now. Pray for my dad too. He has no clue how to help my mom right now and I'm afraid that he may lose it too. He's been a recovering alcoholic for 20+ years now and fortunately he went to an AA meeting last night and the night before. Pray that he takes care of himself. I don't think he's a Christian even though he talks as if he has a relationship with God. My sister is completely blind to all the spiritual components though, I think. She seems to think that my mom will be just fine once her meds are regulated and they complete their move to SC.

There's much deeper stuff going on. Here's a song that's been mercifully running through my head the past 24 hours. It's Lord of All by First Call.

Lord of all
Of all seen and unseen things.
Of a universe that sings and calls You
Lord of all

Lord of all
Of the power not to sin
You have always been
And always will be
Lord of all.

Blessings. And thanks for praying.

UPDATE ON MY MOM

Things are clearer now with the situation. When I talked with her yesterday, she had just started taking these drugs and it just made her really tired and lackadaisical. I talked to her later that night and she apologized if she had scared me. I also talked to a friend who knows about these drugs, Xanax and Paxil. She's an RN and used to work for a pharmaceutical company. She was also on Xanax for a while. She calmed some of my fears and offered to talk to my mom if she wanted to. Then I talked to my sister today and she assured me that she would be driving up there to be with my mom and that my dad would be coming home earlier from work. He's also off all next week. My mom still can't get in to see a doctor until the 31st and hasn't seen a psychiatrist yet so that's still up in the air. She's also going to apply for short term disability at work which means she's basically retired since she was going to retire in a couple weeks anyway.

I'm pretty sure things are better at this point. Thanks for all who have said a prayer. Keep praying for her. These next two months of transition (moving, closing on the new house, etc.) are going to be really hard for her.

Blessings.

URGENT PRAYER PLEASE!

My mother has been having some health problems lately. She's been experiencing mostly stress induced heart palpitations and high blood pressure. Yesterday she had to go to the ER because she was having some serious anxiety and palpitations. So the doctor put her on Xanax and Paxil and told her to contact a psychiatrist. Today I talked to her and she sounded terrible. I think it's part of the side effects to those drugs but I was really concerned. She sounded very out of it. However, I truly believe there is some spiritual warfare going on here. She said she was very fearful because she didn't have control of the situation. I told her that Satan wants her to feel that way and she needs to believe that and cry out to Jesus instead. I prayed with her on the phone and told her I would call back later. Unfortunately she lives in NY and here I am in GA. Part of her stress is due to an impending move to SC. They are living in an apartment now and building a house in SC as we speak.

Back to the spiritual aspect. I'm not sure if she's a Christian. I've witnessed to her regularly since I became a Christian almost 13 years ago. A couple years back we attended a women's retreat together and she and I talked about her relationship with God and she said she was a Christian. I was elated then but since then I've seen now growth really. The church she has gone to for almost ten years is not a good one. She never saw the need to leave. She does have some golfing friends who she says are Christians. But I am not 100% sure of her salvation. I know you can never be that sure about anyone really, but I truly think she's at a turning point in her life and at a crisis point of faith. I feel like Satan wants to snatch her away and destroy her faith if he can. Please pray for her. Pray that God would rescue her and show Himself powerful on her behalf. Thanks.

Blessings.

ADVICE REQUESTED RE: ECZEMA AND DIETARY/SUPPLEMENTAL CURES

I have serious hand eczema. It started after I gave birth to child #1. It has continued unabated for eight years. I have used many different topical corticosteroids. My new dermatologist did a patch test on me and that showed I was allergic to several different chemicals. One is in almost every shampoo and conditioner. One is in a lot of cosmetics. Another is nickel. Unfortunately my clarinet keys are nickel plated. We are looking into purchasing another one with silver plated keys but that's going to run us upwards of $3,000. So I've been pressing on despite the annoying nature of this condition. Recently my dr. prescribed a very powerful corticosteroid and strongly warned me that I should consult my OB/GYN because he was pretty sure I shouldn't be taking this powerful drug if I get pregnant. He did say that it wouldn't prevent me from getting pregnant but I don't know if I trust him on that one. I like my dr., he's much better than the previous one who didn't seem to have enough time for me; only enough time to write a new prescription and tell me the same old song and dance. At least this one has listened and sympathized with my dilemma.

Anyway, I had asked him before whether diet or supplements can help eczema and he seemed to be unconvinced on the effectiveness of this route. He just continues to assert that the condition cannnot be cured; you just have to manage it through drugs and avoiding certain allergens. Well, last night I went to Dr. Mercola's website because I just have run out of options. This new powerful drug is just not working as well as I thought and I can't go more than two or so days without having to use it again. Now, I've never been into alternative medicine or taking supplements but since Kim at Coffee and Muffin has written about him than I decided to see what he had to say.

There was one article written by a different doctor that got my attention. She mentioned that these topical steroids are more harmful than helpful in the long run. I wasn't surprised at that statement. I've seen how my mother-in-law's skin has been irreversibly damaged from years of steroidal eczema treatment. She then went on to say that eczema can be cured but you need to do it through nutritional and supplemental means. Among other things, she says you need to cut out all refined sugar, white flour and processed foods from your diet. I have long suspected these things but have been too much of a chicken to cut out these things. It's hard! Wah! :) She then suggested taking a myriad of supplements along with vitamins; things like Omega-3s and magnesium and zinc supplements.

I told my dh this morning about it and he seems to be supportive of any kind of treatment. I'm just afraid it's going to cost us an arm and a leg in more expensive food and expensive supplements. So here's the question - Does anyone else out there have bad eczema? Do these treatments work? Is this advice just pie in the sky wishful thinking? How hard is it really to give up all that sugar and refined flour and processed food? I know some of you out there grind your own wheat and make your own bread. How time consuming is it? And where should I get these supplements anyway?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.
Blessings.

PRAYERS REQUESTED

I've been having a female problem the last two days and had to go to my OB/GYN yesterday because of it. Nothing serious, but it's just a mystery right now. It seems I might have had a miscarriage without knowing I was pregnant. They took some blood and I'll know the results in a couple days. If it was a miscarriage that will be two in the past year. Very early ones, but still disappointing. Thanks for your prayers.


THE RETURN OF THE 80s

Our family loves to play games, many of the video variety. When I was growing up we had an Atari and I played it a lot. My neighbor's father worked for Commodore (Atari's competition) and he would get new games before they were even out in the stores. Well, lately I had seen a product in Target which was a joystick loaded with old games. All you had to do was plug it into your TV. About two weeks ago I gave in and bought it. So maybe you should pray for me and my family that we don't go overboard in playing it LOL! It's funny how my son really likes it even though he has a Gamecube as well. By the way, I'm really good at Galaga and Ms. Pacman. Today I got to the banana level. Yippee!

Blessings.

SNOW QUIZ

My desktop wallpaper is a scene of a cottage with freshly falling snow and colored lights on the evergreen trees. It's making me long for the cold climates of my youth (I grew up in the Northeast and have only lived in the South for 10 years.) For those of us who get snow in the winter, or wish they got snow in the winter, I've come up with a couple questions concerning the fluffy white stuff.

1. Do you like snow? Why or why not?
2. What kind of winter weather do you get where you live?
3. What is your favorite snow memory?


A PRAIRIE MUFFIN IS A WHAT?!

The other night my husband and I were talking about how this appellation of prairie muffin has come about. He then proceeds to explain that when he was growing up in the country, the phrase "prairie muffin" was used to describe the little patties left by cows in the field, if you get my drift. Now I know that Carmon never intended that when she came up with the term, but I thought it was a little funny. So instead of prairie muffin my husband decided to call me his prairie wildflower. Isn't that sweet?