April 23, 2011

THIS POST IS RATED: PG-50

(You should only read this if you are 50 years of age or older!)

As we gets older, there are certain tests that our doctor recommend we have. Yesterday, at 55 years of age, I had one of these recommended tests... a colonoscopy.  For those who have never had one, I have a few words of advice:

1.  The prep is by far the worse part.  Of course, drinking 1/2 gallon of slightly salty, lemon/lime flavored, and mildly chilled liquid in 2 hours doesn't sound like a tough task.  Believe me, this tops any "Man vs Food" challenge you've ever watched on the Travel Channel.  If you are able to drink that last 8 ounces of liquid before the 2 hour mark then you deserve to have your name posted on a wall of fame and have hundreds of people chanting your name as you take that last swallow!  By the way, I failed the challenge.  I threw in the towel with at least 16 fluid ounces left in the jug!

2.  This is advice from from dear wife that went through the test a year before I did...."pat don't wipe".  Nothing else needs to be said here...you'll understand when your prep time comes.

3.  The actual test can best be described as an "alien abduction".  You have about an hour of lost time and regain consciousness with a sore behind!

4.  It will take at least 6 hours to purge the gas from your intestinal tract!  This is not benign gas...this is painful gas.  They pump you full of gas like the Goodyear blimp for the exam and it takes quite a bit of time to deflate!

5.  Once you find out all is aok, prepare yourself for the jokes.  You will be the "butt" of all your family and friends jokes for at least 2-3 days.

Closing note on my exam.  All was well.  I was giving a clean bill of colon health and told to come back to see Dr. Jellyfinger in 10 years.

April 18, 2011

Come join us for Easter Service.  Christ is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!

Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop - April 11, 2011

Today, I spent time with a coworker who expressed great anxiety and worry about the future.  Her concern started very general in scope "state of world affairs and economy" but the conversation quickly focused on her fears for her own job and hopes that she'd make it to retirement.

I could only listen and counsel her from the position of a fellow employee but it put me to thinking about my own daily anxieties and worries and how I should be addressing them from a biblical perspective.  This evening I spent some time researching the subject and found some interesting passages that I think apply.

Proverbs 12:25   Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.   This is a good one to start with.  It's easy to get caught up in the negatives that surround us, but we should strive to be positive.  By striving to be positive we not only lift our own heart, we lift the hearts of those that surround us.  My mom knew this passage well and practiced it every day of her life until she died.  


Philippians 4:6   Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  Alright, I understand this.  "Be careful for nothing", I believe this means I should show no anxiety or worry about anything.  Next, "but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Ok, I got this also, take those things I would have anxiety or worry about and give them to God in prayer accompanied by thanksgiving.

Philippians 4:7   And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  If I do the things called for in Philippians 4:6, then the love of God which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep my heart and mind through Christ Jesus. 


 Luke 12:22   And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. 

  Luke 12:23   The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 

  Luke 12:24   Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

  Luke 12:25   And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

  Luke 12:26   If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? 


In Luke 12:22-26, Jesus speaks to the disciples in a very clear way about worry.  He tells them not to worry about life, food, health, nor clothes, that life is more than food and the body is more than clothes.  He uses the ravens in the fields as an example, telling the disciples that the ravens neither sow nor harvest, nor do they have storehouse nor barn, but God feeds them.  And how much more valuable you are than the ravens to God!  Who of you can by worry add a single hour to your life?  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why worry about the rest?


Philippians 4:13   I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 

This is my daughter's favorite bible verse.  It's short and too the point.  If I follow the biblical recipe for stress management I've laid out here and add a dash of thankful prayer, I too will be able to "do all things through Christ which strengthens me".  


Amen

April 3, 2011

A good weekend draws to a close.  I accomplished some house work, got back on my exercise (walking) routine (did about 7.5 miles total), attended church today, spent time with my family, and enjoyed some time with just my wife Carol....very nice!

I'm looking forward to this week at work.  Many of the pressing deadlines that I faced last week are behind me now and I can get back on track with the things I need/want to do rather than letting others run my agenda!  Hooray!

This week, I worry less and enjoy life more.

Amen.