Where's the Easy Button?

Today, I guess I'm just continuing some thoughts from my last post...

Wondering why is it that life sometimes seems so hard? I was thinking today about what my husband and I have been going through with his health, and why things seem to be such a blasted "process". Why can't things be easy? Then in my spirit I saw that "Easy Button" that was a commercial for Staples a while back.

[ You need new ink cartridges?...push the button. You need to get organized?...just push the button. How about starting a small business?...you got it...push the easy button, and everything you need magically appears]

Except this is real life, and although God does anoint certain tasks and plans, generally speaking, He's not in the habit of handing out "Easy Buttons". Believe me, there have been situations and projects that I've worried and stewed over, then finally turning it over to God, only to have Him effortlessly pull it all together without a hitch. Easy. Yes, He made it work, I trusted Him and He did it without breaking a sweat. But it seems that there are other times, times when it's me that He's working on, that it would be so much better...if it was just easy!

Out here in blog land you get to know so many people...people that you would never know if it weren't for the good ol' Internet. Funny how I can "meet" and get to know the daily ins and outs of so many wonderful women...young and old. Women with young families and struggles, who make me think back on how what I've walked through and how I've handled things. Then knowing that I could have done so much better, been a better wife and mother, friend, daughter, sister...

But I guess that's part of what we call "life". It's a learning process. Wouldn't it be great if we would have known instinctively when we were younger how to react; behave; what to say...what not to say...how to have patience. How would life have been different if we would come "pre-packaged" with perfect skills, attitudes, emotions, and belief systems? Thankfully, God doesn't leave us on our own to figure it all out. He's with us if we just ask Him to be. He can take impossible situations and make them work. He can take our sorrows and turn them back to joy, our heartaches and mend them.

As I said last time, it's been a long process with my husband's health situation. We haven't had much help from doctors or professionals. When it comes down to it, we have to put our trust in God for our health. Yes, He uses doctors and medications, but we can't put them above our faith in God's ability to heal us. Nothing my husband heard from the doctors has helped, so as I said last post, we started praying for wisdom about what to do to get a handle on this inner ear problem. It turns out that there are several "diseases or conditions" that are similar and even though he didn't have a diagnosis we decided to implement the dietary changes that are suggested for Meniere's Disease, which is a deterioration and fluid build up in the inner ear. Finding out about food allergies and then doing the diet for this which includes not only low sodium diet, but no alcohol, no caffeine, no chocolate, and a few other "no-nos". Anyway, after 3 weeks he's been without an "attack" of vertigo and is starting to now feel so much better. God has the answers to our needs and problems. It may take a little while, but He will share those answers with us.

 My point is this, do everything you can do in the natural, but then pray for God's supernatural wisdom and guidance. And then here's the biggy that I've learned...realize that He DOES have a plan to free you of what you are going through. It may not be easy , but if you keep trusting Him, He will walk you through it. Be willing to do the things He might ask you to do, even if they seem hard. I can guarantee you that He'll ask some tough things from you along the way, but honestly, in the long run it will be for our good. Just like physical growth, from babyhood to adulthood it's a process, not easy, but His plan.


Becoming closer to God, learning more about Him; walking in the Holy Spirit, and listening for His voice in our busy lives. Thank you, Lord. You're with us on the journey.

love in Jesus,

Reading Paul...

Hello all, I'm surprised and a little ashamed to say it's been almost two months since I've posted here. Life has been busy with some "good" and "not so good". First the good, and that is that last month I had a wonderful time with two wonderful gals that are blogging friends. God totally put together an opportunity to meet a dear friend that I've been talking to on the phone with for almost 3 years (since we started blogging), and another that I had met previously only briefly, but have now had a chance to get to know and love. We spent some amazing quality time together and I hope and believe we have cemented friendships that will last.

Also, I'm still on the lifestyle change "path" that I started back in March. My husband and I have had to totally rethink our eating habits and food preparation. He has for the last few years, suffered with occasional bouts of "Benign Positional Vertigo" which is an inner ear problem that causes vertigo, but has since the first of the year increased dramatically and has sort of taken over his daily life. Doctor visits, tests, etc. have labeled it, but treatment is elusive and not particularly effective. We've prayed for wisdom and guidance, and feel like God is narrowing down the triggers for these "spells" that leave him feeling sick and weak and disoriented. He's never been "sick" so this has been a real trial for him, (and me). Food allergies which have been detected such as Soy and all soy products have been eliminated (you may not know it, but soy is in almost all packaged foods, such as boxed crackers, protein bars, cake mixes, cookies, breads etc. literally everywhere!) and now we are going to a low low sodium diet, because we think salt may be a trigger. I've had to start cooking with just the basic foods, fresh produce, and lean cuts of meat. I can't complain on these food changes, since it will also benefit me with my cardiovascular issues and overall health. We're believing that God's wisdom in this will prove to be the deciding factor on how my husband feels, and we know that God has a good plan for our life and health, so we're going to stick with it.

Also, I am down 18 lbs. since March, not an enormous amount, but since I'm not trying to break records here; just lifestyle change, I feel good about it, and continue to feel better physically AND mentally. (Eating low carb, low fat) One of the best things is that I'm down 2 to 3 dress sizes and don't feel self conscious about my appearance. (I'm a small boned 5 foot nothing, so really 18 pounds on me is alot.) So if you think you can't lose weight like I did, ask God for His plan for you, and His anointing to do it, and things will start to change.

My husband and I have both questioned God about why we've had to go through these health issues that have caused us so much grief and upset. Things that can suck the joy out of daily life. I know that many of you have health concerns and issues, and other situations in our families, work, etc. that seem to press us down and make life harder than we think it should be.

I've been reading Paul's books of the New Testament, and I'm now in 2 Corinthians. I can't help but believe that by getting to know him, we can all gain a fresh perspective on our own trials and life in general. God doesn't promise us that our lives will be easy, but we can know that He is always with us, leading and guiding us. And yes, He allows us to walk through these tough times. What we learn from them is up to us. Do we give up and wallow in self pity or turn into an unhappy, unproductive person? I hope not. Sometimes I have to make a daily verbal statement that I know that God is here, and that He has a good plan. That I believe that things WILL get better, and that I'm not going to allow circumstances to dictate my Joy in life. I guess that's called Trust and Faith. Believing God is at work in our lives and He is Faithful.

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2 Corinthians 4:7-10

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."


Whatever you may be going through, just know that you're not alone, God is there with you, and He sees the outcome. AND He will guide you through the hard times, to bring you to the other side.

much love in Jesus,