Who He Is

We all have some level of common sense:  that which we can agree is reasonable in any given situation.  Then again I have found that common sense just isn’t that common anymore!

I listen with intrigue when hearing the real-life experiences of others who have been successful at something.  Gaining triumph over tragedy.  Seeking good after playing with evil a bit too much.  Finding wisdom over folly.  Finishing a difficult task.  Inspiring others with your amazing story.  All this is good and unites us in our humanity when we can relate to the experiences of others.  I have heard from those who have travelled extensively overseas that most people around the world want the same things for their families and from their relationships with others no matter our cultural differences might be.  Thus we can all celebrate when the “human spirit” triumphs:  the good guy wins, the lonely widow finds love, and the person who passes on from this life having left a legacy for others to follow.

But what if there is more?  What if there is a source to that common sense that is in-bred between the strands of our DNA?  What if the innate knowledge of good and evil transcends the do’s and don’ts our elders taught us growing up?  And what if we all could persevere beyond both the winning and the losing?  After all, we all lose our lives in the end and cannot take any relationship, thing, achievement, or fit body with us.  We probably should keep trying to get it right anyways!  And that is very hard to do on our own.

When we find the true meaning of life, how the heck we got here, our giftedness, the Master plan for our lives, and humbly receive with gratitude our lot in life then we can be truly alive.   How do we find these?  We find our answers when we invite the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts.  We learn about Jesus (who is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit) by reading the Bible, in prayer and meditation, in fellowship with others in the body of Christ.  The person of Jesus Christ created us in His own image; he draws us near to love and follow Him.  In doing so we grow in wisdom and all of the fruits of the spirit:  peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control.  (Galatians 5:22-23)  Our purpose, our reason for being here can become clearer.  We then grow in understanding as we mature as believers, gaining wisdom from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our Counselor.

In the words of the Apostle Paul to you Gentle Reader,

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.  (Ephesians 1)

He is the One who will receive us in all of His glory at our finish line when our days are done.  How well will we finish the race of our lives?  (Check out Hebrews 12:1-3.)  I’m trying remain humble on that one for sure.  Maybe you already have a personal relationship with God through His son, Jesus Christ.  I am delighted to meet you here as we will surely have great fellowship in heaven someday!

As Easter approaches this is a great time to revisit who God really is to each one of us.  We can all use this season commemorating His tremendous love for us as an opportunity to draw closer to the Lord.  Realizing this tonight was brought forth in meeting a few gals who have endured then overcame much heartache in their lives.  Me too.  Thank you Lord for leading me to your throne of grace.  Sure would be great if finding who You really are was even more common as common sense is too.

kneeling in prayer

Getting there, slow but sure

That’s something my Grandma L used to say when we asked her how she was doing.  It didn’t matter if she was in the hospital recovering from a bout of shingles or adjusting to a new living situation:  she had an upbeat disposition that covered anything that wasn’t quite right in her world.

Below are a couple of treats to share with you as I slowly venture back into making macramé and leather jewelry.  This hobby is a great creative outlet and another way to connect with others when someone fancies an item from my online jewelry shop:  Trinity Jewelry by Design.  Take a look and find some new and cute wrap-style bracelets with new beaded leather bracelets on their way soon!  Click on the images for more information on each item.  :J

Handmade Boho Macramé Wrap Bracelet
Handmade Boho Macramé Wrap Bracelet
Every Day is Valentines Day Macramé Wrap Bracelet
Every Day is Valentines Day Macramé Wrap Bracelet

Crazy Food Combinations

Gluten free oatmeal with beef gelatin for added protein?stop messin with my head

Sautéed celery, carrots, and turkey patties with salt and marjoram?

Baked and herbed chicken thighs?

Almond butter on iceberg lettuce wrapped around a slice of leftover turkey/beef meatloaf?

Almond/coconut milk smoothie with celery, carrot, avocado, and Celtic sea salt?

Yes!  Things sure can get weird when you’re on 3 diets at once:  1)  mold-free due to mold illness, 2) Candida/low sugar and starch due to a systemic infection, and 3) low sulphur due to probable methylation issues.  And you thought trying to lose a couple of pounds for your New Year’s Resolution was challenging?  That’s kid’s stuff  in my kitchen!  At least number 3 is only for 10 days before I add back cruciferous vegetables to see if they have contributed to the noxious symptoms of the past 2 years.  Who knows?  Maybe I’ll figure out how to make pancakes out of squash and coconut flour after all!

In the meantime, note the incredible power of food.  I have a true Foodie friend who was able to help her sister recover from a deadly kidney disease in record time by painstakingly altering her sister’s eating plan.  The Nephrologist was astounded at the improvements in her lab results.  Yes, food is fuel and should require more of our time and attention if we desire better performance from our bodies or health.  While I do wish that my adherence to a mold-free and Candida diet for the past year would have made more of a difference, I know that I would be FAR WORSE if I had been more lax.  I am grateful for the supernatural strength of the Lord to help me shop for, prepare, and tolerate these special foods when I have felt very sick.

Somehow I am not be surprised that the Lord cares for all of these details of my life.

Matthew 6:26  (NIV)

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

The food of the earth was created for our nourishment and enjoyment from the very beginning.

Genesis 1  (NIV)

11 Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
He has provided so much for us so I am challenged to be a good steward of that which He has provided.  I certainly can make it through the inconvenience and “missing out” of the sweeter and juicier foods for a time if it will help me get well.  I don’t need to know how long this will last; I am just grateful that there are new approaches to try and I only have to go to my local grocery store to find them!
So if you are facing some new dietary challenges this year, take heart!  You are not alone.  The changes you are making might just change your life in more ways than you imagined.  Besides, the smell of almond slices roasting in a little organic olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt is, well, heavenly!  Try it on a salad or topping a casserole in place of cheese and see whatcha think.  ;J

Lost in Space

Lost in SpaceToday was a better day.  I almost don’t know what to do with myself!  I slept a total of 13 hours:  slowly moving through the motions of self care then made my way to the kitchen.  Five hours later I emerged having made dinner, homemade granola, no-bake cookies, bone broth, and roasted parsnips.  What the heck happened?

Who knows?  Maybe I don’t need to know.  I still had some rough moments this morning with feelings of sickness on and off.  But this is the first evening in many weeks when I have not had a major seizure attack episode for 1-3 hours before midnight.  Thank you Lord!

Tomorrow will be filled with appointments outside our home and we’ll see how that goes.  I kinda think that reducing my stress level was the right thing to do today, letting my energy level dictate what I would do rather than my calendar.  So as I go to bed I am massively humbled and a little lost.  Gee.  A better day happened to me!

Tee hee!  Goodnight all.  JJ

Oh so pretty!

Thought I would post some updates from my latest creative endeavors.  It’s taken over a year to develop my creative style of macramé jewelry: a hobby that has helped keep me sane in addition to my new eBook.  Here are some pics to share where I’ve landed with my new macramé wrap bracelets, and more.  If you would like more information, click on the “Etsy” square in the right hand column or follow this link:  Trinity Jewelry by Design.  Enjoy!  Just JulieDSCF9056

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