Just a quick update.

The outpouring of love and support I got both on here and on Facebook, as well as at church in regards to my last post has been truly encouraging. A big thank you to everyone who is stepping forward and helping out.

As an update. I have been on anti-depressants, as a treatment for fibromyalgia, for about a week and a half. Kevin has noticed a big difference in my ability to do things and said he's heard less comments about pain and stiffness. I'm still dealing with a lot. And seems like I'm dealing with more cramps. Particularly in my feet and knees. But overall I do think I'm fairing a bit better.

Over the holiday weekend Kevin and I worked in the front yard and got most of the berry bramble chopped down. We have a mountain of bramble in the middle of the yard now. There is still much yard-work that needs to be done, but that was a huge part of it all. I felt very accomplished because I worked along side Kevin for much of the time!

On an almost completely different topic, the following link takes you to a video from AccuWeather that debunks global warming (in California wildfires.) and actually shows that we're in a trend of cooling for the next couple decades. I know I've changed this blog to be about illness and faith, but this is one topic that still seems relevant to me here since weather greatly effects my symptoms. Winter months are often rough for me. And if this does play out, as Farmers Almanac also claims, it'll mean that I need to plan ahead better for the foreseeable future as to how to stay warm, and what I need to do to manage pain.

I think that's about it. I am looking at the info about global cooling and more snowy winters here in the PNW as a cautionary warning but not something I'll be really alarmed about. I have hope that this new diagnosis and new treatment will help me cope better this winter than in the last couple winters. Even still, I think I may need to invest in an electric blanket this winter! ;0)

I have rubber bands around my knees & my feet still are lead balloons. But I'm thankful for the HOPE I have in Christ.

It really does feel as though I have rubber bands around my knees & my feet are lead filled balloons. This stifling heat-wave here in the Pacific Northwest is doing nothing to help my already swollen limbs full of edema. While these things certainly are trying they do not consume me, for I'm thankful because of the HOPE I have in Christ.

Job 2:10b says: Shall we receive good from God, & shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job was enduring many trials, tests, & afflictions & yet he stood true to his faith knowing that the God who created this world with both good & bad would ultimately still be worthy of praise no matter what it was that Job had to live through. Through the book of Job we see him question why, but not rebuke God. In the end of the book we see that God richly rewarded Job, & that in the end Job's faith in God grew, as did his heart of thankfulness to God.

It's fine & good to focus on having a thankful heart. But if you are hurting or dealing with a burden it does no good to ignore it forcing yourself to only think thankful thoughts. Keeping quite can prevent others from knowing what to pray about with you or keeping them from doing God's will by helping to meet your needs.

In Matt. 25:43-45 Jesus says: 'I was a stranger & you did not welcome me, naked & you did not clothe me, sick & in prison & you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, & did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'

If we tell people to not speak up how can we do as scripture says and bare each-others burdens? (Galatians 6:1-3)

I find GREAT COMFORT & HOPE when reading the promises in scripture. I will be honest and open and say when I am dealing with a great deal of discomfort or other burdens because I know I have a great circle of prayer warriors and lending hands around me

2 Corinthians 4:7-18
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Romans 5:3-5
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Thanksgiving for my burdens.

Today has been a very different Thanksgiving for us. It's the second time we've had Thanksgiving just the two of us. It's somber. But peaceful and nice. I made a big spread, Kevin praised me again for my cooking skills. I honestly don't know how I did it other than God saying "Now is a time to feast and give thanks!" My arthritis pain has been unbearable! And amazingly the only thing I burned was a tablespoon of butter as I was getting it melted to make apple crisp for dessert.

I still have a pretty nasty cold. I was amazed I was able to enjoy as much food as I did. As I sat eating with the love of my life, my hips and back were quickly making it such that I thought I wasn't going to make it through the whole meal. Amazingly I did. I sat and ate with my love, and talked and just enjoyed each other. It was really nice, aside from the pain. By the time I took my last bite I had to get up and start moving. I paced the kitchen, getting various things to pack up the bounty of leftovers. Someday I'll learn to make Thanksgiving dinner for two, but I've yet to figure out how to get the recipes right to do that, so I made way too much, at least I won't have to cook for the rest of the weekend!


Here was our menu:

For the meal:
Spiced apple cider Black Forrest ham with grated apple
Stuffing stuffed chicken breast
Cornbread stuffing with sauteed baby portabella mushrooms, celery, and onions
Cranberry jelly
A HUGE salad with every leafy green imaginable (OK, actually pretty much every veggie I could get in the store)
Baked mashed potatoes with garlic and bacon
Baked yams (with marshmallows, for Kevin)
Chicken gravy
Black olives

To drink:
Sparkling apple cider
Ice water

For dessert:
Traditional Creme Brulee
Apple Crisp



Quite a spread for just two people. And I'm thankful we were able to do that. We were among the crowds of people doing last minute meal shopping yesterday. We decided to do a Chicken breast instead of a turkey simply because it would have been way too much. I still bought a turkey however. It's in the deep freeze right now, so we can have it whenever. I bought the turkey even knowing we weren't going to have it today because there was a deal at the store; the ham, turkey, a sack of potatoes, and several other things, were all for a package deal at $20. I couldn't pass that up! So I have a whole turkey in the freezer! It feels silly, but it's good knowing I'm able to put food by after all this too.



And now to share what I've reflected on today while giving thanks:

I'm thankful for Kevin's job, that provides for us.
I'm thankful for health care, doctors, and modern medicine; all of which are helping me deal with arthritis at 29.
I'm thankful for the house that we have, and the home we keep for ourselves inside.
I'm thankful for my friends who pray for and encourage me.
I'm thankful For my church family, who is there for us so much, teaches us so much, and is sad for me on the Sunday's I'm too sick to make it to church or other events.
I'm grateful for the many gifts and blessings we've been given recently.
I enjoy the beautiful pictures I've both received and been in, nice memories to look at and reflect on.
I am blessed grateful and thankful that I'm able to be a housewife, and not needed to work outside the home; affording me the time I need to rest, and still get done the most critical things around home.
I'm thankful for real servants of Christ who help us with the upkeep of our home.
I'm thankful I have a cane, and soon a walker... these thing keep me moving!
I'm thankful for the days I don't need my cane or anything else.
I'm thankful for my cats, who remind me to rest, and love simply.
I'm thankful for the internet, and computers, and other various ways of keeping up to date and in touch with those I love.
I'm grateful for the simple life that we have.
I'm thankful for my husband, the love of my life. He is my constant help-mate, lover, nurse, and friend.
Most of all these, thanks are given to my loving God who continues to protect me and provide for our REAL needs. Who died for my sins giving me and all who are willing to believe salvation. We don't deserve any of it, and yet He continues to preserve and tend to those He's called out as His.

In closing, I want to share that I have been very run down for about 2 months straight. The cold and flu season is really hard for me even when I'm not on immuno-suppressive, but with treating my arthritis, my immune system takes a hit, and that's why I've been sick for so long. I get over one cold, just in time to catch the next one going around. Hopefully after this cold I'll be able to stay well long enough (a week) to finally take an injection. This is my HUGE prayer request right now. I know it makes me vulnerable again to any other colds going around, but honestly, after 4, you'd think that'd be it for this winter, right? I really want to inject because my arthritis is spiraling out of control. If I don't inject soon I'll need to go on steroids again because I can hardly rotate my back at all, believe me, that makes daily life tough. I don't want to go on steroids again, I don't like what it does to me. So my hope, and plan, and prayer is to get over this cold soon, stay well enough for a week, and then to inject and hopefully get my body moving again.

To all my fellow Chronic Pain readers, the following passage has truly been giving me lots of hope lately. I'm trying to keep it top of mind since my physical body is such a burden to me.

2 Corinthians 4:7-18

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase THANKSGIVING, to the glory of God.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Thanksgiving Recap

Here are pictures from our wonderful Thanksgiving day. Enjoy!






We had a wonderful thanksgiving with some dear friends of ours, the Garbarino's. Tony and Mica, and their kids Bri and Vinnie were wonderful hosts. We love them all dearly. We are so blessed to have such wonderful church family.


Kevin and Vinnie seemed to have loads of fun talking about video games, computers, programming and everything else in-between!




Mica and I shared the cooking. It was lots of fun.

Bri even put on her apron too!



The night before I baked a couple pumpkin pies. I wanted to use great aunt Blanche's pie shell recipe, but I can't find the wonderful stack of recipes that mom copied from grandma for me! I was upset about that. But I was determined to make homemade pies! So I finally found a decent bisquick recipe for pie shells and went from there. Neither the bisquick nor the pie recipe itself called for a pie crust shield. My intuition said it needed one, but with no instructions I went on without one. A few minutes in I realized I needed them, made some out of tin-foil and learned next time I make pie from scratch I need to invest in a real pie shield. I couldn't keep the pieces of foil from falling off. But the pies were yummy in the end, overdone crusts and all. I should also mention, I can never completely follow recipes, I have to make them mine in some way. I didn't have enough pumpkin puree to make the two pies, so I added a few ounces of applesauce and a spoon of vanilla bourbon. And I didn't have the specific spices it called for, so I instead used the cumulative ammount of spices for how much "pumpkin pie spice" blend to put in. It worked I think. The pies are now gone! ;-) I might make it again for Christmas... if I get some crust shields.






I also made Wassil. A great site for finding out more about it if you aren't familiar with it is here. You've probably sung songs at Christmas about going a Wassailing. Well, Wassail is a festive winter-time spiced apple cider, made with cloves and cinnamon, and various citrus fruit. I can't completely give away that recipe yet, as it will be in our cookbook!

Here we Come A-wassailing

Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green,
Here we come a wand'ring,
So fair to be seen.

Chorus

Love and joy come to you,
And to your wassail too,
And God bless you and send you a happy new year,
And God send you a happy new year.

We are not daily beggars
Who beg from door to door,
But we are neighbor's children
Whom you have seen before.

Chorus

We have a little purse
Made of ratching leather skin;
We want some of your small change
To line it well within.

Chorus

God bless the Master of this house,
Likewise the Mistress too;
And all the little children
That round the table go.



Chorus


If you want to try your hand at brewing a pot of Wassail you can see many varieties of it here.
I didn't put any alcohol in it as I was making it for the kids and adults alike, but maybe for Christmas I'll make one of the versions that calls for cream and vodka!




While our friend Tony was carving the Turkey I made him wear the Turkey Apron I got from the Thanksgiving Apron swap. We all had fun with that apron!



Bri gave us all a good laugh with her fun and energetic song and dance... And this was BEFORE we sat down to have pie! (check back for video!)

WassailSong.mid



Thanks for checking out our Thanksgiving,
and A BIG THANK YOU! to the Garbarino's for opening up your home to us to have such a wonderful time of food, fun, fellowship, and friendship!

Happy Thanksgiving!

1 Chronicles 29:13 (ESV) - And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.


Psalm 50:14 (ESV) - Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High


2 Corinthians 1:11 (ESV) - You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.


Ephesians 1:16 (ESV) - I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers


Philippians 4:6 (ESV) - do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
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This year I am thankful for gifts from friends and family that have helped meet our needs, especially the computer that Kevin's carpool friend gave us.

I'm thankful that the propane isn't disappearing from the tank as fast this year as it did last year.

I'm grateful for all the wonderful and encouraging people I've met on-line recently who have been such an encouragement to me.

I'm thankful we have healthcare. If I didn't have the doctors I have taking care of me, and the medications they give me I don't know how I could do anything.

I'm grateful that the neighborhood seems much safer, it seems like the neighborhood watch is really working.

I'm thankful that Kevin was able to find a second job that doesn't require too many hours, but that gives us great benefits (He's working part time at the craft store during the holidays processing Santa pictures. I get a great discount! Perfect for my pledge of giving handmade gifts this year!)

I'm grateful that while we don't have much, in some ways we still have much. I'm glad I'm able to loan my truck to my dear friend so her kids don't miss out on their classes, and I'm grateful that even though it's getting tricky I am still able to make wonderful meals at home.

I'm grateful to be a housewife. Considering my RA and the low days I have because of it, I'm blessed to be able to be at home, take my time, and do things at the pace my body calls for.

I'm thankful for my husband, who puts up with all my craziness, who is loving and kind, and who is my best friend. 7 and a half years of marriage later and I can't imagine my life without him.

I'm thankful for our church. It may be small, but it is full of loving and understanding friends who are like family! We are grateful to be able to fellowship and dine with wonderful people every week.

I'm thankful that my dear cousin Tracy who seems to be doing well with going back to school. I know that while it's been a struggle at times that she is studying the things she needs and wants to in order to make her dreams of caring for animals come true. She has a wonderful heart for animals, and I'm grateful that while our cat Tony was in his finally moments that she helped him feel more comfortable as much as she could. We're also grateful that during the summer while there was such a need for homeless cats to have homes that we were able to save and bring in Siggy who, while he doesn't replaced Tony, has been a joy to bring into our home.

I'm thankful for the future, it is a gift from God, and I am joyfully anxious to know what God has in store for us and our future. I'm grateful for how far the Lord has taken Kevin and I. He has a wonderful (or I guess I should now say 2) job(s) that he loves and we have a great home that continues to more and more be our place of peace.

I hope everyone has many wonderful things to be thankful and grateful for this Thanksgiving.
Love and blessings,
Crystal

Today, I'm pooped.

Things I did today

Talked with Mica about meal plans for Thanksgiving.
did 3 loads of laundry, including folding.
did 1 load of dishes and put away.
made potato salad
made coleslaw
answered blog comments and e-mail
watched the news
checked for the mail (no mail yet)
took pictures of snow

It doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary, but it's 4 and I want to go to bed! This winter isn't being very good to me, and it's not even technically winter yet.

In other news we've been able to see lots of pretty snow on the hills outside our window. Enjoy! (click picture to see it larger)

More apron madness.

(re-written & photos added 11/16/07)
I really like the Dorothy Apron in Aqua.

What one do you like?






Also, here is the apron I sent for the Thanksgiving apron swap.


Here is Kevin in the turkey apron I got for the Thanksgiving apron swap, isn't it fun!?

Thanksgiving survey

1.How will you be spending your Thanksgiving this year?
We are going to our friends house. They're great friends, and we are so grateful to be celebrating Thanksgiving together with the Garbarino's!

2. Will you be cooking or are you just an eater?
I'll share some of the cooking, but Mica gets to do the bird.

3. Do you watch the parade every year or football?
I don't care for either.

4. What's your favorite float?
idk

5. Dark meat or white meat?
White!!!!!!

6. Leg or breast?
Breast.

7. What is your favorite dish besides the turkey?
Stuffing and cranberries

8. Homemade cranberry sauce or cranberry sauce from the can?
Either/both. I'm bringing both this year.

9. Do you decorate for Christmas on Thanksgiving day?
Yeah, or the weekend after, or both.

10. What's a family tradition?
Sharing what we are thankful for.

11. Pumpkin pie or pecan?
Do I have to choose?!

12. What is your favorite thing to do with the leftovers?
Sandwiches with stuffing, gravy, turkey, and cranberries. It's so yummy. Also like to make soup with the bones.

13. How long will you spend eating your thanksgiving meal?
I like to enjoy my food so it's not a quick thing.

14. Are you worried about putting on weight this Thanksgiving?
not really, I do eat a little of everything, but I can't stand over-eating.

15. What do you normally eat at Thanksgiving?
I'm not picky so long as there is no seafood in the mix.

16. What will you be thankful for this Thanksgiving?
I want to think about this more then just the answer on a survey comment.

17. What is your best Thanksgiving memory?
Spending time with family.

18. Do you give cards or presents at Thanksgiving?
I can't afford to do that for every holiday and occasion.

19. Are you planning on going shopping the day after Thanksgiving?
Nope! And I don't think my father in law will ever let me live down the year I HAD to because I needed to buy pants to wear for work.

20. Will you be waking up early to hit the sales?
Why?

Thanksgiving dishes

(Updated some more)
Kelli from There Is No Place Like Home, hosts a weekly Friday Show & Tell. Stop by for some fun shares by other bloggers around the world !!!










I don't know the name of these dishes, so I call them my thanksgiving dishes since they're fall colors.

I got these from my hubby's maternal grandparents. I love having these dishes on display at thanksgiving time! I'm also hoping that the antique store that is interested in buying some of my glass still has the matching salt and pepper shakers that I saw last week. I can't afford anything, but if I sell the glass maybe I can trade and grow this collection that I love so dearly.

When Kevin's grandmother passed away we were still engaged, hadn't yet got married, so we ended up getting a lot of grandma's dishes. I love all the well loved things of hers. It's special to me that these were used so much in the family and that Kevin gets to still have them.

On either side of the pictures are some of my Moravian dishes, I should probably share those on another show and tell friday.

Thanksgiving weekend photo post

At the Nutcracker Museum in Leavenworth, WA

Kevin at the Nutcracker Museum

Snow in Leavenworth, WA

Kevin with truck at hotel in Leavenworth

Highway 2 in Leavenworth

Suit of armor statue at hotel in Leavenworth

Snowy trees in Leavenworth, near Winatchee river.