This commercial is just wrong

Ok Aisa here it the other one I told you about.....so BIZARRE!!!!!

National Doctor's Day..March 30th

These are the 2 wonderful doctors I work for at the office and the hospital.
We are having a breakfast to honor them on our "Wall of Fame" at the hospital tomorrow morning. They are both very passionate in caring for and educating our patients with diabetes. They make coming to work enjoyable.
Happy Doctor's Day Miguel and Heidi!!!


History of National Doctors' Day
The first Doctor's Day observance was March 30, 1933 in Winder, Georgia. Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, decided to set aside a day to honor physicians. This first observance included the mailing greeting cards and placing flowers on graves of deceased doctors. The red carnation is commonly used as the symbolic flower for National Doctor's Day.

On March 30, 1958, a Resolution Commemorating Doctors' Day was adopted by the United States House of Representatives. In 1990, legislation was introduced in the House and Senate to establish a national Doctor's Day. Following overwhelming approval by the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, on October 30, 1990, President George Bush signed S.J. RES. #366 (which became Public Law 101-473) designating March 30th as "National Doctor's Day."

D-I-V-O-R-C-E

These are my notes from Rob's sermon this morning.
Worship was great.."How Great Is Our God".."O Praise Him" "How He Loves Us"

Matthew 19:1-12

In the church and in culture we see divorce. The biggest impact is on the kids involved.
Rob talked about his wedding...and how 4/6 of the men who stood up for him and 3/4 of his ushers are divorced. Heartbreaking. He also is the child of divorce...his parents divorced after 30 yrs of marriage.
He gave a quote from Julian Lennon talking about his father. He felt he was a hypocrite because although he talked of peace and love...there was no closeness in his own family.
Rob started out the sermon knowing that it would be sensitive for alot of people listening. He wanted everyone to know he was doing the message with a heart of love and not an ego of ministry. Many times churches avoid this topic.

To put things in context:
There were 2 views of divorce from 2 groups of Pharisees
1 Needed to be a commandment of divorce in cases of adultery
2. There was divorce for all kinds of reasons

They want to pit Jesus against Moses.
The issue of divorce is being discussed and used by the pharisees as an attack on his authority....not to strengthen the sanctity of marriage.

Four ways people typically minimize divorce:

1 We treat scripture flippantly.
When the pharisees bring up their point, Jesus answers "Have you not read...."
there is a difference between a command and permission. Jesus talks about Moses permitting divorce which is different from God's commands. Moses offers concession because of the culture of the time. Deuteronomy 24 ..if women were "put away by their husband" there would be abuse from the community. Moses offers concession to restrain evil and cruelty toward women. Also to regulate remarriage.

2 Take focus off of God's standard.
Jesus describes the standard "two shall become one flesh...What therefore God has joined together..let not man separate"
Marriage is meant to be permanent

3 We ignore the real problem...hardness of the heart.
Matthew is the only chapter that has the "exception clause" of sexual immorality.
Divorce is an issue of the heart. Most affairs start with a lack of joy..man can't be the source of that joy..only Christ.

"We've made adultery grounds for divorce
In actuality it's grounds for forgiveness"

Harold Ivan Smith

The power and grace of Jesus is deeper and more powerful than any type of pain....he does truly bring beauty out of ashes.

4 We would rather not do or experience hard things for the kingdom of God
God views marriage differently....he uses it as his basis for relationship with the church He has a high standard of marriage

You can't pick and choose scripture that you like or fits what you want.

If there is anyone who could get out of marriage by exception it's Jesus. We are unfaithful. He shows forgiveness and does not forsake us.

What about nonbelievers? What about abuse?
This will be discussed next week with the topic "Remarriage"

Stress-busting foods

I read an article today in "Self" magazine with some stress-busting foods.
It's definitely worth a try :)



For brightening moods

* Almonds
* Lowfat yogurt
* Pistachios
* Salmon
* Scallops
* Shrimp
* Walnuts

B vitamins stimulate the brain's production of serotonin, helping you relax, explains Paul Lachance, Ph.D., professor emeritus of nutrition and food science at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Choose nuts for B6, fish and yogurt for B12.


For jump-starting immunity

* Blueberries
* Broccoli
* Green bell peppers
* Kiwifruit
* Strawberries
* Tomatoes

Veg out with vitamin C, which blunts the effects of stress by reducing free radicals and bolstering your immune system. "It is also your body's first line of defense against stressors like colds and exertion," Lachance explains.



For managing anger

* Avocados
* Bananas
* Black beans
* Corn
* Potatoes
* White beans

Feeling steamed? Seek out potassium, an electrolyte that helps lower blood pressure, says Brie Turner-McGrivev, a registered dietitian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.


For sounder sleep

* Chickpeas
* Lentils
* Oatmeal
* Pumpkin seeds
* Spinach
* Swiss chard

Magnesium acts as a natural tranquilizer that relaxes muscles, blood vessels and the gastrointestinal tract. Plus, the mineral plays a role in boosting serotonin, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D., a spokeswoman in New York City for the American Dietetic Association

Armpit hair

Here you go Aisa! This is the disgusting girl with armpit hair :)

Twilight...my thoughts

"Twilight" is based on a series of books involving a love between a teenage vampire and a teenage human . When I first heard the premise, it didn't really suck me in. I was a "Dark Shadows" lover in my younger days and I'm always curious to see what makes movies so popular. I went to Redbox Sat am and it was still available so I rented it. I watched it this afternoon.
Here's what I think :
I think if you are male and watching the movie you will think it is totally ridiculous.(Which is why I watched it when Darrell wasn't here)
If you are female and between the ages of 13 and 25 and single you'll love it.
If you are female and older than 25 single or married...if you remember how it felt to first be in love when you weren't jaded from all the jerks/hurts of past relationships and you go back to that time...you will love it too.
I think if every woman is honest with herself..having someone who:
a. is handsome with beautiful,soulful eyes
b. is able to protect you and devotes his life and love to you 100%..is the perfect man.
The fact that the guy can fly and could take you somewhere in a heartbeat isn't bad either :) The scenes of the forests in the Pacific Northwest were beautiful.
I will say that the fact that he pretty much stalked her every move and watched her while she slept gave me a little bit of the creeps.
Also, his family seriously looked like ghosts..especially the dad...how could someone not know that guy was "a little different" :)
I have to read the book now just to see how it compares to the movie.
I'm sure I'll be sucked right in to the whole series!

An awesome night of worship

These videos show you the hearts of 30 people who poured out time,energy,and love for their family..Apex.. and for their savior..Jesus.
We have 4 worship teams and each team sang around 4-5 songs from various artists for a time of worship which lasted about 2 1/2 hours.
There were also artists who displayed paintings and sculptures that they had created.
There were 1000+ Apexers and guests and it was pure joy.

"The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived" by Steven Scott

I read this book this past weekend as a review for a blog tour on the book this week.
The book focuses on 6 main areas to help us apply it to any area of our life that we are wanting success and balance with.
Many times it's just a matter of waking up to the illusions we have believed and replacing those illusions with the reality. Waking ourselves up to those areas that we haven't seen clearly.
The six areas that Jesus used in his life on earth in perfect balance were:
1 Meaning..why was he here..why are we here
2. Mission...what is the vision?
3. Message...Being heard..understood..and appreciated
4. Manner....How do you come across? using empathy? compassion? patience?
5. Methods..the most important being partnering...you can't do it alone.
6. Mission Accomplished..understanding and identifying the obstacles and roadblocks

He takes each of these 6 areas and gives practical examples in how to accomplish them and at the end of each chapter lists out things to look for...questions to ask yourself.

The end chapters focus on knowing your worth and knowing who Jesus is. He gives the truth of who Jesus is for those reading the book who may have never picked up a Bible and don't know the reason Jesus came to earth..to save us so that we might have eternal life and happiness with Him.
I think the author does a great job in explaining that it's not about religion...it's about relationship. It's not about things..it's about people...and love...and relationship.
If you would like to read this book you can find a copy by going here

Steven K. Scott is the best-selling author of The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, The Greatest Words Ever Spoken, and Mentored by a Millionaire. After failing in nine jobs, he started reading a chapter of Proverbs every day—and the wisdom of Scripture changed his life. Scott and his business partners have built more than a dozen multimillion-dollar companies from scratch, achieving billions of dollars in sales. He is the co-founder of Max International, Total Gym Fitness, and The American Telecast Corporation. He is a popular international speaker on the subjects of personal and professional achievement and the application of biblical wisdom to every area of life.

"The Dance of Submission"

My notes from Apex this morning.
Worship was led by Phil and Jason Wing and Dustin Burke..simple but powerful. "How he loves us"(Kim Walker) was very touching.

Ephesians 5: 21-33

To have peace and love in a marriage is a gift that is next to the knowledge of the gospel

Martin Luther

Context...Roman culture...family unit is integral.
House codes..Paul is giving them house codes for the family of God

submit...."to come under" in Greek language
Voluntarily and lovingly come under the leadership
women had no rights in this culture.
Paul is redefining the roles of women

Head..source and authority

Ballroom dancing is a good analogy for submission...one is leading but there is a symmetry of the two

Dance of submission....The dance starts with a commitment of mutual submission that is driven by the rhythm of worship

We submit to each other out of reverence for Christ..God gets the glory

For unbelievers:
You can never have marriage as it should be without Christ.

Wives
lovingly yields to the direction of her husband..it's not something that is forced on you..in all areas.
All of us submit to things we love.

Husband
Provides direction by:
1. Loving her..agape love..uconditional. Even to the point of giving up your life just as Christ did for the church

2. Sanctifying her..."to set apart" The way we talk,look,connect to our wives should be different from how we do these with other women.
We don't cleave to our children..they will leave us...we cleave to our spouses

3. Cleansing her.."spoken word" Talk to our wives
The average couple in America spends only 4 min. in meaninful conversation with our spouses each day

4. Presenting her...Prep her to present to Christ as blameless

Husbands can present wives blameless before Christ :

1. Serve her by giving her hope...if there are body changes,financial difficulties.there is always hope.

2. Serve her by praying for her

3. Serve her by pursuing her ..Jesus went after his disciples..We can do the same with our time,our words, our resources.

4. Serve her by being practical in our love toward her.Show your love...love languages...don't just use words

5. Serve her by being faithful to her

F-L-Y-E-R-S ...Dayton Flyers...Go UD!!!

My husband and son thought I was crazy to pick UD against West Virginia.
I have loved UD basketball since I was little ....my dad has had season tickets forever!
How can you root against your hometown team?!!
I told them not to count them out...and they proved me right!!!

"Milk"

I rented this movie yesterday. If you're not familiar with it, it's based on a true story about Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist who was also involved in the politics of San Francisco. It details his life from early years when he was struggling to get into politics until he was murdered. Sean Penn did an excellent job portraying him. Actually it was eerie how close the characters in the movie resemble the real people. They showed the comparisons at the end of the movie. Josh Brolin also did a great job.
I will warn you that it has some scenes of his relationships with men that may make you uncomfortable. Watching hatred toward someone whether they are gay,black,Muslim,etc. makes my stomach turn..they are human. I don't support the gay lifestyle but it doesn't mean that I don't treat them with compassion. It's sad that people are filled with so much fear and hate that they resort to violence and murder.

"The first date gone wrong"

These are my notes from Rob's sermon tonight at Apex.

Genesis 3: 14-24

Women tend to be more empathetic. Satan knows this and appeals to that empathy with Eve.
Eve listens to the wrong source...Satan (the serpent)
Adam is there when Eve listens to the serpent but he is silent. He makes the mistake of passive leadership.
This is a deadly combination.

Today...the internet draws us in
For men...it's pornography..visual images
For women...it's chat rooms

Men need to ask their wives.."How are you doing inside?"
Adam and Eve eat the fruit and it leads to shame..they hide from each other and then from God.
God asks.."Where are you?"
Not for Himself..God is all knowing...he asks for them.

Conflict in marriage is opportunity for God to ask "Where are you?"

Consequences of Eve
1. Pain in childbirth
2. You will desire to have authority over your husband. You will try to usurp his authority but he will rule over you. Headship is not the same as domination.

Consequences of Adam

1. Work will be a struggle..you put her(wife) as an authority instead of guiding her.

What does God do?

1 God initiates..he walks in the garden and calls out to them
God wants to walk through your marriage

2.He redeems..He provides clothing. He takes care of Satan through the cross of Christ which redeems you

3. God protects...Humans often enjoy being the victim of pain..the want to return to the garden. God stops that cycle.
In your marriage..is there something from the past you continually bring up as your "ace of spades"
You have to learn to keep short accounts. Don't go back to Egypt. Press onward as Paul teaches.

ER...."Old Times"

When ER started in 1994 I was a HUGE fan! I even had an ER t-shirt..my family will laugh because they know I love t shirts. Anyways, I loved the various story lines with a medical focus. I work in an inner city hospital so I know how true to life some of the story lines were. I also loved the characters. Tonight they have some of the people who were on the original seasons. I can't believe it's been 15 yrs.

Fasting...a good article

I read this article and thought it had some good points on fasting.
From a personal experience, I have fasted a handful of times. I've done it in response to the need for prayer for friends. I had a co-worker fast for me when I had my surgery for possible breast cancer 5 yrs ago and it meant the world to me.
I think it's very important to remember your focus..not on your hunger but the person/cause/struggle that you are fasting about.





Surviving A Fast by Adam Smith



Lent is upon us, and the time has come for making some sacrifices. For many of us who grew up in a strongly evangelical environment, Lent can be somewhat foreign. But as many people return to the ancient practices of Christianity, liturgical practices like Lent are becoming more common.



One way to dive into Lent is an all-out fast. In our consumer society where fast food commercials try to convince us to instantly satisfy our every craving, a fast is a countercultural statement. Add to that the fact that it's a rich and biblical part of Christian tradition. If you want to undertake a fast, but never have before, here are a few tips to help you succeed.

Set an Attainable Time Goal

A couple years ago I decided to write an article for the magazine about fasting. My best friend and I planned to document our journey as we fasted from all food for 40 days. We both made it about 20, and were probably on the verge of resorting to cannibalism by that point. If you've never done an extended fast before, it may not be the best idea to start with one. Think about doing a sundown to sundown fast (that's the format of most biblical fasts). If you set an unrealistic timetable, you're setting yourself up for failure.

Remember to Pray

This sounds simple, but it's amazing how sidetracked you can become when you're thinking about your stomach. The whole point of fasting is to focus on prayer. You're not engaging in a starvation diet. Every time you start obsessing about food or how hungry you are, pray. When a Subway commercial comes on TV and you start wishing for physical tragedy to befall Jared Fogle, pray.

Ask for Support

While Jesus tells us not to go around bragging about our fasting, there's nothing wrong with asking a couple friends to hold you accountable and pray for you. Hopefully, they'll also be kind enough not to eat massive amounts of food in front of you. If not, perhaps it's time to find new friends.
Don't Tempt Yourself Unreasonably

You don't want to isolate yourself while fasting, but it's important to be smart about what situations you put yourself in. For instance, in the midst of my fast I went to my favorite barbecue restaurant with a group of friends and watched them eat. One of them tried to convince me that if I drank baked beans they counted as a beverage. It almost made sense. Stay away from situations that are going to put unreasonable strain on your fortitude.

Drink a Lot

Chugging a lot of water will make the hunger pangs less severe. Also, going without food for a while can make you extremely lethargic. Water will boost your energy. You may also want to think about drinking juice. It will keep your blood sugar from plummeting too much. Stay away, however, from caffeine and alcohol. Without food in your stomach as a buffer, caffeine will have you bouncing off the walls and alcohol will probably put you in a coma.

Listen to Your Body

If you're doing an extended fast, pay attention to the signals your body is giving you. For the first three or four days, you'll probably feel hungry because your body has been conditioned to eat at certain times. After this, the hunger typically goes away. When actual physical hunger returns, it's time to eat again. That's your body warning you that if you don't give it food soon, it will digest any part of itself it can get its hands on.

Fasting is tough. There's no way around that. But it can be an incredible learning experience. During my fast, I realized how much of my life was centered around immediate gratification. If you do decide to embark on the journey of fasting, be prepared to learn some hard lessons. It's a difficult task, but an incredibly rewarding one.

"How Can A Good God Let Bad Things Happen?"

I received this book about twomonths ago to review. I love to read and this topic intrigued me. It's a question that I struggle with especially in relation to children.
I know that many of my friends who have been through tragedies also ask "Why?". It's asked during those hard times when faith can be questioned and trust in God can be shaken.
This book correlates with the book of Job in the Bible. He takes the many things that Job went through and correlates his questions of why? to those we may have now. The most interesting point I thought he brought up here is "why not" Why would we think that God only allowed good and not bad in a fallen world of sin.
He takes those hard questions that many people do ask such as the holocaust,911,abuse of children and attempts to explain. He doesn't just use the "God has a purpose" explanation. He does talk about how tragedy and struggle refines you as a person. He also brings into discussion the fact that earth isn't meant to be heaven. As humans we are given a choice. Sometimes those choices aren't easy. We are being chiseled into stronger humans.
I found his examples to be very relevant to my own struggles in life and my own questions that I've dealt with. This isn't a book that you can rush through. I took a couple of chapters at a time and absorbed the information. I would highly recommend this book for everyone who is going through a hard time and asking God "Why?"

I guess there's no breakfast in heaven

No matter what you eat for breakfast...they cover it. This will make you laugh :)

"Dora goes wild?"

I was watching the news and this was one of the stories:

Dora the Explorer is growing up, with a new, mature look that has some parents up in arms.
'Dora the Explorer' character gets bold new look.

Mattel and Nickelodeon have announced that the educational cartoon character, a favorite of the pre-school set, will become a tween next fall, and will have a new electronic fashion doll line to match the new look.

"As tweenage Dora, our heroine has moved to the big city, attends middle school and has a whole new fashionable look," the companies announced in a February release titled "Dora Grows Up!"


Sometimes it's hard to see your little girl grow up :)

"The First Date"

These are my notes from Apex. The Phil Wing Band led worship. I love "From the Inside Out" is one of my favorite songs. We also sang "You're Beautiful" by Phil Wickham. I'm still working on Darrell for that concert which is 2 weeks away. I LOVE Phil Wickham so for me...2 hours of drive is worth it :)

Rob is doing the next few weeks on the subject of marriage. The series is called "One Flesh"
He gave an interesting quote from Johnny Depp on marriage. Basically he said it's what you make it and it doesn't need a piece of paper to define it.

The Origin of Marriage

1. God is the originator of marriage.
If you infringe upon the "copyright" of marriage you change it..i.e. adultry,homosexuality

The book "Sacred Marriage" by Gary Thomas has an awesome quote worth buying the book for

" God didn't create marriage to make you happy. He created it to make you Holy. It's to point you to God.

The Pattern of Marriage

1. God highlights for Adam what animals can't do for him. They aren't a helpmate. They don't help to make him complete.
God creates woman and brings her to Adam...someone he trusts. She is a helpmate.
Both have equal access to God.
2. God created marriage for His glory. To teach us about Christ.
There is leadership of man with respect of woman.
The church has always existed in the mind of God.

The Connection of Marriage

One flesh
You don't understand communication,finances. sexuality unless you understand one fleshness
Divorce..the effect trickles down.

Freedom of Marriage
No shame . No constraints. You share everything.
It's to free them from sin.

US Airways Airbus A320 in the Hudson River

I loved this sketch that my friend Barb sent me a few weeks ago...(I'm just getting caught up with my work email)...awesome!

The real Bambi and Thumper

My friend Aisa sent me an email with pictures of deer and rabbits...this was my favorite.

Love is here

This is my new favorite worship song to sing at Apex :)