Links For You and An Isaac Update

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Hallelujah Diet, Isaac Update, Links to Share, Prayer Request, Recipe

I thought I'd share with ya'll just a few things I've run across lately that I thought you might be interested in.  All of these have links attached, even though my blog theme has them in such a subtle color that they don't jump right out at you.  Just hover over each one with your cursor to see the links.

  • I know you will get a blessing from this post by Courtney at Nesting Instincts.  She and her children shared Valentines with the residents at a local nursing home. :)  Wonderful idea for next year!
  • Michelle is embroidering her way through the year.  She is making such gorgeous things, too.  I am amazed at the projects she is doing with her new embroidery machine.  (Michelle is also mom to a beautiful girl with needs similar to Isaac's, so you will occasionally see Emily updates there too.)
  • This gets my chuckle-of-the-day award!  Pothole Gardens by Pete Dungey – "An ongoing series of public installations highlighting the problem of
    surface imperfections on Britain's roads."  (it will be interesting to hear Tia's take on this one!!!) 🙂
  • I am going to be trying this salad, simply because it looks like such an odd mix of foods.  Those are the ones that I usually like!
  • Our church radio station will be holding its annual Restorathon this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  This is how we raise the yearly budget for the upcoming year.  I love that you can listen live 24/7 to our station from the web – that is such a blessing to many around the world!  The station is a big blessing to us, too, because Isaac likes music so much.  We turn it on often for him, and he is starting to let us know when he wants the radio on.  That is how much of an impact that WLVF has had in our lives. 

The Restorathon begins at 7 a.m. on Thursday!  I am going to do my best to be up and alert and listening!!! :)  If you are unable to listen, perhaps you will help us pray that the budget will be met for this upcoming year, so that our station can continue to spread the Gospel around the world on WLVF!  Thanks so much!

Isaac Update:  the little stinker had no fever yesterday, and was feeling great (that means, loud and happy all day!!!); but today, his temp is just slightly elevated and he is one grumpy little man. :(  So, we're not quite sure what is going on there…we will just have to wait and see.

I pray you have a wonderful week!

Alesha

A Short Update About A Sick Boy

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Florida Weather, Hallelujah Diet, Household, Isaac Update, Prayer Request

Trying to keep my promise to allow myself to write shorter posts that aren't quite as polished as I'd like.  I know that so many people like to keep up with Isaac, and when you don't see a post for days on end, you start to wonder. 🙂

So, here's our Isaac Update:

Ugh!  Isaac is sick again.  High temps this afternoon and a stuffy/runny nose, and his tummy has been upset too.  I had a diaper this afternoon that had me crying "Code Brown!  Code Brown!" in my head, thinking of Tia's posts on the subject!  I needed four hands for the clean up, and then one more pair to pin down Isaac's!  It was quite a challenge! 🙂

He is generally miserable, but is soothed by his favorite videos and music, praise the Lord.  I just hate the whole shivering with fever, then sweating it out…it just makes him so unhappy. :o(

I am dealing with lots of fibromyalgia pain this week.  I missed my vitamins for a few days, as well as our carrot juice, and the weather has been cold.  I think these things have combined to wreaked havoc on my system.  But I've downed my double handful of supplements for today, and Doug has been juicing our carrots this week.  So I am looking forward to feeling better soon.

My dad and brother have been working on our central air/heat system this week, so we are looking forward to having it up and running soon.  We are so blessed by the knowledge my dad has gained down through the years, and I am so glad that he has passed it on to my brother!  So nice to see them work together, too. 🙂

That's it for today.

Blessings to you,

Alesha

Vegetarian Vegetable Soup

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Food and Drink, Hallelujah Diet, Recipe

I made a lovely pot of vegetable soup this week, and we have enjoyed it so much.  Since the weather has been chilly, we find ourselves craving warm, yummy things for supper.

This is how I make my soup:

  • I start with one large bottle of tomato juice
  • Add 2-5 T of Better-Than-Bouillon vegetable base (according to your taste)
  • Add 1/2 head of cabbage, shredded (do not skip this step…it adds SO MUCH flavor!)
  • Add diced veggies of your choice (I do an entire onion and 3 or 4 potatoes)
  • Add canned veggies of your choice (I put in organic carrots, baby peas, large butter beans & great northern beans)
  • Add any frozen veggie of your choice (I add 1/2 bag of yellow corn)
  • Salt to taste
  • Simmer all day

That's it!  You can put in whatever veggies your family likes, and add any seasonings you prefer.  It really is important to add that cabbage, though; and if your family doesn't like cabbage very much, don't worry, it cooks down to almost nothing.  But the flavor it adds — YUMMO! :o)

Now, for you meat eaters (hehehe) I will tell you this:  this is Doug's grandma's recipe, minus two ingredients. 

  • She browns a roast, then cooks it until tender; shreds it; and adds the beef and all the drippings to the soup.
  • She adds a small amount of sugar to taste.

We thought we would really miss the meat, but we don't.  We love this soup with just the veggies, because, really, who needs more sugar in their diet?

I'd love to hear from you if you give it a try!

So, Bullets It Is!

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Blessings, Florida Weather, Food and Drink, Household, How Great is Our God, Isaac Update, What's Happening

Otherwise I will never remember to tell you everything! 🙂

  • Our Anniversary Sunday at our church was a wonderful day!  We had over 3700 is attendance, and over 400 professions of faith.  The first time visitors and those who accepted Christ will all be followed up by various members of the congregation.  The really exciting thing to me was seeing so many families that attended together.  You could see them everywhere after the service as they enjoyed the huge carnival that is put together for the children and teens every year.  It was SUPER cold that Sunday – so rare for Florida – but lots of fun!  We even took Isaac over for a little while, and he (and Daddy) managed to snag a rubber ducky with the winning mark, and came home with a cute stuffed duck! 🙂
  • Doug and I were able to go out Saturday by ourselves, a real treat for us.  We found a used bookstore, that only carried hardback books.  I came home with a couple of new (to me) mystery books.  We enjoyed lunch together and then bought groceries at the Wal-Marts. ;)  Such a nice day!
  • Grammy and Isaac had a nice time together, while we were out.  She brought over his Valentines Day card and gift.  Here they are, along with the balloon we bought him (and paid TOO much for!), and a little Valentine from his little friend at church who was so sweet to remember him.
Ikesvalentine

  • We took Isaac for his first visit to the Dentist yesterday.  And get this, his dentist name is Dr. Bopp!  Isn't that funny?  He had no cavities, and no issues at all.  We were so glad!  He does have plaque that is building up because he doesn't eat by mouth.  They suggested to brush his teeth 3 times a day, and that would help to prevent it.  We are going to do our best to keep up with that.
  • We found a HUGE Goodwill store, and had so much fun looking around.  We found some books, and a few shirts – one for Isaac and two for me.  $4 for a plus size shirt is a good deal, and Isaac's was only $2.  Gotta love Goodwill!!!
  • It is cold again in Florida…has been for several days.  I've just learned to dress in layers and have been comfortable in the house.  Our electric bill was astronomical for last month, but the Lord is good and provided the extra that we needed!
  • I am making vegetable soup today.  It smells really yummy, and I can't wait for the boys to get home so we can dig in. 🙂
  • OH!  I got a new garbage can.  Here she is…she is bee-yoo-tee-full!

DSCN0292  Altview

Doug's uncle Roger made this gorgeous creature!  We had one just like it for years, but when Isaac was in the hospital for a month, a sweet friend cleaned out our frig, but forgot to empty the trash.  We were never able to get the smell out of the wood, and so had to throw the trashcan out with the trash.  We were heartbroken!  Uncle Roger finally relented to get his tools out of retirement and make us a new one.  We LOVE her!!!

I guess that's it for my bullets.  I'm going to have to allow myself to post shorter blogs, so that I can post more often.  I always want my blogs to be ju-u-u-ust right, and so I put off blogging until I have more time.  It seems like that "more time" almost never happens.  So, I'm working on how to rectify that situation. 🙂

Blessings to you,

Alesha

Believe Him and All Will Be Well

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope, Just My Thoughts

Life is exhausting, isn't it?  I know that sounds silly, but that's how I feel today.  I am physically tired and the bad news has just rolled in all day long, it seems:

  • Friends just starting their battle with cancer. 
  • Other friends in the midst of their battle with cancer who are so weakened by the cure that they cannot care for themselves right now. 
  • Precious friends struggling in their marriages, trying to find relief from the pain of unmet needs and unfulfilled dreams. 
  • Friends trying to determine God's will for their lives – choosing between ministry or marriage. 
  • One friend keeping vigil by her sick child's hospital bed, while trying to figure out just what is making her special needs kiddo even sicker than usual right now.

And I have a headache. 

Yeah. 

I was going to complain on FaceBook about that…

Until I read all the other emails, and statuses, and texts that brought all of the above info…

Now, I'm just counting my blessings and praying for my loved ones.

The best medicine for the "woe-is-me's" is a good dose of reality; and then a spoonful of the tonic of a "gratitude attitude".

God is so good to me!  I know He will meet my needs, and that He will be a Mighty God to all of my friends, as well.

It's ok for us to be troubled some days by this life that we are living…as long as that causes us to turn our eyes to our wonderful Saviour…as long as we "look full in His wonderful face".  We will find that "the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."*

Blessings to you,

Alesha

*Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus