i'm a medical marvel

nothing with my health is ever easy. everything is complicated, or a mystery....... case in point.... two years ago, i went to the doctor for my stomach. first, i had heartburn. then, i had an ulcer. then, my gall bladder was removed. then, i still had an ulcer. now, i'm chalking everything up to lactose intolerance. frustrating that we couldn't have figured that out before i had surgery....
now, another medical mystery. my ears have been bothering me for about four or five days. they hurt so badly, feel so full of "stuff", and are so sensitive to loud sounds. ouch. painful. we got over the counter drops, and it hasn't helped. so i go to the doctor today. he looks in my ears, clean as can be. do i have allergies? no. are my lymph nodes swollen or sore? no. am i sick in any other way, sore throat, runny nose, fever? no. he looks at me, crosses his arms, and shakes his head. he doesn't know what is wrong with me.... wow, thanks doc. he gave me a decongestant, and if that doesn't help in a week, i have to go see the ear nose and throat doctor.... that'll be fun. next they'll take out my ears and find out later that we could've solved it with ear drops.... that's just the way things work. mat tells me i'm a medical marvel. that doesn't make me feel any better. hopefully the decongestant will work.....
we went and saw epic movie yesterday. wow, it was funny. funny along the lines of scary movie, not another teen movie, and the other ones.... a type of humor mat and i enjoy. my only criticism is that the movie itself was all of one hour.... that's right, one hour. i feel as though the price of a movie should be directly related to the length of time the movie is. needless to say, i felt a little jipped, but, it was our valentines day, so it was still fun. we ate our weight in brunch at the st. julien. mat had a certificate from when he worked there, so we got all you can eat bruch and all you can drink mimosas for twenty bucks. it was great. crab legs, prime rib, eggs benedict, biscuits and gravy, amazing french toast, it was all so delicious. and so much fun. we just ate and sat and talked and laughed at the people around us (the lady who got up nine times for more.... she had a huge bubble butt, and her and her "companion" kept eating oyster.... and aphrodesiac..... it's hard to get the picture without seeing it, but it was pretty funny) we had such a good day yesterday, just hanging out, relaxed and spending time together. i love my husband!

let the invasion begin.....

"jesus is being lost in a religion bearing His name. people are being lost because they cannot reconcile jesus' assocation with christianity. christianity has become docile, domesticated, civilized. we have forgotten that there is a kingdom of darkness stealing the hopes and dreams and souls of a humanity without God. it is time to hear the barbarian call, to form a barbarian tribe, and to unleash the barbarian revolt. let the invasion begin..."

i'm reading this amazing book by erwin mcmanus. someone with a name like erwin has to bring about greatness. and this book is great. it's really challenging my thinking on christianity and being a follower of christ, and the difference between the two. it is forcing me to change my thoughts on being called to a lifetime of service to God, that it's not comfortable and prettyness and supplying for need and answering prayer the way we want it to be answered... john the baptist prayed to not lose faith and for jesus to save his life, but that wasn't what he had planned....... that it's hard work, life-threatening work, dirty work, amazing work. there's another line in that book, haven't written it down yet, that says something to the effect of "some people make it through the darkest night, and some people wake up in glory." i only hope that we are up for the challenge. this book is really worth checking out.... it's hard to explain exactly what it is doing to my heart, but it is doing some great things. making me think and pray hard about some things. anyone who has read it, help me out here!

"if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. for whoever want to save his life will lost it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it." luke 9:22-23

it makes me wonder what God is calling me to, and what i'm missing out on by the way i am currently leading my life. he talks about how crazy and insane john the baptist was, and how polite and controlled christians are now. it makes me want to embrace a barbarian way of life, but not knowing where to start. i like being polite, treating people with respect. but i am realizing that i need to care less about what people think of me and care more about my mission in life, telling others about jesus. leading the lost to him. but what does that look like? what does the typical missionary look like, and how exactly can i fit into that mold? what do i have to give up, what will i lose? but more importantly, what will i gain? how will my life be bettered, enriched, by heeding the barbarian call, by following jesus with reckless abandon and going wherever he wants us to go? what will my life be by living less safely, and more dependent on God?