10.4.12 EVERYBODY HAS A STORY! JJCC learned that through many health challenges, that Christ and HiStory is enough!

October 2012 has begun like many other Octobers begin and end:  rainy and dreary.    Interestingly, I find myself with the same struggle again.  "WHY GOD?"  I hate the way overcast days seem to make everyone feel.  Much more than that, I hate the way they make our daughter, J, feel.  It's bad enough that she has so many allergies and has to eat gluten free, with minimal dairy.

Two years ago, I wrote on this blog:

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• I prayed for our daughter, J, and she got worse last week. As the storms set over South Jersey, her high intracranial hypertension caused so much pain in her body that she became close to comatose. I drove around South Jersey during the storms.

I saw the gorgeous fall leaves out of my rain soaked windows and I raised my voice to God, crying, "Why? If you can make all these millions of individual leaves into this gorgeous canopy of color... WHY will you not take our daughter's pain?" He answered with a "No! Wait!"

J's extreme pain stayed the same until sometime Friday afternoon when the storms lifted. Friday night I took her out for a drive in her mustang. It was the first time in two years that she has ridden in it. We talked. She smiled. Yesterday, she came in and sat on my bed and we talked for a long time. Precious memories! Her wisdom is often profound.  Thank You, LORD! That's it for now! Her pain has returned and she's back in bed!


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I've prayed and prayed for our son, C.  At the age of two, C had so many allergies that the specialist we took him to said that he had never seen anyone so young with so many.  I remember, at that age, over a 6 week period, all he could eat was chicken and rice. Sick and not feeling well for much of his young life, C has battled many complications with his health.  His journey has been hills and valleys, hills and valleys, hills and valleys...  but he's enduring...  persevering... taking those hills and valleys with Jesus.  C's making the hills and valleys part of HiStory as he learns about perseverence and endurance.   Married now for 5 years, he and his wife have a 2 year old son and are most blessed. 
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Speaking of allergies, our daughter C, was allergic to our town's water.  For a period of time, we had to buy bottled water for all of her drinking and bathing.  She was severely dairy intolerant.  When she would line up for her plate in the cafeteria, the lunch room ladies would yell, "Here comes the allergy girl.  Do you have her plate ready?"  In middle school, C's heart began to experience tachycardia.  It was unbelieveable for her to just be sitting and all of a sudden her heart would be beating 250 beats per minute.  One time in the doctor's office it was at 280.  An ablation surgery helped.  Her allergies and heart are both improving with age.

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Our son, J, had 18 things that he was allergic to when he was a little guy.  He also had a lazy eye, that required glasses at the age of 2.  We carried the paper around that listed the 18 things he was allergic to, so we could post it when with a group of people.  It seemed like we had that paper more than he had his glasses.  Eventually, he grew out of his allergies and his need for glasses.  We are so grateful!


Back on 3/21/11, I wrote:

My thoughts for today were the heart of our worship time together, as a church family, on Sunday. As our son, J, who was visiting from out of state, led our congregation in song and my husband, Steve, spoke from God's word - the message was clear:

• No matter what we're going through - CHRIST IS ENOUGH!
• For any challenges within me - CHRIST IS ENOUGH!
• For challenges within my family - CHRIST IS ENOUGH!
• For challenges within my neighborhood - CHRIST IS ENOUGH!
• For challenges within my workplace - CHRIST IS ENOUGH!
• For challenges beyond comprehension -CHRIST IS ENOUGH!
• For Japan - CHRIST IS ENOUGH!

 

As you meditate on the words above and connect them with the scripture below, I encourage you to praise the LORD.
 

Colossians 1:15-23

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15 He is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn over all creation.

16 For by Him all things were created:

things in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible,

whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;

all things were created by Him and for Him.

17 He is before all things,

and in Him all things hold together.

18 And He is the head of the body, the church;

He is the beginning and

the firstborn from among the dead,

so that in everything He might have the supremacy.

19 For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in him,

20 and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things,

whether things on earth or things in heaven,

by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and

were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

22 But now He has reconciled you

by Christ's physical body through death

to present you holy in His sight,

without blemish and free from accusation-

23 if you continue in your faith,

established and firm,

not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

This is the gospel that you heard and

that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven..."

~GIGATTAATTGIG~