ObtainingMercy's Xanga

New Blog Address

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:24:36 GMT

Obtaining Mercy

Please come visit me at my new web site on TypePad. I would love to hear from you.

I Have a New Blog Home...Please Come Visit Me!

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:25:36 GMT

Hi bloggy friends,

I have been praying and researching for some time now, looking for a new server for my blog. I have been very unhappy with the advertising here on Xanga. I would not mind so much if it were simply ads, but the fact is that the ads here are very offensive in nature. I have been very embarrassed by that fact for quite some time now.

I have discussed my move with other bloggers who are contemplating the same change, and others who have already changed to another site. I also talked it over with my hubby to get his opinion on it.

So, I am happy to announce that I have a new blog: Obtaining Mercy

On my new blog, I have provided buttons right on the home page so that you can follow my blog, or subscribe with Google, or subscribe with Bloglines. If you use a different blog reader, let me know and I will see if I can get a button for it.

I don't have all of my archives up yet, but I am working on it.

As far as I know, this will be my last blog post here on Xanga, although I will be keeping my account so that I can easily follow and comment to those of you who still have your blogs here. I don't want to lose any of my bloggy friends! (the one thing I will miss from Xanga are the smiley faces...they don't have them on my new blog server. )

Thanks so much for following my blog here.

Please come visit me, and leave a comment so I won't feel lonely.

Obtaining Mercy - My New Blog Home

Love in Him,
Alesha
P.S. I turned off the comments on this post, so hopefully you will come comment at my new place. If you are unable to do that for some reason, and want to leave me a message, I have a new email addy for that: obtainingmercy@gmail.com

Friday, June 19, 2009

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:44:13 GMT

*EDIT below

If you are a fan of rip-roaring thunderstorms, you really should come to Florida during the summer.

Yesterday's storms were predicted for several hours before they actually got here, so I was able to get outside in the yard to pick up a few things...cardboard boxes that hadn't made it into the garbage can, a piece of tubing that will eventually be part of our central a/c system, and a watering can.

I also moved a bag of playground sand, then later wondered if that was such a good idea. After I came back inside, I kept feeling twinges all over - my upper back, my hip, my lower back. I am happy to say, however, that as of this morning, all is well! Nothing seems to be any the worse for wear. I think I am just starting to use muscles that have been dormant for a while, and they were protesting my use of them. How dare they???

Hey, are you looking for a good mystery to read this summer? Here's a review of one by my bloggy friend Cheryl at Copperswife. I'm always excited to get a "thumbs up" on a good mystery series!

I was happy to be able to tackle a good deal of the laundry yesterday. Doug has been doing most of the laundry on the weekends, except for the week my mom was here. It's just too much for me to sort, then carry the clothes to the washer; and then the stretching and bending to move it from washer to dryer was not a task I could do either. So, it was nice to be able to do some of it by myself yesterday. Now, mind you, I still have a large stack of undies and pjs sitting on the end of my couch, but still...some of it got finished.

Isaac had a drowsy, slow-moving day yesterday. I'm not sure what's going on with him. I'm hoping that he was just recovering from his busy day of therapy on Wednesday. He was certainly in a good mood, though, and we laughed and giggled all day long. His laughter is so contagious...I don't even try to stop myself. It does good like a medicine...and that is good for both of us!

Well, I have several things on my to-do list for today. One of those is to make my weekly visit to the chiropractor. Hopefully, that will go smoothly, and I'll be back home to finish that to-do list soon.

I pray that you have a great weekend, and that you are able to assemble with like-minded believer's in church on Sunday. If you have no plans to attend, I heartily recommend that you change those plans and be in the Lord's house if you physically can. Your spirit will be fed by the preaching of the Word of God, and you will be encouraged by the fellowship with other believers.

Blessings,
Alesha

*Edited to add: when I returned home from the chiropractor, my mom had swept the house and folded all that laundry!!! Whooo hooo for mamas!!!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:14:08 GMT

Daddy and Isaac went to therapy today, both sporting new hair cuts.

Isaac was having an "I don't want to open my eyes or smile at you" Day.

Ok, maybe just a small smirk will suffice Mommy and she'll leave me be!

Oh, good grief! I'd better give her a smile or she's never going to get that camera out of my face!

All buckled in and ready to go...

My two handsome men...hitting the road.

And for Mommy...a nice peaceful, quiet day to do the things that need to be done: laundry, dishes, jewelry making, email, blog reading, picking veggies from our "5-gallon bucket garden"...same stuff as usual, only at an easier pace.

Soon they will be home, and the quiet will be over, but the house will be much more joyful and certainly a lot more interesting!

Alesha

ENERGY!!!

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:31:33 GMT

Today, for the first time in over 2 months, I woke up with a bit of energy!

I was able to work in the kitchen, only stopping to feed Isaac and take out the dog, for about an hour and a half this morning. I have not been able to do that in such a long time! Praise the Lord!

I am still in considerable pain. My chiro explained that it is nerve pain I am feeling, from disks in my back that are inflamed, pinched or damaged. We're not sure which, but are not going to spend a lot of money finding out right now. The best thing for my back right now is periodic adjustments, continued weight loss, an optimal diet and moderate exercise. For now, my exercise is working in my house, something I haven't been able to do for a while.

We are continuing on our Hallelujah Diet, although it has not been easy the past several weeks. We are juicing our carrots and taking our barley and all of our daily supplements. They really do help us to feel so much better when we do that every day.

Here's a little something I thought you would enjoy:

(they sell these on the Hallelujah Acres website, and I just could not resist!)

I also have a fabulous recipe to share with you. It was sooooo yummy!!! The recipe is found in Recipes for Life from God's Garden by Rhonda J. Malkmus.

Stuffed Red Peppers
4          medium red bell peppers
1/4 c      onion
1 c       celery
1 c         corn kernels (I used organic canned corn, but fresh would be better)
1/2 tsp   rosemary
2 c         vegetable soup stock (I use "Vegetarian Better Than Bouillon" in water)
1/4 c      chives (I used dry, about 1/8 c)
1/4 c      carrots
1 c         basmati rice (I used brown basmati rice)
1 clove   garlic
1 tsp       parsley flakes (I used about 3 stalks of fresh)
Celtic Sea Salt to taste

Bring soup stock to a boil, add basmati rice, reduce heat, cover and cook for 25 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to sit an additional 15-20 minutes.
Slice tops off peppers, remove seeds and stems, and dice the remaining red part of the top of pepper. Dice the onion, celery, chives and carrots and combine with diced red pepper and corn. Mince garlic and *steam saute this vegetable mixture until tender - about 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine rice, vegetables and seasonings. Fill peppers and bake about 30 minutes.
*To steam saute, place veggies in very small amount of water and cook in skillet on stove top with the lid on.

Let me know if you try these, and how you liked them. We enjoyed them a lot!

Our church's Junior Camp is taking place this week. We have an awesome place, called Camp Glory, out in the middle of the Florida woods where our camps take place every summer. I attended them from the time I was around 8 years old until the summer I graduated from college. I have wonderful memories of fantastic adventures, awesome friends and decisions made for the Lord.

My brother and sister in law will be out there this week, along with many other counselors, campers, cooks, speakers and parents. I am praying that God will speak to many hearts and change many lives this week.

I am also praying the Florida mosquitos will be kept at bay and the temperatures will not be tooo scalding. Oh, and I told my brother I would also pray that he would have a cabin full of boys who sleep all night long!!!

I pray you have a wonderful week,
Alesha

Something Pretty

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:10:00 GMT

I will be sending this jewelry set out to my sweet friend, Bren, soon!

And after my having a major "uh oh" in the creative process, let me tell you that Bren is not only sweet, but she is also a very gracious woman!

You see, I created the entire necklace and the earrings in the wrong color!!! When I finally realized it, I moved heaven and earth to find the right colors and make another set. When I told her what I had done, she wasn't even offended; and was very kind. What a good friend!

The thing is...I can't even blame this on old age - I'm only 42!!! The only thing I could think of was that the pain I've been in lately must've muddled my brain and thinking processes far more than I realized!

So, they say confession is good for the soul...so I should be feeling "less stupid" really soon, then, right??? I certainly hope so!!!

God says that He gives us beauty for ashes. (Isaiah 61:3) That brings up such great pictures in my mind. And so, out of my mistake, I have an extra necklace. I've added some things to it, and posted it on my Etsy shop. I am hoping that it sells. Doug says it may be the prettiest thing I've done yet. He's a little biased, I think, but I'll take it!!!

My pain level seems to have "leveled" out these days. I wish I could say that it's disappeared, but not yet. My doctor did say that I could continue the muscle relaxers, with no ill effects, so I am doing that. They do seem to help a little bit.

Isaac had a FABULOUS day at therapy yesterday! We are finally starting to see some of the things that he was doing before he became so ill with the seizures early in 2007. It is exciting to see progress again. It has been a long road of recovery for those skills. It's amazing how the human brain can relearn those things! Praise the Lord for that!

I pray that you all have a great weekend.
Alesha

A Day Out

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:18:35 GMT

The scales were kind to me; but they were downright extravagant to Doug! I am down 3 more pounds, giving me a total of 26 pounds lost.

Doug is down 13 more pounds, with a total of 64 pounds lost!!!

I told him I wanted to poke him in the eye for that; but not really. I am so happy for him that he is feeling better and getting healthy.

Isaac's blood work went fine, although they did have to poke him twice. The nurse apologized profusely, as she works with children all the time, and really tries to make that first needle count. Isaac didn't cry though. Daddy was holding him, and he knew all was well.

I visited a new bead shop today, and oh wow! I was impressed! And they do classes!!! I am contemplating one near the end of the month that teaches soldering of sterling silver. Wouldn't that be fun???? Yep, definitely going to pray about that class.

That's it for today.

Blessings to you and yours,
Alesha

Just hanging out...

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:50:20 GMT

...enjoying Isaac's company today. Daddy is still coming by to feed him each day. I am still having some pain.

...counting my blessings. We are well and together and so blessed.

...praying for friends: those who are ill, those who are grieving, those who are trying to sell a house, those who are recovering from surgery, and those who have hearts broken beyond belief.

...remembering yesterday's blessing of being able to assemble with like-minded believers in church. Never take a service for granted!

...enjoying the beautiful BRIGHT sunshine outside; and knowing that like my friend Mrs. C said, by the time you read this, it could very well be pouring rain! That's a summer day in Florida for you!

...looking forward to my doctor's visit tomorrow, and hoping that the scales will be kind.

...believing that the day is not far away when we will all be "hanging out" together in Heaven, and looking forward, with great anticipation, to that day.

Alesha

Update on Prayer Request

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:23:40 GMT

Little Ewan passed away this morning. Please continue to pray for the family.

Both the daughter and granddaughter continue to be in an induced come. The granddaughter is now suffering from a respiratory infection and has not been able to have the first skin graft surgery. This makes the risk of infection greater.

Our God, however, is greater! Thank you for carrying these to His throne.

Alesha

Prayer Request

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:41:15 GMT

Please pray for Lindsay, Emma and Ewan Norcross. They were burned in a gas oven explosion. All three are burned 40-60% of their bodies.

They are the daughter and grandchildren of missionaries Jay and Linda Aarseth. Doug and I went to college with Jay.

I know they would appreciate your prayers.
Thanks,
Alesha