Revival Link

Here's something easier to look at regarding Florida (2 posts ago).

I have a decent idea of who my readers are and know that many of you would be very skeptical of this. But let me reassure you, these things are happening in our faces too. This isn't just Florida! Enjoy.

http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/05/29/1075189.aspx

Getting the credit check for an apartment 3 blocks from David's office. Saw the place this morning. Woohoo!

Florida Healing Revival

Just letting everyone in on the fun:
There's a big fat revival going on in Florida led by Todd Bentley. People are getting out of wheelchairs and blind eyes can see. Stop laughing, I'm serious.

I can't find a good way to link you to video. The best way to watch is on GodTV - if you happen to have that channel. Otherwise, go to GodTV on the internet. You can stream it from there. Or try Ustream or YouTube (though you'll just get brief clips on YouTube).

At the bottom of the following link, there's a list of "Messages." Those are the testimonies from individual meetings. The way they're written takes some getting used to. Someone was typing as fast as he could during the meeting - reporting what was happening. It'd help to know "Bam" is what Todd says when he puts his hand on someone's head. (Boys like sound effects I figure.)

http://www.injesus.com/index.php?module=group&task=details&GroupID=CT01ZQZ1

Todd Bentley's ministry is called Fresh Fire. This is a link to their homepage.

http://freshfire.ca/?Id=1000

Those of you that don't normally read my blog, look at the post 2 down, "Prove me wrong, Lord!"

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was intense. I'd been very worried that it would come and go and I wouldn't get cards. But 3 people sent me one, besides the 2 David got me - one from him, and one from our babies. The card from Eden and Judah made me cry, but that's all the crying I did all day. It was a very heavy day. David went out of his way to honor me though. He got me a corsage (pict.s on Flickr) and took me to the conservatory.

Speaking of corsages, I saw a single other woman all day wearing one. Seemed odd to me. And here's a funny: A woman at the conservatory saw it and stopped to congratulate me. She then pointed at David questioningly, and when I nodded, she congratulated him too. It was so sweet of her! There's great value in getting a "congratulations" from a woman 3 times my age. I surely like them from us spring chickens too, but she made me feel special. Many extra thanks to the anonymous stranger.

There are pictures from the conservatory on Flickr. Wouldn't you know it, but my batteries died while we were there. The conservatory turned out to be the perfect place to celebrate Mother's Day. This is a place where all life is unique and valuable. There was so much beauty there.

I find myself, just since Mother's Day, feeling very different. There's been a great but quiet shift in my personality. I found myself all that day wanting to say words like "lovely" and "precious." I didn't, because I'm very not used to such words - I'd feel like a dork! But my demeanor seems to have shifted toward such words, if that makes sense.

I do love what being a mother has done to who I am. I will always see room for improvement, but I'm nicer now. Gosh, I hope it shows. I'm afraid it may just be in my heart and not yet spilling over where others can benefit from it. Maybe it's a gradual thing. I hope it keeps swelling up though.
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By the way, something has gone wrong with the guppies. Something that looks like fungus is growing in the aquarium. Whether it's related or not, I don't know, but many of the guppies have died. The father and the entire first set of babies is gone now. Anti-Yoda had another set of 7 and they're down to 3. The remaining 4 fish are in individual jars and getting daily 50% water changes. I'm taking the aquarium completely apart and disinfecting it. Groan. (And theoretically, I should be packing boxes.)

Prove me wrong, Lord!

This is the post where I thank God for proving me wrong!

I grew up being told that the Holy Spirit kind of exists. When we were baptized with water, He would park inside us and idle. Supposedly, he was doing something in there, but He seemed a dull fellow.

I was 12ish when I started questioning this. Eagerly desiring the greater spiritual gifts was not happening in the theology I was taught, but it was clearly happening in the Bible I was reading.

Seven years of questioning later, I finally determined to leave the religion I was raised in. I was ditching religion to have relationship, but what in the world that was going to look like, I had no clue!

Seven years after that, and I found myself being healed from some physical insanity as a result of prayer. Several times, I would feel pain leave me while people prayed. It's been enlightening.

Now, in the last week, I'm watching God do some pretty bizarre stuff. Looks like my healing has just been the beginning.

Ever watch on TV as some pastor would pray for someone, putting his hand on their forehead, and they'd go down like they passed out? I always thought that was stupid. I couldn't figure out how, but I knew they were faking and trying to make money. I mean, isn't it obvious to everyone?

But now D and I have both caught someone as they went down. I had to sit because I was starting to go down myself. And someone that D had his hand on while he was praying for him says D's hand was on fire (a common feeling when God's moving we hear).

Furthermore, the woman that I caught found me 2 days later to tell me she's pain free now (which is what we were praying for - it'd been over 5 years for her).

Lemme tell ya, religion sucks. Relationship though is really fun.

Pict.s

20 new pictures on Flickr. Y'all go attack.

(If I've ever met ya face to face, just ask for an invite.)

Flame-Throwers and Baby Fish

Most interesting news of the week:
Monday night, David's whole office had a party. I think 11 people total. We went to a cooking school nearby and got to cook about 6 different dishes.
Highlight of the evening: being the first volunteer to jump up and use the flame-thrower! (We made creme brulee.)
David's boss had us all choose an item from the school's store to take home. I've got a bodacious apron now! It's black with big white flowers. I'm planning to use cross-stitching thread to add color to the flowers.

This week's been interesting.

• Sunday, I got to be one of many who told the whole church what God has done for me lately - the major pain relief I've gotten more than anything. How awesome to be able to publicly give glory to God!
  
• I've spent several days re-doing my daily routines and what I write on the calendar. They follow Flylady's uh... flight path now. They're also much more condensed and easy to follow.
• Our first box (for the move) is packed.
• I consented to play a game with David both Sunday and yesterday and enjoyed them. Two in one week is a record! We've discovered that if we figure out how I can "play house" as I play the game, I'm far more likely to enjoy it. With Puzzle Pirates, I'm trying to earn money to buy a sink for our shack. With Settlers, I'm pretending I'm homesteading.
  
• The guppy had 7+ babies yesterday. Two parents, 4 adolescents, and 7+ babies, for a total of 13+ guppies!
• Oh, and as of this week, I'm cooking again. We're doing a decent job of pulling out of "Holly's Sick Mode." The house is back in order sans budget and a thorough sweeping. The later of which I do not plan to do.
  
• Speaking of cooking, I melted a pound of chocolate and stirred in some left-over nuts. And then I licked the spoon. And the pot. And the measuring cup. And the parchment paper. And the tupperware. And my hands. And the stove... What? :P
  

Lyme Update

We drove to MI yesterday (to the Lyme doc). We left here at 4:50 AM to get there for my first appt, which was at 9:30 - 8:30 our time. Groan. However...

The day went well. We were able to find out I have another of the tick-borne diseases; ehrlichiosis - both types. Obviously, this won't make my symptoms worse than they've been since I contracted it. It just means we can treat it better. That's why I consider this good.

We also were able to refine what supplements I need to be taking a bit, and get me started on homeopathic drop-thingies. I'll be starting those today, but am a smidge apprehensive. You're supposed to drop them under your tongue, and the solution is 25% alcohol. Ew.

Also, I got started on an IV yesterday. We'll do it everytime we go - though I'll be able to do even more starting next time. Yesterday, what I did was something for de-toxing. From now on, I'll do that plus a ton of Vitamin C. We're debating how to do the IVs more often - find someone here or even learn to do them at home. We'll see. (We're also trying to figure out how to do infrared saunas here.)

Next appt is June 11.

(I AM feeling tremendously better. I've even had 8-hour time-spans of NO symptoms lately. Remember how I was feeling in February? This is amazing! Thank you, Abba!)
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The Spicy Cheese Soup last week seemed to go over well, except that it was really spicy. So what if they WERE serranos? I fried them before I put them in! *evil giggle*

We still have 4 baby fish and the turtledoves. However, 2 sparrows have taken up residence on the other side of the air conditioner now - essentially, 2 bird nests in our bedroom.

Turtledoves are decidedly more pleasant roommates than sparrows. The first time one of the sparrows saw me, she puffed up her feathers and jumped up and down snarling and shrieking (I swear). They've gotten no more amiable since.