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A Peek into the Life of a Household of Lymies 

11/6/2014

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I have probably dropped enough comments over the last year for my readership to know that I have Lyme disease--as well as my older sister, Savannah (who was by far the worst). You may not know that the rest of my family has it as well.

As of this week, the last of us (Mama and Katherine) started Cowden. Daddy started a month ago. So, we have a house full of Lymies in various stages of detoxing, herxing, being sick, and getting well. Each and every one of those is tightly connected with the others.

The symptoms in our family vary from foggy brain to lack of energy, from inflamed intestines to inflamed facial skin, from no stamina to insomnia, from joint pains to muscle weakness, from hearing 'issues' to floaters in ones eyes. If you look at this chart, I personally have 17 of them (that's just a quick skimming without actually taking the time to think about it).

So, a peek into a day in our house...

Yesterday Daddy's bartonella (aka "Bart") was acting up. Bart is a co-infection with Lyme and one of it's symptoms is irrational irritation/anger flare up. I struggle with this myself, as does Mama. There are days when one or two or three of us are dealing with Bart and poor everyone else feels like they have to walk around on egg-shells. Once we identified that is what is causing these irrational temper flare ups, it helped--both those of us dealing with "Bart" and those of us desiring to not be seen. 

Mama can't hear very well because her Lyme is affecting her ears--and then everything reverbs. I think this is better than it was, say, two weeks ago, but it still is a problem for her. 

I don't really know what's up with Savannah, she has been out of town now for two weeks and I've only talked to her once. She's having fun. ;)

Katherine has laryngitis (not the squeaking kind, but simply a voice that is gruff and almost not there). She is a bit worried about it, but the general consensus is that it is just a herx reaction and that she shouldn't worry about it. Herxing comes and goes as one's system can or cannot keep up with the detoxing going on. I attempted to console her by pointing out that, "You could be having an emotional herx." I'm not sure how comforting she found that, but give me the choice between laryngitis and being an emotional (read bawling) wreck, I'd take the laryngitis/gruff voice any ol' day.

And then there's me. 

I guess one of my biggest, well, frustrating symptoms is my lack of stamina. I am used to working hard one day and getting up the next day and diving in again. I cannot do that these days. This thing right here is where my battle comes in. I can deal with the pain that comes and goes in my stomach, the fairly constant ache in my right hip and left wrist. I can (sorta) ignore the floater in my left eye and I can pretend that I hear more clearly than I do some days. I can work around swollen lymph nodes and the occasional stab of odd pain. But when it comes to having no energy? It makes me mad or turns me into a puddle of tears. 

I feel bad, guilty sometimes, that I cannot do what I used to do. 

For instance, I raked and gathered up leaves yesterday. I felt fine while doing it (not counting that fact that both my wrists were getting sore and my back was stiff by the time I was done), but today, I feel pretty near wiped out. (Though, I'm realizing, I could be even more tired.) Now, I can say, "Oh, it's the weather" since it's rainy...and it may be part of it, but really, I know, deep down in me that it isn't the weather, but it's me. I have these nasty evil bugs in my system that hold me down. 

I have had to admit it and it stinks. I don't like being weak. I want to be strong! I want to be someone my family can depend on to get the stuff done that needs doing! 

So, it makes me mad. Not that that does any good. 

Then I have to stop and think: Is my attitude pleasing to God? 

Well....if I'm discontent because I'm weak, because I'm sick, because this is what God has ordained for me, then no. If I really want to be blunt, I'm rebelling. That's sin. 

It's much easier to admit that than it is to be contented in my weariness, in my wish to do the things I think I need to do. Instead of dwelling on what I cannot do, I probably should be spending more time praising God for what I CAN do. I should be grateful that my mind has not been overly affected. I can read; I should do more that. I am able to sew--I have been doing that and have more things to do (plans for this afternoon anyone?). I can knit (and I LOVE that). I can wash dishes (yes, even when I feel crumby; I can wash dishes). I can still play my instruments even though I may have to brace one wrist to do so. I can run a vacuum cleaner. I can see...I can hear...I can sing (poorly, but still)...there are so many things that I CAN do; but I tend to lose sight of them because why? Because I cannot go out and grub around outdoors like I could. 

Sometimes I cannot tell if I have improved any during my almost six months of Cowden. But then, I have. The nearly constant burning in my stomach is not there. Yes, it flares up now and again (this past week for instance), but it is not constant by a long shot. My meningitis is less frequent and less severe when it does come on me. I don't think I'm quite as off-balance (literally) as I was. My dyspraxia comes and goes, but it's on the outs again right now. Come to think of it, my word-block may be a little better too!

I look at these things and I feel encouraged--until I think about my lack of stamina again. 

See, it's a vicious cycle! :D (*Cracks up* Gracious! I just made a pun and didn't realize it! Lyme is a vicious cycle for real. Lyme spirochetes have a life-cycle [just like any other bug], so the symptoms kind of come and go in a cyclical time frame. In theory anyway; probably if I actually went through and looked at some of my symptom flare ups I would really realize that.) 

Well, this didn't flow exactly like I intended...but oh well. Thanks for reading my rambles; it made me feel better. I even feel like I could go do a wee bit of physical labor (!) if it just weren't raining. *laughs* But I need to sew today anyway, so I guess it's fine.

*chin pokes out stubbornly*
I am getting better...

     Racheal

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A Monday

11/3/2014

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'Lo y'all!! How's your day been? Great I hope!

Mondays are frequently odd for me...so the fact that I got nearly everything I wanted to do today done really makes me happy! I guess it helps that I felt pretty decent--energy wise--today. (I won't say that the Lyme flare up in my stomach was very nice, but that is mainly just right before meals/when I get hungry.)

We "got rid" of the sewing project I did last week--and now I have a whole nother stack to do for the same lady! Well. I got one of the multiple things done after lunch. I think if I do one (or two, depending on size/time it takes) per day, as well as my "other stuff" I shall be done by the end of the week--but I won't have to spend all day sewing leaving me time to a) read, b) write, c) video edit, d) play my instruments. Of the above, video editing was the only one I did not get done.

I had this mess on my desk earlier today (it's still here, but a little neater)...
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There were actually three reasons. #1 was simply that I was reading Shelby Foote's The Civil War with my lunch coffee. #2 was I wanted to see what kind of interesting tidbits were in Generals in Gray (the open book on top of Foote's) about Gen. Jubal Early (it's his birthday today; he was born in 1816; which would make him two years older than my g-g-g-granddaddy). #3...well, I had an idea. That's what the open book in my chair was for. I have started a new page here on the MidKid...you can find it under the revised heading of "Extra! Extra!" (formerly Links/Stuff of Interest). But I can also link it...so here. The "meat" starts tomorrow.

Writing up the introduction and tomorrow's post took a little longer than it was supposed to...so I didn't get around to working on the Cow Cavalry like I intended. It was five o'clock by the time I completed my scribblings, so I did not think I would do as well as I might otherwise on the editing so I just didn't.

Instead, I went and played my guitar. I'm afraid I did not sound so great today, but my hands are a little stiff (Lyme again) and I have been being a bit dsypractic again...I did have fun though--which makes it all worth it, right? (At least for me.)

Then...*gasp*...I pulled my cello out of it's case and PLAYED IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS. I was really, really surprised that it was not any worse out of tune than it was. Maybe...hopefully...I will pull it out of the case again tomorrow.

Oh...and I finished another project...but because I have been somewhat of a slouch on posting lately, I think I'll save that for it's own separate post so it's not all mashed into this one. ;)

Alright...supper is winging itself toward being done (thanks to the best Mum ever) and I'm hongry (and Granddaddy is a-groanin' with impatience for his supper), so I think I'll skip out of here to go take care of a wee job Mama has for me...

      Racheal

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The Church of Christ, Part 6

11/2/2014

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I did not manage to finish the chapter today...but as it is the Fall time change, perhaps I may be excused for feeling like it's really after five instead of just past four?

Anyway, I did get through the section about the visible church and decided to pick up again next week with the invisible church. Therefore, with no further ado...The Privileges of the Visible Church: Q. 63 What are the special privileges of the visible church? A.: The visible church hath the privilege of being under God’s special care and government; of being protected and preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies; and of enjoying the communion of saints, the ordinary means of salvation, and offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministry of the gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in Him shall be saved, and excluding none that will come unto Him.

First then, the special care and protection of God:
He cares for His church and protects her as her “good shepherd,” leads her to rest, safety, nourishment and healing, gathering her, leading her, protecting her through all the hazards of life, John 10. He cares for her as a “father” cares for his children with tender and compassionate concern for their safety and welfare (Deut. 32:7). (523)
Second, the government and defense of God:
The church enjoys the personal, liberating, preserving government of God in Christ by which she is distinguished from the world: The Lord Jesus, as king and head of his church, hath therein appointed a government in the hand of church-officers, distinct from the civil magistrate (WCF, XXX, i). (524)

Christ governs His church so that it will be preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies. (525)

The Lord God Himself destroys the enemies of Christ’s church in history, whenever they direct their machinery of war against her. God will strike them with confusion and insanity, causing them to be a terror to themselves. On many occasions, whom God would destroy, He first drives mad. “They are deprived of their reason, of the power of strategic planning, by their insane fury, their fanatic hatred of the Lord and His Church.” 303 Laetsch, Bible Commentary on the Minor Prophets, 480. (528)
Third, the enjoyment of the communion of the saints:
The Westminster Confession of Faith has an entire chapter (XXVI) explaining the meaning and implications of the communion of saints, in which chapter we are given a definition of this communion and its basis in Christ (XXVI, i), the responsibilities of the saints to each other (XXVI, ii), and a clarification of the nature of this communion, (XXVI, iii).
All saints, that are united to Jesus Christ their Head, by His Spirit, and by faith, have fellowship with Him in His graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory: and, being united to one another in love, they have communion in each other’s gifts and graces, and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man (WCF, XXVI, i).
All true believers are united to Jesus Christ in a legal union with Him, and in a spiritual union with Him. ...
Being in vital union with Christ in His life, death and resurrection, true believers are united to one another, and have communion with each other. They form one body, and are united to Christ their common Head: “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many,
are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Rom. 12:4–5). 

Saints by profession, are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other
spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who, in every place, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus (WCF, XXVI, ii).

First, we are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of the God. Therefore, like the apostolic church, the visible church today ought to assemble regularly for the public worship of God: “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). ...
Second, we are bound to perform such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification. We ought to be “kindly affectioned one to another, with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another, to bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ, to rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep,” to offer up fervent “supplication for all saints,” and “as they have opportunity, do good to all men, especially to them who are of the household of faith.” ...
Third, we are bound to relieve each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. Members of the church will try to take care of each other physically and materially, as well as spiritually, as they are able. ...
In fact our communion with and charity toward our brothers is not limited to one family or one congregation, rather, this communion, concern and charity is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 1:1f).

This communion which the saints have with Christ, doth not make them in any wise partakers of the substance of His Godhead, or to be equal with Christ in any respect: either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous. Nor doth their communion one with another, as saints, take away, or infringe the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and possessions (WCF, XXVI, iii).
This paragraph guards against two heretical opinions. (a) The communion of the saints with Christ does not in any way involve a participation of human beings in the essence of the Godhead—the blending of the finite with the infinite—nor does such communion constitute any kind of equality between the believer and the Almighty God. (b) The communion of the saints with each other does not in any way take away or infringe upon the rights of the private property of the saints. This doctrine may not be used to support the common ownership of property as in communism. 
(530-535)
Fourth, the enjoyment of the ordinary means of salvation:
God-ordained aids to faith are often called “the effectual, or effective means of salvation” or “means of grace.” These “external” means or instruments of the saving grace of God include the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the reading and preaching of the Word of God and prayer. They are the instruments which
God has provided for us to use diligently, through which He brings the benefits of salvation into our lives. As we use these means of grace, we are to pray earnestly that God would use them to work His grace in our hearts. (535)

We must not use these means of grace and salvation in a careless, haphazard, indifferent or superstitious manner, as though we neither expected nor desired to receive anything from God through them. We should use them diligently, which implies taking advantage of every opportunity to use these means of grace, and earnestly desiring and expecting God’s grace through them. (536)
Fifth, the enjoyment of the offers of grace by Christ:
In the reading and preaching of the Word of God Jesus Christ is offered to sinners...Or, as the Catechism has it: The visible church hath the privilege… of
enjoying… offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministry of the gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in him shall be saved, and excluding none that will come unto Him (WLC, Q. 63). (536-537)

When the Word of God is faithfully read and preached in the visible church, in and through it the living Christ Himself offers Himself and His saving grace to all the members of that church: “He [i.e., the LORD] declares His words to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel. (537)

In the preached Word, Christ personally and spiritually comes to His church and preaches the gospel of peace (Eph. 2:17) in irresistible omnipotence; so that,
whatever Christ preaches happens. (538)

The facts to which the living Christ testifies, according to the Larger Catechism Q. 63, are two: (1) Whosoever believes in Him shall be saved, and (2) None [will be excluded] that will come to Him. (538)
The final topic under the discussion of the visible church, is the vital importance of membership within that visible church.
The Westminster Confession of Faith (XXV, ii), makes the statement that the church is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation. This is quite a statement. ...
"There is no ordinary possibility of salvation out of the visible church. This is widely different from the doctrine of the Romish Church, which affirms that the Roman Catholic is the only Church, and that there is no salvation out of that Church.…
[W]e are not so presumptuous as to confine the possibility of salvation within the limits of any particular Church, neither do we absolutely affirm that there is no possibility of salvation out of the universal visible Church. Our Confession, in terms
remarkably guarded, only asserts, that “out of the visible Church, there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.” There is, then, a possibility of salvation without its pale; for a person may, by some means, such as by the perusal of the Scriptures,
be brought to the knowledge of the truth, and have no opportunity of joining himself to the Church; but such cases are extraordinary: and, as God usually works by means, there is no ordinary possibility of salvation out of the visible Church, because those who are out of the Church are destitute of the ordinary means of salvation." 314. Shaw, The Reformed Faith, 265. (540)

The point is that everyone who desires to be saved from sin is obligated to join the visible church, to remain with her and not to separate himself from her. (541)

According to Candlish the kingdom and the church can be identified in two
essentials. (1) “The subjects of Christ’s kingdom are the same who are members of the Church invisible.”318...(2) In both the church and the kingdom, the persons are gathered into the name of Jesus Christ, “by the vital power of God’s redeeming love in Jesus Christ, brought to bear upon them through the Holy Spirit.”319 So then, if one is to count himself as a citizen of the kingdom of Christ and a participant in
the peace and salvation of that kingdom, he must be a member of the visible church, ordinarily.
318. Smith, Systematic Theology, 2:532.
319. Smith, Systematic Theology, 2:532.
(543)

In so far as the visible Church is instrumental in the establishment and extension of the Kingdom, it is, of course, subordinate to this as a means to an end. The Kingdom may be said to be a broader concept than the Church, because it aims at nothing less than the complete control of all the manifestations of life. It represents the dominion of God in every sphere of human endeavor. 323 Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 570 (545)

The Bible also portrays the visible church as the house and family of God. (546)
And there is the conclusion of this day's reading...

      Racheal

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One Might Be...

11/1/2014

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Yes, one might be a historical costumer (or fast becoming one), if one switches on their computer an hour or so earlier than the usual time simply for the sake of getting inspiration for their hair-style.

I am serious. That is exactly what I did this morning. 

After the best attempt at a victory roll yet, I took it down (still wasn't going to work), and decided to go 1860's with the hair today instead of 1940's. After all, I already had a center part...and I should be focusing down the 1860's at present (I really, really need to get back to work on the Cow Cav), so I thought a little inspiration might help.

Anyway, after poking around on Google images for a few minutes, I took inspiration from at least two hair-styles and ended up with this:
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Selfies are not my "thing", so I hope you don't mind a fuzzy, half face. ;)
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(Please excuse the mess in the background--that's the sewing room for you.)
I rather regret that I never did do anything that looked quite this nice for the reenactments. I guess if I had had a mirror it might have helped. :D 

But, while I was poking around looking at ladies hair-do's, what should I stumble onto but this--a photograph I have never seen before of none other than the bold and ever-dashing Nathan Bedford Forrest!!
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What a general, what a soldier! Take a look at those piercing eyes of his! 

Well, alright...I'll stop gushing about one of my favorite Confederates. Forrest ranks right up there with Lee and Jackson in my book. It also reminds me to that I have a Forrest project in my line up...I REALLY should be reading my Civil War books instead of getting distracted by other things!

However, before I get to work on anything WBtS related, I have some sock math to work up. I have a commission thanks to one of my brothers! :) 

*whistles Dixie while gathering knitting supplies*

     Racheal

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    New post on The Bee Project! 04/26/18
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    The Middle Kid

    I chose to title this blog "The Adventures of a Middle Kid" because that is exactly what I'll be detailing (mostly). I chose 'kid' over any other word, like 'girl' (I am the middle girl so it also would have worked) or 'child'
    (since I am no longer exactly a child).

    I am a middle kid and I will always be a middle kid--even when I'm 80!

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