Lord Jesus,
This most holy of nights brings me
Gladness,
Grief,
and Joy.
Gladness,
Because you left the splendor of Heaven’s glory
To come to a dark and cold world,
To bring the light and warmth of your Kingdom
To a world so in need of
Your Love,
Your Peace,
Your Joy.
Grief,
Because you came into the world,
Yet the world did not receive You.
You came to Your own,
And your own did not welcome you.
And still today, people turn away from you.
I turn away from you.
Sin still scars your creation
And the hearts of your own people.
and Joy,
Because you offer perfect forgiveness and full cleansing to all who acknowledge their need of you.
Cleanse my heart tonight, Lord Jesus,
so that I may welcome you as I long to,
certain that I am also welcomed by You.
Amen.
© R Lindholtz 2008
Tuesday
Tuesday 12-16
This is a verse of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" written for a complement to a service with an emphasis on Christ as Light of the World:
O Come now, light for all humankind
and over all your people shine.
in every dark and lonely place
we long to see your radiant face.
Come light of life
into our days
and show us your ama-zing grace.
words by Rick Lindholtz and Susan Senechal
O Come now, light for all humankind
and over all your people shine.
in every dark and lonely place
we long to see your radiant face.
Come light of life
into our days
and show us your ama-zing grace.
words by Rick Lindholtz and Susan Senechal
If you are invested at all in the stock market, either directly in stocks, or in mutual funds, or via a 401(k) or a pension; and if you have paid any attention to the ups and downs of the stock market in the last couple months; then this may be of interest.
Stock market volatility is the extent to which prices go up or down from day to day. Using the S&P 500 as a market index, and using a 4% price change in a single day as a big move, just how volatile is the recent market activity?
Over the past 60 years there have only been 68 days in which the market has moved up or down by 4% or more, A 60-year average of slightly more than once per year. However.....
Of those 68 days, 28 days have ocurred since September, 2008. In other words, until just recently we averaged about 7 of those days per decade; far less than once a year. But in the last couple months we've been getting bumped up or down at a rate of about once every 2-3 days.
That's why it seems like the markets are so shakey. They are.
Stock market volatility is the extent to which prices go up or down from day to day. Using the S&P 500 as a market index, and using a 4% price change in a single day as a big move, just how volatile is the recent market activity?
Over the past 60 years there have only been 68 days in which the market has moved up or down by 4% or more, A 60-year average of slightly more than once per year. However.....
Of those 68 days, 28 days have ocurred since September, 2008. In other words, until just recently we averaged about 7 of those days per decade; far less than once a year. But in the last couple months we've been getting bumped up or down at a rate of about once every 2-3 days.
That's why it seems like the markets are so shakey. They are.
Tuesday Morning Update
The physician who saw EC yesterday reviewed the blood tests which show what we both hoped and suspected. There is an imbalance in her bloodwork of at least two items - one of which is only 5% of normal levels. This absence in the bloodwork can cause almost every symptom from which EC has been suffering. This is good news because this can be corrected, and this Dr. has had good success with treating patients who present with these symptoms. We've started the new medications which are naturally derived and not synthetic; and have been told that over the next 2-3 weeks we might expect to see considerable improvement.
EC ate pretty well yesterday and kept everything down, I think, and slept fairly well last night with only a couple minor wakeups that were easily resolved.
This morning one of her two instructors with as-yet-unfinished work said that he would give EC her present grade pre-final, even though she cannot finish the final. Her current grade is an A.
baby steps out of the woods continue...
EC ate pretty well yesterday and kept everything down, I think, and slept fairly well last night with only a couple minor wakeups that were easily resolved.
This morning one of her two instructors with as-yet-unfinished work said that he would give EC her present grade pre-final, even though she cannot finish the final. Her current grade is an A.
baby steps out of the woods continue...
Sunday
Sunday Night Update
We are seeing improvement on most levels. It is incremental improvement, aka baby steps.
-EC is receiving more nutrition which is a result of improved control over nausea and a fair amount of time and energy just helping her by distracting her when feelings of impending nausea have heretofore caused anxiety, which caused more feelings of nausea, and more anxiety etc. on and on. She is, it can probably be said accurately, eating two very light meals a day. Doesn’t sound like much for a girl in her condition but taken in context of what her health has been like for the last month or two it is a dramatic turnaround.
-We feel she is in a better position in regard to panic/anxiety attacks, both in frequency, severity, and duration… all diminishing.
-She is getting less interruptions in her sleep, but is still not able to be left alone at night, so one or the other of us is with her every night. (We have seen what we consider manifestations that we consider are evidence of a spiritual warfare dimension to all this and invite you to pray against the enemy of our souls.)
-She is still not eating enough (as noted above); still have feelings of nausea and still having anxiety attacks, and probably one of her biggest complaints is that she feels weak and tired too much. Some of the tiredness is probably the result of the combined sedative side effects of several medications.
-She is beginning to anticipate good things for her future such as working for some friends in a low-stress job as they prepare to open their restaurant; and further down the road, going to North Park.
-She has terminated her employment with Randalls (Safeway) Pharmacy, which removes a major source of stress, and they have made it clear that they adore her and that the door is open anytime she wants to return to work.
-She has finished all assignments for 1 of her 3 classes at Lone Star College-Kingwood, and for the other 2, a letter from her and from her Dr. have been delivered and the resulting options are: a) take whatever grade would be represented by her acquired grade so far as reduced by not taking the final; or b) an “Incomplete agreement” according to which she must take the final between now and June 1st, or else accept an F for the class. So when we know what her grade would be according to the first option, we/she will be able to make a decision on whether or not to accept that or to enter the second option.
-She has appointments Monday with the medical Dr. to get the blood test results; and with her counselor, which we will attend with her. She needs to make a follow up appt with the Psychiatrist who is adjusting the psychotropic meds for further evaluation.
-EC is receiving more nutrition which is a result of improved control over nausea and a fair amount of time and energy just helping her by distracting her when feelings of impending nausea have heretofore caused anxiety, which caused more feelings of nausea, and more anxiety etc. on and on. She is, it can probably be said accurately, eating two very light meals a day. Doesn’t sound like much for a girl in her condition but taken in context of what her health has been like for the last month or two it is a dramatic turnaround.
-We feel she is in a better position in regard to panic/anxiety attacks, both in frequency, severity, and duration… all diminishing.
-She is getting less interruptions in her sleep, but is still not able to be left alone at night, so one or the other of us is with her every night. (We have seen what we consider manifestations that we consider are evidence of a spiritual warfare dimension to all this and invite you to pray against the enemy of our souls.)
-She is still not eating enough (as noted above); still have feelings of nausea and still having anxiety attacks, and probably one of her biggest complaints is that she feels weak and tired too much. Some of the tiredness is probably the result of the combined sedative side effects of several medications.
-She is beginning to anticipate good things for her future such as working for some friends in a low-stress job as they prepare to open their restaurant; and further down the road, going to North Park.
-She has terminated her employment with Randalls (Safeway) Pharmacy, which removes a major source of stress, and they have made it clear that they adore her and that the door is open anytime she wants to return to work.
-She has finished all assignments for 1 of her 3 classes at Lone Star College-Kingwood, and for the other 2, a letter from her and from her Dr. have been delivered and the resulting options are: a) take whatever grade would be represented by her acquired grade so far as reduced by not taking the final; or b) an “Incomplete agreement” according to which she must take the final between now and June 1st, or else accept an F for the class. So when we know what her grade would be according to the first option, we/she will be able to make a decision on whether or not to accept that or to enter the second option.
-She has appointments Monday with the medical Dr. to get the blood test results; and with her counselor, which we will attend with her. She needs to make a follow up appt with the Psychiatrist who is adjusting the psychotropic meds for further evaluation.
Friday
You can't have been raised in California in the 60s and not love the Beach Boys. Especially the tunes that predominantly feature the sunwashed vocals of the Wilson Brothers. (I have never been fond of the guy who currently fronts the touring version of the band - cousin of the Wilsons.)
Brian's story is inspiring. The guy survived against all odds and is still making sweet music. John Fischer wrote a very good article about him, found here.
Here's a video of Brian doing a number from his new CD, "That Lucky Old Sun". He's still got it. Even if it's just nostalgia music, he's still got it.
Brian's story is inspiring. The guy survived against all odds and is still making sweet music. John Fischer wrote a very good article about him, found here.
Here's a video of Brian doing a number from his new CD, "That Lucky Old Sun". He's still got it. Even if it's just nostalgia music, he's still got it.
Thursday
Thursday
• How's EC? It has been a very long week of caring for her. Prayers were answered in the securing of 2 medical appointments on Monday. Medications are being adjusted as are doses. A blood test has been taken and we are awaiting results. We invite you to pray Romans 15:13 for her in specific, and for all of us.
• A birth Announcement from Hawaii, 1961
• Dr. Barb Orlowski has posted her thesis online - about church exiters - people who have left the church because of spiritual abuse. Worthwhile reading for church leaders.
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