Yesterday began the lenten season. I think Protestants overlook lent too much, identifying it as "too Catholic" for a Protestant to do. For me, it's the most important, if not my favorite season on the liturgical calendar. It's always been something we observed in my household. My father used to fast during the day, eating family meals together. Other infamous fasts from my dad include his "speeding fast" his "news fast" and his "e-mail fast." Fasting has never been a legalistic ritual in my family or church's practice, but more of an effort to share in some way the "suffering" of Christ. As Americans, it is too easy to never suffer. Have a headache? Grab some tylenol. Hungry? Go to the grocery store, McDonald's etc. Have a large gash on your foot? Head to the ER for stitches. And so on. I truly believe it is time for Western Christians to learn how to suffer.
This view has only been stressed more as I have experienced this week before Lent, where everyone asks "What are you giving up for Lent?" Each time I explain my fast, the Daniel Fast, I get some eye rolls, some wincing, or some "ha ha's." Lovely. Thanks for the support. The thing is, maybe the Daniel Fast isn't right for you. But for me? Food has always been a huge issue. Spending most of my high school experience purposely eating too little, and much of my adult life eating whatever was easiest or closest, I have never had a good relationship with food. And so, for me, the Daniel Fast is the right choice. This fast (which I have done 3 or 4 times before) forces me to read labels, cook at home, bring lunch, and plan ahead. It makes me stare my everyday food choices in the face. I can't just pretend I'm "too busy" to eat food that doesn't come out of a window.
Will it be difficult? Sure. But isn't that the point of a fast? Last night, at our Ash Wednesday Service, the sermon was titled "Blessed are those who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness." The sermon struck such a chord with me. I have been thinking and worrying about my direction lately, wondering all too often what "God's plan for my life is." Making it ALWAYS. ABOUT. ME. Instead, during this lenten season, I am hoping that the hunger I feel throughout the day, the desire I have for Diet Coke or dessert will teach me a lesson about what it means to desire, to hunger for God. If that is my focus. How can my purpose not be clear?
Matt and I have entered this journey together. We do not intend to be legalistic about it. The fast is generally done for 21 days and lent is 45 or so. So we have altered it a bit in a way that is meaningful to us. We intend to fully participate in family events and celebrations, bringing food or doing our best at a restaurant to follow the rules.
I hope there is some suffering on my part. I hope that I hunger. That I desire. And that through this, I focus. And learn.
What is your sacrifice? If you aren't participating yet, I urge you to consider doing so. Give up something that might cause some discomfort. It's only 6 weeks. Your soda/sweets/internet/fried food will still be there when you're done. And you may just gain something from it!
ktw
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
"He's really given you a run for your money."
This post could also be called "Levi wants to be an only child"
Levi has had his share of, ahem, issues in his short 6 months. Born early, wouldn't eat, jaundice, thyroid issues, swine flu, reflux... oh and that pesky little thing called colic. Ugh, colic. I wouldn't wish that on an enemy.
And it continues. To give some background, Levi went in to the pedi office on December 7th because he had a nasty cough and screamed when we tried to lay him down for bed or naps. Sure enough, ear infection. They put him on some amoxocillin and sent us on our way. We were naive and full of hope. And dang if Levi didn't love that stuff, I mean, who didn't as a kid?!
We thought he was getting better until he starting having a gross runny nose around Christmas. He woke the morning of his 5 month appointment (December 28th for those keeping track) with green stuff coming out of his nose (yum), his eye crusted shut, and a fever. Lovely. At that appointment they determined he had a nasal infection (basically a sinus infection, except he doesn't have sinuses yet), pink eye, and (you guessed it) an ear infection. Presumably the first infection never cleared fully. So, this time we walked out of the office with Omnicef. Something I had never heard of.
10 days pass, medicine runs out. Pink eye is clear. Nose is still a bit gunky but not too bad, but he's still quite miserable. We call on January 8th. Bring him in. Nurses and pedi say "sometimes sinuses and ear together take 2 rounds of antibiotic, no worries." Second round of Omnicef. Only go for 7 days this time. Mmmmkay.
Are we catching where this is going?
Last friday night he started refusing the bottle. If there is one thing Levi never refuses, it's food. He's 18.5 lbs for goodness sake! He generally eats 4-5 6oz bottles a day. For the next 6 days (it's still continuing) he refuses to eat even 3 bottles. I am lucky to be getting 12-15 oz in him. And the sleep, or should I say, lack of sleep. From Friday - Tuesday he was waking every 20-40 minutes. It was awful. If Matt and I were that miserable, I can't imagine how bad he was feeling.
So, back to the pedi office we go on Tuesday. Ears are red but they can't tell if he is still getting better from the last infection or if it's the start of a new infection. Come back Thursday for his 6 month appointment and shots and we'll check him again. Oh, and the mucous and phlegm don't sound stuck, no bronchitis- Thank the Good Lord. Pedi tells us to use benadryl and ibuprofen at night to try and help him.
Cue Thursday- today. Still no eating, boo. We went to our evening appointment and sure enough, both ears are bright red. No bulging, so if it is a new infection it's not that bad yet. This pedi (we've seen 2) looks at his charts and realizes that he has been on antibiotics for 30 of the last 60 days. In his words, he is nervous about more antibiotics because he doesn't want him to get "gut rot." Lovely. He's wondering if he should have a round of steroids but quickly dismisses that.
In the end, we leave with a light prescription for a z-pac. We have to go back on the 21st. At that point it will have been basically 3 months since the ear infection was first discovered. If, at that point, the ears are still showing signs of infection we have to go off to the ENT. He's really too young for tubes, but the pedi thinks it could be a structural issue that is keeping everything from draining.
So yeah. I think Levi wants to be an only child.
However, the boy does really like him some paper.
Levi has had his share of, ahem, issues in his short 6 months. Born early, wouldn't eat, jaundice, thyroid issues, swine flu, reflux... oh and that pesky little thing called colic. Ugh, colic. I wouldn't wish that on an enemy.
And it continues. To give some background, Levi went in to the pedi office on December 7th because he had a nasty cough and screamed when we tried to lay him down for bed or naps. Sure enough, ear infection. They put him on some amoxocillin and sent us on our way. We were naive and full of hope. And dang if Levi didn't love that stuff, I mean, who didn't as a kid?!
We thought he was getting better until he starting having a gross runny nose around Christmas. He woke the morning of his 5 month appointment (December 28th for those keeping track) with green stuff coming out of his nose (yum), his eye crusted shut, and a fever. Lovely. At that appointment they determined he had a nasal infection (basically a sinus infection, except he doesn't have sinuses yet), pink eye, and (you guessed it) an ear infection. Presumably the first infection never cleared fully. So, this time we walked out of the office with Omnicef. Something I had never heard of.
10 days pass, medicine runs out. Pink eye is clear. Nose is still a bit gunky but not too bad, but he's still quite miserable. We call on January 8th. Bring him in. Nurses and pedi say "sometimes sinuses and ear together take 2 rounds of antibiotic, no worries." Second round of Omnicef. Only go for 7 days this time. Mmmmkay.
Are we catching where this is going?
Last friday night he started refusing the bottle. If there is one thing Levi never refuses, it's food. He's 18.5 lbs for goodness sake! He generally eats 4-5 6oz bottles a day. For the next 6 days (it's still continuing) he refuses to eat even 3 bottles. I am lucky to be getting 12-15 oz in him. And the sleep, or should I say, lack of sleep. From Friday - Tuesday he was waking every 20-40 minutes. It was awful. If Matt and I were that miserable, I can't imagine how bad he was feeling.
So, back to the pedi office we go on Tuesday. Ears are red but they can't tell if he is still getting better from the last infection or if it's the start of a new infection. Come back Thursday for his 6 month appointment and shots and we'll check him again. Oh, and the mucous and phlegm don't sound stuck, no bronchitis- Thank the Good Lord. Pedi tells us to use benadryl and ibuprofen at night to try and help him.
Cue Thursday- today. Still no eating, boo. We went to our evening appointment and sure enough, both ears are bright red. No bulging, so if it is a new infection it's not that bad yet. This pedi (we've seen 2) looks at his charts and realizes that he has been on antibiotics for 30 of the last 60 days. In his words, he is nervous about more antibiotics because he doesn't want him to get "gut rot." Lovely. He's wondering if he should have a round of steroids but quickly dismisses that.
In the end, we leave with a light prescription for a z-pac. We have to go back on the 21st. At that point it will have been basically 3 months since the ear infection was first discovered. If, at that point, the ears are still showing signs of infection we have to go off to the ENT. He's really too young for tubes, but the pedi thinks it could be a structural issue that is keeping everything from draining.
So yeah. I think Levi wants to be an only child.
However, the boy does really like him some paper.
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