Covid-19 Resources

Medical Symposium about the lessons learned from the 1918 Flu and their applications to COVID-19

Can treatments used during the 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak be used to combat the pandemic we currently face? Learn from top medical professionals from across the country for an online symposium as they share lessons learned that could be applied today!

Here is a site with more detailed information about hydrotherapy (presented above) in general, as well as a link to information on using hydrotherapy specifically as it relates to Covid-19.

COVID-19 Medical Symposium 2: Urban and Rural Delivery

Join us as we investigate the past utilization of Ultraviolet Radiation and Open Space as a treatment for physical and mental illness in the 1918 Pandemic Flu and ask the question does this have any role for our front-line war with COVID-19 and if so how does this relate to diversity in Urban and Rural delivery? The 1918 H1N1 influenza Pandemic was a serious threat to the United States and much of the world, resulting in the death of over 50 million people. SARS-CoV2 or COVID-19 has so far resulted in over 133,000 deaths globally and had a profound effect on each of our overall lives physically, financially, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. In part 1 of our Medical Symposium entitled, “Novel Lessons Learned from the 1918 Flu: Could they Apply to the COVID-19 Pandemic” we discovered there were some unusual treatments employed during the Spanish Flu that had good results, namely Hydrothermal Therapy (HT). We were also intrigued to find that HT has some scientifically positive implications for COVID-19. This week, we continue part 2 of our Medical Symposium, as we seek to review the past as an informational opportunity for potential conjunctive treatments for COVID-19.

Medical Symposium 3: Nutrition, Exercise and Racial Disparity in COVID-19 Death Rates

Join us as we explore the benefits of nutrition and exercise-induced antioxidants and the racial disparities in COVID-19 death rates. Why is it that African Americans are at a higher risk?

Medical Symposium 4: Self-Restraint and Sleep - Keys to Reopening the Globe

Daily we are inundated with the question of when and how we should “Reopen” America and the globe. Cities, States, and Countries differ on their preferred approach to the matter and no one is quite sure how to proceed. As individuals, how do we approach the issue? How do we protect ourselves, families, patients and the community we reside in? Evaluating the past and comparing it to today the current Pandemic the answer that we have routinely seen established is the need to “Optimize the immunity”. Over the past 4 weeks we have examined 6 historical methods from the 1918 Pandemic and found them to be scientifically applicable to us today. This Sunday’s final Medical Symposium, “Proper Sleep and Self-Restraint Keys to Re-Opening the Globe” will address two additional methods and investigate their validity to today’s COVID-19 crisis. Proper sleep is well known to have immune modulating effects. This week our expert panel of physicians will address the issue of sleep and the immunity. In addition, world renown physicians will also examine the relationship of certain common substances and their effect on the innate and learned immunity.

Here is a page with links to .pdf copies of slides used for presentations 1, 2, and 4 above, as well as links to other health topics.

A Thousand Ways . . . Update

The dental device is wonderful. 

It hasn't worked out for me to get the second sleep study done yet (for a variety of "reasons" pretty much beyond my control), but the dental device seems to be far more effective than my CPAP machine ever as. And I would never even have known about it if things had gone my way last spring and early summer. Even this delay in getting the second sleep study done is part of God's plan for my life. Someday, I'll understand, and, again, be thankful it worked out the way it did.

The Invitation

I have been reading through The Desire of Ages, a wonderful book on the life of Christ, for my devotions each morning. This morning, I read chapter 34, The Invitation. It seems like a perfect "fit" for all the current panic and unrest that fills the news every day because of Covid-19, so I thought I'd share it here. (I've read the whole book more than once, and this particular chapter many times.)

Here is a link to an audio recording of the entire book. I can't figure out how to find a link that specifically goes directly to this particular chapter, so you'll have to scroll down on the linked page to chapter 34 to listen to it. The entire book is well worth listening to . . . and you can follow along at the links in the first paragraph if you wish.

I've copied it (cut and paste, not by actually typing it all) word-for-word from the link. It is my prayer that this will be as much of a blessing to you as it has been to me.

This chapter is based on Matthew 11:28-30.

“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

These words of comfort were spoken to the multitude that followed Jesus. The Saviour had said that only through Himself could men receive a knowledge of God. He had spoken of His disciples as the ones to whom a knowledge of heavenly things had been given. But He left none to feel themselves shut out from His care and love. All who labor and are heavy-laden may come unto Him.

Scribes and rabbis, with their punctilious attention to religious forms, had a sense of want that rites of penance could never satisfy. Publicans and sinners might pretend to be content with the sensual and earthly, but in their hearts were distrust and fear. Jesus looked upon the distressed and heart burdened, those whose hopes were blighted, and who with earthly joys were seeking to quiet the longing of the soul, and He invited all to find rest in Him.

Tenderly He bade the toiling people, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

In these words Christ is speaking to every human being. Whether they know it or not, all are weary and heavy-laden. All are weighed down with burdens that only Christ can remove. The heaviest burden that we bear is the burden of sin. If we were left to bear this burden, it would crush us. But the Sinless One has taken our place. “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6. He has borne the burden of our guilt. He will take the load from our weary shoulders. He will give us rest. The burden of care and sorrow also He will bear. He invites us to cast all our care upon Him; for He carries us upon His heart.

The Elder Brother of our race is by the eternal throne. He looks upon every soul who is turning his face toward Him as the Saviour. He knows by experience what are the weaknesses of humanity, what are our wants, and where lies the strength of our temptations; for He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. He is watching over you, trembling child of God. Are you tempted? He will deliver. Are you weak? He will strengthen. Are you ignorant? He will enlighten. Are you wounded? He will heal. The Lord “telleth the number of the stars;” and yet “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:4, 3. “Come unto Me,” is His invitation. Whatever your anxieties and trials, spread out your case before the Lord. Your spirit will be braced for endurance. The way will be opened for you to disentangle yourself from embarrassment and difficulty. The weaker and more helpless you know yourself to be, the stronger will you become in His strength. The heavier your burdens, the more blessed the rest in casting them upon the Burden Bearer. The rest that Christ offers depends upon conditions, but these conditions are plainly specified. They are those with which all can comply. He tells us just how His rest is to be found.

“Take My yoke upon you,” Jesus says. The yoke is an instrument of service. Cattle are yoked for labor, and the yoke is essential that they may labor effectually. By this illustration Christ teaches us that we are called to service as long as life shall last. We are to take upon us His yoke, that we may be co-workers with Him.

The yoke that binds to service is the law of God. The great law of love revealed in Eden, proclaimed upon Sinai, and in the new covenant written in the heart, is that which binds the human worker to the will of God. If we were left to follow our own inclinations, to go just where our will would lead us, we should fall into Satan’s ranks and become possessors of his attributes. Therefore God confines us to His will, which is high, and noble, and elevating. He desires that we shall patiently and wisely take up the duties of service. The yoke of service Christ Himself has borne in humanity. He said, “I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Psalm 40:8. “I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.” John 6:38. Love for God, zeal for His glory, and love for fallen humanity, brought Jesus to earth to suffer and to die. This was the controlling power of His life. This principle He bids us adopt.

There are many whose hearts are aching under a load of care because they seek to reach the world’s standard. They have chosen its service, accepted its perplexities, adopted its customs. Thus their character is marred, and their life made a weariness. In order to gratify ambition and worldly desires, they wound the conscience, and bring upon themselves an additional burden of remorse. The continual worry is wearing out the life forces. Our Lord desires them to lay aside this yoke of bondage. He invites them to accept His yoke; He says, “My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” He bids them seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and His promise is that all things needful to them for this life shall be added. Worry is blind, and cannot discern the future; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us, of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service and honor of God supreme will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their feet.

“Learn of Me,” says Jesus; “for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest.” We are to enter the school of Christ, to learn from Him meekness and lowliness. Redemption is that process by which the soul is trained for heaven. This training means a knowledge of Christ. It means emancipation from ideas, habits, and practices that have been gained in the school of the prince of darkness. The soul must be delivered from all that is opposed to loyalty to God.

In the heart of Christ, where reigned perfect harmony with God, there was perfect peace. He was never elated by applause, nor dejected by censure or disappointment. Amid the greatest opposition and the most cruel treatment, He was still of good courage. But many who profess to be His followers have an anxious, troubled heart, because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do not make a complete surrender to Him; for they shrink from the consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they do make this surrender, they cannot find peace.

It is the love of self that brings unrest. When we are born from above, the same mind will be in us that was in Jesus, the mind that led Him to humble Himself that we might be saved. Then we shall not be seeking the highest place. We shall desire to sit at the feet of Jesus, and learn of Him. We shall understand that the value of our work does not consist in making a show and noise in the world, and in being active and zealous in our own strength. The value of our work is in proportion to the impartation of the Holy Spirit. Trust in God brings holier qualities of mind, so that in patience we may possess our souls.

The yoke is placed upon the oxen to aid them in drawing the load, to lighten the burden. So with the yoke of Christ. When our will is swallowed up in the will of God, and we use His gifts to bless others, we shall find life’s burden light. He who walks in the way of God’s commandments is walking in company with Christ, and in His love the heart is at rest. When Moses prayed, “Show me now Thy way, that I may know Thee,” the Lord answered him, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” And through the prophets the message was given, “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” Exodus 33:13, 14; Jeremiah 6:16. And He says, “O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” Isaiah 48:18.

Those who take Christ at His word, and surrender their souls to His keeping, their lives to His ordering, will find peace and quietude. Nothing of the world can make them sad when Jesus makes them glad by His presence. In perfect acquiescence there is perfect rest. The Lord says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.” Isaiah 26:3. Our lives may seem a tangle; but as we commit ourselves to the wise Master Worker, He will bring out the pattern of life and character that will be to His own glory. And that character which expresses the glory—character—of Christ will be received into the Paradise of God. A renovated race shall walk with Him in white, for they are worthy.

As through Jesus we enter into rest, heaven begins here. We respond to His invitation, Come, learn of Me, and in thus coming we begin the life eternal. Heaven is a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ. The longer we are in the heaven of bliss, the more and still more of glory will be opened to us; and the more we know of God, the more intense will be our happiness. As we walk with Jesus in this life, we may be filled with His love, satisfied with His presence. All that human nature can bear, we may receive here. But what is this compared with the hereafter? There “are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Revelation 7:15-17.

A Thousand Ways . . .

"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Isaiah 65:24

I saw this promise filled . . . for me . . . yesterday:

 I've been using a CPAP machine for sleep apnea for almost 3 years. (My airway is genetically very narrow; my mom had sleep apnea, and so does my sister, even though none of us fit the "typical profile" for sleep apnea.) My CPAP machine decided it was done when I plugged it in at home after a trip in June. (It had been giving me trouble for a couple of months, but always, eventually, came on.) I knew I was leaving in three weeks for camp, and that I would have no cell service for the 4 weeks I was there, so I did my best to get a replacement before I left. For a variety of (Divinely-orchestrated, I've decided since then) reasons, it just didn't work out. I took my existing machine (which had come back on a couple of weeks after I plugged it in) to camp with me. And, it didn't come on when I plugged it in. (But, it did decide to start working the last week and a half I was there.)

I guess I must have been sputtering about it to my assistant in the camp store, because she told me about a dentist near her (in another state, way too far from where I live, for me to go to) who helps patients with sleep apnea by using a special dental device. I probably would not have known about this alternate, proven, treatment method, had my machine been functioning the way it was supposed to.

I talked to my sleep doctor after I got home from camp, and got a referral to a local dentist. (The same one, interestingly, who treated my TMJ in the early '90's, and my mother's TMJ in the mid '80's.) In talking to the technician at the dentist’s office Tuesday, she suggested that maybe the problem with my CPAP machine was in the cord, and that I might be able to get just the cord replaced. She also suggested checking to see if I could find a loaner or rental CPAP machine, so I'm not doing without completely, like I have been most of the last two months.

On the way home from my initial visit with the dentist Tuesday afternoon, I stopped by the local office of the company I get my CPAP supplies from, to see about a loaner / rental, and / or if they might be able to fix my current machine. The secretary (who is new) started the hunt for rental machines. The sleep coach asked me to drop my current machine off on the way back in to the dentist (to get impressions for the appliance made) yesterday morning, let her look at it, and pick it up on the way home.

When I arrived to drop of my current machine yesterday morning, the secretary told me they didn’t need it. She called the sleep coach from the back, who told me she’d dug around in their store room, had found a donated machine identical to mine, with very low hours . . . and she gave it to me. (Those machines are expensive!!) Not only does that save me roughly $100 a month rental costs for the next 4 months; if, for some inexpiable reason, the dental device doesn’t work, this CPAP machine is mine until it reaches the end of its useful life. (It takes a month to even get the dental device, and an additional 3 months for it to be adjusted to full efficiency, which will need to be tested by another sleep study after I’ve worn it for 90 days.)

Back to Isaiah 65:24 . . . God not only impressed someone who was not going to use it (whether the patient died, or just couldn’t get used to it, I’ll never know) to donate that machine before I even knew I needed it. He also impressed the sleep coach to hang on to donated machines for situations like this, and helped her find it in the store room. The machine I’ve been using doesn’t seem to be very common in this area at this point in time . . . but the sleep coach I talked to Tuesday night, the one who dug around and found the donated machine, has extensive training working with this particular type of machine. (It was thoroughly cleaned and sterilized when she gave it to me.)

The interesting twist is that I allowed myself to become really discouraged yesterday morning, partly, I’m sure, from exhaustion (from not sleeping very well without the CPAP machine), but also from not knowing how I was going to survive another month until my dental device comes in, and then until it is fully effective. But God had already “found” the machine for me Tuesday evening, even though I didn’t know it. It seems like the devil does his best to bring us low when he knows God already has an answer, a plan, to help us out.

I have also allowed myself to get really frustrated with this whole process, because of all the times I called the doctor’s office after my CPAP stopped working in June, left messages . . . and never had my calls returned. (I finally stopped by the office on my way home from another errand.) If things had gone according to my plan, and the doctor’s office had been prompt in returning my first call, there was plenty of time for me to get a new machine before camp. But then I would have been tied to that machine for 5 years, because Medicare would not have paid for the dental device a month later. (I’m sure the dental device has a name, but I don’t know what it is.) Medicare will only pay for a CPAP machine or a dental device, but not both, any more often than once every 5 years.

(Needing to rely on a CPAP machine for adequate sleep requires me to be near an electric outlet every single night. It also requires distilled water. And, it's just one more piece of luggage that has to be hauled around and kept track of whenever I travel. This is a major nuisance when traveling by bus or plane.)

As many times as I have seen God work things out for my best good, in spite of my human plans to the contrary, there was no reason for me to feel the way I did yesterday morning. Satan is the author of discouragement, not God. God has a thousand ways to provide for our needs, if we will only keep our eyes on Him, instead of on the circumstances around us, no matter how “impossible” they seem to us. Even when our faith falters, and our trust seems to evaporate (like mine did yesterday), God still loves us, and He still works in our behalf.

But, God was not through with me. I stopped at Taco Bell on my way home, because I had more errands to run between the dentist’s office and home, followed immediately by driving out to prayer meeting. I ordered my bean burritos, drove towards the window to pay for them . . . and discovered that my wallet was not in my purse. That meant I had no way to pay for the burritos I’d just ordered, and, since I ordered them without cheese or red sauce, Taco Bell probably wouldn’t be able to sell them to anyone else. I wasn’t sure what to do. The clerk wondered if I wanted to go home and come back, but that was too far away. While we were discussing it, a young man who works there came to the window, and asked if I wanted mild or hot sauce. I told him I didn’t even have money to pay for what I’d ordered. He said, “That’s OK. This one is on me.” He paid for my lunch.

My next dilemma was figuring out where my wallet was. I’d had it at the grocery store Tuesday night, and the only other place I’d been was the dentist's office. (I ran into the CPAP place for just a minute, and didn’t even take my purse in with me, as I was parked right in front of the office, and there was no one around in the parking lot.) I called the dentist’s office. They couldn’t find it, and my husband was out walking the dog (without his phone), so I couldn’t reach him for almost an hour. This time, I wasn’t really panicking, but I wasn’t sure how I was going to purchase the other items I needed in the time I had left, and I knew that, if it was truly missing, I needed to be calling our credit card company.

When I finally got through to him, my wallet was on the table by my computer. Apparently I’d taken it out of my purse after I got home Tuesday evening, and failed to put it back in before I left yesterday morning.

The credit union we bank at was still open when I got to it, so I was able to withdraw enough cash to pay for the things I needed.

God didn’t have to do any of those things for me. He does them because He loves us, and He wants us to know we can trust Him no matter how “murky” the water around us seems to be. Reader, whoever you are, wherever you live, whatever your dilemma, He longs to do this for you, too. He might not work quite this dramatically, but He does always have the perfect solution, and He will work things out in His own best way, according to His own best timetable if we put our troubles in His capable hands, and leave them there.

"Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Psalms 55:22

"Sanctified in Me"??

During an online class in Scripture Memorization, we were asked to talk about choosing verses:*

Ezekiel 36:23 ("And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.")  has been the "foundation" of my Scripture memorization over the years. I first "discovered" it when I looked up the more familiar Ezekiel 36:26 ("A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.") for another purpose, and noticed that verse 23 was underlined in my Bible. I have no idea how it got underlined -- I don't ever remember seeing it before in my life.

To me, verse 23 is THE "secret key" to sharing the truth of God's love to the whole world. If Christ is not sanctified in me (to the point it is obvious to everyone I interact with in any way), all the "preaching in the world" is going to fall flatter than flat in the eyes of whoever I'm "witnessing" to.

It's also interesting to note that this verse does not say that "the heathen shall know that I am the Lord" "when Kathy (or any one else) has been on 'x' number of mission trips or preached 'y' number of sermons or had 'z' number of baptisms." No, it says, ". . . and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes." In other words, only when the world can see that Christ has made a difference in my life will they be open to hearing what He can do for them.

Ezra 7:10 ("For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.") takes this from the "theoretical" to the "practical." Notice the steps Ezra went through, and the order he went through them in:

1. Heart preparation
2. Diligent searching to know God's law
3. Obedience to God's law
4. Teaching God's law, statutes, and judgments.

This brings to mind a song, Sermon in Shoes,  I learned as a child:

       Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes?

       Do you know, Oh Christian, you’re a sermon in shoes?

       Jesus calls upon you, to spread the gospel news,

       So walk it, and talk it. 

       Live it, and give it.

       Teach it, and preach it. 

       Know it, and show it.

       A Sermon in Shoes.

              (Ruth Harms Calkin, Copyright 1952 Nuggets of Truth)

By implication, if God is not "sanctified in me" (if I know of any aspect of my life that is out of harmony with His will as revealed in His Word, and I refuse to surrender that part of my life, and bring it into harmony with God's word by His grace and through His strength), then, instead of drawing others to Him, I am among those who are profaning His name among the heathen, which is a sobering, even scary, thought . . . especially in the light of all the (negative) things God has to say about those who are "stumbling blocks"!!

*The above is based on what I wrote, but has been expanded on a bit for the purpose of this blog post.

Uninvited Guests

They were tiny little things. I didn't even realize they'd come calling until I took the blackstrap molasses out of the cupboard for breakfast one morning. Even then, I was oblivious to their presence . . . until I set the molasses on the table . . . and saw them scurrying away. (A wandering scout had apparently discovered the sticky sweetness just inside the cap at some earlier point in time, and hustled off to share his find with his buddies, who hastened to the new treat. Oh that we would be as faithful in sharing the delights of God's love!). 

They were soon brushed off, and breakfast proceeded without incident. I did make sure to put the molasses somewhere else, though, to give the little rascals time to figure out that their meal was no longer available, and move on (preferably out of my house!) to "greener pastures."

When I went in to start lunch, I checked the cupboard to make sure they'd evacuated so I could put the molasses away. Whoops! Not only had they not evacuated . . . they'd recruited reinforcements . . . and invaded the peanut butter jar. (Another lesson for us?)

Unfortunately (for me), that lid was not on very tight. They'd managed to get inside . . . and even down into the peanut butter. NOT good! I carefully removed all of them (I hope!) with a spoon . . . and the peanut butter joined the molasses on the counter on the opposite side of the kitchen!

At this point, it was time for further action. I have a special bottle, filled with special food, for just such occasions. I put a few drops on a piece of tinfoil and set it on the shelf where the peanut butter had been. 

I watched for a few minutes, but didn't see any immediate takers, so went back to what I was doing. The next time I looked, there was very little free space around my offerings. My "friends" were crowding around for a drink of this delicious new food.

It looked good. It tasted good. And "everyone" was enjoying it. So many couldn't possibly be "wrong," could they? . . . or could they?

Unfortunately for them, they failed to check the ingredients of my bottle of special food: 

If they had, they might have been less anxious to enjoy it, and carry it back to their nest to share with the rest of their family. They were oblivious to the fact that that delicious new food spelled death for all who indulged it. (How often, when we fall for Satan's temptations, we hasten off to invite others to join us in rebelling against God, often to both of our eternal ruin.)

As I watched the ants over the next few hours, adding more poison as they cleaned up what was there, I couldn't help but think of yet another spiritual parallel:

Like the ants sincere belief that this new food was beneficial, "Eve (at the forbidden tree) really believed the words of Satan, but her belief did not save her from the penalty of sin. She disbelieved the words of God, and this was what led to her fall. In the judgment men will not be condemned because they conscientiously believed a lie, but because they did not believe the truth, because they neglected the opportunity of learning what is truth.Notwithstanding the sophistry of Satan to the contrary, it is always disastrous to disobey God. We must set our hearts to know what is truth. All the lessons which God has caused to be placed on record in His word are for our warning and instruction. They are given to save us from deception. Their neglect will result in ruin to ourselves. Whatever contradicts God’s word, we may be sure proceeds from Satan." – Patriarchs and Prophets, page 55, paragraph 2. (Emphasis mine.)

The only way for us to escape Satan's deceptive snares is to be diligent students of God's word, and to measure every thought, word, and deed by that standard. It doesn't matter what others think, say, or do. They are not our example. 

Just as I watched the ants falling for my innocent-looking "temptation," so Satan is watching, and gloating, when he can entice us to swallow his lies, because we forgot to "read the ingredients" through careful, prayerful, diligent, study of God's word. 

It is my prayer that we will learn from the ants' mistake, and make that Word the guide of our lives from this day forward. 

God Hath Not Promised . . . .

Below is one of my mother's favorite poems. I hadn't thought of it in a long time until a few weeks ago, as I was washing dishes one morning. 

Remembering it, and following along with the lyrics while I listened to the melody was a blessing to me, so I thought I'd pass it along for you to enjoy, too. 

God hath not promised skies always blue,

Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;

God hath not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

God hath not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;

He hath not told us we shall not bear

Many a burden, many a care.

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;

Never a mountain, rocky and steep,

Never a river, turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

The words have been put to music -- you can listen to it here:

https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/720

Meet AnnaMarie's Family

Unfortunately, they don't have a public blog (at least, not one they've listed on their RR profile page), but that profile page does give us a little information. I hope they will, at some point in the future, add a blog link.

"Meet" Ivey's Family -- and AnnaMarie has a family too!

Ivey's family is now listed on Reece's Rainbow -- you can "meet" them here.

And -- AnnaMarie's matching grant was more than met, and she has a family, too! (More details on that when they become available.)

Ivey Has a Family . . . and AnnaMarie Needs a Family

Ivey has a family coming for her! 

I don't know who her family is yet, but Ivey is on the "My Family Found Me" page over at Reece's Rainbow. At this point, you'll have to scroll down a bit to find her, as other children have been added to the top of the page since she was added.

In a nutshell, after a certain amount of paperwork has been completed (you can read about that here and here), a child can be "claimed," and he or she appears on the "My Family Found Me" page, though there is no information there about the adopting family.

After a bit more paperwork is completed, a brief biography of the adopting family appears on Reece's Rainbow's New Commitment Page. Sometimes the adopting family posts a link to their blog on their biographical post, sometimes not. When (and if) Ivey's family post a blog link, I'll share it.

And now -- Meet AnnaMarie . . . 

AnnaMarie has less than 3 months
 (until sometime in December)
 to have a family commit to adopt her. 

This does not mean the process must be completed by her 16th birthday, only that certain paper work must be filed with the US government before her birthday. Things do need to move as fast as possible, because there is a window of time after her birthday during which the process must be completed, or she becomes unavailable.

I don't have time right now to post a lot about her; I just wanted to get her picture and situation out here for people to see. However, Chelsea has written three posts about her: AnnaMarie,  College vs. Trade School, and Matching Grant.

She does have a $5,000 matching grant available to help cover the cost of her adoption; when it is met, approximately half of the cost of her adoption will be met. Travel (multiple international plane tickets, purchased on very short notice), in-country living (food, housing, facilitator fees, etc) is expensive, but who can put a "price tag" the value of a child! (By way of comparison, consider that Christ gave up everything for us.) As I understand it, the adopting family does not receive any of this money until they have been accepted by AnnaMarie's home country, and have an appointment with the appropriate government officials. The length of time between receiving the appointment and the actual appointment date is usually pretty short, which does not allow the time necessary to "shop" for really good ticket prices!

If you aren't in a position to adopt her, could you at least spread her story on whatever social media sites are available to you? Her time clock is ticking down fast . . . can someone please rescue this girl?

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:31-40

Ivey

Chelsea Pearce's "Do You Know the Difference Between an Orphan and a Potato Salad" post popped up on my Blogger Dashboard when I refreshed it earlier today, and the picture below immediately grabbed my attention.

This is Ivey. She is 12 or 13, depending on when her birthday is. (All I know is that she was born in 2001) Here is a link to another post about her. (You really should read this post -- Alexis has a lot more information about Ivey than I've posted here.)

Ivey

When I looked at her picture, my mind immediately went back to my friend, Marilyn Schmalz.

Marilyn

(You can read more about Marilyn here. When you get to the page, do a search for "Marilyn" and you'll find her. The above picture came from this website.)

Born in 1948, "LONG before rehab knew what to do with people like me," Marilyn was apparently higher functioning (physically) in the years before I knew her. By the time I met her in about 1985, she was more like Ivey than the way she describes herself in the linked article above -- except that she lived in the US, and had a lot of adaptive equipment to help her.

We were living in Alabama when we first met her through a mutual friend. She was a Senior Occupational Therapist at the "Independent Living Program at the Roosevelt Institute for Rehabilitation in Warm Springs, Georgia," about 50 miles from our home. We enjoyed her company in our home over many weekends, and, when we moved away, she drove herself the 200+ miles to our new home at least twice. 

Yes, you read that right -- she drove herself. Her van was specially equipped so she could use her mouth stick to help her drive it.

Looking at Ivey's picture, and remembering Marilyn, I see no reason why Ivey couldn't develop close the same level of functionality Marilyn had. She lived alone much of her adult life, with the assistance of personal care assistants who helped her several hours a day.

I wish I could talk to her now, and refer prospective adoptive families to her. Unfortunately, her life came to an end in 2003 or 2004. In talking to the friend who was with her when she died, I learned that, in attempting to roll over in bed one night, Marilyn apparently twisted part of her small intestines. By the time the doctors figured out (through surgery) what was causing her severe abdominal pain, the part of her intestines that had become twisted had died, gangrene had set in, and there was nothing they could do for her except to keep her comfortable for the last few hours of her life.

My oldest daughter, Pam (who graduates with a clinical doctorate in Physical Therapy on August 3, 2014) visited her in her adapted home in Columbus, GA (the one Marilyn refers to in the article linked to above). Pam and I were just reminiscing about her yesterday, and Pam was telling me how much she enjoyed visiting Marilyn in her home in the fall of 2000, and seeing all the "inventions" she'd come up with. She even had a brush rigged so she could brush her own hair without assistance. (Our friendship with Marilyn is part of what propelled Pam into starting her PT training in 2011 -- 11 years after finishing college.)

Here is Pam's blog post about her memories of Marilyn (Forget-Me-Not-Friday -- Institution Worthy?), written in March of 2012. You'll notice she used the same picture I did.

What does all this have to do with Ivey? While I don't know all of her medical details, just from looking at her picture and reading what little information is available to me, it seems to me that, with proper medical treatment, she could, in her own way, make the same positive impact on others that Marilyn did. She only has a couple of years for a family to find her before she "ages out," and becomes a permanent resident of a mental institution due to her physical limitations. 

I don't have accounts on Facebook, or Twitter, or any of those other "social media" sites, and not very many people read my little blog. It doesn't take a lot of people to make Ivey part of their family, though -- only one Mom and Dad. Could you, whoever you are that is reading this, be her her Mom or Dad? If not, do you have a relative, friend, or acquaintance who might be able to be that "special someone" that can help Ivey reach her full potential? Would you be willing to help her find a family by sharing her on your own social media accounts? (Or, if you have a blog -- write a blog post about her?)

Don't know anything about International Special Needs Adoption? No problem. The folks at Reece's Rainbow (RR) will be more than happy to help you! You should start with their "Adoption Process" page, and then move on to their "New Family Info" page before actually calling them.

You'll also find a whole host of other families who are going through, or have already been through the process [some more than once] who will be more than happy to encourage you.

If you check out the families listed on RR's "Progress" pages, you'll find that many of them have links to their blogs about their adoption journey. I find them fascinating reading:

• New Commitments
• Homestudy in Progress
• Compiling Dossier
• Almost There
• Travelling Now
• Already Home

Concerned about adopting an older child? Check out Christi M's "Parenting that Heals" blog. She and her husband, Mike, raised 4 boys -- and then went on to adopt four older girls. Christi has a lot of good information on her blog to help you understand the challenges of adopting children from trauma backgrounds (living in an institution is, in and of itself, a major trauma!!), and how to help your child work through that background to become a well-adjusted individual.

If you don't feel you are in a position to adopt Ivey, there are still things you can do:

1. Pray. Pray for Ivey, for her biological family (whoever and where ever they are), for her current caretakers, and for her adoptive family (whoever and where ever they are).
2. Donate to her Reece's Rainbow (RR) adoption fund. International adoption is expensive, but many small donations over time add up, and every little bit eases the financial burden for the family who adopts her. (You can donate online through the PayPal button at the bottom of her profile page, or, to save PayPal fees, you can mail a check to Reece's Rainbow, PO Box 4024, Gaithersburg, MD 20885. Be sure to let RR know that the donation is for Ivey,
3. Pray some more.
4. Share her need through whatever social media outlets are available to you.
5. Pray some more.

Thanks for "hearing me out," and for helping me find a family for Ivey!

Kathy

P. S. All of the children with arthrogryposis Pam mentioned in her 2012 blog post (linked to above) are now home with families, but there are others on Reece's Rainbow -- like Ivey -- who still need families!

Unfortunately . . .

Kristie

Chrystyna

Igor

Colin, and 

Leo

(all the children that used to be on my left side be, and who are still young enough to be adopted) . . .

. . . have this dreaded note at the end of their Reece's Rainbow profile:

This child is in a region that is currently not open to adoptions.  We are no longer able to accept new donations for this child.  The current grant funds will remain with this child until the unrest is resolved or the children become permanently unavailable for adoption.

At this point, all any of us can do for them is to pray for them, for their regions (and that their regions will open up again to International adoption), and for all the other children caught in this situation . . . children who, at this point, have zero chance for a family outside their home region . . . and their adoption in their home region is highly unlikely.

In spite of this, there are still many children who need a family to call their own. Check out the "Waiting Children" link at the top of the Reece's Rainbow home page.

Adoption Perspectives

Having two adopted nephews and an adopted granddaughter, I've been interested in adoption issues for a number of years.

Beth O'Malley, an adult adoptee, adoptive mother -- and foster care / adoption social worker, is the author of Adoption Lifebooks. I have found her monthly newsletters, which I've been receiving for I-don't-know-how-many years (since way before my granddaughter was born in 2011), inspiring and educational.

When I learned, in the late fall of 2010, that my oldest daughter was advocating for International Special Needs adoption (see "Pam's Sparrows" on the left sidebar), I became even more interested, and started following a lot of adoption blogs. All of these blogs are written from the perspective of the adoptive parent. As I've read, I've thought, "This is great -- but what about those who were adopted as children, and who are now adults? What is their take on all this? What advice would they have for those 'in the trenches' right now?"

There are scads of informational "how to . . ." books and articles out there, written by all kinds of adoption "experts" (some of whom seem to be writing from a strictly "theoretical" perspective with zero personal experience), but precious little (that I've seen) written by those who have actually walked the road of being adopted themselves, with all the challenges that brings, and who have now reached adulthood.

Recently, I've started stumbling on blogs written by adult adoptees. Here is one by Lynn Steinburg (A Decision to Search) that I found this morning. Lynn writes as a now-married adoptee who, with her husband, recently completed an international adoption themselves -- which gave Lynn the "push" she needed to actively pursue finding her own biological roots. (At the moment, she's only written "part 1"; I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the story as she writes it.)

I'd like to include one other resource, for "whatever it's worth." Christi M, at Parenting that Heals, was not adopted herself, but she and her husband have adopted 4 older girls (after raising 4 boys). Christie speaks from the perspective of what seems to be really working with her girls, especially in helping them understand and deal with the hurts of the past, recognizing the reality of what they've been through, yet helping them to grow beyond their past without letting it define their future. I have read all of her posts, and have been blessed by them.

While no two situations are the same (as Lynn learned), it is my hope that these links will be beneficial to those who are raising adopted children, to those who are in the adoption process, to those who are contemplating adoption -- and even to those who know an adoptee (of any age), or who are just interested for whatever reason.

Thoughts on Trials

Adapted from a post on 12/30/2012 in the Sermon on the Mount memory club for Matthew 5:10-12, and reposted in my Online Journal there, as memory club posts tend to "disappear" (get bumped off) into cyberspace after about 10 additional posts.

Matthew 5:10  -- 

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: 

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Matthew 5:11 -- 

Blessed are ye, 

when men shall revile you, 

and persecute you, 

and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, 

for my sake. 

Matthew 5:12 -- 

Rejoice, 

and be exceeding glad: 

for great is your reward in heaven: 

for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Note: You'll have to join the FAST Online Bible School and then the Sermon on the Mount Memory Club in order to read the original post. It's free to join, has been a blessing to me -- and I know the founder personally; he's even stayed in our home.

The original post was a response to an online friend who was really struggling with trying to do right and getting a lot of flack for it:

I think it is common for those who are honestly trying to do right to feel alone and persecuted. I know I struggle with those feelings at times. When Satan tempts me that way, though, the Holy Spirit reminds me that Christ, too, must have often felt that way, and it makes life easier.

I also have to examine myself closely at times like those, to make sure I'm really doing what is right, and not being buffeted for genuine faults (I Peter 2:20). 

1 Peter 2:20 -- 

"For what glory is it, 
if, 

when ye be buffeted for your faults, 

ye shall take it patiently? 

but if, 

when ye do well, 

and suffer for it, 

ye take it patiently, 

this is acceptable with God." 

If I'm in the wrong, then I can't complain about troubles. Instead, I need to ask God for strength, and a willing heart, to change. If, after comparing my course with Scripture, I am doing the best I can to follow the principles laid out in the word of God, I still can't complain about troubles, as Matthew 5:10-12 points out.

When I originally wrote this, we were visiting our oldest son and his wife and our little granddaughter. We were nearly finished putting a 1500 piece jigsaw puzzle together, and it reached the point where all that was left was a pile of (seemingly) "nondescript" pieces, pieces that all looked about the same.

After I went to bed, I started thinking about those pieces. They seemed like my life at times -- a jumble of "pieces" that don't seem to fit anywhere. I realized that, just as all those pieces have a place in the puzzle, and that, without them, the puzzle would be incomplete, so the (apparently) random troubles and trials I face are all part of God's big picture for my life. When He is through with me, I'll see how they all fit into one beautiful picture, just as our puzzle was a beautiful picture when I got up the next morning, and our children (we have four, plus one daughter-in-law) had finished it. (I went to bed before it was done last night.)

Keep your courage up when things go wrong. God has an exquisite picture for your life, one you won't see in it's fullness until the earth made new, but one which He can see now. His all-knowing hand is carefully fitting each piece into its proper place!