Merry Chirstmas 2009

What to do If You Are Forced to Take Swine Flu Shot

What to do If You Are Forced to Take Swine Flu Shot

Dr. Russell Blaylock reviews the facts about the seasonal flu vaccine, and sets the record straight about the true "dangers" of the swine flu.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/19/The-Truth-about-the-Flu-Shot.aspx

Using Nutrition to Help Perceive and Combat Swine Flu

There is valid concern that the H1N1 swine flu will readily infect Americans this flu season, resulting in high numbers of swine flu cases around the country. Already the CDC is reporting significant swine flu symptoms and swine flu cases in all states. This is because this new version of the flu hasn’t been around any time recently, meaning that our immune systems don’t have a memory of it and prior training in dealing with it. This does not automatically mean this is a major problem. Your immune system is........

http://www.newswithviews.com/Richards/byron182.htm

by Byron Richards

Happy Birthday Claudine, Jean and James!

Dr. Wayne Dyer: Excuses Begone! Preview

My mother and Claudine's Grandmother who is turning 80 this year, called me the other night and was so excited about the PBS special that she was watching. She highly suggested that I tune into it when it comes on a couple of hours later in my time zone. The PBS special by Dr. Wayne Dyer on, "Excuses Begone" was exceptional. I have read several of his books in the past and they did not disappointment me either. What perhaps was so heart warming was to hear my mother excited. She had expressed a couple of weeks ago a desire to change some of her ways or perceptions, and hearing this man speak, was an answer to her prayer. The presentation was uplifting and filled with steps to assist in behavioral changes. I found a preview of this PBS special on YouTube. One can also order it online at Dr. Dyer's website.

(When you correct your mind, everything else will follow into place)

Fun Wedding Entrance Dance

Just got to love it........! :-)

Perpetuum Jazzile - Africa

Simulated Thunderstorm - turn up your speakers........enjoy! :-)

It's Time To Climb Again

This was our letter from our Pastor this week at Appleton Alliance Church. I wanted to share, because I know many of you have been wondering how I am. And, I thank you for all your calls and emails. It was not until I read this note, did I realize that my silence has been my "rest." But, now it is time to climb again. And, take on my next "uncomfortable situation."

It's Time to Climb Again

Fred Smith has been a mentor and leadership expert to thousands of people around the world. In one of his books he talks about climbing mountains and taking risks for God.

"Something in human nature tempts us to stay where we're comfortable. We try to find a plateau, a resting place, where we have comfortable stress and adequate finances, a place where we have associations with friends, without intimidation of meeting new people and entering strange situations.

Of course, we all need to plateau for a time. We climb and then plateau for assimilation and rest. But once we've assimilated what we've learned, we must climb again! It's unfortunate and very sad when we've made our last climb, whether we're forty or eighty."

I realize since I learned about having the genetic disorder, God has been allowing me to assimilate to the idea since late April. Last week, I had to take Anna to the emergency room for stitches and they mentioned her skin seemed "fragile." Well, at that moment the Holy Spirit literally entered the room and told me it is time to go find out more. Both for me and for my kids. I have been sitting on my comfortable plateau, trying to assimilate to the "news." I am ready now, I have been told it is time to "climb again."

In addition, my eye is not getting any better. (It too is at a plateau) so I am now going to try eye therapy. I will be re-assessed in October and in December they will determine if I am a candidate for eye surgery (most likely not due to the genetic disorder, but we will see.)

My mini church is studying prayer. And, we are told to pray -- to go to the throne-- and ask for our desires. That is one of the definitions of prayer. As a believer it is easy to say "it is in God's hands." But He tells us to continually ask for our desires and make prayer part of our regiment, he will respond. But we MUST ask. I am asking then, and all of you who are willing to pray for me, I ask in His name to give me the strength for this next climb. To allow me to continually trust and KNOW He does all things for good. I pray for the healing of my eye. For protection of my daughter. For protection of my son. I pray for my cousin as she battles her Lupus again. I pray for her husband, her two children, her parents and her siblings. I pray that all is done for His glory. I pray for all my mini church friends. And, I praise Him for my parents, my job, my health and my wonderful children.

If you are taking on a "Climb"--I pray for as well. And, if you are resting and assimilating, I pray you are rejuvenated and ready for His next test. The trials and tribulations we go through are all for His name, so we can continue to grow and become closer to the person He intends us to be.

Peace to you all.

P.S. I am gearing up for Life Fest and to see Third Day--but this song "Revelation" is one of my new favorites. Until recently, I thought it was all about giving me the revelation to follow Jesus. I know realize it is about knowing "when to move". I realize it is now about God allowing us to rest, but also telling us when it is time to climb again. Enjoy.

iHn (In His name)

Claudine


(I have often thought that music reflects life. The composer of our soul song entertains us with a wide variety of beats, keys, and notes that seem to be infinite and speak to each and everyone of us differently in our heart space. One special symbol included in lifes composition on the musical staff is the REST. For even the greatest composer "Rested" on the seventh day. So as we all climb up and down the staff lines singing our soul song, the spaces between those revelations contain the letters that spell "FACE". Perhaps that old saying, "You must face the music" pertains to seeking harmony within ourselves, to allow for the Face of God to be revealed. Your notes usually make me dig deeper Claudine. Love Auntie)

Note to God

Laughter the Best Medicine

Finish watching this to the end......and you probably will not be able to keep a straight face. This was a great Friday morning wake up!

Sunday Morning Antics with Lucky

This morning my future-son-in-law, "Mitch" posted this video of Lucky their dog who is often a guest in our home. Yesterday we had a bridal shower for my daughter Jessi and Lucky was the recipient of one of the balloons when she returned home. I thought Anna and William might enjoy Lucky's antics!

Could this be one of the Giants Lucky had to face? Or........the phrase, "The Dog Days of Heaven," might apply here -- hard to tell with our four legged friends.
Love Auntie

Note from Claudine

Today was a day that the Giant's were winning in my life --- and I found this! God wanted me to remind me to focus on Him--not on my giants. Story of David and Goliath told by Max Lucado. I will be focusing on my "5 stones" today. I hope you do the same--and know He is the only one who can give you peace, contentment and allow the world around you to diminish--it is all about HIM. I am grateful that He gave me this today. Please watch this powerful message.

"If You focus on Giants you will fall, but if you focus on God your giants will fall.

5 Stones:

1) Stone of the Past: Remember the victories of the past that will help you face the Giants of the future.
2) Stone of prayer: Go down on your knees before you go up and fight.
3) Stone of priority: Our priority is not our comfort--our priority is God's glory
4) Stone of passion: Run toward your giant, tackle the giant with our God
5) Stone of persistance: We need to be ready, we need to be persistant, we have to keep going and keep trying and in time our giant will come down. Face your God and your giants will fall!

Are we ready to bring down our Giants with God's help?

Staying Calm

Each day as our Spirit is being housed in the flesh, the number of experiences that come our way to give us opportunities to see how we will respond, probably seem to be multiplying on a daily basis. Listening to the radio, watching TV, or reading the newspaper filled with alarming headlines, is enough to send us into a high state of anxiety or panic.

This morning Dr. Mercola came out with an article on the recent swine flu that is worth reading to help us look at this from another perspective, and not allow our Fears to drive our Spirit.

The article gave some recommendations on what we can do to help our immune systems at this time.

Please read:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/Swine-Flu.aspx

Here is an excerpt from the article.......

How to Protect Yourself Without Dangerous Drugs and Vaccinations

For now, my point is that there are always going to be threats of flu pandemics, real or created, and there will always be potentially toxic vaccines that are peddled as the solution. But you can break free of that whole drug-solution trap by following some natural health principles.

I have not caught a flu in over two decades, and you can avoid it too, without getting vaccinated, by following these simple guidelines, which will keep your immune system in optimal working order so that you"re far less likely to acquire the infection to begin with.

Optimize your vitamin D levels. As I"ve previously reported, optimizing your vitamin D levels is one of the absolute best strategies for avoiding infections of ALL kinds, and vitamin D deficiency is likely the TRUE culprit behind the seasonality of the flu -- not the flu virus itself.

This is probably the single most important and least expensive action you can take. I would STRONGLY urge you to have your vitamin D level monitored to confirm your levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng.ml and done by a reliable vitamin D lab like Lab Corp.

For those of you in the US we hope to launch a vitamin D testing service through Lab Corp that allows you to have your vitamin D levels checked at your local blood drawing facility, and relatively inexpensively. We hope to offer this service by June 2009.

If you are coming down with flu like symptoms and have not been on vitamin D you can take doses of 50,000 units a day for three days to treat the acute infection. Some researchers like Dr. Cannell, believe the dose could even be as high as 1000 units per pound of body weight for three days.

However, most of Dr. Cannell"s work was with seasonal and not pandemic flu. If your body has never been exposed to the antigens there is chance that the vitamin D might not work. However the best bet is to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D around 60 ng/ml.

BUT to keep this in perspective the regular flu, not the swine flu, has killed 13,000 in the US since January. But there is strong support that these types of figures are grossly exaggerated to increase vaccine sales. However, the fact remains that the regular flu at this point in time is FAR more dangerous than the swine flu and were you worried about the regular flu before the media started talking this up?

Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods. Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness. Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.

Get Enough Rest. Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done if you"re tired, if your body is overly fatigued it will be harder for it to fight the flu. Be sure to check out my article Guide to a Good Night"s Sleep for some great tips to help you get quality rest.

Have Effective Tools to Address Stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illness.

If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, consider using an energy psychology tool such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which is remarkably effective in relieving stress associated with all kinds of events, from work to family to trauma. You can check out my free, 25-page EFT manual for some guidelines on how to perform EFT.

http://www.mercola.com/forms/eftcourse1.htm

Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. The components of your immune system are also better circulated, which means your immune system has a better chance of finding an illness before it spreads. You can review my exercise guidelines for some great tips on how to get started.

Take a good source of animal based omega-3 fats like Krill Oil. Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats like the omega-3 found in krill oil, which is crucial for maintaining health. It is also vitally important to avoid damaged omega-6 oils that are trans fats and in processed foods as it will seriously damage your immune response.

Wash Your Hands. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. Be sure you don"t use antibacterial soap for this -- antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.

Eat Garlic Regularly. Garlic works like a broad-spectrum antibiotic against bacteria, virus, and protozoa in the body. And unlike with antibiotics, no resistance can be built up so it is an absolutely safe product to use. However, if you are allergic or don"t enjoy garlic it would be best to avoid as it will likely cause more harm than good.

Avoid Hospitals and Vaccines. In this particular case, I"d also recommend you stay away from hospitals unless you"re having an emergency, as hospitals are prime breeding grounds for infections of all kinds, and could be one of the likeliest places you could be exposed to this new bug. Vaccines will not be available for six months at the minimum but when available they will be ineffective and can lead to crippling paralysis like Guillain-Barré Syndrome just as it did in the 70s.

(Now go out and play and enjoy the sunshine :-)) !!!!
Kristie

Friday Update

My friends and family, thank you for your prayers and all your reaching out. I am quiet I admit. I am a bit distant, I know.

Please forgive me, it’s a lot for me to process. I will tell you this. I am surrendering to the fullest. I thought I’ve done this, but He keeps bringing me to my knees again and again.

I am grateful to want to know Him even more. I am surrendering -- and crying out to my friend, Jesus. Cry out to Jesus by Third Day is the song that I used to get through my divorce most days. Again it proves true---just need to call on Jesus for any situation.

One highlight that I thought I’d share is while writing this blog, my son William was listening to this song by Third Day and raised both his arms in the air and points his fingers toward heaven. He does this often now when he listens to our Christian music – he says, “Mommy we raise your hands to praise God!” Amen, William. Amen my sweet boy.

Amen for our new church, Appleton Alliance and the impact it has had on me and my children. Anna and William listen to praise music all the time and if ever interested in the story of Jesus’ suffering for us and how he shed is blood for us—just ask Anna. She told her friends at pre-school, “You should believe in him, he saved you from all your sins when he died on the cross.” My suffering is barely worth mentioning now that I reflect on this compared to our Lord, Jesus Christ did for us. Good night friends and family. In His name alone.

Love, Claudine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOb8ihacSM4&feature=related

Claudine's Update

Dear friends and family,

My wait is over. The test results are positive. At this point all I can say is – please keep me in your prayers. I am an internal processor, so at this time I need more time to think, to pray. I am sad. I am scared. I am overwhelmed. The feelings are something I can’t share at this moment. It is time for some serious prayer. A friend sent the below to me and I will share some of her words and a Psalm. It right now is the best words I can find.

I’m not sure what to say, “I’m sorry” doesn’t necessarily cut it, and in light of God’s sovereignty, it may not be appropriate either.

So, I just want to say, that we are here for you to lean on, pray with, cry together when needed, and to walk with you through this journey. But more than anything, we’re here to love you unconditionally. I cannot imagine the thoughts that are going through your mind, especially when thinking of your beautiful children.

I just want to encourage you to walk faithfully with our God, to beat at his chest, and to find comfort and peace as you seek to understand Him in these trials. If I may, I would like to share with you Psalm 139 and hope that for the time being, it will remind you of who He is and how much He loves you AND your children.

Psalm 139

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to [b] me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Amen.

Love, Claudine

Things are not always what they appear to be!

Another Dream Comes True

Susan Boyle - (Things are not always what they appear to be...)

Susan Boyle Sings on Britain's Got Talent 2009 Episode 1 @ Yahoo! Video

Dreams Do Come True

It's been quiet from Claudine, so until there is more news to report, I saw these unique videos and felt this beautiful talent of God's gifts given to these amazing individuals should be shared.
Love Auntie

Sound of Music - Central Station Antwerp (Belgium)

It doesn't appear these people are going to miss the train.......! Happy Easter!

Monday Morning Sharing with Claudine

Jeremy Camp - Walk by Faith (acoustic)

MONDAY MORNING DEVOTIONAL BY PASTOR KEN NABI

Accepting Trouble

Job 2:10

“…shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Job is one of the most famous and well known characters in all of the Bible. Many people identify with Job as a man of suffering and struggles. Broken people look for people to identify with because it is comforting and Job is a person who anyone in pain can identify with. His life fell apart in every practical way—except one.

Job went through two testing periods. First, Job lost his assets in a stock market crash. He was invaded by neighboring clans and robbed of his cherished possessions. This horrible day ended with Job losing his children to a cataclysmic “natural” event. In the second test, the calamities hit his person and he was covered with some skin infection that sounds horrid. Life as Job knew it was completely decimated.

Many people can identify with this kind of struggle. But, what makes Job remarkable is not his pain, but his faith. This phrase in chapter 2 is a statement he makes to his own wife who tells him to give up on God because, she assumes, apparently God has given up on him. And Job demonstrates a maturity that few have. This maturity reflects his personal theology of difficulty. This personal philosophy rivets the reader into a world view that is solid and deep. “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” Do you accept trouble from God?

2 observations to guide us toward a mature embrace of difficulty.

Job is riveted theologically and his conviction about God guides him through the pain. Job is firmly standing on the theological premise that God is sovereign over all affairs and He is loving in it all. This theology is voiced in the popular phrase “there are no coincidences.” Job is not embracing a fatalistic mindset like I hear many people voice when they say “it’ll all work out.”

God is sovereign and by that we mean that He is weaving a reality into our midst that is just as He intends (Daniel 4:25). He is not surprised by cancer reports from doctors nor planes flying into buildings. He is not caught off guard by miscarriages nor stock market crashes. He is sovereign and as such is both causing and allowing events to shape life and reality. This is true even when Satan is behind the horror as is the case with Job. Yet, Job clings to God. He accepts the crushing problems as a gift from God. And this leads to the second observation.

Difficulty is an opportunity not to be missed only by suffering. If you read large portions of Job’s words, you see that his prayers are not polite and neat conversations with God. Job wrestles and winces. He pushes and provokes. Job takes his pain to God and will not leave the door unopened without some response (which incidentally he gets in chapter 38-40). Job sees the pain as an opportunity for self change and transformation. Pain has its greatest effect when we embrace it and learn from it (Hebrews 12:7-13).

In counseling, I have spent hundreds and hundreds of hours trying to get people to see pain as something to be embraced rather than avoided, anesthetized, and ignored. Pain is our friend. It is a strangely wrapped gift. Pain is a school master who can make us smarter, wiser, more tender, and more loving when we embrace it with the faith of Job.

What trouble are you in? What pain are you struggling with? Can you identify with the suffering of Job? Can you embrace the faith of Job? Find your strength in the sovereign love of God and the great purposes of pain. They are a hammer and chisel that can shape in you a godliness that is a rare reality today.

Prayer: God, I trust you in the midst of this struggle. I know that you have allowed it into my life and I embrace it as a gift from you to shape my heart and life. Please have your way in my inner being today and use my pain as the tool of change.

Your Partner in the Gospel – Ken Nabi


Church website www.ccfdl.org

LIFE

Someday's we may forget why we are here. It is often videos and pictures created by inspired artists, that help us to remember. One such video crossed my path today and touched my heart.

Kristie

http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Life/index.htm

Hallelujah - Update from Claudine

Ask my mom. I was having a hard time finding the "joy" today, as it began to snow again--and just flurries--but 6-10 inches--after what were signs of spring. After battling the Sunday crowd and lines at Walmart to do some simple grocery shopping and wondering if I would ever NOT be in a hurry again in my life. How quickly we forget our blessings and so easily focus on the immediate! It was just this past Tuesday that I went to Froedtert for my 6 month appointment with my Neurosurgeon.

Let me share with you my news, I will try to use my doctors' exact words....."your brain looks as healthy as your Dad's...okay maybe a bit younger, but just as healthy. The blockage is gone. It's gone for good. 100% repaired, not to come back!" He emphatically used his hands to tell us the good news that the MRA showed and to convince us we could take a moment to rejoice!

Picture my Dad and I bent forward studying the image on the screen looking for any sign of irregularity, any sign that this ordeal might not be over, any sign of anything. Let me just tell you, this Neurosurgeon, this amazing and incredibly talented doctor is also one of the most compassionate doctors I have ever met. He explains things in simple terms and genuinely looks happy when both my Dad and I sat back in our chairs with tears in our eyes and sighed with relief! Praise God! I mean it! Praise HIS name and Blessed be HIS name!

I actually lifted my arms to the sky when I leaned back into my chair. Not realizing it then, but I know I was praising God in this Doctor's office.

I will continue to be monitored, my next MRA will be in October...1 year later. And, then probably every 2 years I will have MRA's to watch for other aneurysms. I still have not heard the results of the genetic testing, but let me tell you. He told me it won't change how he will monitor me. I may have MRA's done of other parts of my body, but they won't be any more frequent. He re-assured me that in most cases any possible aneurysms would probably be detected and dealt with before rupture. He reassured me that in most cases there is time even if the aneurysm does burst that I don't need to panic. Not that I am a panicky person....but oh wow! Praise God! The genetic tests results take longer than anyone expected, so probably another 3-4 weeks before I have the results.

Let me share why I chose the songs I did for this blog message...I guess Hallelujah used to be used in deep despair when crying out to Jesus for HELP over the years. It turned to the utmost praise you could shout to the Lord. I felt that I could have used it in both ways and it just moved me to know that I can not only use it to call on our gracious God for HELP but also to praise HIM!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKcRVUpRVx0

The second song. I love this song. Hallelujah...grace like rain! On days when I have a hard time remembering the joy of knowing I have his Grace, well Hallelujah that his grace falls on me like rain (or in today's case...lots and lots of snow!) Thank you my dear sweet Lord for the reminder....

Love, Claudine

Life is Good - Peaceful Socks

My dear friend Laura from Chicago sent me this picture today of her friend whose name is also Claudine, wearing a pair of socks that say, "Life is Good."

She said that I could share with you as I felt perhaps there was a message that came with it as I looked at the picture.

Socks represent in a dream world progress on physical plane. When colored with yellow (peace) retrofitted with hiking boots (grounding, things which protect you on your journey through life), assisted by a chipmunk (you have all the tools you need stored away; recognize and use them), standing on a mountain (perspective, clarity, spiritual awareness, climbing up you are going the right direction), says to me that whatever experiences you face, know that you are on the right path for the next leg of your journey.

May the rays of the sun/SON shine down on you as you walk in Peaceful socks - "Life is Good."

Happy Friday dear niece!

Love Auntie

Louis Giglio - Laminin

From Claudine.............

If you all thought the Laminin story was powerful as you read it...watch this video! I'll bet you cry, it moved me and my cousin, my sister in Christ to tears and to Praise our most amazing Creator...thanks for sending!

What Binds Us Together (Note from Claudine)

Thank you to my friend and co-worker for sending this to me!

She thought it would have special meaning for me, and wow does it ever!

Wait until you all read this! Amazing!

A verse I took so lightly before since I was thinking of it in the vaguest sense…. He is before all things, and in him All things HOLD TOGETHER. ' Colossians 1:15-17

And now we see that from a very LITERAL standpoint, we are held together... One cell to another... By the cross!

My tests results will hopefully be in by end of this week, so this really was perfect timing on God for me to get this message.

It is actually so amazing, I have goosebumps! Do you see the part that say “collagen binding”? That is the genetic sequence testing the specialists are reviewing at the University of Washington-Seattle right now with my DNA! This part of my genetic makeup is part of what God created to keep all of us together! I know if he can create it, he knows how to fix it and I will trust that if it comes to that…he will give my doctor’s the wisdom they need to answer the prayers of my heart! HE keeps me together in so many ways! What an amazing God we have.

Love, Claudine


The Glue That Holds Us Together

We can trust that the God who created all this, also has the power to hold it all together when things seem to be falling apart...how our loving Creator is also our sustainer.

This is a pretty neat story and an interesting thing that few of us know. It's brief, so please read.

(FROM A DOCTOR)

A couple of days ago I was running (I use that term very loosely) on my treadmill, watching a DVD sermon by Louie Giglio... And I was BLOWN AWAY! I want to share what I learned.... But I fear not being able to convey it as well as I want. I will share anyway.

He (Louie) was talking about how inconceivably BIG our God is... How He spoke the universe into being... How He breathes stars out of His mouth that are huge raging balls of fire.. . Etc. Etc.

Then He went on to speak of how this star-breathing, universe creating God ALSO knitted our human bodies together with amazing detail and wonder. At this point I am LOVING it (fascinating from a medical standpoint, you know.) .... And I was remembering how I was con-stantly amazed during medical school as I learned more and more about God's handiwork. I remember so many times thinking.... 'How can ANYONE deny this?

And then I lost my breath. And it wasn't because I was running my treadmill, either!!! It was because he started talking about laminin. I knew about laminin. Here is how Wikipedia describes them: 'Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue.' You see.... Laminins are what hold us together.... LITERALLY. They are cell adhesion molecules. They are what holds one cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we would literally fall apart. And I knew all this already. But what I didn't know is what they LOOKED LIKE.

But now I do. And I have thought about it a thousand times since (already)... Here is what the structure of laminin looks like... AND THIS IS NOT a 'Christian portrayal' of it.... If you look up laminin in any scientific/medical piece of literature, this is what you will see...(cross picture above)

Now tell me that our God is not the coolest!!! Amazing. The glue that holds us together.... ALL of us.... Is in the shape of the cross.

Immediately Colossians 1:15-17 comes to mind. 'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible And invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; All things were created by him and for him.He is before all things, and in him All things HOLD TOGETHER. ' Colossians 1:15-17 Call me crazy. I just think that is very, very, very cool.

Thousands of years before the world knew anything about laminin, Paul penned those words. And now we see that from a very LITERAL standpoint, we are held together... One cell to another... By the cross.

You would never in a quadrillion years convince me that is anything Other than the mark of a Creator who knew EXACTLY what laminin 'glue' would look like long before Adam breathed his first breath!!

We praise YOU, Lord!

(When I look at the picture what also came to mind is the placement of the collagen binding - the vertical line (spiritual plane/heaven) intersects with the horizontal line (earth plane) and where they intersect is at the level of the Heart (He art - God's masterpiece)
Love Auntie)

Laughter - The Best Medicine

Lately it seems the days have been filled with serious overtones. I watched this YouTube this morning and had one of the best chuckles I've had in a very long time. As we have all heard that laughter is the best medicine, this video will definitely contribute to those healing vibrations.

While I Am Waiting

My dear family and friends,

I fell to my knees again yesterday, for the third time in the past year. I admit, this time it was out of fear and a bit out of anger.

I ask for your prayers.

My doctor called yesterday and said they have been doing more research on my condition after my dermatology appointment last week.

After I left last week, they weren't satisfied they hadn't found a good answer for me. Their research uncovered a rare vascular disease that all my symptoms seem to fit the bill. They walked me through the symptoms and the future issues if I do have this genetic disease. They talked to me about the life expectancy rates and that only 500 people have this disease in the U.S., so it is rare and would be basically untreatable. It would be more that I could watch for symptoms to help possibly prevent additional aneurysm, and other complications.

I will be working with the Froedtert doctors to have the blood test ordered over the next week or so. The test will be sent to the UW-Washington Seattle Hospital and the results will be 95% accurate. They would not spell the name of the disease for me, they do not want me "googling" it before we know the results of the test. (I think that is better at this time too!) If I do have this disease I will work with a team of Doctors as well as a Genetic counselor for "coping" skills.

After I got off the phone with the Doctor, I asked God , why this continued suffering? why this continued test of my faith? why, why, why?

I then talked with my team leader at work about possibly having to be out for some appointments in the coming week. As we talked, he said to me, "We know and thank God for Doctors. But, we know a different healer, God. And, he is better than any doctor! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for that reminder! And, thank you to my friend/co-worker for praying with me in her office yesterday after I got the news. The power of prayer is amazing in a time of uncertainty. And, I thank God everyday for surrounding me with people who love the Lord!

So, here I am waiting. Waiting for more answers. Waiting on God's plan.

At 4:10 p.m. today driving home crying. Again, pondering my life, pondering the thought of leaving this earth early, and pondering the thought of leaving my kids behind and on comes this song on the radio. It is from the movie, Fireproof, which I have not seen, but here it is really great.

"While I am Waiting" by John Waller.



"I will move ahead bold and confident. Taking every step in obedience, while I am waiting, I will serve you, while I am waiting. I will worship, while I am waiting, I will not fail, I'll be running the race, even while I wait. I am waiting on you Lord, and I am peaceful. I am waiting on you Lord, I will move ahead bold and confident. I will serve you will I am waiting..."

My promise to myself and my kids is: I am going to do all those things while I wait. While I am waiting on the Lord....

Please take a listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb7TSGptd3Y&NR=1

I ask for your prayers. For peace in knowing either way. For trusting and not doubting. For knowing his promise, "I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you."

Thank you my dear friends. I'll be back in touch as soon as I have the results.

Love, Claudine

What a Wonderful World

Sweet footage of a deer and kitten with the lovely sound track of Louis Armstrong! I thought Anna and William would enjoy the animals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rooyt3ptNco&feature=email

Claudine's Update

There is a time for everything,

a season for every activity under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.

At time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

A time to search and a time to lose.

A time to keep and a and time to throw away.

At time to tear and a time to mend.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.

A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.

--Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

Timing is important. Timing is everything. And, all timing is God’s timing. What my NLV bible says about this verse is, all the experiences listed in the above versus are appropriate for certain times. And, the secret to peace with God is to discover, accept and appreciate God’s perfect timing. The danger is to doubt, resent God’s timing. And, this can lead to despair or moving ahead without his advice.

I have been thinking, reading and praying a lot about timing since I returned to work. And, about the seasons of life.

The first two weeks I returned, I wondered if I returned too soon. I was so tired each day and everything seemed very overwhelming. But I knew if I just took one day at a “time” – it would get better, and I would adjust to being at work again.

Quick update on my doctor’s appointments. The first was at the end of January with the Neuro Opthamologist. Since my last appointment (about 1 month ago) my eye is improving. The eye is open, blinks and reacts with the other eye! Good news! It moves to the right, up and down more than it did at my last appointment. More Good News! The pupil is now pulling to the right of the eye because the nerve that controls movement to the left and creates most of the double vision I am experiencing is lagging and not healing as quickly. I went to my appointment praying I’d be ready for prisms so maybe I could stop wearing the patch. No luck, it is not “time yet” the doctor said.

Last week I had my dermatology appointment, they were to do a biopsy to see if I had a collagen DNA issue. Well, the doctors never did the biopsy and said there was no indication I had this very serious Collagen DNA disease just by looking at me. Good News! However, they did tell me that my skin is very fragile for someone my age, and I did look “older” than I am – I don’t think this is Good News! J They asked me to come back for further evaluation by other members of the dermatology team. They told me that maybe next “time” they would be able to tell me more.

So, not much is new here. It is just about timing. And, waiting on God’s timing. Psalm 40’s theme is Doing God’s will sometimes means waiting patiently. While we wait, we can love God, serve others and tell others about Him.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry…

He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.

He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what he has done and be astounded.

And, they will put their trust in the Lord. Psalm 40:1-3

So, I continue to wait and pray. And, learn along the way.

I’ve been convicted in so many areas this past month that I know God is teaching me—and all of what my life has brought and will bring is only for the glory of the kingdom and in His honor. If we know who we are, all we have and what all lies ahead is HIS—we have nothing to fret, worry or cry about. What we have is the peace of knowing each day is a day for HIM. Our days, our thoughts, our prayers, our gifts, our talents, our situations should be used to the fullest so we can give Him all of our glory by thanking Him for another Day!

Thank you for your continued calls, emails and prayers.

I’ll be in touch…more doctor’s appointments and more of God’s plan awaits….

Love, Claudine

The Wild, Wacky (and Often Terrifying) Search for a Better Life

I read a blog post this morning from a friend in Chicago, and her words of wisdom seemed to follow a "One Day in Time" theme. It's a good post and timely reminder and thought it worth sharing.

The Wild, Wacky (and Often Terrifying) Search for a Better Life

Have you ever noticed that once you start to make significant changes, a disturbing number of things in your life can begin to shift, dance and, quite frankly, crash around you all at the same time?

I’ve lived through it many times. Maybe you've said these things, too:

“I can’t deal with that now, I have to finish this first”.

“Why did this have to happen NOW, just when I was getting ready to start working on this dream I've wanted to pursue for years?”

“When it rains, it pours!”

It’s as though we have the notion that if we try really hard we can separate our lives in to sections and work each section, one at a time, so that it is neat, tidy and convenient. First I have to work on my house, then I can work on finding the right job, then I can get back to exercise and work on my body, then I can take a nice vacation with my honey and work on our relationship.” Liberally intersperse a few prolonged periods to "think some more", as needed before moving to the next big issue. Everything lined up like little ducks in a row.

Man, it would be so cool if these were (well behaved and orderly) ducks we were talking about.

In case your life isn't so nice and neat it might help to think of the matter this way:

Picture your life more like a mobile, you blow on one to shift its position and the whole thing starts to turn. Your life is a system in balance, but the balance is dynamic. I often hear people talking about wanting more balance in life in this way: “When everything is SET, then I can relax and enjoy this wonderful feeling of serenity.” Then, when it doesn’t happen that way, they feel they’ve failed and often choose one of two routes in reaction. Either they start working harder to get that balance established, get burned out and say, “you know, I’m basically happy,” and give up the whole concept that life can get any better for them. (Maybe life balance is some sort of urban myth propogated by personal development professionals but entirely unrealistic in practice). OR they retreat further from life, convincing themselves that with a little more head-space and time they'll be ready for...their big debut? It often gets a little fuzzy here.

Try looking at balance from a third perspective. When you are making significant changes in your life, everything else has to respond to that change because our lives are integrated parts of a whole. The changes may not always be what you expected, and, yes, some of them may not be changes you thought you wanted and they often cost a lot more money than you had anticipated shelling out at the time, but they will occur. In fact, the more significant your shift, the more subsequent changes you can expect.

The trick is to not fear change but FLOW with it. Recognize change as an affirmation that you are, indeed, doing significant work on your life, not necessarily a sign from God that you should stay put and forget all your plans. If you look honestly, you may discover that all the stuff that suddenly needs to be handled has really been building up for a long time. Health issues suddenly can't be ignored. Or maybe it's a relationship problem that you can no longer deny. Maybe it's mechanical stuff in your home that you've been putting off. The things that blast you may not really be as "all of a sudden" as you like to tell yourself. That's good. It means you are being forced to deal with your foundational cracks so that when you do move forward you can do so on solid footing.

It's going to force you to do what you need to do to go into the future clean.

And while you are in the throes of this chaos, recognize that you might (read: will) need to get a support system around you to help you keep a sense of balance in what might be a VERY disorienting time in your life. You may find you need to set stronger, wider boundaries and maintain a strong commitment to self-care to keep yourself well during major transitions. You may have to ask for help that you didn’t need before (and get your Ego out of the way to let yourself do this!) You may find yourself challenging a lot of beliefs and judgments you hold about many things, yourself included.

So, as you join the rest of the country in our annual flight from all things New Year's Resolution-y, I'd like to nudge you back ever so gently to the mirror and encourage you to take an honest look at your life. What would you like to release yourself from this year? What would you like to grow? What will begin to change when you do? What supports will you need to help you get where you want to be? What one honest, sincere step could you make today, no matter how small or symbolic?

Now, go do that one thing.

Post by Laura Young at

http://laurayoung.typepad.com/

From Sea to Shining Sea

We've been quiet here for quite sometime, as Claudine is settling back into her work regime, and the old saying, "No news is good news" seems to apply. This morning an email came in with an inspirational video (click on words to view) "A Born Again American" that caught my eye and it was worth seeing.

It is encouraging to watch, feel and listen to the souls of our human family stir with excitement and passion as renewed energy takes hold, and people are beginning to understand that change towards the positive, begins within each one of us.

As the days unfold, our system will see more and more of the old guard falling away, to allow for a new foundation to be laid. It's much like remodeling a home. While we are in the process of doing so, at times it can be very unpleasant to live with all the dust, dirt and chaos, and then when it's all done and our home once again is cleared from the old clutter, etc., we feel renewed and know it was worth the effort spent.

May the challenging days ahead for each of us on a personal, national and world level, be born again in the spirit of brotherly love. For the truth in the words, "United We Stand, Divided We Fall," once again reminds us that our collective future depends a great deal on whether we can make the leap in consciousness.

Bach to the Rescue

Today I have been inspired to share a holistic tool that may be something to consider for your own personal use and or sharing with friends and family. Some of you may have already heard of these remedies and for others who have found their way to this blog, this may be something entirely new to your eyes and ears.

If you happen to still be breathing, you will probably be able to relate to having had or are experiencing some distress in your life. Stress is a major factor that will most certainly contribute to some form of dis-ease within the body, mind and spirit, and subsequently diminish ones quality of life. Over the years more and more information is becoming available of the complimentary/holistic/natural methods for us to consider adding as a tool for our own personal health investment. Health is our true wealth as many of us can attest to when we find ourselves down for the count.

Every day we are subjected to thousands of distractions, stressors, and pollutants. These myriad influences can wear down our natural defenses and cause frustration, tension, and even physical illness. The 38 Bach Flower Remedies are a safe and natural solution to the challenges of life in the 21st century. The remedies purify and balance the internal energy system, which in turn heals existing health problems—and can even help prevent future problems from manifesting!

There are a wide assortment of tools now ready for us to use, but today I'm going to concentrate on, "The 38 Bach Flower Essences," that were discovered by Dr. Edward Bach (1886-1936). Dr. Bach was a physician well ahead of his time. In his short career he moved from orthodox medicine into developing a natural form of medicine to treat emotional and spiritual health, very much in tune with the trends in natural health today.

Dr. Bach's Philosophy was at once simple and profound, based on the innate perfection and spiritual nature of human beings. He stated that health and happiness result from being in harmony with our own nature, and doing the work for which we are individually suited.

Dr. Bach discovered 38 essences, each for a specific emotional and mental state, plus a combination of five the essences designed for difficult and demanding situations, which he called Rescue Remedy.

Dr. Bach divided the 38 essences into seven groups, representing fundamental conflicts, which prevent us from being true to ourselves:

Fear
Uncertainty
Insufficient interest in present circumstances
Loneliness
Over-sensitivity to influences and ideas
Despondency or despair
Over-care for the welfare of others

Within each group, the essences each cover a specific nature of the difficulty concerned. For example, fear may take the form of terror, (requiring Rock Rose), definable, everyday fear (Mimulus), fear of losing one's mind (Cherry Plum), inexplicable fears (Aspen), or fears for other people (Red Chestnut).

Just as Dr. Bach identified the seven areas of conflict which interfere with our health, so he defined the stages in the healing of disease...Peace, Hope, Joy, Faith, Certainty, Wisdom, Love.

The flower essences like other forms of natural medicine, take effect by treating the individual, not the disease or the symptoms of the disease. They work specifically on the emotional condition of the person concerned. Thus two people with the same complaint, e.g., arthritis, may benefit from quite different essences. One may be resigned to the illness, while the other may be impatient with it, so different essences will be appropriate in each case.

The effect of taking the essences is not to suppress negative attitudes but to transform them into positive ones, stimulating one's own potential for self-healing and freeing the physical system to engage fully in fighting disease and stress.

People do not have to be physically ill to benefit from the essences. Many of us go through times of difficulty and fatigue when negativity creeps in; at these times the essences are invaluable in restoring the balance before physical symptoms appear.

Rescue Remedy was created by Dr. Bach for emergencies experienced and contains a combination of five of the flower essences: Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum, Rock Rose and Clematis. It is worth carrying a small bottle with you. It is to be used when you receive sudden bad news, a family upset or bereavement; if you are fearful, confused, or even in terror. Rescue Remedy will help you face the situation in a better frame of mind.

It can also be taken before a stressful event; for example, while waiting for important news; prior to taking an exam or a driving test; before a difficult meeting or interview; before on stage or giving a speech; before going to the dentist or into the hospital. Rescue Remedy will help to reduce your fear and nervousness. It is an excellent remedy whenever you feel uptight or unduly bothered, and can usually restore balance.

After an accident, an immediate dose of Rescue Remedy can contribute greatly to counteracting its effects and helping the natural healing process to take its course. If there has been an accident at home, out of doors or on the road, those involved may be experiencing confusion. While waiting for medical help Rescue Remedy can be used to relieve the fear of both victim and onlookers and provide comfort and reassurance.

The essences are not used directly for physical complaints, but for the sufferer's worry, apprehension, hopelessness, irritability etc., because these states of mind or moods can only hinder recovery of health and are believed to contribute to sickness and disease.

To learn more about the Bach Flower Essences, just click on this web site. You can normally find these essences available at many local health food stores, or on line, and there are many books written on the Bach Flower Essences available.

For all the first responders (police officers, fire fighters, medical professionals) who are witness to scenes of death and destruction, a gift to them of Rescue Remedy might be very beneficial.

Note: Like all the flower essences, Rescue Remedy is not intended to replace medical treatment but is an invaluable support while waiting for medical help in an emergency. It is natural, entirely safe and gentle, is not habit forming and will not interfere with any other medical treatment.

The 38 Bach Flower Essences include:

Agrimony - mental torture behind a cheerful face

Aspen - fear of unknown things

Beech - intolerance

Centaury - the inability to say 'no'

Cerato - lack of trust in one's own decisions

Cherry Plum - fear of the mind giving way

Chestnut Bud - failure to learn from mistakes

Chicory - selfish, possessive love

Clematis - dreaming of the future without working in the present

Crab Apple - the cleansing remedy, also for self-hatred

Elm - overwhelmed by responsibility

Gentian - discouragement after a setback

Gorse - hopelessness and despair

Heather - self-centredness and self-concern

Holly - hatred, envy and jealousy

Honeysuckle - living in the past

Hornbeam - procrastination, tiredness at the thought of doing something

Impatiens - impatience

Larch - lack of confidence

Mimulus - fear of known things

Mustard - deep gloom for no reason

Oak - the plodder who keeps going past the point of exhaustion

Olive - exhaustion following mental or physical effort

Pine - guilt

Red Chestnut - over-concern for the welfare of loved ones

Rock Rose - terror and fright

Rock Water - self-denial, rigidity and self-repression

Scleranthus - inability to choose between alternatives

Star of Bethlehem - shock

Sweet Chestnut - Extreme mental anguish, when everything has been tried and there is no light left

Vervain - over-enthusiasm

Vine - dominance and inflexibility

Walnut - protection from change and unwanted influences

Water Violet - pride and aloofness

White Chestnut - unwanted thoughts and mental arguments

Wild Oat - uncertainty over one's direction in life

Wild Rose - drifting, resignation, apathy

Willow - self-pity and resentment

Jesus---Bring the Rain from Mercy Me

"Jesus -- Bring the Rain" .... God's got me covered under the umbrella of his love. (Seattle is getting drenched today, Claudine the song is working!)

Note from Claudine today

Aunt Kristie,

I couldn't help but write another note for the blog based on your last note.
Based on something you said about not living life with fear.
I had to share two additional songs that are often my life line when need encouragement in knowing whatever lies ahead God will never leave my side.

Living a life without fear was a hard concept for me to grasp initially.
I would say 2 years later I really understand what this means. I can tell you fear kept me captured for a long time in a life I should not have been part of and God knew this. Once behind me, I feel like myself and the person God intended me to be.

Here is a song, "Jesus --Bring the Rain" from Mercy Me that still is so important to me. My favorite verse:

"I draw closer through this time. So I pray, bring me joy, bring me peace, bring me the chance to be free, bring me anything that brings you Glory. I know there will be days that this life brings me pain...but if that is what it takes to praise you, Jesus bring the rain!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIFOPWHjA6c

Flourishing under His word, I can honestly say this medical emergency seemed not that difficult of a road, knowing I have HIM on my side. Now living a life without fear, and being able to work through the fear and not let it make your decisions for me-- is so freeing.

Like the Third Day song says below, I am glad to be standing on the mountain of God and nothing compares to what is in front of me--I truly believe that!
His awesomeness lets one release that fear and live life knowing you are under His arms of protection.

Thank you for the note Aunt Kristie...I think I am going to print a picture of Mr. Peanut for my desk--it brought me laughter and tears to my eyes that although my journey is not over, I have come so far under the care of His watchful eyes.

And, I know that he carries me and carries each of my tears in his protective hands.

Thanks to you and everyone for sharing in this journey with me.
Love to you all.

Here are my favorite verses from Mountain from Third Day:

"even if the journey is long and I know the road is hard, but the one who has gone before me will carry me.

and after all I've been through, I must go through the valley to stand upon the mountain of God.

Yes, I must go through the valley, to stand upon the mountain!!!!

...nothing compares to what is in front of me!


(Both are the same song, but I love the video--but the one with words is so great to hear and see them.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgeMHHbFslk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz-cRVvGe88


Here is another favorite from Casting Crowns:

I say Amen that it's still raining. As the thunder rolls, I barely hear your whisper, "I am with you."

I'll praise you in this storm, and I will lift my hands

every tear I cry you hold in your hand, and NEVER left my side.

My help comes from the LORD the maker of the heaven and earth.

I will praise you in this storm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw

From Pirate to Mr. Peanut :-)

Chatter from the peanut gallery........
Tonight a new posting (see below) for the blog came in from Claudine. It is quite amazing to read the heart felt words that arrived in my email, and then to reflect back just a couple of months to where her soul has all traveled and the many miles of greater perception she has acquired. Often times when our outer senses are closed off temporarily, we are then given the opportunity to do a life review, and begin to tap into the wealth of our inner treasures that have laid dormant and waiting for that precise moment in time when one's spirit begins in earnest the beautiful unfolding of their soul expression.

I was wondering what picture I would include with this writing when suddenly an image of one of the peanut gang showed up. This is perhaps one of my favorites as the monocle man sports an hourglass figure! For this blog it is probably appropriate as we have witnessed Claudine's transformation take form in, "One Day in Time." It has been said that time is an illusion, and because of holding on to this belief of "time," fear has been generated into the hearts and minds of humanity. When we are able to transcend fear, every day miracles seem to occur. When we open the door to the sacred heart, we step out of time/fear into love/gratitude and remembrance of, "Being in this world but not of it." Gratitude for all the blessings brought to us and acknowledged even before their showing up in our material world, is our faith in knowing we are worthy and deserving of HIS blessings.

Claudine may your return to KC be joined by the monocle man who will tap dance with you, and twirl your days in time with a clearer vision assisted by the magic of the top hat (higher awareness) and clear vision lens.

The history of the success of Plantar's Peanuts and Mr. Peanut has some relevance to your story and perhaps more of what you bring to "KC". Your eye patch will be replaced with a new prism and the pirate will have uncovered her own deeply buried treasures to share with the world.

(Amedeo Obici (Ah-may-day-o O-bee-chee), founder of Planters, was born in 1876 in the small town of Oderzo near Venice, Italy. When Obici was old enough to read, his widowed mother would show him his uncle's glowing letters from America. Thus began Obici's dream.

At age eleven, reality had him pulling up at Bush Terminal in Brooklyn, New York. An Italian immigrant, 11 years old, not knowing any English, but going on to become prosperous business innovator. His willingness to work showed even at this early age. He started his career as a bellhop and fruitstand vendor in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Later, Obici moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and opened his own fruit stand and invested in a peanut roaster. Here he linked his life's fortune with the peanut. In a few years, Obici turned peddler, using a horse and wagon, and called himself "The Peanut Specialist". In 1906, Obici went into partnership with Mario Peruzzi. He had developed his own method of blanching whole roasted peanuts, doing away with the troublesome hulls and skins; and so with six employees two large roasters, and crude machinery, Planters was founded. Amedeo Obici realized that prices and first profits were not nearly so important as repeat business. He proved his operation based on quality and brand name were important for continued success. Two years later, the firm was incorporated as Planters Nut and Chocolate Company.

Mr. Peanut, Planters mascot is such a nut, everybody's just crazy about him! Since his introduction in 1916, to help advertise the sales of the country's first roasted peanut company, Mr. Peanut has become one of the nation's best-known advertising characters. Based on the original drawing of a 13-year-old boy, the ever-dapper Mr. Peanut eventually added a top hat, white spats, ebony cane, and monacle to his unique ensemble.)

God Bless you and like sands through the hourglass........these are the days of our lives!

I'm out of time!!! :-)

Love Auntie

Now here's Claudine................

The New Year has come in true Wisconsin fashion...with bitter cold and ice...but with a blessing that only God our healer could ordain.

My eye is still only 3/4 open, but remains open all the time now. It is strong enough to stay open all day!

One week ago is when I visited the ophthalmologist, at that point it was more comfortable being shut and had to be "forced" open.

Less than one week later, it stays open just like the other eye. So, this leads me to my new look..."Pirate Claudine of Wisconsin."

Yes, vanity aside, I am wearing a black patch so I can leave the eye open...but actually be able to see and focus. The double vision really is a challenge as it makes me dizzy and not able to see well at all. But, I feel so blessed by the progress of the eye in such a short time. I know the healing and continued progress will come.

I found myself in Philippians again tonight.

Philippians 4:6-7. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

I was here again for several reason. The first obviously, being my eye. And, praying for it's continued progress and limited days as a "pirate". :) But, I am returning to work next week Monday. And, I am excited to go back. But, the reality of life again has sunk in and the demands of single working mom. I am raising them all up to God tonight because today I was not a very patient, loving mom. And, when this all began I said my first priority was to lead Anna and William to the Lord by example. Today I failed miserably. I am raising not only up my eye, and continuing to allow me to balance all life's demands with patience and wisdom.

But, then I turned to Thanksgiving. I began praying for all I am thankful for and all He has done. Ahhhhhh, peace fell in my heart again. It is an amazing feeling when you KNOW God is working on peace for heart and guarding your heart from all your worries.

Throughout the past year, I have realized that God is amazing at changing your heart, so you are ready for when he brings on change so His plan can be done. So, in celebration of the New Year, I thought I'd share the:

"Top 5 Things I Have Said that God Changed my Heart on during 2008"

5. " I never want to go back to work."

God, allowed my children to turn 3 -- enough said. I am ready and will be at work on Monday a.m. ready to go! And, he gave me a job that I truly enjoy and feel so fortunate to go back too!

4. "If I do have to move, I don't think I'd like to live back home."

Well, I now have an Appleton address and zip code. And, I actually like it here. And, wouldn't have it any other way now :)

3. "If I do ever have to go back to work, I'd rather not work at KC since both my dad and brother work there."

Well, I love my job, I think KC is a fabulous company, and I have found being there could be worse things than being a "Weiland" at KC. My Dad is highly regarded and everyone seems to know him. And, well my brother, he is on the rise and his reputation isn't so shabby either.

2. "I can't imagine ever needing time away from Anna and William."

See point 10. Enough said again :)

1. "God you are giving me more than I can handle."

God has provided everything I need for every situation. I want to share this quick story with you. During Christmas my cousin's wife and I were talking. And, she said, "Claudine from an outsiders perspective it seems that whatever you need is provided to you just days after you need it." This is God working!!!! He answers all my prayers and all my needs ARE being met. And, I see the miracle he is performing. Five separate occasions come to my mind, in particular.

I shared with many of you how in April I fell to my knees and prayed for a job. Three days later I was offered the job at KC.

In September I prayed the West Bend house would sell before the snow so I didn't have to pay heat and snow blowing bill on a house no one lived in. It sold 5 days later.

I prayed in October with my women's group, that my divorce become final and the attorney bills end. The divorce was final by the end of the month.

In October after all my surgeries and being home for only one day, I cried in my pillow that Jesus let me start healing and let me return to my life as a mom. I went off all my pain meds and nausea medications the next day. I was driving and taking care of Anna and William one week later.

I began praying for Him to relieve my fear of being a working, single mom with one eye. My eye opened right before Christmas and stayed open around New Year's.

With this being my last week at home and returning to work next week, I think the blog entries will slow. But, I will definitely be back as God continues to work his healing hand with my eye. I have several doctor appointments at end of January and February that I am sure God will continue to show his true awesomeness and why we should give Him all the glory!

Thanks to all of you for your continued love, support and prayers.
2009 is going to be another year of blessings and a year of continued peace if I continue to place my trust in Him.

I wish you all the same for 2009!

Love, Claudine




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