(Patience) Momma Said There’d Be Days Like This… But the Fruit of the Spirit is .. Patience

The Day from Hades 

(Titled by my children years later) 

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.

~ Franklin P. Jones

Oh where do I begin? I still can get the visible shakes if I dwell too long on this day. We were babysitting our friend’s son, affectionately named Mr. Motorcycle. The father had been serving in Operation Desert Storm for a few years and was finally brought home. He and his wife needed a second honeymoon. We were more than happy to have this delightful child stay with us for almost 2 weeks. He was Ms. Bunny’s best buddy already.  No problems, right?

Day 1. I awoke to find Ms. Bunny and Mr. Motorcycle practicing their alphabet writing by using red nail polish on the underside of my couch cushions. Both looked highly annoyed with me when I started to hyperventilate.

Day 2. Himself had already left for work. Around 6 am I was asleep and weird noises kept happening in my dreamland. As I became more awake, I heard, ‘plop, plop, plop,’ followed by whispered giggles. I kept trying to place the odd noises but nothing made sense in my too early to be awake cobwebbed world. Then the epiphany hit! The Kids! Were they hurt? Was someone trying to break into the house? Was the house being pelted by ‘plops?’

I dashed from my bedroom in a full bore run to the kitchen! As my feet left carpet and landed on tile, I slipped on something slimy and fell backwards onto my backside and then back and slid all the way to the sink cupboards that finally stopped me. Looking up  towards the ceiling, I see all three of my bambinos, and Mr. Motorcycle standing on the counters. All four were frozen holding fresh eggs in their hands. They were dropping them to the floor from different levels to see the difference in sound made. They had done this with 2 dozen eggs already.  Needless to say, I was not impressed, but my head and back hurt too much at the moment and my waist long hair had slimy goop all in it.

I got up and carefully moved each child to the carpet so they would not slip and get hurt. I then sat all of them on the alphabet sofa and scolded them. I sent them downstairs to the playroom to play quietly and to watch some Christian Donut Man tapes while I cleaned up the kitchen. Have you ever chased egg whites across a floor? Have you ever chased 2 dozen of them across a tiled floor? I attacked them with a dust pan, scooping them up for an hour, and then mopped the floor several times so that no residue was left. It was now only 7 am.

I headed downstairs to the playroom to check on the children whom I just knew were being perfect angels after my scolding. ‘Oh my goodness,’ is all that went through my mind. My girls had plastic baby buggies. They all also had little plastic shovels from the summer. These sweet babies took the baby buggies into the laundry room and filled them up with powder laundry detergent. Then they took these buggies into the large playroom and were making it ‘snow’ by pitching the detergent up in the air with the shovels. There was a fine mist of detergent all over the carpeting. I made all 4 of them sit on the sofa downstairs and once again scolded them and told them to sit still with their hands folded on their laps and not to make a sound while I got the vacuum and cleaned this all up. I pulled out my expensive Rainbow vacuum that my parents gave us for our wedding present, and began to pull up the white powder.

The kids started giggling. I gave them the most unhappy mommy look I could muster up and quieted them down and continued vacuuming. Again, laughter erupts from these fallen cherubs.  As I was getting ready to really scold them again, I looked back at my vacuum. Bubbles. Everywhere. Piles of bubbles. Everywhere. For those that are not aware, a Rainbow vacuum uses a water filtration system. Oh my goodness. The only thing I could do at this point was laugh. I grabbed the kids and we dove into the bubbles and made a memory. A much more pleasant memory than we had started out with. It was not even 8am yet. We chose to restart the day!

 

1 Corinthians 10:13

Common English Bible (CEB)

¹³ No temptation has seized you that isn't common for people. But God is faithful. He won’t allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it.     

(Bubbles… Our way out. hahaha)

Prayer Time

Father, thank you for bubbles. Cleansing bubbles. Thank you for giving us patience and wisdom in all situations. Help me to also see the humor in situations that at first seem bleak. Help me to see my children as you see them. Help me to be flexible at all times and to be in tune with your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Copyright © 2015 Christine Osberghaus

(Peace) Momma Said There’d Be Days Like This… But the Fruit of the Spirit is .. Peace

Ms. Chatty’s first Tuesday at home.

"People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one."

~ Leo J. Burke

My mom had been coming over every morning when Himself left for work around 5 am to help me with the 3 kids for a week. She gave me extra time to sleep in the morning and to take a shower. New mothers will understand that last statement. Ms. Chatty had her days and nights mixed up. It had not been a pleasant week. One day I told mom that she could sleep in and I would take care of my brood until she arrived. Words I did not know I would live to regret so soon.

I awakened at 5:15 am to Mr. Rational calling for me. I went into his room and he was not in his crib. I quickly searched all over the duplex. I could not find him. I could still hear him. I slowly followed his easy, non-panicked calls of my name, ‘Mommy.’ The trail led back to his room. He had hung from the back of his crib and dropped himself into his football shaped toy box. He had landed buttocks first and was in a pike position. I rescued him from his toy box and he was very thankful and then bounced away to the living room without a care in the world. After about 5 minutes my heart rate returned to normal. We were both now too awake to go back to bed.

At 7 am, Ms. Bunny skipped into the living room. She helped me make breakfast by putting out the bowls and spoons and napkins. The three of us dined on some variation of apple flavored circles and yogurt. Such a happy lot we three were. At 8 am Ms. Chatty wanted up, and wanted up NOW! I went to her and nursed her and then got her ready for a bath.

I had Ms. Chatty in the baby rocker-roo carrier on the floor.  Ms. Bunny was in the kitchen assisting me by telling me how to put the water into the yellow baby bathtub and the correct temperature that the water should be, and how high to fill it.  Ms. Bunny had the definite markings of the gift of an administrator at a very early age. She loved directing people. And I must say, most of the time she really did have good ideas. Today however, I was functioning on little sleep.

Mr. Rational was on the floor entertaining Ms. Chatty by rocking her in the carrier. He gave her one powerful rock that set the carrier on end with her dangling (not in danger at any time) with the seat belts holding her in tightly. As I saw this I inadvertently tipped the baby bathtub and doused all three children and the kitchen floor with every drop of the bathwater. I quickly freed Ms. Chatty who was dripping wet, grabbed up Mr. Rational, who was clearly in shock, with the other arm and Ms. Bunny proceeded to pretend to swim on the kitchen floor. 

At that very moment my mother walked in. She quickly surveyed the situation and said, “Wow, Ms. Chatty’s hair really is curly when wet!” She took the baby from my clutches and wrapped her in a fluffy towel, gave Mr. Rational one towel of his own and told Ms. Bunny how proud she was of her swim strokes. I literally broke down in tears. I had not slept in 24+ hours. She shooed me to my room to sleep and took care of my babies. I awoke 5 hours later feeling like a new person.

I thanked my mom once again and she told me that Ms. Chatty probably thinks that is just what we do on Tuesday mornings at our house.

 

Romans 14:17-19

Common English Bible (CEB)

¹⁷ God’s kingdom isn’t about eating food and drinking but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ Whoever serves Christ this way pleases God and gets human approval. ¹⁹ So let’s strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up.

Prayer Time

Peace, unto this house, I pray                              Hold us together, gentle Lord,

Keep terror and despair away;                             Who sit about this humble board;

Shield it from the evil and let sin                           May we be spared the cruel fate

Never find lodging room within.                            Of those whom hatreds separate;

May never in these walls be heard                       Here let love bind us fast, that we

The hateful or accusing word.                              May know the joys of unity

Grant that its warm and mellow light                    Lord, this humble house we’d keep

May be to all a beacon bright,                              Sweet with play and calm with sleep.

A flaming symbol that shall stir                             Help us so that we may give

The beating pulse of him or her                            Beauty to the lives we live.

Who finds this door and seems to say,                 Let Thy love and let Thy grace

“Here end the trials of the day.”                            Shine upon our dwelling place.

From Collected Verse of Edgar Guest

NY Buccaneer Books, 1976, pg. 569

Copyright © 2015 Christine Osberghaus

(Joy) Momma Said There’d Be Days Like This… But the fruit of the Spirit is Joy

But the fruit of the Spirit is …  Joy

I am a Mommy!  Now what?? 

“All mothers are working mothers.”

~Author Unknown

Oh the joys of motherhood! (I just heard Himself and my mother laugh out loud!) Well, okay, it did grow on me.  Let me explain. I had been told for many years that I would not be able to have children due to radiation treatments and a tipped uterus to boot. So having a baby was just not in my mindset. Himself was previously married and had Mr. Countryfied a few years before we met. I love Mr. Countryfied as if my own. I figured that was going to be my little family of 3!

Fast-forward 12 weeks after wedding…. I am what??????

Joy swept my soul! Then panic. Wait. I cannot be pregnant. Do the test again. Same results. Oh my goodness. Now what?

I called Himself at work in a full blown panic attack, hyperventilating and everything. He was so happy it amazed me. When he came home he danced me around the living room. I was still in shock. “But they said I would never have a baby of my own.” Himself reminded me that ‘they’ were wrong, and that God was more mighty than ‘they.’  “But I am a career woman!” Himself said not to worry or panic and to enjoy the months ahead.  I had plenty of time to decide if I wanted to be a ‘working’ mom or a ‘stay at home working’ mom. I of course thought I would be the career mom. That is all I ever knew. My mom worked, my grandmothers worked. I would continue the tradition.

Fast-forward 7 months. In her 25^th week, Ms. Bunny decided she wanted to come out and play. Doctors said this was way too early. I was given the medicine terbutaline to stop the contractions. It worked! It altered my personality something awful! Himself said it was a good thing he had known me for awhile to know this ‘new’ person was not the real me. My little Ms. Bunny was born at 36.5 weeks. She was still a few weeks early. She was perfect! She was beautiful! She was…. My baby!!!  Now what do I do? My mother was out of town during the blessed event and in a panic I called her. “Mom, I have a baby! What do I do with a baby?” I heard her laugh from the other end of the phone. She told me she had the same experience and to give it a few hours or a few days and then we would talk when she arrived.

I was put back into the hospital when Ms. Bunny was only 4 days old due to some dire complications. I was too weak to even hold my darling Ms. Bunny. Himself would lay in my hospital bed with Ms. Bunny between us so that I could be close to her. A few days later after regaining some strength, mom and I were walking the halls of the hospital. Some sweet lady wanted to hold Ms. Bunny. I allowed her to. Then she held her a little too long, a little too tightly. I snatched Ms. Bunny out of her hands and marched us right back to my room!  My mom laughed again and said, “See, I told you that it would kick in!” That protective realm went up faster than you could say "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt!” Here I had been too ill for the hormones and things to start up. As I was healing they all rushed me at one time. That makes for one fierce momma!  And, one extremely thankful and joyful momma too.

Fast-forward 6 weeks. I gave my notice to my company that I would not be coming back to full time nor part time work. I was going to be a ‘stay at home’ working mom. I had no idea what that meant, but I was going to be one!

Seeing that I was so career oriented, by 8am, (Let me insert here so that you better understand. I was a Computer Operations Manager and I also scheduled computer time down to the nano-second. I was the guru of time management) I would have the house cleaned, baby bathed, changed and fed and played with and napping, dinner on and some craft made. Now what do I do? What do I do? Someone please help! Then I heard the still small voice in me rise up. Pray. Pray for his tiny creature that was entrusted to us. Pray for her future. Pray for this family. Pray for our community. Pray. So that is what I did. I prayed during Ms. Bunny’s naptimes. I kept prayer journals of my extended family. I wrote each person’s name down. I prayed over each and every person every day. I marked on the line as each of them accepted Jesus as their Savior. I wanted desperately for our whole family to know Him. And most have answered His knock. A few others I still pray for today. Can you imagine the JOY in heaven as each comes to know Jesus on a personal level? Joy unspeakable.

Fast-forward 19 months. We have now moved 2100 miles from home, into a land I did not know a friend. Mr. Rational makes his appearance into our little family! He truly is a miracle child. I am thankful for a Christian doctor who prayed and knew what to do during Mr. Rational’s birth. My man-child will live and proclaim the word of the Lord. Selah.

Fast-forward 14 months. Ms. Chatty arrives 6 weeks early, and after 40.5 hours of labor! And she has been constant motion and talking from that day on. I love her adventurous spirit, though it does terrify me at times too.

Yes, for those counting. That makes 3 children under the age of 3. Lord, help me! And he answers that prayer daily.

1 Peter 1:8

Common English Bible (CEB)

⁸ Although you’ve never seen him, you love him. Even though you don’t see him now, you trust him and so rejoice with a glorious joy that is too much for words.

Prayer Time

Father, thank you for the gift of my children. Help me to continue to raise them according to Your Word. Help me to be a good listener, and an interceder for their lives. Work in me to purify my thoughts and motives so that only good comes out of my mouth. I know that no matter if I work outside the home or inside the home, I still want to be the mother that you want me to be. Help me to be tender to the people around me who judge my decisions based on political correctness. Help me to always return a kind word in season. Amen.

Copyright © 2015 Christine Osberghaus

(Love) Momma Said There’d Be Days Like This…A Devotional: The Fruit of the Spirit!

I am in the process of writing some devotional books. Though that might not sound like fun reading, these will be of a different creature.  My first set are on the Fruit of the Spirit.  Enjoy!

Dedication

To Him, the one who is my forever Hero. The one who is with me until eternity and beyond. The one who made me a mother. The one who his children act just like (snicker).

 Galatians 5:22-23

Common English Bible (CEB)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against things like this.

• Love                  - God has such a sense of humor when He puts two people together.
• Joy                    - I am a Mommy!  Now what??
• Peace               - Ms. Chatty’s first Tuesday at home
• Patience           - The day from Hades (Titled by my children)
• Kindness          - Our Holidays in Seattle
• Goodness        - Oh Goodness! What next?!
• Faithfulness     - What do you mean I am out of Ipecac?
• Gentleness      - The Tale of the Shut-up Jar
• Self-Control     - Mr. Rational is baptized in the Holy Spirit

Names/Characters:

Himself – Hubby

Ms. Bunny – Eldest daughter

Mr. Rational – Son

Ms. Chatty – Youngest daughter

Mr. Countryfied – Stepson

Mr. Motorcycle - Ms. Bunny’s friend

Mr. Kilt – Himself’s best buddy

Copyright © 2015 Christine Osberghaus

But the fruit of the Spirit is …  Love
God has such a sense of humor when He puts two people together.

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

― Dr. Seuss

Himself and I were married after dating for 10 months and a 6 month engagement. One would think we would have known each other better in that amount of time. We are polar opposites in some ways, and totally the same person in others.

Our biggest first challenge was which set of furniture were we going to use. You see we were both closing in on 30 and had been living by ourselves for quite a few years. We were very set into our own routines and ‘stuff.’  (Oh, remind me to explain to you how much Himself loves for me to answer his questions with the word ‘Stuff.’) After much debate, my beautiful green and gold velvet sofa and matching chairs and cherry wood armoire were given to my best friend and we were stuck with his well kept earthen toned bachelor ‘stuff.’ One item that was my nemesis through the years was his solid wood coffee table. I have broken every single one of my toes at least once on that coffee table. It now resides in the garage awaiting Ms. Chatty to claim it when she sets up her own dwelling.  We have gone through about 5+ sofas over the years. Seems Himself and Mr. Rational cannot stop wrestling around the furniture and inevitably one of them is body-slammed onto it.  I would rather buy 100 sofas than to have them not love each other so much and want to spend time with each other to this day.  Now I remind Mr. Rational to please not break Himself. I really don’t care about the sofa.

Himself and I are both Administrator’s by primary gifting. Yes, we both know the correct way to accomplish goals; problem is that the procedures are not the same, though the end result is. We both have no problem directing people; we just don’t listen to each others directing so much. This is when our secondary gifting kicks in. Himself’s is the secondary gifting of Helps, mine is Perceiver. So generally, I get my way. Let me reiterate, generally. I have found out over the years though that Himself lets me win. He is much more stubborn than me, so if he would put his foot down, it would all be his way. That has only happened twice in our 29 year marriage. Neither time am I proud of. I say that because it grieves me that I pushed this awesome hero to the point of having to put his foot down.

We both have learned so much from the other over the years. I think I have learned more from him. He is ever patient. The fact that he has been able to stay with this Sicilian-Irishwoman says it all. To where he is calm, I am a spit-fire. He helps me to cool my jets and look at the whole picture before diving in full force; feet first, eyes wide open. The only way I know to do things. I can tend to be a mighty wind rushing in, and that is not always pleasant, just ask my friends. (Laughter inserted)

Himself and I did agree on the way we were to raise our children. We prayed much, cried lots, apologized frequently and loved even when it hurt. This book will give you a few smatterings of our life with our sweet babies that God entrusted to us to raise for Him.

“Your children are the greatest gift God will give to you, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in your hands. Take time with them; teach them to have faith in God. Be a person in whom they can have faith. When you are old, nothing else you've done will have mattered as much.”

― Lisa Wingate

Prayer Time

Father, let me be an example of You to my children. Teach me how to teach and guide them in every step they take. Give us all wisdom. Let our ears always hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit that resides in us. Call us back when we start to stray from your way. We only want to bring you pride and pleasure.  Amen.

Copyright © 2015 Christine Osberghaus

 

Carb Counters (No longer Calorie Counters)

Lab Results with my Endo

I was just emailed from my Endocronologist, Dr. Tobie Bresloff, and she was THRILLED with my lab results! This Gluten-Free / Grain-Free / Low Carb / Moderate Fat / Moderate Protein / Sugar Free way of eating is working!  She has also cut me back on the thyroid meds as well! 

She and I had discussed this way of eating about a year ago and she gave me the go-ahead to continue and said we would check at intervals. We have checked several times now, and here are the results to compare from this past August 2014 to January 2015. 

Here are some of the results:

Glucose Level average 

• Was - 163      Now - 116

Bun (Blood Urea Nitrogen Level [Kidney])

• Was - 22        Now - 19

Non-HDL Cholesterol 

• Was - 188      Now - 152

Triglycerides 

• Was - 238      Now - 145

Yes, I eat butter, bacon, eggs, cream and lots more yummo food to me. I get to eat the food I LOVE for a change! Foods that my body was craving... and for a reason! Now I do stray off of it sometimes, to be perfectly transparent with you. I am not a celiac so I will eat gluten sometimes in moderation, but I try to stay under 30 Net Carbs per day. (To figure that out you get the Carb Count - Fiber Count= Net Carb)   Okay, if your heads swims when it comes to mathematics, I just keep under 25 carbs per meal and I will most likely be fine. To sum it up easily: We are Carb Counters, not Calorie Counters.  It is so freeing too. Now before you go 'hrmph' in your mind, please look at the numbers above and know that I have lost much poundage too (look at the ticker to the right on the next column). That has been over the past few years. That's just the bonus.. not the agenda. 

We have switched to using more Almond Flour, Coconut Flour, Flaxseed Meal and Xanthan Gum for thickening. We avoid Rice and rice flour because it shoots our blood glucose up to the high heavens. In our family of 5, we have two Type 2 and one Type 1 Diabetics. So food planning can be quite tricky sometimes. Then when you mix in food allergies and likes and dislikes... well, at times it leaves me scratching my head when trying to convert recipes. 

Some of us also have auto-immune thyroid issues. Three have Hashimoto's and one has both Hashimoto's and Grave's. Yes. Wow. So we watch on the soy, unsaturated oils and gluten consumption for those as well.

When I post recipes, please know that I have tested and sampled these recipes over and over. Some of the first batches were not consumption worthy. But I kept trying and have some really good ones now. I will try to update my Recipe Page this coming week for you who are interested. (Let me know in the comments!!)

Now that our eating is so much healthier, next I get to work on building muscle again. Yes, that makes me sigh too. It will be lots of work, but if I increase my muscle mass that I lost from the downtime from all the surgeries, it will help my body work correctly. I have gotten myself one of those Body Blades. I cannot do lots of cardio due to the Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis (from hence forward we will call it the 'Throat Thingy" haha) but I can walk on the treadmill and do some toning and isometrics too. Please, please pray for me as I start this up again. (approved by doc).

Prayer Corner:

Romans 12:1-2 (Message Bible) [Place Your Life Before God]

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants form you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

Thank you Lord for my journey so far. I know that I can be quite headstrong. Please Holy Spirit, I will try to listen closer for that still small voice that has in the past resonated so loudly within me. Help me as I strengthen this temple that you have given me, so that I can effectively be a living witness all the days of my life. Amen.

Signed.... Christine

A Muse of the Remnant