Yearly Archives: 2009

This afternoon warmed to a comfortable temperature.  The church van that wouldn’t start in the morning was willing by noon.  The glistening snow looked inviting.

One drift just dared me to rearrange it!

As a part of working through my GERD (see previous posts), I decided that some additional exercise could be a good thing. 

I grabbed the snow shovel and began to push.  Shaving off inches/centimeters at a time, the drift began to become mere trails of snow.  The work was boring and so my mind wandered to forward thoughts — something I haven’t done well in the last while. 

As the final vestiges of the drift disappeared, I realized that I felt somewhat better.  Not perfect, but better.  And with the completion of the task, I had the sense that the next drift in my life could also be overcome.

Some days you just need a snow drift!

Yesterday we were privileged.  Our morning gathering saw eleven people join us.  All had been working this summer at the Luseland Bible Camp, which our gathering supports.

They came to talk to us about the Camp, about themselves and what God was doing.  Some were quite emotional as God’s working was evident.  This is the type of thing that inspires us to pray, support and believe that God is working.

And some days, you just need that!

Well, one thing can be said for ailment.  Other people are willing to help find solutions.

My wife and I have been researching and observing.  Today, after a clam chowder meal with a soda biscuit with jam, finished off with some apple juice and an apple — my stomach began to act up.

Dissecting the meal, you begin to wonder which one creates disruption.

Now, one remedy is to take a teaspoon of blackstrap molasses.  Not a remedy for finding out which foods create acid reflux.  But a covering for the esophagus so that the acid doesn’t cause damage.

Tried that one! 

I thought the molasses tasted like licorice.  Not a bad temporary solution.

I think I’ll continue this “band aid” solution while I seek out a foundational understanding of what causes continued GERD!

For the last few weeks my stomach has been. 

Been acting up.  Been churning.  Been doing all the things you don’t want.

Apparently the beginning of this dates back to using Ibuprofen for my knees.  The stomach reacted and acid reflux resulted. 

At least, that’s the puzzle to this point.  There are medical surgeries that can be done.  There is a medication (Nexium) that helps – perhaps can even reverse some of the damage.  But, for the moment, I’m in research and observation mode.

One of the triggers/foods that are bad for acid reflux is chocolate.  For a few months I swore off chocolate — totally!  Nothing really changed.  Then I took some chocolate and nothing changed.  I’m going through other food groups to see what can be done.  Tomatoes don’t seem to be too good for me (a sad state of affairs – I can just taste a fresh grown tomato!).

Probably the other area is stress, most often generated by family and work situations.  I’ve taken a day off each week – quite literally.  For most of my life I’ve had a day off but often infringed on it.  Now, I’m trying to keep that day of rest off.  Seems to help a bit for that day.  So, now I’m looking at the rest of the week.  What will reduce stress there?

Now, I need to remember one thing I have preached my whole life (well, for most of my life).  Start with God.  At the very least that is the greatest place to start.  Research and observation are helpful.  But God is the beginning of understanding and wisdom. 

So, for the moment, I do not know what to do —  but I am trusting in God to give me what I need.  Perhaps that will be the extreme (in most people’s eyes) of healing.  Or perhaps that is strength to live with physical ailment.  Or perhaps that is medical and medicinal treatment.  But in all this, I want to look for God.