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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.

Some days driving is about enjoying the breeze.  Other days its about getting where you need to get.  And other days . . .

Our car is a 1998 Neon.  A small car.  A light car.  A great-gas-mileage car.

One thing our car is not?  A car that doesn’t slide on icy roads.

Today I braked as another car slowed in front of me.  At the same time I remembered that I had left a laptop at home.  The laptop was needed for the first task of the day at the office.

As my foot hit the brake, the car began to twist.  As though to return from whence it had come.  I automatically compensated.  Then the foot took the lead.  I needed to go from whence I had come.  The foot returned to the brake.  The car did a swivel.  The road was empty (6:20 in the morning tends to be that way around here!).  As the car slowed to a halt, I shifted gears, turned the wheel and headed back home.

And you thought I was going to talk about having a lead foot that pushed the gas pedal.  Sorry to “brake” it to you!!

As we awoke this morning our discussion turned to reflection.

Neither my wife nor I enjoy making New Year’s resolutions.  Maybe it’s too many years.  Maybe it’s the ability to not be able to predict well.  Maybe it’s the recognition that “only God knows.”

Whatever the reason, we watch out for that type of vow that characterize most New Year’s resolutions.  The type that seem to be set for failure before you begin.

So our discussion turned to the coming year.  We have had much sorrow and hard days this past year.  Not much laughter (I’m not known for being a funny man, but this past year was even less than usual).

What will this coming year hold?  If things continue — the word “sadness” would be a fair characterization.  But we are not asking for the same thing, the status quo, the normal.

Jesus once spoke to one of His disciples and asked him if he knew what he was getting into.  The disciple figured that nothing could stand in his way.  Jesus confirmed that he was going to find out what that “nothing” would be.   That “nothing” was nothing like he imagined.  A martyr in the end — his life became more than he expected. 

Someone has said that JOY is doing what you were created for.  So, regardless of what comes this year — enjoy!!