just say no to drugs

When is the last time you went to the doctor or local ER and left without drugs? I went to the ER yesterday (second time this year) because my back gave out. I don't know how else to describe it. I laid on the kitchen floor waiting for Doug to arrive so he could save the crying baby from his crib. A total of an hour on the dirty, tile, kitchen floor. So, off to the ER. I've learned ER doctor's don't like to answer questions directly, spend more than 5 minutes with you, or ultimately say anything that could implicate them in a lawsuit at a later date. So, the prognosis..."your back is injured, I treat all back injuries the same, I don't know...another doctor might have other advice, but I say take these pills and don't call me in the morning." So when the nurse brought in my narcotic, I said "I don't have pain when I'm lying down, so maybe I should just not move and then not have pain. Or, can I just try some Tylenol? "Well, sure", she said, "but I think these will make you feel better and help you sleep." So, because my husband loves pills (I love you honey) I took the pill and got the prescription filled. I mean, who doesn't want to have Oxycodone on hand for kicks or for street resale (which the ER doctor jokingly suggested we do with the pills that I'm not going to take).
So, I took the pill and 4 hours later had a freak out session. I hadn't been able to sleep yet and it was 11:30pm. I couldn't feel my fingers, my lips were tingly, I was itching all over, and I was in a state of panic. I was saying things that weren't reasonable like "I've got to get out of here, I think I'm going to stop breathing (even though I could breathe fine), I think I'm about to freak out." So I made Doug call Brad, our pharmaceutical hook up, to make sure I was going to make it. We decided to watch TV until I "came down" from the sky. I was craving Outback cheesy fries, but settled for potato chips. I had to watch something funny and really wished "Thank God You're Here" was on. I spent a few minutes in hysterical laughter as I said "Thank God You're Here" in different accents. Doug got out the camcorder to film, because he thought it was funny. I didn't. I don't know why anyone would want to feel that way. Drugs are awful, don't try them.

Darfur Rally

Today was the "Rally for Darfur" at the State House. Alison and I made our appearance, dressed in blue and carrying our sign "Blessed are the Peacemakers."
We heard from Darfurians, now living in South Bend, who have started their own organization in order to be a voice here in the grand USA. Likewise, Americans who have been to Darfur are being sent back on a mission. The Darfurians are asking them to come back here a be a voice for them. They figure that if we, in America, hear about their suffering we will surely help and join with them to cry out for help. Surely we will.
But, you ask, what can we possibly do?
Hit where it hurts. Go to the mattresses. The war of the pocket book.
Divestment. Let me try to explain and then give you a link that will help explain more. (Please don't stop reading now!)
Some years ago, Bill Clinton (don't stop reading now) passed a law making it unlawful for American companies to invest in companies that support the Sudanese government (their oil companies). However, many large investment companies invest our money in other countries' companies that support the Sudanese government.
In a nutshell, Fidelity makes large investments in the Sudan oil industry by the way of China, which serves to help fund the genocide in Darfur. The call is to pressure Fidelty to immediately divest its PetroChina and Sinopec stocks now held possibly in your mutual funds. I found out today that we have our mutual funds invested in Fidelity, from when Doug was with Arthur Anderson. So, we are going to change that. If you don't want to change, at least call and tell them you want them to divest.
Find out more at www.FidelityOutOfSudan.com

i guess these prayers count too

How do you teach a child to pray? So far, my method is to pray with my daughter, Maegan, at meals, before bed and at random times during the day. However, there are times that it seems like I should tell her what to say or correct what she is saying. For example, much of the time she prays for certain cartoon characters to change their evil ways. Like Swiper Fox...."please God, help Swiper to stop swiping." She has asked that God make certain Disney movies to "not be scary anymore." I've tried to explain that God can't change things that aren't real. She doesn't care, she continues to pray with perseverance. Her latest mission, to make dinosaurs nice and not have big growl teeth but teeth like mommy, daddy and Spencer.
I'm encouraged by all this though. She could just repeat everything I say, but instead she has a mind of her own.

a really great book

I've taken up "Irresistable Revolution" again. This is how I read. I start a book, totally get into it, then I put it down to finish a couple months later (or never if it isn't really inspiring). Maybe I just don't want it to end.
Today I was reading about Christian extremists. So, what popped in your head? Enthusiasts blowing up clinics, zeolots carrying signs declaring God hates gays? It's a sad commentary that your first thought wasn't the extremists for grace, mercy, forgiveness, peace, and love? There are those people out there. Mother Theresa for example, she was extreme. But, I do know other extremists that aren't making headlines. They are regular people, but their love is extreme because it is the love given straight from God.
I would say that is one of my fears. Not being the extremist I'm called to be, but just living safely.