A Day of Celebration!!!!

Today my friends was the day that I got to take all my leftover pain meds, muscle relaxers, and stuff that doctors tried to fix me with back to the pharmacy to be disposed of. And in true, drama queen fashion I chronicled it with a picture because I'm all for commemoration of a BLESSING FROM THE LORD!

(Pic of the BIG celebration today at Target Pharmacy with friends Marci- who lovingly helped fill all my pain meds with a smile, Lily who gave me my popcorn combos everytime with a smile, Trish who also helped with my meds with her smile, and Anthony who always helped me get from my crutches to the wheelchairs with his smile. Bye bye pain meds!)

This is a the kind of post that my fingers can't type as fast I as want them to because my joy is pouring out!

Quick Backstory that friends can pass over for time's sake:
You know I have that freaky-deaky "unspecified" connective tissue disorder that affects my eyes and my body glue right? I'm a proud member of the 10 eye surgeries club and I could not walk for 7 months due to some unexplained swelling in the bone marrow of my hip bone- the femoral neck to be exact. I had pain beginning a looong time ago that got so excruciating it left me in crutches, wheelchairs, bed-ridden, and one time at Mayo Clinic (that's where I got the "unspecified" diagnosis). And tomorrow, July 27th, marks one year from the doc appt where they told John and I that I had a stress fracture in the femoral neck of my hip, which turned out not to be the case.
Fast Forward to the Present:
I no longer am in pain. In February the pain had eased up a great deal, and I started to walk short distances. I started to drive again. And it got better and better. And just this month, a year from when I completely stopped walking, I have felt no pain. Not even when I bend down. I wake up and have to switch gears from anticipating pain to thinking I can just walk out of bed and not hurt. It's more than amazing. I was used to pain before with all the eye surgeries too, so now I basically have a pain free life. Thank you Jesus! So I decided it was time to let go of all the medicines that I had been storing just in case it would come back. The best medicine was the unconditional love I got from all my friends, daughter and husband.

It occured to me that instead of throwing out the drugs you no longer use, you are actually supposed to have them disposed of by your pharmacy that originally dispensed them. Then God gave me the great idea to make a big deal out of this blessing and have all the sweet people that loved on me at Target (intentionally and unintentionally) in on it! Hence, the celebration today. It was so great going to their various posts and collecting them for the picture. I would start out with, "Remember how I used to be in a wheelchair and you helped me ___________________. Well, can you come take a picture with me in the pharmacy? I'm giving back all the meds I no longer need because God healed my body." Here were the answers I got:
"PRAISE GOD!"
"Well, maybe she (other person in concessions) could go with you instead of me." To which I said, "No I want you to be in the picture, you always helped me with my popcorn combos and you are my friend. My name is Gillian by the way!"
"It's a big deal!"
I'm telling you guys that the picture only shows five, but there were LOTS more that didn't work out (I did a no-no in throwing them in the trash) and ones that I took multiple ones of. And let me just say, they were not pain meds they were muscle relaxers. Thankfully, I'm not dealing with an addiction from pain meds because pain killers NEVER WORKED since it was a muscular deal.

So that's the story for today. I think this was a good one. And if you are interested in the flat out phenomenal lesson that I believe God wanted me to learn from the pain then please check out this post.
And if you prayed for us through this trial, please join me in praising Him for your answered prayer! You are a part of this celebration too! We are victorious through Jesus Christ our Healer!

I'm Not Embarrassed...

John and I, in college, dressed as Abe Lincoln and Napoleon for a Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure date party. We were supposed to dress in togas, but I loathe that. Dude, I totally made those epulets. I'm immensely proud of them. Plus, I'm holding a fake baguette- it's what French people do I think.

If you have ever read any of this mess I call my blog you are aware of the fact that I don't embarrass easily.

You know how you meet a group of people, i.e. in a camp setting, and you have zero information about each other so you play awkward games to make it less awkward? And inevitably the "what's your most embarrassing moment?" question comes up? My standard answer is: "Does everyday count?" I'm a walking punchline, but hopefully with endearing qualities.

WHERE THE CRAP AM I GOING WITH THIS? No, really, I just internally posed this question to myself.

Today we were driving 2 teenage boys from China to our church; which every year puts on this fantastic American Exposure (that word makes me think of extreme, Alive coldness and or nakedness but whatever) Program where we host students and basically show them the love of Jesus and what being American is all about. Honestly, it's the first time a lot of them have fun. Real, honest to goodness fun. They don't have a word to translate for Fun in Chinese- they just say the word 'interesting'. Which is very interesting to me. For the past 2 years we've hosted girls and I have thoroughly adored it, but this year we are taking a break. Thankfully the Lord has healed my broken body and I'm actually helping to transport students who need rides!!!! My how the tables have turned!!

First of all boys, no matter what age, make me a little nervous even though I'm fluent in the boy language of sci-fi, action movies and bodily humor jokes. So that was happening with the nerves. Then there's sweet Leelah. Leelah apparently doesn't get embarrassed easily either. I don't know if it's her sweet age of 4 (5 on Thursday!!!) or because it's genetic, but you better believe it is precious.

She spoke so much English to them I thought they were going to crack and want to jump out of our CRV whilst in motion. SHE WOULD NOT STOP TALKING about Space Buddies the movie, Pandas, how do you say_______ in Chinese, Compassion International, etc. etc. I started laughing, because dang it I love my kid! But isn't it wonderful that she could just talk about everything and didn't realize that she might be embarrassing herself and then have the guts to think that people want to hear it!!? I want to hear every word, but you know what I mean.

I guess I just like a little bit of unabashedness.

Like John asking the server at Pappa Bros. Steakhouse if they have sweet tea? (In front of Brits no less!).

And our trash-juiced-duct taped bottom to our garbage can we put out front twice a week. It's gross y'all don't even know!

About how I'm working on my hormones and saliva tests- hey if you have questions I'd love to answer them. I'm pioneering natural hormone replacement therapy for 30 year olds. So what!

Or my crazy water aerobicking adventures.

And how about when I was jamming to "Independent Women" by Destiny's Child in my Beetle, windows down, while driving the wrong way on a one-way street in the middle of Texas A&M University?

And you remember all the unbragging posts! Well, I kid myself that anyone remembers anything I write. I don't!

I think the enemy uses embarrassment to keep us down. I know that's not some brilliant take on things, but really. What if we were all just a little more fearless in being ourselves? I mean, I'm not going to be strolling around H.E.B. with crazy shoulder points a la Lady Gaga anytime soon, but I am stopping the assimilating nonsense. And I think God likes to see my attempts at coolness failing into my normal dorkyness daily. I think He is a funny God. I mean He made the quality of funny up, right?

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
-Deutoronomy 3:16

Three Letters...

V.
B.
S.

Book Review: Free Yourself to Love

A friend of mine, Jen, who has a wonderful blog: I'll Think About That Tomorrow asked me if I would write some book reviews since 1)I made that crazy weekly challenge up for myself and 2) well books are cool! So here you go!
Free Yourself to Love, The Liberating Power of ForgivenessBy Jackie Kendall co-author of Lady in Waiting

This is first book I’ve ever read of Jackie’s, but it won’t be the last. Having had the blessing of meeting her in person at one of our church’s women’s event I have one word to describe her: firecracker. She is a firecracker of a person. Set off to ignite your passion and make you laugh simultaneously, i.e. my kind of people! I even got the chance to tell her, “Thanks for bringing the fun bus!”
After the event was over I was helping out with the book signing table, not really helping but just standing there waiting to help, and I just felt the need to buy this book. Forgiveness has been a sort of pop-up word in my life this year, popping up all over the place when I really thought I was “over it”. Oh Gillian, you’ve got a lot of baggage, but thankfully unforgiveness is not one of them! Or is it? Could that just have been a lie the enemy (for those of you who don’t know the enemy is what Christians use to mean Satan) wants me to believe? He’s so tricky like that and I don’t mean tricky in the ‘my four yr old is so tricky’ sense, but tricky to your ultimate peril.
So I tried to purchase it and wadya know- there weren’t any copies left. As I was lamenting this to Jackie, she mentioned “Even the sample?” “Yes! Oops we sold the one marked Sample!” In short, she actually had the one marked SAMPLE and it was in her purse, and now it’s on my computer desk. I love food samples and now I love book samples.
Reasons I’m glad I read this:
• She brings it all back to the Word. You don’t have a moment where you don’t think her words are aligning with The Word! Love that. There are so many scriptural references I wrote down in my prayer journal and I was so thankful to the Lord for each and every one.
• She is great at putting visuals, thus making it very easy to apply the truth you learn in your life. To demonstrate here’s an excerpt:
In fact, I envision this gigantic warehouse where God stores a bounty of gorgeously wrapped packages of grace just waiting to be delivered to those who are knocked down but not knocked out. … As I described, these bags com in all shapes and sizes, because authentic forgiveness addresses offenses of all shapes and sizes. p. 60
• This book is rich in tools and application and the part that makes the most sense is that it’s coming from a person who has truly forgiven the unforgiveable. She is real folks. Real means relatable.

Summing it Up:
To sum it up I think a sentence from her book states it perfectly on page 168

“Remember, I am like Jesus not when I am perfect, but when I am forgiving.”
Recommend to Friend?
Amen!

Drooling on Purpose. The Post I was Born to Write.

A couple of days ago my husband got to see me look like this:



Of course he should have known it would turn out like that when we were dating almost 10 years ago...

When we were robbed of first place in college for a Halloween costume contest for our get-up at Slimer and John the Ghostbuster. I don't think I can let that go. That or when I lost the spelling bee to Edward Yeh in fourth grade. Thanks a lot 'rigorous' for being too rigorous for me to spell.

So I had to do a Saliva Test y'all. What you mean you're a normal person reading this and you have hormone making equipment? Allow me to impart (I originally typed 'barf' but want to hold back) some knowledge on you:
I've been having fevers daily since May as well as having some of what I like to call "Teen Wolf" moments of irriability. So I go see a new women doc (I'm too embarrassed to even abbreviate so I just use the term 'women doctor') and I walk in as a hot mess of half cold sweat and half hot sweat and full out crazy Katy lady. Long story short, I end up in some new pharmacy that compounds stuff. I miss you Targie!!! I don't like it already, even though they are perfectly nice, because I can't eat popcorn and Marci isn't there- our pharm friend or "phriend". It's a little too bed panny too. Anydang, I've got a good lather of weirdness happening as I listen to the complete insanity that is a $210-drool-in-a-tube test to gauge my hormones or lack thereof. YOU MEAN I HAVE TO DO WHAT? THE SPIT HAS TO BE FLAT!?!??!! AM I ON CAMERA? Oh laugh it up guardian angels - hope you guys are getting a good laugh at this one!!!
Nice, unassuming lady that deals with this daily: "It usually takes most women 15-20 minutes to do the first tube in the morning. Sometimes, 30 minutes. And don't wear any face creams, change your linens because they have hormones on them (I'm all "what's a linen?"), and that'll be $210 dollars."
Fast forward to the next day.
THE NEXT DAY.....
I haven't slept all night because everytime my mouth even fills up with a miniscule drool I think I have to start the test, look at the clock and then swallow it back down. This happened hourly. It sucked, literally.
I get up finally at 5:45 am thinking, "NO ONE SHALL SEE THIS. NO ONE!!!!!!!" My hair and eyeballs all askew, see ectopia lentis and 10 eye surgeries, I pull out the vinegar and lemon juice as recommended to get the juices flowing and I proceed to try every trick in the book to get my drool rolling. All kinds of crazy positioning and thinking about food I want to eat. Oh wait, I was doing that kind of thinking naturally.
IT TOOK ME AN HOUR. AN HOURRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No kidding. This is my life. John came out to go to our one shower, remember the disastrous attack of the m. bath shower that led to the remo?, and he proceeds to pick up the vinegar and make himself drool. And then comments on how little I've drooled and how easy it is for him. Fantastic. Oh and then he proceeds to ask me questions and gives tips that I've already tried. I am hating life at this point, but also thinking "Gillian, please save the last shred of dignity and cool point you have and DO NOT BLOG THIS." But y'all gotta know how it all went down or took forever to go down in a tube marked "saliva". Also, I learned how much it bothers me that John pronounces it "salava".
Of course, it was a two part exam of awesomeness that had to continue later that night. Nothing too exciting then, it was so mindboggling easy then. So now I've got that frozen in my freezer to drop in a UPS site. Can I tell you that I'm a walking CSI specimen? I have the utmost respect for lab techs now. I've had 22 vials of blood drawn in one day, this spit test, the 24-hr urine test or as I call it the "crutch, crutch, slosh, slosh test" , other unmentionable horrifying things, I mean really. My poor freezer, it never asked for this when it was at Lowe's. Never!!
So reeling it all in, what have I learned. I'm pretty much a walking (most of the time) punchline and I'm cool with that. It's my purpose I do think to share these incredulous things that happen to me daily, weekly for the betterment of others, God willing.
And I wonder why my child says that she is "relaxing" while eating a ring pop and looking at a King Cobra fact sheet.
Goodness gracious.
I'll get the results back and I'll get started on some natural hormones which should do better for me since my body is not responding to synthetic ones. Hopefully there is someone out there that can find this info helpful and maybe a little funny.