God's Not One Of Us

I felt motivated to dig this out of the depths of my hard drive by a friend who did something similar. I wrote this mid-August after hearing Joan Osborne's song "One Of Us" for the first time in years. Not surprising, but I wasn't offended by it when I used to hear it before; being unsaved and "tolerant" at the time. This time was different. I think it all started when Matt and I jokingly changed the line to "Could you be more blasphemous?" and I ended up changing the whole song to follow suit. If you're unfamiliar with the song, you can find the video below.

I warn you - I'm no lyricist. Purely for amusement's sake. Whether that's just my amusement is up to you.

God's Not One of Us

God has a name, it is Almighty
And you don't deserve to say it
Because of all His Glory
In the sight of holiness, you would be broken

Yes, yes God is Good
But know, know that God is Just
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

No, God's not one of us
Could you be more blasphemous?
To compare Him to all of us
Should fill you full of shame

God has a face, but not like man's
And you won't want to see it
If you were to die in all your sin
Repent and trust the Gospel, and God will spare you

Yes, yes God is Good
But know, know that God is Just
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

No, God's not one of us
Could you be more blasphemous?
To compare Him to all of us
Should fill you full of shame
You don't deserve to say His name
Repent and quench the eternal flame
Of God's righteous wrath and rain
So save yourself some pain

Yes, yes God is Good
But know, know that God is Just
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah

No, God's not one of us
Could you be more blasphemous?
To compare Him to all of us
Should fill you full of shame
You don't deserve to say His name
You sold your soul for worthless fame
Repent and quench the eternal flame
Of God's righteous wrath and rain
So save yourself some pain

Ultrasound - 30 Weeks

And the stubborn gene lives on. Drew was completely bent in half, with his legs in front of his face the whole ultrasound and wouldn't budge. Still definitely a boy, however, and very healthy. Spot on where he should be size-wise. Evidently, I just barely passed my glucose test, but I'm doing well, otherwise. My blood pressure still remains low and my weight gain is steady. Next appointment in two weeks; another ultrasound in four.

This picture is the best attempt at a 3D the poor tech could manage.

Chutes and Chutes

The Shutterbugette

I think I may have accidentally lost a lot of my followers when I decided to switch over the name of my photoblog. If you haven't changed your link to that blog (i.e. on a blog roll, in your followed blogs, etc.), make sure to do so, otherwise it won't update properly:

http://theshutterbugette.blogspot.com/

If you're having issues doing this, let me know I can assist you as best I can. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, I'm referring to my photoblog that was once JSMarshall Photography, now The Shutterbugette. Both the title and the link (URL) to this blog have changed and need to be updated in order to receive updates.

Health & Baby Update

After being sick with a buffet of illnesses for almost two weeks straight, I'm proud to say that I am back walking amongst the living once more. It started on New Years, when I started feeling the first effects of my husband's cold. Monitoring Matt, I figured I'd be out for about a week. Yuck. I pulled through it, with much of Matt's help and finally started to feel better almost a week later. I felt well for two whole days. Then the sinus infection set in. A BAD one. I'm used to getting sinus infections, as I've always had sinus issues all my life, but this one was the worst I've ever had. It's around this time we realized that Matt, who never fully stopped feeling the effects of his cold, ended up with pink eye. Thankful, I recognized it right away, since I had it before. We had to sacrifice one of his personal days (meant for when Drew comes) in order for him to go to the doctor and to wait out his contagious period while I spent the day Lysoling the house. Thankfully, Robby and I were spared pink eye, but Robby did end up with a slight cold. All during this, I still wasn't getting any better. Ever day was the same thing over and over again. I really started to get depressed. I know that sounds silly, but when you're down long enough, it really starts to get to you - especially when you watch your housework and everyday life pile up around you. After almost two weeks of being sick, I noticed my ear started to feel "weird". I figured it was just junk in my eustachian tubes from my cold and infection, so I tried to gently pop my ears. Bad idea. As soon as I did it, I regretted it. My left ear popped, started hurting, swelling, and draining pus and blood, and my hearing went muffled and started ringing. I wanted to cry. I finally broke down and went to the doctor the next day. The doctor told me I had a very bad ear infection caused by a very bad sinus infection. I practically begged him to give me...something...to help. "I'm so tired of being sick," I told him. I was worried that they wouldn't be able to give me anything because I was pregnant, but thankfully he was able to prescribe amoxicillin. After two doses, I felt the best I had felt in two weeks! Hoorah! So, a current update on all of us: Matt is almost done with his drops and hasn't had any issues since he was first "diagnosed". He still is coughing from his cold, but is pretty much over it. Rob is hard to peg, since he never truly reveals whether he is sick or how bad. His runny nose seems to have cleared up and he seems to be acting more himself, so I assume he's over it, too. As for me, I feel great, but I'm still having issues with my hearing. I can definitely feel the effects of being sick for so long on my body. I still feel quite weak and have a hard time getting around without wearing out. Matt has been an immense godsend this whole time! I don't know what I would have done without him. This definitely has been a big lesson in pride and a test of faith. Hopefully, Lord willing, we're done with our ailments for awhile!

After having to reschedule my last doctor appointment, I finally went in today for a checkup and glucose test (for gestational diabetes). What a run-around that was. My OB's phlebotomist was gone today, so they had to send me downstairs to the hospital's lab instead. I was supposed to drink the glucose drink at 9:50 and get my blood drawn at 10:50. I sat and waiting for an hour in my OB's waiting room, watching the time tick closer to 10:50. Finally, I found out that my OB was busy doing a c-section. That gave me five minutes or less to have my usual checkup and get downstairs to have my blood drawn. Thankfully, my doctor was quick and I was on my way (further update below). I got to the lab, handed the receptionist my paperwork, and waited...for another hour. Finally, at 11:50, I told the receptionist, "My glucose test was supposed to be an hour test and it's almost been two hours. I'm thinking it's not going to be effective anymore." Her eyes got big and she said, "Oh no! We thought the time written on your paperwork was the time you drank the glucose drink, not when you needed your blood drawn!" My OB's receptionist hadn't specified what the time was referring to! My hunch was right and the test was no longer effective. I now have to go back and do it all over again within the next two days. Slightly frustrating, but all parties involved were having an off day, so I really have no right to be mad at them. Just feeling inconvenienced, but such is life. As for my actual check up, my blood pressure was the lowest it's been my whole pregnancy. My iron was just a touch low, but we assume it's because I was so sick for so long. Nothing to worry about. My belly measured well and the doctor was pleased with his heartrate and activeness. I asked more about our inevitable c-section, since we're trying to "plan" it around Matt's vacation so he can be here to help me. The doctor told me that it was still too soon to schedule, but if my blood pressure stays low, I'll probably be scheduled on April 2nd. If for some reason my blood pressure sky-rockets, I'll be scheduled either March 29th or 30th. Either way, it will be happening that week - unless I go into labor early. Let's hope that doesn't happen, shall we? Things seem to be moving right along and we're getting closer and closer. Matt and I are starting to get rather excited, now. We can't wait to hold a little one again! My next appointment (aside from my glucose test) is Thursday the 28th of January. We'll have a regular checkup and another ultrasound. Not only is this also Matt's birthday, but it's also the week of his vacation, so he'll be able to come to the ultrasound, too. Nice birthday present!

That brings you up to speed. We covet your prayers for us not only for a continued healthy pregnancy, but also for continued recovery of our sicknesses. Hopefully we are on a healthy trend for awhile!

Zicam Warning

A church friend of mine posted this on Facebook this morning. I thought it was too important not to pass on. You can find the original article on the FDA website.

FDA Advises Consumers Not To Use Certain Zicam Cold Remedies
Intranasal Zinc Product Linked to Loss of Sense of Smell

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today advised consumers to stop using three products marketed over-the-counter as cold remedies because they are associated with the loss of sense of smell (anosmia). Anosmia may be long-lasting or permanent.
The products are:
    --Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Gel
    --Zicam Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs
    --Zicam Cold Remedy Swabs, Kids Size (a discontinued product)
The FDA has received more than 130 reports of loss of sense of smell associated with the use of these three Zicam products. In these reports, many people who experienced a loss of smell said the condition occurred with the first dose; others reported a loss of the sense of smell after multiple uses of the products.
“Loss of sense of smell is a serious risk for people who use these products for relief from cold symptoms,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “We are concerned that consumers may unknowingly use a product that could cause serious harm, and therefore we are advising them not to use these products for any reason.”
People who have experienced a loss of sense of smell or other problems after use of the affected Zicam products should contact their health care professional. The loss of sense of smell can adversely affect a person’s quality of life, and can limit the ability to detect the smell of gas or smoke or other signs of danger in the environment.
The FDA has issued Matrixx Initiatives, maker of these Zicam products, a warning letter telling it that these products cannot be marketed without FDA approval.
“Companies have an obligation to the public to demonstrate to the FDA that their products are safe, particularly when there is evidence they may be causing serious adverse events, and they are marketed for minor, self-limiting conditions like the common cold,” said Deborah M. Autor, director of CDER’s Office of Compliance.
Health care professionals and consumers are encouraged to report adverse events (side effects) that may be related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online, by regular mail, fax or phone.
    --Online
    --Regular Mail: use FDA postage paid form 3500 and mail to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787
    --Fax: 800-FDA-0178
    --Phone: 800-FDA-1088

For more information:
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm166834.htm

The Gospel Message

I agree with most of this video's presentation of the Gospel. I would have preferred they used "sin" and "repentance and faith" instead of "wrong-doings" and "surrendering everything", but overall, I thought it was one of the better Gospel presentations I've heard in a while.

The Primary Goal for Every Christian in 2010

“Since we are justified by faith alone, it is clear that the inner person cannot be justified, freed or saved by any external work or act, and such works, whatever they may be, have nothing to do with the inner person.  Therefore, only ungodliness and unbelief of the heart make a person a condemned servant of sin — this cannot be caused by any external work or act of sin.  It follows that it ought to be the primary goal of every Christian to put aside confidence in works and grow stronger in the belief that we are saved by faith alone.  Through this faith the Christian should increase in knowledge not of works but of Christ Jesus and the benefits of his death and resurrection.”

- Martin Luther, The Freedom of the Christian (Minneapolis, 2008), page 55, italics added. Original blog post here.

Sledding or Slushing?

With the snow coming down like crazy last night, we hurriedly went to Target and bought a sled for Robby, looking forward to taking him sledding for the first time. Much to our surprise, the weather took a turn and everything was a rainy, slushy mess the next day. We felt so bad, watching Rob run to his sled sitting in the kitchen over and over again, but despite the horribly wet weather, Matt still took him out and pulled him around until his shoes were sopping wet. What a good daddy. Here's hoping for some more snow!

Anticipating going outside, Rob sat and watched Wallace & Gromit from his sled this morning.

Even the slushiest of conditions could not keep these two from their sledding plans!

Happy New Year!

A blessed New Year from our family to yours!