yes, joe had giardia for almost four months before we found out. i know, looks like pure irresponsibility. but it's because his symptoms would improve a bit and we would be hopeful. and it's because we lean toward natural medicine, and usually we can cure many things. but at last he regressed just too far, and we thought it best to consult the doc. he didn't really have one, and that was part of why i think we held off so long. not having a good doc you love kinda makes you not want to go (any of you feel that way besides me?). but anyhoo, after bloodwork and stool and urine samples, all was ruled out except a blaring case of giardia. where in the world did he get that?, we asked ourselves. we got questions like, "have you gone hiking in the amazon recently?" and so forth. um, nope. but, we truly rejoice in the Lord, who gave us a diagnosis and has healed joe! his energy has returned and he's eating like a champ again, even back on some yummy glutenous things like BREAD (which he's loving and i'm totally jealous of). i'm hoping to see our scale report the prodigal return of some of his missing 30 pounds.
my health seems to be directly tied to how much i stress over joe. :) during these four months, my candida has returned in all it's unwelcome glory (as well as a few pounds). this is a bummer indeed, but i know what i need to do to get rid of it. it just means doing it. it means a diet of veggies and protein. i feel so, so well when i am on it, but it's not fun when things like rice and potatoes and crackers and peanut butter and bananas and chocolate chip cookies and whipped cream start popping up in my imagination...or appearing on dining tables. oh well. the truth of "running the race with endurance" in this life of spiritual warfare is nicely microcosmed here.
but, things are looking up. i don't want to say that my happiness is dependent on my circumstances (though i we as adam's progeny are severely prone to it, but thanks be to God!), but what IS dependent on my circumstances is my stress level. :) a chronically sick husband did not help. but right now, though i sit here with a head cold and ear infection, my spirits are lifted. stress has been greatly dissipated. my husband (having recovered so beautifully) has loaded the dishwasher, started the laundry, made the bed, swept the house, cleaned the yard, scrubbed the stovetop, and lovingly attended to my every passing fancy (including tincturing drops into my ears). and it's only 10:30 am. :) not only that, all my shades are open and the sun is pouring in. and to top it off (and this is what REALLY put me over the happiness edge), my lemon tree has lemons on it! little teeny baby ones. this lemon tree was, i thought, a lemon. but, it can't fool me anymore - it's fruit is showing. i am happy. :)
as i couldn't drag myself to church yesterday, i did some deep study in the Word (on, you'll never guess...fear. ha!) and what a deeply-needed feeding it was. afterward, i listened to a sermon by our former pastor, and this, let me tell you was SO encouraging. he was proclaiming that, the God who numbers the stars and gives the galaxies pet names is the same one Who leads you like a tender shepherd, gives you good gifts like a loving father, and knows every hair on your head. oh, not to mention that He also gave Himself to keep you. so, for those who, like me, struggle with remembering God's intentions of love and goodness toward you even in His sovereign ability to give you hard providences, listen to it. it's found
here. it's called "Theology and Doxology".
