Inevitability...

Never fails.  Doesn't matter how old I get or how carefully I watch what I'm doing.  Every season I end up with poison ivy.  *sigh*  This season is no exception, however, it is the most intense case I think I've ever had.  I believe I had direct contact, usually I get it through secondary contact; like my dog, cat, chickens, etc.  This year I think I managed to get into it somehow. My left arm is swollen, red and itchy/sore constantly.  I have it on the fingers of my right hand which makes typing interesting and knitting or crochet impossible!  I have it all around the ankle on my left foot and the ankle is also swollen and red, though not quite as itchy.  And it's on my neck and chest, but those patches are almost done.  Since I'm a veteran of this stuff I've tried everything under the sun and have a few favorite treatments, like Gold Bond Medicated powder.  But mostly I wait it out the week to two weeks I'm covered with it.  Even my Dr says I have a high tolerance to it and won't prescribe steroids.  He is of the belief that steroids don't really enhance healing anyway and the side effects are worse than the treatment.  I'm ok with that!  I don't want to take or use anything else that has icky side effects!  Unfortunately my regular course of favorites aren't cutting it.  The rash is so intense and severe that I've had to research new options.  I'm trying one now that's a bit on the expensive side but will allow me to reapply as often as I need to.  Tecnu Rash Relief seems to be working and providing some relief from the relentless itch and inflammation.  It should for $15!  If this doesn't work then I'll go back to Ivy Dry which I've had success with in the past.  The Caladryl spray works quite well too but on milder cases.  I'd use jewelweed if there were any around here but I can't even find it in our local whole foods store. 

We're supposed to head down to Massachusetts for a family reunion and 50th wedding anniversary party on Saturday.  Not sure I'm going to go if this rash hasn't let up.  Not my idea of fun, seeing family I haven't seen in years while I'm all covered in poison ivy and bandages!

On the yarn front, there is nothing going on.  I had been working on a Shell Stitch blanket for some friends who are expecting in the fall but I've had to put it aside as I can't effectively work on it and be covered in an itchy rash at the same time! So I'm in limbo at the moment :\

I have been doing a lot of Bible study lately and I've been reminded how amazing God is in how He works in our lives.  I've been discovering how all the books I've been reading and messages I've been hearing are tied together in God's Word.  Our Sunday sermon series, Loony Towns, is focusing on fleeing from evil and pursuing righteousness and along with that I've started a book (and study) called Forgotten God by Francis Chan that ties in with the messages our Pastor is delivering.  In addition, my small group in Women's Journey at Curtis Lake is studying 1st John and some of the Scripture we are reading also ties in with the message series and what Pastor Chan is talking about in Forgotten God!  Also hubby and I are reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren which ties into all this as well!  So, in my own inadequate words, to the best of my ability this is what I'm seeing; love the people of the world but do not love the things of the world because the things of the world are fleeting and you cannot take them with you when you die.  God wants you to build your character by striving to be like Christ, loving Him first then others and viewing the things of the world as a good steward would.  Likewise, pursue the Holy Spirit and let Him guide your actions because if you only concentrate on fleeing evil without pursuing anything you will only cycle back to evil and find yourself doing the very things you attempted fleeing!  We have minimized the effect of the Holy Spirit relegating Him to our own comfort level when we should be embracing the Holy Spirit with fear and awe, knowing that our bodies and souls are in His hands alone.  Our bodies can be destroyed here on earth but ONLY GOD can condemn our souls.  Whew!  We need to stop and ponder the awesomeness of that!  Only GOD can condemn our souls and we are so busy ignoring the Holy Spirit that we are making a mockery of our belief.  You cannot reject the Son and have the Father.  The Bible says "No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well." 1 John 2:23 (HCSB)  Jesus is the Way! We need to remember that the Holy Spirit is God as well. 

I only want to be a vessel for God to use.  I want to be His hands and feet.  I want to learn more about Him because the more I learn the more I want.  If I were to look objectively at my level of belief say six months to a year ago, I would have said it was the size of a mustard seed.  Looking at my life and growth now, I would say the mustard seed has definitely sprouted! 

I pray for the discipline and maturity to continue in God's Word.  If I'm not surrounded by Him, I'm drowning in despair for I cannot live in a world without Hope.  I am flawed, imperfect, and a sinner, completely unworthy to be in His presence yet somehow He loves me anyway!  He loved me so much He sent His only Son to die for my sins so I might have eternal life with Him!  In my finite mind, I can never understand that level of love and feeling.  That being said, I have lost a child and therefore know the human limit of that kind of pain.  Just thinking of the Cross brings me to tears...  And knowing God is a God of emotion, His sense of loss is surely incomprehensible to us since it's of a level so much higher than ours.  Remember to thank God for all your blessings!

Stay safe y'all and have a happy week!

"Be still and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10 (NIV)