My Common Life, Part II

"This priceless treasure we hold, so to speak, in common earthenware-to show that the splendid power of it belongs to GOD and not to us...everyday we experience something of the death of JESUS, so that we may also show the power of the life of JESUS in these bodies of ours." II Corinthians 4:7,10


Dear Friends,

Thank you so much, dear friends and family, for praying for me and my family last week, for emailing me, sending a card, and asking about me. Please forgive me for not returning your emails...I just didn't feel up to it. If I thought the email I sent you a couple of weeks ago was representative of "my common life," I just hadn't lived the past two weeks yet. I spent most of the time these past two weeks in a horizontal position, lying on the couch, or in the bed, and that sure does afford you a lot of time to think and pray about your common life:). Thankfully for you, I am sleepy, again, so that will shorten any bright insights that I might have shared with you. I had really hoped and planned to be out in Dallas, Texas this week, getting a tune-up at the clinic, and going to the "26th Annual International Symposium on Man and His Environment in Health and Disease." The special focus was on Molds and Mycotoxins, but instead GOD had more common plans for me. My doctor told me to stay home and treat the parasites...so here I am in "my common life," typing at my common computer.
In case you missed it, the last time I wrote, I shared with you I had been diagnosed with parasites, and would have to take a powerful antibiotic 3 times a day for seven days, and then repeat that in a month...so don't quit praying, I'm still trying to get my strength back from this round. Now for most of you, taking an antibiotic would be "common" and not a big deal. But in case you have missed it in my emails, for the past 15 years or so, my body has been not so common, and taking even vitamins have been a major challenge for me, much less a powerful antibiotic that I have tried to stay away from like the plague (are parasites a plague?). I won't bore you with all the details, but let's just say that every drug I have taken in the last 15 years to my knowledge has had some kind of adverse effect on me, including sending me to the emergency room, twice. To say that I was more than a little apprehensive about taking this drug would be an understatement. But, GOD has led me to a doctor that I trust, and even if I went down with the ship, I was going to do my very best to take it...I did take time to make out my "Last Will and Testament" and only willed a few things away. By the end of the first day when it looked like I was going to make it after all, I quickly became an "Indian giver" and took those few things back, realizing I might still need them for "My Common Life."
The first couple of days, I felt much better than I expected too...but I wasn't disappointed in my expectation to feel badly, which was a good thing...it meant the medicine was doing it's job. I woke up during the night Tuesday night feeling ache, nauseous, and "glass like" feelings cutting me underneath my skin. For the next 72 hours, I spent most of the time in bed or on the couch as I shared before...too sick to really doing anything but pray, and listen to my Ipod. I was really uncomfortable Thursday evening, and couldn't go to sleep for anything. Finally, around 2:30 a.m. the "die-off" effect of the parasites and medicine subsided, and I turned a corner. I have been feeling better since, but extremely tired at times...I have napped everyday since starting the medicine.
Last Friday morning, was my first day of being able to sit on the porch and have my "Time with Jesus" in several days. I thought about something I wanted to get out of the freezer to thaw out to cook. As I walked out into our garage where the freezer sits, I smelled something awful, like the cats or dogs had drug up something in there that had died...well I was close. The freezer door had been left open, probably by me, for a least a couple of days, and all our grass fed beef was thawed out. It stunk to high heaven, and there was blood running everywhere....not the kind of mess you want to clean up on a nauseous stomach. I couldn't help but think of John MacArthur preaching about the bloody religion of the Israelites when GOD made them sacrifice the animals for the forgiveness of their sins. I could not imagine all the blood that those priests had to deal with all the bulls and goats and lambs that were sacrificed day in and day out. All those animals were a foreshadowing of the time that our precious LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST would shed HIS blood for us on the cross and pay for all of our sin for all time.
It was a nasty mess as I got the thawed meat out and cleaned up the blood that had dripped all over the freezer, the floor, and run up under the freezer. The flies have had a heyday ever since then and do all they can to come in the house everytime the door is opened. I pitched a little of the meat in the garbage can, and a few days later there were maggots crawling all over the top of the outside trash can. I quickly dragged it out away from the house, and today, have spent part of the morning scrubbing the porch down with orange oil, a broom and hose. This was the mess that just kept going on and on, and the smell did too. Glad none of you have come to our back door in the past few days... it's been nasty and stinky at our common house.
Wednesday, I had major intentions of getting up and going to Wal-Mart and when I returned home from my morning walk with the dogs (which I have only done a couple of times recently), it was all I could do to drag myself to the bed after I showered. I did manage to make it to Wal-Mart later that morning, and promptly took an all afternoon nap after lunch. So, yes, my life has been pretty "common" these past two weeks, and I have had a lot of time to think about many different things...
I think today, (Thursday), I was feeling sorry for myself, wishing I could be at the symposium and see old friends in Dallas, and here I was scrubbing the porch where maggots had been crawling earlier in the week...pretty common stuff. Well, it's not common that maggots crawl around our porch, but cleaning up after them...so much a Mom's job, just common ordinary work, like washing clothes, cooking meals, scrubbing the commodes. I have been so reminded of that lately...part of it I think is that GOD has laid some people with uncommon work on my heart to pray for and there are times I find myself comparing my life to theirs, not a wise thing to do if you want to stay content. I am reminded as I write this what a blessing it is to be physically able to clean up the mess...how quickly I forget from where the LORD has delivered me from. Health and strength to do these kind of tasks are not always so "common" for me.
GOD has been reminding me about Elisabeth Elliot sharing with me as a young Mom that anything we offer up to the LORD is worship, including scrubbing the commodes. Just this morning as I walked in the beautiful pasture with the hay bales still sitting in it, that John was on the Isle of Patmos, isolated, when GOD revealed the book of Revelation to him. I thought about Paul, and how he was beaten over and over, imprisoned and shipwrecked, all common, ordinary circumstances that GOD used to accomplish HIS plans and purposes to share CHRIST through HIS life. I thought of David how he was pursued by King Saul for years in the wilderness as GOD shaped him and molded him for his plans to rule as King over HIS people. I think of Joseph in prison, Daniel in captivity and the lions den, Ruth and Naomi whose husbands died, and were poverty stricken until GOD raised up Boaz as their Kinsmen Redeemer. And then there is Corrie ten Boom who lost her Dad and sister in a Jewish concentration camp, and John Bunyan who wrote "The Pilgrim's Progress" and spent 12 years in prison away from his family for preaching the gospel. Wow, all of these had some pretty common and mundane, and difficult circumstances that GOD used to accomplish HIS plans and purposes.
I told you a couple of weeks ago when I wrote that I believe "GOD has a bigger thing going on that what these little bitty eyes can see" through my health struggles, the latest being parasites. As I shared with you, this isn't my first "rodeo" with parasites. GOD reminded me how HE had delivered me from terrible back pain about 16 years ago when my kids were just 2 and 11 months old...I stand amazed when I think at how HE led me to a Dr. in Birmingham who was a believer in CHRIST and was wise enough to try something different on me. He treated me for a "bug" that he thought might be causing my pain. Amazingly, my pain decreased dramatically along with my stiffness, and though I have had many other issues through the years, GOD delivered me from that dehabilitating pain. I was so thankful to find a couple of weeks ago on the internet, exactly what my doctor used to treat me and the exact dosages and realized that it was similar to the medicine I would be taking for the treatment of parasites this time. It was a pretty uncommon treatment for a common ailment that was called "Fibromyalgia" by the regular doctors and their medicine only made it worse.
This past week, as I was on the medicine again for the treatment of parasites, the LORD allowed some other timely test results to come in to remind me what a miracle it was that I was even able to take the medicine 3 times a day for a week to treat for these parasites. My doctor had recently done a "Gene" test on me to see if I had any abnormalities that would cause me not to be able to detox drugs, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, etc. When the test came back, I had several abnormalities on my genes, and some genes that are responsible for helping the body to detox were not even there...poof, gone. I am so thankful for Psalm 139:14 that tells me that I am "fearfully and wonderfully made" and for the assurance that GOD knew all about it when HE allowed me to have some abnormalities that would make "my common life" often a challenge. As GOD reminded me what an extremely difficult time I've had in the past several years taking drugs, HE also reminded me what HE has been doing to heal my body and to give me the tools to be able to detox the antibiotic that I would have to be taking. Through my doctor's diligent care to help me with my thyroid which helps detox you, and take nutritional supplements one little bit at a time, my body has been strengthened. I also have learned about the importance of taking Gluthathione, Vit C, and NAC, all supplements that helps your body to detoxify things that my abnormal genes don't know what to do with. Yes, GOD has given me a "thorn in the flesh" but HE is also supplying the grace each and every "common" day in my life to help me get through and remind me of how very much HE loves me.
You know, I know I'm not the only one who wrestles with "My Common Life" from time to time, I know that some of you do to... I know because you have written and shared that with me. Another man, named Oswald Chambers must have had some awareness of that feeling of thinking your life is common and that others have a more important role. On June 15th in My Utmost for His Highest he writes, ...we have to form new habits on the basis of the new life GOD has put into us. We are not meant to be illuminated versions, but the common stuff of ordinary life exhibiting the marvel of the grace of GOD. Drudgery is the touchstone of character. The great hindrance in spiritual life is that we will look for big things to do. "JESUS took a towel...and began to wash the disciples' feet. There are times where there is no illumination and no thrill, but just the daily round, the common task." Ouch...that hurts as I sometimes imagine myself in a more "important" role and it does encourage me at the same time. I get a chance to tie my husband's shoes almost everyday!
He goes on to say in the next day's reading..."We are not made for the brilliant moments, but we have to walk in the light of them in ordinary ways. There was only one brilliant moment in the life of JESUS, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration; then HE emptied HIMSelf the second time of HIS glory, and came down into the demon-possessed valley. For thirty-three years JESUS laid out HIS life to do the will of HIS Father, and , John says, "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." It is contrary to human nature to do it."
All these thoughts about "My Common Life," makes me so thankful that GOD does use "Common People" to do Uncommon Things... Dr. Prosch was a common doctor that GOD used to do "uncommon" things to bring healing to people's lives, and I am so thankful to be among those whom GOD chose to bring out of my difficult pain. I am so thankful for my dear doctor that GOD is using now to bring further health and healing to me along this common journey, and give me help to be able to get things into my body when I need them like this antibiotic. I am so thankful for my dear husband, who goes to work everyday at a "Common Restaurant" so that he can provide for our families needs. It's not the calling he felt GOD called him too when HE surrendered to the Foreign Mission Field many years ago, but what he felt he has had to do to provide our family needs through my expensive medical bills all these years. I sure am thankful for my Mom...who stayed home, even though GOD blessed her with a lot of "smarts" (she was Valedictorian of her class), and laid down her life for her family, day in and day out for many years, cooking, cleaning, washing...doing the same common things that we kids might have life, and our family could grow in HIS grace. JESUS said in John 15:13, 15 said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend,"..."I have called you friends." How thankful I am to the LORD JESUS CHRIST, that HE is not ashamed to be my FRIEND, who set the example for me to live "My Common Life." He left HIS home in heaven and lived such a common life that HE was born in a stable, maybe even a cave, and died on a wooden cross for my sins and yours.
I am so thankful for the love that CHRIST has placed in our hearts in this "Common Life." You bring so much life to me by praying for me and encouraging me, by letting CHRIST, the "hope of glory" love me through you. I told my husband and daughter this week, it is so great to be a CHRISTian and share the love of CHRIST with one another so freely...to say I love you so openly and unashamedly, and mean it with each other...this is becoming more and more a reality to me, as I am loved by you and my dear family.
The group, "Greater Vision" sings the song "Comment Garments" written by Rodney Griffin that reminds me that GOD does indeed use "Common Garments" to do uncommon things. I am so thankful for that truth...because I sure am common, with "My Common Life." I serve an uncommon GOD who fills me with HIS power and love to do "uncommon things," and to live out HIS "uncommon dreams," amongst the day to day toil of common things.

With all HIS love,
mitzi

P.S. GOD led me to find the battery charger to our camera this week in a very uncommon place that I would have never found unless HE had directed me to it...I am so thankful that HE hears and answers our prayers! The hay bales are still in the field, so I wanted to share them with you in the picture above.




"Common Garments"
Rodney Griffin (Songs of Greater Vision [BMI])
One day a Roman soldier
In a shameful gambling game
Won the blood-stained garment
That once had clothed my King
Just a cheap robe of linen
No great value did it hold
But when worn by the Master
It was worth more than gold

Yon see, a few days before
This old garment had changed the life
Of a tired and helpless woman
Who’d believed with all her might
She’d reached out and touched it
With a hope to be restored
She knew this plain old garment
Was the vesture of the Lord

God uses common garments
To do uncommon things
And God uses common people
To live out His uncommon dreams
It’s not what you are now that matters
It’s what He can make you to be
‘Cause if God can take an old common garment and change a life
Then surely, He can use you and me

You see, we are the reason
That Jesus came to die
We have been chosen
To send forth His light
So it doesn’t matter
If your worth is great or small
God needs some willing vessels
Just common garments, that’s all