Joy in the Journey

  I've struggled with my weight since I was 12. There have been some years where I was able to slim down, but it's safe to say that I have been considered overweight or obese most of my life. I don't need to describe how that feels, if you have been there, you know. Two years ago I injured my knee during fair week. I'm a superintendent for the open class Creative Arts department, and, thankfully, I was able to complete my duties with a bum knee but I went to see the doctor as soon as I could. The knee I injured had been a weakness for a while. It's no surprise because I spent years putting the majority of my weight on it because of compensating for the pain of the hernia on the other side of my body. The doctor prescribed a knee brace, but she said the best thing I could do for my knee was lose the weight.  As if I didn't know that. As if that wasn't what I was praying for and working towards. As if I wasn't constantly dealing with the frustration of gai...

  I had the following conversation with my youngest (3.5 years old) the other day, and I thought I would share it with you because it got me thinking: Jo: Mommy, I don't want to go to heaven. Me: (surprised, because we have had a lot of good conversations about heaven since my dad passed) Why? Jo: Because Salt is there. Me: Salt?...Do you mean Satan? (We had just been talking about Satan the day before).  Jo: No, Salt! Me: ...Do you mean King Saul? Jo: Yeah. I'm scared of him. Me: You don't have to be afraid of him. Jo:...Will our house go to heaven when we die? Me: No, we will have a new house in heaven. Jo: Will there be guns in our new house? Me: Why do you want guns? Jo: So we can kill Salt. Me: We won't need to kill him. If he is in heaven that means he is a good guy because he is with Jesus.  The following day Jo told me that he wasn't scared to go to heaven because of Salt anymore. The fear of salt is called halophobia, and apparently Jo is cured now. This co...