Since it seems I am posting a lot of lyrics lately I think I'm going to dedicate a post on Mondays to the music that has touched me recently. God is constantly speaking to me through music, and more and more I feel I should share it's message. I hope to also find links to the song so you can here it for yourself, here is the best link I could get for this song.
"You Move Me"
This is how it seems to me
Life is only therapy
Real expensive
And no guarantee
So I lie here on the couch
With my heart hanging out
Frozen solid with fear
Like a rock in the ground
But you move me
You give me courage
I didn't know I had
You move me on
I can't go with you
And stay where I am
So you move me on
This is how love was to me
I could look and not see
Going through the emotions
Not knowin' what they mean
And it scared me so much
That I just wouldn't budge
I might have stayed there forever
If not for your touch
Oh but you move me
Out of myself and into the fire
You move me
Now I'm burning with love
And with hope and desire
How you move me
You go whistling in the dark
Making light of it
Making light of it
And I follow with my heart
Laughing all the way
Oh 'cause you move me
You get me dancing and
You make me sing
You move me
Now I'm taking delight
In every little thing
How you move me
~Garth Brooks
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Accountability - Health Tracker
% of goal March 23-29
Calories 91%
Moderate Exercise 133%
Vigourous Exercise 117%
Water 86%
Fruits & Vegis 68%
Dairy 54%
Vitamins 100%
God Time 100%
Calories 91%
Moderate Exercise 133%
Vigourous Exercise 117%
Water 86%
Fruits & Vegis 68%
Dairy 54%
Vitamins 100%
God Time 100%
Love will keep us together
I didn't know how the human body could get more miraculous, but it just did! Another 'In HIS hands' reminder.
Monday, March 23, 2009
What are the chances?
On average only 60% of sperm have enough motility to make it to the fallopian tubes, out of a hundred million sperm only several dozen usually reach the egg.
The remaining sperm then have to be strong enough to try to fertilize the egg, which can take about an hour to permeate the eggs's membrane.
Then a fertilized egg has to move into the uterus and, IF that journey goes well, be implanted in the uterine wall, which only then makes the process of conception complete.
There is only a 20% average chance of becoming pregnant each cycle for women under 30, 12-14% chance per cycle for women between 30-34, and only 7-9% chance for women age 35-39.
And that's only if you have the timing is right. Ovulation is only a 24 hour window of fertility, but sperm can last about 5-6 days in the fallopian tubes, so a maximum 6 day opening to get pregnant, but on average only 48 hrs.
But conception doesn't guarentee a baby. It is estimated that 70% of fertilized eggs will miscarry before the 13th week, most of those happen shortly after implantation and cause bleeding around the same time as an expected period, or a slightly late period. And the chance of miscarriage about doubles when a woman is over 35 years old.
So, for example, one year of trying for us is 12 attempts to get pregnant. Lets assume we get the timing right, out of those 12 attempts it is average for only 1.44 eggs to be fertilized (since I am over 30). And out of those 1.44 eggs fertilized it's likely only .43 will make it past the 4th week of pregnancy. And so for 3 years of trying, the probability has been that we've only had 1.29 chances for a successful pregnancy. That's just averages, I could have better fertility than average, however, I do not. Take into consideration my family history; it took my mom 5 years to get pregnant, one of her sisters was unable to have children, and one of my dad's sisters were thought to not be able to have children but were able to have one, and then my sister, who is 5 years younger than me, has tried 6 months longer than us has also not been able to conceive.
Sometimes I need a reminder that I AM NOT IN CONTROL. If ever I needed proof, those statistics are it. To me it's a miracle anyone has children, yet there are women who madly defy these odds. Women who don't know anything about ovulation or timing are often the ones I hear saying holding hands with their husband gets them pregnant. Or women who are using birth control and that 1% (or less) chance happens to them. They are likely the reason we don't know the odds are so not in our favor. But now that there is science calculating averages of chances, for every woman bringing the average up there is one bringing it down. And what's staggaring is that the AVERAGE chances for pregnancy are so astronomically improbable, it only points to one conclusion....God is the only one who has ultimate control over who gets pregnant. Every baby is meant to be, and every barren woman is also meant to be.
The remaining sperm then have to be strong enough to try to fertilize the egg, which can take about an hour to permeate the eggs's membrane.
Then a fertilized egg has to move into the uterus and, IF that journey goes well, be implanted in the uterine wall, which only then makes the process of conception complete.
There is only a 20% average chance of becoming pregnant each cycle for women under 30, 12-14% chance per cycle for women between 30-34, and only 7-9% chance for women age 35-39.
And that's only if you have the timing is right. Ovulation is only a 24 hour window of fertility, but sperm can last about 5-6 days in the fallopian tubes, so a maximum 6 day opening to get pregnant, but on average only 48 hrs.
But conception doesn't guarentee a baby. It is estimated that 70% of fertilized eggs will miscarry before the 13th week, most of those happen shortly after implantation and cause bleeding around the same time as an expected period, or a slightly late period. And the chance of miscarriage about doubles when a woman is over 35 years old.
So, for example, one year of trying for us is 12 attempts to get pregnant. Lets assume we get the timing right, out of those 12 attempts it is average for only 1.44 eggs to be fertilized (since I am over 30). And out of those 1.44 eggs fertilized it's likely only .43 will make it past the 4th week of pregnancy. And so for 3 years of trying, the probability has been that we've only had 1.29 chances for a successful pregnancy. That's just averages, I could have better fertility than average, however, I do not. Take into consideration my family history; it took my mom 5 years to get pregnant, one of her sisters was unable to have children, and one of my dad's sisters were thought to not be able to have children but were able to have one, and then my sister, who is 5 years younger than me, has tried 6 months longer than us has also not been able to conceive.
Sometimes I need a reminder that I AM NOT IN CONTROL. If ever I needed proof, those statistics are it. To me it's a miracle anyone has children, yet there are women who madly defy these odds. Women who don't know anything about ovulation or timing are often the ones I hear saying holding hands with their husband gets them pregnant. Or women who are using birth control and that 1% (or less) chance happens to them. They are likely the reason we don't know the odds are so not in our favor. But now that there is science calculating averages of chances, for every woman bringing the average up there is one bringing it down. And what's staggaring is that the AVERAGE chances for pregnancy are so astronomically improbable, it only points to one conclusion....God is the only one who has ultimate control over who gets pregnant. Every baby is meant to be, and every barren woman is also meant to be.
Friday, March 20, 2009
My heart today
Some lyrics of a song that especially speak my heart today. Thank you God for your healing whispers.
Restore me,
I would have no way but your's my Lord,
Restore me,
Like the eagle spreads it's wings and soars,
I will lift my faithless heart
To a God who's love is pure
Resting in your arms I am secure.
Restore me.
I lift my prayer to a God who waits to hear
Each groan that I call out in His Name.
I'm standing here in silence
I wait for You to speak
For Your whisper heals me with one word
Restore me,
I would have no way but your's my Lord,
Restore me,
Like the eagle spreads it's wings and soars,
I will lift my faithless heart
To a God who's love is pure
Resting in your arms I am secure.
Restore me.
Restore me,
I would have no way but your's my Lord,
Restore me,
Like the eagle spreads it's wings and soars,
I will lift my faithless heart
To a God who's love is pure
Resting in your arms I am secure.
Restore me.
I lift my prayer to a God who waits to hear
Each groan that I call out in His Name.
I'm standing here in silence
I wait for You to speak
For Your whisper heals me with one word
Restore me,
I would have no way but your's my Lord,
Restore me,
Like the eagle spreads it's wings and soars,
I will lift my faithless heart
To a God who's love is pure
Resting in your arms I am secure.
Restore me.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Love is not tolerance
This entry is somewhat tied into my last one about Unity. As much as we aren't able or asked to judge other believers, loving them is not the same as tolerating their version of truth. Even for unbelievers, loving them is not reeling them in with a watered down faith that is more tolerant of their world view. Over the last century the world has changed and the Church has changed with it in order to keep a following, but the 'faith' some have taught us to follow requires no faith at all, and is but an illusion of God. You can't hide the realities of our faith and expect these believers to hold fast to that faith when times get tough.
God promises tough times but rewards for finishing the race, this new 'faith' promises rewards on earth for just believing. God promises we can rely on His love when we can't rely on anything else, this new 'faith' promises we can rely on ourselves as long as we go to Church each week. God promises He will use the least severe means possible to bring the greatest number of people to Him without violating our free will, this new 'faith' promises peace and love by the world's standards. God promises to refine us by His fire, we are to be pure as gold, this new 'faith' says sin isn't a big deal, God loves us too much to not be merciful.
Another marriage analogy if you will. How would you expect a fiance to react to his bride's self-centered and apathetic view of their impending marriage? All she wants is romance and happiness and doesn't want to even hear of the possibility of tough times, never mind prepare for them. All she wants is to still be able to do things her way, she doesn't consider she is joined to another life that is affected and hurt by her choices/actions. All she wants is him to satisfy her defintion of love, but she doesn't have to satisfy his.
People who are drawn to the Church for that kind of watered down faith, for that kind of half-hearted commitment, are the bride who is not ready for marriage. Jesus doesn't want that kind of commitment and will not settle for a self-centered, apathetic bride. He's already given up his life for His bride, he's made the commitment, but He won't be coming for her until she's worthy.
So if you really want to share God with someone, be honest and tell them about the love AND the pain we are promised, tell them of our God who is both a lamb AND a lion, tell them of the peace we are promised AFTER Jesus returns. If they can't handle that, then they are not meant to follow God until they can. And remember, you can't bring anyone to God, it is up to God if your words change someone's heart, so at least make your words truthful and loving, not tolerant.
God promises tough times but rewards for finishing the race, this new 'faith' promises rewards on earth for just believing. God promises we can rely on His love when we can't rely on anything else, this new 'faith' promises we can rely on ourselves as long as we go to Church each week. God promises He will use the least severe means possible to bring the greatest number of people to Him without violating our free will, this new 'faith' promises peace and love by the world's standards. God promises to refine us by His fire, we are to be pure as gold, this new 'faith' says sin isn't a big deal, God loves us too much to not be merciful.
Another marriage analogy if you will. How would you expect a fiance to react to his bride's self-centered and apathetic view of their impending marriage? All she wants is romance and happiness and doesn't want to even hear of the possibility of tough times, never mind prepare for them. All she wants is to still be able to do things her way, she doesn't consider she is joined to another life that is affected and hurt by her choices/actions. All she wants is him to satisfy her defintion of love, but she doesn't have to satisfy his.
People who are drawn to the Church for that kind of watered down faith, for that kind of half-hearted commitment, are the bride who is not ready for marriage. Jesus doesn't want that kind of commitment and will not settle for a self-centered, apathetic bride. He's already given up his life for His bride, he's made the commitment, but He won't be coming for her until she's worthy.
So if you really want to share God with someone, be honest and tell them about the love AND the pain we are promised, tell them of our God who is both a lamb AND a lion, tell them of the peace we are promised AFTER Jesus returns. If they can't handle that, then they are not meant to follow God until they can. And remember, you can't bring anyone to God, it is up to God if your words change someone's heart, so at least make your words truthful and loving, not tolerant.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Accountability - Health Tracker
% of goal March 9-15
Calories 85%
Moderate Exercise 133%
Vigourous Exercise 83%
Water 57%
Fruits & Vegis 80%
Dairy 86%
Vitamins 100%
God Time 100%
Calories 85%
Moderate Exercise 133%
Vigourous Exercise 83%
Water 57%
Fruits & Vegis 80%
Dairy 86%
Vitamins 100%
God Time 100%
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