Diabetes Awareness Stuff

November is Diabetes Awareness Month.

Everything has a month I guess.

A friend of mine just died of complications from Type 1 Diabetes. It is treatable to a point, but it's tough to manage.

Type 2 Diabetes runs in my family and I hope to hold it off with a sensible diet and exercise. Apparently, as obesity has risen in our population so has this type of diabetes and it is now even seen in children fairly often.


Here are a few links for more information. I think they are legitimate, but use common sense.


American Diabetes Association (General Information)
http://www.diabetes.org/
About symptoms:
http://diabetes.webmd.com/guide/understanding-diabetes-symptoms
Tips and recipes:
http://www.diabeticlifestyle.com/

A dessert recipe from a website for diabetics:

Apple Pecan Upside Down Cake
Ingredients: butter (one-fourth cup), flour (one cup), baking powder (one teaspoon), cinnamon (2 teaspoons), brown sugar (half cup), vanilla (1 teaspoon), toasted pecans (half cup), thinly sliced apples (3), granulated sugar (one-fourth cup), eggs (2)

Procedure:

• Foil a baking pan and spray nonstick cooking spray onto it. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt in a bowl.
• Beat butter in a bowl with brown sugar and granulated sugar with the help of a blender. Add egg white and vanilla and continue beating. Now add flour mixture in it. Mix properly.
• Add the sliced apples in the baking pan and add the above mixture onto them and spread evenly.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool the pan and invert onto a serving plate. Remove the foil carefully.
• Serve it warm with sliced apple pieces.

And some cool quotes:

Trying to manage diabetes is hard because if you don't, there are consequences you'll have to deal with later in life.
Bryan Adams

Diabetes is a word, not a sentence. 

T-shirt

Diabetics don't need sugar to be sweet.

T-shirt

 

Life is not over because you have diabetes. Make the most of what you have, be grateful.
Dale Evans


Have  a blessed day!

Seeing Jesus Face to Face

A memorial service was held yesterday for my pastor friend, Charlie Crook, at the church he was serving when he died. Near the end of the service, the pastor asked us to listen to a song  and imagine that this was what Charlie was doing. Over the loud speakers came a recording of Charlie's voice, sing this song by Aaron Jeffrey. It was the most touching moment in a very poignant service. 

Restless days stand in a clouded haze
Before my weary eyes
As I pray your kingdom come
Like a thief in the night
You know this world can be unkind sometimes
When you don't bow to its whims
But one day you'll take me far from here
Where the sun never dims

(Chorus)
Beyond my eyes 
Beyond the sky
Where tears turn to hope
And hope's the way of life
Beyond my fears
Beyond here
Beyond the realm of time and space
I'll see Jesus face to face
Beyond...beyond

I know some souls who made it there
Oh God, I miss them so
They traded in their earthly cares
To kneel before your throne
But if I could see them now
I know they'd cheer me on
Down this narrow road I'm traveling on
That leads me home 
That leads me home

(Repeat chorus)

Charlie is indeed seeing Jesus face to face now. What joy it is!

Preparing for Death

This topic has been coming up a lot lately, especially with my twelve year old. I'm not sure why it keeps popping up in different circumstances, but it does.

We have been studying Ephesians 6: 10-20, the passage about the armor of God.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.  Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

When we got to the part about our "feet being fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace," we talked about what it means to be ready. First, we discussed being ready to tell others about Jesus. Then, we realized that there was more to it than that. This passage was written to people who were being persecuted and might face martyrdom at any time. They needed to be ready for death.

We also attended a funeral this week. The friend who died was a Christian, a pastor and only 50 years old. The man who gave the message spoke of how Charlie was ready for death and how he would want us to all be ready, too, by knowing Jesus and being hopeful of Heaven. That lead to converstation in the car on the same topic.

There have been other instances when are talk went to this subject. My son hasn't been fearful or morbid in these conversations. He seems to take them in his stride and just be looking for information. He has seen death this year, as his beloved grandmother passed away from cancer. He also was seriously ill himself at one point though (thankfully!!!) he is fine now. My son also knows Jesus. I suppose we are just in a season in which this topic is on his mind and mine.


Are you prepared for death?