Thymus: A lymphoid organ situated in the center of the upper chest just behind the sternum (breastbone). It is in the thymus that lymphocytesmature, multiply, and become T cells. (That is why they are called T cells. The T is for thymus.)

The thymus develops in embryonic life as an outgrowth of a structure known as the third branchial pouch which is invaded by lymphoid stem cells. They arrive through the blood and enter the outer cortex of the thymus, where they proliferate. They move through the inner cortex, mature and acquire T cell surface markers. And then in the medulla (center) of the thymus, they become fully mature T cells and enter the bloodstream. The process of T cell maturation is regulated by hormones produced by the thymus, including thymopoietin and thymosin.

The thymus reaches its greatest size at puberty. It then begins to involute and much of the lymphoid tissue is replaced by fibrous tissue and fat. Its function accordingly declines after puberty.

In my post: My War….My Confession  I had told you that I had been taking anti-depressants and that I might let you know as to why.  Well the above definition is the culprit.  Around 2008 I was siting at my desk, on the computer.  And all of a sudden I starting having severe chest pains.  I got up from the desk and walked slowly into our living room.  The pain got so bad that I dropped to my knees.  I starting feeling as if something extremely heavy was sitting on and slowly crushing my chest.  My oldest son called 911 while my daughter called my husband.  The life squad came and accessed that they did not think I was having a heart attack, which I was disagreeing with.  They did take very good care of me and rushed me to the hospital for further evaluation.  After a slew of tests, the doctors also accessed that I was not having a heart attack.  Two days later I was able to get in to see my regular doctor and he referred me to an oncologist. Which in layman terms is a cancer doctor. I had another episode within that week which also sent me to the hospital again.  The oncologist then had a slew of tests for me to go through.  The blood work, the x-rays, the cat-scans, the stress test, the urine test.  No Tumor, No Cancer!!!  Also No real answers.  I got sent to Pulmonary doctor : lung doctor.  He was not so nice, but I knew he knew his stuff.  He ran his tests, and then placed me on the anti-depressants medicine plus two inhalers.  One for everyday and the other on an as needed basis.  For now, I’m off the everyday one.  But I still have to use the as needed one sometimes.  All the while, in between both specialists, I was also seeing my family doctor.  I finished with all the extra tests, getting poked and prodded in 2009.  That summer we discovered that our youngest also has his thymus that can cause him trouble with his asthma.  Now I don’t know why after 30 some years of life, out of the blue, something like this happens to a person.  Sometimes life just happens.  But I do know that it showed me a lot of love from my family.  They look out for me even now.  I don’t dare place my hand on my chest without a very good reason or else I will have everyone staring at me asking me if I can breathe and if I am alright.  When I had my first bout with my thymus, my kids were under the watchful eyes of my neighbors until my family came for them.  All the while I knew that God was also watching.  I did not worry about them.  Which is probably the first time I had stopped worrying about them.  That was the start of a lot of medical problems for my family.  But I will not let it break my peace and love for them.

Re-post: Are You A Duck Or A Goose?

I have often called my husband a duck. You may be asking yourself why. Well the reason is pretty simple. He just lets things roll right off of him like water off of a ducks back. He has his day to day aggravations just like the rest of us. But for the most part he just lets those things goes. At least for a while. Then the oddest thing will set him off. Then it’s {QUACK, QUACK,QUACK,QUACK} I have noticed that a lot of men are that way. Have you?

 

I on the other hand, you could probably call me a goose. I will honk on every little thing that comes across. Good or bad, I have an opinion on it and I’m willing to use it. {HONK, HONK, HONK, HONK}Now I don’t know which is better to be. Because, both can make some just awful noise. {QUACK,QUACK, HONK,QUACK,HONK,HONK, HONK}

 

And this isn’t to say that we are the only people who act like this. Hence the saying “Sounds like a bunch of of hens in there.” Yes, I’ve heard those hens and I have also joined right in with them. But I have the voice that still makes me sound like a goose. Which means that when I speak the feathers start to fly everywhere. My kids for the most part are ducks as well. They don’t let things bother them for too long. Or bother them at all. Which I see as a positive that they adapt well to change. But my daughter does have her days of honking instead of quacking. I can’t say that I blame her, living with three brothers. So my husband the duck married me a goose. And we have what, duoolings? And I couldn’t be more honk…honk.

Are You An Excuse Maker

In my last post, I had spoken about not letting my own prejudice stop me in attending church.  And I have found that there are a lot of people who do just that.  You can take this however you would like:  Go To Church!!!  I am not talking about just going because it’s a holiday or because there is some event going on at a church.  I mean you should jump at the chance to be able to attend each and every service they have.  I am a believer in church.  No matter if you attend a mega church or a local.  Just Go!  Studies have found that people who attend church not only have the opportunity to get closer to God they also tend to raise their children with high values, it keeps them grounded, it keeps them connected to the community, they tend to live longer, they are happier in their lives, grow into an extended family.  People (Yes, I am also guilty) can make up any excuse they would like to not attend.  But what you are really saying is that you don’t care enough about your relationship with God to go.  You are placing those excuses in a higher priority than God.  Church is not about what they can do for you but what you can do to show off His glory and to bring others to Him.  Your feelings and your preferences should never be placed in front of Him.  This life is not about you.  This life is about The Lord Almighty and what He has done for you.

Do You Plant Good Seeds or Bad Seeds?

Have you ever attended a church service and thought to yourselves, ” I got nothing out of that.”  If so, have you ever taken the time to ask yourself, “Why not?”  Or did you just start complaining?  Recently there was a guest pastor who did a service and I really didn’t like his approach to the message he was giving.  All I could see was a T.V. Preacher….. only live and in person.  I felt as if the two hours at church was such a waste.  I did not feel uplifted, or as if I had anything to chew on (meditate).  Worse of all I blamed the pastor.  All the while, I know that it is my responsibly to get my spirit right with God, not the Pastor’s.  While going home we (as a family) always ask each other if the service was good and if they enjoyed it.  I did not set a good example.  I went spouting off everything that I did not like, even when the rest of my family had said that they did enjoy the service.  I place seeds of doubt, rudeness, being mean into their minds and spirits.

I know that not every service is meant just for me, the way I feel I need to hear it.  I know that every preacher is different in their way of preaching.  I know that with every word of God spoken, there is at least one person who needs to hear it the way it was given.  Preachers are God appointed for God’s will and not mine.  So it has come to my attention (even though the damage has been done) that the service was in fact for me.  Even if only to learn this lesson.  Now giving me the opportunity to apologize to God for all that I wasted and for the evil I did.  For I showed no Love in my words or attitude.

Those of us who attend church generally go because we like the way a church is.  Whether it’s the preaching, the music, the people.  But God always knows when and why to shake things up.  Even if we don’t like it at first.  Although I still don’t like the manner in which the sermon was given, it will not stop me from attending this church when the next a guest Pastor comes.  It does however give me the opportunity to open my heart, mind, and spirit more.  It does give me more opportunity to get closer to God.  To be more grateful for all the people He places in my life.

Walking With A Purpose

As you might have read before, my hubby has MS.  This April there will be a walk for the cure right here in Oxford, Ohio.  This will be our 2nd. time doing this walk.  Here is a digital scrapbook page I did of last years walk.

We had a great time during the walk.  The weather wasn’t that great though.  It was lightly raining with a cold breeze.  But we did it!!! All 3 miles without a break.  Pastor Tim Tice  of Grace Pointe Church even came out and walked with us.  (He’s the other dude in the bottom picture)  It is my hope that we will be able to do this every year.  I do not claim to know what it is like having MS.  But I do know what it is like living with someone who does.  The word frustrating does not even cover it.  Because the disease has so many symptoms and all different for different people, one never knows how they will wake up to feeling like from one day to the next, let alone from one minute to the next.  Symptoms can come and go in the blink of an eye.  So you have to make accommodations for that no matter what is going on.  Joe is blessed.  He is still able to work as an Interstate Freight Re-locator (Truck Driver) even with a tremor in his left hand and arm that has not gone away in over a year and a half.  He has his moments where his legs feel (as he tries to describe it) hollow.  He has times of mood swings.  He has his bouts with feeling completely drained.  He has a family (at home and at church)who loves him and prays for him all the time.  He has a good neurologist doctor in Indianapolis.  (Yes, we go back to Indianapolis for his Dr. visits.  Good neurologist  are very hard to find.) He has good support while he is on the road with other drivers.  (I can’t say enough about how much I love those guys.  They have become a part of our family and we pray for each and every one!)  He gets excited about doing this walk.  This is a chance for people to get as hands on in the battle as possible.   So I would like to encourage you to take part if you get a chance.  There are walks done all over the country.  And for those of you who are unable or too busy, then please donate at the link  https://secure3.convio.net/nmss/site/Donation2?idb=1606982508&df_id=38606&FR_ID=17709&PROXY_ID=9470188&38606.donation=form1&PROXY_TYPE=20&JServSessionIdr004=1i2k6vv521.app330b  The money is used to help.  Help in research.  Help in informing.  Help in treatment.  I ask that you do a part in the help.  There are so many people who are a lot worse off than Joe.  People who can’t even do simple things without aid of another.  Even if you are unable to do a walk or donate still click on the link and get informed.  Knowledge is power.  And who knows, you might come up with an idea or question that no one else has that would benefit others.  Thank you all.

Am I Their Parent Or Are They?

Hey there gang,

I would like to ask all of you a question that has been bothering me for sometime now.  Have you noticed how the media, celebrities, law enforcement, government officials, seem to put parents down?  I have.  These people get into the “spotlight” and spout off as if parents are dirt and have no sense about them.  Now I grant you that there are some that don’t.  However I think they are in the minority, but because of the few, the rest of us who actually take our parental responsibilities seriously, are deemed, undeserving of even civil interactions.  Recently there was a story that sent me into a small rage.  It was about:

Preschooler’s homemade lunch replaced with nuggets

The story was reported on Fox.  Here is the link for those of you who are intrigued.  http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/14/preschoolers-homemade-lunch-replaced-with-nuggets/

I personally go to a lot of “trouble” to make sure that my children have a good lunch.  And the fact that someone has the “right” to throw away food that I bought for them to eat truly goes all over me.  The way I see it is that lunch that was packed is my property until my child has eaten it.  Therefore no one has the “right” to do anything to it without my permission.  The kicker is that the mother was then charged for the school’s processed “healthier” nugget lunch that the child did not even completely eat. Parents have a hard enough time relating with their kids, and when others put themselves between the child and parent, it broadens that even more by making the kid(s) think that the parent doesn’t know what they are doing. Why, why, why, are these people given authority over every single aspect of our lives????  We are told what we are allowed to eat, dress in, where to go, what to say, how to say it, feel, express,  spend our money on.  And even though most of the people that are dictating to the public, are parents themselves, they act as if they are exempt from what they are dictating, because they are of course, in charge or in a place of authority. (Sarcasm intended)  As a parent, I am not going to just roll over my rights and have others who do not know me or my family, who I do not know whether or not that they are Christians, who I don’t know how they were raised, tell me the “best” way to raise my children.  My weapon is prayer.  I pray for the strength and protection to get through this. That the strength and protection also covers my children as they have kids of their own.  That wisdom and common respect can be accomplished.  Ok, so am I seeing things with a wrong perspective?  If so, please don’t be shy in commenting, let me know.  If I have some kind of blinders on, then I would love to be able to see the logic, or the “good” of all of this.

Standing On The Authority Of God

What reputation do you have?  A while back I had asked you to ask others how they would describe you.  Hopefully you did and you did something positive dealing with it.  My heart has been sinking lately as I listen to churches.  Churches with preachers that no longer preach a prayed out message.  Instead, they give happy little speeches that are always timed.  Churches with congregations that moan about the music, the decor, or the people who attend.  All the while the world just stands back and mocks the Christians.  And we Christians let them.  Because we are too busy dividing up the body.  We are acting like our worst enemy.  We stand  offended  and jealous of everyone.  Why?…because instead of allowing the God appointed leaders to lead we think we have better ideas.  Better than God. Limb by limb the body is being destroyed.  We have been given the authority to cast out devils, to spread the gospel, to show the example of Christ.  Where is the desire of the church community?  Where is the love?  While talking to people, I can hear their spirits longing for a revival and as they continue to talk  I hear the carnal side of them describe the how.  Instead of just allowing the Holy Ghost to have control.  If we could stand still long enough to look at ourselves and see that we have work to do there first before pointing the fingers at others.  We just might find that we can’t do this without Him.  There is an old hymn where the lyrics are ” Standing, standing, I’m standing on the promises of God.”  Throughout the Bible you will find several promises that God has given to you.  So Stand Christian!  Stand on the authority and promises that have been given freely to you.

Changes Within The Family

Reblogged from My Life, My Perspective:

Well, he went and did it, the little stinker.  Joey got admitted into ORU.  Not only will he be attending there this coming fall.  He also got their presidential scholarship!  So we are now looking into every aspect of stuff that he will need for the up-coming years.  We had, a few months back changed churches, I will not go into the details as to why.  When our former church  heard of Joey’s great news, they had asked us to attend a Sunday service so that they could announce the news to the …

Changes Within The Family

Well, he went and did it, the little stinker.  Joey got admitted into ORU.  Not only will he be attending there this coming fall.  He also got their presidential scholarship!  So we are now looking into every aspect of stuff that he will need for the up-coming years.  We had, a few months back changed churches, I will not go into the details as to why.  When our former church  heard of Joey’s great news, they had asked us to attend a Sunday service so that they could announce the news to the congregation.  They were all so very supportive and kind to him.

Sierra is still going strong in learning how to play her guitar.  She is also showing great promise in thinking things through.  So many times she has been coming home and telling me of the behavior of other kids in her school and how she is seeing that they are making wrong choices.  Some examples are the way some dress, those that do dip (yes, even some of the girls around here do dip. GROSS!), who is hanging out with who, and the gossip that goes on.  And how in doing so they are making her think as to if she would do or act the same way. I thank God her answer has been NO.

Then we can look at Wil.  I don’t think I have talked about him nearly as much as I would like.  I call him Joe Jr.  He has the almost exact same attitude as his daddio. Well recently he has been sending out e-mails of the writing he has been doing.  I love it.  He is using his creativity, which he has a lot of.  Plus he is relating more to the word.  I asked his permission to share with you just what I mean.  Here is just a little of his writing.  Keep in mind that he is only 12.  Nor have I added or changed anything of his writing.

Title: Endure it all.    We need to keep up our strength in tough times. I don’t know exactly what you are going through, but I know that there’s a way. God can help us through all of our problems. In the Bible, almost everybody goes through some kind of misery or misfortune. Yet God helps them through it.

We all have problems whether we like to admit it or not. We all go through some kind of problems. A man in the Bible went by the name of Jabez, meaning ‘he who causes pain’. He was marked from childbirth. Can you imagine what people must have thought? “Hey He Who Causes Pain! Let’s go play football!” All he did was asked for the Lord to help him prosper. And God did.
All of our problems trace back to the curse of Adam and Eve with Satan as the main conspirator. Its hard imagine life without faults. We have lived with these problems for so long, they seem natural. But heaven has no sin, no problems, no worries. That seems to good to be true, and on Earth, it would be without God. But He loves us and without him, nothing at all would’ve happened at all. Nothing would have been made, and we wouldn’t have been even in spirit. This is even harder to imagine, as we think with our minds, not our spirits. We need to be calm in times of restlessness, cheerful in times of doubt, and most of all God-like in all our life.

Isn’t that just great?!?  I feel so blessed that God is working on and in him.  The hubby just went to the neurologist for a check up on his MS.  So far so good.  He will be going back in March.  These visits are always a little stressful.  You wonder what the results will be.  Whether or not the Dr. is actually hearing you. What the next course of action(if any) will be.  How the hubby will handle any news.  How I will handle any news.

Then we come to our little man, Sam, who is 9.  He is struggling.  He knows right from wrong, but lately he has been giving in to laziness and bad attitude.  Especially in school.  I pray for him a lot.  I have the faith that he will snap out of it and get in line with God soon.  He is like his oldest brother as to being soooo smart, but he doesn’t quite get it yet that he is still a kid that has to follow rules and behaviors in order to get along with others. I know some adults that still haven’t learned this lesson either. So for the time being we will have to be just a little harder on him.  Which breaks my heart.  But I know that this too shall pass.

I have been learning.  Learning more about my children, my husband, and about myself.  After seeing the movie, I went out and got the book Courageous  for Women.  There is a wealth of wisdom in it. It has caused me to ask a lot of question of myself. (Hubby says that I am already too hard on myself and probably thinks that I don’t need to ask these questions.)   I am re-learning how to take time for myself.  So that I am not so stressed about stuff that I shouldn’t be.   I have also been learning a few new(to me) crochet stitches.  I have been crocheting since I was a kid and it is something that I really enjoy.  During the fall I learned how to crochet beaded bracelets but now I am back to yarn.  I have done blankets for each of my kids.  And they actually want to use them.  Which makes a big smile for me.  I love that I have a hobby and I think it does me a lot of good.  I can listen to a book or sermon while I crochet, or go over the days events, listen to God speaking to me, and yes I even get to pray during this time.  So I am able to keep busy inside and out.  Changes come to all of us.  Whether good or bad; like it or not.  But if we are able to step back and take a look at them we just might be able to see where we need to ask for strength, patience, and understanding.  You might be able to see that there are more than just one road ahead of you to choose from.  You might be able to see where the first spark of enlightenment or mistake came from.  You might be able to embrace the change.  The wisdom of a 12 yr. old may surprise you sometimes.

College Bound

I can’t say that every parent goes through such heartache when their oldest child goes to college. But my oldest had his first day last Monday. And I truly thought that I was up for this. How wrong I was. You see he is still in high school. He’s a senior and he was accepted into a program that allows him to take a class or two in the local college. Miami University. Joey is taking two classes. French II and Comparative Religion. Yes, he is super smart for his age. He always has been. He was born 6 weeks premature. And his dad and I have always worked hard with him so that he wasn’t behind mentally. His physical aspect was always harder to work on.  However you wouldn’t know it now by looking at him now. So I get up bright and early, had a cup of coffee, drove him into town and dropped him off. I was still ok with everything until I looked in the rear view mirror and saw him with the rest of the college kids and started screaming in my head,”Use the cross-walk!” On the lonely drive back to the house I kept telling myself that it’s just like he’s at work. This is not that hard. WRONG!!! Totally wrong!!! As I walked into the house I could see that my hubby was a little teary eyed. That was my excuse to go ahead and cry. Then visions of Joey being 3 full of life and thirsty for more, running throughout the house started to flood my mind. And the tears fell even faster. I knew when we had to move here that it wasn’t for my benefit but for the family. This doesn’t really give me any comfort in living here.  It just gives me something to remind myself for times like these. I thank God for a wonderful young man and for allowing this opportunity for him. It’s kind of pre course for when he actually has to go out-of-state for college. He hopes to get accepted at ORU. I know that God has his hand on him. I know that there are big things waiting for him. I know that I can no longer hold his hand. (Although I will always and forever want to)