The Beautiful Act of Cleaning the Broth Pot

For the past year and a half we have cooked more broth than I can really even figure out. Until recently my process was to pretty much keep the broth pot on the stove all the time. I would then blend a couple of “bottles” worth of meat/broth formula for each of the twins as needed. This was not really the adhering to the “work smarter not harder” train of thought. It was more of a “head above water” train of thought. Recently, as we moved in with my in-laws I realized that we really had to get a better process going since we would be sharing the kitchen.

Here we are about a month later and the process is quite a bit better. We cook a pot of broth and meat and then blend two days worth of formula all at one time. After this big blending job is done the hefty stock pot gets a much deserved rest on the baker’s rack. But the effort to get “old faithful” onto that baker’s rack has been a much dreaded effort for me. At some point over the last year and a half I have come to DESPISE cleaning this thing. The very thought of it was part of the reason I used to leave the thing on the stove all the time rather than blending the contents all at one time. It had gotten so bad that I pretty much refused to clean it and asked Shawn to be the official broth pot cleaner.

About a week ago something occurred to me that changed all of this. I am certain that it was that “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit in me – challenging me. I suddenly had a change of perspective. I realized that in reality the act of cleaning this dirty broth pot was really such a joyous honor. This pot that is instrumental in nourishing my children…this pot that nurtures the very “medicine” that is healing my children’s bodies…this pot is akin to the “hearth” in our home – the place where we gather as a family for warmth and togetherness. No, we don’t actually gather around the broth pot. Ha! But this pot – it is beautiful, and the act of cleaning it – the same! It has only needed to be cleaned twice since this great realization, but both of those times I thanked the Lord not just for the pot, but also for the opportunity to clean it again.

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A few days ago my sister told me of a couple who shared their story in her church recently. When she told me that she gave them this blog address I thought, “Oh no.” Not that I didn’t want her to pass on the information, but their story…it makes the struggles we have faced seem so insignificant and writing about them, well, almost silly. This couple’s 10 month old baby had a degenerative condition. I believe they were told that their precious little girl would not live past the age of two.

Today I got word to pray for this family as their little girl went to be with Jesus.

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Though I was already writing this blog post and had already decided that cleaning the broth pot would be an act of joy, the sobering reality of how blessed we are is overwhelming. The fact of the matter is that for some reason LittleM and LittleR were born with a rare and strange condition – a serious condition, BUT they are growing, healing, and even thriving. I am so thankful for the ways in which the Holy Spirit has changed my heart over the last year, but I am truly ashamed for some of the attitudes I held onto.

The broth pot --- case in point.

Please pray for BabyP’s family.

You Can't Stay Here Mold!

What a month…I feel like that is all I have the energy to say, but there is so much more to be said! If I had to sum it up in one sentence I would say: we found out we have mold (and have confirmed that it is a part of the problem), but I have peace that it is all going to be ok.

It all started when we noticed that the dingy grey discoloration that we had noticed on LittleR’s closet ceiling was spreading. We sent a sample to Mold Labs and sure enough – it was mold. Though a bit disconcerting we didn’t worry too much. We did wonder if this explained why LittleR would always wake up with a “snuffy nose” or if it was part of the reason for all the respiratory distress. We moved LittleR ‘s bed into LittleM’s room and put the kid’s toys in his room. I figured that short exposure to the room during the day would be ok. Wrong.

I had told our immunotherapy tech. what was going on for the purpose of explaining why we had to delay further treatments (you cannot have low dose immunotherapy unless you can ensure that your environment is free of allergens). Two days later I got a call from our now retired physician. His first question really got my attention; “Can you move out?” Ummmmm……No. Realizing that this was so serious that our environmental medicine specialist doc who is retired (he now works one week per month) who we were scheduled to see during his next work week on May 11^th called me from “vacation” on April 13^th AND ASKED US TO MOVE OUT OF OUR HOME – this really freaked me out.

He told me what to do since we could not move out. I followed his instructions, but still started freaking out inside. We were to seal off the problem rooms entirely, get a GOOD HEPA air purifier and run it in the kid’s bedroom 24/7, support the kid’s immune and respiratory systems with stinging nettle, and FIX THE MOLD. This doctor who isn’t the biggest fan of medications and knows that I am not either told me that if the stinging nettle and homeopathic allergy supplement that we had already started didn’t work we would HAVE to put them on Cingulair in order to prevent a reactive airway cycle like the one we couldn’t seem to get out of all winter.

We started exploring the house to see what was going on with the mold. It didn’t take long to realize that the attack is FULL of it. With all of the exploration we must have stirred up a significant amount of mold, because the kids and I all got sick. I could feel it in my throat and lungs. They started coughing and I just knew we were in for a vicious cycle of respiratory illness. This was bad.

Then I heard from the Lord “loud and clear” in my heart that we were doing what he wanted us to by following the instructions of the doctor. The very day that Doc called me I was looking for a new doctor since he has retired. I was praying – well more like yelling – in my head. Just as I asked, “Who is our new doctor God?” The phone rang and it was Doc about the mold. This was one of many confirmations that we were to follow his instructions. God impressed upon me that discovering this mold was a blessing. This was an opportunity for us to eradicate at least a part of what has been making the twins so sick. The fact that disturbing the mold made them sick was also a blessing. This too confirmed that the mold has in fact been making them sick. One thing that the Lord spoke to me in such a gentle and gracious way is that He would take care of them during this time of waiting (as we gather quotes and wait for the work to be completed). He was been so faithful. The kids came out of the illness amazingly – no reactive airway CYCLE. The mold is still here but with the interventions that the doctor prescribed, the children are well.

Though it took me about 24 hours to get past my panic, I am confident that this is a good thing. I am confident that this is Divine Providence and I declare that because I have made the Lord my refuge, and the Most High my dwelling place, no evil shall befall me, nor any plague or calamity come near my home. You can’t stay here mold. Ha!

I also declare that the effects of the mold – as well as the kid’s immune system dysfunction, and all the other aspects of their illness, have already been defeated and will be overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. And I declare that LittleR and LittleM’s testimony is this: Jesus was wounded for their wrong-doing, Jesus was bruised for their sin; the punishment of their peace upon Jesus, and by HIS stripes LittleM and LittleR are healed.