Matters of the Soul

Toward the end of the past six months, I wore myself out to the point of spiritual, emotional, and mental distraction.  I had all the typical excuses: work was super busy; it was the holidays; I traveled over Thanksgiving; I am too busy to work out right now, etc.  Some days, like all of us, I did better in some areas than I did another.

My main struggle is screen time addiction...I fell into it more and more after Heather left for college.  I didn't have anyone at home to interact with, and I believed the ugly trap that just a few minutes on my phone was acceptable.  Sadly, a few minutes turned into wasted hours that has affected my sleep and my time with God.  My beautiful daughter-in-law stated this so beautifully in a 2017 blog post entitled Rest Project: An Invitation.  Friends, I have clearly hit the "daughter-on-law jackpot!"  This beautiful young woman, who loves the Lord and my son, challenges me through her intentional life.  Here is an excerpt that has convicted me over and over:

Shared by permission of Jenna Craker

Thankfully, the busy, busy period at work lasted just a season during open enrollment for the Federal Marketplace.  It is honestly like tax time is for an accountant for our Enrollment Team at Neighborhood Health.  Additionally, for a variety of reasons (which I won't go into here), our patients and clients are increasingly confused about their options.  As a result we take our roles seriously about educating them so they can make an informed choice, and we also teach them how to use the insurance choice they have made.  Google translate has become a helpful tool as I have done this in Chinese, Arabic, and Vietnamese. Neighborhood Health has been growing and developing, and we have exciting times ahead!  You can learn more by viewing these links: Neighborhood Health: Who We Are and Neighborhood Health Brand Reveal.

Fortunately, I have re-grouped and in recent weeks gotten back Bible Study Fellowship where I have an accountability partner 💗.  I also am joining a new church, Avalon Missionary Church, where I am radically challenged every week.  I am back at Planet Fitness 2-3 mornings before work with a friend, and I am working on some very cool craft, photography, and writing projects.

Me steppin'
out of the dating scene 😂

As for dating, I have decided to fast from the whole, disappointing, emotionally and spiritually draining process until God tells me otherwise.  Every contact was just miserably degrading, and it simply is not worth it right now.  My brother-in-law teases me that I am judging men's potential ROI (return on investment), and because their ROI has not been good, I am not pursing a relationship right now 🤣.

Seriously, I had the most amazing incident that brought me to this conclusion to fast from dating.  While I was visiting Stephen and Jenna's church, I just "happened" to pick up a handout from the previous week's young adult Sunday school class...and what I read convicted me in a radical way.  To put this in perspective, I have, for the most part, been completely confident and content on my own.  Yet, when I allow just a tiny bit of self-pity and ungratefulness nestle into my heart, I get into big trouble and can be led astray in a hot minute...and this was my heart's condition in the moment that I saw this lesson.  Bam!

I have had such amazing peace and joy since making this decision, and it has been a good choice for me.  It has been a healthy choice that has led to such freedom 😊....and so as Paul writes:

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.  Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" Philippians 3:7-12 NIV

Family News

The past six months have gone by so quickly!  After their June wedding, Jonathan and Amy went to Smoky Mountains National Park for their honeymoon.

They are settled in Lafayette, Indiana, where Amy continues to work at Turkey Run State Park as an interpretive naturalist.  Jonathan is completing school and just got a job as an IU Health lab assistant.

Heather was Amy's maid of honor 💕

Heather and her boyfriend Mat were able to squeeze in a short camping trip at Chain O Lakes State Park before heading back to Purdue for the summer.  They both had research projects, and she took two classes so she can get her double major covered.  She and Amy also work at Grey House Coffee on campus, where Amy is a manager.  They have even coordinated schedules to be on the same shift one morning so they can spend time together. 🥰🥰🥰

Hiking at Antelope Island State Park

Stephen and Jenna continue to enjoy life in Salt Lake City, where she is a 5th grade teacher, and he is a school psychologist.  They absolutely love spending every minute possible hiking in the beautiful mountains around Utah, and they had the amazing opportunity to visit with some friends in Jordan this summer.  They had plans to travel with Jenna's family over Christmas, so I flew out to visit them over Thanksgiving.  A big snowstorm hit just as I was flying out, but we still managed to go on several hikes.

(Disclamer: this is NOT their license plate...just one from a random person's car 🤣!)

I continue to assist with Global Christian Fellowship at our local universities.  Last fall I took some students to see Chicago tourist sites and to enjoy the roller coasters at Six Flags (and yes, I road every roller coaster with them!)  We also hosted a Thanksgiving Without Borders event with traditional and international food, and we are planning several more outreach events this coming semester.

Our family holidays kicked off early with my nephew's November 9 wedding.  All of the Craker cousins were able to attend...coming from all over the U.S.  Dave, Brian, Amy, Jonathan, Heather and I had a family Christmas gathering together, and Stephen and Jenna were able to participate via video chat.  I participated in multiple family gatherings, and I hosted our YMCA aquatics staff Christmas party at my apartment.

I am praising God that the kids and I are happy and healthy.  I did have a rough case of bronchitis over the holidays, which landed me in the ER (first visit in over 3 years...that's a record!)  I had been seeing and following up with my doctor, but something just didn't feel right AND my stomach started to hurt.  So on top of the bronchitis, I wanted to make sure I didn't have a colon obstruction or an issue with my ostomy.  All turned out well, fortunately.

My prayers for all of us in the coming year is that good health continues, that God guides Jonathan,
Heather, and Mat in school, that God gives Amy direction for her next step when her time at Turkey Run ends, and that God sustains me in all that He calls me to do for Him.  My greatest prayer is that my children continue to understand and grasp how much God loves them.