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Faith Christian School

‘Tis the season . . . for sickness . . . tra la la la la la la la la

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Please tell me that my household is NOT the only one that has been hammered by an endless barrage of sickness lately. I don’t know why it would give me comfort to know that others are sick too, but the validation of knowing that it’s not just me makes me feel a little better. Hand sanitizer and Airborne have been no match for what we’ve been fighting in our household and not only has discouragement and exhaustion crept in, but an overall sadness at seeing my little ones (and husband) in misery. 

Our family of six has passed around various strains of stomach flu, sore throats, fevers, and other undesirable symptoms and no one has been immune. Each morning seems to be a new conversation about who is sick and who needs to stay home. No one can afford to miss work, so we end up saying things like “Well, I’ve already missed 4 days this month,” or “Maybe you can go to work for half a day and then I can go to work the rest of the day.” Can you relate to the stress and frustration? I haven’t even mentioned how behind the kids get in school by just missing a couple of days. 


In the midst of the sickness storm last week, I jokingly told Mrs. Smith and Mr. B. that my theme verse for the week was Proverbs 4:8, “Entering her house leads to death; it is the road to the grave.” I’m fully aware that this usage of the verse is out of context, but it surely expresses what I’ve been feeling lately. 

I sat down to write this blog on a mission to find encouragement and hope for our family’s current health situation. What amazing comfort there is in God’s Word! Ultimately, I know that God is in control and there is a season for everything. If you or your family has been dealing with sickness as mine has and you are feeling discouraged, I pray you find hope in the following verses.  

Isaiah 40:29-31


He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 

Psalm 23:1-6 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. … 

Psalm 91:1-16 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, … 

I don’t know how long this season of sickness will last. I DO know, however, that I will keep these verses close to my heart and sanitizer close to my hands.  

In the words of John in III John 1:2,

“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”

Keeping Kids Healthy

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by Jennie Smith
Secondary Assistant Principal

It never fails…during the first two weeks of school, someone always gets sick in my household.  Last year, it was me – a miserable round of bronchitis.  But this year, it is my husband and my four-year-old, the two who don’t go to school.  We had one of THOSE weekends…fevers, naps, whining…you know how it goes.  My older two are staying away – like the family has a  plague.  They want perfect attendance and want to stay healthy.  So, I decided to do a little research to see if I could help my family have a very healthy year.  Here is what I’ve discovered:



This is my four-year-old, Drew, feverish and resting on Sunday.

Rest
A well-rested body is necessary to keep an immune system healthy.  Keep the bed time as consistent as humanly possible – even on the weekends.  Good rest also reduces stress; stress can have negative effects on an immune system.

Eating Right
We all know that a diet rich in vitamins and minerals is essential to good health.  However, that may be a little more difficult to do in packing a child’s lunch.  Carrots and yogurt have good immune system support and are easy to pack in a lunch box.  Did you know that trail mix is full of Vitamin E, iron, and potassium?  We know that oranges are packed with vitamin C, but kiwis, guava, and sweet red bell peppers are full of the same.  One of my sons loves the mini peppers I send in his lunch.  Add a little ranch dressing and he’s all set.

I’ve been wanting to try kale, but wasn’t sure how to get my kids to eat it.  Kale is rich in vitamins and beta carotene.  One mom suggested that kale be cut up and added to tuna, chicken, or egg salad.  This seems like a great way to sneak in some immune boosting vitamins.  Does anyone have a good recipe for homemade kale chips?  Share with us in the comments below. 

You can find more immune boosting ideas for a lunch box at:  http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/healthy-school-lunch-superfoods#slide-1

Avoid Sugar
Dr. William Sears, a nationally recognized pediatrician, says that 100 grams (or 8 tablespoons) of sugar “can reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by 40%” (Sears, 2013).  One hundred grams of sugar is equivalent to drinking two sodas.  It may be wise, for more than one reason, to be aware of how much sugar a child is taking in each day. 

Stay Hydrated
Drinking lots of fluids is not just a help when you are sick; it can assist in preventing those sicknesses

in the first place.  Water adds oxygen to your blood cells – which helps them to function better.  It flushes out the toxins your body takes in.  It very simply keeps your mouth wet, which will prevent dust, dirt, and germs from lingering too long.  Be sure to send a water bottle with your child and encourage them to drink throughout the day…even in the cooler months.

Wash Hands
This is the one we as parents stress over and over again with our children, and it can’t be said too many times.  This is the number one way to assist in preventing illnesses.  My sons wanted a small bottle of hand sanitizer to keep at their desk to have handy when hand washing just isn’t possible.  It may seem obvious to us, but remind your kids not to share water bottles and food.  It always surprises me when I see two teens drinking out of the same container, but it happens much more than we would like to admit.  Also, remind  your child to keep his/her hand out of the mouth and nose.  Nervous habits, like biting nails, can add a good number of opportunities for germs to make their way in.

If you have other suggestions for keeping your kids healthy and well, please believe me when I say, I would love to hear them!  Leave them in the comments below.  Here’s wishing you a healthy new school year!

References
Sears, W (2013).  “4 Habits that Weaken the Immune System.” Ask Dr. Sears.  Retrieved from  http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/family-nutrition/foods-boost-immunity/4-habits-weaken-immune-system

Overcoming Anxiety

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by Jennie Smith
Secondary Assistant Principal

It was the worst winter of my life…it started shortly after Christmas.  Levi was only 3 and Caleb was fast approaching his first birthday.  Caleb became very sick – so I took him to urgent care, where he was diagnosed with his first of many ear infections.  While there, he must have picked up something else, and a few days later we went to the emergency room for dehydration.  Not only was he  diagnosed with the roto-virus, but it was one of the most difficult days of my life – watching my child being pinned down while they tried multiple times to insert his i.v.  Remarkably, while there, he picked up another virus – a cold of some sort and he and Levi passed that bug back and forth for six weeks.

This assortment of sicknesses led to two problems of my own:  hyper-germaphobia (my own diagnosis…I still suffer from it and I’m not sure there is a cure) and anxiety.  Whenever my children show signs of  illness, I tend to overreact.  I physically react:  I become very cold – and have to put on sweaters and get under the covers.  I emotionally react:  fear, nervous stomach and sometimes just tears.  I eventually realized that I was simply suffering from anxiety.  I know that my anxiety doesn’t please God…He instructs in Philippians 4:6  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” 

There are many anxiety disorders that require professional assistance, so I understand that I can’t offer a cure-all for everyone.  My anxiety has been manageable; I can function in my daily routine, which is not true for everyone who suffers with anxiety.  In the last few years, I have found something that works for me and I thought I would share it with you – it is simply to worship. Just a few weeks ago, Caleb began to complain of symptoms right before bed.  I was planning to watch a movie, but I instantly turned it off and turned on worship music.  I was able to avoid the dread that usually sets in and experienced overwhelming peace.

I’ve pondered why peace through worship occurs and here is what I have discovered.  First, when we worship, it turns the focus off ourselves and onto the Almighty God.  When I focus on the words of a worship song, I am no longer lingering on my own fears – on the concerns of this world – but on His love, grace, mercy, kindness, sovereignty, justice.  Isaiah 26:3 says “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.”  Worship assists me in keeping my mind steadfast – completely focused on Him.

Second, it reminds me of who He is.  One of my favorite worship songs is by Kari Jobe and it is called “You are for Me.”  She sings of God’s patience, faithfulness, truth, mercy, power, and sovereignty.  She sings in the chorus  “I know that you are for me.  I know that you will never forsake me in my weaknesses.  And I know you have come down even if to write upon my heart. To remind me of who you are.”  When I am reminded about who God is and how He holds the plan of my life in His hand, my fears and anxiety go away and are replaced with His amazing gift of peace. (Here’s a link to a Kari Jobe’s video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbSMfL5LuSo)

Another interesting tidbit that I have discovered is that the great men of God worshiped when life was at its worst. David, after losing the first child of Bathsheba “got up from the ground…went into the house of the Lord and worshiped” (I Samuel 12:20).  Job, upon hearing that disaster had befallen his house and family, fell to the ground in worship (Job 1:20).  Certainly, if these great men of the faith chose to worship when the tough times fell upon them, then it is a good choice for me when I encounter times of anxiety or stress.

I often take heart from Habakkuk 3:17-18:
“Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

In the comments below, feel free to share your favorite worship song or your favorite verse that provides you encouragement when anxiety or stress takes over. 

When It Rains It Pours (And Sometimes Floods)

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by Meridith Borta
Elementary Principal

I would bet that we are all fairly familiar with the little quip “when it rains it pours”. Most could probably readily recall times where a chain of events has made them feel like they are in the middle of a downpour with no reprieve in sight. Ah, yes. Travel with me as I relay, not so fondly, the latest super storm to hit the Borta household.
Drizzle
It was time. I could no longer put off the repairs that my car so desperately needed. I was hesitant to take the car in knowing that the repairs could be costly. However, with the air suspension failing each morning, I was literally bouncing down the road in my car, holding on to the steering wheel for dear life. It was so severe I almost started wearing my hat backwards and blasting music as loud as possible to fit in with the gangstas who do this to their cars on purpose. I finally settled on a repair shop and crossed my fingers. It would have been too easy for the car to just be fixed and for that to be that. After spending $750 on the repair, I got a call that there was a bigger problem that would cost an additional $1850. Everyone has that lying around right before Christmas, right? Thus began the car saga that has yet to be resolved. That’s right. You may still have the privilege of seeing me bouncing down the road if you are lucky enough to cross my path on a given morning. Don’t be offended if I attempt to hide my face.
Sprinkle
Maybe it was stress-induced or maybe it is a hazard of working with little ones day in and day out, but it was my turn to catch the cold that keeps on giving. It was nothing big, but making itself at home in my nasal passages on the last week of school before the Christmas break was not quite appreciated. I powered through though and even continued with my training schedule for the half marathon I’ve been preparing for. (Don’t ask me why I have continued to train for this half marathon even after receiving the unexpected news of a 4th little Borta on the way in early July. People say that once you start running you fall in love with it. I must be missing some vital piece of this puzzle since I can honestly say that running 4 miles at 5am in 35 degree weather—and with a cold to boot–has never once invoked a feeling of love.)  The weight of the world and the various items I was collecting on my plate were getting a little heavy.  
Rain (or should I say flood . . . literally)
Christmas break was so close I could taste it. With the cold and sinus infection making its exit none too soon, I was looking forward to having time to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet at home. It came as quite a shock on that Friday morning (the last day before the break) when we came downstairs to find water coming out of our walls and up through our wood flooring (that we laid less than a year ago and were paying off THIS month). Little did I realize that the sound of someone cutting into our walls four days before Christmas was just the opening act to the headlining show—the industrial fans that would turn our house into a wind tunnel for the next five days. Surely God was trying to teach us something, but what? As we headed out of town the day after Christmas, the workers moved in to tear out walls and our beloved floors.  We couldn’t wait to return home to see what Santa’s helpers had left us! As we were told though, it could have been much worse.
Downpour
Of course things can always be worse. We know it in our heads, but we don’t usually anticipate that things actually will. We just knew God was going to work things out and we praised God for the joys we were able to experience during the holidays. What else could possibly happen? The first mistake was asking.
Paul and I came down with some mutant cold/flu that knocked us flat on New Year’s Eve and we rang in the New Year (at 8pm) with a box of tissues and a lot of fever-reducing medication. Life doesn’t stop when you are sick though, right? We had big plans. In hindsight, maybe the decision to keep our plans and take the kids to the snow the next day may not have been the best idea. But how harmful could a shopping trip to Walmart be?
We realized soon after starting our shopping adventure that it was going to go downhill fast. Cadynce was starting to get sick and the other girls were tired, so I decided to take one for the team, send Paul home with the kids, and I would just shop by myself and get it done. There I was, perusing the spices, when the call came. “Honey, how is our insurance? I just hit someone.” That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. As I stood there in disbelief, trying not to have a total breakdown in the middle of the Walmart aisle, I finally had to laugh. “LORD, REALLY?”
Each of you could probably share a story similar to mine. All of us have had those times in our lives where we wonder what God is doing.  What else can possibly go wrong? Lord, what is your plan in all of this?
Sorry, everyone. I don’t have the answers, but I know a God who does. I have a car that is not fixed, holes in my kitchen walls, wood floors that are ripped up, a car with a crunched bumper, and a lingering cough that won’t quit. I don’t have the solutions to each of the things I’m dealing with or know why they seem to have come upon me all at once. But God has a plan and purpose. We may not know what that plan or purpose is, but our confidence is in Him, His goodness, and ultimately His love for us. I know who is in control and I know that He will work all these things for good. 


Proverbs 19:21 ESV – Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

The next time the rains are coming down as the floods are coming up, check to make sure your house is built on the rock and you can be sure it will stand firm. 

Matthew 7:24-25 (NIV) – Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Urgent!

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by Meridith Borta
Elementary Principal

With Christmas sneaking up on us and the hustle and bustle of the season beginning to swirl out of control around us, you can literally feel the sense of urgency in the people around you. In the stores, shoppers are searching anxiously for the perfect gift for their loved ones while others scurry frantically about gathering food and other trimmings for their holiday parties. These observations got me thinking about how often we are led by that sense of urgency—by something that just has to be done right now.

(Now if you have been reading my past blogs, you know that I have written about STRESS, HURRYING and WORRYING, and TIME. You may be wondering if this blog entry is going to be much the same. While this holiday season definitely has a place in each of those blogs, don’t worry, this is something new.)

First, what should we really have a sense of urgency about? We rush and rush trying to find gifts that our loved ones may or may not even need, when as Christians we hold the key to life! We have the good news of a Savior that should create in us such a sense of urgency to tell others, that we can hardly contain our excitement (like the anticipation we feel when we know someone is going to just love the gift they are unwrapping.)

Why should we feel such a sense of urgency to share?

James 4:14 (ESV) states,  “yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”
Psalm 39:5 “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.”
Proverbs 27:1 “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

Knowing that we are not guaranteed tomorrow, how important it is that we tell people the good news while we (and they) still have breath. What greater sense of urgency should there be than to tell people about our indescribable Jesus.  While we may not know how God will move in the lives of the people we share with, we DO know that we cannot stay quiet. We can tell dying people how to have life!  That is something that calls us to act.

If we truly lived like tomorrow was not guaranteed, we would surely live our lives proclaiming God’s love to the people around us. This holiday, as you feel yourself getting swept into the hustle and bustle of all of the urgent things you need to accomplish, remember the urgency of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to those around you. After all, Jesus IS what Christmas is all about.  

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