The Great Adventure

We have recently returned from a trip to Michigan, where the tulips and daffodils are now blooming, but finished blooming in Virginia long ago.  However, during the ten days we were gone, the budding new leaves on the trees in our yard drastically changed into full green leaves, totally enhancing the view seen from our windows. This has prompted me to reflect on how quickly life changes with its ups and downs leaving us with a different view.

A dear friend of mine and I have had an ongoing discussion this year about the adventures of life.  As we have seen God’s hand work in so many details, a persistent common thought has developed: we wonder what will happen next!

There is a song written by Steven Curtis Chapman called “The Great Adventure."  I often think of some of the words in this song, “Saddle up your horses, we’ve got a trail to blaze” and “We’ll travel over mountains so high, we’ll go through valleys below.”  My friend gave me a Christmas ornament of a horse which now sits on my kitchen windowsill as a reminder through the year to expect a great adventure with each new day.

From life experiences, my husband and I are learning to expect changes that we cannot begin to predict. Through the past seven years, life has truly been an adventure as we have shared with countless people the story of our daughter’s restored health. It touches me deeply to hear of others who are faced with challenges of IBD.  Their words of despair remind me of the despair I felt in the past, but now it is replaced with a hope that is more powerful than this disease.

With the occurrence of Crohn’s disease continually increasing, we meet up with people frequently who either have Crohn’s or know of someone who is battling it.  On our trip to Michigan, I neglected to take any of my Crohn’s books with me, assuming that I would not likely meet up with anyone with Crohn’s disease on this trip.  But during our stay, I learned of a mother whose daughter is currently going through tests to rule out Crohn’s.  I had a chance to meet this mother, and I felt her pain while I listened to her questions.  As she faces the unknowns of her daughter’s health, I remember the dark days of 2003 when we faced many unknowns with our own daughter.  I would never have imagined in those days the great adventure that we would be embarking. While I continue to meet people who are plagued with Crohn’s disease, I yearn for them to be well.

So, as I saddle up my horse and get ready for the adventures in the month of May, I wonder what will happen next.  May you be blessed with a ride today that will be one filled with hope and good health.

Blessings and Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there!

Martha

P.S. Here’s an oatmeal cookie recipe that we have enjoyed using that is not in the book. It does not have any white sugar in it, so it has a different consistency than a regular cookie.

1 ½ cups oats

½ cup oat flour or whole wheat flour

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp of cinnamon

2 medium bananas, mashed

½ cup of unsweetened applesauce.

Chopped pecans, raisins, or grain-sweetened chocolate chips (optional)

Mix applesauce and mashed banana together.  Add dry ingredients and mix well.  Drop by spoonfuls on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. I personally like them better after they have been refrigerated. They also freeze well.