Isaiah 38

Sanctify! previewed Isaiah 36-39 on Tuesday night.

Given my recent health issues, Hezekiah's prayer in chapter 38 is particularly timely:

⁹A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:

¹⁰I said, In the middle of my days
   I must depart;
I am consigned to the gates of Sheol
   for the rest of my years.
¹¹I said, I shall not see the LORD,
   the LORD in the land of the living;
I shall look on man no more
   among the inhabitants of the world.
¹²My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
   like a shepherd’s tent;
like a weaver I have rolled up my life;
   he cuts me off from the loom;
from day to night you bring me to an end;
   ¹³I calmed myself until morning;
like a lion he breaks all my bones;
   from day to night you bring me to an end.

¹⁴Like a swallow or a crane I chirp;
   I moan like a dove.
My eyes are weary with looking upward.
   O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!
¹⁵What shall I say? For he has spoken to me,
   and he himself has done it.
I walk slowly all my years
   because of the bitterness of my soul.

¹⁶O Lord, by these things men live,
   and in all these is the life of my spirit.
   Oh restore me to health and make me live!
¹⁷Behold, it was for my welfare
   that I had great bitterness;
but in love you have delivered my life
   from the pit of destruction,
for you have cast all my sins
   behind your back.
¹⁸For Sheol does not thank you;
   death does not praise you;
those who go down to the pit do not hope
   for your faithfulness.
¹⁹The living, the living, he thanks you,
   as I do this day;
the father makes known to the children
   your faithfulness.

²⁰The LORD will save me,
   and we will play my music on stringed instruments
all the days of our lives,
   at the house of the LORD. [ESV]

About Prib's Musings

[Updated 4-28-2009]

This blog is primarily a place for me to journal my thoughts on whatever happens to be on my mind. In my about me post, I told about some of my interests and hobbies. My general blogging schedule will be:

• Sunday: Miscellaneous
• Tuesday: Health
• Thursday: Bible study
• Friday: Finance

...and other times on whatever topics come to mind.

I would also like this blog to be a place where my friends and family that I don't see on a regular basis can keep up with what is going on in my life.

I'd also like for it to be a place where discussion and interaction happens. Up to this point, most of my posts have simply contained a bunch of facts or happenings in my life. I'm going to be posting more things such opinions on current events and reactions to posts in other blogs that particularly interest me. I'll also review books I read, movies I watch, and interesting food I eat.

Feel free to browse the archives, both here and at my health blog (which has been superseded by Tuesday postings).

Pulmonary relief?

A few weeks ago, I was in pretty bad shape so I went to my pulmonary doctor. I was put on antibiotics for a couple weeks, some tests were ordered, and the doctor recommended some respiratory therapy. I also started The Maker's Diet around the same time. I didn't feel 100% at the end of the antibiotics but the lab has been slow in getting results. I have not been great the last week or so but have discovered a few key things:

• The therapy is helpful. It includes oxygen, a nebulizer with albuterol (a broncho-dilator), and something called "The Vest" which vibrates your chest cavity - theoretically knocking phlegm loose from where it may be stuck. I did all 3 in concert this morning (I just received training on The Vest last night) and felt better upon coming to work than I have in a while.
• I eat improperly on weekends. It's not so much that I deviate from my diet; it's the fact that I sleep in too late and get my schedule all messed up and usually don't eat enough to keep me going. With so little reserves, this is a bad deal.
• Exercise is really important. If I intentionally push myself for half an hour or more, I can tell a difference in how I feel for the rest of the evening after a workout. Weekends usually sabotage this too in regards to schedule.
• Kefir and yogurt, specifically goat-derived, are incredibly good for the gut and quite tasty, especially with some puréed berries mixed in. In general, The Maker's Diet has been helping. If nothing else, my appetite is much improved.