there is always a need.
to serve God. to serve a Christ centered community.
and one of the hardest lessons i’ve had to learn is.. that i can’t do everything. i’m not perfect.
but i will give my whole heart into a ministry. as for now, i know where that is . in a year, i know it will be quite different.
but may i bring glory to God. may God use me for His will, His kingdom. His everything.
Human lungs are composed of roughly 700 million of tiny, elastic air sacs called alveoli that pass oxygen into the body and remove carbon dioxide from it. Photo courtesy of David Gregory and Debbie Marshall, Wellcome Images
Bad fad
The “cinnamon challenge” doesn’t sound ominous: You’re supposed to attempt to swallow a tablespoon of ground cinnamon within 60 seconds without drinking any fluids. How bad can that be?
Bad enough.
In a recent paper in Pediatrics, researchers at the University of Miami describe what happens next: the ingested spice triggers a severe gag reflex, with immediate coughing, the sensation of burning in the mouth and likely vomiting.
All of which are apparently quite amusing to watch, judging from the popularity of Internet videos depicting kids (no surprise) attempting the challenge. In their paper, the University of Miami scientists reported at least 51,100 YouTube clips depicting people taking the challenge.
“One video was viewed more than 19 million times, predominantly by 13- to 24-year-olds, ages similar to people taking the Cinnamon Challenge and associated with the greatest need for conformity,” the researchers wrote.
If gagging and looking foolish were the sole results of swallowing a spoonful of cinnamon that would be one thing, but doctors say the health risks are much more serious: Inadvertently inhaling the ground cinnamon can result in choking, aspiration and pulmonary damage. Scores of challenge-takers have found themselves calling poison control centers, visiting emergency rooms - some have been hospitalized for collapsed lungs.
Cinnamon should be eaten, not inhaled. It’s a caustic power composed of cellulose fibers that do not dissolve or degrade in the lungs. The Miami scientists found no studies of cinnamon inhalation in humans, but did find one with rats. Inhaling the spice inflamed the rats’ lungs, predisposing delicate air sacs called alveoli and lung passages to lesions, thickening, loss of elasticity and scarring.
Scientists say that in people, the effects of inhaled cinnamon appear to be temporary and probably do not increase the risk of long-term damage, but in some they may trigger serious allergic reactions, including asthma, or worsen other existing lung conditions.
its like an injury. you rest or do the normal procedures until it gets better. you can either let it be in that state, or go to rehab and work up its strength. make that muscle stronger. expand the range of motion for a joint. etc, etc.
and it comes to my heart. healing procedure is time. and the strengthening is working on my forgiveness and humility. but its hard to move on and grow when i still feel wronged. i feel pushed aside, like nothing i say or ask or do will really matter. the damage has been done. and nothing is really happening to make it any better.
and i think the worse part is that i don’t have the strength to make it better. it is what it is, and i just don’t care anymore.
but it still hurts me. its gives me that pain in my stomach and that ache in my heart because my heart knows that i’m still hurt. i’m still broken inside about this.
i cared too much back then.
yet, even though i’m still hurting inside, i know that God is mending me also. maybe the process is longer than i expected, but i’m going up.
i just can’t deny the fact that its really hard.
you are my sunshine
my only sunshine
you make me happy
when skies are gray
you’ll never know dear
how much i love you
please dont take
my sunshine away
