bierkergaard

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. I promise, only a couple more posts about Appendix-Apocalypse. I had to not drink beer or other spirits for 21 days post-surgery. Blessedly, coffee was still OK. I limped along liquid-wise and waded through the high waters of the recuperation without being swamped by infection. Both the surgeon and the pharmacist warned that the anti-biotic Flagyl and Alcohol were highly antagonistic. Like Wives and Mother-in-Laws. Cats and Dogs. Muslims and Muslims (to be fair Christians and Christians). So, me being the obedient patient, took the Flagyl like clockwork and kept the beer in the fridge. No trying to skirt the rules. Total abstention. It was the longest time I had been beer free since my conversion to Christ where I had to totally get off the track of the drinking cycle for years to establish more moderate consumption habits.

My brother Matt and I were shooting the breeze on Saturday and I happened to mention that the antibiotic Flagyl that I had take after my surgery had wiped out both the bad and good bacteria in my gut. There is a lot of evidence these days that the over-usage of antibiotics, particularly among children whose immune systems are still developing, can be extremely harmful. It seems to be the cause behind highly increased incidences of food allergies, asthma, and other auto-immune diseases. Too antiseptic can be bad for antibiotics kill both friend and foe. Like being naive, being sterile invites danger. Good bacteria helps digest food, fight off disease, and enhance other bodily processes. In fact, without good bacteria, we would be dead. Matt mentioned a reference to a show on Public Radio about the benefits of sauerkraut as it is fermented and high in good bacteria. I have been eating probiotic yogurt because I can tell that the good bacteria in my gut has been wiped out as well as

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. I have been thinking about this verse recently and what came to mind is that Peter, the former fisherman, is alluding to the heavy and wet nets that he used to toss into the Sea of Galilee, wondering and worrying if he was going to catch anything besides weeds and floating junk. In the verse before, Peter speaks of humbling ourselves, admitting that we are weak but that God is strong. It then follows to give Him our cares for He can bear them better than us. We hand over the nets of control, all the what ifs we hold, into His mighty hands and trust. When my appendix was, unbeknown to me, in the process of rupturing, the surgeon mentioned that I definitely had appendicitis (for he did not yet know of the rupturing either) and that we had to go into surgery asap. I asked him if there was any other treatment than the removal of the appendix. My Dad had mentioned to me over Christmas--with no awareness that I was go