After avoiding the issue for four days, I called the Medicare insurance company to make sure that I was errant in my search for a neurologist that only netted one in all of Fort Wayne and Allen County. Yep. I have just one option. Then, I called for an appointment. Fully expecting (and really wanting the lag time) to wait for about three months to get an appointment, I was stunned to learned there was an opening September 24th. SIGH. I sent the information to my GP for the consult referral and asked SSA ... again ... about getting the records from all my testing two years ago.
I also asked the insurance company about a charge I received for my last thyroid blood work. It turns out the claim was processed as out-of-network by mistake. So, I had the claim resubmitted.
Turning to another task on my memory board, I divided up the bacon that I had bought this weekend, having ignored that task, too. Because I have very, very, very little will power where bacon is concerned, I started to divided the package into groups of 4 slices, wrap those slices in wax paper, and then put all the divided bacon packets into a Ziploc bag. I chose four slices in case someone visited and wanted a tasty bit with breakfast. Plus, several recipes call for eight slices (two of my packets). I buy Wright's Applewood Smoked Thick Sliced Bacon and get five packages from each package of bacon. Because they were on sale and I was actually out of bacon, I bought two packages ... had two packages to process into smaller packets.
For dinner, I decided to try one of the sausages I bought and to grill up some summer squash since I would be grilling the sausage.
Clearly, I need lessons on the amount of time sausage needs grilling. Other than the sausage casing being far, far, far too crispy, I liked the sausage. I was a bit discouraged to have charred bits with my summer squash. The marinade is my mixture of butter, stone ground mustard, and minced ginger. The sausage is the chicken with apple and gouda.
I am out of sweets, such as a bit of candy or something, in the house. I keep forgetting to make the White Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies and haven't wanted to just plow through the Blueberry Lime Oatmeal Muffins. I keep looking to see if I could find a candy recipe, since I don't want to spend more money until the next budget cycle, but nothing has popped out at me in my searching the ingredients for which I have. Then, I remembered the Peanut Butter Honey Truffles.
I made some more, but I altered the recipe. This time, I put cocoa powder inside, too. I think that it makes for a better balance of taste, lessons the explosion of honey and brings to the fore the peanut butter. I liked them so much better that I amended the recipe on my recipe rememberer blog. These really are good to keep in the freezer (I like them frozen, but they thaw quickly) for when you need a bit of something-something sweet.
I did find what looks to be another wicked lemon dessert recipe whilst browsing for candy recipes. So, maybe I will try that instead of the cookies. Maybe. Right now, I want to go learn more about Mark.
Do you know what is unique about the healing of the paralytic in the second chapter of Mark??
It is the only occasion of Jesus healing someone by pronouncing the forgiveness of sins. In Luke 7:48 he will forgive the sins of the woman who has wept on his feet—another instance of religious leaders taking offense—but that is not a healing. This story alludes to a complicated truth that is often oversimplified. Yes, there is a connection between sickness and sin. But no, not all all sin leads to physical sickness. Not all sickness is a direct result of sin. Yet it is safe to say that all sin paralyzes.
I never noticed that Jesus forgives the sin at first sight, no admonition to repent and believe (or perform complicated acts of repentance and religious observances).
Another thought about healing, with the leper, Jesus did not just heal his skin. Rather he healed the leper's entire life: Covered in festering sore, he has been cut off from Jewish life, from community, from the synagogue, from temple observance.
I do not like backing up in the wheelchair shopping carts because a siren beeps. I feel embarrassed and like a large truck. I certainly do not want to have attention drawn to me. I cannot fathom what it must have been like to be a leper then, to have to wear a bell around your neck to warn others of your harmful presence, both physically and spiritually.
It would be nice, though, to have friends who care enough to cart you to church on a pallet, eh?
I've been thinking a lot about how often sin paralyzes me.
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