Movin' On Up!

Hey there! Missed us? Well, we've sure missed you.

We are finally unveiling the newly designed No Muck Messages and want to make sure you get there.

The new URL for the blog is now www.nomuck.com. Cruise on over there and take a look around! Make sure you re-subscribe on the new site to make sure we stay in the loop with you. Also, make sure you give us some feedback on what you think through the comments or the different ways to contact us.

Thank you again for all the blessings you have given us by visiting our blog and allowing us to serve you in some way. It's time for a new chapter! We will be back with all our weekly posts next week.

Let's go!!

Gersday Thursday: What If I'm Considering Gerson?

The Gerson Therapy has obviously made a huge impact in our family's life. To make a tremendous turnaround with a severe case of a disease that is thought to have no cure is more than noteworthy, especially when it's your child. We have heard and seen so many stories of people who were almost completely out of hope and found an option that made all the difference with Gerson.

When we came to the end of the road with conventional medicine, we were forced to desperately search for another way. It was in this time that the Gerson Therapy came to our attention and it deserved a closer look. Let me just say that Heather and I (mostly Heather) spent countless hours digging and trying to find the real scoop on what was going on. Since our son's health was on the line, it was more than worth it, but it was a frantic time of trying to get the real information we needed to move forward. After doing the work, we took the next steps and made even more investments of time and money to see if it was a viable option. Once we listened, learned, and prayed, we obviously made one of the best decisions we could ever make. This decision opened door after door and we are where we are today because we went "all in" on this.

When we talk to other people who are interested in Gerson, it's very difficult to take a person from knowing nothing to getting them to a place of understanding the whole picture in just a conversation. The bottom line is that people have to do the same digging and grunt-work it took us to get to really understand and believe in what we are doing. Let's be frank, this therapy is not how we unwind in a day. It takes hours upon hours of work, but when healing (or even living in some cases) is on the line, it definitely outweighs any negative aspects.

So, let's talk about what we always tell people who are looking into considering Gerson for themselves:

1. Watch the documentaries

The Gerson Institute has worked extremely hard to put out their information in an easy to digest manner. There are several documentaries that give a great overview of the therapy and interviews with people who have had experience with it. Watching a few documentaries is the smallest time commitment you can make and is much easier than trying to dig through books. Here are the documentaries that you can find on either YouTube, Netflix, or Hulu: Dying to Have Known, The Gerson Miracle, and The Beautiful Truth. There is also a new documentary that has just been put out by Gerson Media called Heal Yourself, Heal the World. We haven't seen that one yet, but it's on it's way to us. We'll let you know!

2. Order the books

If you are ready for even more information, it's time to do the studying that you MUST do for yourself. Gerson has several resources available, but the one to start with is called Healing the Gerson Way. It will give you a good in depth look at the whys and hows of doing the Gerson Therapy. There is also a handbook that nicely condenses a lot of the information in the book for quick reference called the Gerson Therapy Handbook. For those of you who are more scientifically minded, you may want to get some of Dr. Gerson's very detailed case information and order A Cancer Therapy: Results of 50 Cases.

Hear me on this one: If you want to get the best information you can, you have to know enough information to ask the right questions for your specific need. If you really take the time to research this information, you should be in great shape. You know yourself the best and the Gerson Institute is designed to help empower you to take your health into your own hands. You really have to believe in what you are doing if you are going to undertake the serious commitment to healing.

3. Go see it for yourself (either live or virtually)

The Gerson Institute provides informational workshops that allow you to go even more in depth and have the interaction you need. It's a few days of a lot of information, but again, they want you to know why the therapy works. They are extremely open with their information and have a done a great job of not compromising a proven protocol. The live workshop also gives you a great opportunity to connect with the Gerson folks themselves and others who are on their own health journey. It's pretty amazing to see folks who had stage four cancer (other life threatening/debilitating diseases) who were given no hope to live, completely healed and thriving! Check out a Gerson Basics Workshop or a Gerson Basics Live Stream.

I would also like to mention that the Gerson Institute isn't trying to sell you anything. They focus solely on getting information out about what has made a difference in so many people's lives. They are a non-profit organization and only sell books, media, and a few other things to help keep the lights on in the office and continue to spread the word. Take specific note of that.

4. Consider the big commitment and weigh the financial costs

Just tonight, Heather and I were again saying how reduced our lives have become (socially, recreationally, relationally, etc.) just to keep this ball rolling. If you saw the difference between Sy's health before the therapy and now, you would understand why we keep going. However, I'm not going to lie. It has taken every ounce that we have been able to give and then some. This isn't just a little something that you will just add in to your day but again, it is so worth it!

I would also like to say that this therapy could not have even been considered financially without faith that God would make something happen if it was His will. Since we were convinced that this was the road we had to pursue, we allowed Him to do things that we were not able to do. We have seen miracles happen right in front of our eyes! It has been through Him that others have rallied around us and kept us going day after day (holla to our peeps!). I don't know how it's exactly going to work for you, but you have to be open to even the most unexpected provision.

5. Go For It!

The Gerson Clinic allows you time to be monitored by doctors and staff when you are kicking this thing off. Depending on the severity of your condition and the time sensitivity, this may be for you.

The therapy itself is designed for you to do it from home (with lots of help from loved ones). Instead of being dependent on other facilities or professionals to make the right decision for you, you have control of how you want this to go. It will probably take a lot of adjustment to your lifestyle (especially in your kitchen and bathroom), but when you need healing, you have to go for it...

So much to consider, I know. If you know that natural healing is the way for you or you've run out of options, you will make time for something this important. We can't say enough good things about it!

Disclaimer: Neither us nor the folks at Gerson can tell you what you should or shouldn't do. You must make the decision for your health, regardless of what avenue you decide to pursue. Just promise me that you won't be afraid to ask lots of questions, no matter who you are talking to. We hope you find clear direction with your healing journey!

Sy's Burning Bash!

We realized that we missed posting about Sy's big birthday... When it comes to a kid that can't eat much, you have to focus on doing some super cool stuff. Check it out!

Sy was definitely pumped to turn 7! He even lost a front tooth for the event.

First stop was coming to see Pop at the firehouse and do some cool stuff.

Only Essi would find a way to shoot rainbows from a fire hose.

Waiting to blast someone...

Just a couple more years to grow into this seat.

I'm so proud to be a part of this crazy kid's life.

Quite a fire brigade, huh?

Sy is now a huge baseball fan, so it was off to the batting cages...

Sy was a complete natural. He crushed probably 80% of the balls.

Even Mom had to come show off her home run swings. She really got in there!

I don't think anyone would argue when I say that 7 has definitely been Sy's healthiest birthday yet. We had tons of fun and made him his own birthday cake made of nothing but potatoes. We are looking forward to future birthdays and continuing to see Sy grow up to be a godly young man.

Happy belated birthday, big man! We love you!

My Own JOURNEY to Wellness

So about 10 years ago, I was a super health nut! I typically ran 60-80 miles per week. I ran marathons, ran road races competitively, did weight training, was a coach, had a coach, was a vegetarian, etc. The highlight of my week was my long run! Can you imagine?! It blows my mind when I think about it now. Needless to say, those days are long gone...

God has since blessed me beyond my imagination with the incredible gift of raising 4 small children (ages 8, 7, 2, and 14 months) and one with a major medical condition. Anyone would agree that as a mom, your kiddies come first. Of course! However after a year of having Silas on the Gerson Therapy (and within that year I also was pregnant, had a baby, and then later miscarried another), I realized that I was living my life so "sacrificially" that I almost became a martyr to the therapy. I'll post one of these days about the typical day in the life of a Gerson Person. It's fascinating... Anyway, I was recently talking with Jordan and realized that I had pretty much forgotten who I was. That runner that I used to be and who my identity was tied up in, no longer existed. For the first time in my life, I was terribly out of shape--and I mean terribly! I wasn't quite sure what I enjoyed anymore... I realized that I've somewhat isolated myself in the past 16 months which is virtually necessary to get the day's work done, but I've missed out on many social events and even surprisingly some friendships have changed. It's been at times lonely doing this therapy... It's no one's fault, but some people don't tend to understand and often don't seem to validate the work of the therapy because it's not through conventional medical methods. It's okay, but it doesn't take away from the seriousness of Sy's disease and how imperative the therapy is to his health. I always knew and rejoiced in the fact that I was God's Beloved... but for the first time, I wasn't sure how much I was loving myself.

Anyway during this past year, I had some blood work completed a couple of times because I was having a few medical issues and in general, not feeling great. Finally my doctor sat down with me and said that as much as I want to be there for my husband, kids and others, I needed to make some radical lifestyle changes or I may not be around for them. Whoa... What?! So here I am busting my chops to do this amazing therapy for my kid and ironically, my own health is starting to deteriorate. How many times do we do that as moms? We give our all to our family and leave nothing or at best, the leftovers for ourselves. It took a little while to sink in but the reality finally hit that it was really time to turn my life around. I had the head knowledge since I'd been studying natural therapies for almost 10 years. I had implemented loads of what I learned but definitely still had my own vices and used some of them as a crutch to get through this last year. After spending hours and hours in the kitchen prepping for Sy, the last thing I usually want to do is to cook a healthy dinner for myself!

So I found this amazing kickstart for my life--ironically from a person who healed herself from cancer through the Gerson Therapy! When I find out more about her own story, I see so much of my own. Jordan and I both decided to challenge ourselves and felt that if we're going to speak publicly about Gerson and Sy, then we needed to understand exactly what it was like for ourselves and to better understand how Sy feels each day. We want to be the real deal. And Wow! All I can say is that it completely changed my life! In those 10 days, I found freedom! I realized that we give food--whether it be specific foods or sugar or caffeine, such power in our lives. I don't want food to empower me... I want God to empower me! There is such freedom in letting go and truly eating to live and not merely living to eat. It's amazing how quickly even my taste buds have changed when you take out salt and sugar. Not only did I cleanse through the liquids but I also started cleansing through a new morning regime for ME! Not in a selfish way but in a loving way... I've been convicted that I need to serve others, including my family, out of an overflow of what the Holy Spirit is doing in my own life. If we constantly give to others out of chaos and depleted reservoirs, then over time we will feel the effects of that on our bodies... So I've been really challenging myself these days and constantly asking myself, "What do I love to do?" and "What will bring me the joy I once knew?"

So that leads me to my new morning routine... It includes quiet time with God, prayer time through meditation, oil pulling, coffee breaks (not what you're thinking!), dry brushing, listening to beautiful music, and juicing. I no longer resent the therapy and think about what I'm missing out on but instead focus on the life and healing that God is doing through the therapy for Sy. Instead of thinking of restrictions, I'm focusing on the great things I do have and enjoy! It's all about perspective. I've found the gift in Gerson... It's more than just healing our boy... It's healing ourselves and reconnecting our spirit to our ultimate Healer. As moms, we absolutely have to take time for ourselves--quiet retreats for our own soul care. It's so important. So as I mentioned before, this is a journey for me. I'm not there yet but I'm learning and implementing all that I can. I'm even starting a course to bring about even more transformation and I'm pretty stoked about it. My life sure looks different than it did 10 years ago and I'm sure it will look even more so 10 years from now. So who knows?! Maybe, I'll even be back to running... :)

What about you? What things do you implement in your life for your own soul care?

So What Is The Gerson Therapy?

Over our past year of Sy being on the Gerson Therapy (and making a miraculous turnaround in this health), several people have asked questions regarding his therapy and how it can help so many chronic conditions. The therapy has plenty of years behind it and even more documentation, but we thought we'd at least give you a brief overview.

Dr. Max Gerson began his medical career with a great ability to observe and learn how living things were affected by their environments and the quality of their consumption. Because he was often incapicated by severe migranes when beginning his medical career, Dr. Gerson was forced to desperately seek answers to find relief from his serious condition. He sought out answers from experts and medical professionals who told him that he would just have to deal with it (sound familiar to you?). Unsatisified with accepting a lower quality of life, Dr. Gerson began searching for answers outside the traditional circles. After reading about another migrane sufferer who improved through a change in diet, Dr. Gerson began to look into this option.

To make a really long story short (you can read in more detail here), Dr. Gerson found that by including some foods and excluding others, he was able to cure himself. Keep that in mind...cure! As a person who accepted a role in helping others to the best of his ability, Dr. Gerson prescribed his "migraine diet" to another patient who needed help. Not only did his diet stop the migraines, but it also cured a then-incurable disease that the patient also had--skin tuberculosis. Because TB was a major problem at the time, this required a closer look. The bottom line came that during an controlled study, Dr. Gerson's diet cured 446 out of 450 tuberculosis sufferers. This was absolutely unheard of at the time. Because these same patients carried other disorders and conditions, cures were also seen in those areas.

Over a period of 30 years, Dr. Gerson continued to clincially study diseases and the impact of his diet on them, namely multiple types of cancers. He published these results and sought hard to share this amazing information with anyone who would listen. In 1946, Dr. Gerson also had the opportunity to sit before a Congressional Subcommittee about his advancements (and seek funding for future cancer research), but it was not accepted that diet could have a significant impact on health. Um, wait a second...

Because there are countless people who have been cured through this therapy (just ask Sy and see this post), it has continued to be researched and developed in accordance to our ever changing environment and food harvesting practices. There are so many great hearts continuing to push this information out, especially to those who have exhausted all their options.

Before I get into the details of the therapy, I would like to point out that the Gerson Institute is a non-profit organization that focuses on education, not selling you some product with their name slapped on it. Because Gerson has helped and supported putting the power of healing our son in our own hands, I have come to find that every person in that organization has a great heart for serving others. I have done plenty of examining of this therapy and it's proponents and have found nothing that seeks anything other than true health and healing for all mankind.

The Gerson Therapy today is based on two pillars: hypernutrition and detoxification. Because our bodies are wonderfully made, they can do amazing things when it comes to healing itself. If you give cells exactly what they need to efficiently work, in most cases, they will do the job they were intended to do. Also, because the list of toxins in this world gets longer every day, we have to support our body and find a healthy way to get the stuff out that doesn't belong there.

The first of the two factors of the Gerson Therapy are exercised by giving the body specific organic fruits and veggies, especially in the form of fresh juice. If you understand how our digestive system works and how the body can more easily absorb the nutrients from something it doesn't have to break down, this makes total sense. You would also be suprised how sufficient a vegetarian diet can be for the human body...and yes, even protein. For added nutrients, there are also a few supplements added to the regimen to fill in any gaps that exist and to support the body's normal function. Again, the point is giving the body exactly what it needs to do it's job, which is needed even more if your body is in crisis.

The detoxification part of the therapy requires one to really open their eyes to the world around them. Do you have any idea how many toxins you come in contact with in one day? In the air, water, food, chemicals, etc., there are just too many to count. This is not a fear-mongering tactic, but one of reality that must be realized. The point is that the body doesn't need toxins and they mostly just lead to more serious issues. Decreasing or eliminating these toxins takes time and work, so it must be taken seriously.

The part that most people love to talk about are the detoxifying coffee enemas. Yep, you read it right. I used to think that hole was strictly for exporting, but I was wrong. By looking at the history of the enema, you will see that this was a practice used by doctors and nurses without restraint. You will also see that this practice is used to support our natural detoxifying organ...the liver. I can bore you with a lot of scientific mumbo jumbo on why exactly it works, but you can research this yourself. We will work on posting some more info on this soon.

There are a few other small pieces that are added for additional support or comfort for those undergoing the therapy, but you can read all about it in their books here.

My personal experience has been that every stone I have turned over in this process has a reliable answer underneath. The part about this that you must remember is that it is a therapy...not a fad diet. There are many people who have recovered their lives through this therapy and refuse to deviate far from it because they already know where that led them before. The other thing I would like to say is that most people aren't at a place yet where they are willing to do the research and work it takes to embrace what's actually best for their body. Sometimes this takes driving people to the point of death. Sometimes it's too late before people get there. All of it is hard to watch, but doesn't mean we throw in the towel.

There are several lessons we've had to learn the hard way through our journey with Sy and his health. Don't ignore things that you know you should consider, don't believe everything you hear, ask LOTS of questions, look at things from a totally different perspective, ask difficult questions. Don't accept something less when you even have a miniscule hint that there may be more!

And most importantly...don't give up.

P.S. If you have some time, check out these documentaries...if you look on Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube, you will probably have some luck:

Dying to Have Known

The Beautiful Truth

The Gerson Miracle

Now In Stereo Sound!

Last night, Heather and I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Howard Straus, the radio host of "The Power of Natural Healing". We had plenty of time to dive into Sy's story and how his health has made a complete turnaround on the Gerson Therapy. If you get a chance, please check it out on his website here Monday at 11am Pacific Time. It will also be available in the archives later that week! This was our first opportunity to be on the radio and we had tons of fun. Thanks Howard!

Anderson Live Show Clips (Updated!)

**Updated show clips to show full segments, including intro video and surprises. They are hand recorded and the audio is a bit low, but it should be clear enough.

Thank you to all of you who tuned in to watch our handsome boy make his daytime TV debut. We all were very happy how the show was put together and we are so thankful to the Anderson Live crew for having us there. We really hope that we were able to help at least one person in some way. There's only one complaint...I still have not received a phone call to become a jewelry hand model on QVC. Did they not shoot my amazingly strong, yet tender hands enough?

We've been looking to find the entire interview. We've found both parts, but the first one is not the greatest quality. We'll keep looking and try to find something better. Anyway, thanks to the person who took the time to record this on their TV! Here you go! Oh, and also, just for the record, I'm really proud of both my son and my smokin' hot wife.

Lastly, a huge thanks to those companies that blessed our family in a huge way...Bunny Luv, Global Organics, and Lego! I just noticed that this part isn't on the video. Big hugs from Sy for these great folks!

If you can't see the videos below click here for part 1 and here for part 2. Enjoy!

Here's still the portion straight from the show...much clearer.

A Visit From The First Lady...

...of health, that is!

We had a very special treat last week and we will forever be grateful. Charlotte Gerson and her family made a trip to Florida all the way from California. They took time out of their visit and schedule to come speak to a group of us who were eager to hear more about the rich history behind all of her father's work. It was so amazing to see this passionate 91 year-old speak so eloquently. This lady is sharp as a tack and has so much knowledge! We can all learn something from her vibrant lifestyle.

It was also so amazing to watch as Sy and Charlotte shared some special time together. One year ago, our family was just embarking on world of the Gerson Therapy and we were so desperate for a change in his health. As you can read in past posts, we have watched as Sy's body has made miraculous changes for the better!

So, this is just a short post to say thank you to Charlotte, the Gerson Institute, and all those who desire to see complete and total health in our community.

We are also excited to watch as God now begins to touch the other lives around us who desperately are in need. We will get there together! This has been the only way our family could be where we are today. We hope to spread the blessing as far as we can!



Sy Lights Up The Studio!

I know I have been extremely annoying about getting you any details about the show. What fun is it if I don't keep you in suspense, right? Well, let's just say that there was some "paperwork" that says that I can't discuss much about it before it airs (we are still waiting for the air date, btw). In the meantime, we'll give a few obscure details about our day and all the things happening around us...

Before you read any further, just know that our family is continuing to seek God first on all of this. Even on the day of the shoot, it was easy to get swept up in nerves, excitement, etc. and miss what is REALLY happening. If you go back and read from when this blog started, you can see the amazing story that God is already weaving into this little boy's life. Heather and I have fought hard to not just sit back and let life happen or get sucked in to complacency. We want all the aspects of our lives to reflect the real reason behind them (though we are not always successful, we try). You cannot look over Sy's journey and say that it's only about a boy with a incurable disease. God has given him an incredible platform and we want to be good stewards of his story and use it to help others. We are just waiting and trying to make ourselves available for whatever God has next or for the next person who needs to be reached... We have walked in this valley in hopes that others can be spared and ultimately to encourage them with the hope of healing... Patience is not always our strong suit, but then it only takes thinking about Sy and the amount of patience required to live with his struggle, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Anyway...now for a few details!

Our family got to hang in the green room as we waited for our time to go on the set. We finally got to meet some of the great people we had been speaking with on the phone for weeks. They were really fun to work with and took care of us in so many ways. They even had someone to entertain and babysit the kiddies as we were in and out. Here is Sy with his remarkable Dixie cup castle. Isn't he handsome?

Sy's sis, Essi, had a great attitude the whole time as her little brother got a lot of attention. We will say her beauty got the attention of several TV folks! She is another one who is ready to be used by God!

As Heather got dolled up, these were the shoes that were chosen for her to wear. If you know Heather, you probably know how she felt about wearing these... She also had to lose the jeans and slip on some black dress pants. And change her shirt and add a blazer... She jokes that she looked like she was ready to anchor the 6:00 evening news!

Since I was so sharply dressed when I arrived (in the only nice Target shirt that I own), the only thing they changed on me were my shoes. I swear I was ready for the ski jump in these things. Every time I turned a corner, I would knock people down. Since they wouldn't be seen much, I didn't throw a fit.

So, here's the final product before we hit the big lights!

Soon after this we were whisked away for the shoot. The shoot went great and I managed to avoid throwing up on the hosts (bonus!). Now that it's over, we can just leave it in His hands to do what He likes. Please pray that whether things are good or bad, we would continue to keep our focus on the right thing.

Like I said before, we can't share many photos and details now, but we promise to get the details about the air date as soon as we know. In the meantime, we will share a photo of a really nice guy that we met while we were in NYC. Scroll down...

A Big Walking Tour for Little Feet!

Ok, ok, ok...so I'm a little behind on updating y'all. WiFi is crazy expensive in NYC. Also, with all the navigating I was doing on my phone, I was actually running out of data on our plan. So let's get started!

On Wednesday, we started our freezing rainy day at the 9/11 Memorial. Absolutely amazing! It was such an honor to be there and see it in its early stages of development. The kids asked a lot of great questions.

Our next steps were visiting the super historic St. Paul's Chapel (near the Freedom Tower) that was used as an emergency worker rest spot during 9/11.

Our hotel was near Madison Square Garden, so we got to see the waves of people that continued to pour out of that place.

We took a quick tour of 30 Rock and tried to sneak Heather into a show, but we missed the cutoff. Bummer!

On our way uptown, we stopped off at St. Patrick's Cathedral. With the amount of beauty in the structure, it's kinda sad that we've lost this form of worship in most of our churches today.

Heather's sister came to NYC to see the Anderson Live show, so we were later off to meet them at FAO Schwartz. The kids were okay with that meeting spot!

Since Sy is such a big fan of Apple (the food, silly), we had to take one cool elevator ride and snap a quick photo of his lighted up treat!

More posts to come! We love y'all!

Our First Bite Of The Big Apple...

Ok, so day number one has been a success! We have packed many things in one day! Here are a few highlights:

Although my navigating skills were a little off and we ended up heading in the wrong direction a few times, we still got to enjoy our first NY subway ride.

We had a great opportunity to see much of the city because we spent most of the day on foot. Both the kiddos were real champs about walking several miles today.

We were able to secure Sy's fresh made juices and we were relieved to know that he wouldn't miss a beat.

A cruise through Times Square gave us a chance to snag a New Yorker for a quick and memorable pic!

This city a also a great place to run into celebs! Look who we bumped in to! (I never knew he wore patented leather shoes with his armor.)

We had to ship many of Sy's food prep supplies up from Florida, but we also had to get our hands on all the produce. We happened to find this sweet little corner organic market that beat the pants off any place at home. Believe it or not, the prices were even better!

We needed a way to get all this produce home without lugging it for miles, so we were able to hop in for our first NY taxi ride. I did my best to be annoyingly chatty with the driver, but he wasn't much of a conversationalist.

And lastly...

How could we call it a day without staying up late to throw together a fresh batch of soup, mill it, and clean up everything in a mini kitchen?

Thanks NYC! We are looking forward to our next day tomorrow...

Things Are Suddenly Moving At Light Speed!

So, today marks the beginning of an exciting week! We are still coming off the high of the Snowflake 5K and we now are looking forward to hosting some cool folks in our home today. A camera crew and reporter from a popular, national talk show will be coming to spend the entire day with us to get a glimpse of our family's routine and Sy's God-authored story. As some of you know, there will be plenty of energy from this household for these folks to capture. We just hope that these peeps like the smell of veggies simmering, the aroma of fresh carrot juice, and seeing every Lego creation in our home!

Today will be a big day and we hope to clearly portray the way that God has blessed us with the immense challenges and miraculous times of provision through family, friends, and even those we don't even know. Anyone can easily see the incredible power of love and support poured on our household as we struggle through healing our son.

After this experience, we will step onto a plane early next week and find ourselves in the midst of the Big Apple for his national TV debut. (Is America really ready for such a handsome and lion-hearted boy?) With the help of our hosts and countless logistics, we have made arrangements so that Sy's therapy will hopefully be seamless and without interruption. We will keep y'all up to date as we encounter these unique and fun changes. (We promise lots of pictures to come!)

I'm not exactly how much we can share in the digital world yet, but we promise to provide whatever details we can when we can... Stay tuned for more!

One last thing before we embark on this journey... Please pray for us and that the true reason behind our family's adventures shine through Sy's smile, Heather's smokin' hot looks, and my buffoonery. For all of you who know us, you know that all of this could not be happening on our own efforts. We ask for the right words to express the events and emotions that have emerged over the years. We love all of you and know that our bottom line is to bless those who can benefit from our experience and our desire to reach out to those in need.

And away we go...

This Race Is "Snow" Joke! (Insert Groan Here)

We just wanted to take a moment to let you all know how important this upcoming race is to Sy and our family. It appears that all the registered racers have blown the doors off the original estimates! Everyone is ready to have an all out party this weekend!

Although we will not be able to quantify the amount of fun that everyone will have (playing in real snow, sliding on a huge inflatable slide, eating baked goodies, hanging with firefighters, etc.), we can quantify how much your participation means to Sy's therapy...

For every one 5K runner plus one Fun Runner, we will be able to purchase one of Sy's 25 pound bags of carrots or two bags of his yummy apples. If we didn't have you, Sy would still be on his yucky nutritional formula and possibly unable to eat by mouth. If we didn't have any of you volunteers this weekend, we would not be able to even have this event! We hope to thank everyone in person who has played a part, but there are so many of you!

This blog will never do it justice, but we SINCERELY THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of our hearts! Even before the starting gun goes off, this race has been a huge success. Thank you for being the volunteering hands and running feet of love! We are completely overwhelmed by it!

Say What, Doc?

For all of you who are praying for Sy's health, we have some HUGE news for you!

As some of you know, Silas underwent an endoscopy late last month in order for us to see any effects the Gerson therapy on his esophagus. With the number of grueling hours we have spent juicing, simmering, grinding, and washing, we had to get some sort of status on our direction. Is all of the energy and resources invested in this therapy really worth it? We've definitely had our moments of wanting to quit. But after starting Gerson, we've seen outward improvement, so we were expecting to see some inward improvement. That same day, the doctor told us that the pictures from the procedure showed that Sy's esophagus was indeed healing. Needless to say, we were thrilled with that news! However, we have been disappointed before with decent pictures of his esophagus and the biopsies later revealing that his disease was as active as ever. Talk about frustrating!

So, after this recent endoscopy, the real answers would lie in the results of his biopsies... So we've waited and waited for results...

Finally, I anxiously took the call and the doctor informed me that Sy's eosinophilic count was extremely low. How low? Low enough to be considered in normal range!!! 

How do you put a miracle into words? This disease supposedly has no cure and now his count is within normal?! This is nothing short of God using the Gerson Therapy to heal our boy. In fact, we were strongly advised against doing the therapy from the doctors a couple of weeks before this last endoscopy and we were almost overwhelmed with discouragement, but we've known God has placed us on this Gerson journey for a reason. Despite having heavy hearts, we clung to prayer and hope. And now this is the news we've been dreaming about... This is truly a miracle! We can't stop smiling.

So does this mean that all of the work of the therapy is over? No way. This confirms that all the work we are doing is worth the effort and we are moving in the right direction. Sy's body has had an extremely rough start, so must continue to slowly reintroduce new foods that will give his body the nutrition it needs. He still has 2-3 more years on the therapy so his body has a chance to fix what has been wrong for so many years. In reality, Sy may never eat "normal" but he'll certainly eat healthy. :) So now we will try to fill in some of the nutritional gaps with some additional foods from the therapy very slowly--starting with one food at a time. Needless to say, Sy is excited to taste something new! Just imagine that in time, it is possible that he may not have the same lunch and dinner every day!

Well, I need to mention again that Sy would not be where he is with his health and we could not continue the therapy without the love and support of those surrounding us. Let us just say that God is doing an amazing work here through you all! He has used you to perform this miracle. It has taken a village to keep Sy on the therapy and we are so grateful. There are too many of you to count, but know that the Harger family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts--with every carrot we juice (which is right around 1,000 carrots per month)!

I'm sure you all have lots of questions about what the doctor said, future endoscopies, etc. and we will gladly give more details later. We just wanted to get the news out asap. We love you all and please spread the word for anyone you know struggling with EE that there is an alternative way that seems to really work. (I'm still speechless...)

There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finishing on the very day Christ Jesus appears. (Phil 1:6)

Frozen Sweat?

Hey Everyone!

We have some exciting news to share!

If you haven't heard already, a great group of folks are organizing a really fun road race here in Clermont to help with the cost of Sy's treatment. They are even bringing 4 tons of snow into the sunshine state. Check it out!

Sy's Snowflake 5K

In just the few weeks of organizing this event, there have been some more than incredible happenings. We have some huge sponsors already and we will start posting some of these specifics soon. The starting momentum of this event is telling us that this is going to be much bigger and better than we hoped!

Come join the fun and don't pull a hammy!

About the Author...

So who am I? I suddenly realized that after blogging for over two and a half years, I've never taken the time to tell who I am and what is currently on my heart.

I'm Heather!

I try to be groovy, green, and keep my heart gunk-free. I am God's beloved and strive to live as an ordinary radical on this journey of life (more on that later). I am a mother of 4 small children--Esther (7). Silas (6). Phoebe (almost 2), and Asher (4 months). Believe it or not--fertility, pregnancy, and childbirth did not come easy to me and all of my children are definitely miracles.

Sy & Essi

I used to be a public high school teacher and cross country coach back in the day... I now homeschool Essi and Sy and that tends to be a daily adventure! For those who don't know us, Sy is a special needs kid. He is allergic to all food. Seriously. He was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis and is now ironically undergoing the Gerson Therapy in hopes to heal him.

He is in 1st grade and Essi is in 2nd grade. Phoebe is about to enter toddlerhood and Ashy has just entered "smileyhood." I cloth diaper (crazy I know; future blog post) and our home/lifestyle has to be very green for Sy's healing (and to also be good stewards of this earth). My husband, Jordan, is a firefighter and a paramedic and selflessly puts his life on the line in order to serve others.

Phoebe

Asher

This is a big year for us. In 2002, God called us into full-time missions. Obviously, this was before we had kids. I had been on staff at a church in Atlanta for a few years and just loved it. During that time, God grabbed a hold of both Jordan and my hearts and asked us to leave it all behind. We gladly obeyed, stepped out in faith, and lived out of a VW Vanagon (with two large dogs) and traveled the country to raise support. Toasty, our "home" for that year, was super groovy and we just loved her.

Toasty

We were living on mission in every sense of the word. We had raised our support in record time and then... In 2003, that chapter abruptly crashed ending in our brokenness. We knew that God had called us to the mission field--no question about it--but we later realized that He called us in order to break us. For us to come to the very end of ourselves with nowhere to turn but upward. We had given up all that we knew--lost everything if you will--but it was for heaven's gain. It was through sweet surrender that we experienced the loving, healing had of God (The Potter's Inn).

We love the verse John 10:10--"...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." So the last 9 years have been great and we are richly blessed. We are so thankful! It's a bit shocking though that so many years have already passed us by... 4 kids later, several moves, a new career, an amazing church, supportive friends and family, and we are still in pursuit of what God wants to do with our crazy little family. We've needed the rest. We've needed the time to heal, plant roots, focus on our marriage and children, gain education, gather life experiences, etc. but that call on our lives... Those last words of Christ that continually ring in our ears... 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

We try to ignore it but, almost a decade later, it's still there. As I teach it to my children, they ask, "Why aren't we doing that?" "What does that look like?" Bam! No escaping it. No beating around the bush with them. 

So as I try to stick to the topic and explain who I am, I feel like I can't appropriately do it without explaining what's been on my heart lately. This is what my husband and I talk about when we get a free moment... What we dream about... This yearning is it. So what is next for us? We're not sure. We would covet your prayers. Even as we homeschool this year, our theme is on different countries and cultures and we are ALL on our faces seeking God for his favor and direction on what lies ahead for the Hargers. It may be to stay exactly where we are but just to focus the lens of our lives a bit differently. We want to be content but not get too comfortable... Are we out making disciples? Are we going to the ends of the earth? What are we truly sacrificing for the poor? ...the widowed? ...the orphaned? Do we even interact with these people that Jesus loved so much? So this is where we are on our journey. I truly love my life but the reality is that we were called by Jesus to give it all up--everything. His call is to come and take up the cross (Luke 9:23). It is a call to radical faith, complete surrender, total abandonment, and forsaking everything. His power is made perfect in our weakness.

I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn't be doing this by my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for [God] to come through... I don't believe that God wants me (or any of his children) to live in a way that makes sense from the world's perspective, a way I know I can "manage." I believe He is calling me--and all of us--to depend on Him for living in a way that cannot be mimicked or forged. He wants us to walk in step with His Spirit rather than depend solely on the raw talent and knowledge He's given us.  

                                                                                        -Francis Chan

Wow! It is really a call to die. It totally scares me yet awakens me to my core because I know it is truth. So please pray with us. Pray for us to be ordinary radicals for the Kingdom. Pray that those opportunities would arise so we can move forward. 

Meanwhile, how can we pray for you? Let us know!