Snow Day

This morning I woke up to almost 9 inches of beautiful white snow. I saw so many posts on Facebook about everyone out playing in the winter wonderland. I didn’t. Today I could best be described as a sloth. I had the desire to go out and play, but not the energy. For about 3 weeks now I have been having pain in my legs. The pain feels like my muscles are tight and they refuse to loosen up. WebMD says that this can be caused by the cold weather or infections in people with MS. I know I should go to the doctor, but I can’t make myself go. I don’t know what it is, but it seems like I can hardly make myself go anymore. I am afraid of what they are going to tell me.

Please pray for:

Me
My mom
Michael
Franklin
Laquita
Lori
Mike
Susan

(Picture of my backyard)

Michael

I would like to dedicate today to my son Michael. He is having a rough time right now and needs all the prayers and love he can get. His father passed away a little over 2 years ago and he can’t seem to get over it. His father was not in his life since he was 5 years old. He reached out to Michael about 10 months before he died. Michael did not want to have anything to do with him. Now he feels he missed the opportunity. I don’t understand what he is going through because I didn’t grow up without a father. Michael’s biggest fear is growing up to be like his dad, yet that fear is causing him to do just that. He is drinking to ease the pain but can’t see that he is causing more problems for himself. Please pray for Michael every time you think about him. God can fix this!

I Survived!

I have survived my first sickness of 2014! Hopefully it will be the last. It really has kicked my butt! I have wondered if cold/flu hits someone with MS harder or if I am just a whimp?

False Start

I want a do over! This year was supposed to be a chance to start things fresh and to get it right for once. We’ll so far 2014 has not been off to a great start. I am writing this post as I sit in a very uncomfortable recliner at the hospital. My Aunt Mary is back in the hospital with pneumonia. Yesterday was awful, but she seems to be some better this evening.

The eating healthy and exercise goals have been postponed, but not forgotten. I would like to start that later this week once I have some rest and can function without comfort food. Excuses, I know.

Prayer: I would like to start out with my prayer of thankfulness:
-aunt Mary is better -continue to pray for a full recovery
-I have electricity and my pipes have not frozen in these very cold conditions -many around me do not have these luxuries; please pray for them

-I would also like to offer up a prayer on behalf of Lori and her family. Lori has been in a battle with a brain tumor for almost 10 years now. She is losing her battle. Her children and husband need prayer. Her parents and siblings need prayer.

-Please pray for me. My life seems to be surrounded by stress. I worry about the effects the stress has on my MS. I feel like so many people are depending on me right now that I do not have time for a relapse.

Bible in a year: I am on target and am a little bit more than halfway through Genesis. I must admit, reading The Message version has been a little difficult. I am getting used to it.

I know this is not the most interesting post, but it helps me keep focused on the right things.
Do you have any suggestions about what I should write about? Do you have any questions for me?

My motivational quote of the day:

2014 New Year’s Resolutions

I tend to start each new year with a whole lot of resolutions. Each time these resolutions have fallen by the wayside after about a week. I am hoping that 2014 will be different. I want to actually succeed at it this year. I know that no one really wants to read about someone’s resolutions, but I hope to make them interesting and would love to have encouragement and prayers from you. Here goes:

1. Read the Bible – I would consider myself pretty knowledgable where the Bible is concerned. I typically read in the New International Version or the English Standard Version. This year I would like to read the Bible using “The Message”. I think it will be an easy read, but I also want to make myself question what I am reading. I hope to go to other versions to see if I have the same understanding. Mostly I would like to read it from a new version to gain a new perspective or viewpoint on things.

2. I obviously have MS. I am a lucky one and am still able to work and basically live a semi-normal life. I do not take care of myself. I want to start. I am overweight and stay tired all of the time. I have used my MS as an excuse for my fatigue….and it is, but I can’t help but think if I took better care of myself that I woulf feel somewhat better.

Today, I plan on going to buy some kettlebells. I have found what appears to be an easy routine for women.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/kettlebell-workout

I would like to try to do this routine on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week. On Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday I would like to get in 3 miles of walking. This can be done on my treadmill or outside. I would like to walk 3 minutes/ 30 second intervals. Three minutes at a pretty good pace and then 30 seconds as fast and as hard as I can go. I understand that this helps with weight loss.

I also want to start eating healthier. I have done fad diets. I don’t want to do anything like that. I want to be able to eat what I want to eat, but also count calories. I don’t want to feel deprived and then just go off of the “diet’ because it is too hard. I just want to eat healthier and practice portion control. I would like to eat between 1800-2000 calories. This, along with exercise, should help me to lose weight at a very slow pace…thus helping me to keep it off and not to get discouraged.

Typically I want to weigh myself everyday or even more than that. I get discouraged when I don’t see those numbers changing as quickly as they should. I AM NOT GOING TO WEIGH MYSELF. i just want to feel better and hopefully I can feel that my clothes feel better. I will be able to see the weight results at the doctor’s office only. I go enough, that will have to be enough. It might actually make me look forward to weighing in!

3. Lastly, I want to strive to be a better person. I want to become a servant to othres. There are ladies at my church that are great examples and I have been a recipient of their love and care and help many times. I want to be that person. I feel this is biblical behavior and I think I will be the one that is blessed. I don’t want to do this because I want the glory. I want to do this to help others and to know that I am making a difference in other’s lives.

I also want to start a prayer journal. I would love for you to join me in prayers for those I know that need help physically, spiritually, or financially. If you have someone that you would like for me to pray for….please leave me a comment!

Happy New Year! I hope this year is filled with joy!

Aunt Mary

I am sitting in the hospital room of my Aunt Mary. She is 86 years old and has broken her ankle. Aunt Mary does not have any children so it is up to the nieces to help take care of her. She looks so feeble and fragile. She has not always been that way. Aunt Mary was the cool aunt. She had the swimming pool. Every summer I would spend a week with her so I could swim. We would sit up late and sleep late. My dad said I was a “night owl” just like her. I felt privileged to be compared to her.

Aunt Mary is know as ‘Aunt Mary’ by everyone in the small town where she lives. She never had children, but that does not mean that she doesn’t love them. She has become the favorite aunt of a community! I feel privileged to be able to help take care of her in her last years. She has always been a great example. She has always taken care of her family. I remember her taking care of her mother in law “granny” for years. She moved her into her home and treated her like she was her own mother.

I know how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family on both my mom and my dad’s side. I know it is very rare. I thank God for my family!

How to Become Wealthy

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9, 10 NIV)

Wow! the secret to wealth has been right in front of us all along. Use our money for The Lord. Give it away to those in need and we will not ever be in need.

This is called the season of giving, but is it really? I find myself spending my money on people who don’t need it just so I can say that I bought them a gift. I do feel this shows them that I love and care about them, but how much more satisfying would it be to buy and give to those in need? To give it on the behalf of those we love?

It is easy to say this now that the Christmas season is upon us and the gifts are bought, but this does not have to be something that is done only at Christmas. This can be done 365 days a year.

I would like to ask The Lord to give me a giving heart. In 2014 I want to give more of my resources and of my time.

Things Always Look Brighter in the Morning

The past few days have been filled with the darkness of depression. It felt like that nothing would ever be good again. At times like these I feel that I lean on God more than ever. Why can’t I always be that dependent on Him? This morning I woke up with thanksgiving in my heart. I finally found my joy with the help of my God. Does that mean that everything in my life is perfect? No, far from it, but I am seeing things in the light and love of my Lord. He can get me through these tough times.

“My heart finds joy in The Lord”. 1 Samuel 2:1

Throwing in the Towel

What is it that is in us to carry on? Why do we keep wanting to live in a world that keeps punching us and knocking us down? We keep getting up just to be knocked down again. What is our purpose? I feel like I have lived my entire life trying to recover from punches. When I think I have finally won, something sweeps in and knocks me down again. Why bother getting up? I am too tired to fight anymore. Life hurts to much. Life is too hard to go through it alone. I have always been taught that God does not give you more than you can bare, but I just don’t see a way out. I am so tired of being strong. I am so tired of pretending that I am okay. Life is hard. Life hurts. Life is a lonely place for me.

Happy Thanksgiving

I have so much to be thankful for this year. Both of my boys are under my roof this morning. I will get to spend time with my family and friends this long weekend. What are you thankful for?