Praise and Glory to our Lord on this warm and balmy Sunday! I had wonderful worship today. There was a band called "Saved By Grace" and they really made me sing out in worship. And dance! It was just great. There were all kinds of people doing sorts of Snoopy dances!
I wanted to be honest and say that even though I post all kinds of things on how to succeed, be healthy, grow in your faith, I fall. I find excuses. I lose motivation. We can't always be our best. Sometimes we just are trying to get through the week. I know for me, structure is important or I get out of sync. That happened. I am hoping to turn that around.
This fall has really brought a gloomy curtain down. It is lifted, but I sure noticed it from about mid October until recently. The fall was gorgeous. We had leaves glowing, I swear. Some leaves are still on trees and look pretty (not many left of those). We had many days of sunshine. It was warmer than normal many days. But, when you look at your bed at 6:30pm and either long to just lay in it, or turn the covers back WAY before you should, you know you need to get a boost of something.
It's that feeling of grogginess. Yawning. Sighing. Hmmmmm. What do I do with myself even though the house is a wreck, I need to buy birthday presents that are weeks overdue, and I am not exercising, which would ultimately make me feel better.
I am trying to get back on track, and people exercise for different reasons. I exercise to keep limber, loose and to help my immune system. My family is plagued with cancers and auto-immune diseases. I only have one relative live to age 81. My parents passed away in their 60's, and my grandparents in their early 70's. I woke up in pain many times the weeks I did not exercise. My hips lock up, my back spasms. I have to say, keeping moving is the best thing I can do.
To be honest, about six years ago I was on so many medications, I can't tell you how many. It could be 8-10. I know that is not that abnormal. I have asthma and allergies and then a lupus type disorder, along with a female version of hemophilia. I don't try to own these illnesses. I try to not take medicine for them. I couldn't believe it when I had a very respectable pastor tell me back then (not many people will tell you this) that "You can get off of these medicines. You need to quit owning your disease. Positive thinking, eating right and exercise are so powerful."
I walked away a little beguiled. And hurt. Am I a faker? Am I being needy?
I did eventually over the years get off of most medicines. Right now, I take a vitamin D and C and over the counter allergy pill. If I need my asthma meds, I take them. But, I told my doctor I don't want to take them every day. I know when things are acting up, and then I take them. To have that go in and out of my body every day isn't necessary. I am not a doctor, but he is listening and trusting me.
Am I shortening my life? I don't know? Will I die of an asthma attack? Doubt it. What if lupus flares? Who really knows much about lupus anyhow? The wolf, as it is called, comes with vengeance. You cannot predict when it will come and how long it will stay. Apparently, I have the antibodies that could develop any of the chain of diseases associated with lupus. And guess what? I grew tired of obsessing about it and worrying about it. The farther I put that behind me, the better I feel. It has been seven years since that diagnosis. And I understand if you do not have an acute flare for over five years, it looks very promising.
I am filled with the Holy Spirit now. I wasn't then, when I decided to gain some personal strength and tell a very intelligent rheumatologist that I did not want any more expensive blood tests (my insurance plan makes me pay more and more of the co-pay as well), and I wanted to go off of the medicines.
I wasn't filled with the Holy Spirit back when I told Mayo I was not coming up for regular checks for my bleeding disorder.
I AM filled with the Holy Spirit power now, and I plan on trusting the Lord, taking care of myself with as few chemicals as possible, exercise and decent diet, and enjoying each day, not waiting in a line of cars in Walgreen's drive through pharmacy. I know this could be fleeting. If you need these medicines, I am not trying to make you feel anything at all. I just know I very well survived without mine. I am saving alot of money, I am not worried about side effects and I feel I am not dependent on them. It feels great to now also not have a craving for alcohol. The Holy Spirit has assisted in that. It just doesn't make any sense any longer, to drink alcohol. One here and there. What a relief and answered prayer.
(Notice the beautiful, state of the art pharmacies popping up everywhere?) Just take note of that. I'll let you take it from there.
When I have people make comments about my weight and "how lucky I am" and "you don't need to exercise", I don't understand. I have been overweight before. My metabolism sometimes works in my favor, but at my age, the clock is running out on any favor that may have shown me. My metabolism has not worked in my favor before. If I am in a crotchety mood, I do blurt out the absolute truth: "I exercise and try to eat right because I want to live longer than my parents did. " I have countless relatives that are overweight. It is certainly a risk factor for me, obesity.
You simply need a lifestyle change, not a diet or a crash exercise program. I scrape frosting off of my cake to cut calories and I want to taste the cake! Just like salad. Get the dressing on the side, and dip the lettuce. Taste the veggies! And easy one: Get a kids meal at the fast food place and never, ever get cheese on your burger. Diet drink or water. You have a treat and are not killing yourself.
Eat breakfast! I didn't for most of my life until about 8 years ago. I put the healthy things I need to eat in front of my keyboard at work. I am looking at apples, carrot sticks, raisin bread and bananas many days. I don't keep naughty snacks in my office. If I take potato chips to work or a fun snack, I put it in a small bag, giving me a small serving.
I love coffee! I get some calcium and vitamin D because I make strong coffee (many times 50-50 caffeine) and add alot of milk to it to make a latte at home.
I practice these kinds of things and have for years: Avoid mayo-use ketchup or mustard. Pepper your food, don't salt it so much. Light yogurts, peanut butter, lean meats to fill you up. Carbs will not make you feel full. Keep the skins on everything. Mashed potatoes with skins on, apple crisp with skins on.
Don't keep ice cream in the house if you have a weakness. Or chocolate. Just drive to the gas station and pay a little more when you need a treat. You won't be scraping that awesome melted ice cream out of the gallon bucket all night because you don't have it around. Just buy a smaller ice cream, and drive to buy it.
Take the stairs. Always try to take the stairs, not the elevator. Walk for enjoyment. No Ipod. Walk to walk with a friend and catch up. I used to walk the kids in the stroller or bike ride to keep sanity for me, to work off anxiety or depression or a bad day at work. I was with the kids, getting them fresh air, and helping myself in so many way. Or just walk to look at the beauty from our Creator. And hear the sounds of the country or neighborhood. You can hear God more if you have quiet.
I don't know all the answers. I am not playing Russian Roulette. If I need to see a doctor, I go. If I need medicine, I will take it. I would not mess around with hypertension or diabetes or kidney diseases. I would continue to seek many opinions on medical issues.
I have fallen off the exercise wagon all of my life. I have went months and years without exercising. It is not fun for most of us to exercise. It is hard to imagine being a runner and when I see them I just am happy that they really like to do that!
My "Read The Bible In One Year Plan" is not going to happen. I am keeping track of where I am in the process. One problem is that I so enjoy the Life Application part of my Bible that I always read that also. It appears it may take me two or three years to get through it.
One revelation I had with that is that I will never be done reading the Bible anyhow! I can't imagine not reading it now that it speaks to me directly. It is such a necessity. I will read it over and over and get something new every time. The pressure is off. I will do my daily reading with my devotion, and on the weekends get much more in with the reading plan.
I am now trying to keep self correcting my behaviors which so easily fall into the "checklist" type of religious person. It sneaks in so often and quickly.
I am working also on "not falling down" when it comes to just trying to practice love. Love like Jesus. Not worry so much about who is paying taxes, who is not working, who is driving without a license, who is abusing some state program, who has better health insurance than I do.
To keep upright with the Lord is to continually do an inventory. Keep your Christian brothers and sisters near and have them help you hold you accountable. Get involved in your church. Keep looking outward to who needs help. Praise God for what you have, because as a single mom of three and a grandma of two, I have so much! I have a car that starts 99% of the time, my house is warm, I can buy groceries and even steak for once in awhile, I won't panic at Christmas, financially. Part of being so thankful is doing a devotion daily and always it lands on my heart that "I have more than I need". Wow. Thank you, Lord Jesus.
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