Grateful for Health and Strength

                              My Thanksgiving/Christmas Tablescape
                                      

Today I am grateful for waking up thanking God for my health and Strength! As a child growing up in church I use to hear my church family testify to being ‘thankful for their health and strength’. I had no idea of the meaning, because during that time I took my health and strength for granted. Oh yes, they use to and for ‘being in my right mind’. Almost every testimony would begin this way. I now know that they were speaking from their life experience of what they had witnessed. They had seen chronic illnesses, seen family in nursing home and witnessed death. They were thankful for having the ability to get up with their right minds; focusing on God and venturing into their daily task. Being independent enough to bath and feed themselves. YES I get it !



What I know now is that you have to honor your temple and treat it as a gift. We as individuals have to challenge ourselves to healthy eating and proper exercise. Most of what we do and eat triggers our health. Both my parents had awful eating habits, I mean awful. My mother use to say I have to die from something so give me some more pie LOL Yes it was sort of funny but boy I wish she had taken her health a bit more serious. She passed away from complications to being diabetic. Yes her poor eating habits resulted in her chronic illness resulting in her death.



I stand this day with a plan for the future of me and my family. I will continue on my path of health eating, clean eating, diet, whatever you need to call it. I am looking to God for direction and listening to his voice in my life. I have been so bad in every area of my life. My depression put me in a hole of self destruction. Every bite of unhealthy food I ate, I ate to feel better, but it didn’t work, I was feeling so bad, it felt like a unbreakable cycle. I am so grateful for the prayers of my church family and my family. I have disappointed some, and for this I am sorry. God in working in me on a daily basis. I was existing barely.



Today I celebrate my daughter’s 28th birthday. She made reservation and asked if I planned to come. I said of course she texted me a big YAY. She understands my depressed mood. I want her to have positive memories of me and know I need to be there for her. If a pass away tomorrow I want her to be able to remember this birthday today and that I was there for her. I have entered a new phase in my life and I feel so much better. I work to keep the negative thoughts out which allows God to connect and work in me.



If anyone reads this and you identify I hope you find it helpful in your life. Leave a comment if you would like.







TALKING OUT LOUD ON PAPER.

Fasting and Pray - Day 38

Really Nice Day !!! The sun is shining warm and bright. It is a really beautiful day. I remember the day I blogged about my foggy day. Those foggy days make me grateful to God for sunshine. When I think about all that God has created, I know that He is real. I want to thank God for thinking enough of me to create me. Each and every one of us are special and unique. Sometimes when I see others with more than me or prettier than me I fight off my feelings of jealously. I do this by telling myself God made me this way for a reason. I want to honor Him by being satisfied with myself. Because when I am not I am ungrateful to God. God gave his son for me, what a sacrifice !!! I go into Good Friday with a heart of gratefulness.

This morning I did not have to go in until 11:00, what a blessing. I was able to get my car sticker. This was such a easy process, all I had to do was show my driver's license. Really easy! Then I went to Target and did some shopping for my vacation. This was a beautiful and productive morning.

Of all the assessment I have done in my 15 years, today was one of the ones that touched me in a special way. Daily I work with children who have been neglected, abused and abandoned by their parents. By the time they reach me they have most likely been removed from their parents either county has temporary or permanent custody. Most of these children have been bounced from relative homes to foster homes repeatedly. Well today an austic child was moving from a stable 4 year placement to a new foster home. The foster parents were not willing to adopt him. The foster parents are relocating and he had to move. This child does not understand what is being communicated to him about this move. He does not know this will be his last look at his family. These parents seem to be really good foster parents they know him inside and out. They chose to drive him to the new home in hopes this would help him. The foster mother commumicated this youth's needs to the new foster mother. As I sat and watched him I prayed for him that his transition will be a good one. I prayed that the new foster parent will embrace him with patience, understanding and love. If she is overwhelmed with his behaviors he will have to move yet again. Most children like him are in State group homes. I know I serve a good God that will protect this child and heal his broken heart as he looks to seek the love and routine of his previous family. God please bless all the motherless children.

My mom had a really good day ! I praise God for everyday she is with me and that she is comfortable. I switch pharmarcies and her medications and the last 6 prescriptions have been free. My mom's prescriptions are very costly. One prescription is $150 for 5 days of injections. When the cashier that 0 charge, I confirmed the price with her and she said the insurance covered it. I don't understand but I feel blessed by it. I am constantly refilling prescriptions, because the doctors sometime change dosages, or add on new meds. This drug store is right around the corner and it even has a drive through. God is working !

I am feeding my mother whole foods, she does not eat alot anymore, maybe one real meal a day so whatever goes in her body has to be good whole foods. I make her fresh juice instead of store brought. I went to Aladains (sp) and got her some homemade lentil soup for dinner. She ate alot of the soup. She even told Ariel that the juice was real good and I made her another helping. She took her medications without incident. Jayden came over and brought new photos and she was thrilled to see him and the new photos. My mom is real ill and I treasure each day she is at home with us. She loves us so much. Ariel, Dominique and I were playing a Wii game Just Dance and she laughed at us, and moved her arm as if she was dancing in her hospital bed. That was a treasured moment for us, one we would not have if she was in a nursing home. Dominique has been caring for my mother while I am at work. Dominique is going back to work tomorrow, so we hired someone to stay with my mom while we are working. I pray this individual is patient and does the best job possible. I am trusting God to work this out.

My foods were simple, Amy's tofu lasagna, homemade peppermint tea, whole wheat bagel. Juice for breakfast. Dinner I had a wrap from Aladanin (sp). It was good to the last bite.