December stuff
7 years ago
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
I hate EXERCISE!
Every once in a while I get this crazy idea that I need to learn to love exercise. Although I would secretly love to be that kind of person who racks up running miles, gym hours, and mega calories burned each and every week, I have one itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny problem......I hate, HATE, exercise! However, I am learning that exercise is a necessary evil and I'm trying to embrace it.....but yeah, it's a work in progress and I can't foresee a time that I will ever like it.I didn't exercise at all last week and so today I guilted myself into walking for 30 minutes. Wow! I'm gonna toot my own horn here and pat myself on the back because I truly was in no shape to exercise today, but I did it anyway. It was an internal struggle and my thoughts turned to 'good and foolish' sacrifices, the choice of good, better, and best, and the whole idea of order and wisdom. Yep, probably not my smartest decision, but I have never regretted exercising when it's all said and done.
My exercise consists almost completely of walking. I mostly walk on an elliptical because it eliminates impact. Most of the time my Sean Patrick keeps me company and he rides his little stationary bike while I walk. I enjoy sharing that time with him, but every once in a while he throws in a little zinger. For example: "Mom, are you exercising to get skinny? "Yes, skinny and healthy." "Well you do know it isn't working!?" "Yes son, I am well aware of what is and isn't working." (Wish his mouth wasn't working when he says stuff like that. Hahaha.) For rude. Kids just let it all hang out there and I love that about kids.....even if it stings a bit from time to time.
If you like walking, check out this website. I love it. Everything you ever wanted to know about walking and then some. The Walking Site
Prayer Journal
Years ago when we lived in Illinois and attended a tiny branch (small congregation) of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, a new family arrived who had just moved to the area. It didn't take long to notice that the mother of the family always had with her a few pieces of paper all folded together. She didn't flaunt it around for all to notice, but sometimes during a lesson she would take it out, write a thing or two on it and then put it away.
After observing this and other similar instances a few times, I asked her what the 'papers' were all about. She pulled out her tattered papers which had been folded and unfolded many times and showed them to me. On one side was a list of names and on the other side was a word or two to remind her why she added that individual to her prayer list.
The list was long and it included names of her family, members of our branch, strangers like the lady at the grocery store, and friends. I thought I am standing in the presence of a spiritual giant. She indeed is a spiritual giant and I believe she must spend a considerable amount of time in prayer each day. I also thought I want to be like that too. My intentions were good, but my follow through was not equal. My prayer list never really made it out of the 'idea' phase and into a well implemented plan.
Then several years later I read the book, "The Help." A couple of sentences stood out to me. Aibileen says, “Can’t be much different than writing my prayers every night. Find I can get my point across a lot better writing em down. I write a hour, sometimes two ever day. Lot a ailing, sick peoples in this town.” There it was again, a little different, but mostly the same idea. There were several other experiences that I noticed and they all began to form a cluster of sources pointing to the same idea, a prayer list/journal, but for the sake of brevity I won't include them all.
The final straw came when I recalled reading a quote by Pesident Dieter F. Uchtdorf in the May 2011 "Ensign." "Too often we attend meetings and nod our heads; we might even smile knowingly and agree. We jot down some action points, and we may say to ourselves, 'That is something I will do.' But somewhere between the hearing, the writing of a reminder on our smartphone, and the actual doing, our 'do it' switch get rotated to the the 'later' position. Brethren, let's make sure to set our 'do it' switch always to the 'now' position." It was as if Heavenly Father were asking me, Do you hear me now? Have you connected the dots yet? I am trying to show you something.
I now have a prayer journal. I write down thoughts and names in it, and it allows me to pray more sincerely and specifically. It gives me a greater purpose and a deeper connection. I don't read from it when I pray, but rather use it as cues if I get distracted or forgetful. For what it's worth to the few people who read this blog, it's worth the try. Maybe it will work for you or maybe your way of learning and connecting is different, but for me it works.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
A Choice...
A couple of months ago we were having dinner with some family friends. It was a really long drive, but only because we got stuck in traffic on the pike. By the time we rolled in the driveway one of our kids was in complete meltdown mode....tired, grumpy, hungry, and completely disagreeable and feeling unsociable.
I will always remember what one of our friends said to us about our unhappy little camper. It was a simple thought that could have easily passed me by...in one ear and out the other as my mom would say, but I did catch it and we use this saying all the time now with ourselves and our kids. I should send him a thank you note for this little pearl of wisdom. It's made a big difference.
The advice was "Choose a different mood." It was said that when one of their five kids found themselves in 'that' kind of mood, the saying in their home was "Choose a different mood." Happiness is a choice. We decide our mood, not the events or circumstances of our lives. There are examples of people all around us who are choosing to make the best of less than ideal circumstances. Take a look now and then, it's inspiring and contagious.
So today I choose to be happy. I choose to see the glass as half full and recognize all the blessings I have in my life. I choose to be grateful and acknowledge that it could always be worse. Speaking of positive things, I am feeling better thanks to several days of more powerful medicines. I am actually going to leave the house today and get some things done that I delayed earlier this week. Sending happy thoughts to each of you. We all deserve to be happy and have a great day.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Lupus, It's back! =(
I decided several years ago to be more 'real' about having Lupus and to help others get a glimpse into the life of someone with Lupus. Hence, from time to time I blog about it. For many years I kept it all to myself and although people knew I had it, I seldom talked about it. I'm still like that in many ways, but I'm trying to be more open about it.
My fear about opening up to others is over-sharing. It's a fine line, to me at least, to educate people about the disease and it's limitations without coming across as a 'whiner' or a 'Debbie Downer.' I would rather you call me a 'flake' because I always cancel appointments when I don't feel well. I would rather you call me an 'exaggerator' because I don't look sick and you can't quite put yourself in my shoes, but most of all I never want to be labeled a whiner.
Last year was hellacious as far as Lupus goes, but I was finally feeling as close to normal as I can ever expect. I was feeling pretty good actually. The horrid yet wonderful treatments worked, my indicator tests for Lupus activity came in negative, and I was in remission.....not a true remission, but a drug-induced remission, free of symptoms for the most part at least. But with Lupus there is no true remission, no cure, and sometimes no hope. Today has been one of those days for me.
Yes, it's back. You can never forget about it. You can never turn your back to it or move on because it's always there lurking in the shadows. It comes as a thief in the night, to borrow an overused expression. It's frustrating, unpredictable, extremely painful, debilitating, and it steals my best intentions and shatters my current plans. I'm forced once again to be more gentle with myself, to be more flexible, to prioritize, and to remember what and who really needs my time, effort, and energy. Everything and everyone else must disappear....for a while at least. I can still do most of what I want to do, but it just takes longer than I planned.
But I am a Lupus fighter and I know that tomorrow is a new day. I desperately long for a cure!!! I know that I can make through yet another 'flare' though because I've done it before (nearly 15 years now), but please, please, please let it be a quick 'flare' this time!!!
Could you have lupus? Find out about the
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Hartfort Connecticut Temple
After stake conference we visited the proposed site for the new Hartford Connecticut Temple. The church is still in the process of securing the land and handling all the details with city officials, zoning boards, local residents, etc. We thought it would be fun to document the building of the temple in a personal family way. We plan to take the kids to the grounds often and take pictures of the progress as it develops.
These pictures are what the site looks like today. There are several homes and a business that will be torn down to accommodate the temple, that if built here, will be on a 11 acre parcel. It was fun to talk to the kids about the temple and help them get excited about having a temple closer to our home. It really is a blessing and a great opportunity to teach. What a better visual aide than the actual site.I am so grateful for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know it's Christ's church on the earth today. I know that a loving Heavenly Father is aware of us collectively and individually. I am grateful to be sealed to my family by the power of the priesthood that absolutely binds our family together forever beyond death. My cup runneth over!
Link here for the official news about the Hartford Connecticut Temple from lds.org.
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