Redeeming the time....

This morning I settled in for coffee at the new Wrangler Family Restaurant, by myself, while my husband went off to do some quick work for someone else. We figured 30 to 45 minutes would do it. Well, almost 2 hours and many cups of coffee later, he finally arrived to pick me up! I figured we would at least eat some lunch together there, but that was not to be. So we took off to get a few things at the store, meet Lisa at the church for an errand, and then finally back home so that I could get lunch in a timely manner. I was just an hour or so late, but I think things will be okay. But, while I spent all that time drinking coffee I was listing my blessings, since that seemed like a good way to make the time productive. Following is my list. See what you think:

1. We are not homeless, like so many on the news, lately. Nor do we have a mortgage we cannot pay and wind up in foreclosure
2. So far, Social Security still pays and so we have all our needs met, though very few wants
3. We are in fairly good health
4. We have the occasional coffee money to keep my spirits up - and have had a few sunny days this past week.
5. The "new normal" that they speak of for the rest of the country in these troubling times, is our "old normal" and we are used to it and not as affected by it as others may be
6. The Inspiration Channel has begun airing Gaither Gospel Hour daily and so far I have seen all the programs, but eventually there will be some I have not seen
7. The new Wrangler is totally smoke-free, praise the Lord!
8. Sandra and C.J. are getting married
9. Jennifer had a good day at least once this past week
10. One less Blood Pressure medicine seems to have helped me stay warmer lately
11. I have not lost any more weight this past month
12. God does not grant all my prayer requests (some have later proven to not be in my best interests)
13. We have lived long enough that the early hard times now look like the good old days to us
14. In 2 months we will have been married 44 years, God willing, and are praying that we live at least long enough for our 50th
15. Though we do have lots of prayer requests we can sense that God is listening and that is all we ask

So that is my short list for today. By tonight I will have thought of just as many more. I am also willing to revise my list or add to it if my followers want to suggest some I may have forgotten.

Have a good day!

Making things right

Today I am staying at home so that I can re-align my system and my glucose activity. The weekends are always rough when it comes to eating right and keeping to a schedule, especially Sunday mornings when I eat breakfast so early and don't get to lunch until at least 6 hours later! That is not a good thing. I have to remember to bring a snack for about 9 a.m. (just as Sunday School starts), and this weekend I forgot that. Then Monday turned into a long day and I was not able to eat at the proper times. I tried to remedy that on Monday evening but I wasn't entirely successful, I guess. Overnight, my sugar got weird and I spent many sleepless hours. The familiar symptoms were all there and I should have turned on the light and tested but since I had no plan in place for immediate action, I just waited it out. Today my idea is to research possible solutions to low and high sugar scenarios and set up a plan to be ready for such things again. I have spent many hours studying this disease I have and memorizing things I need to know. Thus, life has been easier this past couple of months. Unfortunately, I failed to learn about how to control middle -of -the -night episodes. That is my goal for today.

The move for Wildcat is mostly accomplished. Just some housekeeping issues left and a few things to find a place for. We like our new location and our new design. The guys did a really good job, as did Lisa and Stacy. We are trying to make sure that the city knows where we are. Everyone is busy doing their job - my job is to continue praying and presenting these needs to God and trusting His provision. My list is quite long this week, but we have a faithful and worthy God and He has told us to bring our needs to Him. And so, that is what I will do.

Rainy Days and Sundays

Today is a rainy and chilly (to me) Sunday. Memorial Day weekend isn't supposed to be like this! We need sun and warmth and cookouts! Well, someday it will be nice in Custer for more than one day at a time. When everything comes together, this is a beautiful place to live. Upstate New York, where we come from, is a lot like this area, scenery and weather-wise. When you are young you can adapt to most anything, but the older I get the more I long for nice weather. Some would say that we have nice weather here in the Black Hills, but I am not sure I agree with that. This past year has been colder and cloudier than I like and I am not sure how much hope I have for the future, since everyone around me is already warm most of the time! I thought hotter days outside would help me, but then the air-conditioners came on and negated everything.

Well, on the positive side, I am enjoying my new eyeglasses. I can see so much better and I think I probably look so much better, though few are willing to comment aloud on that! I'm hoping the insurance will help a little on the expense. Now if I can only figure how to get some new tires for the Explorer, since I had to use some of Rol's money for the day in Rapid at doctor appointments, lunches, and my glasses. Extra bills took the rest and now his tire money has vanished.

All in all, today, I am feeling thankful for God's provision in our lives. I am also feeling thankful for my kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. They bring laughter and smiles along with the usual concerns. They mostly bring assurance that life goes on and that life will always be worth the living. I used to hear my mom say that and I wondered how she could look forward to the future without my dad, and with the Parkinson's that so affected her quality of life. She said she was just living for the great-great-grandkids. Well, I guess now I can see how that happens, but in case anyone is wondering, I want my husband around for far longer. And I want to serve my Lord for far longer and I guess I just need to get busy and quit my whining...........!

A Special Day

Today I am thinking back on the day that I finally got to meet my firstborn! It had taken 3 rough days to give birth to him and we were all very tired! The first thing I asked for when they took me back to my room was a cup of coffee and a piece of toast, and that is something I still ask for to this day. My diabetes experience has robbed me of that favorite food experience but I have found that I can have sourdough bread (toasted) with my coffee and so things are getting better! I need to mention that after we got Scott home from the hospital he developed colic and cried for 6 weeks straight, 24/7. But, even still, we loved him from the start and 41 years later we love him even more. He was an easy child for us to raise after those first weeks and the bond that God gave us has never wavered. He is smart, witty, handsome, loving, caring...and no, he did not pay me to say that. Scott, I hope you are having a good birthday and that you have many, many more. Thanks for all that you are to me and don't ever change!

Then, the second subject for this day is the 19th wedding anniversary of my only daughter and her husband, Rudy. Lisa, I hope you are enjoying this day off with your family, and that you are feeling well enough to have a good time and possibly a good meal. It takes alot of grit and alot of patience and alot of love to get this far in your marriage journey. I am very proud of you two and pray God's blessings on your next 19 and more. I know that 44 years is not long enough to spend with your dad (from my viewpoint!) and I know that you feel the same about Rudy.

I am so glad that May 18th ever became a special day for our family. Regardless of whatever happens in our lives, we have each other and we have alot of love! God bless both of my kids who are celebrating today. God is good!

A Good Report

Well, this morning I had my regular doctor's appointment to discuss my latest lab and my glucose counts. I always go into these meetings with trepidation because I have been focusing on the high counts for the past 3 months, instead of the good counts. So, today I was especting the worst. Guess what?! My average A1C for this past three months has gone down from 6.2 to 5.9! The doctor was impressed, and I was surprised! She said all my numbers look great (awesome, was her word) and she is cutting out one medicine entirely and halving the dose in another. That will save me money and perhaps it will help me feel better in some other ways, also. The lab tests included thyroid this time, and liver, as well as the usual kidney checks and glucose checks. It was a good morning for us and I have remembered to thank God for His care and help. I actually weighed 2 lbs more today than the last test, and for me that is more good news. Hopefully, I can keep it up and beat this whole thing, eventually.

On another note, we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my youngest grandchild this past week when Scott and Katy brought Zac to visit. The weather did not cooperate as much as we would have liked, but the most important part of the week was getting to know each other better and enjoying the love that we have for each other as family. Long talks and remembering past fun are the things I like best and there was not enough of that, but we have hope that the future will bring more visits and more time to enjoy each other. God is very good to us and I really am thankful for all He has done.

Off to walk the treadmill! As I do, I pray for all of you and remember all your needs and also all your blessings.

On a positive note....

I guess when you are writing to release frustrations or to vent about life in general, it serves you right when things go well for awhile, leaving you with no inspiration (or need) to write! Lately, God has been answering prayer and reminding me how much He cares for me. This last week I spent many hours in prayer for several of my loved ones who were on a long and difficult road trip. You would think I would be able to rest in God's demonstrated protection of them and maybe relax, or at least sleep at night! Not so, this time. And do you all know what stress does to glucose levels? It was not a pretty thing....leading to some depression and down time. That has passed and things are back to normal, I think. I had a good session with my diabetes educator this morning, and came away quite encouraged. My weight refuses to grow, but everything else looks okay. I have my next A1C count next Friday, so we will see if I am doing as well as we all think. Now, if only this Winter (Spring?) weather would settle down for more than a day or two at a time and give me the sunny days I so desperately need - well, then I think I would have to change my blog to reflect God's marvelous care of me and mine. What do you think?

In the Grand Scheme of Things....

I am taking notes today about how my "woes" fit into the grand scheme of things - you know, things that really matter when all is said and done. The moving Tenebrae service last night reminded me that whatever happens in my life, Jesus is still alive and thus my life is worth living! Leaving the sanctuary last night with that darkness settling over my soul...well, let's just say that I am so glad that I know that Sunday's coming! The fact that I have Jesus in my life is more important than my health, my finances, my image, and whatever else I currently complain about. My husband reminded me just now that the fact that he and I are together and able to go for walks is really more important than anything else. So, if you hear me whining, remind me that my hay fever is a small price to pay for the beautiful flowers that color my world. Remind me that my aching shoulder and neck are better than no arm at all. Remind me that being so cold these days can be helped, at least, by my newer jacket, my bedroom heater, and a nice warm hood to block the wind as I walk. Remind me that so many children have so little to eat, while I complain about no variety in my diet and that I can't eat my favorite foods. Remind me that Diabetes is bad, but manageable - unlike some terminal illnesses. Remind me that I have a home to live in and food to eat and clothes to wear. But, most of all, remind me that God works all things together for my good. He is in every situation that I face and because I ask Him to have His will (not mine), I can rest in how it all plays out! He is risen! He is risen, indeed!