Taking Care of Yourself

The past 6 weeks have been a lesson learned - again. 

Take care of yourself!

Through no fault of my own, I contracted a wicked little respiratory bug.  It settled into my lungs just as the tree pollen season in the Four Corners was kicking into full gear.  Needless to say, it's not been pretty.

Two emergency room trips, two specialists, 4 doctors, three inhalers, one antibiotic, two anithistamines, one anti-something, and huge quantities of prednisone...and the cure?  Hmmm, benadryl seems to help the most.

It's not been fun.  I've slept alot.  Prayed alot.  Quoted scriptured.  Lifted myself by sheer will to drive the kids around.  I've slept many nights on the couch so I could breathe.

We all get run-down.  We forget to take care of ourselves.  Sometimes, like this time, things just happen.  A person rambles into our life carrying an unexpected and unwanted gift.  Other times, we get so caught up in what must be done, needs to be done, should be done that we let ourself get over-tired. 

When we are tired, our life gets out of balance.  Out of perspective.  We can't think as clearly.  We can't cope.  And our body can't fight off disease.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

That includes rest! 

Schedule it into your day if you must.  But take care of yourself!

Some Days. . .

"Momma said there'd be days like this..."

Days that are just a waste of make-up.

Days that are meant to for pajamas.

Days that you need to take the phone off the hook.

... to be mad.
... to be sad.
... to be frustrated.
... to be disappointed.
... to grieve.
... to give in to self-pity.

It's okay. 

Give Yourself some Grace!

Go there.

Just don't stay there.

Unplug the phone.  Turn off the computer.  Grab your kid and place them in front of the tv - it won't kill them.  Grab a book and head to a bubble bath or just lock yourself in the bathroom with a box of kleenex and cry.

It's okay.

Then wash your face.  Put on your favorite lipstick.

And breathe.

And know, there are just some days. . .

Meet Jaden

http://jadensstory.blogspot.com/

Grace for Today

We want it all!  Just like little children at Christmas!  We want every shiny bauble, whirling gadget and spinning top.  And we want it wrapped in pretty bows that we can rip off and discard in the rubble pile.

Only, we want answers.

What will the future hold?  When will this end?  Will there always be a new problem just around the bend?

But God gives us only the answer we need for today.  Wrapped in how we can handle the information.  Sometimes it's a bitter pill.  Sometimes it's a sweet and refreshing elixir.

Yet, the packaging is where God outdoes himself!  It's glorious!   It's made through hard work and born through great trial.  It's never discarded but cherished by the creator.

The gift may not be what we wanted or planned but the package is incredible!

Trust that God is giving you today just what you need.  No more.  No less.

He will give you the Grace for today.  Tomorrow will take care of itself. 

More Information and Less Knowledge

I just returned from taking Ashley and another baby to Denver for appointments at the Children's Hospitals there.  Two little girls, precious and precocious.

Loved by God.

Cherished.

And facing problems.

We received lots of information and few answers.  In fact, I feel overwhelmed.

I didn't hear what I wanted.

But I trust.

God is not overwhelmed.

Trust in Him.

Today

Joni Erickson Tada writes in her book, "A Lifetime of Wisdom" - "If our enemy can keep us occupied with our past or with our future, we lose the grace, blessings and opportunities in the Now."

NOW - so important to be present now.  Even if it's painful.  Even if it's uncomfortable.

The way to live through the storm is knowing that it will past but enjoying the light show of the heavens and the music of the thunder while the rain pours down.

Bright Hope for Tomorrow

After Ashley's stroke, I lived to hear of children who had suffered similiar problems yet they were doing "normal" things.  It gave me hope.  Sometimes it let me ignore what lay ahead of us.   It let me dream!

Today, Ashley competed in Special Olympics, downhill ski.

She won 3rd Place!

Her dad and His gorgeous girl!

Her biggest cheerleader and ally - Big Brother Chris

Our Champion!