The Ten Questions

                                                      Everyday is a brand new day, 
                                                         everyday is a journey.




Grave on thy heart each past "red-letter day"!
  Forget not all the sunshine of the way
  By which the Lord hath led thee; answered prayers,
  And joys unasked, strange blessings, lifted cares,
  Grand promise-echoes! Thus thy life shall be
  One record of His love and faithfulness to thee.
F. R. HAVERGAL.

I often see a question and answer sort of game on social media that many of us love to participate in. Although they are very popular, I don't join in.  I found the above list and just for the heck of it, decided to answer them. I found myself answering each one based on one event in my life in 2016. 

Almost to every question, except one, I've answered radiation. That time really was a pivotal moment in my life in both good ways and bad.

1. What went well this past year? My treatment went well, much better than what I anticipated.
2. What did not go well? My reaction to radiation or I should say the side effects.
3. What do I want to do the same this year? Stay in remission!
4. What do I want to do differently? Not have the cancer come back and to avoid radiation.
5. When did I feel most in my sweet spot? When radiation was all over and remission set in. 
6. When did I feel the most drained and exhausted? When I went back to work and still had radiation every morning. I would get up at 5 or 5:30 am, go to radiation and head out to work afterwards. 
7.What did I say yes to that I wish I said no to? Radiation, I'm still not convinced that it was worth all that ordeal. 
8. What did I say no to that I wish I said yes to? I regret going back to work. In the end, it wasn't a smart idea, because I felt exhausted.
9. What helped me stay close to God this past year? The fact that I need Him, especially when I'm in treatment.
10. What did He teach me that I want to live out this year? Compassion.

And there you have it, folks. I answered them. 
Have a Blessed day everyone. 

Pictures

During my unpacking, I came across some old photos of my recovery period beginning way back in 2007 until now. Since that time, I have had four bouts with cancer, two of which I lost my hair. I keep these photos to remind me of where I've been, how long I have come and where I want to go in the future.

Having my chemo treatment. Check out how thin I was!

My second bout with cancer and here my hair was growing back. I thought I looked like a million bucks.

Now I know you're thinking I'm pretty thin, but this isn't my lowest weight! This is my second to the lowest.

My hospital room at home a.k.a. the living room.

My wearing many hats and scarves, trying to look stylish with no hair.

I was so thin trying to keep the weight on. Now, I'm so fat trying to keep the weight off. Ironic.

The oncologist's waiting room/ chemo treatment.

The beginning of my crocheting therapy.

My lowest weight ever ( a little under 100 lbs). Not very pretty, but I keep it to remind me every time I start complaining about how fat I am now. I remember that time so well. It was then that Tammy Faye Bakker died of her cancer weighing a mere 65 lbs. God saved me for a purpose. I just hope I'm living out that purpose.

Have a blessed day everyone. 

A Spiritual Meal

                                          Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey                             



 When sorrow all our heart would ask,
  We need not shun our daily task,
    And hide ourselves for calm;
  The herbs we seek to heal our woe
  Familiar by our pathway grow,
    Our common air is balm.
J. KEBLE.

I've been brought up to appreciate a meal as a celebration. A meal consisted of homemade comforting food to be shared with a large group of people. This meal would leave you feeling too full, but satisfied. My parents loved to entertain. Our family home was always filled with people, some that I didn't even know too well. 

That's how I view a spiritual meal offered by God to us. That's exactly what I'm looking for in a relationship with God, a fulfilling spiritual celebration where we both walk away from it satisfied. We are so full, we need to unbutton our waistband.

That's why I look forward to Sunday. It may be really difficult to get up early out of bed. It may be tempting to just say no, not this Sunday. It may be so easy to just turn over and go back to sleep, but I know my week will not be easy if I listen to any of that temptation. 

I look forward to my spiritual meal. No matter how tired I may have been when I walked in, but by the time worship music comes on, I'm on my feet singing away. I need that meal and so do you. 

Have a blessed day everyone. 

The Simple Life 2

                                        Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.



Still may Thy sweet mercy spread

A shady arm above my head,

About my paths; so shall I find

The fair centre of my mind

Thy temple, and those lovely walls

Bright ever with a beam that falls

Fresh from the pure glance of Thine eye,

Lighting to eternity.

R. CRASHAW.

When I first made the decision to live simply, I embraced the lifestyle energetically. I thought I was on the right track to living out the lifestyle meant for me. I also thought I knew all there was to know on that subject. Well, I was wrong.

That fact was made clear to me when we moved before Christmas. Two things stood out right away. One, I have way too much stuff. Two, I like separation of rooms. 

Too Much Stuff. I may have gotten rid of a lot in the past such as clothes, shoes and accessories, but there is so much more. A move will show you things about yourself and how you live. I still have boxes I haven't unpacked yet. Where do I put all these things? Why do I even have them? 

Another thing that worries me greatly is separation of living space. I need to feel that separation of one space to another. This is where I cook, where I sleep, where I bathe, where I live. I need to feel like I'm moving from one place to the next. It may seem silly unless one finds themselves in that situation. I have discovered this very feeling while at home during last Summer in recovery from my treatment. There  were days when I thought I would go crazy within this small apartment. I needed space.

I think the best thing to do is actually go out and check out Tiny Houses and RV's in person to determine whether or not this type of life is for me. Now, you already know that I've toured an RV, but as of yet, not an actual Tiny House. One of my good pals, found a company not too far from here that has a showcase of Tiny Houses. I cannot wait to actually step foot into one. 

The weekend of my grandmother's Memorial Service, I drove behind one on the expressway. It wasn't very big or very impressive. In fact, it was quite ordinary and plain. A little too tiny for me, but I was fascinated. I tried taking a picture, but it was too hard with one hand on the wheel and the other with a camera in tow. Not to mention, I was on the expressway. 

I know two things about myself. One, I won't be able to rest until I check this out for myself. If I don't, there will be that tiny thing called regret forever inside me. Two, I know how I want to live out the remainder of my life. I just hope that I'm able to do it. Who knows, what God's plan for me really could be. It could be different from mine. 

Have a blessed day everyone. 

Things I've Learned About Myself

                                          Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.


Workman of God! oh, lose not heart,
    But learn what God is like;
And in the darkest battle-field
    Thou shall know where to strike.
F. W. FABER.


Some transitions in life are harder than others, but we come out with a lesson learned. . . sometimes. Some of us, need to relive some of these struggles a few times before that lesson is learned the hard way. That's why we all know individuals whose life is a total mess. We keep saying to ourselves and others of these situations, why do they keep making the same mistakes over and over again? When will they learn?

The problem is that we're just as guilty. We all have had a time such as theirs in our lives, we just won't admit to it. Sometimes, we forget situations and the struggles we have endured, because they are gone. We forget how we felt and what we experienced. Out of sight, out of mind. How will we ever grow as individuals if we jump too readily into assumptions and judgments? 

I preach, because I am lacking. During radiation, I have met the inner me and I did not care for her. I lack compassion, understanding and I can be anti-social. At times, even a bit conceited. 

These things are not easy to admit. We all want to believe our behavior and characteristics are of a gentleman or a lady. That is not always the case. I have learned the hard way to first look in the mirror and see what is reflected back at me. For every situation out there, we had some part that we played in it, even a tiny amount. Perhaps even without really being conscious of it. We need to learn to accept the part of us we are not proud of and hopefully change for the better.

Have a blessed day everyone. 

The Praise Notebook

                                         Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.

Like the star
That shines afar,
Without haste
And without rest,
Let each man wheel with steady sway
Round the task that rules the day,
And do his best.

--Goethe.

There are so many fantastic experiences that occur to us daily that we cannot explain. Some people call it luck, but I call it blessings from God or God moments. I've decided to start a Praise Notebook to remind me during my darkest moments how much God truly loves me and blesses me on a daily basis. 

When we are facing struggles in our life, it is so easy to get side-  tracked in our faith. So easy to fall into the trap of the devil's negativity. All lies created by the deceiver to fall away from God, the one true being that has always been there for us. The worst part? We actually believe these lies!

That's why it's important to get into the Word of God and be reminded by His promises to us. We all need to be reminded, even I! I am so guilty of falling to the wayside when it becomes difficult. My outward appearance may say that I'm strong, but inside it's quite the opposite. Negative thoughts take over the crevices of my mind and I begin to believe these thoughts. 

I wish I could remember all these precious moments from long ago, because there are so many of them. Why have I forgotten them in the first place? Could it be because I have taken them for granted? I believe it is so. 

Have a blessed day everyone.

A Clean Slate

                                         Everyday is a brand new day, everyday is a journey.

Sometimes, our heart 
needs a fresh start.
Ann Voskamp

What makes you happy? It's all about the little things, isn't it? Joy comes in small packages and sometimes we just plain miss it. Every new year, we all have this idea we are beginning anew. A new start. A new beginning. A new, clean slate. All of it devised to start a journey of clean, spiritual living. Or at least, we start out that way, but do we really get there?

Here we are at the end of January, a time of a new era upon us. It is Inauguration Week and many are celebrating with HOPE sprung anew in their hearts. The other half are out in demonstration form, saddened by the turn of events. In a Democracy, there are winners and there are losers. I thank God that we still have a choice in the matter.

To me, I'm looking to the future, my heart overflowing with HOPE and Joy. I would do the same whether the President was a Democrat or Republican, for one reason. No matter what the situation I may be facing, I will never lose Hope and I will always look for the Joy. I will not allow the devil to steal it away from me. 

Let's make a conscious effort to look to the little things that bring life to a dull or hurtful day. Satan is having a field day out there during this week with all the negativity out there. That should be enough for us to look for the rainbow. 

Have a blessed day everyone.