and yet, what is 'normal'? The Christmas trees are down, I'm still working on the ornaments to pack away as I bought a specific storage container for ornaments - and since I didn't put them all on the tree, need to get the box with the rest of them out in the garage and put in this box. Trying to combine things together and get a bit more organized does take a bit more time. And being 'lazy' doesn't help. I did get the quilt and shams off the bed in here yesterday and packed away, and the daily ones back on. I have made progress...albeit a little. I'll get some more things taken care of today - maybe - as I have things I need to do.
I go for the consult with the oral surgeon today. Not looking forward to that. I shudder to think what that will cost - not today's visit, but the actual surgery to remove the root that has split and grown up through my gum lime. Hubby still needs to have his wisdom teeth (tooth?) removed - and that cost is $1400. Which is why he hasn't done it yet. I did offer my credit card for him to put it on. The problem with that is that when I allow him to put it on the card, he forgets about it and I am the one who pays for it. Oh well, what is money for, right? His new hearing aids were $1600 and he used my card - and has never offered to pay anything on them. He never brings it up - since the one time I did - and I got screamed at that it was a necessity. Oh well. It's only money. I wouldn't have this surgery if my dentist didn't tell me that it could become infected and I could lose the entire tooth as he sees a black hole behind the root. It is what it is. Hopefully can get it taken care of this month and be done with it. Then hubby will have to get his done and I'll just have to make the payments. It would be interesting what he will tell the dentist at his next visit. The last time he told him that the oral surgeon doesn't take our insurance. Well, he does, the $1400 cost is AFTER the insurance. Dental is a lot different than medical. His medicare pays for just about everything for him. My dental insurance does not.
The pounding headache is gone, but my neck is still sore. Not sure if it is from sleeping wrong or if I have moved it enough, trying to relieve the pain, or if there is something else. Will be glad when it stops hurting though, it is annoying. UGH, I think my ocular headache is returning.... my vision gets weird just before the lightning bolts 'hit'. I've had two of these in the last five days. Could it be my neck hurting that is causing them? My eye specialist says there is nothing to be done. I try to track how often I have these and what happens. It's annoying, for sure.
My blood pressure has been weird lately. I have had an Omron BP machine and have used it for a few years - and my BP, especially in the early mornings - has always been 'normal' like 110/70 type range. The company I work for sent out BP cups called 'Hello Heart' for anyone who wanted them - and I thought 'why not? it's free!' so got one. Now mind you, I haven't tracked for a little while... but this one has an app on my phone so that it tracks what my BP is. And it has been in the range the past few mornings from 126/76 to 141/85. Today was 133/82. I'm wondering how accurate either of these machines are. I can go donate blood and they get 110/70 range. But here, first thing in the morning - to be as high as it has been? Could it be the pain in my neck that is causing it to rise? I started measuring it on Saturday. New Year and the sledgehammer headache was Monday. Could it have been all the extra I was doing over the weekend to drive it up? Well, will keep taking it each morning and see if it comes down. One thing I've noticed is that I'm not drinking as much water as I used to - not anywhere near what I used to - perhaps that is one thing? I refuse to take BP pills, so I got to do something - lose weight, exercise, and drink more water - and see what happens. At least I don't go back to my doctor until September, so I have time to get it down. I just can't procrastinate.
Procrastinate. I meant to write about that Monday as that was our message on Sunday morning. Our pastor talked about himself some, and how he procrastinated on taking care of his health. To the point that he apologized to his wife the day before, for letting himself get to where he is now. Now he is a very large man. He's tall, and he's wide. He confessed before us all that when he came to this city 20 years ago he weighted 275; 50 pounds from his goal weight. He got on the scale this past week, and it was 420. He had lost down to 360 last year - but then stopped exercising, stopped watching what he was eating, and has gained all this weight. He procrastinated. I know I have written about him before and how he struggles with his weight - just as we do. His wife may weigh 100 pounds soaking wet. But that woman is ALWAYS moving! I am a big procrastinator, as you know.
I've told myself that I will take a 'lunch break' this year and will spend 30 minutes on the treadmill. Yesterday I worked through lunch, snacking in the afternoon. I told myself that after dinner I will wait a little bit and then walk the treadmill for 30 minutes. I sat down and crochet'd a bit, then when hubby turned off the TV, I read a few chapters in a book. Did I remember what I wanted to do? Yes. Did I do it? No. In my defense, while hubby was gone for his breakfast with his friend, I DID use my hand weights and did 3 sets of a shoulder and bicep exercise. After all, I do have my training tonight and I didn't want to appear to not have any strength since I didn't go to the gym at all last week. Trainer took a week off - and so did I. Not that I do much exercising except when there. I have procrastinated long enough and need to just do it and quit being bugged that hubby has to know everything I do. It is MY problem, my weight, my resource to get rid of it. So quit procrastinating, girl!
Titus 2:11-14 (NKJV): "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."
Reminds me of the song "Grace, Grace, God's grace / Grace that will pardon and cleanse within. / Grace, Grace, God's Grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin."
His grace is always greater than any sin that we commit. All we have to do is confess that sin and ask for forgiveness. We humble ourselves before Him and seek His face. Oh, His forgiveness is so relieving, so fulfilling! I am sure I've written it before, but there is a prayer John Wesley spoke many years ago that I often say when doing my prayers.
"Forgive them all, Lord, our sins of omission and our sins of commission; the sins of our youth, and the sins of our riper years; the sins of our souls and the sins of our bodies; our secret and our more open sins; our sins of ignorance and surprise, and our more deliberate and presumptuous sins; the sins we have done to please ourselves, and the sins we have done to please others; the sins we know and remember, and the sins we have forgotten, the sins we have striven to hide from others, and the sins by which we have made others offend, forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all for His sake, who died for our sins and rose for our justification, and now stands at Thy right hand to make intercession for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
There is nothing better than His grace, so freely given to us. All we have to do is ask for it.
Blessings!
