Today is 'the day; that I have to go....

 Where am I going?  It's my yearly wellness check at my doctor's office!  Whoo Hoo!  I got through another year with no additional visits to the doctor!  God has helped me stay well and any sickness was manageable with OTC stuff.  Actually, I don't recall being sick a whole lot, other than a sore throat here and there - which one can blame on my open mouth snoring.  Sigh.  I do have that on my list to discuss with her.  Hubby has complained lately about my snoring - and my 'snorts' waking him up during the night.  I've discussed before how I feel about comments on my snoring.  It depresses me for it is out of my control.  But I want to ask my doctor about it - is there something I can do?  When I'm really tired, it is really bad, hubby says, even with him wearing ear plugs at night.  And it's why we get separate bedrooms when the girls and I go on Jailbreak.  sigh.  

I have had a few dizzy spells this past year.  I think it is due to my blood pressure dropping suddenly.  Either that or my iron is really low.  I donated blood recently and it was 13.3, which I contribute to putting spinach and kale in my protein shakes and eating raisins the night before.  Dark chocolate is good too, but I don't have any.  Putting spinach and kale in my shakes is one way to get the greens down without having to 'eat' it.  And there is no change in taste in my shakes.  Debating if I should eat tis morning - drink my shake, or just wait until after my doctor's appointment.  It was at 7AM, but the other day they changed it to 11AM.   I am going to 'assume' the lab is in the same building as my doctor is; it was last year, and it makes it so convenient to get my blood drawn for the doctor.  Guess I'll find out today!  So now I need to decide - fast or not fast.  I think I'll try to fast.  Maybe it will show a loss in pounds.  sigh.

So glad today is Friday.  I still have a lot I need to get done today for work, and taking off a couple hours isn't going to help - but it's too bad.  I am salaried so don't have to be docked for my time.  Besides, I usually work through lunch and if need to, stay late anyway.  As long as I get my work done, it's not a problem. I never abuse it.  Today, along with my doctor's appointment, I need to pick up my combo box. I forget what is even in it this week.  And I spent my lunch hour yesterday at Sam's Club and spent A LOT. I knew I would.  But I bought a lot of 'cases' of canned goods - you know, pinto beans, black peans, diced tomatoes, etc. - things I use fairly often in making meals.   And I had an order at Fry's to pick up after working out. I love ordering that online and just picking up.  Spent a lot there too.  Now my weekend task is going to be cleaning out the pantry and seeing what of the canned goods I can get lined up together.  I also want to work on the garage, and in the laundry room on the cabinet in there.  So much I want to do - I wonder what I will actually get done.  If I get caught up on work this afternoon, I may start tonight.  I have boxes of canned food sitting on the cabinets and table in the kitchen now; no place to put them until I do a 'clean out'.  Check expiration dates.  No, I don't throw away just because it expired a month ago.  A year's expiration date I may consider it. And that has happened.  Not my canned goods, necessarily, but things like oils (they start to smell rancid).  

I also want to do some baking this weekend.  I will not take bets on what I'll get done.  Other than getting the canned goods 'stuffed' into the pantry and off the table and cabinets, that may be it... but I can hope I won't get discouraged by comments or distracted to do other things.  I don't think anything is on the agenda for the weekend, other than church on Sunday.

I Peter 3:8 (NIV):  Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

When I first read that verse this morning I chuckled.  At what?  The 'be like-minded' part.  I don't know why it struck me funny, but it's like who wants to think like me?  I'm all over the place!   I want to bake bread. I want to bake cookies. I want to clean the closets.  I want to clean counters. I want to clean the pantry. I want to clean the garage. I want to clean drawers.... and my list goes on and on.  Who is up to being like-minded like me?  Yeah, that's what I thought.  So let's call on the next few words.  Be sympathetic.  There - you can feel sorry for me that I have all this 'stuff' I want to get done and begin praying that I will stay focused and get some of it done this weekend.  Wouldn't it be awesome to read that I accomplished a task that I wanted to get done?

Hubby always feels guilty when I get started cleaning and he 'doesn't have anything to do'.  The kitchen is my domain, right?  Usually the garage is his - but, well, let's not go there.  I do need to purchase better shelving than I had in the past, clean out that area, and fix it up.  The thought occurred to me that I could go to Home Depot and get the shelving, let hubby put it together INSIDE the house where it is cooler, then carry it out to the garage.  I can put things back on the shelves.  I discovered the other day that the knob on one of my crockpots is gone. I guess it came off when it fell off the shelf.  I need to clean out that area and see if I can find it and put back on.  I need to purchase a couple more crockpots. I have a few that are my go-to.  One broke when it fell (4 qt I think) and now this one (2 qt) is messed up.  I do have another 2 qt I use frequently.... I have had it for close to 50 years and it still works!  LOL  Got it when I had a Tupperware party many, many years ago.  They are still around, but mine is about 50 years old.

My time is about up and I have things I need to get on for work today so guess I need to get off here, take a quick shower, and get ready for the day. I have 15 minutes. Think I can get all that done?  LOL I did say a 'quick' shower.  Got to be clean and smelling pretty. LOL I work up in the middle of the night and was sweating - and my thought was "you need to take a shower in the morning before you go to the doctor's office'.  In the middle of the night!  Ok - I'm going to get it done!  Hope you have a good day!

Blessings!

Lack of sleep is not always a good thing....

 especially when you have your first doctor's appointment and you want to feel good and look sharp.  I don't know if the diet coke I had with dinner last night was enough caffeine to keep me awake, issues within the family (had a chat with the youngest and he was already drinking; no sense in trying to have a conversation. His words are cruel even to me when he drinks), and I had that on my mind... or thinking about my middle child's medical issues... or my own fears of something being found in my own health.  I usually do not worry about myself, but twinges here and there have caused some concern.  I'm praying for answers for so many things.  Not to concern anyone about me, I'm strong, and I'm healthy, and I have God on my side.  It's all part of the 'circle of life', right?  

I tossed and turned until after midnight last night.  I just could not go to sleep.  I thought about getting up but decided that in spite of hubby's snoring, he would wake up and discover I was gone that early, and then would come searching for me.  I did drift off to sleep and my alarm woke me at 4AM.  So I'm 'running' on just a few hours of sleep today.  When I'm tired and sleepy, I tend to not think as clearly or want to do anything.  So besides the doctor's appointment, I have to work, and with having a second boss, I've discovered already that my days are much more busy than in the past few months! 

Been working on the itinerary for our big trip next month.  I'm already wishing we weren't staying as long, but I don't know when our next trip will be, nor do I know if I will ever see any of my siblings again alive.  Two are not in good health at all, and the other two aren't that great either.  And as I age, I begin to wonder even about myself. :-)  Of course anything could happen at any time for any one.  Even here.  All know we are coming out except my oldest sister; I haven't told her... but just realized that my youngest brother who is her POA has probably told her.  I want to surprise her, but maybe that isn't such a good idea either. I do need to call and check in on her.  Her son is living with her still so I haven't worried so much about her.

Hubby has gone to his Bible study this morning... left me to deal with Sheeba this morning and the groomer coming out around 8:30AM.  He may be home by then, or not.  Not a big deal.  I'm a big girl and can multi-task.  I can work around it all, and can get ready for my doctor's appointment while he's gone. :-)

I'm reading in the book of John in the New Testament and today it was the 2nd chapter.  You will remember this story... the wedding feast in Cana where they ran out of wine.  Jesus' mother came to him to solve the problem.  Now how do you think she knew that he could do anything?  Ever wonder about that?  No miracles by Jesus have been reported.  How did Mary know that Jesus could do something about it?  He tells her "My time has not yet come" and what does Mary do?  She tells the servants to do whatever he tells them to do.  And walks away.  Seriously?  Now that requires some faith, don't you think?  So Jesus tells the servants to fill up six waterpots (holding several gallons each) with water.  They fill to the brim.  Then He tells them to take some to the master of the ceremony who is to taste the wine before it is given to the people.  And what happens?  The master of the ceremony is so surprised that this wine is the best he has ever tasted! (well, duh!)  He has no idea how it was made, or where it came from.  But he had to declare to the bridgeroom of its superiority over anything he had ever tasted. 

Can you think of a time that something 'changed' that surprised you?  Perhaps it wasn't water into wine, but could it be something that was, was no more?  Or was not, and now is?  As I ponder that question myself, the thought pops into my mind about my son donating old cars to Kids for Cars or for other causes (and there are many).  The car has no more value to him as they have been 'driven to death', and yet, to whomever he donates it, it has great value to them.  I don't know why that thought came to mind, but it did. Hmmm

As I sat here thinking about what to write about, my thoughts turned to my son and his high blood pressure.  That seems to run in my family.  Mine has always been on the low side in the past, but over the past few years, as I have aged, it seems to be going up.  Partly because I have gained weight.  It seems that no matter what I do - short of stopping eating altogether - I cannot lose it.  A whole nother story for another day.  I'm a mess in that area.  But anyway, I have a blood pressure cup that is pretty reliable so decided to use it.  I generally take it twice cause I understand from a former doctor that took it twice, that as the blood pumps, it can go up and down.  The first time it was like 116/71 - really good, actually.  Then the second reading was like 130/91.  Not quite as good.  But still not real bad, especially compared to my little sister's!  Hubby always annoys me when he gets his done at the doctor's office.  He comes back with like 107/60 or something like that.  Why?  Because he doesn't have the stress of working!  Plus he doesn't have to deal with the stress of ME like I have to deal with the stress of HIM!  LOL  When I was younger (and was carrying less weight), mine was low like that too.  And some mornings if I'm really still and take it, it is that low.  But life happens.  High blood pressure isn't a game to be played.  It can kill you or cause you to stroke.  That's why I try hard to stay calm and not eat so much salty foods (although I love salt) and exercise (I did go to the rec center yesterday, but my heart wasn't really in it).  

I reckon I'm out of things to write about and I need to jump into the shower before starting work and dealing with Sheeba.  But I leave you with this thought.... this question....

Is there a miracle that you need Jesus to do for you?  Why not take a moment and just verbalize it to Him.  Ask Him for that miracle.  It doesn't mean that you will get it; He may have different plans for you.  But if you don't ask, you may not receive it either.

Jesus, whoever is reading this, if they need a miracle in their life, would You please provide it for them?  Not just give them what they want, Lord, but help them to see they are a miracle in the making, and if they choose You, they will see more miracles than they ever thought possible.  There are some things in my life that I am asking for miracles for, Lord.  I've already spoken to you about them, and I pray that whoever is in need of a miracle or miracles, that You will listen as they tell you about them, and that You will answer.  Thank you for Your answers, Lord.  Thank You for loving us more than anyone; that You want the very best for us.  Hear our cries, O God, hear our prayers.  Answer us, Lord. Let us see Your hand upon our lives and those we love.  And may we remember our asking, and remember to tell you 'thank You, for all You have done'.  Yes, Lord, thank You.  I love You, Lord.  You are my Lord, my Savior, my God and King.  I give You all my praise.  Thank You for Your blessings. Amen.