than normal, I mean. Lots of chaos and pain at the beginning of the week, lots of work to keep me over-whelmed and busy, and here it is Friday and I finally feel like I can 'breathe' a little bit. My blood pressure, which had shot up over the past few days higher than it has ever been, is back down to 'normal' today - 122/77. Still not perfect, of course, but compared to what it has been, it is great.
Speaking of blood pressures... hubby is in excellent health. He went to his PCP yesterday for follow-up of all the yearly tests. His doctor told him that it was the best report he has seen on him (and he has treated him for over 20 years, and his dad before him!). Everything was at or below what it had been and the PCP told him "whatever you are doing, eating, working out, keep doing it". The doctor says he will live to 100.
So we celebrated by going to Sardella's for pizza last night. LOL Our trainer was hoping to join us but wasn't able to at the last minute, so asked if we could meet up for dinner tonight. I told him I'd think of a place for us to meet. He likes Chili's hamburgers so perhaps we will go there. Hubby and I brought home pizza so will possibly have the leftovers for lunch today.
My added stress the other day of being given other assignments from one of the bosses... well, the other three EA's and I had a meeting with them yesterday and got it straightened out. All I will need to do is 'help' if needed. None of my executives will be attending the meetings so I don't have to work with them. I may need to help find restaurants around physician offices where the meetings will take place. But I am only a back-up, a helper, not having to do the work. And I'm grateful. I do have a few meetings to take care of this morning, but I'm hoping to get back on the training and complete a few more today. But it is Friday and I have blocked my people's calendars for Friday - very few meetings get put on there. It gives them an opportunity to get caught up on things.
My headache finally went away yesterday afternoon, for which I'm grateful. It did take a couple ibuprofen to get through it. Went to bed at our usual time last night and I slept like a log until about 2:15AM, then back to sleep until 4AM. I could still go back to sleep, but no time for that this morning. The night before my watch told me I slept only 3 hours and some minutes. No wonder I was so exhausted yesterday.
Our weekend seems to be filling up somewhat. Hubby has men's group breakfast at church tomorrow morning; I made arrangements with my youngest to have breakfast during that time, but hubby reminded me last night that this son doesn't like breakfast, so I plan to check with him to see if he would like to make it a lunch another day. We have a funeral of a friend's family member in the afternoon that I feel we need to attend. Then we will probably chill until Sunday. Maybe get some things done around here? NOT.
Luke 9:23-24 (NKJV): Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it."
We are called to live as Christ lived, holy as He is holy. We are not to seek after our own interests and our own welfare but to choose to live as Christ would live through us. We aren't to run off and do our own thing, but what can we do to honor Christ as we do 'our own thing'? It's not that we aren't to do anything we want to do, but do we do it for the glory of God, or because it just brings us pleasure? Do we insist on our way without regard for others - or are we kind as Jesus is kind, thoughtful as He is thoughtful, loving and caring as He is loving and caring. We can do a lot of things begrudgingly; but can we do things that will bring God glory? All of the glory, all of the honor, all of the praise - belongs to Him. Do we glorify ourselves and what we do, or do we give God the glory for giving us the ability to do those things that we do?
Doesn't matter what it is work related or pleasure related - we are all to do them for the glory of God. Sometimes, I admit, I have to remind myself of that with work. Sure, I get a good paycheck for what I do. But I need to quit grumbling so much about having to work - or the work that I do - because I work for Jesus, not for the company. The money I receive for working I am able to give more to the church. I am able to help others in need. And I am able to pay our bills and able for us to have fun as well.
So I probably never will be able to retire. Which hurts, I admit. I grumble about it a lot. But Jesus keeps me healthy and I can do the things I want to do, because I do work. No pay check will create - not a hardship, but a reckoning that we can't do the things we like to do a often as we like to do. Does that make sense?
Maybe we all ought to take a look at what we do on a daily basis. Do we do it for the glory of God? Do we go the 'extra mile' when needed - or just enough to get by?
Which reminds me.... I should be hearing about my raise for this year soon. If it throws me into the next tax bracket it will 'hurt', but God always provides. Our taxes are done and paid so for that we are grateful. And, I need to quit rambling. I have a few minutes I can just sit and listen to calming music and rest in His arms before starting my day. Now THAT is a refreshing way to start the day!
Blessings!
