Still trying to figure it out...

 Last Tuesday was the first day I did shoulders, biceps and triceps in my exercise training.  No big deal, right?  I may - or may not - have mentioned that by the time I had gotten to the triceps, my arms didn't even feel anything; they were numb.  No biggie.  Nothing had strained my arms; none of the exercises made me push through.  In fact, I wondered if the weight was heavy enough to do anything, but kept my mouth shut.  By Wednesday I could hardly lift my arms due to tricep pain.  Which was weird.  What is even weirder.... my upper left arm feels swollen and I noticed last night that I had a huge pink-marked skin area on the inside of my left upper arm.  I haven't gotten my eyes open long enough yet to check the mirror to see if the pink is still there, but I imagine it is.  I can move my arms more freely, but the swelling is still in the upper left arm. And it just feels 'tired'. Does that make sense?  Actually, both arms feel tired, but the left one more so.  Did I strain that muscle?  Did I stretch that tendon?  I don't know.  I'm even thinking of trying to get away from hubby some today and running over to my daughter-in-law who is knowledgeable of these things, and see what she thinks.  I haven't said anything to hubby about it.  Why?  Because he would run to the trainer and tell him he 'hurt' me.  Yeah, he is that protective of me.  And that's why I don't tell him a lot of things.

Saturday has finally arrived.  No, I didn't get the patio furniture moved yesterday because hubby decided he wasn't going to his men's Bible study and then on to the doctor's - but only to the doctor's.  Which, by the way, his BP was shown to be 120/56 which is really weird considering it was 100/60 two days before.  I dunno.  I guess a person can have really low blood pressure (tongue in cheek here) when they don't have to work and deal with things like that.  I then had to go to the dentist, where after the cleaning, he did drill down the 'ridge' on the inside of my crown so that it didn't rub against my tongue.  If that hadn't worked, he'd had to replace the 35+ year old crown... which means more than likely my front teeth wouldn't have matched color anymore...as both are crowns... ah... not going there.  That was a painful time, I recall, and I was in tears before they finished that day.  That's what happened in the 'olden days' when you gave a dentist 'full rein' of your mouth.  She replaced 4 teeth with crowns that day.  Only one tooth had a cavity.  

Anyway - hubby tells me last night he is not going to the men's breakfast at church today either.  BUT, he wants us to move the patio furniture around the way I want it.  Which means, he will help me move it, but he has his opinions on how he wants it and wants to give his input.  No big deal.  Yesterday I went out and sat in the front, just to get some fresh cool air before it got hot... and sure enough, here he comes to sit too. And that's ok... but he always wants to talk...and I enjoy the quiet.  I may get dressed soon and go outside with a book and chill... but then, while it is cool, we need to do the patio furniture switch.  I'd rather just bring through the house, but... it would save a lot of steps, in my defense of wanting to do it that way.  And besides, I don't need any neighbors checking out what we are doing.  Yeah, I'm that 'private'.  No one needs to know my business unless I choose to tell them.

Lucky you... I share way too much on here as well.  But... I can 'say it' and get it out of my head when I do ... and later realize it wasn't such a big deal anyway.

Colossians 3:17 (NKJV):  "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Hmmmm what I'm reading in to that scripture today is that no matter what I do (i.e., whatever I do) - whether it be physical work, or mental work, or speaking, everything I do, everything I think, and everything I say, needs to be honoring to God our Father, because I do it in the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I need to think and do good things; I need to look through the eyes of Him who guides me, and allow Him to direct my path.

That isn't always easy, is it?  This morning, for example, about the moving of the patio furniture, is of no big deal, really.  But, I can make it a big deal, cause a disagreement, and make the day miserable for both of us.  Or, I can hold my tongue, my thoughts, my actions, and be obedient to Him in all things, and allow hubby to take the lead, to make the decision on where things are to go, unless he asks my input (which would be a smart move on his part, yes?).  I can always move them around later; no big deal.  The big deal right now is getting them from the back 'porch' to the front courtyard.  Shall I make a suggestion to try to come through the house?  I just might.  But I also may let him 'do it his way'.  That may take some restraint on my part, cause usually his way doesn't seem quite as beneficial.  See, I did say that nicely, didn't I?

But, before I do anything, I need to get out of my jammies and put clothes on to go outside in.  Hope that you have some fun times planned for today - or perhaps fun isn't the word, but enjoyable.  For me, just being quiet and reading or sewing or crocheting or knitting.... to me it is enjoyable.  Being with my children and grandchildren is enjoyable.  See, I'm not hard to please. :-)

Have an amazing day!

Blessings!

Wishing this was an 'off' day....

 meaning a day off work. And it could be, but why?  Nothing would be different, I don't think.  Hubby has his heart doctor's appointment today.  After his regular PCP visit the other day and his  BP was 100/60 (must be nice to be so relaxed, right?), he was told not only to drink gatorade and this LiquidIV, he is to salt everything as much as he wants to get his BP up some.  His PCP is thinking that by the time he gets the report from this doctor, his BP will be up some.  My BP isn't high.... except when I'm stressed, of course.  If I took it when I first get up, which I used to do, it would be like 107/70.  By the time I was up and moving and starting work (providing hubby didn't irritate me this early in the morning), if I took it again it would be like 128/78.  As long as I can keep it below 138/80 it is't bad... I don't think.  I'm generally pretty calm, I think.  Only a couple times, one in particular, that I thought I was going to 'stroke' out because of something hubby did - or rather, didn't - do.  I remember that day cause I was so upset I was not only pacing, I couldn't breathe and I was shaking .... I was so angry.... I really did think I was going to have a stroke.  But God intervened and calmed me down.  Thanking Him!

I am learning that if I buy a prepared tray of mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, celery, carrots, etc) and mixed fruit (watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, grapes, etc.) that in the long run it is cheaper than my buying a bunch of one or two things.  Seriously.  I usually balk at buying vegetables or fruit this way just for munching... but I find that I can just bring the tray out - already preparedh - and we will eat of all the fruit/veggies... whereas if I just buy a bunch of strawberries, etc., they will end up molding int he refrigerator because no one wants to get them out, wash them, cut them up. Ok, that's me.  Hubby don't do squat when it comes to preparation.  It's me that sometimes gets too lazy to do it.  Last night I grilled chicken thighs and air fried brussel sprouts (believe me, it DOES change how it tastes!!), and brought out the tray of veggies.  And it was enough.  I did, however, start to get hungry before I went to bed.... but instead of eating anything... I popped a Dove chocolate in my mouth that my son had given me for mother's day.  Yeah... I am using them for when I just need a piece of chocolate.  

I was sitting here thinking this morning, as it is getting light out, that perhaps I will start going outside and sit for a bit in the mornings to read before I need to turn on the work computer.  Unfortunately, it would only be about a half hour or so before I had to come in; plus, I'd need to put clothes on, my jammies just won't do going outside.  Ms. Amy's patio set is still sitting on the back 'patio'.  Hubby makes no effort to do anything.  While he's gone today, I'm going to try and at least move the chairs tot he front, and move the set we have to the back.  The tables I will need help with, and perhaps I can get him to push himself to help.  He will fuss at me; he's good at that - but I'm sick of looking out and seeing the table and chairs scattered all over.  It looks a mess.  I can't start it while he is home or he gets angry with me.  I could call my younger son to come up and help, and he would, I think.  He did help us move them from Ms. Amy's house.  I'll see what I can do this morning. The chairs may be too heavy for me.to lift alone.  But I did see hubby carrying one o fthe chairs over so perhaps they aren't that heavy. I hope to get it all moved this weekend, in spite of hubby's whining how hard it is to do.  He prevents me from doing so many things.

I was so frustrated last night and wanting to get away from the house that I am imprisoned in, that I actually looked online at hotels nearby to just get a different view.  Prices have dropped drastically now that there is nothing going on and snowbirds have left.  I seriously considered it for a couple nights, but clicked off of it.  Kind of stupid to end up spending money - and going out for food - when I still will be unable to have space to be alone.  You just don't understand.  Perhaps it is just me.  

Found out this week that our company division that I work in has decided to 'close' for July 3 as well as July 4.  That is totally unusual, but the 3rd is on a Monday and I am guessing the executives want a long weekend - which sounds good too - if you go somewhere and do something.  I was going to work anyway and save the 8 hours PTO, but got word from HR that I can't do that unless I'm working on a project.  There is NOTHING I'm working on so there is no reason for me to work the 'holiday'.  So - we have off July 3 and July 4... lots of people may be traveling... but I would prefer just to relax.  Quietly.  I haven't told hubby yet; don't want him making plans for me.

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV):   "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

Jesus consistently teaches us that the difficulty in following Him isn't always easy.  The two gates in the above verses represent every person's choice: following Jesus or following any other path.  Only the more difficult, less-chosen gate (the narrow gate), to follow Christ leads to life.

There is a proverb, I think, but I can't word it rightly to find it; nor can I remember it all, but there is one that simply says, "A mother has no greater joy than to know that her children walk with the Lord." I can only pray that my prayers for each one, each child, grandchild, great-grandchild, and for generations to come, that they will turn and follow Jesus.  I want to see each one in heaven with me.  Yeah, I have my hopes and my eyes set that I will see Jesus and live with Him.  I hope to see my generations after me there as well.  No greater joy....  where do you want to see your children?

I need to stop and get moving, I guess.  Not much going on today at work so it will be quiet.  Oh yeah, just remembered, I do have a dentist appointment for a cleaning today at 2PM.  They had a cancellation. Oh joy.  Guess I need to have them look at my front tooth... the crown... on the backside has a hole in it.  Imagine that.  Hopefully they can just fill it, but it will probably require another visit.  Sigh.  I don't like going to the dentist even for a cleaning.  

Hope that you have an amazing day!  Plan something fun for the weekend.

Blessings!