Did I really complain about sleeping yesterday morning?

 I went to bed at my usual time last night - and was awake at 1:38AM this morning.  After tossing and turning until around 3:30AM or so, I finally gave up and got up.  I'm sure I dozed some in between those two hours - but seriously, sleep felt like it eluded me.  I came in here, hoping to sleep in my chair, but alas, that was fruitless as well.  I may need to sneak in a nap later this afternoon.  I have no clue as to what is messing with my sleep.  The only caffeine I've been getting is from my tea in the mornings.

Taking a tablespoon of olive oil daily is something I'm not really interested in, but I have been intrigued with two couples we know.  Actually, three couples.  They are 'our' age range - either above or just below. No, wait, I am the youngest of all of them! LOL Anyway - the couple we played 'spades' with (that was fun!) last weekend was telling us about it.  A certain kind of olive oil - she sent me a photo and a note, but I haven't read it yet.  I guess two of the men (one has had cancer two-three times now) were a bit unstable walking and tired, and foggy (you know what I mean - just like I am every morning) - and some doctor (Dr. Gundy? LOL) told them to take two tablespoons of olive oil - cold pressed, I think it is - and it will change things.  Surprisingly, it has!  The one with the previous bouts of cancer is out taking long walks every day, feeling energetic (I think he is in his upper 80's) and moving about more than he has in years!  Should I/we try it?  The thought of pouring oil down my throat does not appeal to me.

But it does remind me of when I was pregnant with my first child.... I was past the due date.  Brother in law was coming home from college.  We all wanted the baby to arrive.  Mother in law talked me into taking castor oil in a glass of orange juice.  HAH!  The only thing it did was clean me out!  It took me YEARS before I could drink orange juice again without feeling the oil sliding down my throat.  YECK!

Work was really busy yesterday and one of the doctors who does a presentation during our board meetings gave me a task that I had no clue what she was talking about.  I finally asked for help - and I think I got a response after I signed off.  Will see this morning.  I don't support this doctor, but it is 'my' board meeting so she is making me create this slide for her.  My 'don't want to' keeps getting in the way of 'you have to'. Sigh. I wanna retire.  Or at least set a date to retire.

I've discovered the past two days that I am starting to feel my age.  What do I mean by that?  I haven't been working out since Morgan took maternity leave.  It will be hard to get back in sync when she returns in a couple weeks - plus she plans to put us each 3 x week as we had bought extra sessions before she took off.  My body has gotten lazy and even though I've done a few things here at home, I haven't pushed myself at all - and I'm flabby.  Sad, isn't it.  I felt so much better when I was working out; so much stronger and ready to do anything.  Now I feel tired all the time and lazy. I've got to find time to make myself do things.  I can only use my broken toe (I thought it was two toes that broke, but I got my summary this morning and the one toe is broken in two places.) as an excuse.  It is still swollen, painful and I have to be careful, but I can use weights and do low impact.  Just need to get my lazy butt moving.

James 1:2-3 (ESV):  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Be joyful when I'm going through things I don't want to go through?  Count it to be joyful when my heart is in angst over family illness and relationships?  Be happy and joyful when I struggle to be myself?  And yet, that is what James, the brother of Jesus, is telling us to do.  Be joyful.

But sometimes I LIKE being frustrated.  I LIKE being angry.  I LIKE being... well, whatever.  Ok, maybe LIKE isn't the right word.  I just don't 'like' people telling me I need to be happy and to 'get over it'.  But James says our trials should cause us to be joyful.  Why?  Because through those trials and problems we go through, whether it is our own personal sickness, another's illness, relationships, children..... no matter what it is, we can be joyful because Jesus lives within us and He will always walk with us through whatever trial we are going through.

I know He does.  Many, many times I have cried out to Jesus to help us in various things.  Things I would never share with anyone - at least until after the fact.  I know I've shared on here at times that years ago our finances were zero.  We had nothing and I was the only one working.  I felt so alone that I was forced to go through that - and it was all of my own making.  But I cried out to God about our situation and in going through my bible, I found another scripture in Philippians that morning that brought soothing joy to my heart, for I knew that God had heard my cries to Him for help; He had seen my tears.  Things didn't get better right away, but I knew I was heard.  And many times, I think that is just all we want.  We want to be heard.

I'm sure some of you are going through some very difficult times right now, or have been, or will be.  Life is hard.  Keeping our eyes on Jesus during these times is hard.  I know; I've been there.  My life has never been easy and some days it is harder than others.  And I'm sure yours is as well.  No matter what the issues is - finances, illness, relationships - they hurt everyone whether they are involved or not.  But I want you to remember this........

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT):  Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything that we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

That is the verse that I found that morning when I was in so much anguish.  And you know what, the scripture was right!  I chose then not to worry about the problem, but thanked God that I could bring that problem to Him and leave it in His hands.  I thanked Him for what He was going to do to help me - one way or another.  His peace that your receive after giving whatever it is that is troubling you to Him, His peace will settle over you and you will feel so much better.  Trust me on this.  I have frequently experienced His peace when I let go of my worry, my fears, my whatever.  

Give it all to Jesus; He is the only One who can rescue you from yourself; and set your feet on His solid ground.  Give it some thought - you will be glad you did.

Blessings!

It was a talkative Tuesday, I think...

 I knew I needed to check in on my little brother, but when I called him, he said he was at the VA getting his teeth.  I guess he doesn't have any teeth on top, and only 4 on the bottom; or something like that.  So I told him I would call his wife and check in.  So I did... and we talked for almost an hour!  About everything!  I don't usually call the wife; usually just the brother.  No reason, other than it's my brother.  Got a lot of 'talk' out of the wife though!  Is that a sign who I need to call?  LOL  He ended up not getting his new teeth, I found out later... don't know what that deal is - perhaps I will call him later today and find out.

Then later in the day I called my little sister to check on her; it's been about a week or so since we talked.  And ended up on the phone with her nearly an hour.  She asked me to make an afghan for a friend of hers - and I will.  She kept saying prayer shawl, so I showed her what I have on hand. Nope, she didn't like those colors so much.  Then she kept talking about a red/white one I had made, and I had no clue for I knew I had not made a red/white prayer shawl.  When she said that this person likes to take naps and she can pull it up over her... I realized she was talking about an afghan, not a prayer shawl.  And the red/white she was talking about was the afghan she had me make for her granddaughter a couple years ago.  Yeah, she just gives me her orders and I make them.  I'm a simple gal with a simple stitch cause I don't know any fancy ones.  It gives me a project other than baby blankets so I make them and send to her.  I just do it.  So I got started on a red/white afghan last night.  I had the red already, will need to go pick up the white in the brand I'm using for the red so that it will match well.  She did offer to pay for this one, but I don't charge her; I just make them and send.  And that's ok.

Finally got things taken to Savers last night on my way to meet the daughter for our Tuesday 'girls night out'.  We met up at a restaurant and caught up on things while we ate and crochet'd.  I was in the mood for 'comfort food' so had tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.  Glad to get the Savers bag 'delivered'; for some reason hubby just wouldn't take it so when I cleaned up the garage on Saturday, I put in my car and I dropped it off.  I guess that there are just some things I am going to have to do.  Not that it is a big deal.

Work today shouldn't be too bad.  I know I already have a meeting to schedule this morning as I was still waiting on information last night and left it in my inbox.  Shouldn't be too busy of a day - I don't think. I think I forgot to look to see what today's calendar looked like.  Yesterday wasn't bad at all... I grabbed a book that I wanted to re-read and got through 4 chapters of it before the phone calls.  Hubby was gone all morning for his bible study and his lunch with his friend.  Then he left about 3PM for a haircut and go to his evening bible study.  I know he has a doctor appointment this morning... I think this one is the aneurysm doctor; he had the ultrasounds last week for this appointment.  

Next week I think it is, he has the prostrate doctor.  He's still worried about what they will find .... I told him what my outlook had been when I was waiting for the results of my ultrasound the other week.... thinking it could stop him from worrying if he thought of it another way.  It didn't help.  I finally told him that I will probably die before him so quit worrying about it - and then he went off on how he couldn't live without me.  Sweet, but silly to even think that way.  

Philippians 4:6-8 (NKJV):  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things."

What does all that say?  Quit worrying about things that you cannot change!  Quit stressing over your health if you are doing all you can to remain healthy.  Quit worrying about what's going on with your children and grandchildren - and in our case - our great grandchildren; it doesn't do any good to worry about the outcome of things. 

What does good, is praying for them.  Praying for their hearts and minds to be covered with the blood of Jesus Christ, that they will see Him in His glory, that all will go well with them.  Worrying about things doesn't change a thing.  We can worry all we won't - but nothing will change because we worried.  But I guarantee you, when you PRAY, you get results!  Now mind you, it may not be the results you are wanting.... that happens way too often for me.... but when I pray, and place that child or that situation in God's hands, I take my hands off and let Him deal with it as only He knows how.  Sometimes times we all need to learn a lesson from the situation.  We don't want to; but perhaps we need to learn to either do something differently, or not do something at all!  

Sometimes circumstances happen that are not of our doing.  Those can be painful for all involved.  Stressful.  Unwarranted grief and financial loss.  But when we give it to God, He will bring beauty from the ashes of your life.  But if you stay in that life and wallow in it and woe is me... I don't think you will even see the blessing of God or any answers.  Sometimes you just have to trust God that He knows best on how to take care of a situation.  Give it to Him, and trust Him for the outcome - no matter what it is.

I prefer to pray about a situation, give it to God, and let Him deal with it.  When He brings it back to mind, I again offer it up to Him, and again take my hands off of it.  There are some situations there is just nothing I can do but pray and support those involved.  I have to trust God for any outcome.

And so do you.  Give those situations to God - ask Him to take care of it.  Trust Him to do it, and quit taking the problem back to worry about!

Blessings!