I've learned a lot about plateaus lately. I'm not talking about geographical features. I'm talking about plateaus in the weight-loss sense. Since January, I've been focusing on my weight and getting it back to a healthier level. My weight-loss program of choice is Weight Watchers....a program I can follow for life. But several weeks ago, I hit the dreaded plateau. From the first week of August until last week I lost a total of .4 pounds. That's right.....less than half a pound. Doing the same things I had been doing that helped me lose 30 pounds, yet not getting the same results! Talk about frustrating!! So, last week I made a mental "fresh start", really focusing on the little details that I had gotten sloppy about. Result......this week's weight loss is 2.4 pounds!!! From frustrated to super-excited in just one week!!
I think sometimes we hit spiritual plateaus as well. We go through the same "motions" week after week, but don't feel we are making any progress or that our spiritual lives have become somewhat stale. Perhaps just a small change in routine or a recommitment/refocus will yield benefits in this area as well. It could be something as simple as reading from a different Bible translation or changing the time or place of your devotional time. That could be the little thing that makes a big difference.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Chocolate
I've been doing some preliminary preparations for a Bible Study I'm soon to be part of......"Sweeter than Chocolate"......and so I've had chocolate on the brain!! I'm so excited about the study, but don't want to pre-empt that, so let's just let our minds wander and our mouths drool a bit thinking about chocolate!!!
I've been trying to decide what my favorite chocolate thing is. Amazingly, I really don't care for chocolate ice cream. I do love chocolate cake, and brownies, and chocolate pie, and chocolate covered strawberries.......I could go on and on and on!!
Some years ago, my husband had a position as Executive Director of an international non-profit association, and in conjunction with that we were fortunate to travel to some really fabulous places. Once we spent about three weeks in Europe, and one leg of that trip took us from Paris to Barcelona, Spain. We were booked on Swiss Air. I share all this because it leads to one of my favorite chocolate memories :)
As we traveled, in coach mind you, we were served lunch. Yes, I know, it's hard to imagine an actual meal in coach, but it's true! Even more mind-boggling......the meal began with the flight attendants bringing WARM ROLLS, offering the basket of breads to each passenger for their selection, with NO LIMIT on how much bread one could take. Then came the meal itself, which frankly I don't really remember. I do remember the flight attendants coming back with more bread for those who wanted it. And at the end of the meal came the best part......CHOCOLATE!! A tray of assorted Swiss Chocolates from which we could choose whatever we wanted!! I confess that I took more than I needed because I wanted to be sure to have some for later. This was fabulous chocolate.....not that waxy stuff you get at the discount store. This was the real deal.....some of the absolute best chocolate I have ever tasted! And believe me, I've tasted a lot of chocolate!!
What connection does this have to Bible Study, you might ask? Exactly this, that God's Word IS sweeter than chocolate. That just as I salivated all over myself at the thought of an unlimited amount of Swiss chocolate being offered to me for FREE, even more am I absolutely beside myself when I think of the FEAST that is the Word of God being available to me every day..... and how I look forward with great anticipation to see how God is going to speak to me through His Word!!! That truly is sweeter than chocolate!
I've been trying to decide what my favorite chocolate thing is. Amazingly, I really don't care for chocolate ice cream. I do love chocolate cake, and brownies, and chocolate pie, and chocolate covered strawberries.......I could go on and on and on!!
Some years ago, my husband had a position as Executive Director of an international non-profit association, and in conjunction with that we were fortunate to travel to some really fabulous places. Once we spent about three weeks in Europe, and one leg of that trip took us from Paris to Barcelona, Spain. We were booked on Swiss Air. I share all this because it leads to one of my favorite chocolate memories :)
As we traveled, in coach mind you, we were served lunch. Yes, I know, it's hard to imagine an actual meal in coach, but it's true! Even more mind-boggling......the meal began with the flight attendants bringing WARM ROLLS, offering the basket of breads to each passenger for their selection, with NO LIMIT on how much bread one could take. Then came the meal itself, which frankly I don't really remember. I do remember the flight attendants coming back with more bread for those who wanted it. And at the end of the meal came the best part......CHOCOLATE!! A tray of assorted Swiss Chocolates from which we could choose whatever we wanted!! I confess that I took more than I needed because I wanted to be sure to have some for later. This was fabulous chocolate.....not that waxy stuff you get at the discount store. This was the real deal.....some of the absolute best chocolate I have ever tasted! And believe me, I've tasted a lot of chocolate!!
What connection does this have to Bible Study, you might ask? Exactly this, that God's Word IS sweeter than chocolate. That just as I salivated all over myself at the thought of an unlimited amount of Swiss chocolate being offered to me for FREE, even more am I absolutely beside myself when I think of the FEAST that is the Word of God being available to me every day..... and how I look forward with great anticipation to see how God is going to speak to me through His Word!!! That truly is sweeter than chocolate!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Remembering
A day like today puts things into perspective. September 11, 2001 will be forever etched in my memory. Like so many Americans, I remember exactly where I was, exactly what I was doing, exactly how I felt on that Tuesday morning. I watched with horror as I saw, live on television, the plane crash into the second tower. I was numb for days. I still have a hard time seeing the images.....even reading a novel set into that time frame is something I can't do.
As I observe the current political climate, I remember back to those days - horrible though they were - when we weren't Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative. We were Americans. And I remember churches being filled with people seeking answers, seeking God. I remember the promises that we would never forget.
But we have forgotten, I'm afraid. On days like today, people pause to remember. But most of the time, people are just going through life......not giving much thought to terrorists, equating patriotism with their particular political position, perhaps giving very little thought to God, thinking of 9/11 as something that happened "back then".
Today I'm grieving.......for families who lost husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, friends. And for my country, which has lost its moral compass, its respect for life, its honor for God. I grieve and I continue to pray that God will heal our land.....that God's people will rise up and be His people....that God will have mercy on us.
As I observe the current political climate, I remember back to those days - horrible though they were - when we weren't Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative. We were Americans. And I remember churches being filled with people seeking answers, seeking God. I remember the promises that we would never forget.
But we have forgotten, I'm afraid. On days like today, people pause to remember. But most of the time, people are just going through life......not giving much thought to terrorists, equating patriotism with their particular political position, perhaps giving very little thought to God, thinking of 9/11 as something that happened "back then".
Today I'm grieving.......for families who lost husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, friends. And for my country, which has lost its moral compass, its respect for life, its honor for God. I grieve and I continue to pray that God will heal our land.....that God's people will rise up and be His people....that God will have mercy on us.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Seasons
I love the changing seasons! Especially after living several years in Florida where one season looks pretty much the same as another..... the joke there was that we had two seasons, hot and hotter!! Growing up in South Carolina and living there through my young adult years, I always thought of spring as my favorite season.....I loved the beauty of it, the flowers blooming, new growth on the trees! The pollen, not so much :)
However, after living in other parts of the country where spring is not so predictable (warm today, snow tomorrow!!) and where it comes much later than it does in the South, I have become a big fan of fall! I love the changing colors, the crispness of the air, the warm days and cool nights. And yes, I admit it, I love football!! Right now I'm really loving watching the hickory trees around our house as they are already beginning to display their fall colors. Every morning I look to see how much change there has been. The acorns are falling, the squirrels and chipmunks are very active. There is a lot going on here on the mountain!
I'm looking forward to the time when all the leaves fall off the trees. My family all think I'm nuts, but ever since I was a child I have loved the sound, the "crunch" of walking through fallen leaves! It's one of my favorite things!
I think I also enjoy fall because it's a time to return to a routine. Even though my children are grown and I'm in the "empty nest" season of life, somehow the back-to-school season is a back-to-routine time for me as well. And being a lover of "routine" and a real creature of habit, I'm happy to be back on a schedule, even though it is a self-imposed one. A schedule that sets aside long periods of time for Bible Study and prayer, for reflection on all God is doing and all He has promised to do. I almost look forward to the cold, snowy days of winter when I "hibernate" and have even more time for those pursuits without any distractions. But beyond looking forward, I'm looking to each day, enjoying what it brings, celebrating the beauty of God's creation and most of all celebrating the Creator God who in His infinite wisdom has given us seasons!
However, after living in other parts of the country where spring is not so predictable (warm today, snow tomorrow!!) and where it comes much later than it does in the South, I have become a big fan of fall! I love the changing colors, the crispness of the air, the warm days and cool nights. And yes, I admit it, I love football!! Right now I'm really loving watching the hickory trees around our house as they are already beginning to display their fall colors. Every morning I look to see how much change there has been. The acorns are falling, the squirrels and chipmunks are very active. There is a lot going on here on the mountain!
I'm looking forward to the time when all the leaves fall off the trees. My family all think I'm nuts, but ever since I was a child I have loved the sound, the "crunch" of walking through fallen leaves! It's one of my favorite things!
I think I also enjoy fall because it's a time to return to a routine. Even though my children are grown and I'm in the "empty nest" season of life, somehow the back-to-school season is a back-to-routine time for me as well. And being a lover of "routine" and a real creature of habit, I'm happy to be back on a schedule, even though it is a self-imposed one. A schedule that sets aside long periods of time for Bible Study and prayer, for reflection on all God is doing and all He has promised to do. I almost look forward to the cold, snowy days of winter when I "hibernate" and have even more time for those pursuits without any distractions. But beyond looking forward, I'm looking to each day, enjoying what it brings, celebrating the beauty of God's creation and most of all celebrating the Creator God who in His infinite wisdom has given us seasons!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Amazing!
I was wide awake at 4AM this morning. That is is VERY unusual. First of all, I NEVER get up that early......at least not voluntarily. And no matter what time I get up, I'm never immediately wide awake. I typically ease into the day :) But today was not one of those days.
My first reaction was to wonder why I was awake so early and then to wonder why I couldn't go back to sleep! Then I began to realize that I must be awake for a reason, so I just got up, started the coffee maker, got my Bible, journal, pen and other resources, and got comfortable in my favorite chair anticipating what God might be about to say to me this morning!
I had a wonderful time in the Sermon on the Mount, finishing my lesson for tomorrow's Bible Study time. I spent some time in Esther. I pondered some thoughts about Abraham and Isaac and God's Covenant with Abraham and his descendants. I spent some time in worship in the Psalms. And I read a wonderful devotional thought based on the verse, "Thou, God, seest me."
The devotional writer related an experience in the life of Isaac Watts, when a teacher said to him, "People will tell you that God is always watching you to see when you do wrong so He can punish you. I do not want you to think of it that way. Rather let these words (Thou, God, seest me) remind you all through your life tht God loves you so much that He cannot take His eyes off of you." Wow!!
As I think about those words, I'm reminded of how I used to just stare at my boys when they were babies.....couldn't take my eyes off of them because I loved them so and they were so precious to me! Or how I just enjoy watching everything my grandsons do, no matter what it is....just can't stop looking at them!! I came across a photo recently, a candid shot from our wedding showing the two of us just standing there gazing at each other. Something, by the way, that we still do......just because we love each other so much!
And that pales in comparison to the love God has for us! Just to think that even now God is looking at me. That God loves me so much He can't take His eyes off me! That is definitely a "WOW" thought that will get me through whatever comes my way today.
So if you happen to see me at Walmart or at Ingles or at CVS or anywhere else today, that smile on my face and that twinkle in my eye is because I'm remembering that God just can't take His eyes off me!! Amazing!!
My first reaction was to wonder why I was awake so early and then to wonder why I couldn't go back to sleep! Then I began to realize that I must be awake for a reason, so I just got up, started the coffee maker, got my Bible, journal, pen and other resources, and got comfortable in my favorite chair anticipating what God might be about to say to me this morning!
I had a wonderful time in the Sermon on the Mount, finishing my lesson for tomorrow's Bible Study time. I spent some time in Esther. I pondered some thoughts about Abraham and Isaac and God's Covenant with Abraham and his descendants. I spent some time in worship in the Psalms. And I read a wonderful devotional thought based on the verse, "Thou, God, seest me."
The devotional writer related an experience in the life of Isaac Watts, when a teacher said to him, "People will tell you that God is always watching you to see when you do wrong so He can punish you. I do not want you to think of it that way. Rather let these words (Thou, God, seest me) remind you all through your life tht God loves you so much that He cannot take His eyes off of you." Wow!!
As I think about those words, I'm reminded of how I used to just stare at my boys when they were babies.....couldn't take my eyes off of them because I loved them so and they were so precious to me! Or how I just enjoy watching everything my grandsons do, no matter what it is....just can't stop looking at them!! I came across a photo recently, a candid shot from our wedding showing the two of us just standing there gazing at each other. Something, by the way, that we still do......just because we love each other so much!
And that pales in comparison to the love God has for us! Just to think that even now God is looking at me. That God loves me so much He can't take His eyes off me! That is definitely a "WOW" thought that will get me through whatever comes my way today.
So if you happen to see me at Walmart or at Ingles or at CVS or anywhere else today, that smile on my face and that twinkle in my eye is because I'm remembering that God just can't take His eyes off me!! Amazing!!
Monday, September 7, 2009
A Word of Advice
Continuing the theme of the last post, I have a word of advice......people with degenerative arthritis (like me) should not break bones!! Even when all the doctors and nurses and surgeons and physical therapists have put you back together again, the consequences linger on. Even when your ankle (the broken part in my case) is in good shape (you think!), almost as flexible as the unbroken one (and mine was), one day you wake up to discover that it just isn't as flexible as it used to be and that it really seems to hurt all the time, not just when it rains or when you've overdone it just a bit. Hmmmmm........
That's when, like me, you decide that maybe you need to see a doctor about this so you make an appointment. And that's when you get the bad news. Something that sounds like this....."Your ankle is a mess.....That's one of the worst ankles I've ever seen.......I don't know how you walk at all." Hmmmmmmm.........
And then you hear the news that your only options are drugs (and in this case, they are really hard to get used to....the side effects have not been fun!) or an ankle fusion. Well, there could be an ankle replacement, but the doctor says that's not a good surgery.
All this brings to mind the words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians.....be careful how you walk! In terms of broken ankles, I realize that is completely out of context.....that he wasn't talking about ankles at all!! But it's very good advice......
"Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)
That's when, like me, you decide that maybe you need to see a doctor about this so you make an appointment. And that's when you get the bad news. Something that sounds like this....."Your ankle is a mess.....That's one of the worst ankles I've ever seen.......I don't know how you walk at all." Hmmmmmmm.........
And then you hear the news that your only options are drugs (and in this case, they are really hard to get used to....the side effects have not been fun!) or an ankle fusion. Well, there could be an ankle replacement, but the doctor says that's not a good surgery.
All this brings to mind the words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians.....be careful how you walk! In terms of broken ankles, I realize that is completely out of context.....that he wasn't talking about ankles at all!! But it's very good advice......
"Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)
Saturday, September 5, 2009
A Rough Week
It's been a rough couple of weeks. Very busy weeks, which is part of the problem. Lots of doctor appointments.....annual physical, dentist, mammogram, orthopaedist.....more about that later.
Last weekend I went down to Landrum to take care of a couple of banking things concerning my dad's affairs, then was expecting a relaxing Friday afternoon before everybody else (brother, sister-in-law, hubby) arrived. But when I walked into the kitchen, the floor was covered with water! Not good! And the kitchen light wouldn't come on......apparently old fluorescent bulbs that haven't been on in about a month don't like to get back to work!! So, I couldn't really see where the water was coming from. Turns out there was a leak in the icemaker line, but there was not cut-off, so without turning off the water supply to the entire house, there was nothing to do that would stop the water. Fortunately, Al arrived earlier than anticipated and was able to solve the problem with a $2 thingy from the hardware store!
Once Sam and Debbie arrived we began the task of emptying out the attic and sorting through stuff.....who wants this or that, what gets donated, what gets tossed. An exhausting task, both physically and emotionally.
All the doctor appointments turned out well.....teeth are good, no evidence of cancer, blood pressure under control, weight going in the right direction. And then there was the orthopaedist. That one did not turn out as I had hoped. Following the broken ankle experience a few years ago, once the rehab was done, I had a pretty good ankle.....reasonably flexible considering all the hardware that's in there, no pain, relatively little stiffness. But over the last year or so that condition has changed......lots of pain, no flexibility at all, etc. And since I was pretty much beyond my tolerance level for the pain and was tired of limping around like a little old lady, I made the orthopaedist appointment. I guess my hope was that this would be diagnosed as a hardware problem, that he would say if we take those screws out then your problems will be solved. This is in line with what the original surgeon had said, that sometimes people with my type of injury and surgery have trouble with the screws a few years down the road and they have to come out. So, I was expecting that the worst thing the doctor would say was that I would need another surgery to take the screws out.
I guess the good news in what he did say is that there is nothing I have done - or not done - that would make my condition any different from what it is. But here's the situation. First, I have something called tarsal tunnel tendonitis (I think that's what he called it) which accounts for the pain on the inside of my foot. Then there is the nerve damage that is accounting for the other pain. So I have prescriptions for those issues that "might" help. And that's the good news! Once the x-rays had been taken and the doctor looked at them, he says "your ankle is a mess. It's one of the worst ankles I've ever seen. I'm surprised you can walk at all!" At first I was ready to get upset with him thinking he was being critical of the previous surgeon, but that wasn't what he meant at all. It seems that there was so much damage to my bones when I broke them and the bones lost blood supply so that they are essentially dead, and because of that damage combined with my degenerative arthritis, my ankle has collapsed. So.....either an ankle replacement (not a good surgery, according to the doctor) or an ankle fusion.
Found all that out on Thursday. So I had a pity party for the rest of the day and gave myself until noon yesterday to get over it!! I have found that the best way to deal with a pity party is to set a deadline!! Since then I'm telling myself to put my big girl panties on and deal with it!! Feeling sorry for myself won't make it get better and in the long run only makes me feel worse. So, right now I'm trying to adjust to some new medications which I hope are going to do some good. Right now they are only making me very sleepy and leave me feeling unable to focus! Not a good feeling.
And through it all God is teaching me to give thanks in all things.....even the not so good things!! I admit that right now I am struggling through this lesson, but even in this I know God is in control and has a plan and a purpose!! And I would be less than honest if I didn't admit that knowing that intellectually and actually experiencing it in my "feelings" are two different things right now.
Last weekend I went down to Landrum to take care of a couple of banking things concerning my dad's affairs, then was expecting a relaxing Friday afternoon before everybody else (brother, sister-in-law, hubby) arrived. But when I walked into the kitchen, the floor was covered with water! Not good! And the kitchen light wouldn't come on......apparently old fluorescent bulbs that haven't been on in about a month don't like to get back to work!! So, I couldn't really see where the water was coming from. Turns out there was a leak in the icemaker line, but there was not cut-off, so without turning off the water supply to the entire house, there was nothing to do that would stop the water. Fortunately, Al arrived earlier than anticipated and was able to solve the problem with a $2 thingy from the hardware store!
Once Sam and Debbie arrived we began the task of emptying out the attic and sorting through stuff.....who wants this or that, what gets donated, what gets tossed. An exhausting task, both physically and emotionally.
All the doctor appointments turned out well.....teeth are good, no evidence of cancer, blood pressure under control, weight going in the right direction. And then there was the orthopaedist. That one did not turn out as I had hoped. Following the broken ankle experience a few years ago, once the rehab was done, I had a pretty good ankle.....reasonably flexible considering all the hardware that's in there, no pain, relatively little stiffness. But over the last year or so that condition has changed......lots of pain, no flexibility at all, etc. And since I was pretty much beyond my tolerance level for the pain and was tired of limping around like a little old lady, I made the orthopaedist appointment. I guess my hope was that this would be diagnosed as a hardware problem, that he would say if we take those screws out then your problems will be solved. This is in line with what the original surgeon had said, that sometimes people with my type of injury and surgery have trouble with the screws a few years down the road and they have to come out. So, I was expecting that the worst thing the doctor would say was that I would need another surgery to take the screws out.
I guess the good news in what he did say is that there is nothing I have done - or not done - that would make my condition any different from what it is. But here's the situation. First, I have something called tarsal tunnel tendonitis (I think that's what he called it) which accounts for the pain on the inside of my foot. Then there is the nerve damage that is accounting for the other pain. So I have prescriptions for those issues that "might" help. And that's the good news! Once the x-rays had been taken and the doctor looked at them, he says "your ankle is a mess. It's one of the worst ankles I've ever seen. I'm surprised you can walk at all!" At first I was ready to get upset with him thinking he was being critical of the previous surgeon, but that wasn't what he meant at all. It seems that there was so much damage to my bones when I broke them and the bones lost blood supply so that they are essentially dead, and because of that damage combined with my degenerative arthritis, my ankle has collapsed. So.....either an ankle replacement (not a good surgery, according to the doctor) or an ankle fusion.
Found all that out on Thursday. So I had a pity party for the rest of the day and gave myself until noon yesterday to get over it!! I have found that the best way to deal with a pity party is to set a deadline!! Since then I'm telling myself to put my big girl panties on and deal with it!! Feeling sorry for myself won't make it get better and in the long run only makes me feel worse. So, right now I'm trying to adjust to some new medications which I hope are going to do some good. Right now they are only making me very sleepy and leave me feeling unable to focus! Not a good feeling.
And through it all God is teaching me to give thanks in all things.....even the not so good things!! I admit that right now I am struggling through this lesson, but even in this I know God is in control and has a plan and a purpose!! And I would be less than honest if I didn't admit that knowing that intellectually and actually experiencing it in my "feelings" are two different things right now.
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