I read Liz Curtis Higgs' book 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart back in November. But then came "the event", otherwise known as a hemorrhagic stroke, so I was unable to tell you how much I liked this book.
Liz Curtis Higgs is a favorite author, so when I was given the opportunity to review this book I was very excited to see what she had in store for us. I found this book much like sitting down with a good friend and having a conversation about the Scripture. Since these days sitting and reading a book is not a skill that has come back to me yet, I'm glad I read it before "the event", and thankful that I remember it!
As I was looking back over this book this morning, my eyes landed on one of my favorite passages of Scripture, 1 Thessalonians 5:15...In everything give thanks... This was a passage I often called to mind in the days following my stroke. I'm glad this is one of the passages Liz chose as the 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart!
31 Verses is a great book to read if you enjoy sitting with a friend talking about the Scripture, because that is exactly what this feels like. This is a great book to read if you feel like your devotional time has gotten a little stale and you need some help getting "back in the habit." This is a great book if you are new in the faith and need some help getting started in the Scripture. It's a great book to give to friends, and it's a great good to gift to yourself.
I'm glad I read it, and I hope you will too.
I received a free copy of 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest opinion.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
The New Normal
Today is an anniversary. On this day, 10 weeks ago, life was normal. And then it wasn't. On this day, 10 weeks ago, I had a stroke and "normal" changed.
Today I am celebrating. Today I am giving thanks. Today is a good day!
On this day 10 weeks ago, things were not so good. On this day, there were a lot of questions. Would I wake up? If I did wake up, would I be speak to speak. Would I be able to use my hand. If I did wake up, exactly what would my life be like? I'm thankful that I was unaware of that, and even more thankful for all of you who were praying for me on that day.
Today I'm celebrating those prayers. Celebrating a faithful God who hears and answers prayer! Celebrating that not only did I wake up after what we have come to refer to as "the event", but I am healthy and happy and loving my life! Yes, my life has a new "normal", but life is good and I am so blessed!
Because I can't answer every question individually, let me give you an update here. After the last several weeks, since I was discharged from Rehab, I have had outpatient therapy twice a week, for three hours each visit - Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy. I was discharged from PT last Wednesday and discharged from OT on Friday. Speech Therapy will continue for several more weeks.
I regained the use of my right arm before I left the hospital, and after these weeks of therapy I have regained most of my strength on that side. The "new normal" has to do with my vision and my speech, which is a term that covers reading and writing and talking. Probably to no ones surprise, the "talking" has recovered. I still get words jumbled up, especially when I'm tired, but I sometimes get "stuck" on a word, but overall, "talking" is going very well.
My writing skills continue to improve. I'm still having trouble understanding why it is so much easier for me to "write" on the computer keyboard than to use paper or my phone, but typing continues to be the method by which I am best able to communicate. My written communication continues to improve, and I spend a lot of time practicing writing, copying words and doing other exercises assigned by my therapist, so I'm hoping I'll continue to make progress.
Reading remains the most challenging. I can read short words and phrases, occasionally a paragraph or two, but it is a slow, painstaking process. I'm hopeful that all this effort yields a good result! My therapist continues to remind me that it will take time, so I'm trying to be patient!
Other than doing my therapy "homework" and not being able to drive any more, life is good. I take walks in the neighborhood just as I did before. I do laundry and things around the house, just as I did before. I don't pay the bills or do anything to do with money, because I still mix numbers up pretty badly, so our new "normal" is that Al takes care of that. And I rarely talk on the phone any more, so if you have called and I didn't answer, its because it's just easier for me not to deal with the telephone. Please don't take it personally!
Another "new normal" is that I always have Al proofread these posts, just to be sure I haven't mixed my words up. But he's in a meeting all morning, so I'm taking a lead and posting without a proofreader for the first time since "the event"! Another "new normal"!
These 10 weeks have been challenging. And frustrating. And exhausting! But they have been weeks of great blessing and encouragement. Weeks that have grown my faith. That have blessed me beyond measure! And I wouldn't trade it for anything!
Yes, my "normal" has changed. But my God has not changed. And these 10 weeks have only deepened my love for Him. I am so grateful for all of you who have prayed for me and who continue to pray. You have blessed me beyond words!
On this 10 week anniversary, I am so thankful! God has been so good to me, and I give Him all the glory for all He has done!
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."
(Psalm 103:1)
Today I am celebrating. Today I am giving thanks. Today is a good day!
On this day 10 weeks ago, things were not so good. On this day, there were a lot of questions. Would I wake up? If I did wake up, would I be speak to speak. Would I be able to use my hand. If I did wake up, exactly what would my life be like? I'm thankful that I was unaware of that, and even more thankful for all of you who were praying for me on that day.
Today I'm celebrating those prayers. Celebrating a faithful God who hears and answers prayer! Celebrating that not only did I wake up after what we have come to refer to as "the event", but I am healthy and happy and loving my life! Yes, my life has a new "normal", but life is good and I am so blessed!
Because I can't answer every question individually, let me give you an update here. After the last several weeks, since I was discharged from Rehab, I have had outpatient therapy twice a week, for three hours each visit - Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Speech Therapy. I was discharged from PT last Wednesday and discharged from OT on Friday. Speech Therapy will continue for several more weeks.
I regained the use of my right arm before I left the hospital, and after these weeks of therapy I have regained most of my strength on that side. The "new normal" has to do with my vision and my speech, which is a term that covers reading and writing and talking. Probably to no ones surprise, the "talking" has recovered. I still get words jumbled up, especially when I'm tired, but I sometimes get "stuck" on a word, but overall, "talking" is going very well.
My writing skills continue to improve. I'm still having trouble understanding why it is so much easier for me to "write" on the computer keyboard than to use paper or my phone, but typing continues to be the method by which I am best able to communicate. My written communication continues to improve, and I spend a lot of time practicing writing, copying words and doing other exercises assigned by my therapist, so I'm hoping I'll continue to make progress.
Reading remains the most challenging. I can read short words and phrases, occasionally a paragraph or two, but it is a slow, painstaking process. I'm hopeful that all this effort yields a good result! My therapist continues to remind me that it will take time, so I'm trying to be patient!
Other than doing my therapy "homework" and not being able to drive any more, life is good. I take walks in the neighborhood just as I did before. I do laundry and things around the house, just as I did before. I don't pay the bills or do anything to do with money, because I still mix numbers up pretty badly, so our new "normal" is that Al takes care of that. And I rarely talk on the phone any more, so if you have called and I didn't answer, its because it's just easier for me not to deal with the telephone. Please don't take it personally!
Another "new normal" is that I always have Al proofread these posts, just to be sure I haven't mixed my words up. But he's in a meeting all morning, so I'm taking a lead and posting without a proofreader for the first time since "the event"! Another "new normal"!
These 10 weeks have been challenging. And frustrating. And exhausting! But they have been weeks of great blessing and encouragement. Weeks that have grown my faith. That have blessed me beyond measure! And I wouldn't trade it for anything!
Yes, my "normal" has changed. But my God has not changed. And these 10 weeks have only deepened my love for Him. I am so grateful for all of you who have prayed for me and who continue to pray. You have blessed me beyond words!
On this 10 week anniversary, I am so thankful! God has been so good to me, and I give Him all the glory for all He has done!
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."
(Psalm 103:1)
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
So Many Reasons. Thankful Tuesday.
This is another gray, gloomy day here in South Carolina. But I have hardly noticed, because in this household, the sun is shining brightly. I have so many reasons to be thankful this morning that I am overflowing!
In the weeks since my stroke I have received so many letters and cards, notes and gifts. An abundance of gifts from friends and family, and from people I don't even know. Al always read the letters to me, but in the beginning I didn't always comprehend what was said. In recent weeks, I'm being so blessed as I read your comments on Facebook and the other notes I receive. You cannot begin to understand how much this encourages me, so today I am thanking the Lord for all of you. You have blessed my life in ways you cannot begin to imagine, and I thank you so much!
These weeks have also taught me a lot about prayer. I am overwhelmed by the number of people who have prayed, and who are continuing to pray, for my recovery. Certainly I believed in prayer before all this happened. Prayer was an integral part of my life before all this happened. But I am amazed and humbled as I have learned of the army of prayer warriors who have been interceding on my behalf. I have felt the power of these prayers. And I am telling everybody who will listen that God has answered these prayers! Yes, God has used doctors and therapists. Yes, I have worked hard. But this is all God's doing! He gets all the glory, and I am amazed at His goodness to me.
This morning was a very special morning. Following my therapists instructions, I look for short paragraphs to practice reading aloud. This morning as I was scrolling through Facebook, the daily devotion from Dr. Charles Stanley grabbed my attention with this phrase: "God will allow testing so we can discern our spiritual grown."
That got my attention, so I decided to see how much I would be able to read. And, with only a few stumbles, I read the whole thing! To God be the glory! One week ago there was no way I could have read that. But today I did. Every word!
This is indeed a Thankful Tuesday! I am thankful for all of you have blessed me so graciously with gifts and cards and messages of all types. I am thankful for how far I have progressed in my recovery. I am thankful to be able to type this post. I am thankful that my reading is improving. I am thankful for the way this morning's post blessed my heart.
I am especially thankful for the gift of prayer. I am thankful for all of you who have prayed for me and continue to pray. I am humbled beyond words at how God has blessed me because you have prayed.
Above all, I am thankful for my Savior, the one who knows me best and loves me most, not because I deserve it or because of anything I have done, but because of who He is.
In the weeks since my stroke I have received so many letters and cards, notes and gifts. An abundance of gifts from friends and family, and from people I don't even know. Al always read the letters to me, but in the beginning I didn't always comprehend what was said. In recent weeks, I'm being so blessed as I read your comments on Facebook and the other notes I receive. You cannot begin to understand how much this encourages me, so today I am thanking the Lord for all of you. You have blessed my life in ways you cannot begin to imagine, and I thank you so much!
These weeks have also taught me a lot about prayer. I am overwhelmed by the number of people who have prayed, and who are continuing to pray, for my recovery. Certainly I believed in prayer before all this happened. Prayer was an integral part of my life before all this happened. But I am amazed and humbled as I have learned of the army of prayer warriors who have been interceding on my behalf. I have felt the power of these prayers. And I am telling everybody who will listen that God has answered these prayers! Yes, God has used doctors and therapists. Yes, I have worked hard. But this is all God's doing! He gets all the glory, and I am amazed at His goodness to me.
This morning was a very special morning. Following my therapists instructions, I look for short paragraphs to practice reading aloud. This morning as I was scrolling through Facebook, the daily devotion from Dr. Charles Stanley grabbed my attention with this phrase: "God will allow testing so we can discern our spiritual grown."
That got my attention, so I decided to see how much I would be able to read. And, with only a few stumbles, I read the whole thing! To God be the glory! One week ago there was no way I could have read that. But today I did. Every word!
This is indeed a Thankful Tuesday! I am thankful for all of you have blessed me so graciously with gifts and cards and messages of all types. I am thankful for how far I have progressed in my recovery. I am thankful to be able to type this post. I am thankful that my reading is improving. I am thankful for the way this morning's post blessed my heart.
I am especially thankful for the gift of prayer. I am thankful for all of you who have prayed for me and continue to pray. I am humbled beyond words at how God has blessed me because you have prayed.
Above all, I am thankful for my Savior, the one who knows me best and loves me most, not because I deserve it or because of anything I have done, but because of who He is.
To God be the glory. Great things He has done.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Making Adjustments
What a difference a week makes! This time last week we were dealing with frigid temperatures and snow that wouldn't go away. This morning, we have a wet, gloomy morning that feels more like spring. So, as we often do here in South Carolina, we make some adjustments to our wardrobe and life goes on.
Adjustments are part of life. It may be because of weather or some other circumstance of life, but we all have to learn to make adjustments. For me, there have been a number of adjustments in this period of stroke recover. The most recent adjustment came a few days ago.
For weeks following my stroke, I wore an eye patch because of double vision in my right eye. About two weeks ago, the double vision was gone, so I stopped wearing the patch since the patch no longer served a purpose. You can't imagine how happy I was to be rid of that patch! However, although I no longer had double vision, I couldn't see very well in my right eye.
I saw the Neuro-ophthalmologist on Friday. The result is that I will be wearing glasses again which will improve my eyesight because of whatever went wrong as a result of the stroke. That's the good news. The bad news is that I have lost my field of vision on the right side as a result of the stroke. That means no more driving for me, and that is going to take some getting used to! But, while this definitely an adjustment, it's ok. I can see! I will be able to see better once I get the glasses. And I think that will be a big help as I'm learning to read and right again. Being able to see clearly will make a big difference!
When I think back over these last two months, I'm amazed at how far I have come. From those early days in ICU, which I don't remember at all, to rehab and now to outpatient therapy, God has been so good to me. I still get very tired and am working to regain my strength, but on Friday I walked to the top of the hill and back. I can't read a book yet, but I can read sentences and occasional a short paragraph. It's a more labor-intensive process than it used to be, but I'm able to blog again. And I'm looking forward to the day when I can once again be teaching in our Sunday School class. There was a time when I never thought that would be possible again, but now I have a target date in mind and I'm praying about that, which is something that really excites me.
Is life exactly like it was before the stroke? No. Will it ever be exactly the same as it was before? Probably not. But life is good. And I am very thankful!
We all have adjustments to make in life. We all have things in our lives that are less than we would like them to be. You may not have had a stroke. Your issues may be different than mine. But we all have issues. And no matter what our issues, we can face them the same way. By trusting God to bring us through. By remembering that He has a plan and a purpose for all things. We may not always understand it, but it's still true that God is at work for our good and for His glory.
These last two months have not been easy, and I confess that I have more than once wished I could turn back time to before November 16. Even so, I would not trade any of it for what I have learned in this process. God has been so good to me. He has blessed me so much through this process. And I wouldn't trade what He has taught me for anything!
Adjustments are part of life. It may be because of weather or some other circumstance of life, but we all have to learn to make adjustments. For me, there have been a number of adjustments in this period of stroke recover. The most recent adjustment came a few days ago.
For weeks following my stroke, I wore an eye patch because of double vision in my right eye. About two weeks ago, the double vision was gone, so I stopped wearing the patch since the patch no longer served a purpose. You can't imagine how happy I was to be rid of that patch! However, although I no longer had double vision, I couldn't see very well in my right eye.
I saw the Neuro-ophthalmologist on Friday. The result is that I will be wearing glasses again which will improve my eyesight because of whatever went wrong as a result of the stroke. That's the good news. The bad news is that I have lost my field of vision on the right side as a result of the stroke. That means no more driving for me, and that is going to take some getting used to! But, while this definitely an adjustment, it's ok. I can see! I will be able to see better once I get the glasses. And I think that will be a big help as I'm learning to read and right again. Being able to see clearly will make a big difference!
When I think back over these last two months, I'm amazed at how far I have come. From those early days in ICU, which I don't remember at all, to rehab and now to outpatient therapy, God has been so good to me. I still get very tired and am working to regain my strength, but on Friday I walked to the top of the hill and back. I can't read a book yet, but I can read sentences and occasional a short paragraph. It's a more labor-intensive process than it used to be, but I'm able to blog again. And I'm looking forward to the day when I can once again be teaching in our Sunday School class. There was a time when I never thought that would be possible again, but now I have a target date in mind and I'm praying about that, which is something that really excites me.
Is life exactly like it was before the stroke? No. Will it ever be exactly the same as it was before? Probably not. But life is good. And I am very thankful!
We all have adjustments to make in life. We all have things in our lives that are less than we would like them to be. You may not have had a stroke. Your issues may be different than mine. But we all have issues. And no matter what our issues, we can face them the same way. By trusting God to bring us through. By remembering that He has a plan and a purpose for all things. We may not always understand it, but it's still true that God is at work for our good and for His glory.
These last two months have not been easy, and I confess that I have more than once wished I could turn back time to before November 16. Even so, I would not trade any of it for what I have learned in this process. God has been so good to me. He has blessed me so much through this process. And I wouldn't trade what He has taught me for anything!
Monday, January 9, 2017
Catching Up
It's a cold morning here in South Carolina. We aren't accustomed to this kind of cold weather around here! It snowed on Saturday, which made many people very happy since we rarely see snow here. This morning, I'm watching the snow out the window as I drink another cup of coffee and think about things.
I would love to be sitting with each of you, sharing coffee and having a chat. But since that isn't possible, I will use my keyboard to catch you up on what's been going on in my world.
In many ways it's hard to believe that almost eight weeks have passed since I had my stroke. In other ways, it seems like this has been part of my life for a very long time! Over these last few weeks, I have been learning a lot about strokes. The type of stroke I had is a "bleed", and my right side was affected. I spend a lot of my time these days at Doctor's offices and at therapy! In between, I'm either napping or working on my "homework" assigned by my therapists.
Last week was a milestone in my progress. For starters, I no longer require a cane or a crutch. But the even bigger deal is that am no longer wearing a patch on my eye! Since I was at rehab I have worn an eye patch, switching it from one eye to the other ever two hours. I was told this would eventually eliminate my double vision, something that had been a problem ever since the stroke. I didn't really believe it would help, but the doctor said it would, so I did what I was told. Well, he was right and I was wrong! I no longer have double vision! I still can't see well, but I will be seeing a neuro-ophthalmologist soon to deal with all of that. (And, by the way, getting that word written correctly was quite a challenge!).
Speech and memory are the areas where I continue to have the most difficulty. I have made great improvements in speech, and can carry on short conversations with no real problems. When I am tired, or when conversations are long, I still struggle. Reading and writing remain the biggest challenge. Writing is improving slowly. And strangely enough, writing on the computer works better than using pen or paper or phone. Reading is the most challenging, which causes me great frustration since reading is one of my greatest pleasures.
Things that used to be so simple are now very challenging. Every day I am grateful for all God has brought me through, but I confess that these challenges often bring me great frustration. It has become my daily prayer that God will help me to grateful. That I will focus my attention on the I can do and that I will not stress over what I can't.
Maybe you could pray with me!
I would love to be sitting with each of you, sharing coffee and having a chat. But since that isn't possible, I will use my keyboard to catch you up on what's been going on in my world.
In many ways it's hard to believe that almost eight weeks have passed since I had my stroke. In other ways, it seems like this has been part of my life for a very long time! Over these last few weeks, I have been learning a lot about strokes. The type of stroke I had is a "bleed", and my right side was affected. I spend a lot of my time these days at Doctor's offices and at therapy! In between, I'm either napping or working on my "homework" assigned by my therapists.
Last week was a milestone in my progress. For starters, I no longer require a cane or a crutch. But the even bigger deal is that am no longer wearing a patch on my eye! Since I was at rehab I have worn an eye patch, switching it from one eye to the other ever two hours. I was told this would eventually eliminate my double vision, something that had been a problem ever since the stroke. I didn't really believe it would help, but the doctor said it would, so I did what I was told. Well, he was right and I was wrong! I no longer have double vision! I still can't see well, but I will be seeing a neuro-ophthalmologist soon to deal with all of that. (And, by the way, getting that word written correctly was quite a challenge!).
Speech and memory are the areas where I continue to have the most difficulty. I have made great improvements in speech, and can carry on short conversations with no real problems. When I am tired, or when conversations are long, I still struggle. Reading and writing remain the biggest challenge. Writing is improving slowly. And strangely enough, writing on the computer works better than using pen or paper or phone. Reading is the most challenging, which causes me great frustration since reading is one of my greatest pleasures.
Things that used to be so simple are now very challenging. Every day I am grateful for all God has brought me through, but I confess that these challenges often bring me great frustration. It has become my daily prayer that God will help me to grateful. That I will focus my attention on the I can do and that I will not stress over what I can't.
Maybe you could pray with me!
Monday, January 2, 2017
Perfect Peace
Happy New Year!
The New Year is a good time for some pondering. If you've been reading these posts for any length of time, you may remember that "pondering" is one of my favorite things. This habit of "pondering" comes from one of my favorite lines in one of my favorite hymns.
The German hymn from the 1600s, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, contains this phrase: ponder anew what the Almighty can do.
In these last few weeks I have been doing a lot of "pondering". I have spent a lot of time pondering what God has done in my life. Almost 7 weeks have gone by since I had my stroke. There is still much I don't remember. And there are many things I struggle with on a daily basis. But there are so many things I can do now that I never thought I would be able to do again. And those are the things I have been pondering. God has been so good to me! When I ponder how far I have come, I am overwhelmed!
As I ponder all He has done and all He is able to do, I am reminded of a particular memory when I was in rehab. One Sunday morning when I was waiting to be taken to breakfast, a very clear memory came to my mind. At that time, nothing was very clear in my mind and making clear sentences was a real struggle. Even so, this memory was crystal clear.
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts in Thee." (Isaiah 24:3)
Although I didn't remember the reference, I remembered those words, and I repeated that verse over and over during my days in rehab. I still call that verse to mind over and over, especially on days that are frustrating or difficult, as some days are. There have been other days that the Lord has brought to my mind that have encouraged me during this journey, but it was this verse from Isaiah that was the first one I remembered, and it is this verse that I have turned to most often.
I have a long journey ahead as I learn to read and write again. I still struggle when I can't do the things I love to do must, and as I try to be patient. Yet even in the midst of the struggles, I am at peace, because I know that God is in control. I know that God has a plan and a purpose, and I trust him. Because I trust Him, and because I have fixed my mind on Him, am at peace.
The New Year is a good time for some pondering. If you've been reading these posts for any length of time, you may remember that "pondering" is one of my favorite things. This habit of "pondering" comes from one of my favorite lines in one of my favorite hymns.
The German hymn from the 1600s, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, contains this phrase: ponder anew what the Almighty can do.
In these last few weeks I have been doing a lot of "pondering". I have spent a lot of time pondering what God has done in my life. Almost 7 weeks have gone by since I had my stroke. There is still much I don't remember. And there are many things I struggle with on a daily basis. But there are so many things I can do now that I never thought I would be able to do again. And those are the things I have been pondering. God has been so good to me! When I ponder how far I have come, I am overwhelmed!
As I ponder all He has done and all He is able to do, I am reminded of a particular memory when I was in rehab. One Sunday morning when I was waiting to be taken to breakfast, a very clear memory came to my mind. At that time, nothing was very clear in my mind and making clear sentences was a real struggle. Even so, this memory was crystal clear.
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts in Thee." (Isaiah 24:3)
Although I didn't remember the reference, I remembered those words, and I repeated that verse over and over during my days in rehab. I still call that verse to mind over and over, especially on days that are frustrating or difficult, as some days are. There have been other days that the Lord has brought to my mind that have encouraged me during this journey, but it was this verse from Isaiah that was the first one I remembered, and it is this verse that I have turned to most often.
I have a long journey ahead as I learn to read and write again. I still struggle when I can't do the things I love to do must, and as I try to be patient. Yet even in the midst of the struggles, I am at peace, because I know that God is in control. I know that God has a plan and a purpose, and I trust him. Because I trust Him, and because I have fixed my mind on Him, am at peace.
"For all You done I will thank you,
for all You are going to do,
For all You have promised and all that You are,
Is all that has carried me through.
Jesus, I thank You.
(Hillsong)
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