September 25, 2017
Category: health
September 11, 2017
It’s Good to be a Poppy
It's my goal to be as good a grandparent as my grandparents were to me. Oh sure, they were human and prone to mistakes, just like me, but were such a blessing. Even when I told a lie so elaborate my Grandma Weddle had to call the police...
August 17, 2017
Never Doubt Your Worth
For those of us who deal with prolonged issues such as pain, anxiety and depression, it’s easy to begin to question your abilities and worth. Once vibrant, bright-eyed and energetic, we slowly become hollow, dull-eyed and exhausted. But God is calling out of darkness, into His marvelous light. Laughter and love, not tears and anger. Joy and hope, not sadness and despair.
August 16, 2017
So Very Tired, Lord
You are the One who has given me every good thing in my life. You are the One who has given me not only the hope of salvation, but of Heaven, Lord. It was You who led my ancestors through many challenging days, through death and right into Your arms, Lord. I would like to ask one thing, Lord. I'm tired. I'm so very tired today. I don't know what else to say. I don't know what else to do. I just pray You give me strength. Give me the courage and tenacity to continue living for You in these difficult times. Allow me the spiritual brawn to lead my family to Your gates, Jesus.
August 3, 2017
Where Lambs Become Lions
Nobody else looks at you as critically as YOU do. Others see your assets; all you see are your liabilities. Your faults and shortcomings. Others are younger, thinner, smarter, more talented, wittier and better looking, right? Well, the good news is God doesn’t judge people the way we do. He looks right into your heart, and sees the kind of person you are on the inside. With God, lambs become lions.
August 1, 2017
Get Medieval on the Demon of Depression
The dark cloud of depression can be emotionally crippling, can it not? We keep swallowing all that vile bitterness, not wanting to burden anyone. Suffering in silence. Sometimes our friends and family are aware and sometimes they’re not. Some interpret our depression as laziness, while others see it as a serious lack of motivation. Well, maybe it’s laziness, maybe it’s age, maybe it’s chronic fatigue, but maybe, just maybe, it’s depression. I'm here to say I feel ya, but I'm not giving in. I'm not gonna quit, and you can't either.
July 24, 2017
Fight The “Blues” With Me
It’s the first day of the work week, but I'm not experiencing your typical "Monday Blues" today. I have no clue what's wrong; it's as though a dark cloud of sadness, almost an anxiousness, has moved into the duplex next door. Sometimes—for me anyway—stress, depression, anger and even anxiety unwillingly invade, like watching black storm clouds roll into my spirit. As I am helpless to chase away a thunderstorm by sheer will, so this feels in my heart. But my family and I are born fighters. We surrender to God alone; never to darkness, never to defeat.
July 11, 2017
Laugh It Up, Fuzzball
The tattoo on my right upper bicep (and on my daughter’s calf) says, “No fear of the future, no regrets of the past.” Granted, this is a mindset which is hard to attain, and even harder to maintain. It's a goal both she and I strive for every day. I'm closer to it than I was a year ago, but not as adept as I will be in a year. It’s totally doable, though. I know this because I've witnessed the joyful faces of those who have gone through terrible agony. There is a terrible sadness, hidden away, which has forever altered their lives. But not destroyed them. So follow the advice of that great theologian, Han Solo, who said, “Laugh it up, fuzzball.”
June 29, 2017