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About This Author
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Each Day Already is a Challenge
A Texas Sunrise
 
A friend, William Taylor, took this picture. He visits Surfside Beach with his dogs almost every morning, watching the sun rise while the dogs prance about at the water's edge.
This is only about ten miles from where I lived in Lake Jackson, Texas. Sadly, I only visited this beach about four times in the six years I lived nearby.
Each day is a challenge. A challenge to get by without thinking about the fibromyalgia pains. A challenge to stay awake when chronic fatigure wants to take over. And a challenge to navigate through fibro fog.
I haven't been writing as much as in the past. For years, I wrote at least 500 words a day. Now, I'm lucky if I write 500 words in month. Sigh.
For more information about what my day (or life) is all about with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic pains, IBS, depression and everything else thrown in, check this out:
Previous ... - 1- 2 ... Next
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Grrr. I made an entry then hit the wrong key and I lost it.
Anyway...
No, I have not seen the whole movie. But I have seen quite a few clips and enough interviews with Michael Moore to know that I will. And soon.
I understand that Larry King interviewed Michael Moore last night and that he wasn't very respectful of his guest. Supposedly he treated him as if he had to do the interview, not as if it was a topic of interest to Larry.
And supposedly afterward there was another show where the Republicans responded to the movie.
I've been a Republican for years, but this just could be an issue that changes that.
I was told that one stupid Republican said that we - I guess Americans who are for universal health care - need to wake up and realize that health care is not a right.
As one who suffers a chronic illness and who has seen numerous people not being treated or being mistreated because of financial issues, them's fighting words. The not-so-nice part of me (yes, I do have one, considering - as Budroe   says I have a belly button) wants that Republican to be without health care himself for once in his life and to find out what millions of Americans face every day. Or to have coverage and have to fight with the insurance company to cover something that should be covered.
I like the not yet candidate Fred Thompson, but one of his first blog entries is all about how we cannot have universal health care and how our health care system is set up to be and should remain part of our capitalist system. Grrr. His blog also mentions that the people who live in countries where health care is part of the tax system have to wait for years to get elective surgeries.
I really have not come across anyone in Europe or Canada who would trade their system for ours. Have you?????
When I lived in Florida, I met hundreds of Canadians. Snowbirds we called them. They knew to the day how many days they could spend wintering in Florida before they had to go back home...just so they could keep their Canadian health coverage. Not one of the ones I met wanted our health care system. They didn't complain about having to wait weeks or months or years for treatments. In fact, if you asked them about that they claimed it wasn't so. So why do the Republicans insist on bringing this up?
People in other countries live longer. There are probably two reasons for that.
1) Everyone can get preventive care as well as care when they are sick.
2) They don't have to worry about how they will afford to be cared for if they are sick.
Unfortunately, I really don't know how they will fix our system. Right now, doctors get rich. Pharmaceutical companies get rich. Insurance companies get rich. They would not like having the opportunity to get and stay rich taken away from them. And they have lots and lots of lobbyists who wine and dine our congressmen/women. (Who of course don't have to worry about health care themselves, since they have a whole program set up just for them.)
I read somewhere where it would take an uprising or a "Boston tea party-like" happening to get the attention of those who can begin to change this for us. And you know...I don't think Americans are up to that anymore.
Nope. We're comfortable with what we have. We believe what people tell us - about how the people in Europe and Canada have it so badly with their health system. We might watch this new Michael Moore movie and get riled temporarily. But we'll be back to being silent as soon as the hoop-la is over. |
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Posting this link will probably get me a few emails from folks who don't like the article. I didn't write it. But I do have to agree with some of what
Coach Dave wrote.
His recent posting at News With Views is called, "Have You Ever Visited a Gay Pride Parade?" http://www.newswithviews.com/Daubenmire/dave75.htm
I have not. But almost 30 years ago, I found myself in Houston, Texas during a arts festival in the midst of Montrose, an almost entirely gay community (at least back then). As one who had just recently left a small town in Michigan, just being in the big city of Houston was a big enough shock. Seeing what others considered "normal" activities and attitudes, but that I would consider extreme at a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade, was...well it was something.
Even though I lived in Houston for 8 years (and later just an hour south of Houston for another 6 years) I never set foot in Montrose again. Even though it was said that they held some of the best arts shows and had a few really good restaurants.
In 1999 Coach Dave Daubenmire was sued by the ACLU for praying with his teams while coaching high school in Ohio. He now spends his energy fighting for Christian principles in the public domain.
He is the founder and President of Pass The Salt Ministries http://www.ptsalt.com and Minutemen United http://www.minutemenunited.org, is host of the high octane Pass The Salt radio show heard in Columbus, Ohio.
Oh what the heck. Here's another News With Views article that is bound to get to some folks. Martha West says, "Americans have been asleep at the wheel while powerful far left ideologues work--round the clock to create words in his or her own image. Before you know it we'll all be echoing "One Nation Under Liberals." http://www.newswithviews.com/West/marsha47.htm
Note: At the end of both of these articles, there are email addresses where you can send comments to the authors if you choose. 
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As you'll recall, I didn't make it church last Sunday. But hubby did. We kept forgetting to sit down so that he could read his notes to me. (I can't always read his writing.) Then I suggested that he type them up.
We thought the Building Character Series was over. We were wrong.
Part 11 - Honesty
John 8:44 NLT
The Devil...has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Steps to Building Honesty in Your Life
Proverbs 23:23 NIV
Buy the truth and do not sell it.
 Have an honesty check up
 Where is honesty an issue?
At work?
At home?
With friends?
"I can stop (drinking, smoking, etc.) at any time I want."
How is honesty an issue? Everyone has an issue with honesty.
Protecting others.
Slander/gossip - Paris Hilton, for example.
Exaggeration.
Deceit.
Flattery.
Justification (You get too much change back at the store and don't give it back. Justification? The prices are too high anyway? I got cheated the last time?)
The Greek word for dishonesty is "resume." (Exaggeration) 
Have an honesty re-evaluation
Provergs 13:21 NLT
Trouble chases sinners while blessings chase the righteous.
Dishonesty sometimes has gains. When you cheat on taxes, you get more money back. The Bible says those gains are temparary. It catches up.
Honesty Benefits
Develops character
Proverbs 20:7 NCV
The good people who live honest lives will be a blessing to their children.
Character is what I am when no one is looking.
Ephesians 4:15 NLT
Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and mroe in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
Integrity is when honesty gets together with character.
Home is the place where character is tested. Lays the groundwork for spiritual maturity.
Cultivates confidence
Proverbs 11:6 NCV
Doing right brings freedom to honest people.
"It's easier to tell the truth. That way you don't have to keep track of anything." ~ Mark Twain
Completes the connection (with God)
Psalms 51:6 TLB
You (God) deserve honesty from the heart.
The more He is in your life, the harder it is to be dishonest.
When the message starts to get to you inside, don't feel guilty. That's a good sign - that God is speaking to you. The Spirit is not like a Jewish mother; guilt is not the goal.
Honesty? Just do it.
Take an inventory inside. God wants to connec with you here and now. |
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When problems arise in a Christian's life, does he call upon God first? Hopefully so. And God answers. He doesn't always answer in the ways we expect, but He answers.
If you don't believe in God, then who do you call when you're in trouble? I guess you have to call on your fellow man. Frankly, we're not always as reliable as God.
I think I've mentioned my cousin before in my blog. He'll be 65 this year. He has a master's degree in psychology and at one time he practiced. He worked for the worker's compensation board in Canada years ago. I think he was probably quite good, even if he was somewhat unorthadox. The problem was that he and the insurance people didn't always agree on treatments or on diagnosis, and he's not one to back down.
At the age of 60, he learned to be a truck driver. Even that wasn't a pleasant experience - for him or for the company. He didn't like being paired with an equally inexperienced driver after training. After having his life endangered by his partner, Cousin Ed called the company and quit when they wouldn't put him with a safer driver. (His stories about training and riding with that other new driver are scary. It's no wonder there are accidents with 18-wheelers.)
Today, he delivers buses - school buses and those cute little buses that you find at retirement centers and hotels.
He drives his Tracker to where he's to pick up a bus, then attaches his vehicle to the bus and tows it so that he has a way to get back home. There are not many instances where he has a back haul (a bus to deliver the other way).
I knew he was going out on a delivery yesterday. He had been sick, and that concerned me. He was also delivering from Indiana to Louisiana, and with the rain being so bad in so many places, it had me a bit concerned.
This morning I heard from him - a bit earlier than he might usually check in. (He does check in while he's on the road so a family member is aware of his comings and goings.)
The weather had not affected him, but he was in a bit of a pickle. He got on the road pretty early this morning. And sometime after he left his motel, one of his rear tires on his Tracker blew, but he didn't know it. Hundreds of cars probably passed him before two drivers tried to alert him to the problem. The first pulled up beside him and yelled and yelled. That didn't communicate anything to my cousin. He thought the guy was just mad at him for something.
The second sat on his horn, and that let my cousin know that something was wrong. He pulled off the road and discovered his problem. By then, the tire was gone and the wheel and rim and probably the brakes were ruined. He must have driven at least ten miles without realizing there was a problem.
There he sat on an interstate highway, but in the area of a very small town in Mississippi. He talked with his employer, but since the bus is okay they weren't very interested in his problem. He could very well just leave the Tracker and deliver the bus and then figure out how to get back home or to where his car sat.
While cousin and I talked, I got on Mapquest to see where he was stuck. Then I checked for churches in the area. Boy, there were hundreds.
You see, I remembered a time when my ex and my son and I were having car trouble - in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. I even wrote about that experience.
I talked with a church secretary in the area. She got in touch with one of the faithful in her church, someone whose ministry is such that he doesn't mind - loves, in fact - being "bothered" by strange human problems. They had not made a connection the last time my cousin and I spoke on the phone.
The highway patrol had been advised of his problem - about an hour before he called me.
Cousin called them back again and was told that they couldn't find him. I don't think he was too polite when he told them he was glad he wasn't bleeding.
Meanwhile, since he had calmed down a bit, Cousin Ed unhooked his Tracker and took the bus looking for help. I'm glad he hadn't done that earlier. I'm glad he's smart enough not to drive when he's so upset.
He found a truck stop and across the street was a towing company. It's also a junk yard, I guess, and that fellow told Ed that he might have the used parts to help him get his car fixed up.
I'm thankful that God placed a kind person in Ed's path, one who will try to help him without emptying his pockets.
Now I'm praying for two things. One, that my cousin thinks about getting some kind of towing coverage - AAA or AARP or something. And two that someday soon my cousin will have a God connection.
After all, when life dumps problems on you, who do you call? For me, the answer is the One who calms my soul.
*******
The fellow from church never did find my cousin either, I guess. Weird. Unless, of course, God just had a different idea.
I just heard from the Cuz. He's back on the road again. The guy who worked at the towing/junk yard and his boss saw to it that he got his car fixed, road tested, and back on the road just after noon their time - and for only about $200. Cuz is still scratching his head about that one. You know...there are still some good folks out there...
Personally, I think God was at work in another way today too. Yesterday, my son could not find his cell phone. It doesn't get a signal in our house, so calling it doesn't help. It won't ring in the house. He looked in every room about six times, checked cushions, checked all over my car. It just was no where to be found.
I told hubby that if Derek went to sleep in his room, I was going to check the basement myself. I was certain that his phone was under the sofa. I fell asleep before he did, though, and woke up after he did.
Not long ago he mentioned that he found his phone. He said that he felt "prompted" to check under the sofa again, even though he had alreay done so last night. This time, he lifted up one end and there it was. |
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Okay. I feel like doo-doo today. Both physically - the fibro flare-up is still in progress. And emotionally. I should have gone to the church for a few hours today for my volunteer time.
I should also go across town for two hours this afternoon. I have another consumer panel/study where I can earn $150 for two hours of my time - talking about toothpaste and toothbrushes. Not an exciting topic to me, but the money would help.
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I had the TV on this morning and saw the newest commercial against Wal-Mart by the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. It got my attention. Here's the website home page: http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/
And here's the link for the latest ad: http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/video/beapatriot.html
I haven't done much shopping at Wal-Mart myself since mid-2003. I didn't shop at Wal-Mart at all when I was living in Michigan and have only been there once since I arrived in Cincinnati at the end of 2004.
Years ago, when I traveled all over Florida selling and recruiting for House of Lloyd/Christmas Around the World, it bothered me that, as I drove down the highways, the only way to tell that I had entered a new county or a new town was that there was another Wal-Mart. They bought former farm land to put those stores on the highways. In town after town, I noticed fewer people shopping in the quaint, little town shops and more and more people in those Wal-Marts. That bothered me even back then and I avoided shopping at the big stores and faithfully shopped at the smaller mom and pop stores.
The ad I saw today says that Wal-Mart is buying more and more from China. And that China is selling weapons to Afghanistan, weapons that kill our U.S. troops.
I don't know about you, but I'm rather wary about merchandise from China any more. First it was a food recall. Then a dog food recall. Most recently, there has been a tire recall. People didn't know that their new SUVs had tires from China. I guess that explains why they fell apart and why some people died.
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Do you ever read World Magazine? It's a weekly magazine, much like Newsweek, except with a Christian slant. If you cannot afford a subscription, perhaps your library has copies. Or you can see the latest news at http://www.wordmag.com
In an essay by Marvin Olasky, we're reminded that George W. Bush is trying to return Washington to the principles of our founding fathers.
It also reminds us that George Washington said in 1789:
"Every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience." Washington also said - as many of our founding fathers did - that if Americans stopped believing in God, the nation was in big trouble.
This article also points to a book by Stephen Mansfield called Ten Tortured Words: How the Founding Fathers Tried to Protect Religion in America...and What's Happened Since. Sounds like a book I'm going to seek out.
Another great excerpt from the recent issue:
By Nancy Tishler, Professor Emerita of English at Pennsylvania State University, and author of studies in Scripture and ligerature: "When Paul told the Philippians to try chewing some tough meat, he meant something deeper than the feel-good theology of a satisfied people. Rathen than baby's milk, too many Christians settle for cotton candy or angel food cake, when they should be seeking to understand suffering and God's mercy."
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I'm feeling old today. No, it's not because of the pains and fatigue I've had since Saturday, although I'm still struggling with both.
Nope. I'm feeling old because I just heard Kelly Clarkson on GMA. I heard one song that was pretty, but the next one was a "bunch of screaming." I remember my mother saying that - the screaming part, not a pretty song part - about Janis Joplin. Not that Janis Joplin was one of my favorite singers back in the day. But she was definitely part of my teen years.
Now that I'm older and I ponder a lot - as opposed to immediately concluding that parents are weird as I did as a kid - I realize how hard it must have been for my parents' generation.
My mom liked Nat King Cole and Perry Como and Frank Sinatra, for pity's sake. If she thought that Elvis was "out there" I cannot imagine what she thought of Janis Joplin. Yes I can. Mom thought that Janis Joplin screamed, not sang. And she was a bit right about that. But it seemed okay back then.
Today, Kelly Clarkson's screaming annoyed me. And that made me feel old.
And it made me remember a sign I used to have. "Mirror, mirror on the wall. I am my mother, after all." 
*****
A few days ago, I included a note about praying for winter. We still need to keep her in our prayers. But did you see her last blog entry? Check it out: "Invalid Entry"  . God is good!
I heard the good news from Budroe first last night. I told him that I had a bit of a bad morning, but that God showed Himself in quite a few ways throughout the day, reminding me that He's in control.
Oddly enough, one of those ways was in an email I got. Just as I was pondering my son's fantastic idea - that I'm dying to share, but can't - yet - and thinking that eventually his idea could find him on local or national talk shows if all goes well, I got a marketing email.
I usually ignore the emails from this dude, but I have never tried to unsubscribe. I guess I'm afraid that corresponding with someone I don't choose to have a business relationship with will just cause more correspondence. That does happen.
Yesterday, instead of just deleting the email, I read it. Seriously, this came in the midst of pondering my son going on talk shows with his new idea.
Know what the email was? It was an invitation to a conference call about....how to get on radio and TV talk shows to promote your book, product or service.
Signing up was free. And since our long distance is almost free (well, you know - a set amount each month for unlimited long distance), all it will require is the time to listen in. Derek will be asleep this afternoon during the time of the conference call, so I'll be listening in.
Also included in that email was a link to one of Oprah's web pages - one that lists future shows and has a link to suggest shows. http://www.oprah.com/tows/intheworks/tows_works_main.jhtml Check it out. Perhaps there's something there for you.
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...a female version of Rip Van Winkle? That's what I want to be. I could just sleep and sleep and it's not because I've taken a bunch of drugs. I'm just plum tuckered out. Plus I have pains in places I didn't know I had places.
Been this way all weekend. Well...since I walked down the three flights of stairs from the movie theater to where we were parked in the garage. No, that's not quite right. I was fine after that. It started Saturday morning, I guess.
I missed church on Sunday and I missed feeding the folks at the apartments that our church adopted (Sunday afternoon). Hubby went, though. He even stayed to help clean up afterwards. I also missed my evening small group Bible study on Sunday evening.
I did drive Derek to work last night and pick him up this morning. But now my mind is in a total fog and my eyelids are so heavy that I don't know how I'm staying awake. Won't be for long. I can tell.
My muscles hurt, but they're also feeling heavy. Every movement both hurts and feels like I'm dragging around a ball and chain. Or maybe a dozen balls and chains.
Be sure to keep July 6 in your prayers. I really need the Social Security judge to see how this fibromyalgia affects my life and ability to work a full time job. If he decides there's some full time job out there that I could do, the dance is over. This is it. If I have to file again, I would have to use July 7 as my new "can't work" date. And if I do that, I won't have enough work credits to qualify anymore. (I do have enough credits up to the knee injury I had in 2002, which is the disabilty date we've been using. I have not worked full time since then.)
So that's what I need from you, my friends. Lots of prayers about this hearing coming up.
And understanding that I'm not visiting your port or your blog right now. I'm just too tired.
I wrote this a few days ago, but just posted. I guess I was chagrined about an email chain letter I received that day.
| |  | We Are So Gullible (E)
Send this email. You'll get rich and your wrinkles will disappear. Hey, it worked for me!
#1281893 by Kenzie  |
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My son came up with an absolutely brilliant idea. I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom. No sirrreee. I'm saying that because I'm 55, have been to college, have worked in business and sales and marketing (and writing). I'm saying that because I have always known that he could come up with an idea this good. I know that his IQ tested in the genious level when he was only two, and that he has been working below his abilities for years.
I can't reveal his idea at this point. But I will once he's ready to go global with it. (Yes, global!)
I told him that I'd help with preliminaries, though. So, if anyone has any suggestions and/or advice about...
The best web site host (especially if he's going to get lots of visitors, which I think he will)
Registering a domain name
Registering a trademark
I think that's all for now. I'll let you know later if I need any more help.
Meanwhile?
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So... I've been on a roll for some time now. Having an entry every day for.......I'm not even sure for how long. But even if the entries have been short, I've had one. But not for Saturday.
Hubby and I, plus my son and and hubby's daughter went to the movies again on Friday night. The last time we went, Tiff didn't really like the movie and Derek fell asleep. This time, everyone enjoyed the movie. What was it? Evan Almighty.
Peronally, I didn't like Bruce Almighty. But I highly recommend Evan Almighty. It's rated PG. And the whole bunch of us enjoyed it. Even Tiff's friend who came with us. Our ages: 10, 12, 23, 55 and 58. Two kids who attend church. Two adult committed Christians. And one adult who struggles with what to believe. We all enjoyed the movie.
I have to admit, I wondered how it was going to work. I was curious about how and why there would be another flood needing an ark. But it's okay. The movie doesn't disregard what the Bible says about that.
My mistake was to take the stairs to the parking lot after the movie. Three flights. I figured since we were going down to the parking lot, it wouldn't bother me that much. Wrong.
My knees were aching last night when I went to bed. Now, my knees, back, ankles, hips all ached The bottom of my feet are on fire. My ears feel like they're frostbitten (I really hate that one!). And I slept longer than usual Saturday morning and had two short naps during the day. All - most likely - because I decided to take the stairs after the movie. Grrr. This is my version of having a flare-up. And...compared to some folks I know who have fibromyalgia, it's not really that bad.
But it's bad enough. I'm tired. But I also hurt so badly that sleep just won't come now. And don't you know that I forgot to refill my pain pills (the ones I really hate and put off taking until I have a day like Saturday). Can't fill now until Monday, 'cause the prescription I have now says no refills. Grrr. I'm forced to try some anti-inflammatory pills which don't work real well, but do kill my stomach. So...I'll be taking some anti-barf pills too.
Know what else? The next time we're at that movie theater, I'll probably still want to walk down the stairs to the car. The elevator takes so long. And I still can't get it in my thick head that I can't do the things I once took for granted. |
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I had an opinion piece I wanted to get out there - somewhere besides here. I decided to send it to the newspaper where I used to work in Texas. They used to publish my guest columns quite a bit - before, during and after I worked there.
I decided to check the "rules" of some other newspapers, especially where I have lived.
Know what I discovered? The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette actually pays for opinion essays and guest columns.
Know what else? They pay for poems too!
Here's the link for submission guidelines: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03001/657233.stm |
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It looks like it should/could/will rain today. I hope it does. We need rain badly.
Did anyone see the news item about the little girls who were loud while swimming in their backyard pool? And the neighbors took the parents to court?
If you go to ABCnews.com and click on Good Morning America, it's quite a hot topic. If you missed the video, it's there.
Personally, I think the neighbors were right. The kids were too loud.
I tried posting a comment at ABCnews.com myself, but the page just kept flashing and never did accept my comment. Grrr.
What I tried to say was that the whole situation - the kids being too loud, their parents' attitude about it, and the neighbors' anger all show how different today's world is than when I was a kid.
When I was young, any adult in the neighborhood could have requested the kids to play a bit more quietly - especially without the shreiks! - and the girls would have responded, "Okay Mrs. _____. We're sorry." And they would have played more quietly.
Or, if they didn't, any one of the disturbed neighbors could have approached the parents and the parents would have apologized and asked their kids to play more quietly.
Back then, we were more other centered. Now we're more "me centered." We worry more about our own rights than the comfort and rights of those around us.
What's sad is that the kids and their parents may someday learn the importance of kids not shreiking and screaming that way. If they are ever really in trouble, their own parents and the neighbors around them will just ignore the screams. You know...the story of the little boy who cried wolf?
I can't tell you how many times I shared that story with neighbor kids in Texas - when they were shreiking in the courtyard or in the swimming pool. When put to them that way - that their cries for help could go unnoticed - they tended to listen to me and not just think I was a cranky old lady.
I guess I put too many links in an entry a few days ago. I may be about to do the same thing.
Here's the link to that bad poem I posted as part of a contest. (You know, the Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest.)
You're supposed to click here and read my bad poem, then vote on it like it's really good. Seriously. If you vote for my poem the most one day, I could win an I-pod or $1000. Really. Now wouldn't that be fun? Hey, I would share. Well, not the I-pod, but the money. I could buy some gp's and spread them around. http://www.poetry.com/voteforme/poemvote1.asp?PID=11956341 I'll wait....
Done?
Okay on to the next topic. I guess I'll never win an award for staying with one topic.
Ever feel tempted to send on a chain email letter or a popular forward? Know what you can do instead? Just send some of these links. These folks have collected some of the best and worst email chain letters and forwards. You can find more examples by just putting "email chain letters" or "email forwards" into a Google search.
http://bl.net/forwards/
http://www.chainletters.net/?page=index
This one is good: THINGS YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW WITHOUT THE MOVIES
http://bl.net/forwards/movies.html Reading this could actually help you do a story some day. |
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Building Character Series - Part 10 (final part)
Love is...
Joke:
Woman writes letter to ex-boyfriend.
Dear Bill,
I'm sorry I broke our engagement. I do still love you. Really.
Love, Carla
P.S. I heard you won the lottery.
Mark 12:29-31 NCV
Jesus answered, "...Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second command is this: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. There are no commands more important than these."
Galatians 5:14 NIV
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
Rediscovering Love
By definition
Bad definitions:
 Love is only a feeling. It's more!!!
Love is uncontrollable. Right. Your head is spinning? You're weak? In need? You fell in love and couldn't help it?
Good definitions:
Love is a choice.
Colossians 3:14 MSG
And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all purpose garment. Never be without it.
We are commanded to love, to wear love, to show love, not to "feel."
Love is an action.
1 John 3:18 NLT
Dear children, let us stop saying we love each other; let us really show it be our actions.
By demonstration.
Corinthian Love...(1 Corinthians 13)
Love never gives up. Love is patient.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 NIV
Be patient with everyone.
Love equals time and waiting and patience.
Ephesians 4:2 NLT
Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.
None of us are perfect. We have not yet grown up - spiritually. We're still on the way.
Love is other oriented.
Psalms 112:4 NCV
A light shines in the dark for honest people, for those who are merciful and kind and good.
Love feels secure.
Romans 8:39 NIV
Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
There is no envy, no boasting, no pride. If we're secure in love, we don't need to boast.
Love operates in a position of strength and everyone benefits. Love flows from abundance, not emptiness.
Love is giving and gracious.
Proverbs 11:25 GW
A generous person will be made rich, and whoever satisfies others will himself be satisfied.
Love makes a difference in small ways, in acts of kindness.
Love will not quit.
Psalms 27:14 MSG
Stay with God. Take heart. Don't quit. I'll say it again: Stay with God.
Love always hopes and perseveres.
Life is loaded with speed bumps. Love helps.
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Someone asked if I've been sleeping more than usual lately. Yes. Definitely. At least during the day.
Do you look at your blog stats? I do, but just once in a while. I usually get between 20 and 35 views per day. Yesterday, I had 58 views.
I wonder...did I have some weird key word?
Was it because I had 3 entries?
Guess we'll never know.
Anyway, I am working on the sermon notes. |
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I know, I know. I still haven't posted my sermon notes from Sunday. I will. (Although the longer I wait, the better the chance that I won't be able to read my own handwriting. )
I was at the church for a few hours this morning. I'm not sure I accomplished all that much. I did meet with the pastor and with Susan. Susan is the leader of our small group. She's also active in outreach ministries. She and I are going to help with the ArkALMIGHTY ministry in our church.
We're meeting at the church again tomorrow at noon for a conference call about this program. With the movie Evan Almighty coming out on Friday, we really want to tell our members - SOON - about this ministry.
We have a cool (big) banner to put outside that just says, "Help is here." It has a picture of the ark and gives the web site, www.ArkALMIGHTY.com on it.
We have some great bulletin insert pages, t-shirts for the pastor and Susan and I to wear as we introduce this. And a video clip to show. But we need to make sure we understand everything before the questions start. We also need to provide forms to fill out for those who do not access the Internet.
Lots to think about. Lots to do.
But, just like yesterday, I'm tired. I really have to take a nap before I think about all of this.
Grrr.
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I found another entry from a while back that I had marked as "keep private." Wish I would quit doing that.
Anyway, here's what you missed.
I'm not a doctor. Just a woman suffering from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and all that goes along with those...
Stomach ailments happen to fibro patients. And IBS. But my pains and digestive problems really bug me sometimes. I've had every test you can have - 2 and 3 times! But the medications meant to reduce stomach acid don't seem to help the pains (and burping and passing gas). Then I read somewhere that people over 50 often don't make enough acid. I tried taking some wine vinegar every day and that seemed to help. So who knows...
If you spend time on the internet researching what "helps" fibromyalgia, you'll find that there probably are not two patients taking the same exact meds. That's probably because every patient also has different pains and symptoms.  It makes it hard to figure out - for patients and doctors.
My gastro doc finally did admit that my pains might just be spasms, since everything else spasms and suggested a different muscle relaxer than I take for skeletal muscles. Sigh.
There are plenty of fibro patients who swear by taking guaifenesin. And there are plenty of doctors and researchers who seem to want to stop them from both taking gauifenesin and from talking about it. They claim there's a placebo effect. Perhaps. But supposedly, the man who started all of this, R. Paul St. Amand M.D., had it himself, and was, therefore, motivated to find something that would relieve or cure the symptoms.
Here are just some links about guaifenesin:
http://web.mit.edu/london/www/guai.html
http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/GuaiProtocol.htm
http://www.fmnetnews.com/resources-alert-product6.php
http://drlowe.com/QandA/askdrlowe/guaifenesin.htm
http://fibromyalgia.ncf.ca/dsguai.htm
L-glutamine is something that body builders take. But if you poke around on the internet, you'll find that it's been given to cancer patients for pain. I've been taking it, and, you know, it seems to help.
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Here's that bad and silly poem I wrote and sent to poetry.com just because doing so was a requirement for entering a constest. Remember? The Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest I mentioned a few weeks ago? http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_guidelines.php
Here's how the poem looks at poetry.com. Y'all should really vote for it, 'cause it's sooooo good. vhttp://www.poetry.com/voteforme/poemvote1.asp?PID=11956341
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Here's a link to outpost-earth.com where my blog is listed.
http://outpost-earth.com/users/Kenzie
This is where you can find my ezinearticles.
http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Marilyn_Mackenzie
And here's http://www.bloggernity.com a blog search directory. Here's my blog listing there. You can even vote for it. http://www.bloggernity.com/blogs/41777.html
That's all the stuff 'n' such for now. |
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...I think.
I have to about it, otherwise I might . It drives me nuts that I have to take naps. Sometimes I can go for days without needing to do that. Then Tiff will be here for the weekend and I'll have to nap while she's here. That really makes me mad. At least this past weekend, I was able to nap while she and hubby were out having daddy time.
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My son came looking for me and asked if he woke me. He didn't. He was finally using the bongo drums his dad sent for his birthday. I don't think he had used them much before today.
For Christmas 2005, I gave Derek a Djembe (an African drum), and he has used that. Now he has both the Djembe and the bongos. I'm glad he's using them today. Sometimes it helps him relieve stress.
In case you don't know what they look like, here's a Djembe: 
Nope. He didn't wake me. I was already awake when he started drumming. But I really don't think it would have mattered that he was drumming and I was sleeping. It seems, once I am asleep, that nothing much wakes me up.
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You know what bugs me? I'm signed up with a few different (real!) mystery shopping companies. But I have not gone out of my way to do any mystery shopping since I've been in Cincinnati. You know why? Many of the companies have not raised their payments in years. Grrr.
I did my first mystery shopping before there were mystery shopping companies, I think. Back then, I worked for a private investigator. I had to pretend to need an apartment and report on the leasing office. That was in Houston, way back in about...1979 or 1980. I was paid $25 for about an hour of my time, and back then that was excellent.
The company that I'm signed up with to spy on (okay they wouldn't like that phrase) apartment leasing offices now pays $40. That's okay.
But the pay for some other kinds of shops stinks. Like...there's one company that pays $5 to shop a restaurant. Granted you don't have to buy much to be able to report. But still. They're not reimbursing for the meal or snack. And it could take 3 or 4 weeks to get the $5. With gas prices, I'm not sure about that one.
Today I got an email about doing shops for a hotel. This could be worth something. They reimburse for the cost of the hotel (plus meals if you're required to report on them) plus $20. They expect you to do these shops in your own area, so there's not a big travel expense. (Or you can schedule a shop somewhere else while you're traveling. That could be interesting - getting your hotel reimbursed plus getting paid.)
Anyway, in case you're interested in trying this, here's the link: http://shopper.application.freemangroupsolutions.com/
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Speaking of not increasing pay...
That has become a hot topic about some of the writing magazines and e-zines. They have not increased pay at some of them. Funny, isn't it? They will criticize other magazines and e-zines for taking advantage of writers and not paying enough. Then they will pay very little for articles about how little the other magazines pay.
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Okay. I'm not sure that last paragraph made much sense. I wonder if I'm getting sick or something. I'm shutting down, as I tell hubby. That means that I need to be in bed in the next ten minutes or so. Wonder why I'm so sleepy today??????
Bye again. |
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Hi all. Did I take that nap yesterday from 3 to 4:20ish pm? I sure did. I woke up about three minutes before hubby called. I also took a nap after hubby got home from work. From about 6:30 to 7:30. Of course after two naps and the resting I did before that, I didn't go to bed until 1 am. Got up to get Derek from work and here I am now. But you know...I'm probably going back to bed for a while. I'm not going to set an alarm...just let my body decide how much sleep it wants. The dirty house and sink full of dishes will wait some more. And such is my life. Today, the pains all over my body are competing with the fatigue. They're all winning, as far as I can figure.
I know, I know. I haven't posted my sermon notes yet. I'll do that when I wake up. Then I'll do those dishes.
So...nitey-nite again. |
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After getting Derek from work, I rested and checked my map for getting to my disability attorney's office. I haven't been there for over a year, and my forgetter works real good.
He asked what new maladies and/or symptoms I might have developed over the past year. The medical records he has are only up-to-date to mid-2005, so he has to request records from then to now. Not much time to get them and forward a copy to the court by July 6. Grrr... I liked it better when he had an assistant to keep up with that stuff.
He explained the forms that I have to fill out and send in. A confirmation that I will be in court. A record of medications I take. And a record of any work I might have done since mid-2005. Pretty easy stuff. I'll be able to get that in tomorrow's mail.
Then he explained the court procedures. There are 11 possible judges. Three of them are totally open to fibromyalgia cases and approve as soon as they see that medical records back up the diagnosis. Of course I didn't get one of them. Three don't believe that fibro is disabling. Thankfully, I also didn't get one of those. The remaining judges are probably more what one would expect of a judge. They read the medical records, listen to the supposed disabled person and any witnesses, consult with a vocational expert (and a doctor if they have chosen to have one present...my judge has not), then make a decision.
The judge will be asking me some questions that day - about my normal routines, what I can and cannot do around the house, my pain levels, etc. They are questions I can certainly answer, but my attorney wanted me to be prepared.
The interesting thing is the vocational expert that will be in the court room. She will have read through the medical records, but her testimony will not be on them. She will be asked first if a person of my age, with the maladies I have, could work a full time job. If she says yes, she will be asked what those jobs are and how many there are in the US, the region and in my city. (Hmmm. If the job(s) she thinks I could do were only located in Alaska, would they expect my hubby to move?)
Next, she will be reminded of what my specific medical file and my doctors' reports say about my abilities and disabilities, then asked the same question. What jobs can I do based upon this information? How many of said jobs are there in the US, the region, my city.
Finally, she will be reminded of what I said -and my witness(es) said - about what I can and cannot do. And she will be asked again what full time jobs I could do and how many are in the US, the region and my city.
After all of this, the judge will make his decision based upon the medical records, the vocational expert, and whether or not he feels that I am credible. Unfortunately, this judge does not make quick decisions. My attorney took two cases to him in January of this year. One just received an answer; the other has not yet been decided.
Time for me to make some notes about what a typical day is really all about.
Like today. I picked up my son. Rested. Got ready. Drove to my attorney's office. Spent 1 1/2 hours there. Drove back. Called hubby. Rested. Talked to my baby sister on the phone. Rested some more. Typed this blog entry.
Now...my house is a mess. I have a ton of laundry to do. There are dishes in the sink.
And what am I going to do about all of those things?
Nothing. I'm going to take a nap. Hubby should be calling at about 4:20ish to tell me he's on his way home from work. So my next rest will be a real, honest-to-goodness nap of about an hour and 20+/- minutes.
Nitey-nite. |
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The story continues...
After dropping the injured bird at the SPCA, Tiff and hubby went to lunch at Steak & Shake. Then they saw a movie at the cheapie theater. I forget which movie they saw. You'll have to ask him.
Tiff spent much of Saturday and some of this afternoon playing with the sprinkler and in the mud. I think she left her muddy clothes here for me to wash rather than taking them home to mom. Good call.
Weird thing, though. For some reason last night at about 11 pm, Tiff called her mother and said she wanted to leave. Hubby was just about ready to go to bed. Or so he thought. Tiff had done this one other time and hubby took her home as she asked. This time he put his foot down since it was so late.
We tried to find out what that was all about. She didn't appear to be bored the whole time she was here. That has been a problem in the past. She expects to be entertained, and if her neighborhood friends are off camping or something, that leaves hubby and me to come up with constant activities. I don't remember needing any adults to help me think of things to do at that age.
But this time, she was occupied and seemed happy. Until she asked to go home. I wonder if her mom put that idea in her head when Tiff called her to say good-night. Could be.
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Let's lighten up.
How about a joke. This was in Reader's Digest, June 2007 issue.
A little boy was wailing about having stubbed his toe.
His mother asked, "Which one?"
His response? "The one that had roast beef."
You got it, right? This little piggy...
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I got a new writing newsletter the other day. One that I had requested. The first issue arrived and I started reading.
I don't remember what the first article was about. There were about a dozen lines, then one of those "more" buttons to click. I clicked and found myself on a page where I learned that I had to join to read the whole article. What?
I went back to the newsletter and discovered that every "more" button lead me to the same page where I had to join to read more.
Grrr. That isn't a newsletter. A newsletter has complete articles in it. What I got was a big advertisement with teasers. That's just not nice.
Know what else? As I read the joining form, I discovered that they had conveniently already checked some answers at the bottom for me.
X Yes, I want to receive newsletters from all divisions and subsidiaries and related and unrelated companies and organizations that this writer's organization decides. (Okay, I'm exaggerating just a bit.)
X Yes, I want to subscribe for 5 years for the reduced price of $XXX.
(Okay, maybe it was only 3 years.)
X Yes, I want to provide 15 email addresses of friends and relatives.
(You got me. It was only 5.)
But you get what I mean. Not only were the not providing a real newsletter, they had checked all of these things for me. If I had ordered and not realized what was checked, I could have been getting newsletters and who knows what else from dozens of companies and organizations.
Grrr. Really not nice.
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In case you haven't heard, winter could use our prayers. Here's Budroe 's entry to tell more. "Invalid Entry"
Stop by Raven's port and read some of her work. Then drop her a line and tell her that you're praying for her. |
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