Behavior Modification

Changes that seem small and unimportant at first 

will compound into remarkable results

if you’re willing to stick with them for years.

So read a twitter post from James Clear (whomever he may be). 

Funny it should appear today just as I am into DayThree of

an important behavior modification!

Not sure how many "years" I have left as I near age 70.

However, I DO know that I need to quit crossing my legs!

After a knee replacement and hip replacement,

it is well past time.

A couple of veins popping on the side of one leg near my knee

reminded me that I REALLY need to institute a "small change".

I sit awkwardly in church pews and other chairs

and it just feels good - or necessary somehow - to cross my legs.

Sunday, I stacked two hymnbooks and put my two feet flat on them 

throughout the church service.

It helped the awkward feeling.

AND...

I've called a silverware box into service at our kitchen table

where I sit for meals and playing games in the evening.

Old habits really ARE hard to break,

but I'm determined to establish this NEW one.

Confessing and Repenting

A view of our newly painted front porch-totally unrelated to this post!

This morning I quit "confessing" and actually REPENTED.
Thirty minutes of walking in circles --
living room to library through eating area and around the kitchen island.

If you click on those words, you'll see they were written in December of 2015.

Now - six months later - I'm repenting again!
For the past sixteen days,
I've returned to a pattern of self-control when it comes to food choices and exercise.
I used to feel guilty about how many times I have "started over"
in this and a few other areas of my life.
But this morning as I walked in circles once again, 
I realized that - based on the definition that follows-
it's realistic to expect I'll need to repent DAILY.
And sometimes several TIMES a day!

Definition:  to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life

"The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works."
"In failing to confess, Lord, I would only hide You from myself, not myself from You."

"If you excuse yourself in confession, you shut up sin within your soul, and shut out pardon“

--these three by St. Augustine

"The want of proper examination, true contrition, and a firm purpose of amendment, is the cause of bad confessions, and of the ruin of souls."  (And ruin of bodies, I might add!)

-St. Benedict Joseph Labre

This quote on Twitter this morning:
Whatever we fail to repent of we are destined to repeat. (Crawford Loritts)
and this:
 Q: How can you recognize repentance? 
A: Action not words.
The prodigal didn't sit with pigs saying "I repent" – he went home! Luke 15:17-24
(James MacDonald)

Habits of Health

Sometime between the time I went to bed last night and the time I woke up this morning, 

I hatched a thought.  

Maybe a question more than a developed thought.  

It's about health.  

And habits.  

My question goes something like this:  

Is there a difference between healthy habits and habits of health?  

My initial thought is that there is.  

At this late age, you'd think I would have this issue nailed down. 

 I don't.  I'm still wrestling with it.  

And for the present, my focus is on establishing habits of health.

 What think YOU?

And what is YOUR most cherished habit of health?

The Countdown

Floors vacuumed, furniture dusted.

Pot of soup made and frozen into smaller portions.

Bed carried downstairs.

Suitcase packed

After our outdoor worship service and picnic this morning,

my husband and I will drive to Ohio.

We'll stay overnight at my father's place - it is near the hospital

where I'll have knee replacement surgery on Tuesday.

Doctor appointments tomorrow along with some blood typing.

By Thursday night, I expect to be back home in this bed!

This print of a painting I "found" many months ago in a thrift store

is near and dear to my heart.

"Here in our weakness you find us,

falling before Your throne.....oh, we're falling before Your throne."

(From "Wonderful, Merciful Savior")

God Help Me Git Er Done

A couple of weeks ago, we parked our car next to this pickup truck.

I couldn't help but take a picture of these words!

My hip is healing from hip replacement surgery,

 but the knee on my opposite leg is NOT happy about it!

X-rays earlier this week indicate a knee replacement is in my near future.

Meanwhile (thanks to a cortisone shot), I am doubling my efforts

to get the hip strong and ready to do ITS part when the knee needs it.

Walking.  Walking.  Walking.

God help me git er done!
And no matter what YOU'VE got ahead of you, He'll help YOU git er done, too.

 "God has the power to provide you (me) with more than enough of every kind of grace. 
That way, you (I) will have everything you (I) need always and in everything to provide more than enough for every kind of good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8

A Change of Scenery

 A change of scenery -

 whether physical, mental, spiritual or emotional -

is usually refreshing, stimulating, encouraging.

 So it was for me.  For us.

Though our time was brief and limited by our mending bodies,

we are blessed by what was

and hopeful for what is to come.

P.I. and Me

For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  (2 Corinthians 4:17)

In an attempt to rise to Janie Fox's listing-making stature, I have composed my personal list of observations about Poison Ivy.  After three consecutive episodes over the past few months, I consider myself rather qualified to state the following with confidence!  Note:  This is NOT meant to elicit pity.


1.  There have been an unusually large number of poison ivy cases this past summer (this out of the mouth of our local doctor when I consulted him with my FIRST and serious case of P.I.)!
2.  The shot I received when I consulted said doctor didn't seem very effective in my opinion.
3.  The bill I received after my said consultation and shot seemed unusually large.
4.  After the second (and less serious) outbreak of P.I. I learned that there are many, MANY forms of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.  It would be impossible for me to learn them all by sight.
5.  "Leaves of three, let them be."
6.  One should carefully examine all vines and other plant life and count the leaves before touching.
7.  The third case is NOT a charm.
8.  Oatmeal and Epsom salt baths feel good as long as you are submerged.
9.  You can only take so many baths in a 24 hours period.
10. Caladryl with an "April 1991" expiration date contains benedryl and works just as good (if not better) as Caladryl now on the market that no longer contains benedryl.
11. Friends have many, MANY suggestions regarding how to treat poison ivy.
12. Friends and husbands lose interest and have little sympathy when you refuse to go to the doctor.
13. 20+ bee stings are NEVER a good accompaniment to P.I. (It's difficult to count bee stings on your back side.   You just have to estimate.)
14. A worn and ragged terry-cloth bathrobe feels better than tight-fitting underwear on an itchy body.
15. It's not OVER until it's OVER.

 I could say more.  But I need to go soak awhile.
If I've learned ANYTHING from this, it is:
Pay attention to #5!

Vitamin D and Me (or is it I?)

It started last Tuesday when I went to The Luncheon.  Vitamin D came up in two unrelated conversations.  So high were its praises, that at the first possible opportunity I visited the vitamin shelf in the supermarket.

Once there, I was bamboozled by all the possibilities.  Eventually, I must have bought this--a multi-vitamin for women over 50.  It contains 1,000 of whatever-it-is of Vitamin D.   (I say "must have" because I sat the bottle on the shelf and only today remembered my purchase and intention.  I went to look for the Vitamin D label, and this is the best I could come up with.  It's still sealed and is dated well into the future, so it must be what I decided upon.)

I'm going to try to remember to actually TAKE a tablet a day.  What good does it do on the shelf?

I regret to say that I have occasionally allowed days to pass when my Bible (for all practical purposes) lay on the shelf.  Unopened, like this bottle.  My intentions were good.  But when  it remains on the shelf, I don't experience the spiritual health benefits that would come if I were to internalize it.  Duh!

Have YOU experienced any benefits from taking Vitamin D?

Why IS This?

I found this exercise here and tried it. It's true! Why IS this?  It reminds me of a conversation my friend and I had at the kitchen table yesterday morning...

We've both been struggling with gaining weight lately. I identified MY problem as being a "cluster" of challenges--difficult to separate one from another. Each influences the other challenges -- kind of like the foot and the hand thing!

My friend and I expressed our determination to address our individual issues and check in on each other.  My work will be to get my hands and feet cooperating with my mind and emotions to correct some bad habits that have replaced HEALTHY and  WHOLESOME ones including:

•  Substituting blogging for daily hand-written journaling
•  Neglecting 30 minutes of daily exercise
• NOT neglecting sugar
•  NOT neglecting breads and pasta
•  Neglecting daily times of prayer

If confession is good for the soul, then it is well with my soul! 

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is God's steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.  As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.  For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:11-14).

Give Me This Mountain!

I'm climbing a mini-mountain the next 14 days (if you're interested, see my health blog).  The phrase, "Give me this mountain" kept cropping up in my mind from past Bible reading.  They are the words of Caleb, an Old Testament hero of faith.  (Maybe a better translation would be "hill country" - but mountain is how I first heard it.)

So I've put a picture of a mountain as my desktop background to remind me of my commitment to follow the example of this man who at age 85 came to Joshua asking for the personal allotment of land promised by Moses. He had a right to sit down and take it easy - take off his army boots and put on his slippers. He'd survived 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, and then the invasion of Canaan. Of the thousands who left Egypt, he and Joshua were the only ones the Lord allowed to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land.  But sitting down and taking it easy wasn't Caleb's mindset!  He was ready for a new challenge!

What kind of characteristics did he possess?  What qualities can I emulate from this faith-climber?  He was (1) Smart. (2) He did his research. (3) He refused to be discouraged. (4) He exhibited faith and hope. (5) He demonstrated energy and self-discipline. (6) He maintained good relationships with others. (7) He was wholehearted in his obedience to God.

That's MY kind of guy!  Give ME this mountain!

What are YOUR mini-mountains?

our VERSION of a CARDIOVERSION

FRIENDS PRAYED.  Blogger Friends and Facebook Frends, Friends of Friends, Church Friends, Relatives, and even the Post Mistress!  So many prayed.  Don came over as we were leaving the house at 5:45 this morning.  The three of us held hands inside the back door while Don prayed.
PROFESSIONALS WORKED.  Receptionists, Anesthesiologists, Doctors, and Nurses.  Cheerfully, capably, and successfully.
FRIENDS CAME.  Don, to our home; Phyllis and Donna to the Medical Center.  At just the right time, with just the right words.
THE HEAVENLY FATHER SUPPLIED.  A safe trip to and from the Medical Center. Peaceful and calm spirits.  A successful procedure.  Assurance of His continuing Presence and Provision.

We are so thankful as we sit in our living room recliners.  There are a few tasks Gary will do on his computer this afternoon.  Tomorrow, God-willing, he'll be back in the office.

We Are Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

Electrical cardioversion  is a procedure whereby a synchronized (perfectly timed) electrical shock is delivered through the chest wall to the heart through special electrodes or paddles that are applied to the skin of the chest and back  The goal of the cardioversion is to disrupt the abnormal electrical circuit(s) in the heart and to restore a normal heart beat. The shock causes all the heart cells to contract simultaneously, thereby interrupting and terminating the abnormal electrical rhythm (typically fibrillation of the atria) without damaging the heart. This split second interruption of the abnormal beat allows the heart's electrical system to regain control and restore a normal heartbeat.

This procedure will be performed in a special procedure room with a cardiologist, a nurse and/or an anesthesiologist  present to monitor breathing, blood pressure and heart rhythm. Special cardioversion pads are placed on  the chest and back (or alternatively, both pads can be placed on the front of the chest). The pads are connected to an external defibrillator by a cable. The defibrillator allows the medical team to continuously monitor  heart rhythm and to deliver the electrical shock to restore the heart's rhythm back to normal.

My husband will undergo this procedure this Wednesday morning to correct atrial fibrillation.  If you think of us, will you pray for protection and a long-term correction/healing?  We have read that there is an initial 90%  success rate (with as many as 50% of people returning to irregular heartbeat within a year).

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well (Psalm 139:13-14).

Healthy Holiday Tips

Over on my weight loss and healthy habits blog, I've been listing Healthy Holiday Tips.  I'm running a little "dry" in the idea department!  I guess that's why I came up with #14.  I can't believe I hadn't already listed it.  It's so obvious that I overlooked it! 

...which reminds me not to overlook the other obvious things this Christmas - like people.  Like Jesus who came "to preach good news to the poor...proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19).

Joy to the World--the Lord HAS come!

By the way, if you have any healthy holiday tips and don't mind my using them, please pass them on!  There are still many holi-days remaining!

Have You Seen the Potatoes? and a Health Update

I need help!  My husband would like to use the picture that was on SOMEONE'S blog in the past week or so in his sermon this Sunday.  The picture was of 4 potatoes lying on the grass - but one was a rock that LOOKED like a potato.  I can't remember where I saw it. If you remember (or if it was YOUR blog) would you comment SOON!

Speaking of my husband, he saw the cardiologist today.  The cardiologist changed a couple of medications, did a blood test to rule out a thyroid condition, and did an ultrasound of the heart.  The ultrasound showed blood flowing at "low normal" rate and didn't give any other reason for alarm except to get the heart rhythm down.  If it isn't down by the 29th, they may do a "shock" to try to get it back in rhythm.

We were VERY pleased with the cardiologist who asked relevant questions and listened to ours.  We have prayed for him as well as our family doctor - that they will have take interest in our case beyond what even professionalism might require; that they will have unique insight into the condition and be alert to anything out of the ordinary.  We believe that God can and will work through them to bring Gary the optimum treatment and outcome.

Thanks to ALL who have inquired, prayed, and supported us with encouraging words.  We are surrounded by a company of true friends and prayer warriors - many of whom we've never met in person!

If You Are What You Eat...

...then I'm a Baby Ruth.

As I posted in my health blog,  "It wasn't a good evening."

But it DID serve a purpose.  I was reminded of a verse in Proverbs 23:7 that says (in some versions)

"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."

I want to forget about how many of these small bars I ate last night and move on.

I DON'T want to forget to fill my heart - my mind - with GOOD stuff!

God says in His Word, "You ARE what you think!"

Thift Store Shopping - A True Green Experience

 In answer to a recent comment on one of my posts, I responded:

True. "Fit" has brought new enthusiasm to my life. But "Thrifting" is helping me find clothes at affordable prices. I'm not a shopper by nature. I stay out of malls because of prices. Style magazines show purses at $499-$3,999! What is a person supposed to do?

In the past I too tended to have my eyes primarily on household items. But I am finding necessity to be the mother of invention and am enjoying the journey!

When you find a clean, well-organized thrift store, you are embarking on a "true green experience"!  For those of us who are part of a one-income family (and even for those with extra money to spend),  thrifting is one of many options to help us live responsibly and wisely.

 I'll try not to go overboard on this "thrifting" topic.  Please forgive my tangent!

We Planted Some Seeds of Discipline

Want to know more? Go to Power, Love and Self-Control! It made for a good Sunday afternoon.

Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush!

When Peter wrote in II Peter 1:3 that God has given us everything we need for life.....he probably wasn't thinking about mulberries. But they're on MY mind these days. We have a large, old tree in the back and for several weeks every summer, it is "MESS CENTRAL"! The fruit itself is rather bland in taste but has nutritional benefits if you can get the berries before the birds get to them.

And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant
yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth,
and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food." Genesis 1:29

The mulberry is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium and high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron, Dietary Fiber, Riboflavin, Magnesium and Potassium.

The nutritional value and health benefits of mulberries make them ideal for maintaining optimum health and weight loss. Most web sites make a point of saying: "Don't include mulberries in your diet if you're interested in weight gain." Since I'm not interested in weight gain, I'll be eating mulberries on cereal as long as they keep falling! Thank you, Lord.

Satisfying Food ... April 22 Revisited

I traced it back to April 22! We had recently discovered a healthy, filling, and delicious
alternative to other fast foods.

I'm revisiting it along with nutritional information
in my "baby blog" - Power, Love, and Self-Control.

We've had very cool weather the past couple of days. While traveling home from Chicago earlier this evening, this made for a most satisfying meal!

"Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare." Isaiah 55:2

Power, Love, and Self-Control

Some of you will think I've really LOST it! But here I go!

June 1st is the birthdate of yet another blog. I have quietly and consistently been working at establishing (RE-establishing, really) some healthy habits of diet and exercise. Encouragement and camaraderie have been vital to my discipline. Now that I am started, I want to give back some of what I have been receiving. You are welcome to check out the "baby blog" and let me know YOUR secrets, YOUR struggles, and YOUR successes. Send your pictures. Send your best hints.

I'm no expert--only experienced, having been down this path a time or two (or five or six) throughout my adult life. Here's the link: Power, Love, and Self-Control.