I Have Made A Goal

post number 2 for the day - be sure and check out the first one

Above is a photo of the first part of my breakfast. I also had a bowl of steel cut oats with raisins cooked along with the oats. I wanted to share this -and also share with you all a break through that I had this morning.

I have struggled all my life with my weight. I have tried to lose weight and each time - I would lose a decent amount of weight and then fall off the wagon. There seem to be a place on the scales that I would be fearful of passing, although my ultimate goal would fall below that point. Well this morning I decided that not only do I want to lose weight- I want to set my goal at the spot that I have really wanted to be at - but just have had a mental block of getting there. For quite some time I had given up on ever getting there. I had decided that since I had tried multiple times and could not obtain that goal that I just could not do it. Well not any more. I have set that goal - and that goal will be to lose any where between 67-77 pounds. I want to have a little bit of wiggle room.

It is BIG just that I am willing to put this out there, because like I have said I have tried and tried and failed and had given up. So just being willing to put this goal out there means that I have hope. I have prayed about it and have asked God to guide and direct me. Only with His help will I be able to accomplish this goal. Oh and don't expect this goal to me meant any time soon- I am realistic enough to realize that it could take me a couple of years to meet this goal.

One reason I think this time will be different is that I don't have the luxury of totally falling off the wagon - when it comes to going with healthier eating habits. Now that cancer has been a part of my life - I realize the need to take better care of myself. And I will have to continue the way I have been - trying to eat healthy as much as possible. My husband still likes the foods and such that he has always had - so I will have to continue to fix food for him. And I may eat some of it - but it will be small portions of that stuff. There will be times when I will go on campouts with our Pathfinder group and I don't always have the option of eating as healthy as I would like to - while on them but I will do my best. Part of losing weight and being able to keep it off is to learn how to be moderate. I can not just go cold turkey on all the things I like - because they are always going to be a part of life  but they don't have to be such a big part.

Ok - anyway I will try to check in with you all ever so often to share how this journey is going in my life. And I will share new things that I learn that help me along this pathway. I will also try to post periodically how much weight I have lost. Sorry - but I am not brave enough to actually share with you all how much I weigh. If God leads me to sharing - I will - but for now I will just be posting how much I have lost.

So I have a goal that I realize will take me a couple of years to obtain - but I look forward to the day that I can post on here - that I did IT!

And by the way- please keep me in your prayers - to be able to have the preaerverance to meet this goal. Thanks so much! :0) if you are also struggling with weight issues or any issues that you'd like prayers for just let me know. I pray for each of you in a general way, unless I know of specific things you need prayers for.

Confession Time

I have a confession to make. I really do enjoy eating healthy; however, I really do not like oat groats or at least the cooked groats that I make for breakfast. At least I have not really liked the results of the method that I have been using to cook the groats, which has been in the slow cooker on low all night. I don't like that they tend to be slimy and mushy. I can add a few things to make them more bearable but I think I am going to look into a better way to cook them. I thing that I used to have a way of cooking them on the stove top and I will look that up. The results of cooking them this way is that you get chewier groats, which is what I like. Plus the added benefit is that when you have to chew your food more, you actually will feel more satisfied. That is also the reason, or at least one reason that I like to eat fruit or raw veggies with my meals. More satisfaction.

Anyway I think I will be using steel cut oats until I figure out how best to cook the groats. When I figure it out I will share with you all.

Eating healthy is good for us. We may find that we don't like some things, but sometimes all it takes is to find a new way to fix it. Good luck to you in all your efforts to be healthier.
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Speaking of trying to be healthier- I tried something new yesterday and I liked it!! I tried Quinoa!!! I sautéed some onions and bell peppers and added them to the quinoa. I thought it was very good. If any of you have good recipe that use quinoa - I would love it if you would share them with me!

This week end I also tried some radishes again - and these weren't so spicy. I found out that radishes that don't get enough water - are usually more spicy/hot. And I don't know if there is a way to tell if they got enough water - so it is kind of a gamble to get them. I will have to look up the nutritional value for them to see if they are something that I may want to get ever so often - especially if they are on sale.

I was reminded by a sweet reader- that I am still in the recovery stages from having chemo. I so want to be past that stage - but this past week end, with staying up too late and all, well it really took it's toll on me and I am working on recouping from it. I am trying to go to bed earlier and hope that - that along with healthy eating and all will help me to feel better.

Finding the Path

I love exploring. Whether it be streets and roads, to see where they lead
Or paths and trails to see where they lead. It's all fun to me!

On the second day at the state park, as I was exploring our campsite - I found a trail that led back to the lake. It was a trail that just doesn't scream - trail. It was a path that you would have to step over a log and go around a bush and continue to wind around until you came to an opening in the brush to a view of the lake.

Sometimes our walk with God is the same way. We don't always see exactly where the path may be taking us next. And there is always the possibility of danger( trials) beyond the next curve. But if we will turn our wills and our lives over to God and accept His gift of salvation and allow Him to guide us, we are sure to end up coming out of the brush(this life)to a great view!

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Thanks so much to everyone who left comments saying that they could relate to my fears. Sometimes I don't know if I may be being too overly cautious about things. And to hear several of you say that you can understand makes me feel more normal. I really do appreciate it. 

I was able to get a decent amount of rest last night. Still a little tired today but I have been tired - ever since chemo and such so I am still just recovering.

Hiking

This weekend my husband and I went camping. We were going to go camping with the youth group from our church for the weekend and we went s day early so we could enjoy some more time away. We went to a favorite place of ours. My husband loves to fish at one of the lit docks that they have. I really enjoy going on the hiking trail. The only problem is that my husband is not that much into hiking. So the last time or two that's we have been here, I just haven't gotten to go hiking on the trail.
I've been kind of afraid to go by myself. I guess it's because I have heard reports about the number of wild boars increasing.  And I've been a bit afraid because there have been times when I have been hiking that I have seen rattle snakes.

Well on Friday morning, I decided that I was going to go hiking. My husband wanted to go fishing so I thought that taking a hike would be a good idea. I prayed and asked God to protect me.

As I walked, I thought back to when I was a kid and how we spent many hours out in the woods playing and exploring. And how I hadn't even been concerned about my safety and how even though I hadn't asked for protection, God had been faithful.

I ended up walking for 2 1/2 miles with walking to the trail and walking the trail. I even thought of taking these photos to share with you all.

Once I was done with my hike, I was so proud of myself for just doing it. That even though I had been a little scared and nervous about going by myself - I had done it. And it felt great!

I actually ended up walking that trail 2 different times- one time by myself and the next time my husband actually went with me.

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We are home now- and I am awfully tired. I am sure hoping that I get a good nights sleep tonight and that I wake up in a better mood tomorrow - because right now I am not in the best mood.

I hope you all have had a good week end. :o)

Love With All Your Heart.....series chapter 8

Love with all your Heart

by:

Linda Driver

 

8

Love gives up its rights:

Love is not provoked or incensed to anger

 

Nothing seemed to go right for Joan; at least it seemed that she was always upset about something. Joan was a crusader, and she always had a cause for which she was contending. She knew her rights, and she was out to protect them. It seemed that someone was always crossing her. And so she was always having to put someone in their place and set things right. Because she was hyperactive, no one else could ever be fast enough or efficient enough for her. When she was inconvenienced and thwarted from her pursuits by anyone, she flew into a rage.

 

Then one day Joan came face to face with the claims of God's love as found in the Bible:

 

Love.......is not provoked.

 1 Corinthians 13:5

 

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.    Proverbs 19:11

 

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret--it only causes harm.

Psalm 37:8

 

    A wrathful man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger allays contention. 

 Proverbs 15:18

 

    Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.

 Ecclesiastes 7:9

 

    Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 

Ephesians 4:31

 

    But now you yourselves are to put off all these:

anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 

 Colossians 3:8

 

Love is always calm, never getting annoyed and irritated under any circumstances.

Love is at peace with all those around and subdues anger and wrath.

When things don't go according to schedule, when unexpected delays and interruptions occur, love will keep one calm and gentle, and one's heart will experience peace even when all around are upset, impatient and annoyed.
Love never flies into a rage.

Love does not strive or contend for its rights.

When people are slow, inconsiderate, annoying, rude, or cruel, love keeps an ever patient attitude toward them, never becoming short, angry, or riled up.

 

 

 

It's Up Date Time

Well it's about time for an up date. So here it is - A photo take this week. A friend of mine gave me a tiny curling iron. And so now I am able to curl the top of it and the sides- over my ears. The front top - still ends up sticking straight up but hey - its so much better than it was. It is still quite short- probably just over 2 inches long. I don't know if the growth has slowed down or if we were just stretching the hair up and so I thought it was at 2 inches when it really wasn't. Who knows.

I am doing pretty good. I am trying to get walks in at least several times a week - if not more.

I am having problems with my right hip - I have had problems with it for almost 2 years. This week I went to the Dr and she has set up an appointment for an MRI. That will be next week. She thinks it is caused by a problem with my back. We will see. I also have a mammogram coming up next week. It's about time to get it behind me. I have put it off. I had just had too many medical things going on. But now I have had enough of a break that I need to get this stuff taken care of. It also helps that I have enough hair that I don't have to wear a hat or anything.

I will then need to make up appointment to get my eyes checked- I am behind there as well. Goodness. You all will be proud- After my last chemo I did get in to have my teeth cleaned so I at least took care of that.

Well I hate to complain but it looks like at least for the next week - our highs will be in the upper 80's to lower 90's. I am SO ready for cooler weather. We have at least had a few cool nights - So I have been able to open up the house and have the house opened up at least half to 3/4ths of the days. So that is good. It's always good to get to open up the house and air it out. It is better for us when we are able to do that.

Well I better close.  I hope you all are having a good week. :o)

It's Fall Ya'll :o)

Well this morning- I was thrilled to find temperatures at 60 degrees! I opened all the windows and enjoyed the coolness. I was able to keep the windows open till about 4pm - when it go up to 80 degrees and I know my husband would like some coolness when he gets home. So I closed down the house and it has cooled off nicely and quickly. These are temps I could get used to - for sure. It looks like the temps for the next week the temps will be mid to upper 80's during the days and mostly mid 60's at night.

I am reading a new book. "To Know God - a 5 day plan" by Morris Venden. Now it's gonna take me a little longer then 5 days to read it because there is a lot to understand. I am only at about page 40 and I am really liking this book. I really think it will end up being a favorite of mine.

Last week a friend challenged me to list the top 10 books that had changed my life. Well I really can't follow directions very well - cause I certainly came up with more than 10 - and just couldn't whittle any more off of the list. I had already condensed a series of 5 books to just listing the title of the series. Anyway I thought I would share that list with you all today as well. Just in case you are looking for a good book to read and would like some ideas.

 

1. Bible
2. At Jesus' Feet (Doug Batchelor)
3. The Cross and Its Shadow (Stephen N. Haskell)
4. Outrageous Grace (Dwight K. Nelson)
5. Steps to Christ (Ellen White)
6. The Conflict of the Ages series (Ellen White)
7. The Heart Mender(Sally Streib)
8. The Refiner's Fire (Gavin Anthony)
9. A Womans Heart- God's Dwelling Place (Beth Moore)
10. A Shepard Looks at Ps. 23 (Phillip Keller)
11. The ABC of Bible Prayer (Glenn Coon)
12. Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings (Ellen White)
13. The Cross and the Switchblade (James Wilkerson)
14. Run Baby Run (Nicky Cruz)
15 The Hiding Place (Corrie ten Boom)

Conflict of the Ages series includes:

Patriarchs and Prophets

Prophets and Kings

The Desire of Ages  

The Acts of the Apostles

The Great Controversy

 

 

I have found a link to a few of my favorites so that you can clink on the link and read these books also if you would like.

 

For #2- At Jesus' Feet - I found a link that gives you the first maybe through most of the first chapter. If you read what is there and you really like it and would like to read the whole book - just let me know and I will send you a copy of this book. It is an amazing little book. It is small but such blessing I received reading it.

 

Something else I wanted to share today was a quote from a cute little movie that we saw on the Hallmark channel- I think. 

 

"Don't lose yourself in the temporary.
No one has ever seen,
No one has ever heard, and
no one has ever imagined
what God has prepared."
Great quote from "Coffee Shop"

 

Anyway I hope you all are doing well. I am doing pretty good. I went to the Dr today. I have continued to have problems with my right hip area- Dr thinks that it is my back causing the problems - I don't know I just know it is close to the hip area on the right side. Anyway she is looking into seeing if my insurance will approve me getting an MRI to figure out what the problem is. I am hoping it is an easy fix- we will see. I am just tired of having such a hard time getting comfortable at night- and waking up every couple of hours being super sore - no matter what position I am in. Anyway we will see.

 

Ok - I better get off of here and get some more things done around here. I have a donation quilt that I really need to work on- my Mom helped me get one portion of it done- so I need to get the rest of it put together. Anyway I put it some where and can't find it. Its weird.

Anyway hope you all are doing good. :O)

Posting for Awareness Uterine(Endometrial) Cancer- not just a post menopausal woman's cancer

Many - if not all of you have probably already heard my story, but I thought that since September is Awareness month for female cancers (except breast cancer because it has it's own entire month to itself) that it would be the perfect time for me to tell my story one more time just in case some new people come by my blog.

It was 2 weeks after my 44th birthday that I heard the words no one wants to hear. Cancer was found. Two weeks before - I had had a hysterectomy because my Dr had thought that I had adenomyosis.

"Adenomyosis is uterine thickening that occurs when endometrial tissue,

 which normally lines the uterus, moves into the outer muscular walls of the uterus."

 

I had been having very heavy periods for a couple of years. And I had begun to have spotting off and on throughout the month. I had attributed these symptoms to maybe going into menopause. But during the year of 2013 - I had felt like something was wrong. I called and set up an well woman appointment with my Dr. The soonest they could get me in was Oct. Once I had my appointment. I told my Dr what was going on. She said that the best thing to do would be to have me have an ultrasound. So I did. The result were - an enlarged uterus. Since my Dr is not a gynecologist- she told me to pick out what Dr. I wanted to go to. At first I picked the gynecologist that I had before switching to my current Dr. But felt uneasy about the whole situation. I was actually even feeling anxiety. So I contacted a friend of mine who is a nurse. I told her what was going on and she said you will want to have a DaVinci surgery and here are the names of two Dr that do it at our hospital. One of the Dr was the same Dr who had delivered our grandbaby- so I just knew that was who I was suppose to pick.  As soon as I did- I felt total peace about everything.

 

I had my appointment with her and we talked about everything that was going on with me. And she said it sounds like Adenomyosis. And that the best solution would be a hysterectomy. I was told I had the choice of keeping the ovary that I had or having it removed as well. Since I had lost an ovary 18 years before because of a large cyst, I decided that the best thing would be to have the ovary removed as well. I did not want to have another surgery later- if I had problems with the ovary.

 

So once we got approval from my insurance, my surgery date was set. It ended up being about 3 weeks after my appointment. November 18th of 2013 was my hysterectomy. The surgery went well. And recovery went well except that I had a reaction to the Dilodid that they gave me after surgery. And ended up throwing up. After the second dose and throwing up again we figured out what the problem was and so changed pain meds. I was given meds for the nausea and so I slept most of the rest of the day. The next morning I went home - a little before noon.

 

I had been told by the Dr that as long as I was not taking pain meds- I could drive as soon as I felt up to driving. So my husband and I both got a red flag - when 2 weeks later on Monday afternoon at 5pm - I got a phone call from my Dr wanting to see me and my husband and preferably the next day. There were a few more things in the conversation that made me think something was up.

 

But even that much preparation did not prepare me for what I heard the next day:

Cancer had been found in my uterus.

Endometrial Cancer.

 

Not only had they found cancer - but it had spread to more than 1/2 of my uterine wall- the myometrium. If the cancer if found before the half way mark they are more likely to believe that it had been contained to the uterus. But my cancer had spread 1.8 centimeters into the 2.5 cent. wall. So my cancer had actually grown - 75-80% into the myometrium.
And to top that off - I had grade 3 cancer cells!

 

Before that day - December 3rd of 2013 - I had never ever heard of cancer cells getting a grade. And to be honest - when we first heard that my husband and I were both thinking that she had just said that I had stage 3 cancer. The higher the grade that the cancer cells are the more aggressive the cancer cells are, which means that they spread faster then the lower grade cancer cells. And they are more likely to come back as well.

 

The pathology results actually were found on November 19th, the day after my surgery. But the reason why I did not find out for 2 weeks- really ended up being a blessing for me.

 

Very close to my surgery, my Dr lost her Mother in Law to breast cancer. So she was out for a week. Then as my Dr was looking at my file - she noticed that my birthday was on the Sunday after my surgery and then of course then came Thanksgiving on Thursday. So she did not want me to have to have the added stress of finding out I had cancer during that time period - especially since it would be 2 weeks till I would be seeing my oncologist. So she set up my appointment for December 4th. The very next morning after we found out that they had found the cancer. 

 

My Dr had felt bad - that she had waited the two weeks - and was worried that we would be mad at her, but honestly I am thankful that she waited. After having a hysterectomy - you already struggle with your hormones being out of whack and it had taken me the two weeks to figure out what I needed to do to get a good nights sleep. So she had done me a favor. There was nothing I could have done had I know about the cancer before that Tuesday.

 

Anyway I went on to have 6 rounds of carbo/taxol chemotherapy treatments. And of course, 2 weeks after the first treatment - I began to lose my hair. A few days later - I had my husband shave it off. It was easier on my to do it that way than to slowly lose it all. Lots of people say don't shave it cause it's itchy. I did not experience any of the itchiness.

 

I am not going to go through all of the stuff about chemo - but what I do want to say is that if you are facing chemo- take it one day at a time. Chemo for me was a cumulative thing - meaning that the more chemo I got the more of the side affects that I got. The first chemo - was not awful like you think it is going to be. I had the bone pains that shoot here and there. And I had a problem with constipation after each chemo treatment. Some people struggle with diarrhea. So it's a wait and see approach many times. I would also recommend that if your Dr prescribes you meds - like Zofran- like mine did. Be sure and take it those first 3 days or so that they tell you to take it. It is easier to keep the nausea under control than to get it under control once it has gotten out of control. Oh and one more thing- yes - you can just take the Zofran with water like a regular pill. Zofran is a dissolvable pill - and I had thought I had to let it dissolve. And it had the flavor of a cheap mint. And when you are already feeling sick - it is no fun to take a cheap mint tasting pill.

 

Anyway I wanted to share my story in hopes that maybe by my sharing my story I can help someone out.

It is not normal to have heavy periods with lots of blood clots.

It is not normal to spot off and on throughout the month.

 

There are other symptoms - so be sure and look them up especially if you are having either one of these.

Also if you are post menopausal

- and you start spotting or bleeding-

get in to see your Dr right away.

 

Many times women after menopause are able to catch their cancers quick and require no further treatment than the hysterectomy.

And contrary to popular believe- Uterine/Endometrial cancer does NOT only affect women post menopausal. I am a prime example of that. More and more women premenopausal are getting this kind of cancer. Many women in their 30's and 40's are getting it.

So if you are having any of the symptoms mentioned above - or things just don't seem right - be sure and get in to see your Dr.

As I look back over the last year - I can see God's hand in everything. I can see Him guide and direct - me not only to get seen by the dr, but also in what Dr. I picked out- who picked out the right oncologist for me. To the kind of surgery that I had and the decision to have my ovary removed during my hysterectomy- had I not decided to do that _ I would have had to have another surgery to remove it. There are many way in which I know that God was guiding me along the way. Also God gave me the strength and courage every step of the way. There were many tears, and even there are still some now, but I know that God is in control and will never leave me nor forsake me. You can count on Him! :O)

When asking the question "Why" ...

My husband had me listen to this song last week. And I thought I would share it with you all - just in case you have not had a chance to hear it yet. It's a beautiful song. I hope you all have a great day! We are still having temps in the 90's - I am SO ready to have the temps come down. We are coming near to the first official day of Fall- Hoping the weather will cooperate. :O)

Love With All Your Heart ....series chapter 7

Love With All Your Heart

by:

Linda Driver

 

 

7

Love is self-sacrificing:

Love is not self-seeking or selfish.

Alice was very much organized and meticulous. Everything had to be just so-so. She had a rigid schedule, and she made sure she stuck to it. The trouble is, Alice never seemed to have time in her life for anyone else. She had so many projects and interests to pursue that it took up all her time. If anyone asked a favor or had a real need, Alice declined saying that she was just too busy. She had her own family to tend to, her own house to clean, her own shopping, and so on. She dressed her daughters with exquisite care, and her hair and make-up was always freshly done. Her house, of course, was spotless. When calls were made in church to help a needy family, to provide transportation, or make a casserole, Alice felt full justified in declining. Why couldn't those needy people take care of themselves, anyway?  Why should she spend her time, energy, and money on unappreciative, ignorant people?

Then one day Alice came face to face with the claims of God's love as found in the Bible:

 

Love...does not seek its own. 1 Corinthians 13:5

 

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Philippians 2:4

 

 

13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Romans 12:13

 

   Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

John 15:13

 

    By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

 And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 

   1 John 3:16

 

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.   

 Romans 15:2

 

Love I always giving unreservedly and unconditionally to others.

Love does not seek for its own best interest but always the interest of others.

Love is willing to deny self to help others.

Love does not insist on its own way, but cheerfully defers to others.

Love is solicitous and caring towards others, always concerned about their welfare.

Love gives oneself up for all mankind in total self- resignation and self-abnegation. 

Love never manipulates or uses others for selfish purposes. 

Love never flatters or bribes others, or acts deceitfully in order to gain an advantage. 

Love pours  forth itself to others freely, even to the point of death.

Love seeks to meet others' needs, going out of its way to give of its time and means.

Love lives to bless others.

Day 7 of Gratitude Challenge

Day 7 of Gratitude Challenge: 

 1. I am thankful for the rain shower we are getting now!!!

 2. I am so thankful for all the promises in the Bible. And when I am having a rough time that God will bring the right verse to me to encourage me! 

 3. I am thankful for God's mercy and grace. He accepts me the way I am but loves me too much to leave me there.

 4. I am thankful that I was able to see a woodpecker in my backyard today! What a blessing! 
 
I am thankful for many, many more things, but that will have to do for now. It has been fun to list some things everyday this past week. Some days it has been easier than other days. But thankfully every day found things to be thankful for.  :O)

Courageous and Strong - Not Fearful

 Most of the time I like Facebook and think it is great. But this week, I have found myself struggling with some negative thoughts and I have figured out why and what I need to do about it.

Since my diagnosis of having Endometrial Cancer- I have found several facebook pages that are just for ladies that have also dealt with Endometrial Cancer - or Uterine Cancer- as far as I know are the same thing. My Dr calls it Endometrial Cancer. Anyway I have found a lot of helpful information out on these pages and have tried to be of encouragement to others going through this same "adventure." But earlier this week - someone posted a link to a news story, that we later found out was not from a reliable source, that really discouraged me. It was a story saying that most Dr. and Scientist would say no to chemo. Well this made me start doubting my choice of going through chemo. And it just placed a heavy burden on my shoulders. And I just felt more emotional and sad about everything.

 And then I noticed that I was still struggling with sadness and negativity about life. And realized that I needed to change some settings on my facebook account. While I still would like to be able to get to these Uterine Cancer Support pages - I did not want to be flooded with posts. So I stopped the posts from getting sent to me. When I want to go to the page and check out what people have posted- I can. But if I am not in the mood to deal with it - I don't have to.

I was also very happy this afternoon when the following verse was shared and I knew it was just for me:

 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

 2 Timothy 1:7

 

I have already known that this was a special verse for me for this whole "adventure." But I needed reminding of it today.

 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed,

for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."   

 Joshua 1:9

Anyway I thought I would share about my struggle just in case it could encourage anyone else out there. We will have our tough days but when we build our foundation on Jesus Christ - He give us the strength to stand strong. I have written the above verses on post it notes and have attached them so that I can be reminded of them. He will help me to be Strong and Courageous! And He will do the same for you too. :o)

Day 6 of the Gratitude Challenge

Day 6 of the Gratitude Challenge:
1. I am thankful for luxury items like: cell phones, cordless phones, computers, and dishwashers(even though I barely ever use it) these things are great to have and even more awesome cause I have not always had them!
2. I am thankful for Facebook - it has helped me keep in contact with people I might not otherwise keep in contact with.
3. I am thankful for my Bibles- not everyone has the privilege to have even one- and I am lucky because I have several different great Bibles and study Bibles that really help me with studying the Bible.
I could go on and on - but will stop for now.

Day 5

Day 5 of the Gratitude Challenge:

1. I am so glad that I have a great selection of grocery stores, within a 20 minute drive from my house- so that I have the opportunity to shop around and find the best prices.

2. I am thankful for a good selection of thrift stores and antique malls in the area- where there are treasures to be found. And if not - it's fun just to look. 

 3. I am thankful for medical insurance - cause we have a load of bills- trying to meet the deductibles - now for my husband and if we did not have insurance - I don't know what we would do. 

 4. Thankful for some very thoughtful people that have helped us out with some of our medical bills. They are a true blessing- being the hands and feet of Jesus for us. 

 Today has been a down day for me - so it was very good to be able to go through and make this list.

 

**Thankful for my praying friends and family too- please say an extra prayer for me today. **

Day 4 of the Gratitude Challenge

Day 4 of the Gratitude Challenge:

1. I am thankful to have a big window in my bedroom, and a desk in front of it- so I can have my quiet time and writing there. I love being able to look out the window at the wildlife that enjoys my yard!

2. I am thankful for the wildlife that enjoy my yard-especially the squirrels, my chickens, and birds- my favorites being - hummingbirds, wrens, and road runners. Love all these things!!

3. I am thankful to have a couple of different options of places to walk near my home. One - I can just walk out my door and walk, the other one is just a short drive away. I have shared a post about it before.  And you can check those posts out by clicking on the links.

I hope that you all are doing well I am doing good. I made  roasted chicken on Friday and so today I am making a chicken pot pie for supper- and since the oven is already up to 425 - I am baking some sweet potatoes as well. We are back to temperatures in the mid 80's to the lower 90's this week. So much better than the triple digit temps we had last week.

Day 3

Day 3:

 

1. I am thankful for our beautiful Granddaughter. She is such a sweet child. I am thankful for all the time we do get to spend with her. She is such a delight!

 2. I am thankful for my sewing room. It is so nice to have a place for my sewing machine to be set up - so I can go sew when ever I have a chance. And a great cabinet - with a great cabinet top - where I am able to easily cut my fabric out. And the great set up of lighting that my husband made for me.

 3. I am thankful for our pets- cats(Dewie, Stewie, and Louie), bird- Ernie, our fish, and our chickens. I am happy to live in a place where I can have chickens.
All of these things just add to my life and make it even more enjoyable!!

Day 2

Day 2:

1. I am thankful that God has taught me to turn my life and my will over to Him. that by surrendering my life to Him- I am in the best hands ever!

2. I am thankful for the Sabbath. A day set apart for physical, mental, and spiritual renewal. A special day for me to worship my Creator, Lord and Savior!

3. I am very thankful to have hair- it may not be growing as fast as I would like but I have hair! And I am thankful to have my eye lashes and my eye brows. Without these- getting ready for the day could get quite stressful - trying to get myself to look - unsick. It is great to have my hair back! Praise the Lord!!

Love With All Your Heart... series chapter 6

Love With All Your Heart

by:

Linda Driver 

 

6

Love is Polite:

Love does not behave itself rudely, unmannerly, or act unbecomingly.

Ed was good at making scenes. His temper flared at the drop of a hat, and his little tirades didn't seem to bother him at all. He had discovered it was a great way to get attention. And it just seemed like opportunities fell into his lap; for example, it seemed that people cut in front of him whenever he drove anywhere. Then Ed would honk, shake a menacing fist, and even roll down the window and shout rude words. He prided himself on his ability to communicate what he really felt. He did not stifle his feelings; he displayed them in full color. He never stopped to think of the effect his uninhibited exhibitions had on others. People knew better than to get on his bad side. He was very generous in giving people a piece of his mind. He wasn't afraid of confrontation or sticking up for his rights. Nobody was going to walk all over him.

 

Then one day Ed came face to face with the claims of God's love as found in the Bible:

 

 

Love....does not behave rudely.

1 Corinthians 13:5

 

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Romans 12:18

 

A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.   

Proverbs 15:1,2

 

    But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness,

godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.   

1 Timothy 6:11

 

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;

1 Peter 3:8

 

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.   

Philippians 4:5

 

Love is courteous and considerate of other people's feelings, always seeking to make others comfortable.

Love always acts appropriately for the situation.

Love endeavors to nurtures peace and harmony.

Love never does anything that purposefully hurt or offend anyone.

Love is never rude, caustic, or abrasive. It is not argumentative or pushy. Love does not have pride of opinion.

Love never makes a noisy show or throws a temper tantrum.

Love always respects others' feelings when making a decision that affects them and doesn't proceed to push its own way.

Love bends and accommodates others without compromising principles.

Love never embarrasses others or puts them on the spot.

Love will seek to avoid confrontations or disputes which spring from selfish motives or desires.

Love is not moody and will not make others uncomfortable by pouting ignoring or giving the "silent treatment" when things don't go one's way.

Love does not make insolent remarks or tell people off just to vent one's feelings.



An Update and a Challenge

So I figured that you guys might be wondering how my hair is growing. Well here is a photo from Wed. A friend of mine gave me a little tiny curling iron- and I have been able to curl my flares- over my ears- so that they feather back and then I spray them with hair spray. Today it has been a little drizzly so the flares have kicked back up... oh well. At least it has cooled off. It was like 101 on Wed., upper 80's yesterday, and then today - I woke up to 72 degree temperatures. It is now 65 degrees at 5:15pm. I have had the house opened up all day enjoying the cool breeze. I love this kind of weather. I was so ready for it to get here!! 

 

Don't be fooled by the photo - my hair is still only about 2 inches long. In real life you could see that a lot of the hair on top is sticking up still.

I was nominated to take part in the Gratitude Challenge. And I decided to share my list here on my blog as well. It is good for us to focus on what we are thankful for. I know that many times people do a thankful list throughout November for Thanksgiving. I have never taken part in that one. But when I was nominated for this challenge I decided to take part. So without further to do - here is my first days list:

 Day 1:
1. I am so thankful for a great husband who has been so supportive of me, especially over the last year. Who was willing to shave my head when needed, even though it was hard on him to do. And who followed by shaving his own head. Who has helped me find humor during this "adventure".

2. I am so thankful for our two sons. (Many women who have endometrial cancer, find out before they have kids... and never have the blessing of having children of their own.) They have been so supportive and helpful as well. A real blessing! 

 3. Although I've been sick this week, I am thankful that God helped keep me well during my chemo, when my immune system was at its lowest and it would have been dangerous for me to get sick.

I am nominating anyone who would like to participate- and especially those of you who don't feel like you have much to be thankful- trust me - once you start writing the things down - you will realize you have ALOT more to be thankful for than you realize!

A Great 9/11 Tribute song...

"Liz McNicholl is an accomplished musician living in the New York area. A few weeks after the 9/11 tragedy, Liz recorded this song with permission of "The Bravest" song writer, Tom Paxton." this was with this youtube video.

Anyway~ Sorry I am so late at posting today. But I wanted to share a beautiful song with you all.

"Firemen pounding up the stairs, while we were running down."

 

 

I'll be back tomorrow with an update. We are both feeling better. Sorry I have not been around much this week. I just needed some down time. See ya soon. :O) 

Your Focus- Your Choice

Ok - So I do not have strep throat...thankfully. As time progressed became very congested, head hurt, sneezing fits here and there, and my throat hurting - not horribly though. So basically a cold. It's kind of funny cause I had made it all the way through chemo - and was able to stay well. I try to eat healthfully and then bam.... I get sick.

And then my husband got sick - but not with what I had. Nope - he got a tummy bug. Threw up most of the day on Monday and by 8:30pm - had not been able to keep anything down and his tummy was really hurting him. And I think seeing blood streaks in his last vomiting - made him feel like he needed to go to the ER. So we went. Got there at about 9:15pm - and was there till 1:45am. Didn't not get home till after 2am. I was exhausted- I wasn't feeling good either. And I would have loved to have gone to bed at 9pm. Anyway I prayed and asked God to help keep me awake for the drive home. I claimed Deut. 33:25b - "As are your days so shall your strength be." It's been a favorite of mine. And when I am facing difficult things -like feeling sick and having to stay up late and having hardly anything to do in the hospital room - I am able to retrieve verses that have been encouraging to me. I have always had a hard time memorizing verses, but I have found that over the last couple of years, through some very difficult things- I have focused more and more on verses that have been encouraging to me. And as I do - I am able to retain them. Maybe not word for word - but the general idea - and where to find it in the Bible. And when I am in a situation with someone who may need some encouragement - I am able to come up with a Bible verse to help. So I will continue to work on memorizing Bible verses by focusing on what Bible verses God brings to me.

The last week I have had a really hard time with a few things. And God brought a verse to my attention - it took a while for me to get it. Actually He ended up having to bring it to my attention several times - I am thinking the 3rd time - I finally got it.

You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.   

Isaiah 26:3 

 

There are so many things in life that can bring us down. That can cause us fear and anxiety. Watching TV - can cause fear. Comparing ourselves with other people can cause us disappointments.

And the answer to all of that is to change where our focus is. Our focus should not be on ourselves or our problems- that kind of thinking will get us in trouble. Nope - we need to be focusing on our loving heavenly Father. And when we focus on Him - trusting in Him- we can have perfect peace - even in the middle of the storms of life.

 

That's the verse that God brought to me this week.
What verse has been extra special to you this week?

Heartburn - a nuisance or dangerous ...part 2

I shared last week that I would be up dating about what is going on with my husband. For any of you new comers - it might be a good idea for you to go back and read this post  (part 1) when you get a chance.

Anyway so my husband has Barrett's Espaphagus - If you would like to read more about it- click HERE. And since he does - he is suppose to have a scope done every other year or so. Well it had been a bit longer than that - when he had one done in the middle of August. When they did the scope they took several biopsies. And last week we found out that there had been some changes - bad changes.

There are some medical words and phrases that they use - but I can't think of them all- Basically the first change is: Low Grade Dysplasia and if not treated at this point it goes into High Grade Dysplasia- and then into cancer. My husband's, thankfully, is at the Low Dysplasia section. But it also means that he will have to have a procedure done- and actually might have to have it done several times. Some type of radiation done to the area. So they will have to put him out - put a special device down his throat to the esophagus and but the area that is Barrett's esophagus. Then he will have to go back in 4-6 weeks later to see if they got it all- if not he will have to have the procedure done again, and again - until the Barrett's is gone. This procedure is called a halo procedure.

Anyway we are very thankful that we had this test done now and that it was caught at the first signs of changing to cancer. But as you can imagine he is not looking forward to this procedure. He has faced 5 surgeries, colonoscopy, then scope to check down his throat twice now plus all sorts of heart tests and procedures and none of them have bothered him much at all. But this one - he is not looking forward to. So could you please keep him in your prayers. We still have not heard from the Dr that will be doing this procedure- figuring we will hear something this week.
******************************

Also I am not feeling good today. I had a really rough night. My head hurts as does my throat- I have tried gargling with warm salt water and it helps numb it for a bit- only. If I continue to feel this bad - I will probably have to go see my dr. I'll let you know if I go and what I find out. I sure hope it's not strep throat cause the last time I had that - I had to take 2 rounds of antibiotics to get rid of it. Anyway I would appreciate prayers for me too.

Love With All Your Heart....series Chapter 5

Love With All Your Heart

by: Linda Driver

 

 

 

5

Love is humble;

Love is not conceited, arrogant and inflated with pride. Love is not self-righteous.

 

Rhonda always had to be right. She was a brilliant woman, and she made certain everyone knew it. Her opinion was always the correct opinion! Because she was well-read, she was certain she knew all the answers to everything. Rhonda thoroughly enjoyed theological debates. Whenever she had the chance, she would express her view with a determined finality that defied anyone to challenge her. People found her presence in discussion group quite stifling because Rhonda left no room for anyone else to have a differing view. She spoke long, loud, and adamantly until others were thoroughly wearied. Rhonda considered herself the backbone of the church; in her opinion, it was she who kept the church on the right track. No one else could measure up to her intelligence or her spiritual achievements, she thought. She had no tolerance for those who failed to live up to all the standards that she promoted, and she constantly rebuked the sinners in the church. She couldn't imagine how the Lord could do without her.

Then one day Rhonda come face to face with the claims of God's love as found in the Bible:

 

"Love...is not puffed up. "

 1 Corinthians 13:4

 

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.    

Philippians 2:3

 

    When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.    Proverbs 11:2

 

 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.   

Isaiah 57:15

 

 

    Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."

1 Peter 5:5

 

 

    Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.   

Romans 12:16

 

Love is meek and submissive and respects the opinions of others.

Love is approachable, teachable and reasonable.

Love is receptive to counsel and accepting of rebukes.

Love is responsive to the entreaties and desires of others.

Love has no feelings of superiority or self- righteousness.

Love does not seek to attract attention to itself, but instead is aware of the needs of others.

Love is quick to notice and admire the good qualities in others and does not have a high opinion of its own abilities and appearance.

Love esteems others better than itself and accepts them.

Love will never put others down or criticize them.

Love brings the purest joy that springs from a humble heart and gives all the praise to God.

Summer has Not left yet...

This past week end- Labor day which is usually the summers last hooray. But here in Texas, summer is defiantly here. It has been quite warm. In fact, it looks like several of the days of this next 7 days will be about 99 degrees. We have had a few days that even though the temps were not at 100- but with the heat index - it has certainly felt like it was in the triple digits. I, for one, am so ready for cooler weather to get here.

Things have been busy here. My husband had a follow up appointment this week. I will be doing a post about that sometime this next week - he is dealing with a situation that the word needs to get out there- to help other people. Look for that post next week sometime.

We have a busy week end. Our son has his daughter and then we have a potluck get together to go to Saturday night- I have had a couple of things that I had to make for it. I had block of the month today and signed up for the next years block of the month. I forgot to take a photo of the fabric - I will try to get the photo of it soon and post if possible. And then a few more extra to do's added in.

I am thinking I probably ought to try to get to bed at a decent time tonight. I am pretty tired. Hope you all are doing well. :o)

To Change Us

 Instead of saying He put us in the situations- I'd come closer to saying ~ He allows the things to come into our lives. And we are the ones that have the choice to make, will it make us better or bitter? It all depends on how we decide to respond. Will we allow it to draw us into a deeper relationship with Jesus or will we grow bitter and resentful?

A good friend mentioned this great though to consider, "Just like Pharaoh--he chose to harden his heart--but he could instead have chosen to let his heart melt from God's power and love."

The Bible is full of examples of people who allowed the trials of life to draw them closer to God. May we spend time in the Bible studying about these men and women who allowed the trials of life to draw them into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

"It is very easy for us to speak and theorize about faith,

but God often casts us into crucibles to try our gold,

and to separate it from the dross and alloy.

 Oh, happy are we if the hurricanes that ripple life's unquiet sea

 have the effect of making Jesus more precious.

 Better the store with Christ than smooth waters without Him."

Macduff

Just Peachy part 1

September is Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month. And because I have been affected by endometrial(Uterine) cancer- I thought I would take this chance to post some helpful information that may help others.

"There are five main types of cancer that affect a woman’s reproductive organs: cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar. As a group, they are referred to as gynecologic (GY-neh-kuh-LAH-jik) cancer. (A sixth type of gynecologic cancer is the very rare fallopian tube cancer.)" 

If you are dealing with anything that just does not seem right - be sure to talk to your Dr about it. You are your own advocate! You would rather be safe than sorry.  

I will be doing at least one post a week - just to help get the word out about these cancers that many times get over looked. Check back for more posts. Thanks :O)

Groats - It's What's for Breakfast part 2

So last time I shared what groats were and I wanted to do that again - just in case someone read this post and did not read the last one.
So here is what Wikipedia says about Groats:

Groats, are the hulled kernels of various cereal grains such as oat, wheat, and rye.

 Groats are whole grains that include the cereal germ and fiber-rich bran portion of the grain

as well as the endosperm (which is the usual product of milling).

from  Wikipedia

I wanted to share a little more about this because someone asked if it was healthy - it is for sure healthy! In fact, You are the one that gets to choose what nutrients you really want by researching different ingredients of how you want to make your groat cereal.

Here is a list - not an exhaustive list though- of some of the choices:
Barley
Buckwheat
Millet
Oats
Rye Berries
Spelt
Wheat berries

You can make your cereal with any combination of these grains -or just pick one. I like to use Oats - because of the fiber they provide - but I will be changing things out in order to get different nutritional benefits and to find which ones I like the best.

In the last post - I said to soak the grains all day long- well I think I might reducing it down to just a few hours - so that my cereal is a bit more chewy.

Anyway I hope that this will help answer any questions you may have about - using groats.
 

 

Oat Groats- it's what's for breakfast

Last week I told you that I would share with you all what I am doing for breakfast. Well I am trying to incorporate 2-4 pieces of fruit. And then I am eating oat groats. So you may be wondering what  groats are and how would you cook it?

First we will look at what groats are:

 

Groats, are the hulled kernels of various cereal grains such as oat, wheat, and rye.

 Groats are whole grains that include the cereal germ and fiber-rich bran portion of the grain

as well as the endosperm (which is the usual product of milling).

from  Wikipedia 

 

And now we will look at how to cook them. These directions I got from my sister.

 

Take 1 cup of grains, any combo will work

(I like to at least use oat groats - then what ever else I decide on - or I do all oat groats.)

Rinse and then soak all day.

Then drain the water off the grains. Put the grains in the crockpot and add 4 cups of water. At this point you can add 1/2 tsp. of salt or you may wait and add some salt when you are going to eat the groats.

Put in the crockpot overnight on low.

You may want to spray the crockpot - before you put the stuff in. I have totally forgotten the 2 times I have made this so far and it is fine. It just might make it where you need to soak the pot in water a while before cleaning it.

 

I have been dividing this into 4 servings.

 

What I don't eat the first day - I put into a Tupperware container.

 

I put some salt on it - and then it is time that you can dress it how ever you want to. You can put a little sweetener - what ever sweetener that you use. Then maybe put some nuts - sunflower seeds is my favorite so far. What ever else toppings is fine. I also put a little milk in mine.

 

Like I said this makes enough for at least 4 days - unless you want bigger servings and that is fine. Eating the whole grain like this - helps give you more fiber and that is great for you. Will stick with you longer.

 

Anyway this is what I have been doing. Just play around with what you put on your groats - to find the way you like it the best.