Surprised it has been almost 10 years since I wrote in this blog.

I am considering starting anew but not sure whether to continue here or 

my other blog on another site or to just start somewhere new.

Do I have things to say and to share.

Yes, I do.

I share some of it on Facebook.

Just thinking outloud here since I am the only one seeing this.

Ha.

I'm going back to considering what I want to do.

I missing doing the blog with my Dad. That was a joy.

Maybe that is why I quit.

-Day one of Gluten Free-

Well, this morning I went and talked to my Dietitian.

My Endo had sent off blood work to the Mayo Clinic

and it came back twice as high as it needs to be positive for

Celiac. I had the Upper Endoscopy and that was inconclusive-

some stuff yes but not as much as it is for most people. 

What she wants me to do is stay on the gluten free diet

 until Nov 12 when she will take blood and see if it made

 a difference to decide if I have it or not. Sigh.  Two and a half months.

I have been type 1 for 33 years and honestly I don't remember feeling

 as upset, depressed or deprived as I am feeling right now.  How can I 

completely and so drastically change.  

My friend Andrea went with me to Walmart and we checked at what they had 

that was gluten free.  Gosh.  A lot more than I thought but we had no idea that

there was so much gluten in almost everything!  It helped having her look 

with me.  It made looking kind of fun.  She said she is going to help me with 

making some gluten free Biscoff so I am hunting for recipes online.


 With my pump I can eat healthy of course but I can also 

eat what I want and I know what works for me and how to 

handle my Diabetes.  Now I feel completely undone.  I

came home this morning and looked in my pantry and fridge and 

thought, 'There is nothing at all I can eat in the house.'  So, I

 didn't eat.  My coffee is okay and my fav sugar free coffee

 creamer says gluten free, at least that is one good thing.  Phew.  I love

my coffee and fav creamer.


All this to say I am feeling so completely overwhelmed and

 numb.  How am I ever going to do this??

My fam has no idea how much this is going to make

 everything  and I mean everything very very different for all

 of us.

Unexpected Sweet Joys

My post on Facebook today:

'It is going to be 65 degrees out there today and back cold tomorrow - I've got to get outside!'

What an unexpected joy it was to walk outside and feel sweet spring-like breezes and hear birds singing happily as the sun warmed us all.

We went to visit my Dad (who is the best Dad in the world and I am so blessed to have him) and took a moment to run over to the little lake there at Maranatha.

I met a woman there named Dorothy. She had a sweet little toy poodle named Barbie. The calmest quietest small dog I have ever seen. I enjoyed hearing about her dog's talent for pet therapy ministry and how she and her husband were in the military. She's been here less than a year and really misses her dear husband who died a couple of years ago. She was from Massachusetts and she reminded me a lot of my mom's sister Dorothy. Another unexpected delight today.

Of course since we live in Springfield MO the variable weather capital of the US, it is going to be cold again tomorrow and sleeting and snowing on Sunday.

I'll enjoy the memories of today's sweet joys anyway and look for more in my every day, I just might be surprised.

Laughing after midnight(well almost)

Why is it that we laugh the hardest and act the silliest after 11pm when Brent is trying to sleep?

It started happening when my son got in the teenage years and continues growing as if it had a life of its own.

We try to keep quiet but it bursts out in irrepressible laughter over the strangest things.

I am not sure why this started but I am thankful for times of laughter and fun with my kids as the stress of the day has faded away and we are mellowing down (as it were) for the night.  That is not a bad thing, laughter shared bonds us in special ways.

 One night Brent came out and said, “Am I missing all the fun again?” and I smiled and said “No, you aren't missing it, jump in!”

 And he did.

That was one of the best nights of all.

Choices make the real you

~Until God opens the next door, praise Him in the hallway~

posted by  www.jcluforever.com on Facebook today. Go look at their beautiful Christian tees for ladies!

I want this to be my first thought when....life happens.

How was your day today? 

 I had some great places 

                     and a few horrible spaces 

                                  but it ended up very good. 

 I was at New Community at Central and Pastor Mike 

(http://mikemccrary.blogspot.com) had us doing group discussions on 2 Peter 1:3-9.

I love how Peter gives us positive things we can do that will help us grow:

'5 Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, 6 self-control, patience, devotion to God, 7 concern for others, and love. 8 If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. '

So by adding 

                goodness,

                         understanding, 

                                   self-control, 

                                           patience, 

                                                  devotion to God,

                                                           concern for others 

                                                                                  and love -

I grow as a Christian and as a real person.

These are all choices that I can make in any moment that happens in my day.

It is not some magical, ethereal experience that is out there on some higher spiritual plain but real nitty-gritty this is where the rubber hits the road kind of stuff.

The kind of stuff I can put my teeth into, grab on and run with. The kind of stuff that makes my real life and every relationship I have better.

I like this.

The human element, that is so me

Another day and I am struggling with what to write. Here are my tired thoughts tonight.

This afternoon on the radio I heard the guy at the local Christian station said he was going to start 'hashtagging human element' after he started to play the same song twice in a row on his live show.

Here is what he wrote about it on facebook(btw, his name is Brenton Miles and the station is 99.5 hit fm- definitely worth listening): “Just talked about the #humanelement on the radio! It's okay to screw up... There is grace, kindness, and hope when you approach God, who understands the human element.”

His words really made me think. In all the 'trying to be more real' and 'faith moments' I forgot to mention that being human is what I am, what we all are. I long for my heart to be more like Jesus but I mess up and I do it badly and often. Perfection is not where I am at nor is it any place I hope to move.

I want to be real with the ups and downs, loud and strong, struggles and throwing my hands in the air in defeat, the hugs and the yelling, the laughter and the tears, and the throwing my hands in the air with praise for God too. It is all me. I hope it is all you too.

We cannot let discouragement keep us from struggling on and going forward. Yes, we mess up but we also have hope and another day, another moment, another choice to make. Don't give up. (Can you tell I am talking to myself?)

Where you are is good. It isn't where you will be tomorrow.

I wonder where this is leading me?

Learning and growing, laughing and living, and even the crying and struggling - bring it on.

Cold nights are for snuggling

Very cold tonight.  In fact my house has been cold most of the day.  I am tired of being chilled and January has barely begun.

China is so cold her fur has a ridge.  Tigger is just enjoying sharing the warm spot next to her.

My kitties have the right idea, time to go snuggle with the one I love.