Flash-Forward Friday

I originally posted this on January 31, 2020. The beginning of that year had so much going for it. Then you all know what happened - stupid pandemic. Who would have ever thought? 

So this trip that year got cancelled, and the year after that, and the year after that we were still kinda hesistant. So 2023, the trip of a lifetime was finally going to happen. And once again it did not - stupid back pain. (I would be in Cambodia right now, if it wasn't for that stupid back!)

Shall we really shoot for September of 2024. Should I continue flash-forwarding it? I'm hoping. 

Do you ever remember something from your past with such clarity that you sometimes think you made it up? I do that a lot. A Lot!

But there was a day when I was in sixth grade, when, for some reason, in some class, we learned about the ancient temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. I was beyond fascinated. I told myself that someday, somehow, I would go there, I would see this place in person.

Here comes the Flash-forward part. I’m going there in the fall!!!! I found a volunteer trip for adventurers 50-years-old and older, and my friend who has gone to Kenya with me twice already is game to tag along.

In addition to seeing the many tourist sites in Cambodia, we will experience Cambodian culture first-hand, by immersing ourselves in the Khmer culture, experiencing life in Cambodia with the locals, learning about the history of Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge era, and assisting locals in any way. Yikes! Sounds like a full two weeks!

 We signed up shortly before Christmas, and though I’ve told quite a few people already, I’ve been holding out on making an announcement. But I couldn’t wait any longer!

As usual, whenever I get this kind of wanderlust, Hubby is immensely supportive, as attested to by my surprise Christmas present. Thanks, Honey, for always supporting me.

As the time gets closer – I’ll be leaving in just less than eight months – I’ll share more details. Wish me luck! 

Here's the website again of the group we are going with:

 https://www.projects-abroad.org/projects/khmer-culture-project-over-50-cambodia/ Hope you check it out. 

Yoga - Natural Remedies, Part 1, Coming to the Clinic, Part 12

     Two weeks ago, I brought back everyone’s favorite series of blog posts. On that particular post, I was giving you hints for getting a good night’s sleep. I see now that I hadn’t mentioned yoga at that time, so decided to discuss it now.

We all know that searching the internet can give us all sorts of information, some accurate and some not so much, so I try to go to more reputable websites such as WebMD or Mayo Clinic’s for my info.

Some of those websites say that the benefits of yoga include:

    

     1)     Improve quality of life

     2)     Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression

     3)     Relieve back pain

     4)     Lower heart rate and blood pressure

     5)     Improve fitness, strength and flexibility

     6)     Strengthen muscles and endurance

     7)     Help with weight loss    

     8)     Increase energy and may decrease body aches

     9)     Increase positive feelings, coping, and well-being  

    10)  Enhance alertness and enthusiasm

    11)   And yes, help with insomnia

Can yoga really do all of that? As with anything else, it depends on the individual person, the other things they are doing in their life (both good and bad habits), their commitment to practicing their yoga, if they can do it via YouTube video at home or attend a regular class, current medical conditions, etc. In general, though, you are not too old or too young or too out of shape (or have too round a shape), to give yoga a try.

As with anything you do to yourself, start slow, listen to your body and if you have a medical condition, check with your health care provider first.

I started doing yoga off and on about three years ago and for the last year have made it my morning ritual nearly every day. Does it help me with all those things? Probably not, but at least it generally makes me feel better most days.

I’ve checked out a few different yoga channels on YouTube, but by and far, get the most out of Yoga With Adriene. If you are going to go that route, or even if you rather attend a class, choose the right one for you. There are different types of yoga as well, some are more physical and some are more relaxing, so again, do your own research based on what you want to get out of it.

Also, it is one of the cheapest forms of exercise. No special equipment required. It took me a year to buy a yoga mat and I usually wear my pajamas. You can find YouTube videos for free and classes don’t cost much, you can sometimes find free ones too.

[I feel I need to add a side note. On Sundays, I write a devotional blog and the four books I’ve written are for a Christian audience. I don’t like to be preacher, but I also won’t deny that I love God and live for His Son Jesus. With that being said, some people may call me a hypocrite for promoting yoga as it was originally based on ancient spiritual practices with connections to Hinduism and Buddhism. I think of all the other things I could be doing – and that other people do, sometimes in the name of Christ, and I just can’t see this as a problem. I pray while I’m doing my yoga and when the instructor says things like “namaste”, I say to myself, “God is good.”]

Strength of Spirit

    I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19 New International Version (NIV)

I chose the word “strength” as my word of the year and have also, it seems, chosen it to be the word of this blog for Sundays during the month of January.

As is often the case, there really isn’t much I can add to the verses above. I’m thankful, though, for the reminder that not only does Christ Jesus strengthen me, but also that His love is wider and longer and higher and deeper than I can imagine.

Lord God, thank You for sending Your Son to be my Savior, my Strength and my Friend. Amen.

Flashback Friday - The Baby Birthday Boy

This past Wednesday, the day after my son turned 34, I posted pictures of him from just after his 18^th birthday to the present. Today we go way back, starting in January of 1986.

Let’s start by sharing his many moods. 

 Peacefully sleeping

 Happy Nick 

 Crabby Nick 

 Angry Nick 

 I-know-something-you-don't-know Nick

Either Gassy Nick or Nick about to make a political statement 

 Now maybe trying hard not to make a political statement 

 Huckleberry Nick 

First Dog 

 First Mug Shot  

Dare Devil Bike-rider 

 First time he made his little sister cry 

Haircut (not his first)

But saved my favorite for last, crossing the road with Grampa when he was just 18 months old

The Birthday Boy

Yesterday, my son celebrated his 34^th birthday (I think. Hey, Nick, is that how old you are now?)

There are so many stories to be told about him, all the adventures he’s survived. I keep thinking about writing another memoir of my life, but Nick is the one who should write a book. But those are his stories to share, and not mine. All I have instead are pictures, in no particular order. 

The Strength of a Bull

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty,

    but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests.

Proverbs 14:4 (New International Version)

When I posted last week’s Bible verses about strength, I couldn’t decide if I should use the picture of the horses pulling what I believe was a hay rake or this picture.  

Dad said once that when he was on the farm (before he married Mom) he had a big ol’ bull named either Pat or Prince (he told me this story probably fifty years ago). Anyway, whatever this bull’s name was, Dad would call him by that name and the bull would come running across the field. I’m not sure if this is that animal or not, but I don’t think I’d want to mess with him.

But getting back to the Bible verse. Oxen aren’t the only ones who need strength to get stuff done.

We can sit around and be like, I can’t do this or that, because I’m not strong enough. Guess what, we can do whatever we need to do. We just have to pray to God for the physical strength, or more often, the inner strength. And then just give it our best shot.

Thank You, Father God, for granting us the strength of spirit to get through the difficult days. Amen

Flashback Friday - Stop complaining about the weather

I’m starting to weed out my old photo albums, get all those pictures scanned into the computer and throw out the albums. Clean up the clutter.

This past week, I emptied out an entire album, dated 1978 to 1980. I evidently liked to take pictures of the weather. And these shots, from May to May one year, will attest to the fact that here in northern Wisconsin, we’ve always had snow for way more months out of the year than we would like. 

May 5, 1979, my parent's front yard

September 1979, I must have thought these were colorful trees

September 1979, my dad's dog, Mac. Not quite fitting the theme here, but he was such a pretty dog

And here we go. October 23, 1979

The woods behind my parent's house

One of my trails through the woods that October

March 1980, heading into Spring 

May 1980, yup, finally Spring 

*I should add to Wednesday's post that it is also important to use a good mattress and comfortable pillows to get that good night's sleep. 😉

Coming to the Clinic, Part 11 - The Elusive Good Night’s Sleep

     On one of my blog post’s last week, I lamented about my lack of sleep. At the time, I realized that some of you would be willing to offer me advice on how to get a good night’s sleep, or probably more likely, you all wanted to share in my angst. It dawned on me that I should be offering solutions here, so I present to you, after over a year off, a new episode of “coming to the clinic”.

Here is the long list of solutions which insomniacs have at their disposal. (Disclaimer: Even though everything I’m writing about can have merit, don’t consider anything here as medical advice, talk to your personal health care provider for help with this or any other problems you have.)

     1)     Prescription medications. The number one drug prescribed for sleep is probably Zolpidem, the generic for Ambien. Others include Rozerem, Belsomra and Sonata. All of these are available by prescription only because they have long lists of side effects, should be taken with caution, and are not usually meant to be taken every night. Even though you might get a good night’s sleep, you could still be sleepy the next day. Other side effects include dizziness, imbalance, memory issues, and addiction.

     2)     Over the counter sleep aids. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and Doxylamine succinate (Unisom SleepTabs) are probably the oldest non-prescription sleeping pills. As with the prescriptions, they can also cause daytime sleepiness. Melatonin is the one I see most recommended by health providers as being the safest to take, which means it is pretty mild and may not get everyone who takes it to sleep.

     3)     Self-medicating. The distinction I’m making between these and OTC meds is that by “self-medicating” I mean taking something to help you sleep that wasn’t designed to do that. Such as drinking alcohol or smoking pot. Sure, you’ll be relaxed and possibly fall asleep, but really? Do you really want to do that to yourself?

I’m also going to put in this category benzodiazepines (aka “benzos”), which include Alprazolam (Xanax), Diazepam (Valium) and Lorazepam (Ativan). These are mostly prescribed for anxiety, but also for a wide range of other things, from relaxing muscles to controlling seizures to lessening the effects of alcohol withdrawal. And even though they can be prescribed for sleep, they are highly addictive and should only be used very occasionally for sleep. (OK, I should fess up at this point. Alprazolam is the one thing that helps me get the best sleep [and I’ve tried everything!], but my 30-pill prescription lasts me an entire year. I will go for two or three nights with very little sleep before I resort to taking a half a pill.)

     4)     Oils. I include essential oils and CBD (Cannabidiol) oil here. This would be a long discussion and more research than I am up to right now. But just so you know, these are options, but you really need to look into them for yourself. Proponents of both essential oils and CBD oil will say they can cure everything, but I just can’t bring myself to believe that.

     5)     Non-medication alternatives. These are the best option. There’s very little danger in any of these, they are mostly all natural, you can’t get addicted, some are free and others are still inexpensive. I’d love to go into the whole list in detail (and sometime I probably will), but here they are:

a.     Meditation and/or other relaxation techniques

b.     Guided imagery (this works well for me sometimes and other times, not so much)

c.      Massage therapy (if only my massage therapist could come to my house and tuck me in bed when she’s done)

d.     Physical therapy (again, you can’t do it right before bed, but it can help to relax those achy muscles, in case that is what’s keeping you awake)

e.     Chiropractor (I know that some people swear by chiropractors and some think they are witch doctors, but they can help with sleep for the same reasons as c and d can)

f.       Aroma therapy (probably part of the essential oil discussion)

g.     White noise, such as a fan on low or soft music

     6)     Lastly, Sleep Hygiene. This always throws me off because I see the word “hygiene” and think to myself, “but I brush my teeth every night”. But the definition of hygiene is conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease. So this can apply to things other than cleanliness.

These are things you can get into the habit of doing which are conducive to a good night’s sleep:

a.     Go to bed and get up at the same time, even on your day off

b.     Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature

c.      Don’t watch TV or use your computer, phone or other electronics in the bedroom or just before going to bed

d.     Don’t consume large meals, sweets or caffeine before bedtime

e.     Get enough exercises throughout the day

f.       Decrease areas of stress in your life (yea, right, like this is going to happen)

So those are some of my thoughts on the subject of sleep. And none of them are concrete answers. No single thing is going to work safely for everyone or work for any individual all the time. And I should know. It’s way past my bedtime already.  

Example of poor sleep hygiene - too many dogs in the bed.

Better sleep hygiene, only one dog in bed. 

Strength

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2

So, the other day when I started telling you about what my word of the year was going to be, I think I mentioned that the word (in one form or another) is found 232 times in the New International Version of the Bible.

“Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.” Isaiah 33:2

Here’s new information for you. It appears 27 times in the Book of Isaiah alone.

“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

I really can’t think of much more that I can say about it.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Except that some of these are our most beloved Bible verses.

“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Isaiah 58:11

I must have chosen a pretty amazing word for this year. Only with the help of God can I make this year just as amazing. 

Draft horses always impress me with their strength and gentleness (in general). 

Word of the Year, 2020

 but those who hope in the Lord

    will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

    they will run and not grow weary,

    they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31 New International Version)

Once again, I have a new idea. After looking at the date, duh, shouldn’t we all pick something like 'vision' or 'seeing' or 'perfect eyesight' as our word (or words) of the year.

Nooo, don’t be silly. Or totally unoriginal. I was thinking about something like "soar" or "fly" or "rise above". When I did a search of Bible verses with those words, I came up with the verse above. 

So, that is my verse for the year. And my word is 'Strength'.

I think most of us want to be strong. Work-out and get in shape, have the ability to kick some butt if the opportunity ever arose.

Or mentally and emotionally strong. I’m not going to cry at the end of the sappy movie. I’m not going to let some bully get the best of me. I’m not going to fall apart when things go awry.

Maybe being strong, having inner and outer strength is all of those things. Yes, maybe things I’d like to strive for this year.

But mostly, I want to seek the place where that strength best comes from. 

Stay tuned. . . 

Word of the Year Teaser

     Since 2014, I’ve chosen a Word of the Year. A word to guide me, to inspire, to maybe keep me on track or bring me back.

Throughout the years, those words have been: Acceptance, Anticipation, Possibility, Peace and Serenity, and Purpose (the Lord’s purpose). The word for 2019 was Gift. That one didn’t work out so well, as the year seemed to be anything but a gift. Or maybe I missed the boat on the whole concept. Maybe I didn’t see the Gift in all the bad things that happened over the year, or maybe I didn’t ask God to show me the Gift in all of that. Or more likely, I totally forgot about the Word of the Year thing and focused more on just getting through each day.

But here we are a week into a new year already. And here I am at one a.m. typing this, wide awake for yet another night, unable to sleep, my mind all over the map. My husband says I have too many boxes open in my head. Perhaps. But I work to close all those boxes, put to rest all my thoughts and cares, and still I lay there awake, with a peaceful mantra going through my head or even counting sheep (believe it or not, I have resorted to that, but looking at all those sheep, my head goes off on another tangent).

Last week, I chose my word for this year, but I’m thinking that maybe I should change it to Sleep.

 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;

    when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 

Proverbs 3:24 (New International Version)

Along with my Word of the Year, I find a Bible verse to go along with it. I just checked my BibleGateway source and there are 111 verses containing the word sleep. I could keep digging and find an even better, more inspirational verse. Maybe.

So I searched for the word that I had already chosen, and that one is in 232 verses. I think that one is the winner, hopefully, the one which I can carry with me throughout the year. Which might be inspirational enough to allow me to sleep on nights like this.

You’ll have to check back on Friday for the big reveal.

 When I started looking for pictures of a bed to go with the theme of sleep . . .

 . . . who would have thought I would have taken this many pictures of beds from my last trip to Kenya.