I am Awesome Because He Is Awesome

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, O LORD, my strength.  - Psalm 18:1

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. 

- Psalm 28:7

Yahweh in Hebrew means "I Am".  When God told Moses at the burning bush that His name is "I Am", I have to wonder what Moses thought about it.  Did he think, "You are WHAT?"  Was he waiting for God to finish the sentence, because I'm pretty sure I would have been.  The fact is, Yahweh just IS - He is not anything in particular, but He is EVERYTHING.  He wholly encompasses all.  
 

Since He holds all power and is all, can I depend on Him to give me the strength I need every day to face my trials and temptations?  Duh - yes!
  
Yesterday during my devotional time I got on a roll about needing strength to face my day.  There is nothing on the planet that provides true strength that lasts, but my God does.  He loves me so much and all I have to do is ask for strength and He gladly makes provision for me!

I sing to Him - "Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow.  Because He Lives, all fear is gone.  Because I know He holds my future, my life is worth the living just because HE LIVES!  God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus.  He came to love, heal, and forgive.  He lived and died to buy my pardon.  An empty grave is there to prove my Savior Lives!"

There's something about singing praises to our God.  We give all we can to Him and it's so sweet because we know we receive every blessing He has to give us - and what we receive outweighs what we have to give every single time!  He anxiously awaits the opportunity to help us in our life situations if we'll just ask Him in Jesus' Name.

Where does real strength for the long haul come from?  The joy of the LORD is my strength.  Knowing that the LORD is "I Am" - He IS - and that's enough for me!  He was before anything - I don't know how it works - but I believe it's true.  I don't know how the wind works - I can't see it - I feel it - I know it's there.

Need strength to face the day?  God wants to help.

When we try to muster up strength on our own, it doesn't last very long.  People don't cry because they are weak, but because they've tried to be strong on their own for too long.  To rely on God for strength is the only way to have a lasting strength that kicks in just when you need it the most.

A woman is like a tea bag.  You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.  - Eleanor Roosevelt

With God's help, we can face the "hot water" in our daily life and portray true strength in every situation we find ourselves in.  Don't try to be strong all by yourself.  Get some lasting strength that only comes from The LORD.

I'm awesome in this journey because I serve a loving and caring God who has led me every step of the way!  He puts people and information and articles and all sorts of things in my path just when I need them!  My awesomeness begins with His strength in my life!

I invite you to read my article entitled, "Denial Is Dangerous for Diabetics".  

http://ezinearticles.com/?Denial-Is-Dangerous-for-Diabetics!&id=7145502

I can see the FINGERPRINTS OF GOD when I look at you!

http://youtu.be/Z2Dor3dmIJw

Today is STAY AT HOME BECAUSE YOU ARE WELL DAY!!!!!!!!!  Enjoy - and I hope you don't get busted!!!




 

Counting Blessings

 

Our Casey teaches me patience,



How to appreciate simple joys.



Why a kind word spoken is important,

Why you can never have enough toys!

Every day is meant to be cherished,

Don't take a one for granted.

Health is the greatest wealth we own,



You can bloom where you are planted.

 

- Linda Turner Palmer

Our Casey

Even though it seems like life just throws stuff in your face and it really seems to suck, you still need to find the positives in life.  What are the positives in my life?  No question in my mind, my positives are my husband and our sweet Casey.

Sometimes I get off course and begin to see the bad, I admit it.  I actually forget how to count blessings and begin to see the negative.  I can't blame all of that on high blood sugars - some of it, yes - but not all of it.  When you begin to have what my former pastor called "Stinkin' Thinkin'" - it's not only toxic, but contagious as well.

I'm so thankful that I have people around me who are willing to hang in there with me no matter what, and give me a dose of reality and encouragement when I so desperately need it! 

Here I go - I'm counting blessings today. 

I woke up this morning.
I can inhale, exhale, and repeat as necessary.
I can move without a whole lot of pain.
There's food in our house.  I had a protein shake this morning.  I am blessed!  God provides for all our needs and I'm grateful. 
I never run out of gas.  My car is always at least half full.  I haven't had to fill my own gas tank since I stopped working.  My husband takes very good care of me.

Please, Lord, bless our little baby Case.  He's had so many issues lately with cancer and arthritis and we just pray that he gets to stay with us for a long time with good health and in good spirits.    

I'm thankful that God is teaching me how to better control my diabetes.  Nobody on this earth is a better teacher than my God is!  God has put so many wonderful resources in my path regarding the management of T2D, and the more I read, the more convinced I am that this can be tamed.  Keep helping me along, Lord - I will follow.  Do you think things just drop in your lap by accident?  I don't believe that.

Every day is a learning experience when we lean fully on God for guidance.  He provides the tools necessary to be the best we can possibly be if we will let Him lead.  I feel so blessed to have had this Type 2 Diabetes for 20 years and have no complications except a bit of neuropathy and frozen shoulder from it.  It's a total God thing -

To God be the glory!!!  

Count Your Blessings!

http://youtu.be/wODZDmBimiM



When creative people are beginning a project, often they overlook the most basic elements that lay in their own back yard.  Today is PINE CONE APPRECIATION DAY!!!!!!!!!  I have already gathered my pine cones this year and look forward to making some decorations for the house.  Here are just a few ideas for decorations you can make with the pine cones you gather up this year.

I Feel Pretty

 

Never be afraid to try something new.  Remember that amateurs built the Ark.  Professionals built the Titanic.  - Dave Barry

Today is weigh day.  I did not lose weight, but did not gain weight either.  Once again, the scale seems to be stuck despite my efforts to lose.  I still have the same 28 pounds to take off.  But then I look at the 50 I've lost and that makes me feel better.  I refuse to become frustrated, bitter or wigged out about it.  If I allow emotion to enter in, I will most likely go on a binge - then the cycle of self-destruction will begin all over again.  I have to approach this logically and decide that my glass is neither half full nor is it half empty.  I know eventually the scale will move in the right direction if I just keep doing "the right things". 

What are the "right things"?  Eating high-alkaline foods, exercising a half hour every day, drinking plenty of water, a good attitude and getting plenty of sleep at night.     

Do you know why the amateurs succeeded and the professionals failed?  The amateurs who built the Ark had God in their corner, the professionals did not. 

Remember the bragging that the so-called "professionals" did about the Titanic?

God himself could not sink this ship!
-Unknown Titanic crew member to embarking passenger, Mrs Sylvia Caldwell.

And pride goes before a what???

Pride precedes a disaster, and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall.
-Proverbs 16:8

My point exactly!  I don't want to be too proud about weight loss because pride, or a haughty spirit, can trip a person up faster than anything!  Besides, I do not lean on myself to get this done.  My body is frail and has issues.  I don't know when I'm going to be completely out of commission with sciatica or neuropathy,  or if something else related to my diabetes will trip me up somewhere along the way.  I'm totally leaning on my Father in heaven to help me achieve this goal.  That's where my help comes from - !

I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to me.  My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  - Psalm 121:1-2

I know it may seem as though I'm in some sort of program.  Maybe , but I can do this with God's help!  He's brought me this far and I don't believe He's going to quit helping me now!  I just keep praying -  I'm staying positive and I feel pretty!

 

On that note...  listen to "I Feel Pretty" and start to believe it!

http://youtu.be/jQgtCH2UxR8

In my opinion, there is nothing quite like receiving a homemade greeting card.  It shows me that my friend really cared enough to send the very best (oh wait, that's a different slogan)...  but it lets me know that my crafty friend is really thinking of me and poured her heart and soul into expressing it.  It takes time to create a greeting - make it just the way you want it.  Not everyone is crafty.  I am not a crafty person.  Cardmaking and scrapbooking activities relax most women, but they frustrate me.  I can not go to a "party" where there are cards being created without feeling anxious and like mine is not going to turn out as good as anybody elses' - so clearly this is not an activity for me.  But I love homemade cards!  Today is WORLD CARD MAKING DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!  If you enjoy this type of activity, make a card for someone today.  It might just make their day - maybe their entire week - you never know.

 

I Bet You Didn't Know...

 

I bet you didn't know that 88.3% of my wardrobe is green!  Do you care?  That was not the question, so I don't really care if you care or not! 



Now, green is not particularly my favorite color, as some people have suspected.  I have a lot of green clothing, and until now, I could not pinpoint the exact reasons why I choose so many garments in green.  I think I've had a breakthrough now, and can finally explain my thought process.  Please read the following disclaimer before you read my list:

Disclaimer:
You are about to enter a scary place called Linda's brain.  I'm not responsible for any thought residue or fallout that may occur.  If any concept or idea happens to become a part of your future thought process when purchasing clothing, don't complain to me about it.  Read this post at your own risk.  You've been warned.

Reason #1:  How many "Regulation Holidays" have green as a main color?  I mean, think about it (not too hard). Let's go down the list.  Let's see, there's

New Year's Eve - a dark emerald green works just fine for a night out on the town.   

The ever-popular Valentine's Day - and I can hear you say, "Ah-ha!  That is a RED or PINK holiday".  You are so wrong!  The Fourth Chakra, or Heart Chakra is actually either green or pink.

Not everyone celebrates St. Patrick's Day - but in our home we do.  And it goes without saying, we have to wear green on that day or we end up wearing black and blue skin!  Getting pinched all day long is no fun!  We just go with it - wear the green and save the skin!

For Easter, I like to pair a light Spring green with pale pink.  I work with children and when they go out to hunt Easter eggs, there's always a chance that you can slide around in the grass and get a dandy grass stain.  If I'm already wearing green, the stain does not show so badly.  I rest my case.

And my next green go-to Holiday is, of course, Christmas.  I go back to the darker shades of green and definitely long sleeves.  Brr... 

Reason #2:  This alludes a little to my "Easter Sunday" logic.  If I'm out in my back yard and happen to slip on the wet grass, if I land on my old green shirt, chances are the stain will not be so noticeable. 

Reason #3:  When I walk early in the morning, green acts as perfect camouflage.  I'm doing everyone a favor.  I don't have to feel conspicuous as I walk along the sidewalk in my neighborhood, and I don't unnecessarily nauseate my neighbors first thing in the morning!

Reason #4:  When I wear a certain shade of green, people have the mistaken idea that I work at a job that requires scrubs.  People wearing scrubs are looked up to in certain circles.  I generally end up washing my car or something in that outfit, but first I go out in public just for the reaction factor!  I like gaining undeserved respect from perfect strangers!  Wearing scrubs is actually pretty cool!  

Reason #5:  There are some people in my life who get a little annoyed when I wear a certain green shirt with a certain football team's name on it.  Why would I pass up the chance to annoy my friends?  It's just nuts not to take advantage of that window of opportunity!  To pass up fun like that is just crazy! 

So much for our mental health release for the day! 

Here's Kermit to remind us...  It's not EASY being green!

 http://youtu.be/hpiIWMWWVco

Today is PINS & NEEDLES DAY!!!!!!!!!!  If you know how to sew or use these things, then knock yourself out today.  If you dont' have a creative bone in your body (like me), then just hug a crafty person today!

  
         





 

    



  

      

My Body Can't Keep up with my Brain

 

Brain:  Good morning, Body!  Look at the beautiful day God has given us today!  And we got plenty of sleep last night, so we're rarin' to get going!  Isn't this great?  Are you ready to do your finger stick now?

Body:  Could you just SHUT UP and let me get my eyes open so I can actually view the weather for myself?  And, if you don't mind, I'd like to pee before you rush me into the whole "finger stick" thing!  Man, I just need some coffee!

Brain:  Well, alright - but hurry it up!  We have lots of stuff to do today.  We have to do the finger stick and take our meds and feed the dog and get some laundry done.  Oh... and we really need to change the sheets on the King size bed this time.  Now, I know, Body, you're not always feeling real swift about doing that whole sheet-changing thing, but you know, it just has to be done this week!  Then we need to get some dusting done, 'cuz you know somebody wrote a message in the dust on the dresser here in the master bedroom again...

Body:  You totally exhaust me, you know that?

Brain:  Well, I've always tried to be just as patient with you as I can, but honestly, Body, I think you're getting slower every year!  You just really need to pick up the pace to keep up with me.  Maybe you need more vitamins, or yoga, or a good swift kick in the...

Body:  Bite me, Brain.

Brain:  Now see, that's precisely the attitude I'm talking about.  You really need to improve your outlook on life - like me!

Body:  Look, Brain - I'm the one who has to feel the pain when I move - not you.  It would be really special if you would quit sending pain signals to my achy joints and especially to my right leg where the neuropathy and sciatica are!  Wow, sometimes that sciatica is a real pain in the... well - the leg! 

Brain:  The word "leg" was not your first thought - I know, because I'm the one who thought it! 

Body:  Yeah, sometimes I forget I can't fool you.  That's too bad!

Brain:  So, can we walk away from the coffee pot now and start doing a little housework?  We could start out slowly.  Hey, let's start out by going downstairs to see what's up on facebook?

Body:  Hey, that's a winner.  All this other junk can wait a little while.  I think I can drag myself down the stairs to the computer!  Thanks for the idea, Brain!

Brain:  Oh, no problem.  Just doing my job!  Hey, Body - don't forget your coffee!

Body:  Ah yeah... thanks!  Hey - I think this might be a great day after all!

******************************************************

Yeah - They're Coming to Take me Away!!!

http://youtu.be/_HZq62nqE78

Today is SHOPPING REMINDER DAY!!!!!!!!!!!  The day that reminds us to begin doing our Christmas shopping!!!  To those of you who love to shop, this is a great day to celebrate and you will do so at the mall.  For the rest of us, it's the day we roll our eyes and make sad faces and say, "Oh, if I have to!"  Either way - enjoy!