Monday 3 March 2014

Dogs





They say that diamonds are a girls best friend.... but who ever said that, never owned a dog!  That's a quote I came across once and fell in love with.  And although I do love shiny, sparkly, little baubles, the love and joy of owning a dog is incredible. I suppose if I had the chance to have my own children I would be writing about them instead, but alas, the only babies I will ever have is fur babies at this point!!  Having said that, don't cry for me Argentina, because I am as happy as a clam with my Bob and Buster.  They give me love and fill my heart with the kind of joy that sometimes reduces me to tears when I think of how God fashioned in them in such a way that their personality and reason for living is loving!

And if these photos don't bring you some joy... well then I am not sure what will!!  Have a great day!

Friday 28 February 2014

Why?

So, I promised that the majority of these articles would be fairly short and to the point.  However, today I must go back on my word so that I can help you understand a little bit more about me, and why I am on the journey I am currently travelling.

For a good number of years, I was quite ill.  So ill in fact that at some point the doctors did not think I was going to make it, and my family members were told to start making final arrangements for me.  There were times I could not walk or care for myself, but God has brought me through a very dark and trying time and great healing has taken place in my body.

I remember one night, being in the resuscitation room at the ER as my heart had stopped and there was a young boy about the age of 17 in the bed beside me who had been stabbed and left for dead on the streets.  I remember it so well because it was Valentines night, and although I could not communicate with my family or doctors, I could pray to my heavenly Father and that is what I did.  I prayed for me, my family and for the boy in the bed beside me.  As the doctors worked tirelessly on him to bring him back for more than 45 minutes, I could hear his mother and girlfriend screaming and crying out in the hallway.  They called it.  He was gone.  About 7 to 10 minutes later, one of the nurses called them all back, she got a thready pulse.  Again, the medical team worked their hardest to bring this boy back, but nothing was working.  It was his time I guess.  Why?  I am not sure.

Why did I live?  Why did I live through the gazillion visits to the ICU, ER and Resuss rooms only to survive?  Why have I escaped the clutches of death nearly all my life?  You see since I was a child there has been a plethora of times where my life should have been taken, but by the grace of God, I was saved, and I was having a hard time with this.

This past January, I went into the ER and ICU for three different weeks.  I was diagnosed with yet another terrifying health issue, and again I asked myself why?  "Why God have you saved me from all of what I have gone through, just to live this miserable life?"  You see my heart had been broken.  From very close friends, to my spirit... it was just broken.  And although I knew it was only Christ who could fill the cracks, holes and pieces of my heart that had been ripped out, I also longed for something deeper.  I needed Him and only Him.  But I also needed people.  After all, even God said, "it is not good for man to be alone."  I just needed an earthly person to share some of life with.  However that is for another posting.

So I am sitting there, bawling my eyes out after waking up after another night of asking Abba Father to take me home and I asked Him again WHY???  "Why did you save me?  Why did you save me just for this:?"  And even though it was not an audible voice, as clear as day I heard... "I SAVED YOU BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO LIVE... BEFORE YOU DIE, I WANT YOU TO LIVE THE LIFE I PLANNED FOR YOU"  And so my friends... I plan on living.  What I will do and how I will do it? I am not quite sure yet, but I have already started to make changes and have started to live.  Join with me and live your life today!


Wednesday 26 February 2014

Unconditional Love

I am thankful for unconditional love.  Whether it's from a family member or from our heavenly Father, I know I am unconditionally loved.  This is a secular song performed by Katy Perry... but I honestly just close my eyes and think of it as a song from Jesus to me.  It's called "Unconditionally"  Listen to it and let me know what you think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjwZAa2EjKA


Oh no, did I get too close?
Oh, did I almost see what's really on the inside?
All your insecurities
All the dirty laundry
Never made me blink one time

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
There is no fear now
Let go and just be free
I will love you unconditionally

Come just as you are to me
Don't need apologies
Know that you are worthy
I'll take your bad days with your good
Walk through the storm I would
I do it all because I love you, I love you

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
There is no fear now
Let go and just be free
I will love you unconditionally

So open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart and just let it begin
Open up your heart

Acceptance is the key to be
To be truly free
Will you do the same for me?

Unconditional, unconditionally
I will love you unconditionally
And there is no fear now
Let go and just be free
'Cause I will love you unconditionally (oh yeah)
I will love you (unconditionally)
I will love you
I will love you unconditionally



Are you able to love unconditionally?  It's the only way I want to know how to love, and I think I have done a pretty good job, but it has to be received for it to work.  Just like the song says.

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Good News from the Neuro-Opthamologist!!

As many of you know, this January I went into the hospital for what they thought was the flu and pneumonia only to leave with a headache like none I have ever experienced before.  Upon waking up the next day, my vision was blurred and I could see nothing in focus.  Thinking I was just still recovering I slept the rest of that night and day and night away only to wake up a few days later with increased head pain and decreased vision.  Upon the advice of my family doctor, I returned to my closest emergency department..

After an MRI, CT Scan, X-Rays, Blood and various other tests, they sent me to another hospital to have the back of the eyes looked at.  They thought I might have what they call IIH.  Short form for Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension.  Basically what that means is that for no apparent reason the fluid in the brain causes too much pressure on the brain and on the optic nerve causing damage to both.  I had a choice of doing nothing and suffering these mind blowing headaches, taking pills that would damage my already britterly fragile kidneys, or constant spinal taps to relieve the pressure.  I opted for the pills... for now.

So yesterday I went to the Neuro-opthamologist (who coincidentally did both my cataract surgeries) and he said that everything is looking good and that the pills seem to be doing their job.  So I am thankful for no further damage and I am thankful that we caught it early enough that no permanent damage was done to my sight.


Monday 24 February 2014

Thankful for waking up

Many of you probably never even give this a second thought, but I think about it all the time.  You see, as you will read my posts, you will begin to know little things about me.  But a big thing about me is that I was very ill, for a very long time.  For a time I would ask Abba Father to just take me home, but I am so thankful that today I woke up.  I still suffer from many of the effects of my former illnesses, but I am happy to be alive, in the good times and in the bad.  I am thankful that I awoke to another day awaiting me.  A chance to start over, to do things right, to grow closer to my God.... to live.  Yes my friends, I am thankful for waking  up!


Sunday 23 February 2014

The Thankfulness Project

So you are reading this... and I am glad that you have stopped by.  I promise to keep these posts relatively short but meaningful.  I called this The Thankfulness Project after seeing a post from a friend in my news feed which she entitled "The Joy Project" and it gave me this idea.

Every day negativity is all around us, it nearly drowns us with its intensity.  But where do we see the encouragement?  Where do we see the light at the end of the tunnel?  What one thing can we think of each day that brings us joy, makes us smile, laugh or just plain happy?  What one thing are we thankful for?

For my first day, I want to speak to the readers who are reading this blog.  I want to thank you for being either a friend, family member or just someone I just recently met.  I am thankful for each and everyone who will spread this blog and in turn help spread joy.  And if it is you  who needs some joy today... just look at the cutie below!!