Simple Pleasures

So I have had many people get after me for not writing on my blog as often as I used to. Take this as a good sign that I am feeling better and resuming to my life. However, I admit posting on this blog is therapeutic to me and it is something I should be doing more often. Several times a day I get flooded with emotions and fears - what will my next set of scans read? how long do I have? will my death be ugly? will Carman remarry a hot tall blonde who is an excellent cook and loves football? will my arm movement improve? will I always get these feelings?

And then I stop the 'stinking thinking' as my sister Tara calls it because I can't control many of these things. God is in control and he loves me so I need to hold on tight to that. Plus, it isn't healthy to think negatively so I try to think positively and not look to far into the future. For example, I'm not looking to much past November 14th - the date of the Certified Financial Planning final. I am soooo not ready, but I'm going to challenge it anyways - I better go hit the books.

Today I share a list I made on day I was feeling really crappy and low - I should have dated it.

Simple Pleasures in my Life (in no particular order):
- cozy blankets
- chocolate
- dancing
- flowers
- hot cream corn after a day of hiking
- long hot baths
- walking to good tunes
- good books: The Outlander Series, The Shack, Purple Cow, Princess Sultana, Not Without My Daughter
- Good Gravy
- Riding behind Carman on his motorcycle
- Root Beer floats a the Delburne Soda Shop
- Rochelle's Ship Skin (she has a large sheet skin on her couch at the lake)
- hot chocolate and Baileys
- Singing around the campfire
- Coke on the rocks in the right glass
- french braids
- The York Chinese Food (they are now closed but we went there lots as a family.

That's the list - the phone must have rang because I would list much more. Here's to enjoying the simple pleasures in life.

Soul Mates

One thing I am certain of is that Carman is my soul mate. God brought us together. I totally believe God brings people into our lives to love. He displays this in many ways, even in the animal kingdom. I love this video, I hope you do too. Especially the hugging scene.

A New Kind of Normal

My mother-in-law Heather gave me the book A New Kind of Normal by Carol Kent. In it she quotes a statement made by author Ken Gire. I share it with you because it is making me think. Think what? I am not sure yet - it's pretty deep.

"When suffering shatters the carefully kept vase that is our lives, God stoops to pick up the pieces. But he doesn't put them back together as a restoration project patterned after our former selves. Instead, he sifts through the rubble and selects some shards of raw material for another project - a mosaic that tells the story of redemption".

Carol Kent comments to this statement: "It usually takes a long time to find meaning and purpose when you are living in the middle of devastating circumstances',

In response to her statement, I wonder if I have even reached the 'middle' of my circumstance.

To lighten things up, attached is a picture taken about 4 years ago at our friend Taryn's 30th birthday party.

Skin Heads

Josh, Mitch, Me, and Carman. Are we not the most attractive group! Mitch wins for least amount of hair - tee hee!!!!

Cancer still sucks!