Friday, December 2, 2022
Faith and Grief
The waning grief seems to be unearthed and dug up again when any holiday rolls around, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I'm not sure why death seems to come calling more often during the holidays. I've attended three funerals in the last two weeks. I cry at every funeral. My heart breaks for the families. These three funerals were "good" funerals or rather, celebrations of life. The three individuals professed hope in Jesus so we know we will live with them forever in heaven. Until that glorious reunion, please allow me to share a wonderful message I heard at my uncle's funeral recently. I pray the words comfort you during your grief as they have me. The minister used the following scripture in his delivery.
Romans 8:38-39
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
His message is "Nothing can seperate us from the love of our loved one", just as nothing can seperate us from the love of God. The love of Christ in us binds us with others for eternity. We can appropriately insert the name of our loved ones into this verse...
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of ___(insert name here)___, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The comfort of knowing love remains is powerful. I Corinthians 13:7 (paraphrased) assures us that love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Certainly, love helps us grieve.
Much love,
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Five Basic Elements of Unconditional Love
Everyone wants unconditional love. These are the five basic elements of unconditional love we embrace and practice:
- Different is good. Diversity was cool in our home before it became a popular buzzword.
- Compassion not pity. Compassion and pity are synonyms but aren't the same. Both convey sympathetic feelings for others, but pity creates cause for regret or disappointment. Pity comes across as sadness or misfortune. Advseristy encourages strength, adaptation and courage. Those valuable charcter traits desire compassion not pity.
- Wear a smile. A smile is so much more comforting than that furrowed brow frown; no sad faces allowed. Caring is revealed with a happy face. Show your love for ohters by greeting them with a warm smile.
- Do not stare, gawk or crane. When I share my story with groups, I laugh at myself. I've become so used to people staring at me, I get offended when they don't. I wonder what's wrong with these people? LOOK at me! (That is a joke, of course.) I really don't enjoy being stared at for the wrong reasons.
- Take time for all. Individuals are put into our lives for various reasons. We will learn and grow from every person we meet if we invest wisely. Understanding people is a full-time job. Friends are a blessing to cherish.
Lovingly,
Monday, April 25, 2022
Faith and Pickles
- Pickles start in a raw perishable state. We are born into a perishable state.
- Pickles need someone to perserve them. We need a Savior to preserve us.
- Pickles take time to obtain their unique flavor. We take time to obtain robust faith.
- Pickles are "ready"-to-eat. We are "ready"-to-go.
- Pickles must be thrown out if not properly sealed. We will hear "Depart" if not sealed by Jesus.
Friday, April 22, 2022
How to Use Your Faith to Find Something You Lost
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Thursday, April 21, 2022
His Fault
Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Faith like Andrew
Five loaves of bread and two fishes is a well-known miracle of the Bible. Jesus fed a multitude with five loaves and two fishes. This miracle is relatable. If you've ever fed a crowd, you know how much food is required. Honestly, couldn't two people eat five small loaves of bread and two fishes? So, we get the picture of just how huge a miracle it was to feed more than 5000 people with a meager amount. You know I'm all about faith. I want to look at faith like Andrew in this story.
Most of Jesus' disciples spoke out negatively about the plan to feed 5000. They were sure they didn't have the money to do it. They didn't see any available food. But there was Andrew, the believing disciple. The faithful disciple. Andrew told Jesus he saw a young boy in the crowd carrying five loaves and two fishes. Jesus said "Bring him to me."
I want faith like Andrew. The other disciples were overtaken by unbelief. Andrew was hopeful. He stepped up to exercise his faith in Jesus. The other disciples thought the task was too monumental for Jesus to perform. It is no mistake Andrew was the disciple who saw the young boy with the food in the crowd. God knew Andrew was the one who would assist Jesus with this miracle. God needed someone who would use the resources at hand to get the job done. If it weren't for faith like Andrew's, everyone would be hungry and noone would have witnessed a miracle!
I also want to be like the young boy who freely gave Jesus his five loaves and two fishes. He gave all he had to Jesus. Imagine how the scene might have played out differently if Andrew had spotted an adult with five loaves and two fishes. I'm suspecting talking an adult out of dinner may have proved very difficult. The Bible tells us we must come as a child to Jesus. This story is the perfect example of how children (the boy) respond to Jesus versus how adults (his disciples) respond to Jesus. The lesson we also see is the boy gave a little and received a lot.
- Believe God can do what his Word says
- Exercise our Faith by stepping up and out
- Give when prompted by Jesus
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
My Kitchen Cabinets Reminded Me
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Monday, April 18, 2022
5 Steps to Increase Every Day Faith
Do you feel like you're being eaten alive? Daniel may have thought the same thing when he found himself thrown into a lion's den. Do you feel like you're drowning? Moses may have thought the same thing just before the Red Sea parted. Are you burned out asking what's the use? The three Hebrew children may have considered eating meat to get out of the flames. Instead of caving to unbelief, Daniel, Moses and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego exercised their faith. They confidently waited on God to deliver them. We can do the same when we exercise faith in our every day life.
1. Meditate on God when you first wake. I find communication is best with God first thing with a clear, renewed mind, without all the demands of the day pulling at me. I thank God for who he is and what he's done for me. I thank God for the day. I ask God to guide my day. Think about his goodness. Things he has done you. Request some things from him. Then, listen...
2. Listen for God to speak. My believing friend shocked me when she asked me "How do you know God speaks to you?". I know God is speaking to me when I have a "new elevated" thought. Something I would never think of on my own. It's kind of like letting God do your thinking for you, allowing him to guide you through the day. There's so many ways God speaks. If you'd like more, let me know in the comments.
3. Learn to Recognize God is speaking. I always recognize God speaking to me in my thoughts. We carry many conversations, because I'm continually asking him for advice or answers or something. My seeking heart is always open to recognize him. He may confirm what he spoke through someone else's conversation with me. The Sunday Sermon might cover my questions for the week. I may read my answer. The other day on my way to lunch with a friend, God popped an idea into my head. I thought about turning a project into an Air B&B rental. I'd never had that thought before. During lunch my friend said, "Why don't you turn your house into an Air B&B rental?". Coincidence? Not at all. God spoke and confirmed quickly!
4. Take Action. I remind myself all the time, faith is an action word. The Bible says faith without works is dead. We need faith action in our every day life to keep our faith building and strong. My definition of the word "works" in that scripture is simply a response to my faith. There are spiritual "works" responses and physical "works" responses.
Spiritual example: God asks me to believe. If I choose not to believe, my faith is dead. Belief is the works or action required from me.
Physical example: God asks me to bake my neighbor a cake. If I choose not to bake it, my faith is dead. If my faith were alive, I'd bake the cake and deliver it, recognizing God will accomplish his work with the cake. Another physical example. Will I turn that project into an Air B&B rental?
5. Ask, Believe, Receive. Do this exercise every day to increase your faith. Ask God for something small, very specific and personal. Ask for something tangible so you know God answered your prayer. Ask for:
- a friend to call or text you today
- your empty gas tank to make it to the station
- to find something you've misplaced
- to understand a scripture you've struggled with
- to curb your appetite (this is a favorite of mine)
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
The Chest or the Bosom
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Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Giving Back: How to Practice Self-Care as a Caregiver
I don't personally know Jason Lewis, the author of this guest post, but he astounded me with his intuitiveness. Thank you Jason, this article is personally touching. I cared for my husband during his double lung transplant on October 7, 2020. Lung transplant was/is an incredibly difficult yet amazingly miraculous journey. Today, we enjoy 17 months post transplant. My husband, Steve, is doing well. I'm still learning to care for myself...
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| Caregivers are extraordinary |
It’s crucial, even after a long day at work, to push through the exhaustion barrier and get out to do some exercise. The mental health benefits of exercise are innumerable, but beyond the improved confidence, decreased stress hormones and distraction from stressors, exercise will also help to provide you with the long-term energy you need to cope with day-to-day caregiving grievances. Even a short jog can be enough to break a negative cycle and release some of those ever-important endorphins.
Diet
If you can partner a positive exercise regime with a nutritious diet, you’ll be well on your way towards a healthier work/life balance. Changing your diet is often less complicated than you might think - a good first step is to wean yourself off junk foods high in salt, carbs, and trans/saturated fats. You can do this using replacement methods - by trading sugary foods or fruit and healthy alternatives and gradually lowering its demands.
Social Life
Like anything else, it takes time and effort to maintain a healthy social life. Although it can be difficult to find that time away from work, diverting your attention to spend with friends and family is crucial if you want to stay emotionally stable as a caregiver. The main key for unlocking a fulfilled social life is to organize and plan ahead - make sure you’re using apps and calendars to write down any plans and try to agree on dates well ahead of time to ensure that everyone can make it.
Music
The importance of music as a tool in battling stress, anxiety, and depression is too often overlooked. Studies cited on Pulse TMS show that music therapy leads to reduced muscle tension, increased self-esteem, and self-expression. Live music has even been linked to the release of oxytocin (the love or trust neurotransmitter). If the stresses of caregiving feel overwhelming, try finding some music that complements your mood and spending an hour just listening.
Art
The arts have long been an outlet for those who are troubled by mental maladies. If the weight of caregiving feels too heavy, try off-loading some of it via painting, sculpture, or physical crafts. Art and colors are shown to improve mood and, oftentimes, provide a more pleasurable way to explore and confront internal issues.
Time Management
It’s difficult to engage with any of the above if you haven’t got the time to do so. That’s why it’s important to bring in help to free up some of your own time. Some services will help you to keep things orderly in your life as you’re dedicating your time to others’ - for example, lawn care maintenance tends to cost between $30 to $80 (although this can go up if irrigation, fertilizing, pruning and hardscaping are included) but can save you hours on the weekend for you to spend on yourself. If in doubt, just Google: lawn care companies near me.
The value of caregivers is incalculable. By sacrificing your own time, you’re making the time of the receiver and people around them far more enjoyable. Just remember that if you’re not in a good mental or physical state, your ability to help others will always be impeded.
Caring365,
The Tammy365 blog shares faith, recipes, humor, and encouragement. Reach out to Tammy today! tammy.stafford@hotmail.com
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
3:16 Day 2022
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| Donor Letter |
His bloodwork is good. His kidneys are stable. No medicine changes. After going over everything, the doctor looked at Steve and said “You’re on auto-pilot now!”. He then directed his eyes at both of us to say “Congratulations on a job well done!”. I didn’t look at Steve but I’m sure he was holding back tears like me. All the tears, sweat, restless nights, rehab, pill schedule, prayers, trips back and forth to Atlanta, blood draws, infusions, bronchoscopies, vitals three times per day, hospital stays, I could go on…ALL were worth those six powerful words!!!
Sunday, February 13, 2022
Compassion for an Egg
Monday, January 10, 2022
Don't Spend Too Much Time Taking It Easy
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| Image by pexels.com |
Happy New Year 2022
The New Year is all about a new you! Now that you are retired or an empty nester, you might be thinking it is time to relax and take it easy. It's okay to sit on the couch for a day or two, but you should find ways to enjoy life and start moving again because your physical and mental health depend on it. Promote a healthy and inspiring life by committing to these three words: exercise, energize, and socialize. We can't spend too much time taking it easy...
Exercise
As you get older, your muscle mass decreases. You might not think this is a big deal, but it is. If you want to maintain your balance, strength, and mobility, exercise is a must. Physical activity on a regular basis helps you sleep better, improves your mood, and aids in the prevention and management of some diseases, blood pressure, anxiety, and stress. Even if you have never had an exercise routine before, starting today can improve your future. Bike, walk, join a gym or take up yoga. Invite your spouse or a group of friends and have fun with it. You will all reap the rewards of a longer, independent lifestyle.
Energize
Keep your mind active. You can always learn something new, including a second language, a musical instrument, or a sport. Study for that certification or college degree you always dreamed about and use it for a second career.
If continuing to work fulfills you and makes you happy, take those years of experience you gained in your career and start your own business. Research the best way to form your company and organize a business plan. Consider setting up as a limited liability company to take advantage of the flexibility, minimal paperwork, and tax benefits an LLC offers. Understand the regulations for Georgia LLC formation before you go too far in the process, and get assistance through a formation service if you don't want to pay an attorney or file the documents yourself.
Socialize
Per a recent study, 60-year-olds who frequently visit friends have a 12% less chance of developing dementia versus those who see friends only once in a while. What does this mean? Have a regularly scheduled breakfast or brunch, plan weekend cookouts, go on trips, meet for dinner, or video chat. Regardless of the distance and everyone's schedules, find a way to stay in communication with your friends and family.
Friendships can change as you get older due to relocation, divorce, or the death of a spouse. It can be difficult finding new friends, but don't let yourself become idle and alone. Research shows that loneliness and isolation put you at a higher risk for depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, and a weak immune system. Join a club or enlist in a class that pertains to your hobby. These are great ways to satisfy your creative spirit and meet new people with the same interests.
Being a senior doesn't mean hanging up all the fun. Your quality of life can actually be enhanced with all the free time you have. Use these extra hours in your day to get physically fit, take on a new learning experience, and attend special events and gatherings with friends and family. Everyone needs time to relax — just be active while you seek happiness.
Moving365,
Thank you to Jason Lewis for contributing this guest article. He can be reached by email at info@strongwell.org.