Boojoyful

We had a fun Thanksgiving Day at the ocean! I need to remember these moments and give thanks. Medical update following today's hematologist appointment. Here’s my latest report at this 11 week mark. The good news is the hematology testing from the 18 tubes of blood came back fine, with the exception of the one clotting problem they found in Nashville. I’m this doctor’s first patient with a plasminogen indicator PA1 problem. She called her colleagues in Pittsburg to confer on how to handle this situation. They all feel it’s a 50/50 chance this had anything to do with the stroke and the only way would be if it was combined with a cardiac problem. While the Plavix could be the culprit of the current headaches I’m battling they feel keeping me on it is the best stroke prevention for now. The other drug option has a 40% recorded reporting of causing headaches. Please pray for these to go away. The headaches, dizziness and another stroke are the biggest concern right...

November 30 This afternoon I'm to meet with the hematologist to discuss the 18 tubes of blood!  Also, I may throw out that I've been battling headaches for 3 days and suspect the Plavix is playing a role.  Thanks to my children for praying for these headaches to cease and for a sweet neighbor I saw while out walking yesterday, who laid his hand upon my head and prayed mightily in the name of Jesu for the headaches to be gone!  I've been enduring these instead of believing God can rid me of them. Our oldest grandson turned seven on Saturday.  The picture above is of him reading to his younger sister and two of his cousins.  Special moments!  I want to share with you from something I've read. Three people gave me Jill Bolte Taylor's bestseller, My Stroke of Insight . You may have seen her on television. At 37 years old, this Harvard trained brain scientist had a massive stroke to the left hemisphere of her brain. The book truly is insightful and has be...

Reading The Night Before Thanksgiving  with our grands. November 29 The remains of turkey have been made into sandwiches, salads and soup. College football rivalries were played out across America yesterday leaving some elated and others saying, "Wait until next year."  Bags are being packed as relatives make their way back to their homes.  The transition of life continues and today is the first day of Advent 2015! For this stroke surviver, four days of travel and family joy was probably too much stimulation. I had to head home a day early due to a headache and just plain feeling funky, but I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. Every Christmas season I profess to myself and Jesus that it will be more about him and less about the glitz!  Yesterday, we put on our Brandon Heath Christmas CD and pulled out a FEW decorations.  As the first notes tinkled out of the stereo system and my man walked by and kissed me, the tears dripped down my cheeks.  He ...

November 28 Spending this week with family was wonderful.  Possibly a bit much for my brain to take in at this point, but it was worth the overload.  A huge thanks to our son and daughter-in-love for hosting us with such graciousness in their beautiful new home. Not feeling well at all yesterday morning, one family member inquired, "What's wrong?"  I realized these ailments (brain exhaustion) are so different that it's actually hard to describe.  Then I opened Psalm 139 and realized there is someone who knows all there is to know about me!  There is no need to describe any symptoms...physical or emotional. Hopefully, you are still in thankful  mode.  Join me in thanking the Lord for these characteristics of his: Thank you for ...searching me and knowing me ...understanding my thoughts from far away ...observing my travels an my rest ...being aware of all my ways ...placing your hand on me ...having extraordinary knowledge ...knitt...

Well, the stroke update is simply this. I went wireless for about 36 hours.  I called the cardiac monitoring system and told them I was unplugging  my monitoring system for Thanksgiving.  I got a wonderful night's sleep Wednesday night without sleeping with the battery pack and all the wires!  I'm plugged back in for another 2 weeks! We were blessed to house 4 young fathers and their 13 year old sons last Saturday night. These deer boys and their dads gobbled up the pancakes I made Sunday morning! November 27 Oh, how we loved the days when our home was filled with teens and twenty somethings.  But we are not envious of the job today's parents have of training up this younger generation. Our pastor gave an excellent sermon on envy  and the following day the same topic headlined one of the devotionals I read, so my ears perked up and I asked the Lord to reveal areas where I was allowing envy to get a foothold.  Pastor Stan stated, "E...

Pictures to come Give thanks to the Lord. For He is good; His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 118:1 November 26 On this Thanksgiving Day, which should really be everyday, I kiss the head of each precious family member who is with us and long to be in the presence of so many others.  I know this picture could look much, more different from what it does and while I'm thankful for this day, I know life changes.  God is constant though. His love is the same present, past and future. We are his children and the sheep of his pasture.  

November 25 Oh, how I hope you are able to more than gobble down turkey this week.  Take time to be thankful. One of the SRT studies last week had me in Psalm 40 and was titled You Put a New Song in My Mouth. Here are some Psalm highlights which are of so fitting for my stroke journey. I waited patiently for the Lord .  v1 He brought me up from a desolate pit .  v 2 He put a new song in my mouth .   v3 How happy is the man who has put his trust in the Lord .  v4 Lord my God, You have done many things.    v5 Your constant love and truth will always guard me .  v.11 Lord, be pleases to deliver me; hurry to help me, Lord .  v.13 I am afflicted and needy; the Lord thinks of me. You are my helper and my deliverer;  my God, do not delay . v17 My Response: Lord, I wish I had this Psalm memorized and was able to recite it when in the presence of trouble. Thank You for guarding my mind from impatience and depression during this s...

November 24 Add on Who gave me these?  I just opened my drawer and found them!  What an encouragement.  I'm laughing so hard though because I am not "smart." The first picture I took had the word upside down! Oh how I want a pair that says, "Jesus loves me!"  They are super comfy too. Now fess up clever gift giver!

November 24 Psalm 34 sets us on the right path for praising the Lord. I will praise the Lord at all times.     v.1 I will boast in the Lord.                     v.2 Let us exalt His name together.         v.3 Taste and see that the Lord is good. v.8 Come, children, listen to me.             v.11 Doing an exercise in SRT on Psalm 34, it calls upon us to...                                 "Make a list of how God cares for his children." Verse 4           He answers me.  He delivers me. Verse 5           He makes me radiant with joy. Verse 6           He hears me and saves me. Verse 7           He rescues me. Verse 9 +10    He sees that I lack no good thing. Verse ...

November 23 How perfect is this notepad gift from a girlfriend! That's where I am, trying to figure out how to live day to day without getting exhausted. The Lord's Day was amazing yesterday. This Meredith Andrews song was a perfect way for me to worship the Lord remembering, "Not For A Moment will He forsake me." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoh26pC2RT8 Coming home I stuck a turkey sandwich in my mouth and then sawed zzzzzzz's for 2 hours.  I laid low the remainder of the day knowing our church dedication service for our new building was at 6:30.  Words can't describe the worship and praise that took place in that building last night.  One of those unforgettable moments in the Presence of the Lord. The heart monitor I wear is geared in a way that when I feel a change in my heart I push a button on the battery pack. Then on a separate communicator you select from an activity list what you were doing at that time.  They need to add...PRAISING THE L...

November 22 Our spirits have been lifted the past couple days with my sister visiting from Florida and Deke's brother flying in from NY to surprise us! We always thank God for all of you  and continually mention you in our prayers. 1 Thessalonians 1:2 

November 21 3:30AM I'm messed up! This post stroke journeying process needs to be real for me to fulfill the purpose of looking back and being encouraged, so honestly, I've had a mini-meltdown. The past six days have been quite an adjustment having to wear the heart monitor 24 hours a day.  Just selecting outfits with sufficient pockets for the battery pack and communicator (phone) is a challenge; not to mention trying to sleep with wires all over your chest and a battery box clipped onto your nightgown! Presently, I'm wide awake because the batteries just died at 3AM and a beeper went off awakening both me and my husband! I was ready to throw this contraption in the lake. A couple of post stroke quirky comments have been realized by my husband and me. While we've laughed them off,  because they are random and out of the blue, they're not my usual personality and speak volumes to me that there's still a problem. (No, I'm not cussing.) I went from laug...

November 20 Hiding out in Psalm 19 the other day was a great follow up to the thoughts on perfection.  Afterwards I wrote: "Oh, Precious Father, thank you for loving me. As I stare at your attributes in this Psalm I pray that I might live a life that is pleasing in your sight, but I'm not perfect like You.  Help me to live in a way that others see these attributes in me.  (Forget the first one... perfect.) Trustworthy Right Radiant Pure Firm (Not physically, but as in reliable and enduring.) Righteous  Desirable Precious Sweeter than Honey Thank You for the power in your Word. It changes lives. It confronts me with love and motivates me to repent.  Then it refreshes me after the process and fills me with joy.  You are for REAL God and your Word is living and active! Psalm 19 "The heavens  declare  the glory of God;  the skies  proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech;  night aft...

November 19 One of my brain exercises is an online site called  Lumosity.   In the beginning, I got all stressed out because I wanted to do it perfectly.  Then I remembered what one therapist told me in relationship to all the exercises I was doing.  "Even it you don't do it perfectly, you are still helping the healing process by attempting the exercise.  You are training the brain to reroute from the injured area." Now I'm able to to see the benefit in the process.  Also, at some point I recognized this site and the therapist intend to push me past the point of perfection for therein is the benefit. As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord's word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30 Remembering only God is perfect, I headed to Biblegateway for some verses on perfection.   The number one selected verse stopped me in my tracks. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.   Matthew 5:48 Strivi...

November 18 A dear friend loaned us the movie, "Do You Believe?" to watch over the weekend.  The 1 Peter passage in The Message translation below could easily have precipitated the creation of this film.  This movie is the story of 12 lives and how God moves in those lives to bring them closes to Christ. If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that  they’re  the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did...

November 17 This time of year we really miss our five sons!  Our five acres of land are home to numerous trees.  The wooded area, where our scripture trails are, creates a challenge when it comes to removing the leaves.  My husband has calculate that is takes him 43 man hours to complete our leaf work each fall.  God has been amazing to provide help through our church and the Young Life ministry the past few years. At our ages it is no longer a one man job.  Seeing the magnitude of this project, these young people know that we are sincerely grateful. I'm having the best time starting my morning with  Psalms of Gratitude .  It is the current She Reads Truth study. As I began with Psalm 100, I did a self-check to see how many of these actions I'm carrying out. Shout for joy  to the Lord, all the earth. Worship  the Lord  with gladness ;  come before him with  joyful songs . Know  that the Lord is God. ...

Painting these fellows for our grandchildren. November 16 From Jesus Calling on November 8: "Learn to appreciate difficult days. Be stimulated by the challenges you encounter along your way.  As you journey through rough terrain with Me, gain confidence from your knowledge that together we can handle anything. This knowledge is comprises of three parts: your relationship to Me, promises in the Bible, and past experiences of coping successfully during hard times." Just as the Queen of Strokes told me when I was in the hospital,  "It's important to journal and look at how far I've come," Sarah Young is reminding us to reflect on a personal life walked with the Lord  and the examples of those who have gone before us. 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

November 14-15 My husband is an early bird...we're talking... out of bed by 3:30-4:30AM every morning.  In an attempt to not awaken me, he takes pillows and stuffs them alongside me so that I think he is still there beside me.  Such a comfort and it works! Listening to the news unfold concerning the attacks in Paris last night, comfort  for the injured,  scared and grieving was in the forefront of my prayers.  Many of you know our daughter, Jiewon, who has lived in Paris, while working on her doctorate.  We are so thankful to be able to share that she returned to the US in August.  Her heart is heavy for the French people, whom she sincerely loves.  The neighborhood where the attack occurred on the cafe was right where she lived a few years ago. Listening last night, to her explain her mindset, the reality of how our eternal destination can be established for us in an instance rang out.  She said it was surreal to be praying for th...

November 13 A friend was toting me around to doctors' appointments Wednesday and also treated me to a delicious chicken, cranberry, pecan croissant for lunch at Sugar and Slice.  While the sandwich was delicious, it could not compare to the sea salt caramel mini cupcake I took home for an afternoon snack. (After visiting the cardiologist!  Ha!) While using the restroom two words stared at me from a shelf and influenced my thought life in a positive way at that moment. GRATITUDE and MIRACLE Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs fro the Spirit,  singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.   Colossians 3:16  You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. Psalm 77:14  And they took offense at him.  But Jesus said to them,  "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his...

These shots were taken from our screened porch with me in my nightgown! I don't think this fisherman knows he's been shot! "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32 November 12 Looking out our bedroom window early this morning the pink sky was peeking over the mountain range, as I noticed a fisherman s-l-o-w-l-y trolling in our cove. I laughed!  That's it Lord!  I'm at trolling speed right now and that's ok!  I opened Jesus Calling  and found these words: "This is a time of abundance in your life.  Your cup runner over with blessings.  After plodding uphill for many weeks, you are  now traipsing through lush meadows drenched in warm sunshine. I want you to enjoy to the full this time of ease and refreshment.  I delight in providing it for you." My mind raced ahead...hmm warm sunshine?  Mayb...

November 11 A group of pastors used Shiloh last Wednesday as the location for part of a seminary graduate course    concerning the importance of restoration for pastors.  Friends pitched in to help me with the cleaning, luncheon food, and serving.  Then we got out of the way and allowed these men to enjoy their day and time alone with the Lord. As they were loading back onto the pontoon boat, on which they had arrived, one young pastor asked to speak to me.  He gave me his card and requested I pray for him. Asking if there was something specific, he teared up and replied, "No, there's just a sweet, sweet smell in this place."  Looking into his eyes, I said, "His name is the Holy Spirit." Do you have a place where you can go and encounter God and recognize the presence of the Spirit? Do you have people praying for your spiritual walk and that you will hear from the Lord? Are you praying these things become real and vivid for others? Jesus says to hi...

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like god refined seven times. Psalm 12:6 November 10 While I intended to take on a full day yesterday with a couple friends, the Lord rearranged schedules and I had a day alone with Him.  Sitting at the piano I flipped through a song book and sang praise to the Lord. After five verses of Amazing Grace, I launched into the song As a Deer Pants for Water. As a deer pants for water, so my soul longs after you. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you. You alone are my strength my shield, to you alone will my spirit yield. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you. I want you more than gold or silver, only you can satisfy. You alone are the real joy giver and the apple of my eye. You're my friend and you are my Father, even though you are my King I love you more than any other, so much more than anything . After singing I began to pray to the Lord. ...

 Now this little fellow will get your day off to the right start with his enthusiasm and excitement. November 9 Liz Curtis Higgs is a jolly ole soul and she's starting a weekly online study during this holiday season on "JOY."  Oh, how I love me a big scoop of joy during the day! Sign up for the weekly email at: http://www.lizcurtishiggs.com   On Thursday her post challenged me to be intentional in going to that deep place with Jesus during my prayer time.  My "fix this Jesus" list is long, and as she states,  "These are  not bad prayers," but there's another aspect that should be in our prayer time. Check out what she says.   She continues, "Jesus wants us to ask for things that glorify His name, proclaim His name, shine a spotlight on His name.   I'm fairly certain the things I've prayed for lately don't qualify. They're all about me or the people I love. Honestly? Focusing on ...