Status Report, Book Log for November, etc.

Sitting…in my big recliner.

Drinking…coffee. Stevia in the Raw sweetener, and a touch of Coffeemate Caramel Machiatto.

Complaining…mentally about not complaining.  I had a big, silly, self-centered day of shopping planned.  I had gotten money for my birthday, and was going to just go and have a day of it.  Then one of my kids began throwing up last night.  So, I realize that scrapping my silly, self-centered plans for the day is not a big deal.  And I am not complaining.  But I would like to.  Does that make sense?

Realizing…that complaining about anything is a useless waste of time, and more importantly, is not pleasing to the Lord.

Convicted…that I should really be quiet and get over myself.  

Reading…nothing right now - though I have A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch on the table next to me.  I will probably start it today.  I get all excited when I am trying out a new author for the first time.  

Anticipating…going on a family road trip soon, as long as no one else starts barfing.

Listening…to the dryer on "fluff" now, as it is full of throw pillows from the sofa.  Where the barfer was sitting last night.  Just saying, you fill in the blanks.

Almost ready…for my science co-op tomorrow, which is a shame, because if the barfer is not 100% better in a few hours (and no one else is sick) I will be cancelling.

Wondering…if I am going to get sick, too.

Thankful…that my life is such that we can re-arrange for sickness, etc.  Thankful that we homeschool, and that our business is in our home, so I don't have the stress of having to be somewhere else.  Also thankful that as I get older I am learning to "go with the flow" more.  

Ready…for whatever the Lord brings my way today!

And now, since I read so few books last month, I might as well just pile these posts together!

November

A Duty to the Dead - Charles Todd - 4 (out of 5) - first in the Bess Crawford mystery series.  Bess is an English nurse serving in World War I.  While home recuperating from an injury, she takes a deathbed message from one of her patients to his family.  There she finds a mystery, an family secret surrounding a murder, and a few more suspicious deaths.  I would say that if you like the Laurie R. King "Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes" books you will probably enjoy this one as well. 

A Shilling For Candles - Josephine Tey -3 - this is only the second Tey that I have read. She wrote in the same time period as Agatha Christie, so her books have that sort of feel to them.  Lots of characters, at some points it was hard for me to keep track of who the minor players were.  

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C.S. Lewis - 4 - a read aloud with my younger boys.  Always like Narnia, this is one of my favorites.

And that is it!  I picked up and put down lots of books, and really just had a hard time finishing anything.  I am blaming it on too much social media.

Support Comes From All Around Me

Last night I attended my first Diabetes Support group.  It was pretty much what I expected, though it was more of a "class" and less "discussion" oriented. It was very similar to the sort of teaching I am getting from Joan, my Diabetes Instructor from Kick Diabetes - St. Louis.  We had a workbook of scenarios, dealing with nutrition, medication, feelings, exercise, etc. and had to get into pairs, read the "word problem" and then answer questions about what we thought the person needed to do.  My partner and I had "hypoglycemia", which is low blood sugar.  I have not experienced this in my brief diabetes journey, and my partner was a nurse who was observing the class as part of her continuing education.  So.....I think we did pretty well, but I did note that our information was strictly theoretical.

I keep thinking I am outside of the norm for Type 2.  Joan told me I was "the skinniest newly-diagnosed Type 2" she'd ever met (bless her!!) and last night I was definitely the youngest person in the room.  Maybe not by much, but the next youngest were in their 50s with grandchildren, and there were a lot of ladies my moms' age.  Everyone was very welcoming, and I do plan to go back.  Next month we are meeting at Schnucks and then going through the store and learning how to shop.  My initial thought was, "I am NOT doing this!  And I already know how to read labels."  But you know what - I need to do this.  I thought I knew how to read labels and Joan showed me some things I didn't know.

I see it as a defect of character that I always think I already know so much.  When I went to Weight Watchers four years ago I thought I already knew it because I had had gestational diabetes three times and had to learn to do meal plans, food journals, read labels, etc.  Now I think I know it all from the incredible combined knowledge of that and Weight Watchers.  And you know what?  A lot of what I "know" is wrong.  Or has changed.  Nutrition science moves forward, constantly.  The things I learned about food exchanges in 1998 when I had my first son are not the same as they are now.

Be Teachable - that is a good theme for life.

Yesterday I got a letter from a Christian sister who is in prison.  I will give more info later when I have time, but for now, just know that Michelle is saved, and she is leading Bible studies and ministries within the confines of a womens' state penitentiary.  The Big House, as it were, not one of the little jails.

It would be very easy for me, as a good church woman (and deacon's wife, have I mentioned that? Don't forget I used to teach Sunday School, too) to feel that my years of church experience and Bible exposure put me in the position of being somehow "more" Christian than this lady who is a fairly recent convert, and btw, is in jail.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.  This lady is a spiritual giant, standing next to my puny faith.  Yesterday I was grumping about, basically having a few extremely minor things not go my way.  Then I get this, my first letter from Michelle.  I had written her a month or so ago, sent a few pictures from the garden (the frog and butterfly over to the right, there) and a couple pictures the little guys colored.

She blows me away.  She made me a card, with the inscription:

Jesus Is:
The light that is Brightest
the word that is Surest
the peace that is Calmest
the counselor that is Truest
the friend that is Nearest
the companion that is Dearest

And this is part of the letter:
"God has not only made us alive in Christ, but He has gifted us for His purposes.  His Holy Spirit fills us and we are equipped to do any task He has ordained for us.  Our service to Him must flow out of our joyful praise and adoration of Him.  It must be more than an academic or mechanical theology or knowledge of God.  It much be to God.  W are not merely trophies of God's grace.  Show signs of life!  The born-again nature is FIT to do good works.  How can a light not shine?"

I began to cry as I read this.  This women, sitting in an incredibly dark place, reaches out and ministers to me, whose world is only light right now.  I was ashamed of my attitude, convicted of my sin.  And I have learned.

Keep learning today!

One of those annoying healthy-living posts

Generally, I don't talk about health/fitness, et al.  Well, only once a year, around January 1, when I commit to eat healthier and get more exercise.  But.....

Yesterday I went to a womens' health fair, sponsored by a local hospital.  As I am now among the class of "un-insured or under-insured", I qualify.  It was very nice, very well done.  I had my glucose checked, my cholesterol and had a mammogram.  Then I got to discuss the results with a nurse and go over my numbers and what needs to be done to change them.

Overall, I am not in bad shape for a 46 year old broad.  Menopause did horrible things to my waistline (nicer to blame that than the four kids!), but overall, a little achy joints but otherwise pretty good.

I need to lose some weight.  Okay, knew that.  Blood pressure was 122/86, not bad, but should be 120/80 or below.  Glucose should have been 140 or less, was 153.  This was my main cause for concern.  I had gestational diabetes with three of my pregnancies, so I am very familiar with the diets, blood testing, etc.  Do not want to go back there, ever.  Having had GD, I am at a higher risk, so this bothered me.  I am going to have to go to a lab and take a regular fasting test and see where I am.  In the meantime, I got some cinnamon and chromium pills to take.  It is supposed to help you metabolize sugars better.  We will see.  When I told my results to my friend who went with me, she asked if I had be itchy lately.  YES!!!  I have switched soaps three times in the last week or so, in the evening my whole torso and upper arms itch-itch-itch.  She said that is a sign of high blood sugar.

Side note - I thought about Googling all this, but my kids' pediatrician told me to never google symptoms, you always think you have something far worse than what you really have.

Anyway, started taking the pills.  A nice side effect is that if you burp you think you had a snickerdoodle.

My cholesterol overall is 191, and it needs to be below 200, so that is okay.  The good cholesterol, however, should be at least 50, preferably 60, and mine is 45.  The nurse suggested flax seed oil or meal, and........regular exercise.  I bought a bag of flaxseed mill (surprisingly inexpensive, I always expect healthy stuff to be a price gouge) and have added it to my smoothie today.  I don't taste any difference.  And, I did a half hour on the treadmill.

So, there is the update on my physical health.  This little adventure yesterday got me thinking about my spiritual and mental health as well, and some of the tie-ins.  I need to think a little more, and will elaborate later this week.