Learning .....

I woke up Monday feeling better than I have in over 7 months! I took advantage of it and cleaned, washed clothes and put them away, made tshirt flowers, took my sweet puppy for a walk and cooked a meal for my husband. THEN... I woke up Tuesday STILL FEELING GOOD....ohhhhhh... what did I do...the same thing... took advantage of every moment and spent the day "crafting" with a friend, finished up all of the laundry, and cooked dinner for my hubby.  Wednesday didn't follow along..... it was a day that RA reminded me that it has a mind of its own! Before having to retire in February of this year, I would have kept pushing and would have ended up feeling much worse!! SO .... I have learned a lot .... and I rested all Wednesday! I woke up today feeling better.  Of course, I wasn't able to run a marathon...or even walk two miles! However.... I finished cleaning the house, did a little organizing in my craft room, cooked a yummy meal for my husband, and am wide awake thanks to a little puppy who had to go potty! I am grateful for weeks like this.... when I have more good days than bad! These are the weeks I try to focus on when it is the opposite.  Now....back to bed??..... hopefully.

Isn't it beautiful...............

  Isn’t it beautiful how God leads us to EXACTLY

 what we need to feed our souls.  I have been

unable to attend my home church due to my

 low white blood cell count and have been 

  watching sermons on television with my 

husband. Recently I started reading 

several bible study blogs posted by women, 

and have been so blessed by their diligence, 

desire to spread the love of God, and

their sweet, sweet spirits. 
 http://www.mydailywalkinhisgrace.blogspot.com/2012/06/what-do-you-do-about-that-thorn-in-your.html  

This is a wonderful message about learning
to lean on Christ THROUGH the difficulties
we face.  Each of us has a "thorn in the flesh"
and how we choose to deal with it makes
all the difference in our lives and our
state of happiness.  God desires for
each of us (the healthy or the sick) to 
walk in His fullness.  We must learn
first that HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!
It is all about perspective.... 
HOW WE CHOOSE TO view things...
HOW WE CHOOSE TO handle them.  
WITH GOD it is much easier...
He will supply the strength we need to
get through each day IF we realize 
that indeed HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT.  


Living with a chronic auto-immune disease.
 I've learned that as long as I 
stay focused on the TRUTH... 
THAT my creator has a purpose for 
everything under the sun (even my
illness....the thorn in my flesh) it
is easier for me to face each day.
Knowing that YES, indeed I have
limitations....but I HAVE A PURPOSE!!
and I know that if I choose His grace
and choose to rest in Him, that I will
be able to handle the pain, the
limitations, the fatigue, the treatments,
and learn to use this THORN IN MY FLESH
 as a way to spread His love THROUGH it all.
My favorite quote :"We go through what
we go through to help others go through
what we went through." I can choose to 
be bitter or better....I choose to be better
and empathize with others who are 
traveling the same road as I with this
roller coaster of ride "thorn in my flesh" 
called Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, 
TMJ, and Psjogrens Disease.
Thanks Tracy....for sharing your heart!

Don't put off your happy life......

Thanking God for this season

in my life!! Learning to enjoy

EVERY breath!!! 

(note: Several pictures on this blog were taken by Tommy Young.

He lives in Summit, MS and is a wonderful photographer. 

He can be found on Facebook.)

Our trip to New York.... 

My sis, me and my baby girl!

After our wonderful trip to New York, I 

had to take about 4 days just to recoup.  

What a wonderful trip and what priceless

memories!! Of course, I'd not want to live 

there....way too fast paced for this southern

girl.  Example: As we were walking the streets

of New York, a man dropped his umbrella on the

sidewalk.  I said, "Sir, sir! You dropped this...sir!"

NO RESPONSE...he just kept walking at a VERY

fast trot.  Another couple saw me TRYING to 

catch the man and get his attention.  They said,

"Mam, he has earplugs in, he can't hear you." 

So the man took the umbrella from my sister, 

because it was obvious my RA slow traveling

self was NOT going to catch up with the DUDE.

He proceeded to run and catch the guy.  IN

MISSISSIPPI, you'd hear a "bless your heart, 

thank you so much for picking it up for me."

BUT NOT IN NEW YORK....not a step was 

missed ...it was like watching a hand off 

in a track race.  

I like my southern roots!! JUST FINE!!

 BUT TRULY....we enjoyed every

moment.  We took it slow...as my sweet

daughter seems to have switched roles with

her mama now....  I told her, "If ever I 

questioned your love for me... I DO NOT

NOW!"  She was so nurturing and so over-

protective, making sure I was not overdoing it

and causing more harm to my joints.

 OH HOW I DO LOVE MY BABY GIRL!!

Our first day, after the plane ride and 

getting our luggage and a ride to the Hyatt

..... totally POOPED!

cruisin around The Statue of Liberty :)

photo taken by Tommy Young of Summit, MS

Cruising around the Statue of Liberty.  Unforgettable.

Pershing Square right outside of our hotel.... on Park Ave.

My me, Tina Turner, and my sister-gift...ROLLIN ON THE RIVER!

Aunt Leigh and LeeAnna in the Statue Of Liberty (WAX MUSEUM)

Elton, Elton, Elton...... what more can I say.... gotta

shine like him.... plus.... why just stand there and

smile... LIVE IT UP WHILE YOU CAN!!!!!!

I think these photos say it all!! We had a 

great time at the wax museum before 

going to TIme Square, Hello Kitty and

The Empire State Building.... a little windy....huh Nanabug!

and got to see Wicked... it was wonderful!

I CRIED LIKE A BABY!~~~ sitting beside my baby!

We also went to ground zero, the memorial

church for 911, 

Photo taken by Tommy Young of Summit, MS

we took a virtual helicopter tour

of the city, ate some amazing sushi and Italian,

and I got to see my baby girl sing at Carnegie Hall

with 4 other members of the Southwest 

Mississippi Community College Choir, 

Photo taken by Tommy Young of Summit, MS

Photo taken by Tommy Young of Summit, MS

...a very good time was had by

all....but ALL were ready to return

to their little corner of the world...

MiSSiSSipPi!! Thank you Lord for 

an amazing journey with two of

my favorite people! Can't wait to

start some scrapbooking!!