Category: Loss/Pain

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Forward Fridays

A man cutting meat at the store
Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash

Where we continue to look ahead

Hello my WP family.

How is everyone doing?

Have you all started getting your COVID vaccinations? If so how are you feeling? If you are not considering getting the vaccine, why not?

I had the opportunity to be vaccinated, but I still had antibodies from my battle in the ring with COVID, so I opted to wait and ponder some more. I would really like some more data as to the timeline for antibodies, but we will see.

I do vacillate between taking it or not.

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Yesterday I was off so I went to my local produce store to purchase some fish and herbs.

The store boasts a food section and I noticed the two ladies tending to the food had their masks under their chins while keeping up a robust conversation.

I was shocked …

I think these incidences happen a lot, especially behind closed doors. Folks are tired of the masks and voila — airborne and droplets on our produce.

I usually take my items to the house and wash or wipe everything down with a chlorine wash.

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I have been rolling with life’s punches and will update you all later. A few challenges have made an entrance so I am praying about them.

I appreciate you all and I try to sneak on and read as much as I can.

Do be vigilant and be safe.

God bless you all!

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Serendipitous Sunday

A bird in the heavens
Photo by Stefan Gessert on Unsplash
Hello my friends, it is the second Sunday of the new year. Though our battle continues and all hell continues to break loose — we remain with our eyes fixed on God and we shall not be moved!

I have decided that I do not want to dwell on all the negatives happening at this time and to keep my eyes lifted up to Him from whence cometh my help.

A few days ago I was on my way home, I saw this image,  2 planes had apparently formed a cross in their wake, so I strained out of my window to catch what appeared to me to be a great sign of hope.

A cross in the sky created by 2 planes
Image by author

A little flurrying in my current times. I love the cold and snow.

We get excited in Texas with flurries … lol.

See video below.

 

 

 

 

So much is happening in our world right now.

God is still on His throne and we continue to trust Him while remaining sensible in our doings.

Be well, be safe, be blessed!

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There Is Always a Reason To Hope — We Welcome 2021

2 hands holding a symbol of hope
Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash

Goodbye 2020 —Welcome 2021

Today is the final day of the year 2020. The year herald with such hope, joy, and promise.

Instead, we have ALL been challenged beyond what many of us thought we were capable of overcoming.

We have fought and continue to fight the good fight. We have won some and we have lost some. We are more resilient than we know and we continue to stand firm in the fight for our lives.

Those of us who trust God, continue to look to him as the author and finisher of our faith. I trust God implicitly and in Him, I move and breathe and have my being.

I trust Him with ALL that is within me and I know He has only our best interests at heart, and all things will work for the good of them that love Him.

My WordPress family you have become so much to me. I come to WP as my home away from home and a place of rest. I have found such love and acceptance here and I love you all.

An unopened rose as a symbol of hope
Photo by Roma Kaiuk on Unsplash

A Blessed, Healthy, and Happy New Year To Us ALL

Let us continue to support each other and keep the faith as we continue to trudge towards the mark …

Hope springs eternal and now there is a vaccine. Though the current development is not a panacea for all that ails us. We must continue the current practices so that we can keep each other safe.

Health professionals are exhausted so let us all continue to do our part.

Remember, nothing can occur with the permission of the Most High God and always know … Jesus Christ is Lord!

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Checking In With My WP Family

Christmas decorations stating hopePhoto by Arisa Chattasa on Unsplash

Good morning to my family on WordPress.

This season finds me quite hectic and trusting God for a breakthrough. I will be back with a testimony soon as to God’s faithfulness.

I hope you ALL are keeping well. I miss you all so much. I have been sneaking on here for a read every now and again but am not able to spend nearly as much time here as I would like to.

Work is so so busy as this is the 4th quarter and with the other unmentionable circumstance/s and the vaccine administrations, we are busy, busy, busy!!!

Some agree to be vaccinated, others (like myself) am not ready for this vaccine as yet. So we wait! The necessity of wearing masks continue to be a challenge.

I am muzzled so much I sometimes find it difficult to remember a time when I was not wearing a muzzle!

Still homeschooling with the challenges therein.

A young boy child with a Christmas hat on.
Snookums loves his hat / Photo by the Author

Snooky was gifted this hat by his teachers last Thursday and it has become a fixture upon his head. I’m not sure what his plan is when Xmas is over.

I have put up a few meager Christmas decorations in my backyard and in the house for the children’s sake. I am not feeling the spirit this year at all!

At least we can look at the lights from inside our home as we do not have a street view.

Image of Frosty the Snowman and 2 reindeers in a backyard
Image by the Author

May the grace and peace of God continue to keep us safe.

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A Mother — A Nurse Is there really a difference?

If I weren’t a nurse who would I be?

I’ll have to look inside and try to see.

The qualities that make me care

Were not just grasped out of the air.

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Feelings of love that I gratefully savor

puts my patients at ease and rarely wavers.

Looking inside to see who I’d be

if the nurse I am was just not me!

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I’d search the skills that I possess

empathy, caring, teaching, loving, and all of the rest.

These skills I have that I always employ

bring my patients comfort and much much joy!

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If I looked in the mirror and not a nurse I’d see

a mother for sure is who I’d have to be!

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This poem was written for me by my love, Gabe. I think is is beautiful and am sharing with you all. I hope you enjoy!

Stay well and be blessed!

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A View From Up High

A woman sitting atop a high peak with a cartoon of water in her hand.
Photo by Boxed Water Is Better on Unsplash

If I were not afraid of heights

I’d sample more of the world’s delights

And see much more from places high

The hills and valleys, sun and sky.

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I look up from a place below

Where sunlight paints the world aglow

If I were brave enough to be

Atop a mountain, hill, or tree

Oh, how wondrous that would be

As from my vantage point, I’d see

More of this earth God gave to me!

***

Alas, I sit now, here with thee

And dream of being a lot more…

Free!

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I am not a poet, but I decided to play around with a few words. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for reading!

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Thanksgiving 2020 — What Are You Grateful For?

 
 
A lone turkey walking in the field
Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash

I wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving.

What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?

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COVID-19 Vaccines — Will You Be First In Line?

A man who looks like a doctor with a needle getting ready to give a vaccine
Photo by Dimitri Houtteman on Unsplash

What are your thoughts on getting the vaccine?

Hello my WP family!!

Now that we are getting closer than ever to the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, what are your thoughts?

Tentative plans are to get it out to “front-liners”, then the elderly and those with pressing co-morbidities. Though many people are a bit leery of being inoculated with the vaccine, many others have stated their willingness to be first-in-line.

Since I recovered from COVID in July, I recently did an antibody test and I still have antibodies. I am not sure what the decisions will be concerning inoculating those who had COVID with the first doses.

A roll of toilet paper and a mask
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

The number of COVID cases rising rapidly everywhere even among our children. According to DR, Hawse, a Pediatrician speaking on NPR radio, the symptoms increase in severity the closer a child is to young adulthood.

This is the time to remain diligent on the social distancing, hygiene practices, and wearing our masks. Wear our masks the correct way, to cover our nose and our mouths, please.

Be mindful this Thanksgiving of the number of persons in a closed environment and if you are able the experts advise us to celebrate outdoors while still social distancing.

A lab in testing in progress
Photo by Alexandra Lee on Unsplash

My boss and I plan to keep doing our own little experiment and will be checking my antibodies every 2 months to see where it stands.

So what are your thoughts?

Will you take the vaccine as soon as you are able or, will you play the game of wait and see…?

Be safe, be well, be blessed.

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Forgiveness

A man holding up a sign that says forgiveness
Photo by Felix Koutchinski on Unsplash

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you” — Lewis B Smedes

Today is my father’s birthday. Had he lived he would have been 74 years old. He died less than three months ago.

We did not have the best relationship. I saw him as an irresponsible parent even on his best days.

I will never know what burdens my father carried from his childhood, but today begins my process of forgiveness. Today I journey the road to forgiving the man who was my father!

A man walking hand in hand with a young child
Photo by Derek Thomson on Unsplash

My aha moment while watching a podcast about Oprah’s relationship with her mother. Per her words, she saw her mother as a stranger who never took the time to know her and was really only interested in her once she began to make a name for herself.

She had a meeting with TD Jakes and he introduced the concept below.

Reverend TD Jakes’ words resonated very deeply within me and my “aha” moment was born. He posits that some of us are “ ten-gallon” people born into families of people with “pint-sized” capacities.

These “pint-sized” capable people could be giving us their “all” but we cannot appreciate it because we are “ten-gallon” people. As a “ten-gallon” person you give and expect to receive everything back on a “ten-gallon” level. That will never happen!

This for me was a profound moment…brought tears to my eyes and an instant understanding to my soul.

I get it now…forever wondering why I felt like a stranger in the family I had been born into. Forever feeling like I was always giving everything but getting minuscule returns on my emotional investments.

The “aha” moment!

A sign that says
Photo by Heather Mount on Unsplash

He went on to say that we must realize that parents were broken when we got them …

We think with our young minds that our parents should fit perfectly in whatever mold we have placed them into. We never think of our parents as people apart and separate from ourselves.

We do not understand parents existed before us and for themselves. I came to really understand through his words that parents are simply people — people who may be earnestly giving us their “ALL” … though, unfortunately not measuring up.

I began to see my father as a real human person, separate in his own right from the children he fathered. I understand that he was broken when I got him and unfortunately for all concerned he stayed broken.

I wish had this epiphany before he died so that I could model this new awakening. I would thank him for being my father and for always making every effort to connect, though on some occasions I rejected him.

I understand now that that was all he knew, and no matter his failings he always tried to stay in contact with all his children.

An empty chair with colorful balloons-- denoting someone is absent.
Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

So today, happy birthday to you my father.

I wish I knew better then.

Now I understand, you did all YOU knew to do and you gave ALL that was within your capacity to give.

If your parent is alive, make every effort to see them as a human soul flawed and broken.

Realize they gave you all that THEY knew how to give and take that first step towards acceptance and forgiveness.

Do not wait for it to be too late.

Say it while they still can hear you and bring some peace to that broken human God gave to parent you and later for you to parent.

Be blessed and enlightened as you ponder the quote below…

“Forgiveness is giving up the hope, that the past could be any different” — Oprah Winfrey