Making Sense

Welcome to my blog ~ Thanks for stopping by!

Having the 'perfectionist' syndrome that I seem to have (haha) I always want things to 'make sense'. I would prefer to have answers and my plan all laid out before me with clear understanding of what lies ahead. Sometimes I wonder why God can't or won't just tell us what His plan is so we know what to do next.

However, as I look back at some recent events in my life I can see where God really was attempting to tell me something yet I was not listening. Hmmm ... How often do I do that?

If you have been reading this blog recently you know that I have been diagnosed with a pre-diabetic condition and have had to eliminate ALL sugar from my diet (yuck). How could something like that just happen one day?

Well, as I look back, it really didn't just happen.

On February 22 I wrote this on Facebook:

"Why is it that every time I eat I feel nauseated?

I wonder if someone is trying to tell me to quit eating!"

Do you think it was coincidence that only a couple weeks later I received this new diagnosis? I don't! I believe God was attempting to tell me something and I wasn't really listening.

My body was being poisoned with all the sugar I was ingesting and it was trying to get my attention.

Do you think it was just coincidence that I happened to have my labs drawn just because right when my A1C was out of control? I don't!

Things are making sense!

I believe with everything in me that God does tell us about our future but we fail to listen to His still, small voice.

There have been numerous times in my life that God was showing me the path set before me, His plan, what lay ahead, yet in my fleshly stubbornness I failed to see it.

Do I think He tells us everything about our future? NO! Do I believe HE leads us, guides us, directs us, speaks to us, nudges us and prepares us toward and for things ahead? YES!!!

"In your unfailing love, O Lord, you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling." Exodus 15:13

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4-5

I pray that you hear the still, small voice of your Jesus speaking to your heart about the future He has planned for you. Can you hear Him speak? Are you able to open the ears of your heart and just listen? Right now, can you just hear Him whisper He loves you and has a perfect plan for your life?


My heart rejoices as I type these words! Jesus Loves You So Much and He has plans He wants to tell you about. Will you listen?

Considering Listening with Joy,
Cindy

Friday Night Five #5

Would you not agree that being thankful is a matter of choice?

Every day we get up and make a choice whether we will be happy, grumpy, sad, joyful, angry, cheerful, resentful, or any one of many other moods. It is also true that each day we make a choice to be thankful or not.

I choose thankfulness!

And so, as with each Friday evening, I come home

think about my week and share just a few

of the many things that I have to be thankful for.

Tonight however, I am going to focus my thankfulness on one family.

1) This beautiful couple have known each other for 15 years.

God set a plan in motion and I am grateful for that plan.

2) This beautiful couple had a child together nearly 6 years ago.

I am eternally grateful for her.

3) This beautiful couple went their separate ways and it was very

difficult but I continue to be grateful for God's plans.

Because:

4) This beautiful couple became a real family December 5, 2009.

And Now...

5) This beautiful family is going to have another baby and

we all got to see her on ultrasound today

and she is perfect in every way.

(Well, at 12 weeks, 5 days they 'think' it is a she)

Considering Family With Great Joy

And Thankfulness,

Cindy

Why Not Horses!

Standing

Watching

Wondering

Rejoicing

This morning as I was standing and watching my son ride Coco,

I began wondering about a

question I was recently asked and began rejoicing in the answer.

The question:

"Why do you spend so much time and money letting your son ride horses?"

The answer:

Do you see that face?

He LOVES it!

When this little guy came into our lives at 4 months old

His life prognosis was 1 year.

24 years later ...

Where would you place your priorities when God gives you a blessing?

So now, when I am asked 'WHY' horses?

My response is:

Why NOT Horses!!

Considering Horse Riding With Joy,

Cindy

"For A Purpose"

A few of you may remember this post I wrote a couple of weeks ago. Yes, it was the post I didn't want to write but felt the need to do so. Well, I believe, as He always does, God was preparing my heart for things to come.

Last week I decided to have some lab work done just because.

It amazes my when my 'just because' becomes God's 'for a purpose'.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the days of perfection have gone by the way side and now it seems, quite without expectation, the days of perfect lab work have joined. My numbers were not as 'beautiful' as I had previously experienced or hoped for.

Sitting across the desk from a friend and employer who also happens to be a doctor with nothing but lab results between us sends chills down your spine especially when you know what those labs results are.

Oh, I didn't worry too much about the ever inching higher cholesterol or LDL, no, not me. But it was the A1C that made my heart skip a beat or two.

A1C ~ This is the best measurement of our blood glucose control that we have now. It tells us what percentage of our hemoglobin -- the protein in our red blood cells that carry oxygen -- has glucose sticking to it. This number measures blood glucose for the most recent 2-3 month period of time. The less glucose that remains in our bloodstream rather than going to work in the cells that need it the better we feel now and the better our health will continue to be.

It seems that glucose has decided to remain in my bloodstream rather than going to work. Hmmm...Sometimes I'd rather remain in bed rather than go to work...but that is a different story. Anyway, my A1C was surprisingly high and I am a person now on the verge of outright diabetes. Yuck, I don't like that thought or those words.

In light of these new numbers that previous post needs to have some action placed behind it. I can no longer just want to lose weight now I must take more care over my sugar intake and make it a matter of health rather than vanity.

I have been working hard at looking at my eating habits and attempting to make huge changes. I didn't eat any sugar over the weekend with the exception of one sprite. No chocolate, cookies, or any other sweet treats. I was careful with carbs and limited my fruit intake. My fasting blood sugar was 115 (down from the 130's) this morning, not too bad but certainly not where it needs to be (under 100).

So, changes a plenty over the next days, weeks and months as I seek wisdom, advise and lots of encouragement.

I feel like I need to stand up and say: Hi, my name is Cindy and I am a sugarholic and an emotional eater! This is an addiction that will not be easy to break but thankfully I know:

"I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me (I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency). Philippians 4:13 AMP

There you have it, I am joining the ranks of a few friends and thousand across our great country whose A1C levels are too high and must focus on health.

Continuing to Consider All Things With Joy,

Cindy

Friday Night Five #4

Hello Bloggy Buddies and Welcome to Friday Night Five!

There are days when I feel tired, down and discouraged.

There are days when I feel hopeless and weak.

There are days when I just plain feel worthless.

But there are NEVER days when I can't look around at my surroundings and find things to be thankful for. Friday nights are when I like to share a few of my favorite 'Thankfuls' for the week.

1) - First, I must say that I absolutely LOVE Friday nights. I get to come home, put my jammies on, enjoy some well deserved computer time, and just relax. I probably add this one EVERY Friday night, but it is such a treat after LONG work weeks!!!

2) - I am especially grateful that today was a wonderful glycemic day! Does that make sense to anybody? I was able to eat healthy and keep my sugars in balance ALL day. I didn't binge on chocolate or sugar of any kind, not even one soda. Now, I must still stay focused through dinner and not eat dessert but I'm almost through one day:)

3) - I am not only thankful but also extremely excited and proud that our youngest son tried out and made it on to the Advanced Horse Show Team. Yes, it means more practice time, more money and more travel but if you knew this very special young man you too would be just as proud a peacock as I am. Congrats Matthew:)

4) - Gratefulness for many things at work is always present in my life, but today I am praising God for meeting a specific need in a huge way!!! It was kind-of funny because when I found out I yelled 'Praise God' right in the middle of the office ~ Oh well, He DOES deserve the Glory:)

5) - And tonight as I sit at my home office desk, I am grateful to be able to look out my west facing window and view an absolutely beautiful sunset in Phoenix, AZ.

Tonight, look around you! What do you see? I'm sure, like myself there are things you wish were different about your life, but what can you be grateful for tonight? What can you thank God for? What small miracle is happening in your world tonight?

Can you share it with us? Can you share it with a friend? Can you reach beyond your pain tonight and find some wonderful glimpse of Hope for tomorrow?

I know I needed to do just that tonight and I feel better already:)

Praising God and Considering Being Thankful with Great JOY!!!!

Cindy