To Your Health

Psalm 27:7  9-10 (NIV)

“Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. ... Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.”

To Your Health

Nobody wants to hear about health; they want to hear about God, they want to hear the day's news, they wade through recipes, they saunter through the food stores, basically going through their day. They go on ignoring their health issues until it bites them in the butt and they HAVE to face what ails them and is making them sick.

I remember as a child being taught about the food pyramid but was it my duty as a child to uphold the nutrition that went into my body? While I believe it was my mother and father's job it became my job after I grew up. While my father worked hard to put food on the plate, my mother scraped by bringing us the meals we’d eat and more times than not beef and potatoes is what was for dinner. 

I grew up and took charge of what went in my body which meant no more beef and potatoes for sure. But I still chose unhealthy processed foods, takeout, you name it, I was the queen of unhealthy habits. Now look at me, this disease wants to own me and I’m shoving back and going to kill IT before it kills me! 

Isn’t that the way it usually happens, you’re young and carefree living high and mighty when BAM, your heart literally pains you and you go to the hospital? Or your head, back knees, teeth, hurt so bad you NEED to seek out medical attention.

Why is it we only care about our health after we’ve failed taking care of it for thirty, forty, fifty years? Our bodies are sending out signals while we’re young and living a careless lifestyle, we just don’t hear or because we don’t have insurance to cover our medical expenses, we put our health issues on the back burner, literally putting blinders on so we don't see the illness while it is destroying our inside. We’ll take care of it when the need arises but right here and now…careless living is what we’re about.

If you have a headache, the first thing you do is reach for a pill. A headache is your system telling you something just isn’t right. Insomnia, that is another hindrance of your body telling you something is just off kilter. A fever, pains, whatever the problem, these are mechanisms that your body is screaming out to you to open your eyes and LOOK at the problem, don’t pacify the ill. But no, we’re addicted to pacifiers; we don’t want a cure we just want the pain to go away and the pills will make it go away.

And we wonder how we became a world addicted to opiates and drugs? Do you wonder how this western culture enabled us to become the most overweight species around the globe? When looking at other countries as a whole, is the first thing you see is an overweight society? Not yet, until parts of America like McDonald’s and Burger King enter their everyday eating, then you’ll see them balloon!

I hate to badger my country but you're okay with the ‘powers that be’ leading you to your death? Toxically vaccinating infants, pushing pills like opiates, Oxycontin, barbiturates to be the remedy to what ails sick people? Filling humans with over processed food, genetically modified fruits, vegetables, and meat? Allowing chemicals like glyphosate to be readily ingested in a majority of what you put into your mouth. You’re okay with a sick and unhealthy nation?

I was never okay with the way we’re being used as lab rats. I also never thought there was anything I could do about the dilemma facing an entire country. Well, I CAN do something, one person at a time! It might be a small start but if fifty people read my blog and actually start to think about their health and nutrition, I made a dent. If they actually take action to better their health, I’ve made a bigger dent. You see, the ocean has beautiful waves lapping the shore, each little or big wave makes a difference in the shoreline!

We might feel inadequate like we are too small to make a difference but honestly, we need to wake up and look in the mirror and begin to make that change we want to see in the world, one small step at a time.

It all begins with your health! If you’re not sick, think about changing your unhealthy diet now. If you are having ailments, wake up and change what goes into your mouth! If you’re just happy the way you are (are you really happy?) do nothing and live. Me, I want to make a difference in the world, one word at a time. Here's to your health! 

Godspeed…

A New Way Of Living

Prov. 28:1 (KJV) “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” 

A New Way Of Living

When I first went to the doctor in January (and successive doctors) they all seemed to ask the same questions of me and one of the main symptoms of this disease surfaced, “Have you experienced rapid weight loss?” 
“Nope, I sure haven’t; I’ve been a pretty steady weight person not rapidly gaining or losing."
“Bleeding?”
“Nope.”
“Leakage?”
“Nope.” Nothing about me said I had this disease but here I am, four months later battling the disease of a lifetime. 

Everything changed on January 25, 2017. That was the day of my diagnosis; the day my world flipped upside down and everything changed for me. I would never be the same person again after this day. I would be a new tried and true transfiguration of the old me in the coming months. I would be the same me but physically, spiritually and mentally everything would be thrust into overdrive and I’d be in the race of my life, for my life.

While people are out there in the world trying every weight loss concoction imaginable from Slim Fast to Weight Watchers, to Jenny Craig, so you can spend hundreds of dollars on their product to lose the weight you’ve struggled your life to lose. From pills to shakes to patches, everything under the sun is used to promote these products. Do you know the one thing that is cheap and isn’t readily accepted? Change in the diet! A new way of living.

While I don’t know or understand the struggles of losing weight I am not one to inform you on the nutrition craze of the race I’m in. Promote nutrition? When doctors across the world are promoting drugs and pills, surgery, and lifelong commitments to their ‘programs of pharma’, the people who promote nutrition and health are laughed and scoffed at, only because we live in a world of quick fixes.

Yesterday I faced and overcome a battle I knew would take place. I did not allow fear to have me flee, instead, I faced a Q&A from the family. My hubby’s aunt and three uncles were in town from different parts of the U.S. for their yearly get together on Memorial Day and while I didn’t want to be a part of a Memorial Day cookout, his aunt had told me at the wedding a couple of weeks ago, that she’d come out to my house to see me if we didn’t come to the cookout. We went to his moms on Sunday instead where we chatted.

His aunt asked all of the questions, from what are you eating, why no nuts, to my stance on no chemo. I was okay with it, I didn’t feel intimidated or persecuted instead I felt love and compassion. This is the awesome family I never had as a child and I am blessed to even be in their lives. 

I told them how I’m utilizing my Frankincense and soon to be added Myrrh, which is still under clinical studies (and will be for many more years) as to the promise in treating this dastardly disease. I told his, sound biblical family, how the wise men brought these things to Jesus at His birth because these elements would be used at His death, they knew because they were Wise Men. *Chuckle chuckle laugh laugh.*

His family sat mesmerized and quite amazed at my transformation in four months and his aunt offered, you’ve really done your research. I mentioned once again that I’m a writer and that is what we do so we can bring you the most knowledgeable information we have. We try to bring you the truth as we know it so our writing holds credibility. She was pleased. His aunt with the cherubic face was pleased. 

It was an informative weekend as I learned that his aunt, who is eighty or nearing it, who drives from South Dakota to visit her family in Nebraska, was also having medical issues of her own, and that she was a STUDENT OF TAI CHI! 

I left feeling good about the visit and the only thing I feel I left hanging was the error of them assuming I’m against medical intervention where health is concerned. I need my writing community to understand I am not against MEDICINE or the medical community because I KNOW people are still alive today BECAUSE of the drugs they are given by the doctor! What I AM against is the doctors closed minds to anything nutritious that would benefit you. There are doctors out there willing to work with you, but where I am? They’re far and few between!

Like his aunt taking Tai Chi. She said that the class was held, ironically, at a Cancer Center and it is offered to patients (cancer and otherwise) at a reduced rate, to HELP them with what they are experiencing medically. Since moving is not an option, I have to try whatever works for me out here in the middle of nowhere.

While people are out in the world struggling with their weight and other health issues, they’d much rather sink hundreds if not thousands of dollars in programs that are essentially a quick fix to what really ails them and that is their HEALTH! It can all be changed by CHANGE in your diet! There are herbal remedies for thinning your blood, there are herbal diuretics, homeopathic remedies that could possibly eliminate your heart medication and so much more is out there waiting for you to harvest. 

I’m not against the medical community, I’m against them not giving you the entire spectrum of what will heal you. I’m against lies and deception. Whether that is the medical community, political community and yes, even the religious community. I’m against the wicked machinations of them trying to relinquish me to a trembling fear-laden woman. I’d rather fight like a LION and come out roaring. If I live or die in the process, I can say I didn’t succumb to conformity. The easiest not-so-easy diet doesn’t cost a lot of money, it cost a new way of LIVING!

Gen. 6:12 “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth."

Happy New Year...To My Return!

The frozen Platte River

Prov. 7:19 “For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:”

Happy New Year…to my return

Well, that break went well, except I missed writing every day. I tried and I am committing myself to pulling out some of my fiction and working on it but my blog needs me, my friends need me. 

You might think I don’t see you suffering in pain, and you might think I’ve left you all behind never to spare another encouraging word but it is that need that pulled me back. I need you all as much as you need my encouraging words.

Again I am not pinpointing anyone out here; my words are for many who see themselves in what I say. Pain. Who doesn’t relate to that one? Sickness! Who can’t say they haven’t been warding off a sickness these past couple of months (if not years); Not many I’m sure. 

I realized something the other day and am quite honored to say that people respect me and expect a certain manner and moral compass from me. They look to me for inspiring and encouraging words and will quite surely make note of when I’ve veered off track.

I posted something on facebook the other day with a negative overtone. While everyone expects the positive and encouraging words from me, they are quick to call me on anything negative. It’s kind of funny though, for an entire year I watched people day after day (and still do) share negative and hate filled posts and no one calls them on spreading hate and negativity. They just bask in the glory of feeling good about themselves by sharing the hate with the world.

That’s when I realized something, people respect me so much and have come to expect a positive energy from me that when something appears to have a negative overtone they steer me back on the enlightened path. That’s when you know your words actually are having an effect on the masses. That’s when you know that you’ve touched the souls of many.

So by realizing people miss my words of encouragement, I of course do what I normally do and that is WRITE! I think you all miss my blog because it is like I am journaling and you like peeking in on all that is going on with my life and how much like your journey is to mine. Not in a bad nosey kind of way but a good concerned kind of way as you relate. You think to yourself, ‘I wonder how Joni is doing’ and maybe wonder what I do to get through the same pain-filled days you yourself might be trudging through. I think you might need that bit of encouragement that has left your reading days empty while I was away. 

I’m back. I can’t give up writing and I certainly can’t leave you all hanging in wonder. I’ve decided to take you on this journey of discovering my medical condition so I don’t feel so alone is the process of whatever is going on with my body. 

I’ll seek a doctor, I’ll get diagnosed and I’ll let you in on the homeopathic process I hope I’m allowed to take. The only way they can diagnose MS is through a spinal tap and just reading about it made me cringe, so that is a big no! An MRI okay, if it’s an open tube (I’m claustrophobic), if not, I’ll live with my disability as I’ve been doing for four almost five years now MED FREE! 

I have some stuff to share and no facebook post is enough space, I NEED my blog, I NEED to write, and most of all I NEED YOU, my friends who CARE about me. So come along on my continuing journey of Christ and see where it is I’m being led to now. If you’re reading this, like it or not, God called you along for the ride! 

My trees awakened by the morning sun!

Fear of Rejection

Pss, 40:3 "And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD."

Fear of Rejection

Since I was a child, I’ve always had the fear of rejection. It started when I was young being rejected by the first crush I had and every school aged crush thereafter until I finally settled at fifteen for the only guy that showed ANY interest in little old Bony Joni! 

Let me say first and foremost that God has NEVER rejected me from the day I was born until now, He has NEVER rejected me hence the reason for my lifelong dedication and commitment to Him. He has and will NEVER let me down. Not that he hasn’t told me that ‘now is the time to wait, or the time to be patient, or even not now!’ But He has always been my one and only constant in my life that never lets me down or rejects me in anyway.

With that said, I fear rejection. I give my everything to God but that does not stop rejection from happening to me over and over and as a writer fear of rejection should be the norm, it happens to the best of writers! It’s how we deal with it that matters. 

Okay with that said I have to say this too, I miss blogging! Writing my blog is sharing me with you and how I deal with things. If I don’t share, then the words all play scrabble in my brain trying to compartmentalize them and could very possibly keep me awake at night if I stop blogging completely. I’m wondering if that is what insomniacs suffer from, not getting their words OUT so they jumble all that is going on in their day to day life in a brainsoup that keeps them awake at night. 

I’ve never had trouble sleeping so I’m wondering if my writing is what has kept insomnia away from MY doorstep. Dealing with health crisis after health crisis should keep me awake at night but my faith that the Lord will carry me through any fire I walk through settles my mind quite a bit. 

Before I divulge my ‘new’ health scare, let me first say I have no health insurance, I have no money and I HAVE been rejected so many times for Medicaid, health coverage, anything, that I just walk this path day in and day out with the Lord and I’m certain that this is leading up to my next year’s blogging posts, my journey and my survival. Please, do NOT say, “I should do this, or I should do that.” I HAVE exhausted all avenues and here is where I am. My husband applied for medical coverage for me, and it takes time for it to ‘activate’. Yes, it will cost but this was what he wanted to do. January first I can make my first appointment (I think) to see just what is the matter. He’s also applied for medicare disability for me, but I KNOW I will be rejected from that too. I think he took action because 1) he’s seen all of the rejection, 2) he’s smarter than me, and 3) he might be a little scared. 

I waited until after Christmas to post this so I knew you’d all have a Happy Holiday. Not that you’d stress over my health crisis and me but I know some of you might because that is who you are, you love me! Being a woman you’ll relate, you’ll be concerned and you’ll want to see me through this with compassion, love and of course, prayer! And I’m certain I will need all of that to get me through each day.

Just what exactly am I babbling on and on about? Here goes… the ever dreaded lump! Yup, you know that lump you feel during a shower and you think , “Hmm… this is new.” You kind of forget about it and try to wish it away but it is there and it is growing and you then start to think, “Hmm… this isn’t normal at all.” That’s where I’m at. Then, what’s the next thing you do? Google of course because you know, it has all the answers and they’re usually dire and when you get checked out it was not as serious as you thought? 

Well let me tell you, my google search did not bring up anything dire and in some ways it was a comfort knowing but then again it scared me because google is always wrong! Yeah, I laugh and joke during a crisis! Smile with me people!

It doesn’t sound like the ‘C’ word that everyone is afraid of, it sounds more like the ‘c’ word that makes you go, “ewww, I got one of those and it needs draining?” In other words it sounds more like a cyst than it does cancer but it needs to be seen, touched, poked, prodded and looked at by a professional (other than google) to be sure that all is well with my already falling apart body. 

There I said it and I feel better already!