Looking Up When Down

I try to be positive online, but it's not been easy lately. Life can sometimes get you down in spite of your best intentions to rise above it. I was really down this afternoon when I went for my daily walk on the ASU campus trails. I love walking there. I was hoping that some exercise and sunshine would lift my mood.

Sometimes to be an encourager, I have found I have to share little, seemingly trivial things along the way. I have to look for the good, the glimpses of God at work to boost my dark mood. In sharing how I have found light in the low places, it is my hope that someone will read this and be uplifted.

I can't elaborate, but currently there are things out of my control that have me upset. On my walk, I listened to an encouraging podcast by a Christian author, and I kept walking after it was over, praying about the issue that has me down.

It's not solved yet, but I have no doubt that God will work it all out. He always has my back. He doesn't always act as quickly as I would like, and sometimes the answer is different than expected, but He will take care of me; I am sure of it.

Meanwhile, I did find some things on my walk to be happy about. 

First, the scenery was beautiful. Not only the trees and landscaping, but there are art sculptures along the trail.  The sun was peeking through the clouds, and for some reason I found this encouraging. I've added some photos of these.

Secondly, I also enjoyed that the creek was merrily running along, vibrant and full from the recent rains we have had. Something about the sight and sound of a babbling brook is so therapeutic to me.

Finally, on my way back to the car, after I had turned around (because I still haven't gone to the end of the art trail. I'm thinking it's maybe at least 2 miles one way?) I was passing a couple with the most adorable puppy. He looked kind of like a cocker spaniel. He was so cute! I actually asked to pet him, which they agreed to, and he was very happy about that. This little dog, probably under a year old, was so sweet and friendly. It made me smile in spite of my troubles.

Bonus: I walked 1.71 miles, and I realized as I neared the car that my back didn't hurt! Usually when I have attempted to walk more than 1.25 miles, I start having spasms in my mid-back and have to sit down. This didn't happen on this walk!

God has my situation. I know He will take care of me. And He gave me some things to smile about as I walked along talking to Him about it all.

"Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the sound of my pleading. The Lord is my strength and my shield; 
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; 
Therefore, my heart triumphs, And with my song I shall thank Him."

Psalm 28:6-7

Fun Times with Family

Consider this post the "prequel" to the one I did on April 6. This is the backstory to how I ended up walking every day on the ASUMH campus.

In March, I met my youngest and his wife in Bentonville to spend a few days together. I hadn't seen them in person in almost 2 years, so it was time. We had a lovely time! We stayed in a vacation rental which was walking distance from downtown in one direction and Crystal Bridges in another. Coming out of a rather sedentary wintertime, I was not prepared for so much walking. This is what led to the discussions about smartwatches during some of our conversations. 

It also led to some text-messaging among my three children, who went together to buy me the watch I had settled upon after I got back home. I do have the best kids. They want me to be healthy and happy, and I love them for it.

In my previous post I talked about how I was having back spasms and tiring easily, causing me to have to sit down periodically during our little vacay in Bentonville. This was very distressing to me, and as I said before, I knew changes would have to be made.

Well, changes have been made. I have walked every day but 2 since March 22. The reason I didn't walk on those 2 days was that it was raining and we were under a tornado watch. (Have I mentioned I hate spring because of tornados?) Thankfully, we were spared here in my town, but I wasn't going to go out during a thunderstorm anyway.

I started out walking a 1/2 mile, and it was all I could do. Sedentary lifestyle, remember? That has changed. Within 3 weeks I was up to a mile, minimum. As of this week, my 5th week of daily walks, I can walk 1 1/3 mile easily. No back spasms or pain. I'm adding a little bit each week, with the ability to do at least 2 miles my beginning goal. 

The fact that I'm not out of breath after 1.3 miles is astonishing to me, the former couch potato. LOL!

I'm rejoicing that I have found joy in a daily walk. I hate to admit it, but the sunshine may be doing some good, in addition to the exercise. I'm not as sad as I have been.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of our trip to Bentonville. I loved seeing Jeff & Alli and going to Crystal Bridges again; I've lost count how many times we've been there together. 

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" Philippians 4:4 NASB

 

My Journey to a Healthy Mindset

Here it is April, and I'm writing my first blog post for 2025. This is a new low, even for me. Hopefully, that is changing.

I had made an "attempt" in March to start walking again as my main form of exercise, mostly due to the fact that I was driving to Bentonville to spend a few days with my youngest son and his wife, who were driving up from Houston for their Spring Break. I knew we would do a lot of walking, and I knew I was definitely NOT ready for it.

I will write about that trip in my next post. Today, I am inspired to share about my struggle to becoming healthier. 

So, did my three days of walking 15 minutes each time make a difference so I could keep up with my family as we explored Crystal Bridges? Not in the slightest. I was often having to catch my breath, and quite a few times I experienced painful back spasms that forced me to sit down for a bit.

This caused me to start thinking about my walking for exercise before. I really hadn't done it consistently for years. I may not have done it consistently ever before. When I first moved 3 1/2 years ago to where I live today, I bought a cheap smart watch, that was only slightly smart. It didn't track my steps very well at all. I basically had to be swinging my arm at my side for it to even think about counting steps, and it didn't bother if I walked in Walmart pushing a shopping cart, which I did in cold or rainy weather. It didn't show the distance I walked at all, so I never knew what kind of progress I was making.

Naturally, I gave up. At my best I never walked more than 3 times a week, and the slightest chill in the air or any amount of moisture falling from the sky was enough for me to excuse myself from even trying.

I began to realize that I would have to get better at being active if I wanted to keep my mobility and my independence as I get older. So, when I was with my family members during their Spring Break, I started shopping online for a better smart watch. They both had good smart watches that I really liked. They weren't as expensive as Apple watches but were a good brand, and much higher quality than the one I had before. 

Long story short: I found out when I got home that conversations were held among all my children, some texting was going on in front of my face while I was in the same room with my son while we were in Bentonville and I never knew it. (Texting is sneaky like that!) They went together and bought me a new smart watch for an early Mothers' Day present. I have the best kids!

Since March 22, when my daughter brought my new watch to me, I have walked every day but one. I had an 11-day streak until the first tornado warned day earlier this week. Something is different in me; I am excited about going for a walk every day. I'm no longer content doing just enough to get by or walking 3 times a week to say I've done it and can check it off. I can't explain it, but I have a new determination to improve my mobility and retain it for as long as I can.

This new watch tells me how far I have walked, what my heart rate is, and much more. I have walked about a mile at day most days. One day, I went 1.5 miles because I went on a path that was that long with no other path veering off toward my car as an escape route! I will walk that path again when my endurance is a little better.

Here are some pictures I took on some of my walks. I have grown to love the ASUMH campus walking trails. The scenery is beautiful and varied enough to provide many different paths.

I'm on a journey to a healthy mindset.

Busy But Great Christmas

It was a busy Christmas season this year; it seemed shorter. Some have attributed it to Thanksgiving being so late in November. Whatever the cause, the weeks flew by.

It was a good Christmas. I didn’t see my son Jeff but we had a nice phone conversation today. I also didn’t see Jeremy, at least not technically at Christmas, but he did come in for a whole week at Thanksgiving, plus we also had a nice talk on the phone tonight.

Jennifer, Matt, Zoe, and Rhett came and spent time with me on Christmas Eve (pictures are on my page). We opened presents, snacked on chips, dip, and fudge, and played Uno for quite a while.

I went to their house today for a delicious dinner and more quality family time.

It has been wonderful. I’m so thankful I live in the same town with my daughter and her family. I also love that I can talk on the phone or FaceTime with my sons often.

I am also blessed with friends “back home” that I stay in touch with. I have hesitated to post about my trip to VB because I didn’t get to see everyone I wanted to. I just couldn’t make it happen during Christmas. I hope to see the ones I didn’t see this trip in a few months.

There are a few pictures of my VB trip below. They include my friends Debbie and Patty, plus a clip of the awesome VBHS band at the parade. There are pictures of the lights at ASUMH, too. I drive through twice this year because they are so beautiful.

I’m also blessed with friends here in Mountain Home; people I have met and grown to love over the last 3 years.

Most of all I am celebrating the reason for the season: JESUS. God has been good to me in this “most wonderful time of the year.”

“…today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas to my family and friends!

Thankful

Yesterday from 11am-7pm, Chick-fil-A was in town. As usual when they come here, about once a month, they were a hit. I stood in line for probably 20 minutes for my delicious chicken nuggets and waffle fries.

And they were yummy! I was finally able to eat without pain, following my endoscopy procedure that I had just had 3 days before, on Tuesday. Everything except the most bland food was burning as it went down, due to the fact that the doctor dilated my esophagus. (Aging problems; a subject for another day).

I was so thankful to be able to eat something besides mashed potatoes, especially since my favorite chicken place only graces us with their presence once a month.

Yes, my friends from my hometown of Van Buren, I know you have a whole restaurant of said chicken as compared to my monthly food truck. I’m so happy you finally got one! I’ll be eating there on my next visit back home.

I’m just grateful they have started coming here with a limited menu on a regular basis.

That’s the theme of this blog post; by the way. I’m learning to be thankful in all things. I look for things to thank God for, but I don’t have to look very far. He is SO GOOD!

As I stood there yesterday waiting to buy my supper, I was thankful for the pretty sunset going on behind the food truck.

After I got home, I was thankful I didn’t have pain eating my supper.

I was thankful yesterday morning that we got a nice rain shower for about 30 minutes. We had gone a while with no rain in these parts.

I’m trying to post more often, and when I saw the sunset yesterday evening I knew what I needed to write about.

I am thankful for so many things, but I only listed a few. Until my next blog post, take care, my friends. God bless you all.

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB

From the Porch: Why is the Tree There?

Rain kept me inside all last week, but I've been able to get to the porch

for my morning coffee and prayer time for most of this week. Sitting out there, I noticed something.

All the other condos in my neighborhood have very similar landscaping. We all have hedges by the front entrance and some other shrubs that are almost cookie-cutter identical. 

My front area, however, has a cedar tree by the driveway instead of a round shrub. As I sat there a few mornings ago, I was pondering why this is. 

I'm not a fan of bright sunlit rooms in my house. I know that's not typical. I like more of a warm, softly lit vibe. Bright sun hurts my eyes; I'm just very sensitive to bright sunlight. I almost always wear sunglasses on the rare occasion that I am outside on a bright day.

This cedar tree shades my living room perfectly. From afternoon through early evening in the warmer months, the sun hits my house increasingly toward the southwest as the summer wears on. Together with the window treatments and mini-blinds, my living room has a bearable level of afternoon sunlight, filtered so well by the tree.

Some would say I was lucky to get the house with the tree when I was looking for a place to rent. I feel like it's more than that, though. I think God had this place in mind for me long ago, when the tree was just a sapling. 

Laugh if you think it silly. I don't mind. I'm sure lots of people laugh when they read my blog. I'm not sharing content that I think will draw people in. I'm just sharing my heart. I know my God orders my steps. Why wouldn't He give me a tree to shade me from the harsh late afternoon sun? 

One more thing. It's a cedar tree; an evergreen. It's green year round, just like God's love is everlasting. 

I'm counting it as one of my blessings. I thank God for the tree that gives me shade.

Be blessed, my friends!

 "I will exalt You, my God, the King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable." Psalm 145:1-3 NASB

From the Porch: Reflections on Bearing Fruit

Those of you who have read my blog for a while may have noticed I hardly ever post "from the patio" anymore. It has become more difficult to beat the sun out there in my east-facing back yard, since in my retirement I hardly get up before 8:00 unless I have an appointment. That's the main reason, and we'll leave it at that. 

So I now have a comfortable, shady little nook by my west-facing front door that is so good, thanks to some chairs I acquired a few weeks ago. It's not really a porch, but we're going to call it that.

Ah, it's good to be back. I didn't realize how much I had missed being outside with the breeze, the birds singing, and the beauty of God's creation.

Recently, as I sat on the front porch in my new plastic chair, I noticed that the petunia in my tiny little garden area is struggling, yet it has managed to bloom anyway. Even though the heavy rains in early August nearly drowned it and the extreme heat that followed the rains threatened to burn it up, still it managed to bloom. 

This caused me to reflect for a moment. When it would appear outwardly that it had become useless and needed to be discarded, it still did what God created it to do: bloom. In doing so, it was providing nectar for bees and beauty for all to see and enjoy.

I meditated on this thought for a while, as I sat outside enjoying nature during my morning prayer and devotions for the first time in many weeks. 

I believe we humans are not entirely dissimilar to my poor little plant. We have storms in life that threaten to destroy us. Sometimes we undergo sickness and pain and we feel we will surely not survive the heat of the trials we are suffering through. Yet we "soldier on" as the British say. 

As long as we have food, water, and health, we remain alive, though age and years of abuse from various types of adversity render us into an older and less than stable-looking version of ourselves. We look in the mirror and scarcely recognize the older, more "mature" face that stares back at us.

Yet if we submit to the hand of the Master Gardener, our Lord Jesus, we can still produce fruit in our lives. Even if we don't think we appear as appealing on the outside as we once did, (this is very subjective, and we are usually more critical of ourselves than others are), we still can do what God has enables us to do, fulfilling our destiny as Christians.

This is the desire of my heart; to be fruitful and useful for all the days God gives me.

Just a few thoughts from the perspective of a retired, "mature" (in age, anyway) woman.

Be blessed, my friends.

"I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5 NASB