Back in Action!

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. Three of you have recently written to ask if I’m ok, so here I am…nudged out of my silence. The silence is the result of working full time plus (rather than my usual 24 hours a week), water in our basement which is mostly an emotional strain (sigh) and just a general resurgence of health with the accompanying busyness.

The flu that changed everything.
As you’ve read, I had the flu. The flu to end all flus. But I’m actually thankful for it in retrospect, as I believe it changed my life.

I realized that my blood sugar numbers were out of control as my body fought the illness, and in actuality my poor body couldn’t fight both issues. And so I stayed sick. In my couch time I did a lot of reading on low carb diabetes solutions, and also talked to my doctor at length. I had been in diabetic denial way too long, and my metabolism was pretty messed up. Then when a diabetic is sick the body responds with increased sugar levels and ineffective insulin, so everything escalates. I was really sick. As a result…life changed. I’ve been low carb for about 4 or 5 weeks, and the results are amazing. I’ve lost 12 pounds…but that’s not even the best part. The best part is that I’m beginning to feel like *me* again. I am a high energy person, and for the last year (?) that energy has not been available. But I’m coming back! This morning as I fought to get out of bed I realized that my morning sugars are nearing normal so that I can doze and rest…while previously my high sugar count (always highest in the morning) had awakened me in jitters and unrest. My metabolism is not yet normal, may never be, but it is WAY better and I feel like a million bucks. That’s exciting. The food is getting a little dull… meats, cheese, nuts, salads, lots and lots of veggies and the occasional fruit. I indulge in a piece or two of dark chocolate every day, and Starbucks’ “tall skinny half caff cinnamon dolce latte” is the treat of choice. Also I’ve just discovered Mike’s Light Hard Cranberry Lemonade which is only 6 carbs and quite delish. So…I’ll live. My basic approach is based on South Beach diet, and really is quite balanced and healthy. I just miss the junk of junk food. !!

My work goes in streaks, and I’ve just finished a streak of three 40 plus hour weeks which is unusual for me. The office is 45 minutes away, so that makes for long days. Coming home to make dinner and run kids leaves very little blog time. I love my job – truly love it – so other than not having enough hours in any day, all is fine. It will slow again… maybe. I’m at that weird point in a career where I could majorly escalate in work and responsibility…and half of me wants to…

Let’s see. Reading: just finished Friday Night Knitting Club which was readable but so disappointing in writing quality. I kept getting stuck in non sentences. Maybe I’m an editor at heart! I’d read, and then reread to see what I missed, and indeed it was simply poorly written. I finished it though, once I got used to the style. Nice easy read… gets a 5 out of 10. I’m not sure what I’m going to pick up next… (stay tuned)

Gilmore Girls. I’m on season 7, disk 3…and season 7 is the end. I’m not sure *why* I love it so much, but it is mindless entertainment at its best. The characters are all odd, and all extreme…it’s just so incredibly relaxing to me. The mom has some real relational problems (!!!) but she is loveable and her antics make for good discussion. The girls are watching it as well, and my favorite part is that our 12 year old son appears on the loveseat with me when I’m watching…he’d never admit it but he’s hooked as well. He watches with whoever is watching, and in no particular order…he just enjoys the characters.

I rarely watch tv…almost never…so to get hooked on a series like this is most unusual for me. I sort laundry, play internet scrabble or knit while I watch…it’s just thoroughly relaxing. And time consuming.

Bible study. I just received an email that Precepts training is coming to a city nearby, so I’ll sign up tonight. Inductive Bible Study is one of my favorite pastimes, but I’ve not taught a class in about two years. It’s a bit intense, and the participants need to be ready to commit. I feel that both of my studies are ready for a short Precepts class, so we’ll do a 6 week study this summer. Honestly, I’m SO excited to go to the two day training class…and get the three weeks of pre class homework… Not sure *what* I’ll be studying…stay tuned on that as well.

Prayer. Prayer has never been my forte. I love to study. I’m not so good at being still and talking to my God. Well, God decided to put me into an intensive program. A dear friend lost her prayer partner of 15 years to a tragic Christmas night car accident, and she has replaced her with ME. Each Friday morning we connect by phone and pray for 1-1.5 hours. It’s amazing. We pray Scripture, we try to follow A*C*T*S (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication) and make it a time of worship not just ask ask ask. It’s really such a privilege, and it’s changing my life and my focus. I’m also still working through the book, “The Prayer that Changes Everything,” and our current Bible study focuses on developing a consistent prayer life. So, God has put me into the intensive program indeed. My spirits are lifting. I’m not sure what the *magic* is – but the combination of this renewed focus on praise along with changing the eating habits that were literally killing me – it’s been a real boost. I keep saying, “I feel like me again.” That is such an awesome thing. Now…if I could just get back to consistent exercise. That piece is still missing, but will return when I can walk outdoors.

So, there’s the long and the short of it. Life is full. And blessed. And challenging. I’ll try to get back into the blog habit! I can’t wait to get caught up on the ones I read, too! Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up WITHOUT another extended period of couch time.