Counting blessings!

Day two of no morphine or Tylenol 4. How am I doing? Spiritually, very well, Physically, not so well. The pain level is high and my headache is severe. But it has been worse. I'm so thankful for all the tricks I've learned over the past 10 years. 

What tricks? Here are a few.

1. Strawberries and other fruits with "red meat" help reduce inflammation and pain. So, I'm eating strawberries throughout the day. 

2. The aroma of Essential oils fills the apartment  24/7 from the potpourri pot. Today it was peppermint to help with the nausea.

3. Changing my focus. I worked on "short" projects today, so I could keep busy without overdoing anything. By having short term projects, I could finish one and move on to the next. By keeping the mind busy, there is no time to focus on the pain.

And NUMBER 4: Count my blessings! This is one of the best medicines available and you can get it without a prescription! Counting my blessings today started with the two most recent gifts God has give me!

Yes, God has sent a GIFT

each day of this journey!

On Day One God gave me a grill! Someone was throwing it away. It was dirty, but a little Dawn dish soap cleaned it as good as new! It's the perfect size for me and will easily fit on the balcony.  Can't wait to enjoy the summer aroma of charcoal and grilled meat and vegetables! 

Today God gave me a H2OTUGO! I have a TUGO (a drink holder for luggage) which I've modified to fit on my crutches. The H2OTUGO is a pocket that will hold a water bottle. The company is sending me a FREE one because I wrote and told them how I use their TUGO, and how it helps me keep a drink handy. A big THANKS to TUGO!

Will God give me a gift every day? 

I have to say YES! 

God already gives me gifts EACH and EVERY DAY! Sometimes, it's a beautiful sunrise or sunset. Or a kind word from a friend. Or maybe He makes Max do something to make me laugh. God has SHOWERED me with gifts—my problem is that I don't notice so many of them. My 365 Days of Thanks is making me more aware of ALL the wonderful things God does and provides for me. Each day, I find it harder and harder to write down ONE thing... because there are SO many.

I'm very blessed, and when I stop

and count my blessings

it makes me aware of just how much

God loves me. 

Today, it could have been very difficult to create a positive day, with my high pain level and the severe headache. However, by taking time to count my blessings, it turned the day around to a very positive and encouraging day.

Yes, even a high pain day

can be a POSITIVE DAY—

if I count my blessings!