AMAZING!

Just had the MOST amazing thing happen!

I was once again reminded of God's attention to details! On Friday, a local food store had a sale on grass-fed ground beef. (Due to my soy/corn allergies, I need to avoid soy/corn fed as much as possible.) So, when there is a SALE, I do my best to "stock up". I bought several packages of the meat.

Today, I divided the meat into single portions, weighing each so that I would have the correct amount for my diet. I figured, that the last two patties would be larger/smaller ..... but I was WRONG. I came out EXACTLY EVEN! Each patty was exactly 6 oz!

God made sure I picked up packages so that I'd be able to have EXACTLY what I needed. What a great example of what God does in my daily life. God gives me exactly what I need in the correct portion for each day! His mercies are NEW each morning. His Grace and Love are available to me throughout the day. God KNOWS exactly what I need and supplies the PERFECT amount.

His attention to details continues to amaze me.

I'm so thankful that He is a DETAIL oriented God!

"God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,

his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. 

They’re created new every morning.

How great your faithfulness! 

I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).

He’s all I’ve got left."

 Lamentations 3:22-24 The Message (MSG)

Creating a positive day is about letting God TAKE CARE of the DETAILS... but making sure I TAKE NOTICE of the DETAILS!

I can't believe I did that!

This quote was posted on a friend's FB wall the other day.

"It's better to look back on life and say: 

'I can't believe I did that.'

than to look back and say:

'I wish I did that.'"

As I look back over the past 11, almost 12, years since my back injury I have to say that there have been MANY things to which I can say, "I can't believe I did that!" 

God has SHOWERED me

with the most AMAZING

blessing and experiences!

From a riding in the Good Year blimp (yes I did that!) to being in the Pit lane at a NASCAR Nationwide Race to..... are you ready for what God has planned for me next week???

God has provided the opportunity to BE ON THE PIT BOX during the NASCAR CUP RACE at Chicagoland Speedway! Yes, that's right. I'm so thankful to all the people who have worked to make this very special opportunity possible. But most importantly, I thank God for His amazing blessing.
 

"I can't believe I did that!"... and the only way I can do those amazing things... is because of God's blessings He sends my way.

I’m thanking You, God, out loud in the streets,
    singing Your praises in town and country.
The deeper Your love, the higher it goes;
    every cloud is a flag to Your faithfulness.

 Psalm 57:9, 10  The Message 

Creating a positive day isn't about what I have planned but rather enjoying all the amazing, wonderful blessings God sends my way, and giving Him the praise and thanks for those blessings.

God is so Creative!

One thing which I have enjoyed over the past 11 years, since my injury, is seeing all the creative and fun ways God uses to supply my various needs. This week, once again, God supplied in a very fun and creative way. 

Since February of this year, I've lost 56 pounds through a diet program offered by my Chiropractor. Therefore, all the clothes that WERE in my closet were too big. I needed to buy smaller sizes. YEAH!

A local thrift store chain was having a 50% off sale, so I visited several of their stores in the area. WOW... the deals I found! 

I was able to buy: 5 cardigans, 6 dress shirts, 3 pair of dress pants, 2 pairs of jeans (green/black), 1 pair of shorts, 3 light jackets, 1 windbreaker, 1 fall jean jacket, 1 winter jean jacket (lined) and 1 winter coat (with removable liner). And the best part of it all—was the price! All this for UNDER $75.
When I see what I was able to buy—and that a new winter coat would have cost that much—WOW!!

Very thankful that God provided a SUPER SALE, so that I could buy some nice clothes and coats for the coming months. The sale was one way God used to supply my needs.

But God was NOT done supplying!

God had a VERY special
SURPRISE waiting for me! 

As I was sorting all the "new" clothes for either the laundry or cleaners, I went through all the pants pockets. And that is when I found the surprise God had waiting for me! In one of the pockets there was a $20 bill! 

I had to stop and realize all the DETAILS that God had to work out, so that He could give me that $20! 

• the person who donated the pants, had to leave the $20 in the pocket. 
• each person who inspected the pants at the thrift store, had to "miss" the $20. 
• not sure if anyone else tried on the pants, but if they did, God had to "keep their hands out of the pockets". 
• I had to pick that pair of pants to try on... and buy. 

Just thinking of ALL the details that God took care of to give me a surprise of $20 to help me buy 'new' clothes—once again shows His awesome care and love for me. 

When I think of all the creative and fun ways

that God supplies my needs,

it is VERY easy to CREATE a POSITIVE day!

Max Provides MORE Laughs!

Max continues to make me laugh and smile. The other night we were watching the NASCAR race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Max enjoyed watching the Race—on TV this week—from his perch. 

Here are two videos of Max's reaction to the Race. 

In this one, Max tells what he thinks of RACING: 

In this one, Max tells what he thinks of CAUTIONS: 

Laughter sure helps anyone create a positive day! And Max provides many reasons to laugh.

Payday

PayDay. That phrase has two meaning.

One is good—payday, as in the day you receive payment for services rendered. You get "money"!

The other meaning, means that it's time to "pay-up". The day YOU have to pay has arrived. 

Today is "payday" for me... and no I'm not receiving money... rather I'm "paying-up" for the activity I did the previous day.  I had to opportunity to attend a local, annual Festival, a Car Show, and meet with some staff of a Company which makes a great product. When I chose to do anything, I have to consider.... "Is this activity worth the extra pain?" 

Often, I'm asked, "If it increases the pain, why do it?" Well, I live with chronic pain—it is a CONSTANT. And over the years, I've learned that if I do "nothing" I still hurt. So, when I have the opportunity to do something fun and enjoyable, I do my best to enjoy it. And yes, all the while, I know that I'll have to "pay for it". So, I'm now "paying" for the activity. My headache and pain is severe.

SO was the activity really worth the increase in pain? Let's see....

Pros of "doing something fun":

1. Learned about new products to help me as I continue to work toward being healthier. 

2. Met some nice people at both the Festival and Car Show. 

3. Met the Staff from Sunshine Burger and enjoyed talking with them. 

4. Spent time outside in the beautiful sunshine. 

Cons of yesterday's activities:

1. Increased pain. 

Four to one... I'd say that the activity was worth the increased pain.

So, now that "payday" as arrived, what do I do? Again that comes down to choices. I can focus on the pain and how much I hurt, or I can enjoy the fun memories and continue to enjoy today. 

How long will "payday" last? It varies. It can take a day for my pain level to return to "normal" or it can take a few weeks. One aspect of learning to live with chronic pain is realizing that the pain will get even worse from time to time. And making wise decisions in choosing what to do when. 

Since today is a "payday" for me, I knew that I'd have to change my focus from my pain to something better. So, I have been listening to some great music this morning (Bryan Duncan, Damaris Carbaugh, The Ball Brothers, to name a few). And I listened to some Sermons on Ecclesiastes (Calvary Baptist Church). 

"By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life." Psalm 42:8 (NIV)

On "payday" the key for me is to keep my focus off the pain, and focus on the positive and uplifting! On some paydays, that is more difficult. I've learned the when I change my focus—payday (having to owe), turns into a payday—receiving blessings from God!

Even on "payday" I can create a positive day... if I make the right choice in changing my focus!