Keeping Distracted & Focussed

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

When life gets hectic sometimes I just slow everything down with reading, cooking, cleaning or making something.

This week my mind is occupied with the patio renovations and now having to deal with the recent water leakage and damage into my living quarters.  I kept busy with a lot of decluttering and a bit of knitting.

Story of my life, lol

A few decluttered items

Making these simple dishcloths keeps my mind focussed on the repetitive tasks required in working the yarn.  While I'm doing that I can't really dwell on any negative thoughts.  

I also did a bit of cooking.  Once we move out, we'll be gone for awhile.  Food will potentially be spoiling in the refrigerator so I'm trying to use up what we have and buy food very sparingly.

I made a huge batch of spaghetti sauce for some quick meals this week.   I also thawed out some beef rice soup I made a just over a month ago and stored in the freezer.

I'd be interested in knowing whether you ever had to move out of your home due to damage of some kind?  Where did you move to and what was the best and worst part of the experience?

If you're here for Skywatch, my post will be up in several hours. Have an awesome day/night and thank you for your visit.

What Do You Think ~ Tuesday 4

  

writing happy things

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.  It's so nice to have you here.

Let's talk about you this week.  Let others know your feelings and convictions. Give some advice and some wisdom.  And remember to visit the other contributors to get to know them and find out their opinions too!

1.  What do you believe the purpose of life is?  

When one is a Christian the purpose of life comes into clarity. We have a very brief time on earth. Our eternal home will come after our physical body dies, therefore the purpose of life is to make sure you know you are headed where you want to spend eternity and to live your life accordingly.  I want to spend eternity with God and his Son, Jesus Christ and the multitudes of heavenly hosts and the saints who lived and died throughout all the ages, including mybown loved ones. I also believe we have a duty to share our faith with others so that they too can learn about the salvation plan. 

2.  How do you handle stress ? What do you recommend to others who are stressed out?

We all face stress on a daily basis whether we realize it or not.  It affects us whether we are conscious of it or not.  As a result, I have learned many ways of dealing with stress and I employ them as and when needed.  For example, I pray and read my Bible, listen to uplifting music or read inspirational and motivational writings. I also go for a walk, speak to a friend, ask for prayer, do something with my hands, read a book or focus on breathing. When we are stressed we tend to hold onto our breath and our breathing can become very shallow or difficult.  Stretching exercises are also good for someone who experiences tension in the muscles due to high stress levels or physical ailments like fibromyalgia or arthritis.

3. What enjoyable things do you wish you could do more often? How would  it improve your life? 

I enjoy so many things but one thing I wish I could do far more often is travel. I love to travel far and wide to distant places and it can require more stamina, energy and resources than I currently have. Many of my relatives live far from me and I would love to take some long road trips to visit them too. Travel would improve my life because it makes me happy and happiness is good for one's health. The bible says that "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones".  Proverbs 17:22

4. Do you believe in God?  Why or why not?

I do believe in God. When we hear the gospel preached we have a choice to accept or reject what we hear as truth or fiction. I choose to accept the Bible as the true and inspired word of God and moreover to accept that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died on the cross and shed his blood to save me and all of mankind from sin and eternal damnation. I accept and believe in God and his Word through faith. 

Living a life of faith doesn't always mean things go smoothly and easily in life.  But even when going through difficulties and trials there are many scriptures that give comfort and hope. 

Two of the scriptures that have helped me countless times are the promises of God in Romans 8:28  "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" and Romans 8:31 "If God is for us, who can be against us".

Sit Down and Let me Tell You a Story

A big "welcome and thank you" to my newest followers, Rosie Gan, Lynette Killam,  Eki Ahkwan, Susan and Brenda Green.  You may check out their lovely blogs on gardening,  travel, photography, personal reflections and testimonies, by clicking on their names.  I also want to thank everyone for their heartwarming responses to my last post A Little Boy goes Home.  If you missed it, please click on the title.
Happy reading.

Hello friends,

I'm inviting you to sit down with me. Put a cup of tea or coffee in hand and pull up a comfortable chair.  If you are experiencing a heat wave right now which some of you definitely are, then I offer you a cool and refreshing lemonade instead. Now are you comfortable? Good.

Today I wanted to share with you the story of an American named Ray. Ray served in the Vietnam war and now lives in Australia with his lovely wife Crystal Mary.  Crystal had to go in for knee replacement surgery this week so I pray she is recovering well.  She is a wonderful and loving support to her husband Ray and he needs her to get well soon.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you about Ray because he has suffered so much for the love of his country and the desire to protect freedom. Like many young men who went to war, whether it was Vietnam or somewhere else, Ray has seen the horrors of war. On his first day in combat, his good friend Jim was shot in the chest. There was the horror of having to carry his friend to the helicopter and having to see  and smell the blood. No time for mourning or remembering his friend though as this was war! On the second day, Ray was shot in the wrist and witnessed someone else in front of him get badly wounded. Ray developed a a serious staph infection as a result of the wrist wound. You can read more of his ordeal here.

 As a result of the horror of war, Ray now suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder you ask?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that can develop following a traumatic event that threatens your safety or makes you feel helpless.
Most people associate PTSD with battle–scarred soldiers–and military combat is the most common cause in men–but any overwhelming life experience can trigger PTSD, especially if the event feels unpredictable and uncontrollable.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect those who personally experience the catastrophe, those who witness it, and those who pick up the pieces afterwards, including emergency workers and law enforcement officers. It can even occur in the friends or family members of those who went through the actual trauma.
PTSD develops differently from person to person. While the symptoms of PTSD most commonly develop in the hours or days following the traumatic event, it can sometimes take weeks, months, or even years before they appear. (Source:  www.HelpGuide.org)

Sadly, many of the men and women who went to war have an extremely difficult time getting recognized as having this disorder and getting the help they need. Ray has been diagnosed with severe depression and PSTD yet his government does not accept the evidence. Read more about that here.

In the words of his wife, Crystal Mary, "A country may be quick to send their men to fight, BUT, they are very slow in rewarding them."  This is very sad but true.

I'm writing this post to ask if you can read Ray's story and leave him some words of encouragement. Help him and his wife to know that they are not alone. Let Ray know that he is not forgotten. You can visit him and leave a comment by clicking here http://vaforgottenvet.blogspot.com/

Photo Credit: Ray and his beautiful wife, Crystal Mary.