On a BEAUTIFUL fall day…
…a road less traveled
Have you ever been praying so hard for an answer, and then an email get sent containing a Bible verse gets sent straight into your email box? (Yes, this actually just happened to me!)
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Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:10 NIV
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The verse is an answer to all that’s been weighing on my mind currently; I was thinking of the so many people who expect me to go back to work right away, only instead I have decided to take this time off to relax, and start a Bible study group. The church has just ordered the books yesterday, and will tell me when they get in so I can start preparing to lead! I have already volunteered to be a co-leader of the Prayer Shawl Ministry at my church, (I love to crochet) and take great care of my little doggie, Chazz and try to upkeep our house [with a little help of course].
But I know this change will be good for me, It will help me connect with the people at my church, allow a bit of relaxation on MY schedule…
…and as Eve Donovan from Days of our Lives says, “Your career isn’t who you are, right?” I still am compassionate. I still am caring, and I still am helping others. I’ll see where this path takes me; all I need to do is to trust in God.
HOME SWEET HOME
What can be better than ending the day in front of your nice warm home? Being surrounding by the people you love! Why not have both, like our sweet dog Chazzy!
Home sweet home
Do you remember the math problems that you had in school? My Statistics professor made a deal with me that if I came into his office hours every single day that he would give me a passing grade. The only difficulty in this is that his office hours were at 8AM. Which would not be a problem if you weren’t a sleep deprived college student who started in on homework at 9pm- of course I was studying the entire day, but other distractions were always happening at least until after dinner or I returned home from the gym or InterVarsity meetings on other parts of the campus.
[MOM and DAD– I did a good job studying and preparing for tests in college and did pass all my courses; it’s just that the paper writing occurred in the afternoon, after all classes]
During those office hours with the Statistics professor, I would smile brightly to the no one who was watching when I completed a math problem correctly and all of the numbers worked in the right places.
Not only in math, this idea can be applicable in all the areas of life. Whether you struggle internally or the problem is very apparent, all you can do is your best.
My Statistics professor gave me a D- as a final grade.
You DO have the power to control things! Or at least, help improve. Example: my friend asked if I was involved with anything, and I replied, two online Bible studies, an online blog site, I’m in touch with friends through Facebook. And she was like No, I mean with actual people, that makes all the difference. Since there’s no fellowship groups or activities with people to in my age group, I thought that I should take initiative and prepare the Bible study for myself! So I created a study for the Young Professionals in their 30s and 40s. My
church needs a fellowship
group for this age, everything else is oriented around parents of little ones or MOMs, Crumudgeons, or studies during the day for the retirees or the stay at home parents. There is nothing for youthful adults non affiliated in a specific “group,” granted, there many not be many people who fit into this category, but at least there is the acknowledgement that another population does exist. My husband and I were feeling fairly left out because we don’t have children, aren’t retired, and just don’t fit into a certain mold. So I did something about it. I organized a Bible study for my age group at the church. I have enough time to dedicate to lead, and feel that I am being called to do this. I received a degree in Therapeutic Recreation in college, and I can organize some therapeutic recreational programs for not only myself, but also for others who feel left out. And I will see MY name and MY contact information publicized along with this study; there’s something about that that feels good.
This is our blurb for information posted around the church, different groups websites, and given through emails.
Are you in your 30’s or 40’s and looking for a small group? We hope you’ll join us beginning on November 13 for a five week Advent Study entitled: “Travel the Highways of Advent: An Advent Study for Adults” by Stan Purdum. We will meet each Thursday for five weeks [Nov 13, 20, Dec 4, 11, and 18] from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. in Room 261. Please contact Matt and Danielle Karst for more information or to let us know you’ll be attending! daniellekarst920@gmail.com, 703-869-8894.
This is a new feature to my blog, it’s called WHATEVER Wednesdays!
Enjoy!
I knew it was coming, but it’s such a shock; that’s always how it happens though. It’s like how you see the news reports for a horrible snow storm that’s happening at the end of the week, but the severity of the storm does not mentally process until there’s 3 1/2 feet in the road and no possible way of getting to work in the morning. That’s exactly what’s happening in the soap opera that is my life.
EJ! I CANNOT BELIEVE SOMEONE SHOT EJ! Sure, he was on the bad side of a lot of people, mostly as of recently for having that affair with ABAGAIL. Sure, a lot of people wished he were dead because of his dark mafia-like dealings or simply because his last name is DiMera…and OK- so what if his father and brother thought that EJ was “dead to me,” tears still fell from their eyes when they found out he was really murdered!
I get so sad and cried so much because of the relationship that Sami and EJ have. I was so upset because of Sami, she truly feels like a friend. They love each other so intensely and even have a beautiful family together. I grew up alongside Sami; we grew up together and sometimes she felt like my only friend. I got hooked on this daytime drama when in seventh grade, 21 years ago [WOW really 21 years, am I THAT old?] Sami started on the show 22 years ago. I’ve seen her through illegitimate children, 3 marriages, jail time and many affairs. Sami [Alison Sweeney] really is leaving the show! This leaves me HEARTBROKEN!! She was always there for me… But I suppose I shouldn’t be such a jealous person, she just wants to spend more time with her family.
Like sands through the hourglass, so are the
Days of our Lives
PURPOSE
I have a purpose.
I have a goal.
I know what I’m doing.
Or maybe I’m just telling myself that.
I know I have said before that my purpose is self-improvement, and that I was going to work on working on me. This was to be achieved through becoming close to the Lord- with Bible studies, through prayer and actual listening for guidance. I’ve struggled through personal online Bible study, first on trust, then on ‘Soul Detox’. My husband and I are now concentrating on studying the book of Revelation, prompted by Sleepy Hollow episodes.
I was going to get fit through yoga, organized yoga practices. That would make sure I stick to that schedule because I’d actually have to BE in class. I had planned on attending classes twice a week. Hmmm, since the classes don’t work for me, that means that I have to get motivated and figure out time to incorporate the yoga practice into my schedule in a short video once or twice a week, and do a few poses. I still subscribe to the Yoga Journal (and People of course), and I can’t figure out how to get them to stop sending me DVDs. I just can’t find the time to watch these videos. Every time I think about doing something relaxing, for my benefit, I also come up with 3 other things I have to do. And did I mention that I still need to change my Spring/Summer wardrobe with my Fall/Winter clothes?
~~One thing for me to check off my list: now I’m going to Body & Soul- a total fitness class set to Christian music; I feel more comfortable with this in the being played in the background.
My relax time, this is supposed to be a relaxing time for me, a time to chill and read books all day. I did apply for a job at the library, (and starting pay is even more than 9 years at the nursing home) but do I really want to WORK in a library? I can just imagine getting into that job and staying in it FOREVER. I mean, why would you quit? It’s a great job; follows the holidays, the snow schedule… but it’s not something I’m really passionate about. With all this time off, I’ve had time to pick up that crocheting. I have returned to my spot as a member of the Prayer Shawl Ministry for my church. It started as a project in honor of my grandmother, to repay the kindness for me when she passed (the church had given me a shawl to help comfort me) but now I really enjoy it and like to spend my free time working on projects to help others.
(You can only do SO MANY things with all these scarfs)
What happened? TV got in the way. Cleaning got in the way. The pool got in the way. Facebook, and then there’s Facebook. And without email, I don’t feel connected to the world. Oh, and there’s Days of our Lives. I can’t believe Sammi is leaving. 21 years- I have spent 21 years of my life watching this daytime drama. The summer of my seventh grade year, the girls on my swim team got me hooked. And Sammi Brady started her acting career 22 years ago. She is only 4 years older, [Alison Sweeney is 38] so we’ve practically grown up together.
My ADD thoughts jump from place to place and I could be typing my memoir on the computer, I run to every other site but my Word document, collecting the random thoughts in my head. But that’s all that’s in my head now, isn’t it? My mind is always thinking of a thousand other things to do which would be so much more productive. Random thoughts jumping around; I didn’t have this much trouble concentrating before my traumatic brain injury. Or maybe I just didn’t have to think that much before my TBI. I WAS young, very very young as in still living under my parents’ roof, getting the free education that is provided. Not needing to clean up a house, cook dinner, work to provide for myself; before I got to be a ‘grown up.’ And what, I’m a grown up now?
My husband Matt says that each day I need to set goals for myself, to have a straight half an hour where I sit down to write. [And that means when Erin turns on Skype, I don’t immediately abandon my task to talk with her and Elena] I should also do this with my cleaning chores- like laundry- set aside time to do that and nothing else, or I need to vacuum the stairs, clean up our bedroom, or whatever.
My true purpose
I know that I have been created for the purpose of helping people. Helping people by sharing my experiences through writing is a purpose for my life. My mom thinks I’ll get bored and I’ll want to go back to work [I mean, they did pay for this expensive education for SOMETHING! And would rather see me do something in my field of study.] When I’m ready to go back, I’ll start out with volunteering once or twice a week. We can afford for me to be a stay at homemaker (for right now anyway), and I can just work on getting our gorgeous townhouse spotless, writing, reading and crocheting. And then there’s always yoga.
Sometimes you do. You just have to put a silly smile on your face and eventually others will feel it. And then when they are you turn their “frown upside down” it puts you into a nice contented mood, wanting to smile more. And then you truly find happiness for the rest of the day= pushing your worries away. When you get home from work, wherever, you are more calm and able to think about things rationally and tackle the situation (if you still remember what it was that was upsetting you), or it doesn’t matter as much-just seeming a silly care.
I learned this great tactic while working at the nursing home. On my unit, you are around the residents from the first minute that you walk in. Just take a deep breath outside the door, and then plaster on a smile and greet those nurses sitting at the desk with a great ‘Good morning!’ I must admit that it annoys some of my fellow co-workers who start working at the same time as me, but it eventually will put them in a better mood (hopefully). Truthfully, the mundane tasks that are required to do everyday are just a little better when you wear a smile, even if you don’t feel like it-turn on some good music, and you’ll eventually be havin the time of your life. Everyone will be wondering your secret!!
This blog entry is inspired by another blog entry:
So what? Can we change anything that will happen from happening? Even the most bizarre things, why would you upset yourself if say, a meteor were to come crashing down on your head? OK- maybe that is fairly unlikely to happen. But even if something was more likely to happen, specifically to you because of some prior events that happen (I was in a car accident and have a traumatic brain injury) why worry what COULD happen, and concentrate on the worst case scenario in your head? Maybe it will, maybe it won’t… if we can’t change what will happen, why worry?
Give you entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
Matthew 6:34 (MSG)
This quote is still applicable even if you are not extremely interested in the Bible, it does have a very good point. For people with other beliefs ‘God’ can be substituted with ‘whatever’.
Individuals with a traumatic Brain Injury are more likely, as says the Alzheimer’s association of America, to acquire dementia later in life.
“Does every hit to the head lead to dementia?
Not everyone who experiences a head injury develops dementia. There’s no evidence that a single mild traumatic brain injury increases dementia risk. More research is needed to confirm the possible link between brain injury and dementia and to understand why moderate, severe and repeated mild traumatic brain injuries may increase risk. ”
Risk…not a guarantee. I was totally unconscious for 5 weeks, and in a more conscious stage of a coma on the Glasgow Coma Scale for more than another month. So ya, I have a very severe case of a TBI, [head injuries are considered severe if a person is unconscious for more than 72 hours] but do I let that worry me? Not anymore. It did worry me severely the first 10 years since the accident (hehe) but I’ve learned to let it go, because why worry? [And anyway, my Mom has told me REPETITIVELY during the countless times that I’ve communicated my concern to her, that by keeping an active mind, by reading, crossword puzzles or whatever, that DEcreases the chance of acquiring dementia; she must have read that somewhere]…see my MINDFULNESS post to get more info about states of mind…
So yes, I’ve been through this too- but I take some great advice from Bobby McFerrin– in every life we have some trouble, when we worry we make it double; DON’T WORRY- BE HAPPY!
Here is a little song I wrote
You might want to sing it note for note
Don’t worry be happy
In every life we have some trouble
When you worry you make it double
Don’t worry, be happy……
Ain’t got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don’t worry, be happy
The land lord say your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don’t worry, be happy
Look at me I am happy
Don’t worry, be happy
Here I give you my phone number
When you worry call me
I make you happy
Don’t worry, be happy
Ain’t got no cash, ain’t got no style
Ain’t got not girl to make you smile
But don’t worry be happy
Cause when you worry
Your face will frown
And that will bring everybody down
So don’t worry, be happy (now)…..
There is this little song I wrote
I hope you learn it note for note
Like good little children
Don’t worry, be happy
Listen to what I say
In your life expect some trouble
But when you worry
You make it double
Don’t worry, be happy……
Don’t worry don’t do it, be happy
Put a smile on your face
Don’t bring everybody down like this
Don’t worry, it will soon past
Whatever it is
Don’t worry, be happy
– See more at: http://www.zacksplaylist.com/bobby-mcferrin-dont-worry-be-happy-review/#sthash.1LWQzfhD.dpuf
The latter verses of this song seem to so much more applicable to my life ~”Amazing”
I kept the right ones out
And let the wrong ones in
Had an angel of mercy to see me through all my sins
There were times in my life
When I was goin’ insane
Tryin’ to walk through
The pain
When I lost my grip
And I hit the floor
Yeah,I thought I could leave but couldn’t get out the door
I was so sick and tired
Of livin’ a lie
I was wishin that I
Would die
<The angel of mercy was the angel who saw me and Jade through the accident; I felt and acted insane when I immediately awoke from my coma (what? I was a junior in high school? I could drive??) I literally fell off of the bed and hit the floor when I regained full consciousness, I wanted to leave this “bad place”, and just wanted to go home (my therapists taught me that this wasn’t a bad place, a good place that people go to when bad things happen to them) Try making that sound believable to this 16 year old girl who is morphed into this alternate reality, while all of my friends are living a normal life, in high school, moving on without you.>
It’s Amazing
With the blink of an eye you finally see the light
It’s Amazing
When the moment arrives that you know you’ll be alright
It’s Amazing
And I’m sayin’ a prayer for the desperate hearts tonight
That one last shot’s a Permanent Vacation
And how high can you fly with broken wings?
Life’s a journey not a destination
And I just can’t tell just what tomorrow brings
<This verse resonates most true to me; I had one shot, one opportunity, to determine the path for the rest of my life; I could be helpless, depressed and disabled versus what I chose to be: strong willed, determined and fully capable to take on whatever life throws at me) Life is to be enjoyed every possible moment to the fullest extent because the here and now is all that is guaranteed of our humanly lives on earth. You never know…TOMORROW you could be have a horrible accident and the whole path of your lives could be changed. Take a moment to reflect on THAT… >
*I wish more people would come to realize this fact, this world would be a better, happier place if this was fully understood.*
You have to learn to crawl
Before you learn to walk
But I just couldn’t listen to all that righteous talk, oh yeah
I was out on the street,
Just tryin’ to survive
Scratchin’ to stay
Alive
[Chorus]
Desperate hearts, desperate hearts
*This is song is written by Steven Tyler, and is considered one of Tyler’s best works. It speaks on his cocaine and other drug abuses and his troubled life when the band broke up.* No matter the difference of meanings for this song between myself and Aerosmith, they are one of my favorite 90’s bands, and having an awesome music video doesn’t hurt my love of this song either 😉 Alicia Silverstone rocks!
Inside Danielle's mind 