It Is Well.....or is it?

It Is Well....or is it???

This song has been a part of my life for years.  I knew as a little girl that it was my Peepaw's favorite hymn.  As a little girl I remember singing the words to this song and wondering why a hymn would be someone's favorite song. At that point in my life, hymns were pretty much just words on a page that we sang in church but I never really FELT in my heart what they truly meant. 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

A few years later I learned that it is one of my Mom's favorite songs as well.  This song kept coming up in my life over and over again.  It was then that I started really mulling over the words. 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is Well.....or is it???? If I were to be completely honest, there are more times than not that I allow everything going on around me to cause it to not be well with me....much less my soul, my SOUL.  I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Lord knew over 20 years ago that this song would need to be introduced to me.

The Lord has created a tender spot in my heart towards things that are sentimental.  I am very much a traditions girl. I hold very tightly to them.....whether it be our traditions on the first day of Fall, the first day of school, Christmas, my Christmas Eve date with my Dad, Hot Springs Village in the summers right down to what meals we eat every year on that trip, etc. If I'm not careful, I hold on very tightly to these things in such a way that if they don't go exactly as I think they have each year it becomes very restless in my soul.  As trivial as it sounds, it's real.  This, along with the trials and train wrecks that have occurred in my life, as well as everyday things not going exactly as I think they should, can cause my soul to stay in a restless state. 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

This morning is the first morning I've had off in quite a while.  I've finally gotten a chance to go through some old emails.  While doing so, You Tube had notified me of a new song that I might be interested in.....are you kidding me???? You Tube has never done that before.  Coincidence??? No, I choose The Lord's sovereignty this morning.  To truly digest this song and allow it to become a part of me, I've still got a lot of hard work to do.  I'm so thankful though that His mercies are new every morning and that today is a new day. 

Even though it doesn't FEEL very well this morning, I'm going to choose to continue to devour the words of this song and let them penetrate deep into my soul. I've heard it said before....Sometimes we have to act ourselves into feeling instead of feeling ourselves into action.  May it be said of me....It is Well. 

Embracing My Journey

Oh my word.   I haven't blogged in FOREVER.  I mean, I had to go in my profile and literally update the ages of my kids four years!!! CRAZY!!!

I'm learning that I love to journal and write.  I'm going to try out writing on my blog again.  For reals though, this is more for me to trace this journey I am on.  If it helps someone else, great.  If you disagree with me, God love ya, disagree in your head and not in my comment section.  Amen and amen.  Moving on....

I got a wakeup call this morning as I received an email that included blood work I had done this past week at my 6 month checkup with our family doctor.  Bless his pea-pickin' heart.....along with he and The Lord, we've been having several visits about my physical health.  Boy has this been a journey.  I realize more are on a much more difficult journey than I am when it comes to this, trust me, this is also an area the Lord is dealing with me in.  But He is also teaching me to embrace MY journey as well, and that is what I'm writing about today. 

I come from a genetic line of heart disease, thyroid, and diabetes.  For years I have struggled with my thyroid getting regulated.  Just this last year I've begun taking blood pressure meds (growing older is not for the faint at heart).  I had a hysterectomy about 4 years ago so according to my doctor my body has experienced menopause and my metabolism has shut down.  I had my gall bladder out two years ago (Praise sweet baby Jesus!!). As of today, my cholesterol is up higher than it has ever been before. 

Before anyone sends me emails, FB messages or comments on Advocare, Plexus, etc....I have done ALL of the research on each of these and the Lord keeps bringing me back to one thing......this is YOUR journey.  This is between you and Me.  As much as I'd love to use some of these products, the Lord hasn't given me peace when it comes to these.  Trust me, this is not a bashing of these products.  Some of my closest and best friends use each of these and on their journey they are working for them and I celebrate with them.  But, as in so many other areas of my life, the Lord is teaching me to embrace MY journey.  So, as of April 5, 2014, I am embracing another piece to this puzzle the Lord is putting together in me. 

Most who know me know that I'd rather poke needles in my eyes than exercise.  I don't even get these people who love it.  I don't.  Don't even try to explain it again to me.....I won't get it.  I am one of these who has such great intentions, walks for a few weeks, sees no results, and quits.  I could go on and on and on.  I've done boot camps for 6 weeks and seen nothing....notta.....zip.  After trying to get me to count my calories my doctor has encouraged me to get a heart rate monitor and focus more on burning calories.  I have ordered a Polar T4 heart rate monitor that was recommended to me by one of my good friends/accountability partners.  So this is where it stands.  My monitor should come in a couple of days.  Until then, I am going to continue to make wise choices in my eating and continue to walk,  be it walking my precious puppy/dog baby/crazy thang apparently I wanted for my birthday from my kiddos and didn't know it......or walk/running on the treadmill.  Maybe it was the Lord's way to force me outside to take walks.  Whatever it is, God love her, it's getting me outside.

So, this is me.  April 5, 2014.  Embracing another leg of MY journey.  If you think about it, pray for me.  Pray for strength and focus, not to focus on losing weight, but to focus on taking care of this temple the Lord has entrusted to me.

I'll leave you with these words to one of my favorite songs.  As I was doing the treadmill this morning and was so tempted to quit before my goal, this song came on.  Isn't it funny how He knows exactly what we need to hear and when we need to hear it??

No Not One - Chisty Nockels

No better word than from Your lips
No perfect life than what You lived
No greater gift, no not one

No brighter star has ever shined
No better hope for all mankind
No higher mind, no not one

No one has ever known
This kind of love You've shown

There has never been a greater love
Than Your son
No, Not one
And there will never be a name above
No, Not one

With His life You have forgiven us
Hope has come
Hope has come
And there will never be a greater love
No, Not one

No image true or sweeter frame
No simple word can match Your name
No greater fame
No not one

No one has ever seen
The depth of Your majesty

No greater call - You gave us all a reason to live
No greater love - You gave us all a reason to give
No greater life - You gave us all a reason to shine
No greater love - forever mine!