The goal today:run 4 miles.

To reach my goal today depends on God giving me the ability to move. Waking up my body complains about moving.

Body says, “Do you know how hard compact ground is? Untouched by any shovel for 8 years! Tall grass killing the flowers!”

My body made it to the couch and sat for many hours, even falling asleep again, before making breakfast. Watching the rain water the thirsty ground and check the radar believing and asking God for dry weather to run.

After breakfast Wisdom says, “Eat the raspberries and ice cream before running.”

This gives my body energy to walk and dress for running. The goal is 8:00 P.M. Laying down to rest before running, and guess what? Rain!

All ready to go, the rain stops, and out the door I go believing God for the ability to run. Thankful for a beautiful sky to take pictures, giving me a minute to rest.

The shoveling made it’s self known as the muscles rebel at being called into service BUT I DO RUN.

It isn’t a fast, but it is running with just a little walking.

           God is very good. I end up running two miles at the cemetery then going home to rest a bit and drinking water before picking up Sam! We go for a two mile run to the gas station which hasn’t been done for a year or more?

The temperature is 75 degrees with dew points at 73 degrees.  I am able to ring out my clothes when I get home.

This is the job I tackled Friday!

I ended up coming up from the bottom to shovel through the dirt and not cut the tulip bulbs. The dirt comes out in chunks as if it were cement.

I sit on the pillow and pound the shovel into the wall of dirt before me, making sure I’m below the bulbs. The bulbs drop into my hands after being set free from their prison.

The end of the night just as the sun begins setting the last big weeds come out even a whole tuber.

Maybe Sunday the ground can be prepared to receive flowers again!

GOD IS SO VERY GOOD! THANK YOU JESUS! AMEN!

The struggle with the up and down of life.

Just when everything is going well I return from a good run and trip over a vacuum part  left on the floor!

Flying headlong I call out, “Thank You Jesus!”

Surprise and thankful to hear these words as I fall. I must have put enough Jesus in me to wash out the junk. Jesus helps me miss the brick fireplace land on the soft dog bed. The only damage found is a scratch on my leg from the coffee table.

Hours later I get ready for bed and do my nightly plank and push-ups. The plank exposes  soreness but the push-ups expose damage to my triceps, ouch! Obviously, my triceps caught the fall.

Missing church on Sunday, I sleep most of Father’s Day. My husband is thankful to have me wake up at 5:00 P.M. to spend some time with him.

Monday depression sets in. 

“Why does life have to stop when everything is going well?”

Laying on the couch watching tv and falling asleep, I am feeling sorry for myself. But God wakes me with a start and I think,

“I can put one flower into the flowerbed and that will be success!”

Can you see the little corner cleared of grass?  The flower will be seen when it grows up!

The miracle of working multiple hours returns!

Tuesday, I step into the vegetable garden for the first time in over a year. My husband has done work, but it is a continuous fight. I cleaned the outside corner last week, but today the inside is my project.

The chair is my companion out in the yard. It gives my back a chance to rest so I can keep working. This year I decided the pillow could have double uses, one to support my back while sitting and the other to make the ground softer.

Five hours of work makes progress! It’s about ready to plant peas for the first time in over a year.

A week ago, God gave me the ability to work about many hours in the house cleaning, doing laundry, and making soup!

Two weeks ago a few hours were spent in the flower bed making room for planting flowers. Can you see the tall grass I am pulling? It is wonderful to have the strength to tackle projects.

Living most of my life weak and in pain, I hide behind the tv and self protection. But in 2011 God steps in and takes my pain and replaced it with new bone and growing new nerves to make muscles!

Strength and muscles continue to grow until 2018 when Mom dies and the next five to six years family takes everything I have. I even loose weight from losing muscle. Then a medicine stole my gumption to even get up and dust the tv stand, so I stopped taking the medicine and started fighting to get my life back!

This last nine months has been a journey of getting back the strength I fought for so hard to gain in 2011-2017!

I am stringing hours together so soon day of 5 hours will connect to another day of 5 hours and life will be easier again.

The goal is to keep pushing forward and ask God for Help.

God Bless each of you on your journey to getting healthier and stronger!

GOD IS GOOD!

April 24 is a  productive day.

The temperatures have risen to 80 degrees. They draw me outside to work in my flower garden. Spending almost two hours cleaning up half of a small section. I do try for perfect.

Sitting on the knee pad, I lean this way and that cleaning up last years leftovers and my core muscles tell it’s been years since you have done this work!

Realizing the sun sets soon I change clothes and run. My body struggles as it tries to run but most of the three miles consists of a run/walk combo.

A thought about my first year of running invades my mind while I run. During my first week of running I was able to run 5 days a week! That lasted until planting season! I had to cut back running to have strength to weed and plant.

  I am planing to clean out the rest behind the tulips before running  tomorrow.

BUT TOMORROW HAS NOT YET COME

I realize THAT THOUGHT while running was from God! He was reminding me of the toll yard work takes on my body!

The next day, my core muscles struggle to allow me to sit up or even walk around the house.

Since I didn’t make 30 days running in a row I Believe the 30 days really means running daily taking into account recovery time, but not caring about the weather.

GOD IS GOOD AND HE DOES GOOD!

An interesting day!

Today starts with an online doctor appointment. My doctor suggests reducing my migraine/blood pressure medicine to give me more energy for running and working in my yard. Hope starts rising that life will get easier. I have been on this medicine for most of two years.

My very worst day of running, corresponds with my first extended release dose of Propranolol. Lifting my legs becomes impossible! I can’t even get warm as I struggle to run.

The next day on this medicine I start a two mile run; the first mile is fun and easy, but mile two repeats the day before! I not able to lift my legs!

Learning how this extended release medicine shuts down my running, I decide to take this medicine after I run, and never before.

Thirteen days ago, God whispers in my spirit, “30” as I walk out my front door to run! He wants me to start running daily no matter the weather!

Today is day 13, after choir practice I prepare to run three miles. Sam has a sore foot so I leave him home and take Charlie for a run. He is not happy running on our April snowy wet roads. The melting snow is cold and leaking into my shoes! I have run in much colder weather without trouble, so strange.

It is a very slow run and I need another 1.5 miles to reach 3 miles.

After dropping Charlie off and changing shoes and socks I head back out! I’m expecting to run faster but to my dismay my whole run is run 10 steps and walk a few. It is painful and difficult but I keep trudging through to make 3 miles.

My brain thinks about cutting it back to 2 miles but I know disappointment would fill me, so I keep trudging on.

A good thing!

At about 2.5 miles in a policeman stops to ask if I am OK? He is wondering if it is my choice to be out in the cold snow? He hasn’t seen anyone else out and about.

I take the chance to tell him about concerns of people driving  weird.

He has another explanation for why vehicles could be driving slowly and stopping and crawling along my route. He suggests there are people out looking for Pokemon online game to find prizes. .

I am hopeful lowering the dose of medicine will improve my running and all of Life!

GOD IS GOOD

I started this April 9, 2025

Today is day eight of 3 mile runs!

What is different than the last 50 times I trying to get back into running?

God drops 30 days in my heart!

In 2012, God puts the picture of the gas station in my mind about a half mile in my run,  challenging me to run 2 miles!

It becomes 30 days in a row even if I need to walk a bit. What counts is the distance, not the speed or form. This stretching my run expands to between 5 to 10 miles a run with a plan of running every day.

This time around I seem to run 3 miles, some days have been like pulling teeth but the next day will be easy and fun.

I am noticing a change in my perspective!

Getting out of bed I see what is ahead of me instead of the floor. This means I am standing straight and tall, not bent over! Muscles are growing!

GOD IS SO GOOD!

What is God trying to help you improve in your life?

I am taken by surprise to see the picture my husband takes of me walking into the room.

What happen?

God healed bones and nerves to give me strength stand to stand up straight, and I lost it?

 

Back in 2010, my muscles are so weak I need assistance walking any distance. I use my husband and daughter to help me walk, but I am about ready to get a cane. My butt muscles need help.

Before I buy a cane, God steps in! He gives me brand new vertebrae which takes away pain and starts connecting nerves to create muscle strength.

An example of of my weakness before: my middle school daughter comes home from school,

“Mom can we play catch?”

“Yes!”

Heading out back with mitts and a softball we start but I am not able to throw the ball across the yard to her. Why?

I switch to underhanded tossing and it works, but my body stops functioning after only three throws.

“What is going on? Why can’t I throw the ball? Is sitting on the couch all I can do? I am only 40 years old!”

A few years later I loose the ability to raise my right hand above my head or extend it out in front of me. I don’t understand.

Age 49, God challenges me to run! Christmas 2011, I am able to run a funky mile by running the blocks and walking the streets. I am working hard enough to stop at the end of the street to catch my breath before I turn and run home.

The next day I have a desire to run. I’m thinking,

I can’t run two days in a row.

The desire is strong enough I try,

Wow! I can lift my legs and run!

Running two days in a row is a definite miracle! God is So Very Good!

Over the years, God continues to teach me how to stand straight and tall so the bones reform causing me to loose my forward lean. I am able to grow muscles and my new strength erases my  limp. It is shocking when I try to show someone my old posture but it is gone! My forward lean disappeared.

A friend says, “Every seven years our cells completely change over.”

I have spent enough time standing straight and tall that my forward lean is erased!

Looking at the picture I wonder,

“I have been standing tall and straight for years, so why am I leaning so far forward?

Searching for answers I decide my peak happens in 2017 when my daughter sees me returning from a 10 mile run and says,

“Your legs are skinny!”

The first inclination of weakness shows up after Mom dies January 2018 when I need someone to help me weed my flower garden.

The year 2019, comprises of being caretaker for my dad and my husband. This is when my thinking starts to change from run to walk,

“I am able to run 5 miles so I should be able to walk 5 miles.”

November 2021, Grace, my cat dies. May 2022 Dad dies and depression starts to creep into my life.

When I try to get my strength back I believe lies!

First I believe all I need to do is run one mile a day to keep my strength.

A year later, I remember when God taught me to run at least 2 miles daily, But it is not enough.

In the winter of 24-25, I happen to run 5 miles and the next day I feel strength in my core!  I am standing tall for the first time in years!

Since life gets in the way, I started doing planks and push-ups daily. This helps me stay strong enough to run when I get the chance.

It is a journey of faith as I fight for health and strength!

Strength makes life easier and more fun!