Where She Stopped Reading(!) And Other Sad Stories.

An avid reader since 14-years-old, I pretty much stopped reading books during my cancer treatments. 

Seriously, I barely recognized myself those days because I was tired. Weak. I didn't care about keeping a clean house, couldn't climb down the stairs to do laundry, even seldom brushed my hair and as I said, I stopped reading books.

A little frightening all that, especially when satan (you feel) is whispering, "This is the new you. You'll never return to your past energetic, glad self."

So I had to keep praying--and--asking friends at Facebook for prayer. 'My village's' encouragement felt huge! Really, those of you who prayed for me, my gratitude will never cease.

And you know how sometimes our friends do something we don't understand? Back around 2010, a dear friend (of decades) from CA passed away and only 2 weeks before did she email me that she'd been terribly sick for months. 

Oh my. 

I would've prayed for her during all that time and sent her encouraging emails, cards, letters. But when her relative told us at Facebook that she'd passed away, I began to cry. It was extra hurtful because she'd kept her sickness a secret from us.

I turned to Tom with teary eyes and said, "If I ever get sick (Heaven forbid), I'm telling everyone! I'd want everybody praying for me."

Well, I kept that promise during my cancer scare and you know? Those prayers and encouragement meant everything to me. Barely able to walk, they helped me drag myself to the car on dark, snowy mornings to travel to treatments I didn't want to take. They calmed me while riding over that insane, icy Buffalo Thruway. 

And they aided me in defeating, ignoring, those "you'll never feel normal again' lies.

Of course, you are free to handle sickness however you wish. I realize that.

But I wanted to share my story, this latest one and my friend's earlier one, to show you both sides. To help you decide now how (again, Heaven forbid) you'll handle what just may be the hardest time of your life.

Often it's best to make a decision with a clear mind well before that mind goes all foggy-dark later.

Glenn Beck gave a perfect (imo) tribute to Dolly Parton here.

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The (Few!) Books I've Read (or Am Still Reading) this year:

Gladwynn Grant Gets Her Footing by Lisa R. Howeler

Mystery of the Red Carnations by Mary C. Jane

Natural Barn Killer by Amanda Flower

Almost Amish by Nancy Sleeth

Chicken Every Sunday by Rosemary Taylor (probably for the 20th time. Total comfort book.)

More Junior Authors edited by Muriel Fuller (my edition is earlier. These books couldn't be removed from libraries, so I'd sit there for hours reading about my favorite authors. I have 2 editions of my own now.)

Movies We've Watched Lately:

Spiderman Far From Home (2nd watch)

Breadwinner (Hilarious, over-the-top and we loved it)

I Can Only Imagine 2 

Unexpected Family (give it a few minutes. IMO, Jackie Chan's finest performance.)

The Shift (2nd watch)

Greenland 2

Lovely Youtube Videos:

Full Recipe Box Found (what a treat!)

Old Furniture, New Cottage Charm

Cozy Pink Cottage Dollhouse (I fast-forwarded to the darling end product)

10 Crockpot Recipes for Seniors

The Magic of Bookshops is Still Alive

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And what I've been doing lately? I cleared 2 additional shelves from the glass-fronted hutch in our home office and added more jars and bottles of food items. How lovely to have all those in one place rather than here and there on 2 floors of the house!  (Photos coming. Someday. I think.)  ツ

And I've been stocking-up, keeping lists galore, etc. How good to be ready for winter (or whatever comes) again!

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And as I shared at Facebook:

Yay! In fact, today I knew they were close when I found myself placing my cool hands around the nice, warm crockpot!

In case you needed some (ok, early) autumnal decor inspiration .... Oh my!

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God created us to need each other. To not be all me-against-the-world loners.

Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. *** "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15