Jumping On the Bed!

Yes, this morning was the day I jumped on the bed! Let me explain. Several years ago, during the "Great Depression," I told Mark that on the morning that I finally wake up without feeling like death, I was going to stand on the bed and proclaim it!

Well, today was the day! It came unexpectedly, but joyously. I woke up and realized I didn't feel sick or sad or weak or dead. In fact, I actually found myself thinking happy thoughts. My face wasn't posed in the familiar grimace that it usually is when I awaken. My mind wasn't racing with second-guessing and confusion. I wasn't thinking of myself. In fact, I woke up thinking about a young lady at church that I would like to help, and I began thinking of ways to actually do that.

I sat up in bed and said aloud, "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" My sleepy husband, who was, no doubt, completely stunned at such a positive proclamation from me first thing in the morning, took his place in the "amen" section and uttered a supportive response.

I don't know what will happen from here, exactly, but I do believe this is the major turning point UPWARD!

Hang in there, my friends!!! I will have more later..... Have you ordered Dr. Nedley's DVDs yet?

Courage!

Well, I haven't blogged in a while. That means nothing, really, except that I'm behind.

The GREAT THING I want to report on here today is this: I was telling a friend the other day how much the Dr. Nedley sessions on DVD are helping me and how I'm continuing to do great. She said that she was proud of me for having the COURAGE to do those. She said, "It takes courage to commit to a program like that" etc.... And it made me feel sooo good. I realized that the reason it was so meaningful for me to hear her tell me I have courage is because courage is what depression stole from me! Depression stole courage and replaced it with fear. That's what depression does....among other things. So, it was so healing just to hear that. So when I awoke with an episode of darkness the other morning, tempted to roll over and fall into the spiral, I was able to quickly come out of it because I remembered my friend telling me that I have courage! :-)

If you (out there somewhere) feel that depression has robbed you of courage, take heart. You are NOT without courage. If you were, you wouldn't be reading this. You are wanting to recover and you are believing that you can do it. That takes courage! Also, remember that courage is a trait of God's own character, and He is so ready to share any of his traits with us. Fear is not of his character. So, we need to keep asking God to replace fear with courage. Fear can be valid or it can just simply be chemical activity that manifests itself as fear. Either way, God is the giver of peace and courage.

Well, here in Iowa fall seems to have arrived. A little early, but I'm trying not to get down about approaching winter. So I'm embracing the BEAUTIFUL days of perfect temperature and just that little nip in the air by doing a lot of work outdoors. A couple of days ago, I spent the whole day doing hard, manual labor in the yard....digging up old bushes, raking rocks and debris, etc... I was just sure I'd be so sore the next day, I'd have to live on Advil. However, the opposite actually happened. I was free of aches and pains in my shoulders and upper back that are usually there. Those are the depression aches, I assume. But they're gone now. So, I guess the good doctor is right about getting physical exercise (including work) to ease both the mental and physical blahs.

Not that the aches are gone forever, I'm sure, but at least I know I can treat them with something other than pain-killer.