Tag: love

Recent Happenings

So I haven’t written in a while. Part of the reason for this is that I was having problems with WordPress…and part of the reason is because I wasn’t feeling inspired to write. But WordPress is working now, and whether or not I feel inspired, I’m going to write. 🙂

I was blessed to be able to celebrate my birthday on Tuesday. We got together with both of our families over the prior weekend. Also my hubby took off three whole days from work so that we could spend some time together and relax. We went to Barnes and Noble bookstore, Cracker Barrel, and the Cape May Zoo – and we enjoyed ourselves. The weather was beautiful, the company was amazing, and it was nice to do something a little out of the ordinary.

It was also a blessing to receive so much birthday love. Many people reached out to me to wish me a special day – and that meant a lot. Sometimes I feel alone and unloved…but I need to remind myself that this simply is not true, and that I have friends and family who care deeply about me. So for the birthday love and the all-the-time love, I am grateful.

Another milestone is that I finished my Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) about a month ago. It helped some with the depression, but it also helped my anxiety and OCD through the mindfulness training that I received. Now that my treatments are over, I need to keep up with practicing and with applying what I’ve learned.

So although my mood has been up and down over the past several weeks and I haven’t felt like writing, God has been with me, and has helped me to take one baby step after another. He is good all of the time – and for this I am thankful. ❤

 

Photo Credit: Crystal Knauss (picture was taken at the Cape May Zoo)

Dear Mom

I am blessed to have many supportive people in my life. From my husband to my family to my friends, God has surrounded me with loved ones who are there for me when I need them. One of those supportive people is my Mom, and today I’d like to write her a letter as a tribute to all that she’s done.

Dear Mom,

Where do I begin? You’ve been there from my birth almost thirty-five years ago until now. I know that there is never a day that goes by that you don’t think about me, pray for me, and love me. God has truly blessed me with a Mom who supports and encourages me no matter what!

You put my needs before your own. You are always ready to help in any way that you can. You don’t mind when I call you – and then call you again – for help with cooking a new recipe. When I was undergoing ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy), you drove me to and from my treatments, which started at 5 o’clock in the morning! You give of yourself…and then you give and give again.

You send me cards with sweet messages (and coupons!) in the mail to brighten my day. 🙂 You send me Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards so that I can get out of the house and grab a little treat when I’m feeling low. When I have something that needs to be sewn, you graciously sew it for me. And you and Dad help us update our home! I know that there are many more things that you do for us, but I wanted to list a few that stand out to me.

I’ve been especially blessed that our relationship has been so close. Whether it’s calling or texting each other at the same exact moment, or sharing our prayer requests so we can lift each other up, I’ve always felt that I can talk to you about anything and know that you will listen and provide Biblical advice. I know that I can trust you, and that means a lot.

So for all of these things that I’ve mentioned, and the many more things that I didn’t mention, I’d like to say: Thank you. Thank you for all that you’ve done. And I love you very much.

Your Daughter,

Crystal ❤

 

Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash

When Things Come Unravelled

What causes me to unravel?

That’s a great question! And a question that I have never really asked myself before. So now is as good a time as ever! 🙂 Here are some things that induce a melt-down…or a mini-meltdown.

  1. Situations where I’m among a large crowd of people (okay, so even a semi-large crowd is difficult for me). This causes me a lot of anxiety.
  2. When I’ve lost something and have looked everywhere I can think of for it, but still can’t find it.
  3. Incorrect grammar. Okay, so maybe it doesn’t cause me to unravel, as I know I use incorrect grammar myself sometimes. But it bugs me. 😉
  4. Not getting enough sleep. It’s so hard to face the day when you tossed and turned the night before.
  5. Not “matching.” If I’m wearing black pants, I need to wear black shoes and carry a black purse to match.
  6. Something not being finished. Whether it be a thought, a blog post I’m writing, a conversation, a task I was working on…it bothers me to not have things completed.
  7. Hot and humid weather. Ugh! I’m a mild weather kind of girl – I like the Spring and the Fall. But when it’s hot and muggy and sweat is rolling down my back? Yeah, I’m done.
  8. When someone I love is hurting. This is a big one. I can’t stand it when a family member or friend is experiencing a really difficult time. Especially when I can’t do much to help!
  9. Decisions. Big or small, I struggle with them all.
  10. When I do something that I shouldn’t have done…like sleep all morning. I tend to beat myself up and it spirals downward.

So those are some of the things that cause me to unravel. What causes YOU to unravel? And what (or who) helps to bring you back to sanity?

I’m grateful for a God and for family and friends who point me back in the right direction. ❤