Okay. So the title of this post is a little misleading. No one has been bit by a dog lately. At least not to my knowledge. I'll explain in a minute.
It's one of "those" nights. All 23 little pins and screws located in the lower half of my body must be throwing a party. I ache. And I've ached for a few days now.
Winter can be a stinker for those of us who suffer with chronic illness. Life looks gloomier when you don't feel well. But God showed me something along time ago. I have to make a beautiful life for myself despite how I feel on the inside and out. A beautiful life doesn't have to be filled with grand moments or fancy things or even easy times.
Do you know the song "A Few Of My Favorite Things." Julie Andrews. Sound of Music. The Hills Are Alive. Austria. Well you should.
Anyhoo. The song talks about "when the dog bites, when the bee stings...I simply remember My Favorite Things....and then I don't feel soooo baaa-aaa-ddd." (See. I told you I was going somewhere with the title).
What a great movie. What a great song. And what a great thing to do when life looks a little gloomy or sad or filled with one kind of stressor or another.
It is always good to count your blessings. I do that. And I also like to surround myself with a few things that make me happy. So because I can't sleep and I need to think on something else tonight besides my achy bones...Here are a few of my favorite things. In no particular order.
1. Tea in a pretty cup. I have a bunch of mismatched vintage china tea cups. I have many more in our storage unit (but I won't dwell on that mess...I'm trying to think happy thoughts). I bought these particular little cups from thrift stores for next to nothing. There is nothing like drinking hot tea from a pretty cup to make a moment special.
2. Sweet smelling lotions. One of my favorite Christmas presents this year was a big box full of lotions and the like from Bath and Body Works. My Mom-in-law did it. I don't like the stuff that smells like flowers. I'm allergic to a lot of flowers and those scents make me want to seize. She got me scents like Twilight Woods, Be Enchanted, Sweet Pea (which does not smell like flowers). Tonight The Studly Muffin rubbed my legs with Sweet Pea because they hurt so bad. I don't call him The Studly Muffin for nothing.
3. Books. Pretty much any kind of book. I don't like reading books that don't have Happy Endings. I love books about dragons and lovely meadows and true love and hobbits and wizards and wardrobes. I love Fairy Tales and mysteries and even the occasional book about aliens. You can't beat a good alien story. Books transport me somewhere else. And sometimes 'somewhere else' makes me forget some of the not so pleasant things.
4. Candles. I don't have a fireplace. And there is something about a candle burning that makes me feel at home. And feeling at home makes me feel safe. When I was a lot healthier and could do marathon house cleaning days I would always light a candle in each room as I would finish cleaning it. Maybe lighting candles now is my way of pretending that my bathroom doesn't need a HazMat Team intervention.
5. Bubble Baths. I really sound like a girl now. But there is something about soaking in a warm soapy bath. Maybe it's allowing yourself a minute just to let your body rest. All the cares of the day seem to float away with each little dissolving bubble. Bubbles are magic.
6. Pedicures. Now I can tell you that these are few and far between. The old budget doesn't allow for pedicures. Last year around my birthday, Troy treated me to a pedicure. My hair lady (whom I dearly love) is one of those who takes her time. She scraps and buffs and polishes. One time she even put tiny little sparkles on my toes. I have a friend who has given me a pedicure. I love her. She painted my toes red. I spent the summer with beautiful red toes. Both my Mom and my Baby sister have given me pedicures. When I had a car accident and couldn't walk for months and months my Baby Sister made sure I had pretty feet. And an organized closet. I wish she would come live with me... But her husband would miss her.
7. Old Musicals. I'm not going to start singing at you again. There is something about bursting out in song that is very happy. I love the old Hollywood Musicals. They were happy. They could be sad. There was always love. And the music! My personal fav's? The Music Man. Singing In The Rain. The Sound of Music. White Christmas. Fiddler on the Roof. West Side Story has some great music. I just could never get over all that dying at the end.
8. The entire chapter of Psalm 91. It makes me feel courageous. And when things look a little gloomy it reminds me that I am not alone. And that He has covered me with "His wings." I also love to read this scripture verse.
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. Psalm 30:11
It happens to be the tag on all my emails. I can't dance really. All those pins and screws keep me awkward. I lost some of my natural rhythm along with a few other things in that car wreck. It doesn't matter though. I have gained so much more. I will admit this. I have been known to shake my groove thing in the privacy of my living room. You will never see it. Josiah and I frequently bust a move. Though not as much since we've lived in our apartment. I don't want to cause my downstairs neighbors any distress. All that stomping about.
That's enough for tonight. I have more favorite things. My family for one. That is a whole another post and a half (at least).
Night All...Sweet Dreams...And don't let the bed bugs (or dogs) bite! :<)
Rebekah
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