Georgia State Gospel Singing Convention 2013

Wonderful news!! There will be a Georgia State Gospel Singing Convention in 2013 after all.  The Convention will be held at Bethel Baptist Church in Bremen. GA the second weekend in October.  We'll sing Friday night.  Start singing again Saturday morning, break for lunch, and sing some more in the afternoon.

There is something about these singings that lifts my spirits.  It doesn't matter how trouble or low or sick I may be feeling.  My burden is lifted and the song in my heart comes out.

I thank God for giving the musical inspiration and ability to the song writers, publishers, pianists, and organists that make these singings happen.

It is the music that feeds my soul and keeps me going.

Granny's wanderings...

I used to think that when, if I ever had grandchildren, I wanted to be just like my Granny Queen.  I have such fond memories of going to Granny & Grandaddy's house.  There were always tea cakes in the cookie jar.  Playing on the slim jim in the back bedroom amongst the jars of canned fruits and vegetables.  Climbing the barbed wire fence into the cow pasture to go to the outhouse.  Hiding Easter eggs in the block wall, in trees, in old tractor tires, and sometimes in cousin Eddie's shirt pocket.   Good times when life was less dramatic and traumatic and the cares of life were not what they are now.

I see my mother's physical and mental health declining and one of Granny's saying comes to mind "there but for the grace of God go I".  I want to be supportive of my mom and my stepdad, but it's hard to know sometimes what to do to help them when it's not really clear what the problem is.

I was looking forward to a quiet weekend, seeing family, and relaxing.  We've had some of that.  Didn't go to a singing I had planned to, but I just wasn't up to it.  The constant migraines are beginning to get very old.

There's so much in my heart and my mind and I don't know how to begin to put it all in words.  of these things I am certain.

God is watching over me, He's taking care of me, and He has a plan for my life, for my family, and for the stranger I've yet to me.  There are no chance meetings in life.  So how do I make sure that I am where God wants me to be to do the things He wants me to do at the appropriate time?  How do I help someone else along the way.  There are so many hurting people, so many disillusioned people, so much on the job stress, much of which doesn't have to be that way.  But how do we break free from the circumstances and truly give it all to the Lord?

I've been studying in the book of Job.  Here's a man who had everything, and lost it all.  Nothing he did (or failed to do) caused this tragedy.  He lost his children, his goods, his livelihood, and his wife told him to curse God and die.  But he didn't.  His friends who came to "comfort" him in his grief, accused him of all sorts of sins and shortcomings and blamed him for his circumstances.  So often today we blame people for their circumstances when the things that happened were not of their own doing.  Granted some times we get ourselves into messes, but that's not always the case.  I wonder in his situation, would I be like Job and cling to my Lord, or would I be like his wife and resign myself to death.  I don't know.

I do know that after a while I get tired of the constant stress and strain of this life.  The cares of dealing with diabetes, sores that don't want to heal, and ear infection that doesn't ever some to go completely aware, constant battles with blood pressure and weight.  The finger sticks, the injections, the pills, the constant medicating.  Watch what you eat... what's in this, you can't have that... It is a daily battle.  And then I remember that there are people who need the same medication I take and can't get it either because they live in a place where it isn't available or they can't afford it or have no way to refrigerate it.  I complain, but what do I really have to complain about?

I still have my mother, my daughters, my husband, and a beautiful little grandson.  I have a job, though stressing and frustrating at time, out of which I derive a lot of personal satisfaction in things I accomplish.

Is it enough?  I am doing enough with my life?  Am I meant to do more?  And if more, what?

Sometimes I wonder.   And then the fatigue hits me, and I just want to sleep.   So Granny will stop her wanderings for now and say Good Night.  Hopefully tomorrow will dawn and the sun will shine out the clearer on a bright new day with endless possibilities and much more clarity of what needs to be done.

Eating Dessert First

I've realized a truth I've heard all my life.  Life is short.  As I get older that reality becomes more and more real to me.

I've always thought it would be nice to be "free" to do non-traditional things. So I decided today was a good day to do something I've always wanted to do but haven't.

So I ate dessert first.  An ice cream sundae... not a sugar free, diabetic-friendly sundae.  Not a weight watcher's portioned sundae... a real 2-scoop full fat, full sugar vanilla ice cream with Hershey's syrup, sundae!  Oh have I missed those!

I followed that dessert with a lunch of veggie pasta with fat free cheese, venison spaghetti sauce, and a side of radishes (raw)... rather mundane in comparison. But for a few moments it was nice to remember what life was like before I was diabetic, before I was trying to lose weight, back in the days when I could eat anything I wanted and not gain weight.

Now I'm back to reality. Once in a while, however, we do need to just enjoy the simple things.  Today was one of those days.

-Robin

One of those days

You know, if we focus on the things and circumstances in our lives, life can be very discouraging.  Too much work, not enough staff, budget crunches, sicknesses, accidents, cancer, high unemployment, high cost of living, and the list goes on and on.

This week started out really rough for me with a fall that left me with a badly bruised knee and shoulder.  Emotionally I've been a train wreck all week.  I think that's as much to do with chronic sleep deprivation as anything.  Blame it on whatever physical issue you want the reality is my life isn't what I want for it to be right now, because spiritually it isn't what it should be right now.  And who's to blame for that?  No one but me.

I can't tell you how many times things have gotten really rough and I've prayed and focused on the Lord and life improved.  Why can't I seem to remember that lesson?  It is only by the Grace of God that I got out of bed this morning (or any morning).  It's only by His mercy that have a home, a job, a family, salvation, and a church family.

So all I can do at this point is say Lord forgive me for my ignorance and willful disobedience in trying to do everything my own way.  Help me to realize I don't walk this life alone.  You are there, every step of the way.  But like a perfect gentleman, You never force your will on me.  I want the day to be different, the week to be different, my life to be different.  I want more of you and less of me.  Help me to remember that my relationship with you is the most important one and the one that I need to put the most effort into.  If I fail to put effort into that relationship, Satan is quick to throw stumbling blocks in my path.

Thank you for your love, your grace, and your mercy.  Help your stubborn child to rest in you and lean on you and trust you completely with every situation.

I love you, Lord. And I thank you for removing the burden from my shoulders that I had been trying to carry.   I surrender it all to you.

-Robin

Mother's Day

Well, Sunday is Mother's Day.  I am thankful that I am still blessed to have my mother with me and am looking forward to going to church with her this Sunday.  I am thankful for my two daughters and for my grandson as well.

I have been richly blessed with a loving family and some wonderful examples in my life of what a mother should be.  The addition of a grandson has added more joy than I ever thought possible.

I want to send warm Mother's Day wishes to my sister, sisters-in-law, niece, aunts, and all of my friends who are mothers or grandmothers.  To both of my daughters, Amanda & Rebekah, I want to say how blessed I feel to be your mother.

May your Sunday be richly blessed.

With love and prayers, Robin (aka Beanspole)

InfoPath 2010 - In Form Approval - End User - NothingButSharePoint.com

InfoPath 2010 - In Form Approval - End User - NothingButSharePoint.com

This looks like just what I've been trying to figure out how to do!  Thanks to Chris Grist for this!!

For those who like to crochet or knit...

If you like to crochet or knit and want to keep up with your yarn, needles (hooks), patterns, and view things others have created, check out Ravelry.  The link to my projects is below.  I confess I'm not good about posting everything I do. I'm prone to have several things going at one time.

But if you're looking for inspiration, a new pattern, or to swap yarn with someone else, Ravelry is the place you want to be.

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/beanspole

Enjoying the Life Changes

Well, this life experiment called weight loss that my daughter and I have been doing is working!

Since June 2012, we've been attending weekly Weight Watchers' meetings. She's now lost 50 lbs and I've lost 27 (plus 7 I had lost before we joined, putting me 34 lbs lighter than January of 2012!).

Not to sound like the commercials but I can definitely say, Weight Watchers works.  For those of you with health issues who think you can't lose weight this way, let me tell you my story:

I'm 5'4" and 50 years old, the mother of 2 and grandmother of 1. I've been diabetic since my youngest daughter was born 21 years ago. I have arthritis, fibromyalgia, and high blood pressure in addition to the diabetes. I also have the challenge of several food allergies.

For about 10 years I controlled the diabetes by diet and exercise only.  Then thanks to a hernia, I had to give up weight bearing exercise, a year and half and two surgeries later, I found myself on oral medication (metformin). The medication kept my stomach in turmoil from the very beginning. But I continued taking it thinking I would eventually adjust to it.

The dosage kept going up, the stomach issues kept getting worse, then a second medication was added (we tried several).  It was a roller coaster ride of high blood sugars, low blood sugars, and not being able to maintain the control I wanted.  Over that time my weight kept creeping up.  Finally, I asked my doctor to put me on insulin, and we finally began to find the blood sugar control I wanted.  But once again the weight kept creeping up.  When the scales hit 221, I was disgusted with myself and knew I had to do something.

I started parking farther away from the door at work, at the store, etc.  Making little changes.  Then I joined WW.  In the first month, I also had my gall bladder removed, and I lost 8 lbs.  By the end of the 6th month, I had lost 25 lbs (a little over 10% of my body weight). And the results for my health have been astonishing!

I was taking 3 shots of Humalog a day (one with each meal) - 25 units per shot.  I was also taking a shot of Lantus at bedtime (almost 40 units).  As of today, March 29, 2013, I am down to 28 units of Lantus and two shots of Humalog (5 units each) and my A1Cs are running between 6.0 - 6.3.  My fasting blood sugars are running between 70-118. My blood pressure which had required two medications plus a diuretic, now only requires one medication.

I can actually walk the stairs at work now without being winded. I can get down in the floor and crawl with my grandson (and do on a regular basis) without being in pain.  I can touch my toes (I can actually look down and SEE my toes for the first time in YEARS!).  I feel better than I have felt in a long time!

No, this is not rapid weight loss.  However, it is healthy weight loss.  For those of you who don't think you can do it, let me tell you... if this chocoholic, carb-loving, beef craving woman can do it, SO CAN YOU!!

Whether it's through Weight Watchers, Thrive, NutriSystem, or just sheer willpower, take control of your health by making the healthy eating and activity choices you need!.  Here's to you!

my other blog

Decided to move my work related things to a different blog. So if you're looking for information on SharePoint, SQL, or web design, check out my other blog: Robin's SharePoint and website Musings.

Gospel Singing Conventions webpage

If you enjoy Southern Gospel Convention Singings (New Book singings, Shaped Notes singings, etc.)... then here's the place to find singings to attend : Southern Gospel Singing Conventions website Three excellent singings this weekend: Friday - Closeout singing of the Haralson County School of Gospel Music Saturday - Clay County, AL Spring session Sunday - Spring Session of the Haralson County Singing Convention at Antioch off Old Highway 100.

Caron International | Free Project | Lacy Cluster Cowl

Caron International | Free Project | Lacy Cluster Cowl

Looks like a fun pattern