Setting goals and formulating a plan on how to accomplish those goals are very important to seeing our goals becoming reality. Goals can be classified into two groups: short term goals and long term goals. Examples: A long term goal could be set to be accomplished in four to five years and the duration for a short term goal could be a few weeks to a year. Whether we choose to accomplish our goals in a week or a year it is very essential to set goals and have a working plan on how to accomplish those goals.
As we embark on 2011, many people will make New Year's resolutions, and some people will stick to their resolutions and others will forget their resolutions as the days and months pass in the New Year. Unfortunately, there are some people who will make a resolution but they will not make a start on what they say they would do. A New Year's resolution without a working plan is hard to accomplish, because without a plan one has nothing to work with. Therefore, for 2011, let us set attainable goals, identify the barriers that would prevent us from reaching our goals, make a workable plan to accomplish our goals, and seek help from our family and support system if needed to accomplish our goals.
It is important to write down the goals that you would like to accomplish in 2011. Next write down the barriers that would prevent you from accomplishing your goals. Seek help when necessary with your barriers so that your goals can become reality. Make a workable plan that you will follow in order to accomplish your goals. It is also important to have a signed contract, on how you will accomplish your goals, with your signature and another trusted person who you can be accountable to as you work on your goals. It is also important to come up with a reward system in which you reward yourself as you work on your goals (Greenberg, 2009). For example, if your goal is to save $100.00 per week, you may reward yourself with going to the movie theater bi-weekly after you have successfully saved $200.00.
My friends, I pray that all your goals for 2011, will be accomplished. I pray that all your dreams for you and your love ones will become reality in 2011.
Reference
Greenberg, J. S. (2009). Comprehensive Stress Management (11th ed). New York, NY: McGraw.
Until the next post I leave you with one of my favorite speakers: Les Brown
Be Blessed,
Joy
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Diabetes Mellitus: Information that may help us and our love Ones
Recently, someone that I knew died from complications due to diabetes and my dear mother and one of my friends are presently living with diabetes. The death of the person who died from complications due to diabetes has motivated me to help spread the word on diabetes; consequently, some people may not have to succumb to the effects of diabetes and will be more informed about this disease and be able to manage their disease along with their healthcare providers so that the effects from diabetes can be reduced.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2008) In 2007, in the United States of America there were approximately 23.6 million people who were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and there were about 5.7 million people who had the disease and were undiagnosed. More that sixty percent of lower limb amputations that are classified as nontraumatic are a result of diabetes complications (Centers, 2008). Complications from diabetes can cause damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. If people are informed about the effects of diabetes they and their healthcare providers can develop a plan of care that can help to reduce the negative effects of diabetes mellitus.
What is Diabetes?
Williams and Hopper (2007) stated that diabetes mellitus "is a group of metabolic diseases in which defects in insulin secretion or action result in high blood sugar level" (p. 852). The body breaks down most of the food that we eat into the sugar that is known as glucose and uses glucose as energy. Insulin is a hormone that is made in the pancreas and one of its main functions is to help glucose to get into the cells. When a person has diabetes his or her body either does not make enough insulin or cannot use the insulin that is made; and as a result, glucose level rises in the bloodstream (Centers, 2010). Diabetes is diagnosed when the fasting plasma glucose is equal to or greater than 126 mg/dL after staying without food for at least eight hours ( Williams & Hopper, 2010). Therefore, if a person continues to have high levels of blood glucose that person is at risk for diseases such as heart disease and kidney failure.
Types of Diabetes Mellitus:
Type 1
In type one diabetes the pancreas makes little or no insulin so the body is unable to use blood glucose as energy. People who have this type of diabetes need to take insulin on a daily basis (Centers, 2010).
Type 2
In type two diabetes the tissues in the body are not affected by the insulin that is produced by the body. The pancreas still makes insulin in this type of diabetes but usually in insufficient amount (Williams & Hopper, 2010). Therefore, in this type of diabetes the body may not be able to use the insulin that is made or the insulin is inadequate for the blood sugar level. People with this type of diabetes usually take diabetes pills or insulin. Type two diabetes mellitus is the most commonly diagnosed among people with diabetes (Centers, 2010).
There is gestational diabetes that I will not discuss here.
Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes
Treatments / Interventions
Diabetes can be controlled with diet, exercise, and by following the plan of care that was set up by the person with diabetes and his or her physician. People with type one diabetes take insulin on a daily basis and a physician will decide the protocol of treatment for type 2 diabetes which may include oral hypoglycemic medications and or insulin. Blood glucose monitoring on a regular basis is very essential in the control of diabetes. It is also imperative that people who are diagnosed with diabetes educate themselves about the disease so that they can make informed lifestyle changes that will help them to reduced the effects of diabetes (Williams & Hopper. 2007).
Therefore, it is vital that people who have risk factors for diabetes and those who have been diagnosed with diabetes make the necessary lifestyle changes that include diet and exercise. Eating a balance diet and watching portion sizes are essential to having the body mass index (BMI) that is right for one's body. Body mass index is used to measure one's body fat and is calculated by measuring one's weight in relation to how tall one is (National, 2010). Having a regular exercise program that is approved by one's healthcare provider is imperative to one's general health which include reducing the effects of diabetes. It is also equally important to follow the plan of care that was developed with the help of the physician. If people with diabetes are educated about diabetes and follow their plan of care they can help reduced complications that are due to diabetes.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Diabetes. Retrieved from
http:www.cdc.gov/diabetes.
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. (2010). Calculate Your Body Mass Index. Retrieved from http:www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2008) In 2007, in the United States of America there were approximately 23.6 million people who were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and there were about 5.7 million people who had the disease and were undiagnosed. More that sixty percent of lower limb amputations that are classified as nontraumatic are a result of diabetes complications (Centers, 2008). Complications from diabetes can cause damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. If people are informed about the effects of diabetes they and their healthcare providers can develop a plan of care that can help to reduce the negative effects of diabetes mellitus.
What is Diabetes?
Williams and Hopper (2007) stated that diabetes mellitus "is a group of metabolic diseases in which defects in insulin secretion or action result in high blood sugar level" (p. 852). The body breaks down most of the food that we eat into the sugar that is known as glucose and uses glucose as energy. Insulin is a hormone that is made in the pancreas and one of its main functions is to help glucose to get into the cells. When a person has diabetes his or her body either does not make enough insulin or cannot use the insulin that is made; and as a result, glucose level rises in the bloodstream (Centers, 2010). Diabetes is diagnosed when the fasting plasma glucose is equal to or greater than 126 mg/dL after staying without food for at least eight hours ( Williams & Hopper, 2010). Therefore, if a person continues to have high levels of blood glucose that person is at risk for diseases such as heart disease and kidney failure.
Types of Diabetes Mellitus:
Type 1
In type one diabetes the pancreas makes little or no insulin so the body is unable to use blood glucose as energy. People who have this type of diabetes need to take insulin on a daily basis (Centers, 2010).
Type 2
In type two diabetes the tissues in the body are not affected by the insulin that is produced by the body. The pancreas still makes insulin in this type of diabetes but usually in insufficient amount (Williams & Hopper, 2010). Therefore, in this type of diabetes the body may not be able to use the insulin that is made or the insulin is inadequate for the blood sugar level. People with this type of diabetes usually take diabetes pills or insulin. Type two diabetes mellitus is the most commonly diagnosed among people with diabetes (Centers, 2010).
There is gestational diabetes that I will not discuss here.
Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
- Excessive thirst
- Urinating frequently
- Extreme hunger
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Dry skin
- Slow healing skin
- Tingling in the feet and or lack of feelings in the feet
- Headache
- Abdominal pain (Williams & Hopper, 2007: Centers, 2010).
Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes
- Having a family history of diabetes
- Lack of exercise
- Overweight
- Belonging to one of these races or ethnic groups: African American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, Asian / Pacific Islander heritage (Centers, 2010).
Treatments / Interventions
Diabetes can be controlled with diet, exercise, and by following the plan of care that was set up by the person with diabetes and his or her physician. People with type one diabetes take insulin on a daily basis and a physician will decide the protocol of treatment for type 2 diabetes which may include oral hypoglycemic medications and or insulin. Blood glucose monitoring on a regular basis is very essential in the control of diabetes. It is also imperative that people who are diagnosed with diabetes educate themselves about the disease so that they can make informed lifestyle changes that will help them to reduced the effects of diabetes (Williams & Hopper. 2007).
Therefore, it is vital that people who have risk factors for diabetes and those who have been diagnosed with diabetes make the necessary lifestyle changes that include diet and exercise. Eating a balance diet and watching portion sizes are essential to having the body mass index (BMI) that is right for one's body. Body mass index is used to measure one's body fat and is calculated by measuring one's weight in relation to how tall one is (National, 2010). Having a regular exercise program that is approved by one's healthcare provider is imperative to one's general health which include reducing the effects of diabetes. It is also equally important to follow the plan of care that was developed with the help of the physician. If people with diabetes are educated about diabetes and follow their plan of care they can help reduced complications that are due to diabetes.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Diabetes. Retrieved from
http:www.cdc.gov/diabetes.
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. (2010). Calculate Your Body Mass Index. Retrieved from http:www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi.
Williams, L. S., & Hopper, P. D. (2007). Understanding Medical Surgical Nursing (11th ed). Philadelphia: Davis.
Please feel free to pass on this information to your love ones who may benefit from this post. I wish you a long and healthy life and I pray that if there are lifestyle changes that you need to make that God will give you the strength that you need to make those changes. May all your days be filled with love and prosperity. God bless you!!
Be Blessed,
Joy
Please feel free to pass on this information to your love ones who may benefit from this post. I wish you a long and healthy life and I pray that if there are lifestyle changes that you need to make that God will give you the strength that you need to make those changes. May all your days be filled with love and prosperity. God bless you!!
Be Blessed,
Joy
Friday, December 24, 2010
Learning to Let Go
For the very first time in our lives on Christmas Day my husband and I will be home without our children. I must say this time is a bit sad for me but I must face reality. Our children are grown and are living their own lives. Both our children live some distances from us and one works on Christmas Day and the other will be coming home the day after Christmas. I know that this time of year will never be the same as before and as human beings we are adaptable and we will cheer-up ourselves and continue to enjoy being in the company of our children whenever we see them. At this time I am still in the learning phase of letting go of my daughter who is a Sophomore in college.
I remember when my son use to come home almost every weekend from college and then he did not want to come home as often anymore because he had found a girlfriend and wanted to spend time with her. Because our son attended college only ninety minutes away we knew that we could easily go and look for him and he could come and see us whenever he wanted to; so even though, he seldomly came home we were comforted because of his proximity to us. Our son is now married; therefore, his first priority is to his immediate family and we fully support him in putting his family first. On the other hand, our daughter attends college over 2,000 miles away so we rely on phone calls and Skype to stay in touch with her. Because I am still in the learning phase of letting go of my daughter I believe I call her too frequently.
Recently, my daughter and I had agreed that we would Skype every Sunday and she was free to call me at anytime. For awhile I kept up well with this plan until I fell out of this agreement and started to call her more frequently again. I will have to do some self-talk and stick to this agreement once again.
My son and I do not have an agreement about calling each other. We just call each other and talk but I know his schedule and I try to call him only on his day off from work.
I am certain that in time I will not be missing my children so much and I hope that we will be able to meet at least once per year for family get together. My husband and I have tried our best to prepare them to live their own lives and we will respect whatever decisions they make. We will always love them and we will continue to cherish any moments they choose to spend with us. We are thankful for the years that we were blessed to have them with us.
During this Holiday Season I am very thankful for the precious times that I had with my children. I am also very thankful that they have made good choices in life and have both had significant accomplishments throughout 2010. We may not be spending Christmas Day together but we will be together after Christmas and for that I am very thankful. So, to my two children I wish you a blessed Holiday Season and may all your dreams become reality. I will always love you both whether you are in or out of my presence. May you continue to depend on Jesus to guide you in all that you do and may you continue to show love and kindness to everyone that you come in contact with. May all that you set out to do be a success and may you live a long, happy, and prosperous life.
To my readers, may this Holiday Season find you in perfect peace and may your lives be richly blessed now and always.
Until the next post I leave you with this song, "Have I Told You Lately"
My husband Errol and I will have an enjoyable day together!
Be Blessed,
Joy
I remember when my son use to come home almost every weekend from college and then he did not want to come home as often anymore because he had found a girlfriend and wanted to spend time with her. Because our son attended college only ninety minutes away we knew that we could easily go and look for him and he could come and see us whenever he wanted to; so even though, he seldomly came home we were comforted because of his proximity to us. Our son is now married; therefore, his first priority is to his immediate family and we fully support him in putting his family first. On the other hand, our daughter attends college over 2,000 miles away so we rely on phone calls and Skype to stay in touch with her. Because I am still in the learning phase of letting go of my daughter I believe I call her too frequently.
Recently, my daughter and I had agreed that we would Skype every Sunday and she was free to call me at anytime. For awhile I kept up well with this plan until I fell out of this agreement and started to call her more frequently again. I will have to do some self-talk and stick to this agreement once again.
My son and I do not have an agreement about calling each other. We just call each other and talk but I know his schedule and I try to call him only on his day off from work.
I am certain that in time I will not be missing my children so much and I hope that we will be able to meet at least once per year for family get together. My husband and I have tried our best to prepare them to live their own lives and we will respect whatever decisions they make. We will always love them and we will continue to cherish any moments they choose to spend with us. We are thankful for the years that we were blessed to have them with us.
During this Holiday Season I am very thankful for the precious times that I had with my children. I am also very thankful that they have made good choices in life and have both had significant accomplishments throughout 2010. We may not be spending Christmas Day together but we will be together after Christmas and for that I am very thankful. So, to my two children I wish you a blessed Holiday Season and may all your dreams become reality. I will always love you both whether you are in or out of my presence. May you continue to depend on Jesus to guide you in all that you do and may you continue to show love and kindness to everyone that you come in contact with. May all that you set out to do be a success and may you live a long, happy, and prosperous life.
To my readers, may this Holiday Season find you in perfect peace and may your lives be richly blessed now and always.
Until the next post I leave you with this song, "Have I Told You Lately"
Be Blessed,
Joy
Monday, December 20, 2010
Five Ways to Spread some Holiday Cheers
This time of year can be a wonderful time for many people as they exchange presents and socialize with family and friends; however, for some people this time can be very hard as they look back throughout the year on the many unfulfilled dreams that they have. My friends for these people this is not a time for celebration but a time of despair. Some of these people at this time feel a sense of hopelessness and are in need of someone to help them feel hopeful again. Here are five ways in which you can help spread some Holiday cheers to others who may feel depressed or hopeless at this time:
Until the next post I leave you with this poem:
Kindness
Show a little kindness -
Help a brother on the way
Show a little kindness -
In all you do and say.
Show a little kindness -
It will soon come back to you,
As everyone around you
Starts showing kindness, too!
~ Treasury of God's Virtues
Be Blessed,
Joy
- Make a plan to call on someone who is lonely or in need of some Holiday cheers at least every other day.
- Visit someone who can use some interaction with another human being.
- Send a hand written note to let someone know that they are loved.
- Invite someone who does not have any family or friends support system to have dinner with you and your family.
- Bring dinner over to a person who is shut in and help with any chores that need to be done at this person's house.
Until the next post I leave you with this poem:
Kindness
Show a little kindness -
Help a brother on the way
Show a little kindness -
In all you do and say.
Show a little kindness -
It will soon come back to you,
As everyone around you
Starts showing kindness, too!
~ Treasury of God's Virtues
Be Blessed,
Joy
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
I am not My Skin
I was very blessed to grow up in a home, in a community, and in a country where people from all races and socioeconomic status were respected and people were not usually judged by the color of their skin. In my home I never heard my parents talking negatively about any race of people. It was my understanding from a very young age that people did good or bad things based on the choices they make in life. I attended high school with children from different races and the teachers in my school were Blacks and Caucasians. I grew up with a strong belief that people from any race could choose to do good things or bad things; therefore, it was shocking to me to learn later in life that there are people in the world who expect people from certain races to only choose to do bad things.
Despite the many evidences in society that people from any race can choose to do good or bad there are negative stereotypes in society that point at specific races. I strongly believe that people who believe that only people from a certain race make bad decisions in life are in the minority. I have worked and still work with some amazing people from different races. I have attended college with with some of the best people from different races. I have had excellent teachers and classmates from my race and other races. I have great neighbors from different races, so there are "good people" and "bad people" from all races.
Recently, I was reminded of the small number of people who still judge people by the color of their skin. In two separate incidents I went to provide care for two people and as I entered the room each person took his or her cellphone up from the table, and one person asked another person in the room to place the cellphone on a windowsill and the other person place the cellphone in a pocket. You may say that these incidences are coincidences, but I do not believe so. I believe these two people belong to the minute number of people who choose to judge people by the color of their skin and to use negative stereotypes in society to justify their actions. Before these incidents my mother and I got off a bus and were walking on the sidewalk to get to our house and an elderly woman from another race started to run the minute she turned around and saw us. In all three incidents the people who judged me unfairly were not known to me, and I an certain that it was the first time they had seen me when they chose to use negative stereotype to judge me. It is very unfortunate that these incidents still happen today.
By expressing myself on this blog I just want others to know that I am not my skin. My skin is just the surface area of the body that I live in. I have a brain that gives me the capacity to choose either good or bad and I have made a conscious decision with the help of God to choose good on a daily basis. All people from all races are bombarded with good and bad on a daily basis and fortunately for the world most people choose to do good.
I must say that when those people acted in the manner that they did when they saw me I just quickly reminded myself of who I am and did not make the incidents bother me while working; however, while at home the next day I recalled the incidents and I cried a little because it hurts but I do not dwell on this hurt and I have already let it go and I have forgiven those people for judging me unfairly.
I am so glad that I know who I am. I am a child of God and I was "fearfully and wonderfully made." I am a honest, hardworking, kind, compassionate, and friendly person. I love people from all races and I have dedicated my life to serve people from all races. I feel a certain joy in my life when I am able to help others and I will not allow anyone to take that joy from me.
I leave you with the words form this song:"I Am Not My Hair" By India Aire
My friends let no one define you by the color of your skin or any other outward features because you were "fearfully and wonderfully" made by God and you were place here for a reason, so do not allow anyone or anything to hinder you from living out your purpose on earth.
Be Blessed,
Joy
Despite the many evidences in society that people from any race can choose to do good or bad there are negative stereotypes in society that point at specific races. I strongly believe that people who believe that only people from a certain race make bad decisions in life are in the minority. I have worked and still work with some amazing people from different races. I have attended college with with some of the best people from different races. I have had excellent teachers and classmates from my race and other races. I have great neighbors from different races, so there are "good people" and "bad people" from all races.
Recently, I was reminded of the small number of people who still judge people by the color of their skin. In two separate incidents I went to provide care for two people and as I entered the room each person took his or her cellphone up from the table, and one person asked another person in the room to place the cellphone on a windowsill and the other person place the cellphone in a pocket. You may say that these incidences are coincidences, but I do not believe so. I believe these two people belong to the minute number of people who choose to judge people by the color of their skin and to use negative stereotypes in society to justify their actions. Before these incidents my mother and I got off a bus and were walking on the sidewalk to get to our house and an elderly woman from another race started to run the minute she turned around and saw us. In all three incidents the people who judged me unfairly were not known to me, and I an certain that it was the first time they had seen me when they chose to use negative stereotype to judge me. It is very unfortunate that these incidents still happen today.
By expressing myself on this blog I just want others to know that I am not my skin. My skin is just the surface area of the body that I live in. I have a brain that gives me the capacity to choose either good or bad and I have made a conscious decision with the help of God to choose good on a daily basis. All people from all races are bombarded with good and bad on a daily basis and fortunately for the world most people choose to do good.
I must say that when those people acted in the manner that they did when they saw me I just quickly reminded myself of who I am and did not make the incidents bother me while working; however, while at home the next day I recalled the incidents and I cried a little because it hurts but I do not dwell on this hurt and I have already let it go and I have forgiven those people for judging me unfairly.
I am so glad that I know who I am. I am a child of God and I was "fearfully and wonderfully made." I am a honest, hardworking, kind, compassionate, and friendly person. I love people from all races and I have dedicated my life to serve people from all races. I feel a certain joy in my life when I am able to help others and I will not allow anyone to take that joy from me.
I leave you with the words form this song:"I Am Not My Hair" By India Aire
My friends let no one define you by the color of your skin or any other outward features because you were "fearfully and wonderfully" made by God and you were place here for a reason, so do not allow anyone or anything to hinder you from living out your purpose on earth.
Be Blessed,
Joy
Saturday, December 11, 2010
The Biggest Snow Storm in over a Decade
Since November, of this year I have been caught in two snow storms, and I am very happy that I was not scheduled for work this weekend when the biggest snow storm in more than a decade hit our state. When the first bad storm came I was at work. After my shift I left work and I had no idea what I was getting into. Had I known the conditions of the roads I would have stayed at work. When the second storm came I was at work again, and after leaving work the commute was not as bad as the first storm but visibility was poor and some parts of the roads were slippery. Well, our biggest storm of the winter started last night and I am very happy to be home.
During the first storm I did not know what to expect from the roads because the co-workers who relieved us only told us to be careful while driving home; therefore, the horrible and treacherous road conditions that greeted me on my commute home was unexpected. The minute I walked through the door of the building in which I work I saw two co-workers literally sliding on ice even though they were not wearing ice-skating shoes and they were certainly not on a ice-skating rink. Those co-workers almost fell but somehow they regained their balance. I was able to walk to my truck without falling and for the next twenty-five minutes I was scraping ice off my truck. Eventually, I was able to see through my windshield and I started the commute home. To my surprise the roads were not plowed and I kept slipping and sliding while driving only about ten miles or less per hour.
While I tried to ascend the first ramp to go on the freeway I had a difficult time keeping my truck on the road. Because the road was covered with sheets of ice my truck kept going off to the sides of the road and at one time it turned around and faced the opposite direction from where I was going. I prayed for safety and kept on trying to steer the truck in the right direction. After what seemed like eternity I was able to get the truck on the freeway. On the freeway, that was not cleaned, I was able to control the truck a little better than on the ramp. However, I had to go unto another freeway and this ramp goes up a high hill and I was concerned that I may not be able to get my truck up that ramp. When I approached the bottom of the ramp I saw a line of vehicles on the ramp and they did not appear to be moving so I went to the side of the ramp where a small length of shoulder exists and stopped my truck on this shoulder. I wanted to wait to see if the vehicles ahead of me would be able to make it up the ramp before I try to go up there. I waited for more than one hour and nothing was moving until a semi-truck came sliding pass me and jack-knifed on the ramp. My situation now was worse off because I could not go up the ramp and I did not know the area well, so I had no idea of how to get home.
With the only ramp that I know blocked by the semi-truck and no clue of where to exit off the freeway to get home I called my husband to ask him to pray with me for my safety, and for directions on where to go if I continue on the freeway. My husband prayed with me and then gave me direction in good faith on how to get home but I was not comfortable to take this direction because it was night, and I know that the road that my husband told me to exit on would be in worse shape than the unplowed freeway that I was on, so I decided to wait on the shoulder of the road to see if I could see someone that could give me directions that I was comfortable in following.
About thirty minutes after speaking to my husband I saw a police officer behind me directing traffic. The police officer was signaling to the motorists to continue straight and not to take the ramp with the semi-truck that was jack-knifed. After a while the police officer came up to my window and asked if I needed help and I asked him for directions on how to get home. The police officer gave me directions on how to get to the freeway that would get me home, and the exit was the very next exit from the one that I should have taken. I was so happy to see the police officer and was very grateful that there were police officers out that night risking their lives to protect the lives of the citizens of our state.
With the proper directions on going home I drove slowly on the very slippery roads. I passed many cars parked along the roads and many cars in the ditches. There were times when I felt that I would not have made it home alive that night because my truck kept sliding on the road and twice I hit a guard rail but because I was literally going at a crawling speed the impact or damage to the truck was minor. With God's help and the directions from the police officer I reached home three hours after I left work. On a good day this trip would have taken me about thirty minutes or less.
During the second storm the roads were much better because they were plowed but I had a hard time seeing through the windshield because the snow would blow on the windshield and completely covered it, and when I washed the windshield off it would get all dirty again due to the blowing snow on the freeway. This time I was able to drive at a faster speed yet way below the speed limit. Some parts of the roads were slippery but not as slippery as the first storm. However, I did not like to be in this storm but I was thankful that the conditions of the roads were not as severe as the first storm.
Fortunately, I am home when the biggest snow storm to hit our state in over a decade started last night. I am so grateful to be home and so happy that I do not have to commute in this storm. So far, we have received 16.5 inches of snow and the wind is blowing hard outside and makes visibility very poor. I have prayed for the safety of my co-workers and others who have to go to work in this storm. I chose not to go to church today because we were warned on every news stations that the snow storm would be severe; consequently, I stayed home but my husband went to church and ended up helping many people who were stuck in the snow and when he came home his truck got stuck in our driveway. After a while he was able to dig his truck out of the snow and was able to park his truck in the driveway.
I wish I could stay home on bad snow days but I know that is not reality unless I work from home and the profession that I am in now does not allow me to work from home. I certainly do not like to drive in snow storms but it is impossible to prevent based on my location; therefore, I have to continue to pray for safety and practice all safety precautions that will help to keep me safe.
So wherever you are right now I pray for your safety and the safety of your love ones. I pray that you and yours will always be protected and live your lives to the fullest. May your God given purpose for your lives become reality!!
Until the next post I leave you with this song,"Through the Storm"
Be Blessed,
Joy
During the first storm I did not know what to expect from the roads because the co-workers who relieved us only told us to be careful while driving home; therefore, the horrible and treacherous road conditions that greeted me on my commute home was unexpected. The minute I walked through the door of the building in which I work I saw two co-workers literally sliding on ice even though they were not wearing ice-skating shoes and they were certainly not on a ice-skating rink. Those co-workers almost fell but somehow they regained their balance. I was able to walk to my truck without falling and for the next twenty-five minutes I was scraping ice off my truck. Eventually, I was able to see through my windshield and I started the commute home. To my surprise the roads were not plowed and I kept slipping and sliding while driving only about ten miles or less per hour.
While I tried to ascend the first ramp to go on the freeway I had a difficult time keeping my truck on the road. Because the road was covered with sheets of ice my truck kept going off to the sides of the road and at one time it turned around and faced the opposite direction from where I was going. I prayed for safety and kept on trying to steer the truck in the right direction. After what seemed like eternity I was able to get the truck on the freeway. On the freeway, that was not cleaned, I was able to control the truck a little better than on the ramp. However, I had to go unto another freeway and this ramp goes up a high hill and I was concerned that I may not be able to get my truck up that ramp. When I approached the bottom of the ramp I saw a line of vehicles on the ramp and they did not appear to be moving so I went to the side of the ramp where a small length of shoulder exists and stopped my truck on this shoulder. I wanted to wait to see if the vehicles ahead of me would be able to make it up the ramp before I try to go up there. I waited for more than one hour and nothing was moving until a semi-truck came sliding pass me and jack-knifed on the ramp. My situation now was worse off because I could not go up the ramp and I did not know the area well, so I had no idea of how to get home.
With the only ramp that I know blocked by the semi-truck and no clue of where to exit off the freeway to get home I called my husband to ask him to pray with me for my safety, and for directions on where to go if I continue on the freeway. My husband prayed with me and then gave me direction in good faith on how to get home but I was not comfortable to take this direction because it was night, and I know that the road that my husband told me to exit on would be in worse shape than the unplowed freeway that I was on, so I decided to wait on the shoulder of the road to see if I could see someone that could give me directions that I was comfortable in following.
About thirty minutes after speaking to my husband I saw a police officer behind me directing traffic. The police officer was signaling to the motorists to continue straight and not to take the ramp with the semi-truck that was jack-knifed. After a while the police officer came up to my window and asked if I needed help and I asked him for directions on how to get home. The police officer gave me directions on how to get to the freeway that would get me home, and the exit was the very next exit from the one that I should have taken. I was so happy to see the police officer and was very grateful that there were police officers out that night risking their lives to protect the lives of the citizens of our state.
With the proper directions on going home I drove slowly on the very slippery roads. I passed many cars parked along the roads and many cars in the ditches. There were times when I felt that I would not have made it home alive that night because my truck kept sliding on the road and twice I hit a guard rail but because I was literally going at a crawling speed the impact or damage to the truck was minor. With God's help and the directions from the police officer I reached home three hours after I left work. On a good day this trip would have taken me about thirty minutes or less.
During the second storm the roads were much better because they were plowed but I had a hard time seeing through the windshield because the snow would blow on the windshield and completely covered it, and when I washed the windshield off it would get all dirty again due to the blowing snow on the freeway. This time I was able to drive at a faster speed yet way below the speed limit. Some parts of the roads were slippery but not as slippery as the first storm. However, I did not like to be in this storm but I was thankful that the conditions of the roads were not as severe as the first storm.
Fortunately, I am home when the biggest snow storm to hit our state in over a decade started last night. I am so grateful to be home and so happy that I do not have to commute in this storm. So far, we have received 16.5 inches of snow and the wind is blowing hard outside and makes visibility very poor. I have prayed for the safety of my co-workers and others who have to go to work in this storm. I chose not to go to church today because we were warned on every news stations that the snow storm would be severe; consequently, I stayed home but my husband went to church and ended up helping many people who were stuck in the snow and when he came home his truck got stuck in our driveway. After a while he was able to dig his truck out of the snow and was able to park his truck in the driveway.
I wish I could stay home on bad snow days but I know that is not reality unless I work from home and the profession that I am in now does not allow me to work from home. I certainly do not like to drive in snow storms but it is impossible to prevent based on my location; therefore, I have to continue to pray for safety and practice all safety precautions that will help to keep me safe.
So wherever you are right now I pray for your safety and the safety of your love ones. I pray that you and yours will always be protected and live your lives to the fullest. May your God given purpose for your lives become reality!!
Until the next post I leave you with this song,"Through the Storm"
Be Blessed,
Joy
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Yes You Can
In this journey called life we are sometimes faced with victories and at times it seems that we are faced with defeat; however, the way we view our challenges can help to give us a " I can attitude" or an attitude of defeat. For example: two persons may lost their jobs and one person may decide that now is a good time to pursue the dream career he or she has always been passionate about and the other person may start to cry and get depressed because he or she does not see another way out. The difference between the two persons who lost their jobs is the perception each has about the circumstance in which he or she finds himself/herself.
Having a "yes I can" attitude can help one to motivate oneself to fight through challenging situations until victory is won. No matter how bad the situation is one can use self-talk to encourage oneself to know that whatever the situation is it will not last forever.
It is very important to surround yourself with friends and family members who have a positive outlook on life; therefore, they can encourage you and remind you that "yes you can" do whatever you set out to do and that you should keep trying until you emerge a winner. Now, there are things that are not good for you and if you are doing anything that is not good for you, you should not continue on that path and try to motivate yourself to do something that you know you have no right doing.
In the midst of your storm remember that "you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength." You are not alone. You have Heaven working on your behalf. You were created by God to be a winner. Seek His purpose for your life and walk in that purpose. May God give you the strength that you require to go through the storms of life and may you come out of your storm stronger and wiser. May your today be better than your yesterday and may peace, love, and happiness be yours forever!!
May this song encourage you:"My Redeemer Lives"
Be Blessed,
Joy
Having a "yes I can" attitude can help one to motivate oneself to fight through challenging situations until victory is won. No matter how bad the situation is one can use self-talk to encourage oneself to know that whatever the situation is it will not last forever.
It is very important to surround yourself with friends and family members who have a positive outlook on life; therefore, they can encourage you and remind you that "yes you can" do whatever you set out to do and that you should keep trying until you emerge a winner. Now, there are things that are not good for you and if you are doing anything that is not good for you, you should not continue on that path and try to motivate yourself to do something that you know you have no right doing.
In the midst of your storm remember that "you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength." You are not alone. You have Heaven working on your behalf. You were created by God to be a winner. Seek His purpose for your life and walk in that purpose. May God give you the strength that you require to go through the storms of life and may you come out of your storm stronger and wiser. May your today be better than your yesterday and may peace, love, and happiness be yours forever!!
May this song encourage you:"My Redeemer Lives"
Be Blessed,
Joy
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