The Good List

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I am a list person. I have a list for just about everything. Sometimes if I forget to write something on my list, I add it just so I can cross it off. Can anyone relate? I have a grocery list. Goals list. Personal wellness list. Wish list. To-do list.
Lately, I have been adding to my list of lists! Most recently I started a gratitude list (this list will get its own post someday) and now I am working on a ‘bad to good list’. Some may call these blessings in disguise. My bad to good list is a place to write down all of the things in my life that I thought were bad at the time but actually turned out to be for my good later on. Sometimes it took days, months, or years to realize the bad actually brought me something good. There are also some things still stuck on the bad list, and I’m confident someday I will move them to my good list. It might not be on this side of life, but maybe an answer in heaven. This bad to good list is expansive, from a simple upgrade due to something breaking, to a tough time in life that brought me closer to God. When I started this list, one of my favorite verses came to mind.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.
This verse says ALL THINGS work for the good. This backs up my belief that some of those bad things will bring good, even if I can’t see it yet. Taking time to think about these things has made me so appreciative and thankful. It is really amazing to see how things unfold and work out!

One very simple example is a recent experience at work. Everyone in our office has at least 2 monitors. I am not quite sure how we functioned back in the day with only 1 monitor. Seriously ineffective! Recently one of my monitors quit working. I tried everything and it just did not come to life. After a phone call with our computer tech, it was discovered the monitor was DUNZO. I found a VERY small spare monitor in an unused office I could use temporarily.   Eek. I felt like I was staring at a sticky note! It was so small. Good thing I wear glasses – I needed them see this tiny monitor! Total first world problem, but working on such a small monitor was a nuisance. In talking with the technician, it was determined I could also use a new computer due to my software being so outdated. I had one of the oldest computers in the office. So, a few days later, an order was placed for a new computer, and not just 2 monitors, but 3 new monitors! I was getting an upgrade. If you have ever gone from 2 monitors to 3 monitors, you know how life-changing this can be! Now I feel a little sorry for the people who only have 2 monitors! My bad thing – my broken monitor – turned out to be a good thing – I got an extra monitor and a new computer!

Another bad to good experience involves our property. Several years ago when we were looking to move, we found some land we liked and made an offer. It was declined and we could not make a higher offer within our price range. We were so disappointed. It wasn’t long after this we found an even better piece of land for sale by owner. A few weeks later we were the proud owners of 40 acres of land. Over time we cleared the land, built a house, and this is where we live now. In retrospect, I am so glad we did not the original piece of property. It was not as nice and a little farther from my work. Plus, they recently put a gravel pit not far from that plot of land, so the road is much busier now than when we looked at it years ago. That bad turned to good and led us to the perfect piece of land that is on a quiet road, much prettier, and we have great neighbors!
2012 was a challenging year for me. It was the year I had a complicated pregnancy, my dad was diagnosed with cancer, and we were building our new house. In the end, my son was born just fine, my dad had surgery and is cancer free today, and we are living in our beautiful house. But there was A LOT that went on in between! Building a house is such a blessing, but also extremely stressful and we were running over budget and out of time. My pregnancy was full of challenges, ending in 2 months of bed rest, lots of high blood pressure, and a few scares. I trace my relationship with God back to this time. It was a turning point for me. During my dad’s surgery, I bought a journal from the hospital gift shop and started reading devotionals and writing down verses. I referred back to these during the 2 week wait for test results during my pregnancy that would confirm my son’s health. I became a lot closer with God & really relied on Him during that time. I came out in such a better place and am thankful for that year of trials!

When I think about bad turned good, I think about the story of Joseph. He could have made a SUPER LONG list of many bad things that happened to him. But again and again, those bad things led him to something good. His jealous brothers wanted to kill him and end up selling him into slavery. It didn’t take long for that bad to turn good. He went from being a slave to being in charge of everything in Potiphar’s house. But Potiphar’s wife lied about Joseph because he wouldn’t do what she wanted. So he was thrown into jail. Once again the bad turned good when he was put in charge of all the prisoners. Joseph helped out the cupbearer while he was in jail and that cupbearer promised to get him freed as well, but that didn’t happen quickly at all. Until one day Pharaoh had a dream and nobody could explain it to him. Nobody except Joseph. He gave God the credit for interpreting this dream. Pharaoh was impressed and put Joseph in charge of all of Egypt.

These are just a few examples of bad turned good, thanks to God keeping His promise of Romans 8:28. Take some time to think about all of the bad turned good in your life. And don’t lose hope if you have a long list of bad. There is still time for it to turn good!

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The Journey Begins

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My journey to ‘be wholly’ didn’t happen over night. I’m actually still a work in progress. But I’ve finally come to the realization that true health happens when we take into consideration all moving parts. That belief has developed over the years, along with my love for writing, which has led me to where I am now. This is how I got here…
Rewind to the 80’s. Where everything was neon and life as a kid was way different than it is now. Sigh. We played outside, out of sight from our parents for hours on end. My mom actually had this really embarrassing bell that she rang when it was time to come home. You could hear it from anywhere in our neighborhood. My kids would be mortified. Anyhow, we had a Nintendo that I played on my black and white basement TV. My grandma would quickly “die” during her turn so I could play again. We had dinner at home together on Sundays. We didn’t fill every spare second with something.
Ah the good ole days!
I started exercising at a young age. I remember using my mom’s aerobic step and working out to VHS tapes. Physical fitness was always top on my list. I enjoyed exercising, but mental and spiritual health were not as important. Honestly, they weren’t even really on my radar until my 20’s. Growing up we went to church, but I figured that was enough to feed the spiritual side of me. Time ticked on and physically I managed. Aside from my destructive teen years of doing stupid things ignorant teens do, I had taken pretty good care of myself physically. But the lack of mental care was catching up with me and anxiety had reared its very ugly head. I found some relief with a low dose of Xanax as needed. At the time it felt like the right solution. In retrospect, it was more of a band-aid.
Fast forward to 2004…a lot less neon…thank God because this is the year I got married. It wasn’t long before the babies started showing up. Three to be exact. 2005. 2007. 2012.
Insert hormonal tidal wave. Whoa.
The tidal wave wasn’t working for me. After trying a few different things, I decided to see a therapist. I thought maybe this could help me manage my moods a little better, but in reality, my PMS seemed to be the biggest trigger. My doctor’s solution was a bigger band-aid. Prozac. The long list of side effects was a bit intimidating, especially since I historically get the weird ones. The discussion was pretty short and sweet. He suggested Prozac because it’s hard to test for hormone levels because they fluctuate so frequently. Oh, and exercise 3 times a week. Dude! I already do that!
I found this baffling. This is the 21st Century! How is this possible?! No blood test to check hormones? This can’t be! This led me to find an alternative. There had to be some way to treat the problem rather than the symptom. My therapist gave me the name of someone she had seen herself for various issues. A holistic person that uses “weird techniques” to help her feel better. Um. Ok. Weird. Right up my alley!
This was my entrance into the Holistic world. I started seeing an Ayurvedic practitioner. I had no clue what that was and honestly didn’t care. I just wanted help! Turns out Ayurveda has Indian roots. It’s a whole body healing system that is over 3,000 years old. Ayurveda believes the mind, body, and spirit need to balanced to achieve overall wellness. She used a combination of herbs, oils, and other natural remedies to treat my issues. 5 years later, I have noticed a drastic improvement in my overall well-being. Oddly enough, this approach has fixed things I didn’t even know needed fixed…

  • My stress and anxiety is better maintained. Notice I said “maintained.” Stress will never go away. There will always be stress in our lives but we can learn to manage it! I still take an herbal blend to help with my anxiety as needed. I love this non habit-forming natural option! Years ago I would experience so much tension that my upper back and shoulders would hurt. This tension would always lead to a headache. It was a vicious cycle. Today that tension is gone! On days where I get super stressed or anxious, I can feel it creep in, but now I have the tools I need to prevent it from getting worse.
  • My energy levels are better, partly a result of drinking more water and getting better sleep. So basic, yet so helpful!
  • My sinus issues are drastically better. I went in knowing this was an issue I wanted fixed. I started using a nose oil. I can’t begin to tell you how life changing this has been for me. The year prior to my first visit I took an antibiotic 9 times in one year! A CT Scan had confirmed I had chronic sinusitis. Duh. I started the nose oil and the following year I had 2 sinus infections. I now average about one a year – huge improvement for me! No more over drying nasal sprays that didn’t work!
  • My mood has improved! While I still struggle with some PMS, my overall mood is much better! I am able to find the good in most situations and am WAY more grateful for everyday things!
  • I am eating better, which in turn has improved my digestion. Less sugar. More whole foods. Less caffeine (I will NEVER give up Iced tea) Just not happening! I still have ‘those days’ where I eat ice cream for dinner or fast food for lunch, but I usually feel like crap afterward!

Ayurveda has been very helpful for me, but I do not limit myself. I recently saw a medical doctor that uses a lot of alternative options such as accupuncture in conjunction with his medical practice. How awesome is that? I see a Chiropractor who keeps me straight (no pun intended) I’ve tried some homeopathic options. I diffuse essential oils. I see Bessie, my reflexologist (and substitute grandmother) about once a month. She is awesome and you will be hearing more about her later! While I still get an occasional antibiotic when I’m sick and get yearly check ups, I try to keep an open mind & be open to all options. I find in most cases, a combination of all of the above works best for me!
All of these things have worked great for me, but I have to give credit where credit is due! God. I know He led me to this lifestyle and now my spiritual life is a priority. We found a church we liked and became involved. I actually look forward to going every Sunday and get bummed when we can’t. I read devotionals every day and spend much more time in prayer. I have begun to understand the difference between happiness and joy (Joy is an amazing thing) When I slack in my spiritual life, I suffer emotionally and anxiety takes over.
When all of these things come together, it makes me feel great. When I feel great, it’s contagious and I want to make others feel great! The more I make others feel great, the better I feel. It’s like this big ole happy circle of greatness! I love reading a devotional and sharing it with a friend who needs to hear just those words! I love finding a remedy for something and sharing that success with someone facing the same issue. I love dragging my friends along to exercise class or taking a walk together on a nice, sunny day! On vacation recently, I overheard someone at the pool talking about his recent high blood pressure diagnosis. I politely apologized for eaves dropping on his conversation and then told him everything I knew about naturally lowering blood pressure!
My “real job” as Insurance Agent and my full-time job as mom & wife take up a lot of time, but I love the opportunity to write. I am not used to sharing what I write, so this adventure is new for me. I am excited to see where this leads. Follow me! The best is yet to be!

When I slack in my spiritual life, I suffer emotionally and anxiety takes over.

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