I Wish You Knew
Millions of us suffer from migraine headaches. We may all have different triggers, but many of us can be in control of our environment and what triggers our migraines. Many, but not all.
I wish you knew, that when you choose to smoke your cigarette or cigar out in front of the entrance to the store, restaurant or other local business, that when I, innocently and freely pass by you, and get just one whiff of your smoke, can end up getting a migraine that can knock me out for days.
I wish you knew that when I am standing in the line at the grocery store, bank, auto parts store, or coffee shop, when I get a whiff of your strong perfume or cologne, I can get a migraine that can knock me out for days.
I know that if you knew what this can do to millions of us, you’d think twice about how your actions can impair someone else. I know that you would not intentionally inflict this on someone else. I know that you would dab that perfume or cologne on more lightly, or not at all, and you would perhaps choose to stand no where near the entrance of public places while exercising your freedom right to smoke your stuff.
I hope that I have encouraged a few of you to think about the scent you carry, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll be spared one migraine headache, 2 days in bed and a world of misery a few times.
Now you know.
Keep That Love Alive!
Do they know what they are promising? Those famous vows: “For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do we part…” What part of forever do they not understand?
People divorce for a multitude of reasons, but most often those reasons were cancelled out under the vows made on that day. Was it the flowers that distracted their attention from the promises? The lovely bridesmaids? The handsome groomsmen? The glory of all the photography? Maybe it was the delight in the upcoming honeymoon, or the fantasy of finally getting away from Mom and Dad and having a real relationship with another human being miles away from what had always been considered home.
What causes one to take so lightly the promise of forever? Can it be that one can justify divorce over illness, yet is it not covered under “sickness and health”? Tragic loss of a child? The “worse” in “for better or for worse” should cover that one. Bankruptcy? Disease? Mental illness? They’re all here, under the same vows that promise to honor, cherish and protect forever.
How can we make the vows any stronger? Should they be spoken louder on that day? Be signed in writing? Framed and mounted on the wall with the wedding photos? Distributed to friends and family for accountability? Perhaps posted on a web site for all to see? It seems some have a grand illusion that a marriage comes with a “satisfaction guarantee, or your money back”, or “exchanges gladly accepted within 60 days if not completely satisfied” agreement.
Did we break too many “pinky swear” promises as a child? Vow to go steady with someone one day then break up all too easily the next? How is it that our promises have less weight and we are so quick to walk away?
My choice to keep my promise is a decision I make every day, a promise I vow to keep forever and ever, amen. After nearly 16 years of marriage, we have begun to grow old, but our vows have not lost their strength. The knot was tied, sealed by God, and by His grace we shall remain strong until death. It is not easy, no, not easy. But there is peace in the promise of forever. When you embrace the covenant of being chosen, and having chosen one forever, you sleep well, you laugh often, you love freely. Unconditional love, filled with hope, adventure and promise, is still alive and well today. Grab ahold of your marriage, love with all that is within you, renew your vows if you want to. Pull out the wedding photos from the old dusty albums, re-frame them and put them back up on the walls! One in every room. Have a new family photo taken, and at least one of just the two of you. Keep that love alive!
Starving to Sit Still?
Our 14 year old son has been on stimulants for his ADD (Attention Defecit Disorder) since he was 6 years old. In the last few years, we took him off the stimulant medications during the summer and on long breaks from school so he could “eat”. The medications commonly prescribed to children and adults with ADD and ADHD (ADD with hyperactivity) are also appetite suppressants, therefore, in addition to encouraging the person to sit still and pay attention, they also deprive them from eating healthy meals which feed their brains and help to them to think, learn, and live life.
Each year we would question the medication usage, but continual encouragement from doctors, teachers, principals, and other well meaning parents confirmed what the world wants us to believe: a docile child is a better child.
Well, our wonderful son began getting migraines a year ago, so while his doctor was unsure of the cause, he couldn’t completely rule out that it wasn’t the stimulant medication, so he took him off of everything for a few months to see if that would help decrease the migraines.
Some experts will tell you that at times the child will “grow out of” the ADD/ADHD. Well, that’s just what he did, he “grew out of” his moodiness, his anxiety and his bouncing off the walls; he also grew out of his shorts, his shoes and his shirts! He gained nearly 20 pounds, and grew about 5 inches taller. He began sleeping well at night, and became more alert and self controlled during the day.
Our doctor’s conclusion: The stimulants did their job for a season, got him through the “wiggly” years when he really needed to focus and learn. However, in his teen years, when the majority of his growing needs to happen, his need for balanced meals (like all day long!) and brain food kicked in, and when he got what he needed, the nutrition improved everything from A to Z.
Our son is a brand new kid. No migraines, no depressed appetite, and no complaints from the school, as of yet.
So please, if you must medicate your child with a stimulant, please take time out to let him or her eat, and let it be long enough to see if maybe they don’t need the meds any longer. Often times the proper nutrition is just what a child needs to get healthy sleep and make healthy choices. You don’t have to be a health food fanatic about it, just use common sense. I am so happy we did!
Historic Route 66 - New Mexico
 
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Historic Route 66 San Jon and Lesbia, New Mexico Tucumcari, New Mexico |