When You Find Yourself Walking in the Darkness, Carry a Flashlight and Grab Onto Someone's Hand

A "flashlight" can come in many forms. For a person of faith, a flashlight might be their book of faith. I know for me, reading scriptures from my faith steadies me. My Bible is my main flashlight. There can be smaller flashlights to carry in the darkness, along with the main one.  In addition to having my words of faith to hold on to, I also am spending time with my thoughts, through journaling.  I recently began a very simple and brief journal.

What makes this journal effective is:

• It is very brief, no more than 2 sentences in the morning and 2 sentences at night. In fact, they needn't even be complete sentences. I can use phrases and keywords in place of sentences, if that is all I have. 
• It is a routine of twice per day, in the morning and in the evening. The routine works for me.
• The morning entry sets up my day.  In 1 or 2 sentences, I write my hope for the day. It can be a plan for something specific that day, like ordering new socks, or spending an hour with a family member. Or it can be more vague, like trying to only say positive things for the day. Because the morning entry is so brief and simple, I can easily check with myself, as the day is progressing, as to whether or not I am or have fulfilled my hope.
• The evening entry pushes me to reflect on the good from the day. In 1 or 2 sentences, I identify either a pleasant moment, an accomplishment, or a realization from the day. It's a gratitude entry.

Anyway, this is part of what I am doing to pull myself out of a dark place. Last week, you all reached your hands out to me, and I grabbed on. Thank you. 

Hi there . . .

Hi friends,
Thank you, all, so much for your thoughts and kindness. Life still sucks, big time. I can't change what other people are doing. I'm just stuck with it. Anyway, I am trying to pull myself up.

In the past couple of weeks, I have . . .

eaten way too many mug cakes (and let's face it, chocolate is the best when it comes to mug cakes).

the following week I began watching what I was eating as the pounds were creeping on. (I'm using myfitnesspal.com to track my foods and exercise. I'm down a couple of pounds already.)

I am trying to get outside everyday. I have pretty dahlias growing in a pot on the deck outside my room. I put some birdseed on the small table next to the dahlias, so I can watch the birds and squirrels come by for a snack. I have tried to get the garden all planted, but the slugs have been mighty opponents this year.

I have spent practically nothing on groceries in the last week, but am using what we have in stock at home.

We've had our share of ailments in the house: One daughter with a concussion; another daughter, son and myself with varying degrees of colds.

I've spent some time on pinterest looking for closet organizing and bathroom storage ideas. Does anyone here actually have enough shoes to need a separate closet just for shoes?

I did some online shopping for necessities, and saved on shipping. I ordered bras from Target, got free shipping, plus I was able to get more than one of the bras that I wanted in my size. Usually I find a style/size I like, but they only have one in my size. Ordering online not only saved on gas, but I was able to get more than one at a time. I knew what I wanted ahead of time. It's the same one I bought a couple of years ago, and they still carry it now.

I bought some Epsom Salts at Dollar Tree to use in baths for their magnesium benefit.

Meals this past week:

Burritos (twice, one with beef and beans, the other beans and rice), broccoli frittata, frozen corn dogs, hot dogs, homemade French fries, sandwiches -- all easy stuff.

I hope your weeks have been pleasant! And thank you all again for your kind thoughts and prayers. I'm okay, and will someday be better.