by JTwisdom | Feb 26, 2018 | From the Heart |
Men!
Are you getting your annual check-ups with your primary care doctor?
I cannot stress the importance of going to the doctor every year for blood work and regular examination.
You may have many excuses for not going; but I am here to tell you that your health is more important. The following infographic by hims shows the recommended health exams by age group. The earlier in your life that you start, the better you will be.
You may say, “I don’t have time!” Well, I say, “You have to make the time.” You make the time for the other important things in your life. Whether it is work-related issues, or personal things, you plan for them. If you want to take a vacation, you plan for it months in advance. The same effort should go into your health. Decide when you want to get the examination, make the appointment and put it in your calendar. In my experience, the appointment lasted less than one hour. Your health is worth one hour of your time!
You may say, “I don’t like going to doctors.” Well, I say, “It is much easier to go to a doctor when you are well; instead of going when you are sick and needing care.” The point of an annual examination is to establish a record of your health and to see how it has changed from year to year. If you wait until later in life to go to a doctor, he or she will not have any basis for the symptoms or know where you have come from.
You may, say, “I don’t have the money to do it.” Well, I say, “Most insurances will cover an annual examination to you at no cost.” Check with your insurance company, and see what is covered and what the total cost will be to you. If you don’t have insurance, check with local doctors and clinic to see what the actual cost would be and if they accept any kind of payment plans.
When it comes down to it, your health is the most important thing in your life. If you don’t have your health, you cannot enjoy life. For me, it is a personal thing. My father passed away from lung cancer when he was only 54 years old. He was not one to go the doctor, even when he was sick. When he found out that he had cancer, the tumor in his lung was already the size of a softball. Had he gone to the doctor more regularly, I believe that the cancer and the tumor would have been found sooner. And his chances of beating the disease would have been much higher.
Because of this tragic story with my father, I had found a primary care doctor for my annual check. I was determined not to let this same thing happen to me. The doctor I had was very good and encouraged check-ups. However, he retired and his replacement had a completely different philosophy. I would go in for my appointment, and he would wonder why I was there. On several occasions, he told me that he didn’t want to see me until I was fifty. Something about that didn’t seem right. So, I decided to find another doctor. It was a challenge finding one, but ultimately I was able to find a doctor who agreed that annual check-up was not only important, but a necessity.
So men, I challenge you!
This is a call to action.
Find a primary care doctor!
Make that appointment!
Get that examination!
Your health and your life depend on it!
by | Feb 17, 2018 | From the Heart |
Hello Wonderful People!
How your week has been a great one!
Around here, the weather has been crazy, to say the least.
On Thursday, the temperature topped out at 79 degrees. Unseasonable warm for February. I had a spring coat with me, but it turned out that I didn’t need it by the afternoon. Then in the evening, the rain moved in and the temperature started to drop. By Friday morning, it had bottomed out at 34 degrees. So I had to pull out my winter coat to wear to work. The temperature only rose up at 39 degrees.
Then today, as I woke up to heavy snow and 30 degrees. If you know me, I am a snow bunny. I really enjoy being out in the snow with my hubby and my doggies. Ever since I was a kid, I would look forward to the snow days and I would get not have to go to school.
So this morning, it snowed about an inch by 9am. Here is a couple pics of me and my doggies enjoying the snow.
JT enjoying the snow.
Gio and Vinny enjoying the snow!
Then as the day went on, the temperature rose to 42 degrees. The snow changed to ice pellets and then into rain by the afternoon. And by the evening, the rain stopped and the snow was gone, much to my disappointment.
The snow is gone! (sad face!)
Well, it was pretty while it lasted. My hope is that we will more snow this season. I would like to go out and build a snowman, or throw a snowball at my hubby.
by | Feb 11, 2018 | From the Heart, Inspirations |
Hello Wonderful People!
Today, we celebrate the birthday of a wonderful person we affectionately call MOMMY BERNICE.
Eighty-one years ago today, Bernice Matilda Schulte was born in Freeburg, Missouri. She is the daughter of Henry and Katie (Linnenbrink) Schulte, She is the third of six children. Her life is filled with many wonderful stories of faith and resilience. She makes me proud to be her son. Here are a few stories for you.
When she was only fourteen years old, her father had gotten sick and was unable to work his job at the local MFA feed store. In order for her daddy to keep his job, she had to quit school and work his job. Her brother would also work with her in the store. While her father would recover from his illness and was eventually able to return to work, she was never able to return back to school. However, she didn’t allow the lack of a formal education stop her. She served her family as a wonderful mother; and raised her children well.
After getting married to my father in 1957, she gave birth to nine children, with me being the youngest. Sadly, four of her babies died only days after being born; and a fifth child died at the age of 37. At one point, she lost three premature babies in just four years. Despite these setbacks, she and my father never lost their faith in God and persevered through the hard times. Ultimately, the doctors found the source of the problem, fixed it and then she was then able to have three successful pregnancies. I guess they stopped after having that perfect baby (me)!
During their marriage, my father dealt with many sicknesses; from bleeding ulcers to lung cancer. Unfortunately, he would lose his battle to cancer and his life ended prematurely in 1987. She once again battled through, raising her youngest children on her own. I know it had to be a tough time for her, but she never would let me know it. And if you ask me, I will say she has done an awesome job.
Later in her life, she has overcome her own health challenges, from a broken hip, a broken ankle, and a fractured back (not at the same time); to macular degeneration and rotator cuff tears. But in spite of this, she still keeps her faith in God and maintains a positive attitude. She has been through so much, but I believe it has made her stronger.
Mommy Bernice is wonderful example of Godly woman who maintains her faith despite the circumstances. She is one who is deeply loved and admired by her family and her many friends. I can definitely say that I have not meet any one like her. I thank God for her and want the world to know all about her. We Love You, Mommy Bernice!!! And, Happy Birthday!!!
by | Feb 11, 2018 | From the Heart |
Greetings Wonderful People,
I hope you are having an awesome day.
I wanted to give you a quick update on the 23 and Me DNA test that my wife and I completed back in early December. The test analyzes the DNA in your saliva to determine your ethnic composition; meaning where in world your ancestor come from. To learn more about the reasons why we took the test, click here!
Typically the test is completed in six to eight weeks. Well, we are still waiting on my test results. Tamaki’s results came back in mid-January, without any problems. However, my test is taking a little bit longer.
Apparently, the first attempt to extract sufficient quantities of DNA from my sample was not successful and that my sample had to be reprocessed. So, now they are reading my DNA with a genotyping chip. During this analysis step, they make copies of my DNA so that they have enough to analyze. Then they place my DNA on their genotyping chip and use a computer to read my genotype at each location that they test.
What this means is that I did not give them enough of a sample of saliva to extract the DNA. They told me that it will be another couple of weeks before they complete my test and the results are sent to me. So, we are waiting, patiently, to find out what my test reveals about my ancestors. We wanted to wait and share the results of both tests at the same time.
We will be back in a couple of weeks (or sooner) with the results.
Until then, Take Care! And enjoy the journey!
by | Jan 24, 2018 | From the Heart |
Life comes with stress, there’s no way to get around it. The older we get, the more worries we have; house, car, pets, children. And it’s in the middle of adulthood where we amass all of these things the most. Quite often the most expensive time is when all the kids are still at home, the house still has a mortgage, and you’re trying to support your family in doing all that they can to have the best start in life. And no one can fault you for that. But it doesn’t mean that it all comes stress free.
Stress can be one of the biggest issues you face in your life – it can crush a person if they let it. But you can very easily learn to manage and to even get rid of the stress in your life. The first thing you need to do is to identify where the worries are coming from and then to deal with them individually. This way the problems don’t seem so big.
Finances
From the richest person to the poorest, everyone worries about their income. Albeit some more than others. But if you’re in debt – this is probably where the majority of your stress lies. The way to lessen this stress is to get organized. Budgeting will forever be your greatest asset. Set out a financial plan months in advance, have a clear understanding of your income and outgoings, and you’ll be able to see where money is being wasted. A well-organized budget will reduce your stress immediately. If you have multiple debts then it might be an idea to look into debt consolidation for bad credit. This allows you to concentrate on one payment and one interest rate, making this a lot less complicated.
Work
Work is one of the leading causes of stress, luckily there are a few ways to solve it, but it does depend on the level of stress you are experiencing. A vacation might be all you need to refresh yourself. Or, you might need to combine a vacation with lessened shifts or hours for a while to give yourself time to recuperate. Or, it might be time for you to switch it up and find a new job – either the same role in a new place or something different altogether. Starting a new job is nerve-wracking even without the responsibility of bills and family. But if your current work situation is doing nothing but giving you stress – then a complete change might be everything you need.
Health
Ironically one of the biggest contributors to health concerns is stress. Health is something people agonize over constantly. There are a few things you can do to help, but you need to remember that there is only so much you can do to keep yourself healthy – there are some things, like old age, that no one can control. First of all, get health insurance. That way your stresses over health and money don’t clash. Next look at your lifestyle; your health will only improve if you work at it. Eating right and exercising regularly is the easiest yet the biggest impacts you can make on your health and well-being. If you smoke, quitting will be the best thing you have ever done for your body. The same goes for lessening your alcohol intake. Get a good night’s sleep – and with your lessened stress, this should come a lot easier to you.
by | Jan 20, 2018 | From the Heart, Inspirations |
Hello Beautiful People,
Blessings and love to you all.
You are probably looking at the title of the post and wondering, what is she talking about, right? Well, I thought I would never have to write about this subject; but it’s time.
We are all uniquely different and beautifully made by God; and He knows our name.
Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Luke 12:7(KJV)
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Matthew 10 30 (KJV)
My title of this post: Where are the kids? I said that because I had a greeter at church said that to me and my husband not long ago.
We just parked the Jeep and were walking into church saying hi to everybody. We said hi to this particular lady and she said, “Hey guys, Where are the kids?” The world stood still before me because all eyes was on us. I said, “They are not here yet.” I had to laugh because at one time I would have went up to her and said, “Have you seen me with kids? What business is it of yours?” I am saved; but I am not that saved that I let anyone talk to me any kind of way. I know that I have gained wisdom in this area of my life. My husband said that he would never say that to anyone he didn’t know.
Etiquette 101
If you have never seen a person or a couple with children and you don’t know them; please do not ask them personal questions because you do not know their story. It is up to them whether or not they want to share it with you. I find that in the church arena sometimes it seems like being fruitful means that procreating is a prerequisite. If you happen to not be a part of the status quo, some people feel that they have the freedom to ask you personal questions that they have no business asking whatsoever.
Being fruitful and multiplying means not only in your marriage and children; but every area of your life. Whether it be you health, wealth, having enough to give to others or prosperity to name a few.
Another example from a church that I had previously attended: The Pastor asked couples to stand and come down to the front of the altar if they want to be prayed over. People who only knew of me, not knowing me personally were saying, “Aren’t you going to stand?” I said, “No, I am praying for these couples.” By the way, my husband was the Assistant Head usher at the time, so he was at the front of the altar to make sure if the people fall out in the spirit he and the other ushers would catch them. (In case you don’t know what falling out in the spirit means, it’s when you feel the Holy Spirit inside your whole being when hands are laid on you or not laid on you in prayer.) Would you believe the next Sunday people assumed we were both down front being prayed for to have a child. I said, “My husband is an usher and he was making sure the people were okay and praying for them at the same time.”
I have found that many times that the people who can say the most hurtful things are people in the church. You may wonder, “How is that? The church is suppose to be filled with holy people?” Just remember that these people, (including myself) are not perfect and you do not know where they are in their spiritual walk. You are not going to church to please them, but for your own spiritual growth and development. The church is suppose to be your house of refuge, but many times it can be a battleground because not everyone is at the same spiritual level as you. And I know I have to check myself because I want to make sure I am not saying something that may offend someone. The words are long-suffering, forgiveness and love one another. You can have an unusual word come from anywhere; but it is whether you receive those words or not is the key.
Etiquette 102
Please don’t assume that just because a person or couple does not have a child that they want to have children at that point and time; especially if you don’t even know them personally.
You need to have at least one child
Again, you don’t know my story and I don’t know you from Adam. I really am being nice and saying this in love, it’s none of your beeswax. You have to live your life and be the best you that you can be, don’t let anyone put you in a mold that they think is the best for you.
For those who have one child
“When are you going to have another one. That child is going to be lonely.” I know a couple of people who were hurt and angry because people ask these questions like they are not good enough because they stopped at one child.
Wait a minute, I am an only chid and I have to tell you; I cannot miss anything that I never had. I have a loving family who never made me feel like I was the only anything or that I was missing out. I am blessed to be here because my mother didn’t want children; but my grandmother changed her mind. My Father, mother, and grandmother never made me feel like being the only child was a odd thing. My Father and Mother are with the Lord. However, I have an Aunt who does not have any children and has never been married. She is such in inspiration to me.
Most black families have children and you are in an interracial marriage. You will have beautiful babies!
This statement is so ludicrous that I can’t do anything but laugh. And another thing, how do you know I am 100% black? You don’t know my story. Whether you have kids or not; they do not define you. They are a part of you; but they do not define you as a person.
Etiquette 103
I am saying this in love, please think before you speak. You don’t know why a couple have no children or decided to have only one child. Maybe it was hard for them to have kids and they were finally able to have one. Maybe they want have only one child for financial or other reasons. No matter what, again it is none of your business unless you are allowed into that person’s personal space.
Are you expecting, when is the baby due?
I didn’t think people were saying this much until I have heard a couple of friends say that strangers and family members would ask them this question. Some of the friends laughed it off, while others felt fat and like they let there body completely go.
Etiquette 104
Keep it simple sugar, keep your mouth shut. We have to really watch what we say because our mouths are becoming shooting darts instead of praise and encouragement.
From the heart
If the Lord wants my husband and I to have a child, He will let us know. I thank God for my life and I don’t want any Debbie downers to make me feel less than or of no value because I don’t have any children. Last year, we asked to be God parents to our cousin’s little boy and that’s cool. We even had someone asked me, “Are you ready now because we are Godparents.” Oh my goodness, I just kept smiling. I aspire to daily be an inspiration and mentor to people my age and younger. I love the Lord, and I try to treat people better than they treat me. Whoever you are who tries to be negative, you are not my judge so don’t judge me because I am not critiquing your life.
Scripture for Meditation
Renewing the mind daily in God’s word will to filter out negativity. It’s not a one time mediate and done; it is an every day walk in God’s word.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14 (KJV)
I am your Bubbling life coach and I am here to encourage and inspire you. You may feel hurt or depressed because of words said to you. Whether it is about having children or other areas in your life, but remember you do not have to stay there. God loves you! If you were the only one on the earth, Jesus died on the cross for your sins. If you would like for me to keep you in my prayers, your friend, or your loved ones please leave their names in the comments.
Follow!