Category: Health

17 August 2026 Loving Family Little House and Dance Is Life

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Mental Health, Music, Social media, Spirituality and Religion

Hello to you. I hope this finds you well. I’m doing better after having a visit with my Aunt and Uncle today. I was having some anxiety and just needed to see some loving faces. My cousins Heidi and Laura were on the phone and prayed with us. Sometimes it’s hard to be alone. My Aunt and I prayed with my cousins and the relief was almost instant. Such a beautiful prayer and gift my Idaho family is. My Auntie spoiled me with a breakfast sandwich and coffee. We watched the first four of eight episodes of the Little House on the Prairie on Netflix. It was good but can’t really compare to the original! Big shoes to fill!

https://youtu.be/jSds4Oi83Eg?is=gMsJMZqKY-dRWBe8 – Official Trailer Netflix Little House On The Prairie

Wanted to mention this – so fun to watch people dancing and having fun. NYCThrasher and Dave the pizza guy were there streaming live: at Pier 76:

What is Dance Is Life?

Dance Is Life is a communitarian dance party that celebrates the tradition of Latin Hustle being danced in the streets, parks, and clubs of NYC. We welcome all other street and club dance styles igniting a diverse space for exchange and creativity. Free and accessible to the public, Dance Is Life encourages freedom of self-expression and human connection through shared joy and movement.

Spin of the World Prayer Wheel:

Father, I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all Your creatures –
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands,
without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,

For you are my Father.

prayer of abandonment – charles de foucauld

13 August 2026 White Flowers

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, drawing, Health, Home, Mental Health, Music, Nature, photography, Spirituality and Religion

Hello to you. It’s early evening as I am writing to you from bed – feeling tired. Today I went to Thursdays prayer meeting and got groceries. I almost didn’t go as I was feeling really out of it in my balance. We had a good turnout:

White flowers from yesterday evenings walk
A white variation of Hibiscus
My doodles today

Spin of the world prayer wheel for today;

Dance as though no one is watching you,
Love as though you have never been hurt before,
Sing as though no one can hear you,
Live as though heaven is on earth.

source unknown

https://youtu.be/CvFH_6DNRCY?is=TnDNvZv7ru1bsFws – Claud Debussy – Clair De Lune

28 July 2026 Surrender

by saymber, posted in Art and Poetry, Bipolar life, drawing, Health, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello there. As I write today is another smoky and hazy day. I haven’t done any walks because of the conditions. After I write this I am going to try and do a 20 min Tai Chi session on YouTube with Don Fiore.

I had a therapy session today and we ended with Alyssa giving me a challenge. She asked me to do a drawing of what surrender looks like for me now. The last big surrender was when I was still married to Ken and lived in Florida. When I turned myself into the care of God, the doors of freedom and recovery flew open.

Here is an abbreviated version of what happened. While stationed in Colorado and then Florida I had started abusing alcohol. One day, in Florida, I met a man who was a broker, can’t remember his name, but he was striking. He was a black man with incredibly blue eyes. He asked me if I had a church home and I said no. He invited me to his mega non- denominational church. I went and the message was about the Holy Spirit being an actual person. The next day I was on my patio drunk and miserable. I simply said “I surrender.” The very next day the Holy Spirit began his work on me. I rode my bike to work and was going to go even with a hangover. As I was getting ready to go I watched the chain on my bike fall off in slow motion. I fixed the chain but was running late now to get to work. I was riding in front of where Ken used to work and all the sudden a Transam about ran me over. I was really shook up now! Had I been there a few seconds earlier I would have been hit!

When I got to work I remembered I had my annual physical exam so I left again. At the appointment there was a questionnaire and alcohol use was one of the questions. I had the courage to be honest. Because I was honest, within a couple days I was in rehab in Maryland! At first Ken and I were mad because we didn’t think I was an alcoholic. Later I realized it was to get the alcohol out of my system to see what was really going on. There is much more to my story of this surrender – let’s just say when the Holy Spirit is in charge nothing is impossible!

I feel like I’ve been doing what God wants me to do right now. My physical conditions prevent me from over doing it like I used to do. What would happen if I surrendered again? Would I be healed so I could be a worthy vessel of the Holy Spirit or how I am now is forever? This drawing is how I view Surrender right now:

Putting to crude drawing what Surrender looks like today

Spin of the World Prayer Wheel:

Let my heart be the vessel of God’s Love.

Let my thoughts be the blossom of God’s Love.

Let my words be the expression of God’s Love.

Let my actions be the fulfillment of God’s Love.

willingness – david ridge

16 July 2026 Gods Forge

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Do you think we’re shaped more by our experiences or by who we are?

Hello to you on this hot Thursday. We gathered a little later than normal for prayer today. It was so we could participate in the 21 days of prayer. There weren’t any new petitions but more of us to go over the ones we had. Afterwards Jeannie and I went to the Sunrise for a late breakfast. We had a wonderful visit and delicious breakfast. I got a hug from the manager Emma – I just love her! With Jeannie’s schedule it was the last day we could do this for her summer break. I was going to get groceries afterwards but decided to go tomorrow morning when it’s cooler. I really don’t like doing it!

Today’s prompt made me reflect on my own life and all that I’ve been through. I believe I have been put through Gods forge that has shaped and molded me into who I am. If I haven’t gone through what I have I think I would be a much weaker person. I have quite a laundry list! I have been divorced twice both times my being bipolar was a main cause, anorexic, bulemic, alcoholic, abused, an abuser, suicide attempt, obese, unjustly arrested, an adulterer, had fibroid cysts which resulted in me choosing to have a hysterectomy without ever being a mother, survived storms, been in and out of mental health institutions, dealt with the grief of loss of many people and pets I’ve loved to include losing my mother when I was just 10 months old to suicide. These are just a few of the things I’ve been through! Just about every tragedy you can come up with I have gone through either directly or indirectly. The way I look at it is Gods forge has shaped me into who I am today. Sometimes I have felt a bit like Job from the Bible!

Spin of the Prayer Wheel for today:

I see no stranger, I see no enemy
Wherever I look, God is all I see

I don’t think of us and them
No one do I hate or condemn
I see God’s image – each one a friend.

Of any religion, caste or race
All I see is God’s shining face
His smiling face, His gracious face.

Accept as beautiful all His design
I learnt this truth in sangat divine

One Word resounds in me and you
Waheguru … Waheguru …
In him, in her, in me and you
Waheguru … Waheguru …

Beholding in every being His light
I bloom like a flower in joy and delight.

adi granth – guru arjun dev ji – ca. 1604 ce.

14 July 2026 A Beginning

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Food, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. I’m just back from the MOVE orientation at Caldwells VA. After going through everything, I had the option of asking to be put on a GLP-1 but I decided I’m going to take the 16 week class starting on 6 Jan of next year. I want the weight loss to be lasting and going to a class will make me stay accountable! I have already started a food journal to track my calories. I need to make lifestyle changes and going to a class each week I hope will help me achieve that goal. Another benefit to go to class will be getting me out of the house another day of the week. I am proud of myself for taking this step – it’s a beginning.

Spin of the prayer wheel today:

This is the beginning of a new day.
I can waste it or use it for good.
What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever,
leaving in its place something I have traded for it.
I want it to be a gain, not a loss;
good, not evil;
success, not failure —
in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for it today.

author unknown

11 July 2026 Hard Years

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

What’s a chapter of your life you’d title “The Hard Years” — and what got you through it?

Hello to you. It’s morning here as I write to you. Today’s prompt is kind of difficult to answer because throughout my life I have had difficult things happen. I have lived a life where hard times have been sprinkled with the good and easy times both of my making and not. What has gotten me through the most is my faith in God – now specifically Jesus. Jesus used those close to me to help me get through what I was facing. When I first got to Idaho , my family helped me escape the grip of what had a hold on me in Texas. I literally felt like the enemy had a hold on me! It was a physical AND spiritual battle. Then living with my Aunt and Uncle for 6 months helped me so much. More earth angels that treated me with loving care.

Throughout my life I feel like God was waiting for me to make a decision – to choose Jesus specifically. Going through hard times without faith is just so hard! It can seem so senseless! Before turning my will and care over to Jesus I was so vulnerable – porous. I was under attack without a shield!

Lately I have been going through a bought of hard times with my health. I am leaning on Jesus about it and gradually he is helping both directly and indirectly. He asks me “Do you want to be healed” like the lame man at the pool in Bethel. My answer is “YES!” I wish healing was as simple as picking up my mat and going home. There is stuff I need to do for the healing to take place. Yet, I believe he will! I believe he is!! I have a wonderful support system with my family and church family. It’s not how I would have it but as he would have it. It’s not in my time but his. I am hoping the MOVE program I’m starting on the 14th of this month will be a great beginning.

Prayer wheel prayer for today:

May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.

bodhisattva prayer for humanity

10 July 2026 Coconut

by saymber, posted in Art and Poetry, Bipolar life, Food, Health, Spirituality and Religion

What do you love now, that you hated when you were younger?

Hello there! How are you? I hope you are keeping cool with the heatwave that seems to be everywhere! If it’s not heat it’s floods and earthquakes! My prayers go out to anyone suffering through a catastrophe.

When I saw this prompt what immediately came to mind was coconut. When I was a kid I never liked coconut- didn’t like the taste or especially the texture of it. Now as an adult I love it. I even buy coconut milk and water to drink! It’s truly one of Gods perfect creations! So good for us.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/coconut-benefits – 7 Health Benefits of Coconut

Prayer from the wheel today:

Our children who live on earth,
Holy are each and every one of you.
May good dreams come,
Your way be found,
And heaven and earth rejoice with you.

May you be given
All you need for life
And may you accept our mistakes
As you allow yourself
To make mistakes and grow.

Lead us with imagination
And true integrity,
For yours are the minds, the hearts, and the souls
To heal the world
Now and forever.

our children – a prayer for the world

https://youtu.be/6L43P1MY2KA?is=jZw73iTr_9XfeZlS – Don Fiore 8 min Tai Chi

1 July 2026 Best Way To Deal With Negative Thoughts

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

What’s the best way to deal with negative thoughts?

Hello there! How are you today? Today’s prompt is timely. Every day is a battle for me when it comes to thoughts. The best way to deal with the negative ones is to think of positive ones! Pull the lever on the train of thoughts and attach a redirected car – make the train go a different direction. This practice is something I’ve learned dealing with chronic anxiety. Another thing I do is pray or watch something uplifting. I reach out to loved ones and that helps too. Another thing I do to combat negative thoughts is write here. Writing gets my thoughts out of my head.

I really miss Pope Francis. I found this on the Prayer Wheel today:

On this day, I would like all of us
to hope anew and to revive our
trust in others, including those
who are different than ourselves,
or who come from distant lands,
bringing unfamiliar customs,
ways of life and ideas!

For all of us are children of God!

his final address – pope francis – easter sunday 2025

https://youtu.be/Av0BTpjK8z4?is=CG9plqPRBiblfK8N – Pope Francis Last Message

28 June 2026 As It Is In Heaven

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Music, Spirituality and Religion

Hello to you. It’s Sunday again as I write to you.

Today we were in Matthew 6:5-13:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206%3A5-13&version=NIV

https://youtu.be/bOLS13cl78c?is=FtL4CHiDv_kGPaZL – As It Is In Heaven – Brad Bowden

Brads message today was a good reminder that prayer to God is more than just a transaction where we ask for things and expect results. Prayer is an act of submission to the will of the father. It can be so disappointing to keep praying and not see God move the way we want him to. I have been praying for healing for so long now and there had been no real answer. If I am going to overcome I have to trust God will move in his time and not mine. I may be this way forever for whatever reason I’m not privy to. God knows!

https://youtu.be/NLhdzuCSmIw?is=yL89_CTYYpV-NiBq – Build My Life – Peyton Allen

16 June 2026 Writing vs Speaking

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. It’s nearly bedtime as I write to you. I had an appointment with my therapist today and I shared with her something that’s been going on. The fullness in my ears makes it hard for me to carry on conversations. It’s a wet uncomfortable feeling. I am finding it’s easier to write than it is to carry on a conversation. I know what I want to say but sometimes I get blocked from saying it. I noticed this at the tea party Sunday. I don’t want my body to become a prison like what happened to my dad!

Prayer I found to share:

Lord, as I lay down to sleep, I thank You for today’s blessings and seek Your peace to quiet my mind. Protect me through the night and rejuvenate my spirit. May my rest be filled with Your comforting presence, and may I awaken refreshed for the day to come