Category: Mental Health

24 Nov 2024 Thankful In Pain

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

Good day to you. I hope this finds you well. Today was the last of the I AmThankful series at church today. We got to listen to the inspiring story of John and Kristin who relocated to Middleton from California last year. In the midst of their transition they were thrown a major curve ball. One day Kristin was in severe pain and it turned out she had gall stones. A large one ended up rupturing and caused septics! When all was said and done she ended up losing part of her arms and both hands. She was wearing a prosthetic arm/hand on her right side. She said it was her faith that got her through it! A very inspiring story! It goes to prove something that I’ve said and has proven true in my life that if you think you have troubles just talk to someone else!

Messages from Pastor Jayson included these key points: 1) Contentment is a choice 2) Life rarely goes the way we think it should 3) A Faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted and The things we focus on will determine our contentment.

Something that comes to mind for me and my experience is God always has a plan even in our suffering and discontent. It’s in his timing not ours! Every trial I have faced has been for my greater good in the end. If I was still living in Texas I would be so much worse off! I don’t think I would have found the church family I have or the relationship with Jesus I have now.

Philippians 4:13New International Version

13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

19 Nov 2024 Adversity

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

Hello to you from the chilly yet sunny state of Idaho. I hope this finds you well – if not I hope you know you are loved and people you have never met are praying for you. I pray for the world and those who think they have no one who cares for them each day. With the latest headlines we are facing great uncertainty and as brothers and sisters need to keep eachother in prayer even more than ever!

This morning I went over to my Aunts house and road with her to meet with some ladies from the last Bible study we did. We tried to meet and have coffee at The Harvesters but it was practically standing room only! So we had a change of plans and went to the Bible study leaders home instead. We each talked about our stories – especially health. Each of us has experienced and continue to experience adversity. What we have in common is leaning on our faith in Jesus to face those trials. I have only recently started to refer to God, my Lord, my savior as Jesus Christ. Growing up Roman Catholic we weren’t really taught that. I only ever believed in God. Since moving here to Idaho I have turned my life, my soul, specifically to Jesus. What’s ironic about that is every single manic episode I’ve had has in some way involved Jesus! It’s refreshing to not be manic and have Jesus in my life.

Adversity strikes us all in one way or another. It is how and to whom we turn to that makes all the difference as we face those trials. In my not so distant past I often tried to face and figure how to navigate troubles on my own. Having a relationship with Christ has helped relieve the burden of life’s adversities and I don’t feel so alone. When I go to church on Sundays I feel so welcome and part of a family apart from my biological family.

Romans 5:3-5New International Version

3 Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings,because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

5 Sept 2024 Pets and Time

by saymber, posted in animals, Home, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Writing and blogging
Henry and Spot are together again

Hello to you. I hope this finds you well. I’m feeling a bit off as I write to you. I’m sure it will pass. I found out yesterday that we lost another family pet. It was my ex in-laws Yorkshire terrier Henry. I don’t think we ever get enough time with our pets. If only we could get one more meal, walk, cuddle, play session, treat, howling chorus….just never enough time. There is little consolation. There is little closure as when it’s time to say goodbye it is us that need to hear from animals one last goodbye and all they can do is look into our eyes and see the pain their leaving is causing. They can’t give us what we so dearly want, their lighted eyes simply twinkle out. Their breath ceases. When we had to say goodbye to four of our animals – two dogs and two cats I nearly lost my mind. I had been with my cats 14 years and Sam was like a son. Pieces of my heart and soul shattered. I am dreading the day Link and I will be parted. He will be 9 this year! He’s a senior dog now! We will just have to cherish our remaining years and not focus on what we can’t control. Death has no master but Jesus Christ. I have faith that when my time comes I will have a lot of greeters with paws!

Corinthians 15:26—27, 54–57When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.

28 August 2024 Something to Write About

by saymber, posted in Home, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Writing and blogging

Hi there! How are you doing today? I hope this finds you well. I am trying to write a little more often and it’s kind of hard. Being single and living alone with my sweet dog Link – not going out much makes for not much to write about! Most of the outside my home activities are family, church and medical appointment related. Starting next month on Tuesdays I will be joining my Aunt for a Bible study called One in a Million. This study will go on into November. It will be nice to have an opportunity to make new friends! People my age are still working so most of the people will be older and retired. As a newer Christian it will be good to learn more and have the opportunity to ask questions.

Recently I had the question about being baptized as a baby versus being baptized as an adult. The difference is not having a say as a baby and my parents choosing versus my being an adult and making a conscious decision to follow Christ. So at some point I may decide to get baptized as an adult!

Sometimes I feel like I’m holding back from being all into following Jesus. Part of it has to do with each of the episodes I’ve had being Bipolar. Each episode involved religion and Jesus. This last episode that landed me in the hospital and trouble with the law was because I felt Jesus was taking too long to return so I was going to push things along! So I have been avoiding becoming overly religious for fear of what could happen! So much of my life I have been into death and darkness – my early life began with such things losing my Mom so young. I’m grateful to be surrounded by loving family both by blood and by church. They are helping me navigate this phase of my journey.

26 August 2024 Fall Feeling

by saymber, posted in Art and Poetry, Bipolar life, Health, Mental Health, Spirituality and Religion, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. It’s been awhile since I’ve written to you. Not much new has been going on here with me. I just got back from a walk around the block and it was cooler. It’s starting to feel like fall already! The sunset is earlier and the temperatures are dropping. I’m not complaining! The only thing I haven’t liked about fall is cleaning up the leaves from my neighbors trees. Since I had one of them cutback it shouldn’t be as bad this year.

Leaves crinkling and curling

Breezes cooling sending them swirling

The skies are filled with birds traveling south

The beauty of the sight evokes awe from my mouth

Ever since I’ve gotten back on Depakote my creativity has gone away. It’s the sacrifice I’ve had to make for sanity! I miss the good parts of the highs or mania. It seemed like I had endless energy, thoughts and ideas. I don’t miss not being able to sleep and the endless chatter of inhabiting spirits. I have been stabile for over a year now and I’m grateful. Now if I could just lose the weight I’ve gained and stop feeling like a weeble wobble in my head I’d be all set!

Psalm 92

It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High,

proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,

to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.

For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done.

How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts! (verses 1-5)

22 July 2024 Change

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

Hello to you. How are you? It’s 104 degrees here in Idaho! Thank God for air conditioning! I have been waiting til later in the evening to walk and it’s still quite warm and the air quality is poor. I have to do something to tackle my weight problem and making myself get out and walk is one way of doing that. Change is not just my activity level but what I’m eating. My Aunt and I got together last Wednesday and cooked some meat together for meals. I have been really grateful to have them. What happened is I was told my blood sugar levels were headed into pre-diabetic levels and I weighed in 40 lbs heavier than just a few months ago! A side effect of the medication I take for my mental health is feeling hungry all the time. So I’m having to change my snacking habits in addition to what I’m eating for meals.

Just a brief word about President Biden stepping down I think that was a good move. I don’t know much about Vice President Harris. Hopefully she will choose a good running mate. I personally wish it was Robert F Kennedy Jr.

Do Not Worry Matthew 6:25-27

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

2 April 2024 Switch

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

Hello to you. I’m experiencing a little frustration about my experience with the VA. I just found out I’m losing my counselor in a couple months- same thing happened with my psychiatrist! It keeps happening! They are interns that graduate and move on and then a new doctor switches in. It’s frustrating because I have to keep starting over! The positive thing is may be a new perspective will be helpful – I will just have to see.

2 Corinthians 5:17New International Version

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!

27 March 2024 Understand

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

What is hard for people to understand? I would say mental illness. When someone has a broken bone you see a cast and know what’s going on that isn’t the case with a broken mind. A person can look and seem perfectly “normal” and then out of the blue due something erratic and out of character. This is the way of suicides and murder. The “why” question is so prevalent in these cases.

Proverbs 2:3-6New International Version

3 indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

25 March 2024 Saying No

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

How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?

Something that has gotten easier as I’ve gotten older is saying no. I used to say yes all the time and would get a resentment as a result. I felt like I had to say yes or I was a bad person. Now I realize that it doesn’t make me a bad person to say no sometimes especially if it’s not in my best interest. Sometimes no is the right answer – a catalyst for something else better to happen. An example is my ex brother in law asked my ex and I to come to Florida to a Ozz fest and I said I didn’t want to go. Well we didn’t go and he ended up meeting his future wife! Spending too much time making a decision means usually the answer is no for now – “too many mind.”

Matthew 5:37New International Version

37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

21 March 2024 More

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

What do you wish you could do more every day?

I wish I had more stamina and energy to do more exercise each day. I need to lose weight!

Ephesians 3:20-21New International Version

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen