2 August 2023 Traditions

August 2, 2023 by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, Home, Mental Health, Music, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?

Hello there – how are you? Last night I decided to see if it’s the abilify that is causing me to be anxious and run fast – affect my sleep. I took two Depakote instead – sure enough I was able to sleep and feel like I rested. I think my body is used to it. The abilify makes me feel too high. I need to talk to my doctor about all this. I called and left a message for the pharmacist that gave me tapering off instructions from the olanzapine which I wasn’t able to do because I ran out of it and they didn’t refill it. Hopefully she will call me back today.

Todays prompt makes me think of Christmas. My parents and my ex and I used to have a tradition of telling each other what specifically we wanted for Christmas and that’s what we would get. My Mom used to send holiday treats up until a year ago or so. With Dad being in a nursing home things have changed and understandably so. We don’t exchange gifts anymore – just cards. Since moving here to Idaho, I have been indoctrinated into new traditions for the family here. They are similar to what I grew up with but slightly different. They do a white elephant gift exchange where everyone brings a gift of $25 or more and they do a trade.

Psalm 18:1-2New International Version

¹I love you, Lord, my strength.

²The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield^[b] and the horn^[c] of my salvation, my stronghold.

One of my favorite Christian songs:

https://youtu.be/-f4MUUMWMV4 – Goodness of God

Goodness of God

Lyrics

I love You, Lord
For Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In the darkest night
You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a Father
I’ve known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God (yeah)

And all my life You have been faithful (oh)
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God (yeah)

‘Cause Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me
With my life laid down
I’m surrendered now
I give You everything
‘Cause Your goodness is running after
It’s running after me (oh-oh)

And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
(I’m gonna sing, I’m gonna sing)

‘Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God
Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Jason Ingram / Brian Johnson / Ed Cash / Ben Fielding / Jenn Johnson

Goodness of God lyrics © So Essential Tunes, Capitol Cmg Paragon, Bethel Music Publishing, Shout! Music Publishing Australia

31 August 2023 Description of Self

July 31, 2023 by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Health, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Movies, Music, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

How would you describe yourself to someone?

So how to answer todays prompt?! I would describe myself as a deep thinking, spiritual, funny and very sensitive person. I like to think I am basically a good person. I am a survivor. I have been through a lot of difficult things in my life – some of my own making and some not. I have been through and continue to go through the earth school of hard knocks! I am currently trying to get my medications right and find balance in my life. I get excited about things like the latest news about extraterrestrials! I could be considered gullible about some things but I am learning to keep myself in check though – keep a healthy perspective on things. It’s so easy to get lost in the hype of things in the news! To be a sheep!

Hello to you. How are you? I hope your doing well. We are living in weird and trying times – testing times and sometimes it’s hard to get through each day without reaching out for help. I am reaching out more and more to Jesus and I find comfort there. When everything in the world seems unsteady I find hope and steadiness in him and ambassadors of his words – way of life. Yesterday I was seeing more positive reviews of the movie The Sound of Freedom – another hit from Angel Studios. I haven’t seen it yet – I haven’t had the courage. It’s not a subject for the faint of heart! People are seeking new hero’s – real ones and actors like Jim Caviezel and Jonathan Roumie are coming forward. Both have portrayed Jesus – they answered the call and continue to do so in both their personal and professional lives.

Hebrews 12:1-3New International Version

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ²fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I was looking for scripture about turning to Jesus and found this song:

https://youtu.be/CtSpOIpD_A8 – Katy Nichole Turn to Jesus

Turn To Jesus

Lyrics

In the morning when I rise
I lift my head and turn my eyes
To the window where the light is shining through
When my feet hit the ground
I know a place where love is found
So I go where I know I’ll find the truth

I turn to Jesus
I turn to the One who knows my name
I know He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am safe
And honestly, I could give a million different reasons
For why
I turn
I turn to Jesus

When the night starts to fall
And I’m worried I won’t see the dawn
And my heart is afraid of what’s ahead
There’s a voice through the chaos
That comforts me and gives me rest
When I’m weary and I’m longing for a friend

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
Ooo oh oh

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Jonathan Smith / Brandon Heath / Katy Nichole

Turn To Jesus lyrics © Centricity Songs, Be Essential Songs, Forbidden Island Music

25 July 2023 Modern Society

July 25, 2023 by saymber, posted in history, Home, Leading Life by Example, Music, photography, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

What would you change about modern society?

Hello to you. Hope this finds you well. Yesterday was really nice. My cousin came over and whisked me away from my house for bit. We had lunch at Subway and got a short walk in. It really meant a lot to me,

Todays prompt is a lot for just a few words in a question. I have lived 55 years and seen and experienced the evolution to the society we are living in. I have been part of it! I can remember computers being much more primitive and there not being cell phones. It’s pretty amazing that I am using a hand held device to do this blog. interactions with family and friends are different. Take yesterday for example. My cousin and I didn’t take any pictures we were just in the moment of being together. We used her phone to look into stationary bikes but that was it. I used to take pictures of everything – selfie Queen lol and now it’s mostly just special occasions.

I think if I could change one thing about modern society it would be encouraging people to be in the moment and capture those moments with their eyes not just their phones. Be present fully in life. I have seen on Tik Tok Taylor Swift concerts and it’s just a sea of phone lights each recording the concert. When I saw David Bowie back in the 1990’s there were just writhing bodies with their eyes peeled on David! Even as long ago as that was I remember it like it was today.

This is for my Auntie who is having shoulder surgery tomorrow:

Matthew 6:34New International Version

³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

24 July 2023 Listen to While Working

July 24, 2023 by saymber, posted in history, Home, human rights, Music, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

What do you listen to while you work?

Hello to you how are you? What do I listen to while I work? I have a huge playlist on YouTube and I usually just pull that up. The only thing that sucks about using YouTube is the commercials after each song! Nothing is really free – it’s kind of like television or the radio running ads – they have to make revenue some how!

I have hundreds of songs on my playlist from all sorts of genres. Sometimes I will go on an excavation mission for new music and I will add to my list. One of the searches I did was for all the different variations of The Blessing:

https://youtu.be/Zp6aygmvzM4 – The Blessing Elevation Worship

The Blessing

Lyrics

The Lord bless you and keep you
Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you
The Lord turn His face toward you
And give you peace

Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen

The Lord bless you and keep you
Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you
The Lord turn His face toward you
And give you peace

Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen

May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children

May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, he is with you

In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, he is for you

He is for you, he is for you
He is for you, he is for you
He is for you, he is for you
(Amen, amen)

Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen

May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children, and their children

May His presence go before you
And behind you, and beside you
All around you, and within you
He is with you, he is with you

In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, He is for you

Ohh

He is for you (ohh)

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Christopher Joel Brown / Steven Furtick / Kari Jobe / Cody Carnes

The Blessing lyrics © Worship Together Music, Capitol Cmg Paragon, Be Essential Songs, Kari Jobe Carnes Music, Writers Roof Publishing

I thought it was so beautiful that so many people around the world made their version of this song. This is a beautiful version with different languages:

https://youtu.be/d48-qbcovVY – The World Blessing 2023 154 Nations proclaim Gods blessing in 257 languages

9 July 2023 Music

July 9, 2023 by saymber, posted in Music, Spirituality and Religion

What is your favorite genre of music?

Hello there. How are you? Today began with going to church. Since Pastor Jayson has been on sabbatical, we’ve had other pastors and clergy filling in for him. Today Lester gave a good sermon using Psalm 33 which speaks to expressing praise for God in song:

Psalm 33New International Version

Psalm 33

¹Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
²Praise the Lord with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
³Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.

⁴For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
⁵The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.

⁶By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
⁷He gathers the waters of the sea into jars^[a];
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
⁸Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the people of the world revere him.
⁹For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
¹¹But the plans of the Lord stand firmforever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people he chose for his inheritance.
¹³From heaven the Lord looks down
    and sees all mankind;
¹⁴from his dwelling place he watches
    all who live on earth—
¹⁵he who forms the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do.

¹⁶No king is saved by the size of his army;
    no warrior escapes by his great strength.
¹⁷A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
    despite all its great strength it cannot save.
¹⁸But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
¹⁹to deliver them from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

²⁰We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
²¹In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
²²May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you.

Although I love nearly all kinds of music the kind I favor is electronica in the style of Depeche Mode. I grew up in the 80’s and a lot of the music back then had synthesizers used in it. I’m always looking for new music and it tends to be digital in nature.

26 January 2023 Tik Tok

January 26, 2023 by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Leading Life by Example, Mental Health, Music, Social media, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you, how are you? I hope well. I’m still recovering from falling- my back is still not happy with me! To pass the time lately I’ve discovered the phenomenon of Tik Tok. It’s amazing to see the range of people and what they are doing on there. There is a wide range of types of people on there to include people that would be considered disabled making a space for themselves. I’m thinking about exploring it more but not sure about the rules to going live etc.

It’s interesting to see the range of talent on the platform. It’s cool that there are more ways to get discovered and share yourself with the world. One of the things that is new to me is ASMR:

autonomous sensory meridian response

ASMR stands for autonomous sensory System of meridian response; a term used to describe a tingling, static-like, or goosebumps sensation in response to specific triggering audio or visual stimuli. These sensations are said to spread across the skull or down the back of the neck and, for some, down the spine or limbs.Apr 26, 2022

There are several people that have channels dedicated to this. They put stuff on to their microphone which makes certain noises. Sometimes it helps with sleep. You might be already familiar with all this – I’m just catching up !

My positive intentions and prayers go out to the world today. Whatever you are facing just know your not alone.

24 November 2022 Thanks giving

November 24, 2022 by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, Food, Home, Music, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. For those who celebrate it, Happy Thanksgiving. I’m going out to a meal with my cousin and his wife. I’m so grateful for my family here!

https://youtu.be/VqOO6FDyspQ – Alpha waves heal damage in the body

9 November 2022 Stamina Continued

November 9, 2022November 9, 2022 by saymber, posted in animals, Bipolar life, Health, Mental Health, Music, Spirituality and Religion, trust, Veteran Affairs, Writing and blogging

Hello to you. Hope this day finds you well. I’m doing ok just dealing with the usual stuff plus low energy levels – stamina. I really have gotten weaker after my stay in the hospital. Gradually trying to build it back up. Link is still limping but has such a positive attitude about it! Please keep him in your prayers.

I want to say how grateful I am that things are even if I hope for better. I’m home with Link and have loving family and friends. Thank you for your prayers and support through all of this.

https://youtu.be/Vjr6hwNuKBo – Mei-lan Live sound healing- heart awakening series- love is letting go