Category: Veteran Affairs

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

9 July 2026 8 Days To The Moon and Back

by saymber, posted in history, In the News, Movies, Science (Keshe Foundation and other innovations), Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. It’s another hot day here. I will get my walk in when the sun goes down! This morning prayer was good. We stayed a little extra time to pray over the 21 Days Of Prayer prayer requests. The prayers ranged from health to requests for people to return to their faith. A lot of atheists! One request that touched my heart was from a lonely person reaching out in a world where it’s difficult to make lasting friendships. The older you get the harder it is!

Last night I was able to watch an interesting documentary on PBS about the Apollo 11 mission to Mars. I have been one of those people who was skeptical of the mission even happening and it being a hoax. The documentary did a good job of bringing the mission to life. It put my skepticism to rest.

https://youtu.be/ls2No9izqAA?is=0ork4Gxhs8YEXXWN – 8 Days- To The Moon and Back – BBC Trailers

8 Days: To the Moon and Back is a 2019 documentary-drama that recreates the Apollo 11 mission, blending declassified cockpit audio, NASA archives, CGI, and dramatic reenactments to tell the story of the first moon landing. Directed by Anthony Philipson, it stars actors like Rufus Wright as Neil Armstrong, Jack Tarlton as Buzz Aldrin, and Patrick Kennedy as Michael Collins, bringing the astronauts’ experiences to life through their own words. The film covers the full eight-day journey, from launch to return, revealing details often unseen in historical footage. 

From the World Prayer Wheel today:

In the joy of your heart,
Your light remains.

In the gift of your caring,
Your light remains

Where you reached out to help,
Your light remains.

Where you sat in silent peace,
Your light remains.

In the place where you worked,
Your light remains

In the stillness of the starry night,
Your light remains

In the light of each day fully embraced,
Your light remains.

Like the touch of an Angel,
Your light remains.

When you live as a light,
Your heart is joined in the Infinite Light of Love.
And that about you which is eternal … remains.

your light remains – rev. jacquie riker – 2003

6 July 2026 Chaos

by saymber, posted in Bipolar life, human rights, Leading Life by Example, Music, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Is a little chaos actually good for us?

Hello to you. I hope this finds you well and if not, you are in my prayers!

Today’s prompt is thought provoking. When I think of chaos I think of things being completely out of control. Not a good thing. Things can be a bit shook up and we can learn and grow from the resulting outcome but not because of complete chaos. That’s just my opinion.

Here is the internets answer to my question if chaos is a good thing:

Chaos isn’t inherently good or bad; it is a vital catalyst. While unchecked chaos is destructive, controlled or balanced chaos—often called “self-organized criticality” in science—is highly beneficial. It drives creativity, evolution, and personal growth by breaking us out of stagnant patterns and forcing necessary adaptations:

Biology and Science: In living systems, like the human brain, seemingly chaotic electrical patterns indicate health, whereas over-organization can signal disease. Chaos theory also shows that hidden patterns and self-organization exist within random events. [1, 2]

Life and Personal Growth: Embracing uncertainty allows you to break free from old mindsets, sparking profound personal transformation. You can learn to manage the unexpected using practical problem-solving mapping. [1, 2, 3]

Systems and Organizations: While pure anarchy leads to collapse, a complete lack of chaos leads to oppressive rigidity. Balancing the two generates novelty, prevents stagnation, and fosters new solutions.

Prayer from the prayer wheel today:

May those without voice be heard.
May those without food be fed.
May those who are harmed be healed.
May the earth’s health be restored.
May all have peace, equality, inclusion for all.

mi’kmaq – alycia longriver davis

A band I recently found – takes me back to the 80’s:

https://youtu.be/JNiXMcloNn4?is=KiSJeFv6ALS8aC31 – Nightcrawl – Lost Highway

5 July2026 The Art Of The Cast

by saymber, posted in animals, history, Leading Life by Example, Music, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. Hard to believe another Sunday is here and about gone already. Link and I cuddled our way through neighborhood fireworks last night. He just stayed by my side through it all. I always feel bad for the pets, birds and squirrels! Some of the fireworks sounded like gunfire and sounded like they were in the house. We got to bed about 2 am. Things had pretty much stopped by then

At church today we were in Matthew 6:5-13 again:

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

https://youtu.be/4XAYJpRGGJc?is=vFVH2QPNoUUCmYnh – The Art Of The Cast – Pastor Jason Boyd

How we view prayer matters. Prayer is a conversation not a negotiation.

One of the songs we sang:

https://youtu.be/5_aIauL2xKA?is=1FIDlbTCkjIBdjdr – Hillsong Shout to The Lord

4 July 2026 Reason to Celebrate (250 years)

by saymber, posted in Animal Rights, animals, Art and Poetry, Bipolar life, Food, history, Home, human rights, In the News, Leading Life by Example, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello there! How are you? If you’re American you are probably having a cookout and preparing for fireworks tonight. I hope if you are reading from America and you have pets that you secure them. I know a lot of people have to give their pets tranquilizers to get through this night. Thankfully my Link doesn’t get worked up like most dogs. So many people like fireworks! They are pretty to watch but aren’t very eco friendly!

There has been quite a hoopla over today marking 250 years – we made it this far and I have hope for the future despite everything going on right now. Freedom isn’t free! It’s good to see so many people loving our country.

I had a wonderful meal and visit with my Aunt, Uncle, cousin and his wife and two of my Aunts Granddaughters Richelle and Tatum, Tatum’s husband Kyle and baby Liam. We had hamburgers, hotdogs, potato salad, corn on the cob, fruit, watermelon and ice cream and brownies for dessert. Liam was definitely the star of the show. Once he got acclimated to everybody, he had a great time. Great Grandma my Aunt gave him some metal measuring cups he loved clanging together. We all know what he’s getting for Christmas! My Uncle, Great Grandpa said he’s going to get Liam a drum set! lol! 😂 We made a special memory today! So special!

My sweet Auntie and I – Grandma Becker would be so proud! She loved celebrating the 4th in her backyard in Ft. Collins CO
My beautiful Grandma Becker (I couldn’t flip picture!)

If God could talk
it wouldn’t be in English
or Latin or Arabic
It wouldn’t be in Yiddish
or Spanglish or pidgin

If God could talk
the words would crack like thunder
pour down like a torrent of jewels
flooding our basements with shining ideas,
sparkling conclusions.

If God could talk
a thought would be a redwood
a word an ocean
a sentence a century.

If God could talk
I would not have to
for all the words today requires
would flow in on the morning breeze
and find their way to the morning news.

If God could talk
God’s word would be carried
on the wings of eagles
the ankles of gnats
in the pouches of kangaroos
and the paws of polar bears.

It would spread through the sound
of honey bees and hyenas
be translated into a rainbow
by blue herons and cardinals,
blackbirds and yellowjackets
pink flamingos and gray whales,
purple martins and chameleons.

It would cause rivers to flow,
tides to rise, moons to wax,
suns to set, sparrows to fly,
planets to revolve,
universes to expand
if God could talk.

if god could talk – jan phillips

2 July 2026 Young Washington

by saymber, posted in history, human rights, Movies, Politics and Government, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. I’m home from going to see the movie Young Washington with my Aunt and Uncle. We got sticker shock that the movie tickets were less than the soda and popcorn! The movie was an Angel Studios production that consisted mostly of battle scenes and George being a sort of superhero. There was clapping in the audience at the end. My Aunt and Uncle are patriotic and this film had that appeal to them. I couldn’t get over how much William looked like a young Stuart Townsend and how much taller he was compared to other people in the film. The way they portrayed George was like he was super human to have survived so many battles.

William Franklyn-Miller was the very handsome George – he was so tall! There were other recognizable actors like Ben Kingsley, Kelsey Grammer and Mary Louise-Parker.

https://youtu.be/-s8mqW03geo?is=IOBaNb9wfUb-FStK – Official Trailer for Young Washington

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

blessing – bible – numbers 6:24-26

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

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

9 June 2026 When The Answer is No

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

Hello to you. I just got my hopes dashed about getting a GLP-1 to help me with weight loss. I went in today to the VA to ask about getting Wegovy and found out my provider had already put in a request for me to qualify for Zepbound – the VAs choice above Wegovy. Unfortunately it had been since 2024 that I had been to the MOVE orientation class which was too long ago and I didn’t qualify for all three other criteria they had for me. So my nurse is putting me in a consult for the MOVE program. I hope it will help me!

So the answer for a way out of this weight battle is not what I hoped for but God has a plan. I think with the MOVE program I will have to be more responsible with my eating. In the long run it may be better for me. After starting MOVE may be I will eventually qualify for a medication solution or may be won’t need it after all!

What is Zepbound:

What is ZepboundⓇ? - GLP-1 Hub

Zepbound is an FDA-approved, once-weekly injectable prescription medication (tirzepatide) for chronic weight management and the treatment of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults. It is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to help individuals lose excess weight and keep it off. [1, 2, 3]

A simple grounding prayer I found for today:

Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of this new day. Please guide my path, my thoughts, and my words. Grant me the wisdom to navigate whatever comes my way, and the strength to show kindness and grace to others. May my actions today bring honor to You. Amen

5 June 2026 Sunbeam

by saymber, posted in animals, Bipolar life, photography, Spirituality and Religion, Veteran Affairs

Hello to you. How are you doing today? Not much going on here today which is good. My Linky boy was sitting in a sunbeam this afternoon. I thought you would like to see!

My sunbeam boy
Hi momma!

Dear Jesus thank you for Link and all that he is to this family. Thank you for this day that I’ve been allowed to live. I pray you be with the poor, the sick, those with health issues they have to live with, the hungry, the addicted, the abused, the neglected and the unhoused. Wrap your loving arms around those who seek you. Amen.

I listen to this nearly everyday:

https://youtu.be/204EcI6-9Vo?si=-LI2jDp73H5OxFft – Relax For Awhile – Anxiety Meditation