Is There Time?

This past year has seemed longer than usual, with its ups and downs, drama and comedy, worries and delights.  But doesn’t every year have all that?  Of course it does.  There really is no way to make time change its course.  It just goes a-walking steadily forward.  Its destination?  Huh, I really don’t know!

📷guvo59 on pixabay

All I know is I’ve got to set my own course, steadily forward.  No turning around, no attempt in changing what is past.  To live with no regrets helps ease anxiety.  I can use all the cliches I want, but “it” is what it is, and I accept “it.”

Getting older isn’t all that bad, as I’ve taken the time all these years to learn from my experiences, as well as those of others.  I don’t need to stress out so much as I did when I was younger.  Somewhere within, the answers manifest themselves to lead me in a direction I need to follow.  Another cliche?  Trust in the process.

My affirmation:  I trust in God and the direction he leads me in life.

May you too find a way when there is no way.    Theresa M

🎨DreamyArt on pixabay

For I Was Hungry...

As a child I was hungry a lot.  My parents did their best to feed us.  Government “commodities” was a thing for awhile- boxes and cans of unlabeled generic foods (ugh! including powdered eggs!)  Then food stamps offered a way to get the “real” stuff in grocery stores.

Now it is called SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) with EBT cards.  I don’t have them, but I do live on the edge of possibly needing them someday, as prices on everything increase sharply but COLA on retirement does not cover these expenses.

by congerdesign on pixabay

At any rate, what happened recently really hit hard in my heart for those who rely on SNAP.  Abruptly, the program was stopped as the government shutdown continued into November.  But the fact is - it was not supposed to happen.  It was entirely unnecessary. There were already safeguards in the funding (within the USDA) that could and should have kept people receiving their much-needed sustenance.  

It was simply cruel and evil to use SNAP as a political bargaining leverage on the shutdown.  Yes, lots of things needed to be worked out in the budget, (a big one was health insurance premiums) and Congress had a duty to negotiate a plan. But they didn’t even bother to address the egregious act of stopping SNAP benefits.

Although the Supreme Court ordered the benefits to be sent out immediately, the executive branch petitioned that order - they wanted to continue halting SNAP - this just doubles down on the heinous act.  Not only that, but the Supreme Court allowed a stay for their request.

Thus, all three branches of government were purposely letting people stay hungry.

What does it take to do the right thing these days in America?  How much loss?  How much pain?  How do governing officials dare to call themselves Christian when they so blatantly ignore Christ’s teaching?  Their actions are so inhumane.

I hope Thanksgiving this year will bring some enlightenment.    Theresa M.

link to Rhode Island's response to Brook Rollins, Sec of Agriculture in Supreme Court Docket 25A539

Rhode Island response

excerpts pages 31-36 

As Far as I Can See

I had a bit of a scare recently, involving cobweb-like figures.  No, it had nothing to do with Halloween.  It was the sudden appearance of floaters in my left eye.

Although I’ve long had those spots of floaters in my eyes, this was different.  I was out shopping and looking at items near a backlit aisle.  Suddenly I had little flashes of light in my upper left eye.  I have had them occasionally in the past.  Generally I go somewhere to sit in a darkened room till they pass.  But that was not an option here.  The flashes stopped within a few minutes, but a cobweb-like floater was in my line of sight.  Only in left eye, not right eye.

by KristenDawn on pixabay

I managed to drive home.  I had to put away groceries, etc.  The floaters were annoying and continued through the weekend, so I called for an eye doctor appointment.  They saw me within days.

The floaters are normal and will come and go.  But they also found blood in the vitreous gel, unable to identify what caused it.  Should heal up on its own.  No surgery needed.  Check back in two weeks unless anything gets worse (not likely to).

How fortunate there was no retinal tear or I would have had surgery.  I think the stress of moving heavy furniture that same day the flashes happened may have caused the bleeding.

I have got to learn to take it easy.  Getting older means learning to accept limitations of some things.  Not that it is an excuse to do nothing and just wither away.  It is just important to adjust to the changes going on in my entire body.  Even checking on what vitamins to take for eye care as an example.

by KristenDawn on pixabay

I am so grateful for the gift of sight.  I do not take it for granted.  Every day I depend on seeing things to get me through life.  I cannot imagine going blind - I would be devastated.  Being so independent, it would crush me to have to rely on others for every little thing.  Even my cats, how could I care for them?

Thank God for helping me thus far.  I pray my eyes will continue to work, to literally see me through to the end of my life.       Theresa M

Cat Big Eyes GIFfrom Cat GIFs