Sunday Mornings at Home

Sunday mornings at home

Good Sunday morning, friends.   Welcome to Sunday mornings at home.

As I am sitting writing this post, the cold rain is pouring outside… a metaphor of the past few weeks in my home.

I hope this morning finds you warm and cozy where ever you might be as I once again share with you the importance of perspective.

 

SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME:  THE RAIN CAME

Sunday Mornings at Home

 

While the rain is cold and dreary, it is also welcome around here during a time of drought.

Looking out my office window covered in streaks of water, I can do nothing but smile and thank the Lord for the much- needed refreshment on our trees and grass.

There are probably children on our street saddened by the weather which forces them to remain inside.  There are probably joggers and dog walkers dealing with this frustration and hoping to see sunshine today so they can get out of the house.

However, the importance of the rain today cannot be minimized and sometimes we just need to sit down and gain proper perspective….what really matters here?

 

SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME:  SICKNESS RETURNED

Sunday mornings at home

It has been raining sickness again at my house.  

If I was not honest with you, I would not be me.

I never thought about the extreme toll my recent hospitalization took on my system.  Turns out, I left all my precious immunity at the hospital and have been dealing with off and on issues since then.

The original virus left behind deep bacterial “challenges” to my gut including to my gums…thanks to a good hygienist who figured out that problem.

The most recent illness has finally been COVID for me and Mr. B.  I shouldn’t have been surprised.

It set us down hard, but we are definitely on the mend with hopeful perspectives.

 

SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME:  IT’S ALL OK

Sunday Mornings at Home

 

As most of you know, I have confessed to many disappointments this fall, but on the other side of this illness, I have new perspective to persevere with joy.

I am back to practicing what I preach…living each day to its fullest…one day at a time.

My disappointments were wrapped in my planning and watching events on my calendar not happen.  They were adding stress to me at a time when stress is particularly harmful to my health….and getting good health back must be a priority.

Living one day at a time means I only look at this one day…I do not worry or consider what might be ahead or what I might be missing.

I will not host Thanksgiving…and that is OK.

I will not make every holiday event I planned…and that is OK.

My home is not yet in order after the remodeling….and that is OK.

My Thanksgiving decorations will not leave the box this year…and that is OK.

Today, I will prioritize my health; I will do a few baby steps around the house to keep me moving; and I will not stress about what doesn’t get done today.

Then tomorrow, I will arise and look at what can be accomplished for that day. 

I am pledging now, today during Sunday mornings at home to no longer lament over plans washed away, but to focus each day on the blessings that day holds.

Will you join me?  If you also are struggling with disappointments, join me in simply saying, that it is OK to let go and rest for a season….embrace the rain.

This is a busy time of year, but sometimes we must not allow the world to influence us into feeling bad about what we can and cannot do.  Taking things at your own pace is ok.

 

SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME:  CHRISTMAS JOY

Sunday Mornings at Home

 

Mr. B and I are really doing great.

We have binged together on Christmas movies and discussed how our decorations might be different this year.  I am actually blessed we went through COVID together. 

(That is easier to say now that I know we are going to be fine.)

Sunday mornings at home

This week begins a plethora of sales across all brands.  Please consider shopping with my Shopping Links, and if you do not see a favorite brand on the list, then let me know, I can often get that personal link for you.

I want to thank Leigh Ann who has been such a blessing during this time to help me with needed materials for the blog.  She is amazing and a gift to this blogger.

SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME:  DANCE IN THE RAIN

Sunday mornings at home

As I worked on this post, the rain continued to fall.

In my heart, I am dancing in it.

Choose Joy today…and don’t let anything take it away.

KEEP SMILING!!

By Pamela Lutrell

Sunday Mornings at home

69 Comments

  1. Oh my goodness! What happens in life when we are making other plans, right? I’m so glad you let some things go. I bet once the decisions were made, it was actually a relief. I had pneumonia in my early fifties, which completely tanked my immune system and gave me shingles! It was maybe the first time I fully realized that I was no longer able to “power through” and my body could just shut me down. I was and am grateful to our medical people in all areas, for helping me fight whatever is around the corner. I’ve been nervous about Covid because of my cruise, but I’m boarding today, fortunately healthy. Health is never, ever to be taken for granted. Congrats for gaining perspective … it’s certainly one step on the path to wisdom. And good healing wishes to you and Mr. B.

  2. Sending prayers for you and Mr. B and your continued recovery, hoping you are both healthy again soon. Thank you so much for this post – I really needed this message this morning.

  3. So sorry to hear that you caught Covid after all you have been through. Having it together means you both know how the other feels. Good for you for deciding that the Thanksgiving festivities can wait for next year, and your health is more important. Glad you are getting that much needed rain, and tucking in for a cosy binge watch of something fun sounds perfect. We have had plans change today as well, since we go over a foot of snow and the wind is nasty. Of course we are no where as bad as Buffalo and area ( just a bit north of them) so it is just an inconvenience, not life threatening. Take it easy and recover slowly so you are able to thoroughly enJOY your Christmas season.

  4. I believe this has taught me to just take things a step at a time….and if there is a change…well, it is OK. Stay warm up there Diane and enjoy the cozy.

  5. Pamela, it has certainly been a trying time for you. I am glad you are able to see the sun peeking from behind the clouds, and it will get better. There are many things that trouble us, and health certainly is paramount. I am glad you and hubby are on the mend. I watched a newscast yesterday and a 91 year old woman in Ukraine who has no heat nor power nor water asked “ how much must we endure?” As she went outside to gather wood. I am certainly not suggesting that you have not had a difficult time, but as we look around we realize how good life really is. Your posts are a bright spot on my morning coffee time each day, and thank you for sharing the good and bad. I thank you for your positive attitude today, I needed this encouragement. You touch people’s hearts more than you know.

  6. Thank you, Irene. I know I am blessed and have much to be thankful for…learning through our own personal challenges is important. I am learning and hopefully growing with each moment.

  7. You are too strong a woman to let a few little bumps in the road derail your joy. There will be plenty of wonderful times ahead. Take it easy, rest and get well. THEN, full speed ahead. Prayers.

  8. Like you I am choosing Joy! Not Covid here but other health issues going on so my dear daughter and son in law are hosting Thanksgiving dinner.
    They both work so hard and very long hours abd with 4 year old twins – they are all amazing! Thankful for my family !
    Choosing Joy! Hoping you and Mr B feel better and stronger really soon, Pam.

  9. So sorry to hear you both have been ill. Glad you are on the mend. My husband and I caught Covud last December together. You are right. It’s better to go through that with one another. Yes it is a rainy season here. We both have been ill and a diagnosis is pending for him and surgery for me is scheduled. Prayer and constant faith will get us through I am sure. It certainly reminds you to be thankful. God bless!

  10. Oh, Pamela, I am so sorry! But I admire your resilience and patience to get through what comes. At the end of the day, your family will be thankful that you and Mr. B. are going to be fine. That’s what is truly important.

  11. Oh my Pam. I am so sorry both of you have been so sick. I have “sensed ” something was amiss from your previous words on the blog postings. Praying that God will bring to you both complete healing. Take care.

  12. Kat, I just lifted you both up in prayer. Yes to constant prayer and faith. God Bless You! I have you on my list now!

  13. Thank you Joanne. Blogging has helped me through this in many ways to keep active and my mind working. I am so thankful for the blog and all of you.

  14. Tank you for sharing. Your message was timely for my husband and myself.
    Hope you continue healing. You are wise to let some things go.

  15. Hubs & I are retired, in our 70’s and living what we thought was an active retirement life. Things are breaking down; first my golf elbow, the hubs knees, etc. We had COVID July 4 together & took care of each other. Sitting with friends playing mahjong we discuss who had what body part replaced, who had covid, shingles that week. Then I remembered my mom who told me once when she was in her 80’s that it was better to be discussing medical issues rather than which funeral home you needed to visit. Yup, that’s my mother. Always in my head, slapping me awake to remind me life is for living, be grateful and remember why you are here. It’s not always easy to be optimistic about life but there are many things I try to be thankful for. You’ll get through this period of discontent and brighter days are ahead!

  16. Hope you continue to get better and your husband too. In January of 2021, I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. A grim disease, about 28% of people who get it are alive after a year. I’m at almost two years now and grateful for every single day. I’m one of those people you read about who will probably mask up for the rest of my life. Please everyone protect your health. You don’t know what you’ve got, till it’s gone. Rain or shine, be glad you are here to draw breath. Thanksgiving is really thanksgiving, for more than just a meal with friends or family..its giving thanks for your life and your story.

  17. Oh my, Susan…you are also now on my prayer list and so glad to see that you are persevering through it all. What a testimony of strength you are to the rest of us. May God bless you with many more Thanksgivings and may each day bring a gift of joy. Thank you for sharing your journey…you have touched my heart this morning.

  18. I understand your disappointment. My husband has an aggressive melanoma.Surgery was scheduled for the end of October. The week before he got Covid. We missed it for two and a half years. So surgery had to be scheduled for a month later. The hospitals in our area make a patient wait a month after Covid. So after Thanksgiving we will find out if it has spread to lymph nodes. Waiting is the worst. My case of Covid w as very light. Even tested negative to celebrate trick or treating withe grandkids for the first time. My husband is doing acupuncture for the tiredness. Hopefully your cases are light.

  19. God bless you and Mr. B, Pam. Your positive attitude, strength and desire to count your blessings is an inspiration to all of us. I am praying for your continued healing. Just focus on all the joy you have coming!!!

  20. So sorry to hear of your struggles as well and hope your husband will get the care he needs. We believe we had a moderate case and like you, we avoided it for two years.
    There was a point last week, I thought Mr. B might need a hospital, but God was so good to bring healing and we are much better. Hospitals here do not make us wait one month…wow, that is severe to me.
    Hang in there Shelia ….adding your husband to my prayers.

  21. So sorry you and Mr. B have been sick. Please do take care, and go gently forward. If you are feeling stress about filling the blog, just set out a little “day off” sign of some sort, or “week off” – or fill in with a link to any of your earlier content. That would perhaps give you a break, and for sure all the ladies understand. Sending big rainy Oregon hugs!!

  22. So sorry to hear You and Mr “B” are trying to recover from COVID! I so enjoy your blog everyday. Hoping you both feel better soon!

  23. Good morning Pam,

    I’m so sorry to hear that your immunity has been compromised and now you and Mr. B. have joined Club Covid. What a difficult time. I totally understand because I’m completely immunity compromised it’s very challenging to deal with on so many levels. Yes, even if your dental hygiene is excellent your gums get affected too.
    Have you had to deal with acid reflux? Once you develop gurd it never goes away.
    One day at a time is an excellent way to try to deal with chronic health issues and life in general. Being physical active all my life hiking, road races, full marathons and one ultra marathon it has been a huge adjustment. I get it.
    You are in my thoughts and well wishes.

  24. Sometimes those disappointments turn into blessings. I read a article this week about how we have abused the season of rest. How animals instinctively slow down, store and rest during the winter, that maybe we should do more if that “cocooning “. Season of Rest, I love that.

  25. DH and I have just been through Covid as well. You have done amazingly well to keep the blog going. Take the time you need to fully recover rather than push through it, that only makes it last longer is my experience. Enjoy those movies and feel better soon. (To cheer you up I was going to send the picture of my JOY sign as you asked but can’t figure out how to make it happen.)

  26. Pam, you are such a wise woman! I can’t imagine how hard it is for you to let go of hosting Thanksgiving, but you are wise to listen to your body, rest and recover. I pray you and Mr. B will be feeling better soon! Thank you for sharing this with us today, I so appreciate your honesty and ability to be real. God bless you!

  27. What a week or more!! I do like your positive attitude though and also need to smile and choose JOY!
    Hopefully you will get your strength back. Have wonderful healthy week.
    Happy Thanksgiving!

  28. Pam, so many times your message is meaningful but today you hit home, thank you for sharing your emotional resources. On 11/1 we returned from a weeks vacation in DC, sick. At 87 my husband tested positive for Covid. Such a stressful discovery. For various reasons he had the Monoclonal infusion and avoided the more serious symptoms and fine now. I tested negative for over two weeks then positive. 🙄 As all of this unfolded I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer and now waiting for the surgery early December. Your message and everyone’s comments here helps put these life events in perspective. Finding JOY daily will be my goal. Thank you. 🙏🏻

  29. I’m so sorry you and Mr. B both got COVID after several years of avoiding it! As other readers have posted, take care and don’t worry that we will abandon you if you take time off. It takes a while for your immune system to build up ( lots of pre and probiotics).
    Have a blessed Thanksgiving… with all of our good wishes!

  30. Sending prayers for healing and energy for both of you. You are so busy providing such great content for us and taking care of all you love. Really love these Sunday morning posts.

  31. Lovely Pam, Even on days you share life’s bumps, we readers can identify with and appreciate your introspection and brutal honesty. Sorry for your health issues, remodeling challenges, and hosting disappointments. It’s okay even at holiday time to cozy up, take a break, heal and energize. Relax…and when you return, we will be there.

  32. Dearest Pam, have just read the responses to your blog and agree with everyone here. If you need to take some time off to fully recuperate, by all means do so. We will still be here praying for your full recovery. You post also reminded me to look at today, today and look at tomorrow, tomorrow. A reminder I definitely needed. Wishing the very best for you and Mr. B.

  33. Dear Pam: Praying that you and your husband will have a great and permanent recovery. My husband and I contracted Covid at the end of June. My case was nasty, but what was worse was the continued fatigue and headaches. Thankfully the symptoms did go away but it took nearly 8 weeks. Go slow in your recovery. I have never taken so long to “bounce back” and although I am 66, this was much worse than anything I had had. Also, I continue to wear a mask indoors in any space. Very few are doing this in my city, but I don’t want to get anything like covid again. I firmly believe that masking helps, even if it just prevents you from rubbing your nose and getting the more “common” cold. I have read many books since June and we stayed socially distant for several months. It was an interesting experience to do that when no one else was. But again, hope you are on the mend. If you need a few days off from the blog, all of us will understand.

  34. Dear Pam please take your recovery slowly and thanks for the reminder about how precious our health is.Your blog is a shining light in my day.

  35. Pam dearest,
    Even on your bleakest day you find a way to raise the spirits of those you touch. I have had a sense that all has not been well with you; I am glad you shared it. It allows me to realize that we all have our ups and downs, and faith gets us through the rough patches. My husband and I finally got covid in September. I am pretty sure I brought it home from Home Depot. It wasn’t easy and we didn’t exactly bounce back, but we are doing what we can. All of us have to realize that we are ‘good enough’ doing only what we can do. Sometimes we must slow down. Thinking of you and your family-happy Thanksgiving.

  36. Suzi, I am just at six years being diagnosed with endometrial cancer and surgery. I will keep you in my prayers, Sister! Hang in there!

  37. OMG ! I hope your gums are better.
    I just hate having to deal with the dentist.

    It’s nice that your family can backstop you for Thanksgiving. Take it easy and enjoy yourself.

  38. Keeping you and Mr. B in my prayers. My husband and I had Covid at the same time in late July & had to miss a planned getaway. Thankful we could recuperate together. Take good care of yourselves.

  39. Hi Pam! So sorry to hear you and your husband have COVID. I’m glad to hear that you are both feeling better though. I’ve been dealing with stomach issues from having bad acid reflux. Not fun at all. Glad you got some rain . Hope you both continue to feel better each day and get back to feeling like normal again soon.. Take care.

  40. Positive thoughts you both recover well with no long term Covid issues! We have had all possible Covid jabs, flu shots & shingles vaccine. Hoping we stay healthy but one never knows 🤞

  41. Oh, Pamela! You will never know how much I needed your words today. My husband, who will be 85 on Tuesday, recently broke his hip. He is struggling physically, mentally & emotionally. My life is in limbo, & today was a day when I gave into self-pity. I was looking at all the things that I want to do but can’t. Your post was a reminder to me to take everything one step at a time. Thank you.

  42. Wouldd you please explain the Charmonix products you use and when you use them. I am 73 and would be good with a morning and night schedule but don’t want to use too many products.
    Thanks and hope you feel better soon,
    Wendy

  43. Dear friend, take care of yourself. We too are having thanksgiving alone. We’ve ordered a meal and desert from local restaurant and are hoping, if we are careful, we can gather with family in December. One day at a time. Best wishes across the miles.

  44. Oh Pamela, I am so sorry to learn that you are feeling under-the-weather as definitely can relate since my husband and myself contracted Covid in early September. My symptoms followed his three days later and were even slightly different from his as he ran a very high fever whereas I didn’t. (However, both of us experienced a very low energy level, developed a sporadic nasty cough with lots of phlegm the latter of which in recent weeks appears to have resurfaced for myself. Why I have no idea.) That being said; sending wishes for a full recovery for you and Mr. B. with a gentle reminder to pace yourselves as what can’t be done today, there is tomorrow. -Brenda-

  45. As usual, I am catching up on your posts several days late, and was so sorry to see that I missed this one. Sending prayers for both of you to have a quick and complete recovery. I’ve been thinking about ways to inject more joy into my holidays in spite of all the things going on that threaten to steal it. A musician friend of mine sings a song that includes the line “Don’t let your worry steal your joy.” Yes and AMEN to that! I managed to get in some Christmas shopping today in stores before the huge rush of this weekend descends and bought a framed “JOY” print as a constant reminder of your words on this. I’ll get a picture and share with you as soon as I can – I want to touch up the paint in a couple of places where it’s nicked first. Wishing you quiet moments of peace and joy as you find a “new normal” this holiday season.

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