January 5, 2016

Greetings My Friend, I spent time last week looking to see if I was closer to God at the end of the year than I was at the start of the year. This first week of the New Year has me thinking where my faith journey and my life's journey will take me. I see the work of ministering to others continuing although I see that the types of things I can do will change due to Parkinson's Disease. Ironically I found myself talking on the phone for long periods of time to 2 different people. Today I spent time texting a friend helping her wrap her mind around all the stuff going on in her heart and life. The change in ministry where we reach out to people in the community is passing due my health issues. Much of mine and Junior's life is centered on our health needs so reaching out is now difficult. While I was talking on the phone it came to me that it is important to listen to people which is what I did with the 2 people on the phone and the texting I did helping my friend work through some tough issues. I am also looking at my health and I wonder where it will take me this year. A year ago I had no answers, no idea of what to expect where my health was going to take me and I was anxious. Around April I had Vestibular Therapy and I learned how to work around the dizziness I had, it helped me but did not resolve any of my gait issues. It took me until November to get a diagnosis, the diagnosis was around 5 years in the making so to have a real answer to what was going on. Knowing an answer helps a lot, I have something to work towards and I have learned that if I keep active, do balances and work my brain I can delay some of the affects of PD. When I slow down to think about what the end stages of PD are I can get real anxious, when this happens I take my concerns to God and I am comforted, He points me to things I can do to be able bodied as I am able to. Knowing God cares, wants my best helps me face the storms of my life. As I continue in my thinking process I discover that God brought Junior and I together and I know he won't give up helping me through this disease. Junior knows I am doing what I can with his bad back, making him comfortable in our home and encouraging him on his work renovating. My thoughts turn to being thankful that God is waiting for me to ask Him for help, courage or whatever else I may need. My thankfulness grows to our home, all of the work I did last summer dehydrating food for the winter and learning to love the simple life God has placed me in. I know that I know my faith is what is going to sustain me, help me and guide me. I like that a whole lot. My biggest plan for this New Year is to grow in my faith with Jesus and with that I know I can handle whatever will come my way. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet