Rock Solid Advice
It's been one of those months. Actually, it's been more like six weeks. Strange stuff happening in my body, like chills, dizzy spells. So, I ended up in the hospital for few days of testing. No strokes. But still some puzzles. But I left the hospital with a heart monitor glued to my chest. The nurse instructed me to keep a journal and push a button on the gizmo whenever something unusual happened. Well, that's not going to be very helpful, since unusual is my usual.
So, sure enough the next morning I awoke in my own bed to something unusual. A red light flashed on the monitor. Following instructions, I called the company who made the device. They needed the serial number, which I found. Well, it turned out that the gizmo expired in September, not me! The monitor. Ooops!
So, I returned to a different hospital for another monitor. After which, I was cleared for take-off to fly to California for Christmas. After my fun experience at Thanksgiving with wheelchair escorts, I was excited to meet more fascinating folks from around the world. Oh, I forgot to tell you about Mo from Syria. He was the paramedic who rode with me in the back of the ambulance, when the hospital sent me for an MRI. Such a small world!
But, I digress. Back to the hospital for my new monitor. Since I finished earlier than estimated, I had about a half hour before Chad picked me up. Well, what to my wondering eyes should appear but a gift shop. Woohoo! So I crossed the hospital lobby and entered a world of distractions: stuffed animals, floral arrangements,cards, gum & candy, baby clothes and Christmas ornaments.
But, nothing caught my fancy until I saw some small stones. Some were etched with words like LOVE and MANAGE MOMENTS. But then I saw the one I needed: SEE THE GOOD. So, for $2.99 I bought some rock solid advice. It's too easy to see what's wrong, to focus on the worst, instead of hunting and affirming what's good.
Well, my dear friends and family, my challenge to us in this New Year is to SEE THE GOOD. And, for sure, God will be smack dab in the middle of it.
So, here's to a good year ahead.
Starting now.
Ready to be part of a good story?
14 Comments
Oh Goodness! What an adventure, to say the least,
these past weeks! And you shared it with your merry humor and insights as always. Thank you for your timely New Year's blessing of such rock-solid advice. Praying you are feeling better and look forward to your wonderful writing. ❤️
WooHoo! I love seeing your name show up, dear Theresa!!! It gives me a lot of joy knowing you and Kristina are friends and writing buddies. Thank you for the heart. It's my favorite motif. As for the whole crazy body signs of aging and maybe something else, it's been a wild ride. So grateful Heather and Matt sent my EMT grandson, Luke, along for the flight out here. I plan to put on my "big girl pants" and fly without my angel grandson when I return next week. But I won't be alone. Like Mama's friend, Lena used to say,"Jesus is good company."
Love this “happy ending”, complete with great advice! My word for 2026 is “savor”…yes, our Savior, but also the small moments of grace and kindness and goodness that I’m often too distracted to see!
Happy new year, Jan!
Yes!! Dear Tara, savor and Savior both good words for the New Year. Small moments make up our lives, when all's said and done. So you are wise to savor "small moments of grace, kindness and goodness." And as I grow to know you through your responses to the blog, I am confident you will be smack dab in the middle of many acts of grace, kindness and goodness towards others. Good for you!! Good for others.
Jan,
I love it when we see the good and not the negative. There is so much good to be seen when we choose to wear those glasses. As the New Year starts, I have pulled "The Hungry Heart" off the shelf to read again this year. It has been long enough that it will all seem new to me again. Ken laughs when we watch a movie or program we haven't seen in a while and neither of us can remember what happens next. A little forgetfulness allows us to watch something or read a book, and it is all new again. Choosing to see the good in our memory loss. LOL
Happy New Year
Love,
Toni
,Well, that made me laugh, dear Toni!! It is one of the fun sides of aging, to forget the ending of a movie or book, then get surprised all over again. As to reading The Hungry Heart again. I need to do likewise. Meanwhile, keep seeing the good, and doing good. By the way, does CVS sell those glassees that help us see the good? Praying for you to have a good day and for 2026 to be a very good year.
Loved See the Good! Hope you are feeling better as well need more of Jan Carlberg for sure!!
Thanks you for your encouragement, dear Tina. Life's full of surprises. Most are good. I'm feeling better but not 100%. Although, at 85, I'm not sure 100% is a realistic option. For sure, I'm grateful to still be here and enjoying fact to face time with my California family. And then the pleasure of the company of all who connect via this blog or other forms of email or texts. May the Year ahead be one in which you See the Good and are part of sharing the goodness of God with others.
Being cleared to go to California was good news. So glad the year ended well! Now step into 2026 with wisdom, listening to God and the professionals (in spite of their sometimes mistakes), staying alert without worry (easier said than done), and have a Psalm 23 new year, full of green pastures, still waters, and dwelling in HIS house forever!
What a blessing of good wishes and prayers from you to me, dear Radina. We have much for which to be grateful. And I'm honing my listening skills to pay attention to God through others, including professionals and my children. Sending hugs to you and the Petrocellis.
Dear Jan,
It’s been awhile since I’ve responded to your beautiful blogs.
You are a treasure and delight with words of encouragement, the glass half full, see the good, etc., for all who read them.
I pray all goes well for you physically! I thank God for the refreshment He serves us by way of Jan Carlberg!
I love you and I miss you!
Nancy Vecchio
Such a treat to see your name show up, dear Nancy. I miss having you in my Community Bible Study group, as well. Thank you for your encouragement. I'm happy to pass along words that encourage. There are plenty of the other kinds of words around to make us fearful and keep us divided. I hope you are doing well, and your family, as well. Keep Seeing the Good.
Oh dear - I don't like reading about your medical challenges! Even masked in love and humor and thankfulness as you do so well. I will be praying that they can help you with anything "help-able"! I do understand the comment you made to Tina about how realistic it "isn't" to feel 100% at 85 - as I'm that way at 68! Something always hurts, but ... I always have much that doesn't hurt to keep praising God for! And, truly God is teaching me in more and deeper ways to give thanks in ALL things - and it is such a blessing to do so. That added to "SEE THE GOOD" will make for much joy. Love you!
Thank you,dear Wendy. I need those prayers.And I will attempt to keep you informed on what'sgoing on when we figure it out. It is
a new wilderness trek for me.