Dear Reader:

I had several ideas for today’s blog but I, soon, realized it was probably going to end up a “smorgasbord” of photos and ideas….so Boo’s Blessings should cover it all.

Since this is the first day of February with Valentines Day winding its way closer and closer, I thought I would jump ahead of the season for once and go on and put up a heart and leave it for the whole month…because actually my own heart is  much lighter today than earlier.

I made the mistake of “assuming” since my blood count has been low when checked at the oncologist’s check-ups that my (every third month) check-up with blood work included, would be low too at my primary doctor’s office. Instead Dr. Montoya came in waving the lab work smiling….the change from one medication to another has definitely affected some former negative side effects… positively.

Without going into a lot of medical  mumbo-jumbo…my body is starting over with this new chemo regime and we are waiting to see how many medical issues have been side-effect consequences from the earlier drug and how many can be directed solely at me and my body at my age.

It is an on-going mystery to solve…but we get closer each time. I think what has taken me awhile to understand is that a person can have blood work done at two different places with totally different outcomes because different items are being checked within different health issue perimeters.

So last Friday at the oncology office…the news was cautiously optimistic and hopeful that the blood count will continue to improve while “little c” is targeted for containment and shrinkage. Yesterday, Tuesday, my primary doctor was looking for overall improvement in on-going health challenges and got a good report.

Dr. Montoya said that immediately upon reading the lab report, she knew something drastic had changed…Becky must be on a new medication. She was right!

So hope is feeling tangible again…so much so that I went to Simple to Sublime and got my brand new, cloth letters to put up on my deck for this year. Our family has a wedding coming up and so many happy occasions that these ‘hopeful’ lab reports sent me climbing into my happy place. I just want to be around for all these happy family occasions.

*Harriett decided her word for 2017 is HOPE because she, too, wants to be around for as long as she can for these latest two precious grandchildren.

I am sure Harriett would agree with me when asked “How are you this morning?“ (like Ann asked the cook at the Sea View Inn) who responded “I am blessed.”  We all are blessed in our lives with family, friends, and adorable pets…and God’s Presence in our lives.

Besides the four cloth letters spelling HOPE, I also got this wooden plaque that jumped out at me…another lesson in listening instead of chattering and advising off the top of my head.

Doesn’t it seem that when you get good news sometimes…everything changes during the day….you are more aware of the beauty of this world right before you? Here are some examples: From Japanese tulip trees to my first Yellow Jessamine blossom on the back fence…winter is still here…but slowly the transition is beginning to makes itself known…”Hello Daffodil!”

Aren’t these all signs that God is present during transitional times in our lives and will be there for every season in our lives?

So despite what the groundhog sees or doesn’t, in reference to his shadow tomorrow, we all know that in the lowcountry we will continue to see “elevator” weather…up and down, up and down, for a few more weeks…until we finally land at the top floor and know summer has arrived early again!

Michele Robertson saw a short devotional on listening that corresponded with one of my earlier blogs, a few days back, and sent it to me. Thanks Michele for sharing!

The Moments That Sustain Us

Psalm 145:1-5

Does peace come naturally for you, or does it feel like a constant struggle? Sometimes it seems as if so many things are actively working against our peace that our spirit may never know a moment’s rest. How can we quiet distractions long enough to hear God’s voice?

The key is found within a word that may make you uncomfortable: meditation. Perhaps you’re thinking, All that meditation stuff is what other religions call “finding yourself.” I’m not going to waste my time with that. What a horrible misconception. My friend, meditation is not about listening to yourself; on the contrary, it is about quieting your own mind and listening for the gentle whispers of the Lord.

Think about your prayer life. Whose voice is more prominent—yours or the Father’s? For most people, the vast majority of prayer time is spent talking to God, thanking Him for what He’s done, and asking for help. There is certainly nothing wrong with this, but if you never give Him time to answer, how will you know what He wants to communicate to you?

The time we spend listening is a good indication of how much we respect and enjoy the relationship. If we dominate the conversation, then we may be showing God by our actions that His opinions are not as important as our own—we’d never say those words so plainly, but our actions may be proclaiming that very message.

Are you listening to God? Commit to listen quietly for what He wants to share with you.

So until tomorrow…May we feel blessed each day, each morning, for the gift of life…for another good day!

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*Don’t forget it is the first day of February so say “Rabbit” for good luck! I put the Valentine wreath over the bunny in the front yard planter and noticed, that it is aging… getting many brown spots….just like its owner!