Sunday, October 5, 2008

Got To Do This!


Just wanted to share with you ladies ....... I am a terrible terrible person! I am, I really am! I do not take care of my self and never have....... I have either been too busy or too tired.... I have made excuses for years! Sooooooooo I have made a commitment to myself and I pray that I can keep it. As most of you know we had a pool put in this summer and it has been a God send to me. I am a water person and have been all my life. I love to swim but over the past 10 years or so there has not been time or that is what I have been telling myself....... We will have to close the pool this week as the weather has turned and winter is headed our way........ so sad, the short 4 weeks that we were able to get in the pool I have noticed a great improvement in my stress level and have lost several inches from my arms and legs............. But, so sad............ pool goes away this week.

BUT ... just 4 miles from my house is the ECU University and it has an indoor pool.......... So beginning tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM I will be diving into a heated pool for one hour open swim and then from 10-11:00 AM I will be in an Adult Aquatic class. That is two hours on Monday and Wednesday and one hour Tuesday and Thursday. I am so excited. I have been praying about this and asking the Lord to help me help myself.

Mom and Dad are fine out here for a few hours each morning and if not they are only a phone call away.

I have gone and done all my life and never took time out for Denise, you know what that is like, there are a lot of you out there just like me. We women are caregivers and we sometimes take that charge to a fault and forget that we too need some TLC. It is so hard to slow down and my sweet hubby is telling me all the time that I need to do that! How in the world do we stop a destructive behavior such as this........ I do not know but I am determined to try...... I have prayed and asked my Father to keep me on track and let me know that it is ok to take time out for me..........I have been reading some articles on line about care givers and how they neglect themselves and that is dangerous. So I shall begin.

Share with me some of the ways that you ladies take time for you....... I would be very interested to know and if you do not take time out for you......... then you need to pray and ask God to give you a window of time just for you! You are so worth it...... you really really are.

Have a blessed week girls.................

30 comments:

Denise said...

Woo Hoo, I am so happy for you sweetie.

Mary Isabella and Kiley too! said...

I am so Happy about this. You do not know this but my husband has heart disease and for the last 13 years I have been his caregiver. He still works a limited number of hours but needs so much with special diets and lots of different meds and lots od isits to his team of doctors. So like you I tend to not take care of me and you are right it is so important to take care of us so we can take better care of those who depend upon us. This was such a good post my friend...m..

kansasrose said...

Good for you hon! Swimming is a great stress reliever and excellent exercise! I love that vintage photo you posted too! YOU GO ESTER! :) This post resonated with me...as the combined effects of 28 years of being a nuturer, sacrificing myself for family, ect...is now taking a HUGE toll on my health and spirit. I'm walking early in the mornings...and have plans for other activities just for me. Thanks for this wake up call Denise!

Mary Isabella and Kiley too! said...

Thank-you so much for all the Birthday wishes and the beautiful cards and magnet....Blessings...m..

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

I feel like all of my life I have been taking care of someone else!! I have put myself last and now I am watching my oldest daughter do that too but really to a greater extent than even i did!! I have tried talking to her about it but it does not work. We women just seem to have this job piled upon them and most of us just take it and go!! The older you get you realize that you have forgotten yourself somewhere along the line of life..I so completely understand..You go girl!! Do something for yourself. Sandy

Sharon Brumfield said...

I am taking time for me again. I got out of the habit while caring for Paw Paw and had never gotten back to it. Now I am spending time with the Lord again....it refreshes me and relaxes me and it sparks my mind and heart. I found myself feeling a tad guilty today but I shut that voice down real quick.
I am also working on the weight issue. And I am happy to say that when I tried on a pair of pants that did not fit a few months ago...now they do! Soon I hope they will not fit at all.
I think time in the water would be great fun. And who knows but God might be opening up some areas of ministry in your class. How cool would that be? So DO it girl!
A smile on your face will put a smile on your mans face.

Carole Burant said...

Good for you, Denise!!! As you say, we tend to ignore our needs and care of our bodies because we're always too busy taking care of others. They say that swimming is one of the best exercises you can do so I'm so glad that you've decided to continue with the swimming during the winter months. It will give you time for yourself plus it will be good for your body and soul:-) xoxo

valerie said...

Good for you Denise! You definitely need and deserve your "me" time.

I would appreciate your prayers for me that I will take better care of myself. I'm not horribly overweight, but have some cholesterol issues and need to get myself on my treadmill every day AND need to lay off some of the bad kinds of food I love & crave.

I got through spells where I get on the treadmill and then I'll have a day with one of my headaches and the next day won't get back on. I'm terrible.

I hope you enjoy your swim classes at ECU. I know you'll miss the pool right there in your backyard.

Linda said...

This is wonderful Denise and good for your body and spirit.
I always put everything before myself...why I do not know. Sometimes I feel selfish putting my needs before others. This is something I must work on and I realize that. Enjoy your mornings....hugs, Linda

Anonymous said...

I'm not ignoring you. I've just been busy. I got 1/2 way through your blog today and saw what time it was. I was proud of you for what I did get a chance to read and I hope to finish tonight. Just wanted to say hello. I highly recommend Linda Spangle's website and books. http://www.weightlossjoy.com

Hootin Anni said...

That is super that you'll be able to get over there and do your water aerobics during the winter!!!

Mimi said...

Good for you!!!
keep up the swimming...that is the best exercise possible...
if I am swimming in a pool where I can stop and reach the bottom I am OK...but if I stop and can't reach the bottom ... I panic...and almost drown myself and whom ever is close by...
so...I have to walk and ride bicycle...
I sure wish I wasn't so afraid of the water...boo hoo

Sandi McBride said...

Time for Denise time, and you know, it's about time! Enjoy your swim...
Sandi

JC said...

I'm so glad you are taking time to care for God's Temple. You are a mighty woman of God and He will honor you with a healthy body and a healthy mind. Great post.

Joyce said...

What a great exercise time. Good luck and have fun.

Love and Hugs,
Joyce

judy said...

Good for you, girl!!!
Too bad we have to close up pools so early here but they sure get cold fast (unless they're heated.)
We filled in our pool after having it for 20+ years. I'll have to blog about it sometime.
Enjoy Fall! Windy but beautiful.

Tracy said...

I tried to leave a message yesterday and blogger was messing with me! I am thrilled for you about this class. We will be able to cheer each other on in this new goal of ours! I think this is so awesome!

Hugs my friend, and know you continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

Mississippi Songbird said...

Oh, I love to swim. That sounds wonderfull.I know you will have lots of fun too..
Now, I'm going to sit and watch the debate.. God be with our country.. Bunches of hugs....

valerie said...

Thanks for the beautiful song "Blue Skies" on my blog. I could almost hear you singing it.

I forgot about that song and I love it so much. Good 'ole Bing!

Tammy said...

Good for you, Denise...you go swim and be sure to keep reporting your progress!

By the way, you might want to come over and enter my giveaway!

Hugs,
~Tammy

'Tart said...

Dear Denise,
This is so exciting! Tracy and I will also be getting into the pool, in our respective areas, and will can all cheer each other on to continue and do our 'water aerobics' and continue to be 'water babies.' I am so glad you have thought of the pool locally near you.

I wish you well.:)
Sincerely,
Tart

Talk..to..Grams said...

Thanks for your encouraging words on my comments!
You are a Blessings to me and others and I hope you can take some time for you Now!!! Hugs, Grams

Sharon said...

This was such a great post Denise! Sometimes women have to find little snatches of down time. Since my family is small and relatively healthy, I usually have time for me in the evenings when all the day's work is done.

Praying you are able to stick with your swimming.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you've got a great plan to get yourself into shape AND feel better by having some "me" time! Good for you! Just wanted to say "hello"! D

Anonymous said...

I never once thought you were a terrible person. I still don't believe it.

Joyce said...

Sad to say....my pool "group" ended while I was in New York because it's getting too cool down here too. IS that CRAZY or what?? I hate that.
I would SO put a heater in my pool if I every get one and I plan on that for our next home....
I'm a huge water person too and I need it for my health.
Good for you about going to the new pool......it will be worth it. I have to check out this gym we have up the road from us.....blah!! I know I won't go on those cold Louisiana winter mornings though. I will be too tempted to stay in the warm bed. HA!
See ya!
Joyce

Mary said...

Denise,

We are equally yoked in this sense. I've never had time to take time for me either. I was a single mother for 17 years and then married hubby. Now I am so busy doing for everyone that I seldom get a break.

I'm so glad you will be able to continue to swim after your pool is closed. Four miles only takes a few minutes to drive and you will have that time for YOU. Great stuff. You go girl.

Take care, my friend. I am going to try to get a little window of time for me. Thanks for another lesson.

Blessings,
Mary

Anonymous said...

RYC: I do hope you decide to write about divorce. I've been waiting. Some of my questions left unanswered and it's because I've not been divorced I'm sure are:
a) How do you know it's the Lord telling you to divorce when the Lord is against divorce in the first place?
b) When do you know it's time to divorce if one is to be longsuffering?
c) When do you give up on reconciliation and miracles or do you?
d) Okay, maybe this is a tough question but it's a question I still have. When the disciples asked Jesus about His take on divorce and His reply was "because of your hardness of heart", how do you know that divorce is the right road to take and that it's not yourself or your mate's hardness of heart and not God's will after all. Hardness of heart is hard-ness of heart and I know you're aware of that. Yet, suppose you're the one who wanted to stay married and your husband has the hardness of heart (or vice versa too!) then wouldn't you still have to wait for the Lord to soften your or your mate's heart and never mind the divorce?

Denise, I hope you don't me asking but you're the first person who has ever remotely mentioned writing about divorce. Believe me, I know the repurcussions and the excommunication that some have experienced where divorce is concerned. I admire your courage.

None of these questions I have asked are directed at you personally. They are my questions left unanswered that I have struggled with for years. Perhaps there are no easy answers and I've been told I ask tough questions but I sincerely want to know.

Anonymous said...

Oops! I meant to say "I hope you don't MIND me asking".

Sandra said...

I know you can do anything you set your mind too!