Old Things New

TRANSFORMED, from broken to beautiful

Navigation

Hope Prevails - A Life Changer!

by 17 Comments

I know I haven’t been here much lately, but I felt the need to TAKE-A-BREAK-FROM-MY-BLOGGING-BREAK today because I have something to share with you that I feel is SO important:

Depression is an epidemic and it is only expected to grow worse, but this book, Hope Prevails Bible Study by my friend Dr. Michelle Bengtson, has REAL answers! I had the opportunity to preview this book as a beta reader and I cannot say enough about it. There are many books written about depression but this one really does surpass them all!

… 

Read More »

Perseverance Part 8 - Persevering to Health

by 4 Comments

 

Do you ever sense God speaking something to your heart and you’re left wondering what in the world He’s asking of you???

Several years ago, as I was reading my Bible, I felt the Lord whisper a phrase to my heart …

“Debbie, I want you to get your house in order.”

I don’t know about you, but as I read Scripture, sometimes God will speak something to my heart that at the time seems to come out of left field. Yet, it is often something so needed in the moment.

Huh God? What was that again?

“Get your house in order.”

… 

Read More »

Top 10 Things I Want for Mother’s Day

by 14 Comments

Long, long ago, and far, far away, when my mom was still living and we lived in the Pacific Northwest we used to host all of the holiday dinners in our home. It was a chore I gladly took over from my mom when my dad passed, in order to allow my children to experience being in their own home for the holidays, just as I was as a child.

In those days we had a full dining room table with the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins (as many as could make the trip) all coming together to celebrate. Over time the children grew up, family became scattered, and things changed. The gatherings grew smaller and the grandparents older. We sometimes laughed over the amusing antics of “the old folks,” the name fondly given those whose memories were not quite as sharp and bodies not quite as strong as they once were. As the gathering diminished in size we talked, my husband and I, about the time when we would be the “old folks” ourselves. And now we are . . . NOT! As sixty somethings, we are indeed older, but we have not yet declared ourselves OLD.

Mother’s Day falls this Sunday and I no longer have a mom to shop for, nor do I have daughters who are mothers themselves, so I guess Mother’s Day is pretty much all about ME. At least for now. Since I am The Mom, I thought I’d share with you what I’d like to receive as a mom on Mother’s Day. Maybe this will help you out a bit with your own Mom’s Day shopping 😉

TOP TEN Countdown (or countup?) of Things I Want for Mother’s Day:

Note: By clicking on the pictures you will be linked to the products. I do receive a small commission for anything purchased from Amazon, although you don’t pay any more than you normally would by going to Amazon directly yourself.

10.I actually have this in cobalt blue but everyone who cooks needs a good Dutch Oven or two, and this color! This one holds 6-quarts and is perfect for simmering soups on rainy days. It’s not Summer yet!

9.Is this wood-grained essential oil diffuser beautiful or what? It makes me relax just looking at it.

8.Fur throws are hugely popular right now and sheepskin pelts are the most beautiful. They can be thrown at the end of a bed, layered over other rugs, or placed at the foot of your favorite chair. Sigh . . .

7.This is the season when I’m really into gardening, and this soil meter would be amazing for helping me decide what additives my red clay needs. Maybe it would help answer the question of the yellow leaves on my gardenias.

6.I do have one of these lightweight hoses for my deck plants but a second one out front would be nice.

5.A complete new set of garden tools. Mine are looking pretty shabby 🙁

4.White towels are my favorite and big fluffy bamboo towels are the best. They are wonderfully absorbent and this set comes wrapped with a bow for gift giving.

3.Though I use a Keurig for convenience there is nothing quite like the taste of coffee from a French Press, and this beautiful one in copper is the best.

2.We do have this Echo in our den, and a smaller Echo dot in our bedroom. You wouldn’t believe how much I’ve grown to love Alexa. That’s the name of the gal inside the Echo that you tell what you need and she delivers. You can ask her the time, the weather, to wake you with an alarm. I can also listen to my favorite Seattle radio stations or ask her to play selections from any artist I like and she does it. Hubby is looking into purchasing some special lights that we can tell Alexa to dim or change colors for mood. Really, the things this little personal maid can do for you are endless. Well worth the cost and she just so happens to be on sale, as are many of the items I’ve listed above. I like sales.

And now, for the big NUMBER 1!

I DO NOT receive any compensation for this recommendation but that’s okay because I’m pretty excited about Norwex and want to tell you about their products (I want them all). So far I have a window cleaning cloth, and some counter and stove top cloths and they are amazing. No cleaning products are needed with them, only water, and they not only clean to perfection but they also disinfect your surfaces!

Norwex cleaning products are SAFE for your family - no chemicals; they save TIME; they save MONEY - up to 90% of what most spend on cleaning supplies; and they are SAFE for the environment.

I just ordered the Norwex mop system which not only cleans your floors with water alone but also removes bacteria. This is especially important to me with a new puppy in the house.

Below are some Norwex gifts for mom or dad (dad’s day is coming too). If you follow this LINK you’ll be directed to my daughter’s Norwex Facebook party and can order through Mother’s Day under her name - Joy. Again, I don’t receive anything for this referral but my daughter might score some free products if she has enough orders 😉

Finally . . . keep scrolling down . . .

. . . here is a short video showing the science behind Norwex and how, when put to the test, it showed that it really delivers over and above other similar products.

That’s the Top 10 Things I Want for Mother’s Day. Maybe your mom would like something from my list too.

Note to daughters: These are not hints as to what to get me for Mother’s Day. Just call home!

Happy Mom’s Day and blessings to y’all,

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStory, Making Your Home Sing Mondays, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, SmallWonder, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CedarHillFarmhouse, TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, I Choose Joy, Thought Provoking Thursday, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus FreshMarketFriday

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

An Accidental Diagnosis & Raising Awareness

by 44 Comments

Lying flat on my back, arms stretched high above my head, the paper covered table beneath me hums as it begins it’s steady movement into the heart of the giant hollow tube. Once inside a mechanical voice speaks in my ear, “Take a deep breath and hold it”. I breathe in, hold, and only release when the voice instructs me to do so. Breathing as normally as possible I wait as strange clicking noises sound all around me. The voice comes again, “Take a deep breath and hold it.”

When the CT scan is finished the table exits the machine where a technician waits to help me back on my feet. I go into the dressing room, remove the hospital gown, dump it in the laundry bin, and put my street clothes back on so I can go about my day. A normal day filled with greetings, and smiles, and thankfulness for all of the beautiful people in my life.

This is the second time this year I’ve been inside this machine and it won’t be the last. You see last Spring, when I was having medical tests for other concerns, evidence of asbestos exposure was “accidentally” found in my lungs. This was actually no great surprise to me. In fact, I had mentioned my asbestos exposure and family history to past doctors, but none ever seemed concerned enough to order x-rays.

My dad worked with asbestos his entire life. Asbestos materials were thrown into the back of our family station wagon to haul from job to job, asbestos fibers covered his work clothes and clung for dear life when my mom would shake out his clothes before placing them in the washer, asbestos dust flew through the air as my dad used his saw to cut the edges of the asbestos squares which he installed on the ceiling of our lake cabin. As a young child I was my dad’s little helper so asbestos also made it’s way into my lungs.

In 1975 my dad was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer which at that time was pretty much considered a death sentence. Survival wasn’t anticipated. My dad had portions of his lungs removed, suffered sickness from the chemotherapy, became weak from too much weight loss, and one-by-one his best friends, those he had worked side-by-side with throughout his career, also succumbed to lung cancer and eventually death.

But MY dad survived and it was nothing short of a miracle! If you’d like to read about his miracle you can do so HERE!

If you’d like to read more about mesothelioma THIS is an excellent source.

I’m writing this post today because September 26th is Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Click To TweetAwareness has been raised for a lot of other diseases but most people still don’t understand what exactly mesothelioma is. They don’t realize that There is no known cure for mesothelioma and the prognosis for a person diagnosed with the disease is very poor Click To Tweet They don’t realize that Once people are diagnosed with mesothelioma most don't survive beyond 15 months Click To Tweet. They don’t realize that Early diagnosis of mesothelioma is key to a better chance of survival Click To Tweet

Heather Von St. James is another survivor of mesothelioma. She has turned her pain into her purpose by making it her mission to raise awareness of this deadly disease and I’m coming alongside her today to help spread the word. So instead of talking any more, I’m going to share Heather’s story with you. I’m asking you to please take the time to listen to her short video by clicking on her picture and then come back so I can wrap this post up 🙂

Please click on the picture to watch Heather’s story.

Thankfully, the evidence of asbestos in my lungs was found and I will now be monitored on a regular basis to make sure things don’t change or progress. I know that x-rays are expensive but since early diagnosis of this disease is critical I wonder why my reports of asbestos exposure weren’t taken more seriously. Perhaps even our doctors will benefit from raised awareness. By the way, I’m not getting down on doctors as my hubby is one.

So what about me? I could spend a lot of time worrying about where this might go but honestly, I have no fear.

My dad's miracle and my deep faith allow me to rest in God and know that He's got this. Click To Tweet

If you feel so inclined I’d love for you to share this post on social media. Who knows, there may be someone out there who, like me, knows they’ve had asbestos exposure but has never pushed for an x-ray to see where they stand. This is important stuff. Your sharing could save a life!

Thank you friends and blessings to you,

For more information about Mesothelioma THIS is an excellent source.

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStoryMaking Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking,SmallWonder, LifeGivingLinkup, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story, IntentionalTuesday

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy, Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday, PartyAtMyPlace, 100HappyDays, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

When Life Gives You a Broken Wrist (or a Leaky Birdbath) Plant Succulents!

by 32 Comments

Perhaps you’ve noticed that I haven’t been blogging much lately and yes, there is a reason. I hate to sound whiny here on my blog and I also hate to seem whimpy. That’s why I waited a week after breaking my wrist before going to the doctor to have it x-rayed. That’s also why I waited two weeks after the cast came off before going back to the doctor with my suspicion that something wasn’t right. Pride? Yeah, maybe.

Feeling more pain after the cast comes off than when it went on is not good. Not being able to write or type or turn the key in the ignition, or sleep soundly at night because of shooting pain up your arm is bad. Having your husband tell you to get into the doctor, when your husband is a doctor, is the worst!

I remind myself that a broken wrist is a little thing and how blessed I am compared to people who have really awful things in their lives. Still, not being able to work on all of the projects I’ve started has left me feeling a bit “down in the dumps” for the past couple of months (losing our SnoopyGirl didn’t help either).

Succulent birdbath prep

Before planting I drilled a few holes in the bottom of the cement birdbath and added rocks to the bottom for drainage as succulents don’t like to remain too moist.

So when life gives you a broken wrist, or a leaky birdbath, the perfect thing to do is plant succulents! I have been able to do projects that don’t require small motor movement of my right hand and wrist so I’ve been spending a lot of time working in my yard, which is a delight this time of year. Now . . . since even writing this little bit is painful . . . I’m going to move on and show you the pics I took after planting this old birdbath and thrift store pitcher with succulents.

Succulent Birdbath 001a

This is one small corner of my yard where I’ve added color. Beyond the grass is a fenced wooded area with a walking trail. We plan to add more plantings along the edge of the grass as time goes on in order to create a bit of an enclosed courtyard feeling to our backyard.

Over the summer these succulents will grow and begin to overflow this container like they did in the three-tiered succulent planter I did a couple of summers ago.

Super simple and super cute right? And how handy it was to have a tree right there to wire the pitcher to.

Succulent Birdbath 006

Today I start twice weekly occupational therapy on my frozen wrist. My faith tells me to pray for healing of my wrist. I’ve had lots of prayer and I believe that God is healing my hand. The whiny in me would love for it to be sooner rather than later.

Though I’ve missed sharing what I’m working on with you all I can honestly say that I’m enjoying not having the pressure of hours spent preparing and sharing posts. As we head into summer my stress meter is lower than it’s been in a long time so perhaps I’m learning a thing or two along the way. Any maybe, just maybe, God’s timing for healing my hand is the perfect timing 🙂

Though I’m not blogging much right now I AM taking pictures of the things I’m enjoying every day. If you like to share in that, please follow me on Instagram.

Blessings to you until the next time,

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday: