Horrible Stories with Happy Endings

So many people I've talked with recently have shared stories of the awful things they've been through with their health challenges...
- severely painful medical procedures
- doctors telling them they're fine, or that it's all in their head and putting them on anti-depressants
- other people telling them sickness is result of sin in their lives
...on an on. It's so sad to me.

But sometimes as people share their stories with me, after the horrible stuff comes the part when they finally found answers, when a doctor actually helped them, when root causes were discovered and when health was recovered!

I love hearing these "happy endings" after such horrible experiences. Although really they aren't "endings," they are new beginnings.

That's what my story is like now, full of hope and new beginnings as my body continues to heal. But for many years I only lived in the horrible part. I didn't know if my story would ever have a "happy" turn again.

So for those of you feeling stuck in the awful places right now, please take heart! It is possible that one day you'll see the end of that level of suffering and experience a new beginning of better health.

And for those of you who are recovering, please keep sharing your stories! Keep giving others hope. Keep sharing about what has helped you. Keep reaching out with compassion and kindness to those who are still where you once were.

We need each other. May we all continue working together to see more and more people live through the horrible parts of their story to a happy, new beginning!

Things You Probably Never Think Of

The last seven months have been an interesting journey for me, as I've moved more than 15 times. I thank God that He has always provided places for me to stay. I have been so blessed by the kindness and hospitality of others, and I've prayed God would make me a blessing at each place too.

Along the way God has continued to teach me many things. I'm so thankful that He never wastes anything. There is always a good purpose in the difficult things He allows. He still amazes me and often surprises me. =)

Anyway, all that to say that I've noticed some things about keeping a healthy home in recent months that most people never think of. So I thought I'd mention them here and perhaps this will be a helpful reminder for someone. =)

Things most people never think of...

1) Check under your kitchen and bathroom sinks at least once a week to make sure there's no water leaking anywhere.
This is what happened at our house that led to mold. We had a very tiny leak that wasn't noticeable from the outside, but underneath the sink mold started growing. A similar thing happened while I was staying at a friend's house recently. I noticed some water on the floor and traced it to a leaky pipe under the sink. Good thing we caught that one right away.
Checking regularly doesn't take long and is so vital in case you do get a leak at some point.

2) Clean your dryer at least once a month.
Again, most people never think of this, but especially if your washer/dryer are in a garage, so much lint, dust, dirt, etc. can build up. It's not hard to clean it. You can use a wet paper towel or cloth to wipe out the inside of the dryer, all around the place where the lint filter goes, and the inside part of the door. You may be surprised just how dirty it is. Cleaning regularly is good for the machines and for the clothes.

3) Dust fans and vent covers regularly.
Some things that people forget to dust are ceiling fans and floor fans, as well as vent covers where the air comes out and the intake vent for air/heat. A lot of dust can build up on these things. Since they are circulating air, if you don't dust regularly you'll be circulating dust along with the air.

These things aren't hard to do, they're just stuff we don't usually think of.

Please feel free to add to this list in the comments if anything else comes to mind. =)