Pausing With God

Take the Menopause Quiz (1) Menopause is defined as: A.  Two or more irregular periods after age 40 B.  The start of hot flashes C.  No menstrual period for 12 consecutive months D.  An increase in mood swings. CORRECT ANSWER IS C.  No menstrual period for 12 consecutive months.  Explanation: An absence of menstrual periods for 12 months. The menopausal transition starts with varying menstrual cycle length and ends with the final menstrual period. You will find that there is an insect who we have some things in common with - the butterfly.  Starting out as an egg; progressing as a newborn- eating, growing and spending a large amount of time on our belly.  We then transition into puberty and from there blossoming into an adult - the reproductive stage. For millions of women, one stage that we do not share with the butterfly is that when our reproductive stage comes to an end, we are faced with the challenges of having to deal with the sympto...

You ever have those hmm moments...well I had one the other day.  My thought was how we have become too familiar to things working at our beck and call?  When we push the button – we expect the power to come on, the key in the ignition – we expect the car to start.  How about that garbage disposal, flick the switch and we expect to hear that familiar whirring noise--right? Believe it or not, we have something in common with garbage disposals.  Both of us are susceptible to getting jammed, clogged or blocked.  When a disposal quits working, it doesn't always mean we need a new one.  We may want to take the time to troubleshoot and discover the solution that would restore this contraption back to its working state.                We are excited about continuing our journey into another year with you.   As always you have an open invitation to share your adventures, challenges and experiences -- n...

I could hear Charlie Brown yelling in my head as I was watching the news broadcast about the mayhem that happened on Black Friday.  “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”    From the time of its first telecast and every year since December 9, 1965,   Charlie Brown has been yelling this from the rooftops.  Poor Charlie Brown, the materialism and commercialism of Christmas had him depressed.  (This treasured holiday special usually airs the first week of December,  but to be sure check your local listings).       Lucy encouraged Charlie Brown to get involved and direct the school play.  Though he was reluctant and struggled, he learns the true meaning of Christmas.  Who says we can’t learn from cartoons…there are so many opportunities available for us to help others get in the proper mood: How about doing a walk through the Yellow Pages and picking out a few people to send a card to ( DO NOT put yo...

Pausing With God 'HOT FLASH'               contest winner! Age Ain't Nothing BUT A Number                                                        I've been "HOT" since I was twelve. ..... Those 6 1/2 years of hormonal balance spanned from the beginning of my first pregnancy to the end of my last. Getting pregnant gave my body an opportunity to understand and attempt the balance it was supposed be in all along and to be perfectly honest I felt so very good pregnant that I made other pregnant moms sick. But things change and sometimes they change drastically ... I had a tubal when my last child was delivered and within a month or two I was experiencing   ALL   the symptoms that had started when I was a young teen. It didn't take long before the hot flashes and night sweats were accompanied by insom...

Age Ain't Nothing BUT A Number         (Part 1 of 2) I've been "HOT" since I was twelve. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be vain or even funny, I'm actually talking "hot flashes." I've been experiencing them off and on in varying degrees of severity for 26 of the last 33 years. I was 12 when I had my first hot flash and like any child of 12, I had no idea what was going on. One minute I felt fine and the next I was hot and there was nothing I could do to cool myself off. Just as soon as it passed I was cold. It went off and on like this all day so I figured I was probably getting sick. That was just the beginning. They started happening pretty regular after that. I would be totally comfortable and suddenly find myself flushed and hot from head to toe. If it stayed long enough I'd start sweating profusely. It was as if someone else had control of my internal thermostat and was bumping it up and down as they pleased. Then we ...

I recently attended a Women’s Conference and had the awesome privilege of meeting recording artist Heather Williams.   During her ministry of performance she shared with us how the song, Hallelujah was birthed.   As I was listening to this song over and over again, I saw that even in the midst of what we are going through, as long as we have breathe in our bodies; we can still sing.   I know some of you have days when you are tired of your sleep being disturbed by a night sweat, and how about those unexpected hot flashes; one of my sister-friends calls them precious moments.                       While we do not make light of what you may be going through during your season of Menopause, know that our heart’s desire is to spread the message that Menopause is a natural and inevitable time in a woman’s life.   We are often reminded that this journey is not an ...

Ladies and husbands if you want to help your wife out. . Check out these all natural water retention remedies… (thanks to Johanna Carol Paco) Aerobic exercises, such as walking, jogging, biking or swimming, enhance circulation of blood flow and oxygen in your body, and rid your body of excess fluid through sweat. Though regular exercise throughout your cycle is best, exercising while your symptoms are present can provide immediate benefits. You need at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days for best results. Doing so can also help reduce depressive moods and fatigue associated with PMS. If you have limited time, 5 to 10 minutes of brisk activity, such as jump-roping or sprinting on a treadmill or outdoors, can increase your heart rate and help prevent or reduce bloating. Consult with your health care provider before beginning an exercise program. Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids and eating hydrating foods such as fresh fruit, soups or low-fat milk, helps f...