All posts by Little M.S. Runner

Forty-something, married with two kids and two dogs. Trying hard to live every day to the fullest with multiple sclerosis, impaired vision, and deafness. Couldn't make it without my Savior, Jesus Christ.
God speaks, Thankfulness Challenge

TC#18 – Good morning, Lord

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This is the 18th entry for the thankfulness challenge, hence the TC#18. Get it? Good.

I am a morning person. Yes, I like my sleep, but I don’t particularly care for “sleeping in”. I feel like when I do, I’ve wasted half the day. And my mind seems to work best in the morning. Plus, coffee.

This morning as I was walking back from the kids’ bus stop, I turned a corner and was stopped in my tracks. It was the sun, rising up through the wooded area behind our neighborhood. It was as if all of a sudden it lit up the sky. And I felt it. God was saying “good morning” and reminding me He was there.

So today I am thankful for the sun, and that it rises faithfully. Every. Single. Day.

Thankfulness Challenge

Thankfulness challenge, day 17

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Do you know what I am thankful for today? Our house. There is great history here. Let me tell you about it.

When I met my husband, he lived in this house. He grew up here, from the time he was our son’s age. After high school his mom remarried and moved to Chicago, but he stayed in the house. Needless to say, it was quite the bachelor pad, but it was in this house that I fell in love with him. I was visiting one night and we were watching a movie. Only we got to chatting, and the VCR was set to rewind and play automatically. I don’t remember how many times it replayed, but I know it was at least twice. What was the movie? The ultimate romantic comedy: Slingblade. Ha! So, short story goes that I fell in love with him while watching Slingblade. Not the greatest of movies, but it had it’s funny moments. And maybe that’s a fitting metaphor for our life together, I don’t know.

When we married, Mike moved into my one-bedroom apartment, but soon after we bought the house from his mom and moved in. That was early 2000, I believe, almost 15 years ago. Since then we have remodeled and rearranged, we had cats that came and went, and now we are raising our children here. We have shared meals here with friends and family, we’ve laughed, cried, fought some pretty tough battles (thankfully not so much against each other anymore). This is where we have built our life together. So while it may not be our dream home, it is OUR home, and I am thanking God for it today.

Thankfulness Challenge

Thankfulness challenge day 16

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I totally forgot to post yesterday. But – I am learning how to relax a little and not be so hard on myself, so it’s okay.

Today, I am thankful for our first real snow of the year. In our town, at least. I grew up in the southwest corner of Michigan, so I’m used to more snow than we get up here in The City. So it doesn’t bother me much. And I really love the beauty of it. I love waking up in the morning to see that the ground and the trees and the houses have all been covered in a blanket of white. And then I love bundling up in boots and hats and gloves to venture out for a brisk walk to the bus stop. HEARING the crunch of the snow beneath our feet, and watching the joy in the kids’ faces as they scoot along, mouths open wide to catch snowflakes on their tongues. Throwing snowballs at trees (to decorate them, of course). And then returning to the warmth of home, with your body in an exhilarating, yet confusing, state of heat and ice cold all at the same time. I love that feeling. And I love winter. Of all the distinct seasons of Michigan, I believe this one is my favorite. Thank you Lord, for snow and frosty windows and warm coffee to come home to.

Family, Friends, Kids, Photos

Thankfulness challenge day 15

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Today I am thankful that my son is a true and caring friend. His good friend from school, pictured below (the tall one), left today with his family to move to Nicaragua. His parents are from there, but he and his little brother were born here in America. It is a big move, and Luke has been pretty affected by it. He was very sad to see him go, but was very thankful for this last goodbye this morning. The part that I am astonished at is that when we were discussing how much he was going to miss him, he remarked that it would be much harder for his friend because he is leaving ALL the friends he’s ever known. What an insight for a seven year old! I am thankful that I can learn from the innocent perspective of a child.

offtonicaragua.jpeg

Family, Thankfulness Challenge

Thankfulness challenge Day 14

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I am thankful for lots of things, but today especially for my sister. She drove up to visit with me and my kids, and stayed through dinner. She got us out of the house, took us grocery shopping, and then lounged with us back at home. She saved me from several “freak out” moments with the kids, just by being there with her calming presence. My husband usually does that for me, but since he was out of town hunting (1st time ever!) it was no small miracle that she was here with me. We have been close throughout our lives, and while the circumstances of life sometimes keep us apart, we always manage to find our way back. We are sisters but even more so, we are friends. So today I thank God for her.

Cochlear implant, Music

Songs that sound good to my cochlear implant…

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I’m really trying to stay positive here with this music business. I miss it a great deal, and I realize it will never be the same, but I am going to do whatever I can to make the best of this amazing device implanted into my ear. So I’ve emailed my audiologist and she is going to consult the manufacturer, Advanced Bionics, to see what else she might be able to do to help music sound a bit better. But for now, I just need to keep “practicing” by listening to songs I remember well. And having my old ipod returned to me, I am doing just that.

I’ll tell you what I can’t bear to listen to, and that’s Over the Rhine. They have been one of my all-time favorite bands for well over a decade. I have been to concerts, I own many many albums, and have so many great memories. But while Linford’s piano tinkling sounds are nice, Karin’s voice just sounds way too distorted, butchered even, and that hurts my heart. It is painful right down to my core. I don’t even have the words. It just hurts, that’s all. So… moving on.

Here is a list of songs that are currently mostly enjoyable:

“The Distance” – Cake
“I Feel the Earth Move” – Carole King
“Can’t Go Back Now” – The Weepies (this surprised me, but I think it’s just that I hadn’t heard it in a super long time)
“Bones” – The Killers (good beat at beginning, then torture)
“She Lost Feeling in the Ends of Her Fingers” – Linford Detweiler (see, piano tinkly music good)
“E-Pro” – Beck (it’s all about the drum beat)
“These Arms of Mine” – Otis Redding (“This is Otis. I love Otis.” – Ducky from Pretty In Pink)
“Lifelong Fling” – Over the Rhine (Yay! I found a good one!)

And the list goes on… While it’s still not what it was, it’s nice to find several among the 300+ on my ipod that are tolerable and sometimes even enjoyable to listen to. Party on.

Coffee, Thankfulness Challenge

Thankful challenge day 13

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This may sound trite, but today I am thankful for coffee. I have a small coffee maker, perfect for making my daily ration of two cups of coffee. And with a little half and half, my highly processed, cheap grocery store coffee goes down easy. Makes me smile. And since I just recently loaded my OliveTree app onto my new phone, I can read my morning scriptures in one hand while sipping from a piping hot mug of coffee with the other.

And did you know? Running the pot and filter through the dishwasher before brewing really does make it taste better. No more lazy rinsing for this girl!

What are you thankful for on this fine Friday??

Family, Thankfulness Challenge

Thankful challenge day 12

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Today I am most thankful for my mom. She encourages me and lets me cry when I need to. She has always been there when I need her even when she is busy dealing with her own struggles. I truly feel like she has been walking with me on this life-changing journey I have been on this past year, which says a lot considering she lives 1,000 miles away (1005.1, depending on which way you go). I love you, Mom. I thank God for you!