FRIDAY THE 13TH (MAKE IT YOUR LUCKY DAY)

Make It A Positive

Good morning again Followers,

Today is Friday the 13^th, with all the bad news regarding the virus this day is fitting, Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day in Western superstition. It occurs when the 13th day of the month in the Gregorian calendar falls on a Friday, which happens at least once every year but can occur up to three times in the same year—for example, in 2015, Friday the 13th occurred in February, March, and November. 2017 through 2020 will all have two Friday the 13ths, and the years 2021 and 2022 will have just one occurrence each.

But I am not going there for this blog post is a way of healing and are articles of positive outlooks.  Dan’s lucky numbers are 7 and 13; whenever he pays the lottery, those two numbers come up.  He always tells me that Friday the 13^th is his lucky day.

The other day I received an e-mail with a whole another approach to the thinking of the virus and I would love to share it with you.

CORONA VIRUS AND YOUR BODY

Corona Virus (COVID-19) is in the same family as the common cold.  Symptoms include runny nose, some report sore throat, some fever.  Most all survive and those who have been able to get their reports somewhere on the news have talked about minimal symptoms that last a very short time. Those who are less fortunate have respiratory difficulty and tracking is much like a severe flu.  The small number of fatalities are mostly elderly, very young and immuno-compromised folks.

Here are a few important points.

Don't lose perspective!  Good news.... overall death rate is much less than last year's flu.  In China, death rate averaged 2%.  Reported by CDC: the impact of the annual influenza has resulted between 9 million – 45 million illnesses, between 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010.  That's as high as 120,000-610,000 annual deaths in the United States alone!  [Corrected statement removing "annual":  That's as high as 120,000-610,000 deaths in the United States alone!]   So far, around the WORLD, there have been 4,600 deaths related to this corona virus, with 36 in the U.S.

CORONA VIRUS AND YOUR SOUL

3 Jn 1:2 "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

Your mind and how you respond to your environment or circumstances is critical to your overall well-being.  How much time are you spending listening to "bad news" or thinking about things that could go wrong?  Our thoughts have feet.... if we allow them to take off into the dark places of our mind, it will impact our whole being!   

A healthy soul is a peaceful mind, and healthy emotions.  Having a healthy soul doesn't just happen.  As a matter of fact, we have to be intentional to create harmony and balance.

Below are a few ideas to calm your soul during times of uncertainty!

Laughter - You have to!   It truly is “good medicine”.  Proverbs 17:22 -- "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."  While you are at home because your trip has been cancelled, or the kids are home from school, find some good, clean comedy to brighten your day and put a smile on your face.

Positive news - Turn off the TV news and read or watch things that are encouraging and uplifting. If there is anything bad going on that you need to know, someone will surely tell you! You may also want to stay off of social media if you tend to be frustrated or discouraged by what you see there.

Music- Choose to put on some beautiful music that makes you happy or causes you to focus on the goodness. If you are feeling blue, put on some music that you can dance to and dance your blues away! Play some soothing instrumental music when you feel anxious or stressed.

Nature - Take a walk or just go outside. Nature is very soothing to our souls. Fresh air and sunshine benefit us physically, and the smells and sounds of nature can promote calm and peaceful feelings.

Practice gratitude - Instead of focusing on the chaos in the world around you or people you don't agree with.... write things down that you are thankful for.   Your mind. Grab a journal, and daily in the morning and the evening, record your gratitude.  SAY IT OUT LOUD!  And for those who oppose how you feel about what's going on in the world, BLESS THEM.  Don't curse them.  You can't change people.  Speaking encouraging words to others helps you and them with perspective.

Sleep - Get good quality sleep. This is not only important to you physically, but we all know that our emotional health suffers when we do not get good sleep. Sleep is also important for your immune system.  If you aren't sleeping well, consider changing your routine before bedtime, eliminate caffeine, take melatonin and for me-- I rub sesame oil and lavender on my feet at night.

Future - Make plans for your future like planning a trip or organizing a reunion.

CORONA VIRUS AND YOUR SPIRIT

Schools and universities are closing their doors, conferences are cancelling, toilet paper and baby wipes are in short demand, and healthcare workers are having problems getting masks because the public is stockpiling them. Yes, the world seems "off" and a little crazy right now.  So much uncertainty about the future comes to the surface and we see people reacting out of fear, not faith.

What would make the difference?

We have a choice on how we respond.  We can choose to operate in a state of fear, or we can choose to a state of positive.

Be at peace!

All what this e-mail stated has been what Dan and I have been doing for the past 9 years to heal ourselves from cancer along with exercise and eating organic foods.  It’s all about keeping your immune system healthy.

Think about a negative in your life that you could look at differently to make it a positive. 

By the way today is World Sleep Day so if you are able to, turn off the news and enjoy a few more zzzzzzz’s

Well, I gave you a handful to think about today.  Until tomorrow have a wonderful day and make it your lucky day.