Just some thoughts

Hi everyone. :)

No pics this time. No stories of big goings-on in our lives. Just some thoughts about my being sick of having OCD. If you have it, or know someone who has it (which is likely, because it affects 2% of the population), you can understand a little of what I'm going through.

It's like this monster that grips me and fiercely holds on. No one has ever been cured of OCD (that's what they say), but of course God is able to do anything, so I'm praying. But He has allowed this in my life; He is bigger than it and is able to use it for my good. For me, OCD manifests itself most often in my need for perfection; if something is less than perfect (and believe me, OCD's definition of perfect is unreasonable and entirely unreachable), then I'm miserable. Well, that's an overstatement, but if I listen to the OCD's messages to me, that's what I'll believe. At times I'm weaker to believing OCD's lies than others, and I guess recently I've been a little weaker. Although the other day I had a sort of epiphany. I can firmly tell myself I'm okay (because that's the truth), and then act like I'm okay, and that can actually change my mood. And I can order the OCD to stop throwing a temper tantrum and grow up. These are things my counselor has told me many times, but it's like it finally clicked somehow. But even with the ability to know that truth in a deeper sense, there's still lots of hard work to do. And it's all in this over-thinking, over-analyzing, perfectionistic, idealistic brain of mine. It's like it works overtime. I'm reading a book about OCD and one thing they say is that the brains of people with OCD overheat. I'm not sure if that's literal or not, but I guess it might be. (Wonder how much this has to do with my migraines....) It gives a four-step process of training your brain how to think that actually changes the chemical nature of the brain. It's fascinating. First you Relabel (recognize the intrusive and disturbing thought as an obsession), then you Reattribute (acknowledge that the obsession is because of a bio-chemical imbalance in your brain), and then the third step is Refocus - to actively choose to think about something helpful instead of the destructive thought that OCD introduced. That's the most critical; it's the step that changes the brain's chemistry. It's also the most difficult. Isn't that how it is? The most difficult things are what bring about good change in our lives. The fourth step is Revalue (assign that obsessive thought to the "junk to be thrown out" category).

Hmm. It helps to write about it. Anyway... Lord, give me the strength I need to fight this.

Okay. Enough ruminating. :)

Zonie Pics Posted

Uncle Time said it was time to post the Arizona pics, Cheri!! :) Toooo funny

They're just above the wedding pics over on the right.......... :)

Jeff and I are about to settle into the couch for a bit and watch a movie or something..... *relaxed sigh*

Happy 41st Anniversary to my Mom & Dad tomorrow!

Favorite Arizona Pics

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the Arizona trip ~ Enjoy! I'll post a whole album of our trip soon. :)

Aren't the sun rays gorgeous? This was taken on our way to the Grand Canyon.
Looking up from the trail down in the Canyon.
On our way hiking back up to the rim... You can see three levels of the trail as it's winding its way up the side of the canyon. Neat, huh?
A nice lady took this of us at the rim.
Storm clouds raining in the distance.


My favorite from the whole trip.

Chapel of the Holy Cross

My incredibly handsome man

*Whew!* Pictures Posted!

To the right you'll see the Wedding 2010 photo album... Enjoy!

Back from Arizona

Hi all!

So we got back from Arizona in the wee hours on Tuesday morning, and I'm still sort of catching up from being away...... Cleaning, laundry, restocking the kitchen, all that stuff. I have over 1000 photos from the wedding and over 500 photos from AZ, so I have my work cut out for me! I'll be digging through them and coming up with some of the best to share with you. (Patience, Cheri, patience!) :)