happiness

The Chronic Pain Manual – book review

/ simplywendi / 64 Comments
white and yellow medication pill on table

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I happy to be bringing you my review of, The Chronic Pain Manual – The really, real manual to pain by Nikki Albert.  This is my third in a series of six reviews I am doing to promote authors who live with chronic illnesses.  You can checkout my first review here and my second one  here.

I have start off this review with a confession.  I had a draft almost ready to go but decided to trash it and start over.  Why would I throw away a perfectly good post; because of all the craziness going on in the world at this moment.

Those of us living with chronic illnesses are on edge, worried about how this is going to affect those of us who are most vulnerable.  We NEED to take time to distract ourselves  from the constant bombardment of bad news.  There is no better way to combat anxiety  then with humor,  and Nikki serves it up in this book that can be delivered straight to your door!  What makes her book so refreshing is that it is written by someone who lives this life and therefore can relate on every level.  This manual not only makes fun of all the ridiculousness that surrounds chronic pain, bringing you laugh out loud moments, but also the sense of feeling understood, and this is a beautiful combination.

What made reading her book so ironic is that I finished it while in a 140 degree sauna, roasting my backside off, dripping in sweat, and feeling nauseous,  because hey, I have been told it was good for me………..(if you read the book, you will get the irony).

So, take a moment to check out her book on Amazon and if you can’t afford to purchase it, please ask your library to do so.  This book will not disappoint those who live the life of chronic illness, and for those who don’t, it will give you a glimpse into what it is like to walk this path.

Now please head over for a visit with Nikki in her neck-of-the-woods at Brainless Blogger.  Thank you.

  • This book was purchased from Amazon using my own funds.

 

 

~ wendi is the author of three books and they can be viewed here

living our best life – giving

/ simplywendi / 87 Comments
photo of christmas presents

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During the holiday season, we tend to spend time reflecting on upon our past.  There is something about the music, the lights, the gathering of friends and family and religous services that can send our minds straight back to when we were a child or those special moments shared with a significant other.

Despite the societal push to buy, buy, buy, when I think about past holidays I rarely remember the gifts, but instead the emotions I felt during the celebrations.

I have always found it much more enjoyable to give gifts and watch a person’s face light up as the package is unwrapped.  As the old saying goes, it is much better to give then to receive and I have always believed this to be true.

So my question for all you amazing people this week is, What gift have you given that still makes you smile when you think about it?  

Thank you for taking the time to comment…..

 

” I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year.”

~ Charles Dicken, A Christmas Carol

 

Celebrating the True Meaning of Christmas on a budget

/ simplywendi / 71 Comments
close up of christmas decoration hanging on tree

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The Holidays, even if you budget for them, have a way of putting a strain on your wallet.  While my kids were younger,  I worked very hard to make sure they didn’t notice our limited budget by keeping Christmas a fun and active time while remaining focused on the true meaning of this holy season.

In my latest book, Frugal Seeds Christmas Edition: 101 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays on a Budget, I share many of the ways we celebrated the Christmas season while keeping our focus on the reason for the season.

I would be greatly humbled if you would take a moment to check it out.  It is now available on Amazon in paperback and e-book and can be read FREE on KindleUnlimited.  Thank you.

FrugalSeedsChristmasCover

 

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year.”

~ Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sounds of the season

/ simplywendi / 109 Comments

 

red and orange autumn leaves on the ground and on trees beside body of water

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the rustling of leaves holding tightly to their branches

the crunching sounds of fallen leaves under your feet

the whirling of the leaves dancing in the wind

and geese honking their good-byes overhead

the lonely cry of an owl

the cool rains that fall down from heaven

 

the music of this magical season…………..

 

~ wendi, under a pen name, is the author of 2 books, which can be viewed here.

covered failings

/ simplywendi / 168 Comments
ground group growth hands

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I was out with my entire family, something that rarely happens due to lack of funds and/ or my kids’ busy work, school and activity schedules.

During this rare treasured outing, my husband and I had purchased all of the kids a snack and they were sitting together on a bench eating, smiling, getting along and thanking us for the food.

In that moment, I became completely overwhelmed by what was playing out before me – happy, smiling, joking, loving, grateful, thankful kids.  Tears welled up in my eyes and I had a very hard time keeping myself from breaking down into uncontrolable sobs.  My son looked up at me and said, “mom, please don’t cry”  which made holding back the tears an even bigger challenge.

In the past, many of my tears were more about the guilt I have held onto for so long, raising kids while my illness took a front seat.  Having children before I knew I had these congenital illnesses, and the true horror of discovering that you have passed these nightmares onto the ones you love more than life itself.

But this is not what I was feeling in that moment.  Instead, I was caught up in pure love for my children, the extreme gratitude that God had blessed me with each one of them and felt me worthy of giving me such beautiful humans to care for.  God believed that I was worthy of being their mother, a gift I humbly treasure every – single – day.

Not only has God seen me worthy of such enormous blessings as my children, but that He has also covered over my failings, filled in the numerous cracks that I left as a ill and flawed human being.  He did what I had prayed and prayed that He would do, to make up for my many shortcomings as a parent, and despite my illnesses, allow my kids to grow up to be loving, caring, compassionate and unique individuals.  Prayers answered………and because of these gifts, my heart was too full with awe.  The happiness that flowed through my veins could not be contained within my body but instead flowed over and out my eyes………

They say that the window to one’s soul is through the eyes……….I hope my children could see that the tears were from the love overflowing in my heart for each one of them.

 

~ wendi is the author of two books that you can view here.

 

Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. 

get out of my head

/ simplywendi / 100 Comments
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i don’t want you here, living inside my head

questioning every decision,

every move I make,

putting useless worry into my mind,

creating chaos that cannot be calmed with relaxation or meditation

you want to destroy me

make me feel as if I cannot get better,  heal,  or live a happy life

 

i want to be lifted up

encouraged,

experience true peace,

 

so find a new place to reside

 

i am kicking you out

for good

 

wendi is the author of two books, you can view them here.

 

Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. 

summer fun with kids

/ simplywendi / 54 Comments
action beach boy child

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As many of you know I have written a book call Frugal Seeds  Summer Edition:  101 Ways to Enjoy Summer with Your Kids for Little Money.

This is can be read FREE at Amazon with KindleUnlimited or you can purchase the e-book for 99 cents.

From my family to yours……….wishing you a summer filled with blessed memories.

“Summer time is the best of what might be.” ~ Charles Bowden

 

books

/ simplywendi / 68 Comments
ancient arch architecture art

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adventure in hand

thrown into another world

true blessed escape

 

Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. 

wendi, under the pen name Charlie Lee Austin, is the author of Frugal Seeds 501 Ways to Make, Save or Stretch a Dollar.  You can read it for free with Kindle Unlimited through Amazon.

music within

/ simplywendi / 104 Comments
brown and black gramophone

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i silently sit,  listening to each beat of the music

 

i close my eyes and allow my soul to soak in each note

 

i absorb the sounds and rhythms

 

they bring harmony to my soul

 

and heal me from within

 

Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. 

 

~ wendi, under the pen name Charlie, is the author of Frugal Seeds: 501 Ways to Make, Save or Stretch a Dollar.  

past

/ simplywendi / 60 Comments

 

grayscale photography of a pathway

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without my past

the future could not look so bright

 

without darkness

the light would not be so celebrated

 

Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. 

 

~ wendi, under the pen name Charlie,  is the author of Frugal Seeds: 501 Ways to Make, Save or Stretch a Dollar.