Santini Serenity

I have a fear of driving and it's something that I work on every time I get behind the wheel. My fear is considerably less when I am just going between my home and the gym but my faith was tested a couple times last week my faith was tested when I had to take a detour to get to the gym. After years of channeling my inner Danica Patrick driving I-71 to see my parents in Ashland combined with construction everywhere, I look for roads less traveled. The downside to the roads less traveled are that some of those back roads can have heavy deer populations.  I see this with my route to and from work as well as my route to and from Lewis Center on Sundays.  Before these drives, I say "Jesus, take the wheel and protect me on this drive."  I really do try to have faith over fear when I drive but it is hard.  I certainly cannot control other drivers around me nor can I control if a deer or five decide to prance across the road in front of me. While I cannot control other driv...

When I started this blog, it was originally to make a few bucks through Google Adsense.   Of course, my readers know that Adsense declined me.   However, I have continued to write because I enjoy it, and it is a creative outlet. For my full-time work, I work with data and my creativity is limited as to what I can do with data from our web application firewall system. I have explored scripture more as part of writing this blog.   I will read about a topic and decide that I want to get more information and use that information to create a blog post. Something came to mind during a morning prayer session related to people pleasing.   Recently, I have joined some online blogger communities where I’ve been sharing my blog posts/link. I want to get my blog “out there.”   Why do I want to get my blog out there?   According to Matthew 28:19-20: “ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the...

I have often said "age is just a number." On Sunday, I was involved in a conversation with some ladies about not dressing old.  My late mother didn't believe in dressing her age.  She wasn't going to Emblem Club meetings in go-go boots and mini skirts - Oh Mom, I'm glad you have a sense of humor as I know you'll forgive me for making that statement! While polyester was stylish in the 70s, she moved away from those in the 80s when polyester slacks were perceived as old lady clothing. However, I had a conversation with my husband the other day about protein shakes.  He told me he couldn't find the ones that I'd had on our Kroger list and went on about how the cost of pre-made protein shakes.  I tried using protein powders but I hated the taste and I had some unpleasant side effects. Anyhow, Jon asked me why instead of Core Power shakes, I don't consider Ensure.  Ensure has a Max Protein variety that would meet my needs for less money.  I admitted to...

  Greetings!  The scripture from Job is very fitting for me right now as my gynecologist recently told me to increase my protein.  One of her suggestions was one egg plus a half cup of egg whites.  I enjoy eggs but without a little sea salt or salt that comes from a sprinkle of bacon pieces, they can be fairly bland. In my post The Power of Teamwork , I mentioned that my blood pressure was high at the dentist last week. When I told the gal that it's been high at my recent medical appointments, she suggested that I could have "white coat syndrome" or anxiety at medical appointments. I remembered after my Mom had her heart attack in 2008, it was suggested that she follow the DASH diet which is reduced sodium.  My mom bought unsalted potato chips and unsalted pretzels neither of which I recommend as they are quite tasteless.  I thought it couldn't hurt to take steps toward naturally reducing my blood pressure.  I'm already doing exercise and meditation wh...

According to Wake Up to the Word by Joyce Meyer, empowered is defined as "Authorized, having legal or moral right." I'll provide some context from the devotional; Joyce writes "The Spirit of God is great than any attack of the devil.  Don't be afraid of the enemy; be confident of the power of God in your life." We should feel empowered to encourage one another.  We can tackle the onslaught of the enemy together! Achieving sobriety is something that I tried alone and I don't recommend it.  While I stayed sober for a while, I thought I that could resume drinking and that I was cured of my addiction. I also found that having a community of support, is vitally important.  Helping other people whether it's commenting at a meeting, chit chat before or after a meeting helps me stay sober.  While I hope to encourage and empower the other person to stay sober, that is beyond my control.   We've had some new folks join our Crossfit gym.  One of the newbie...

I am blessed and grateful to have food, shelter, and clothing.  However, my style was in need of some updating. I got into a bad habit of wearing "gym clothes" all of the time and, frankly, I sometimes go out looking like a slob. I dressed a little better earlier in the week but after Crossfit, I threw on a pair of stretched out leggings, an oversized long sleeve shirt, and an OSU fleece vest. I had someone ask me a long time ago if I have any clothes that don't say Jonathan Alder (our school district), Bowling Green (where my son goes to college), or Steadfast (the CrossFit gym).  Yes, I do and sometimes, I dust them off and wear them although they're probably hand me down flannels from my husband or son, a pair of stretched out jeggings or something I found on clearance at Walmart or on Amazon. I saw an ad for Stitch Fix while watching YouTube and decided to I would give them a try.  I took a style quiz and also indicated what types of pieces I'd like to receive...

I had a dental appointment this morning.  Technically, I had a double header - a cleaning and exam followed by a crowd procedure.  There were some new faces at the dentist office since I'd been there six months ago; all very nice gals.  When you're at the dentist office for several hours, you have time to observe and experience a lot of things.  I was very impressed by how all these women worked together as a team.  Each woman has a speciality or specific duty.  Aside from my dentist, I had three different women work on my teeth and a fourth woman who collected my copay before I left.  I won't hold the cost of my copay against the woman who collected it -- Ha! 😀 Here at home, my husband and I are a team.  At times, I feel like it's a dysfunctional team but we're still a team.  I plan meals, put together the grocery list, process the laundry, and try to tidy up around the house.  Jon handles the dishes - both dishwasher and hand washing,...

  Rest is crucial for both mental and physical well-being. It helps the body recover, reduces stress, and improves focus. When we take time to rest, we're not just being lazy; we're allowing our minds and bodies to recharge, which boosts our productivity and creativity. Lack of rest can lead to burnout, making it harder to think clearly and accomplish tasks. Prioritizing rest ensures we have the energy needed to tackle daily challenges effectively. Our cat Patty takes rest and sleep very seriously.  I've been in and out of the house for appointments today and she's been curled up in her bed enjoying a very long snooze. My husband Jon is the opposite of Patty.  He has so much that he needs and wants to do and very little time to do it so his rule is that he'll sleep when he's dead.  God doesn't agree with Jon and will have him sleep just as he's put on a movie after everyone else has gone to bed.   According to page 181 of "Wake Up to the Word" ...

Over ten years, ago I did not love my life and the "solution" was to literally drown my emotions and problems with alcohol.  I say "solution" because I didn't really solve anything until I got sober in 2015. My overactive drinking was moving me closer to death than it was life.   While I've been sober for 9 years now that doesn't mean that there aren't difficulties in my life.  At six months sober, I unexpectedly lost my Mom and became my Dad's power of attorney.  That was a huge learning curve but with help from God and some helpful people, I got through it.  A little over a year after losing my Mom, my Dad passed away.  That brought some challenges but I made it through with God plus loving family and friends. While I will admit that I am looking forward to retirement, I still have a while before that can happen.  I got in a period of some real stinking thinking which you can read about in a previous blog post  My Hard Heart and Stinking Th...

Yesterday, I attended a painting party with a lively group of women from our gym. Now, I should mention, I’m not really the crafty type. My husband doesn’t even let me paint a wall in our house without supervision. He thinks I might turn it into a modern art disaster, which is probably justified. So, each time I join one of these painting parties, I step way outside my comfort zone. But here’s the kicker: I actually have a blast! The atmosphere is fun and light-hearted. Everyone is laughing, chatting, and making absolute messes with paint. There’s something refreshing about being surrounded by women who are just as clueless about art as I am. We bond over our creative struggles, and the encouragement we give each other is priceless. When it was finally my turn to reveal my artwork, I couldn't believe my eyes. My project actually turned out well! I stood there holding my paintbrush like a proud parent presenting their kid’s finger painting to the world. I felt a swell of pride. Is...

Earlier this week, I began reading Joyce Meyer's book Authentically, Uniquely You .  Only a few pages into the book, I love the message about loving yourself for you who are.  God created each of us and God doesn't create junk! In  Authentically, Uniquely You  on in the chapter on Learning to Love Who You Are , there is a quote on page 7 that spoke to me. "Before we can make friends with anyone else, we must first make friends with ourselves." - Eleanor Roosevelt Whatever is holding you back from loving yourself, pray that God to help you remove these barriers.  You are worthy of His love and very much worthy of your own love.  For more encouragement, please visit the link to the article   Guideposts: Bless Yourself with These 9 Bible Prayers . I know this has been short but I pray that these words have an impact on you especially if you're struggling to love yourself. Just a friendly reminder that there will be no Sunday blog post.  In addit...

I had my annual appointment with my gynecologist yesterday.  We've been talking perimenopause and menopause for the past couple of years.  At 51 and based the history that I shared with my doctor, we're making some prescription related updates to officially move into the perimenopause.  My husband Jon is concerned about my mood and demeanor, thus the scripture to the left of the text.  😉  There are a lot of things that could occur over the next several months and my doctor wants me to contact her with any concerns.  I told her if my moods get out of whack, she'll probably hear from my husband!  Did you know there are apps for tracking female health? My doctor recommended Ovia.  Let's just say this is much better than the paper calendar I used to mark off during my teenage years.   The project manager is me seeing a lot of unknowns so I decided to do some additional research to supplement what my doctor and I discussed. Since I study scr...

I have a routine medical appointment scheduled before office hours in Columbus today. Due to this appointment, I will not have the time to write anything myself. However, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a blog that was written by my friend Sue Cutler. I met Sue through St. Joseph Church, and I believe her insights are valuable. Her writing often focuses on topics that resonate with many people, and I think you will find her perspective interesting and engaging. Please take a moment to check out her blog; I believe you’ll enjoy what she has to say. The Erstwhile Acorn Resources: Photo by Unsplash

 God is with you in Times of Trouble We all go through challenges or trouble in our lives.  You might feel like there is no way to escape.  I know because I've been tough times and God has gotten me through them. In 2015 and 2016, I lost both of my parents.  My Mom's passing in 2015 was completely unexpected because she was active and seemed to be healthy when I visited her.  Since her passing was completely unexpected, I was not prepared when I suddenly became my Dad's power of attorney. God put amazing people in my life who helped me. The financial planner Mom & I met to get Medicaid assistance when my Dad moved into a nursing home recommended an elder law attorney.  That attorney was a Godsend in dealing with Medicaid. The attorney who created my parents' will happened to have a son in real estate.  He assessed the house and the contents which were put up for auction a few months after my Mom's passing. He also worked with my elder law attorney ...

According to Merriam-Webster the word gentle means "free from harshness, sternness, or violence." My blog readers know that I do Crossfit.  I love the community and how supportive it is.  If we don't see someone for a while, we ask about them. We give a warm welcome to a person doing their first class. I'm often my own worst critic. Yesterday's workout included overhead lifts and burpees. Before class, I calculated my push press targets. I hit every one during the strength portion. Still, I felt frustrated. The virtual whiteboard showed I lifted the least weight. I knew the burpees would be tough. So, I tweaked the workout. I discussed my plan with Coach Michael. We agreed on 27 pounds for the workout. It had 40 push presses, plus 20 hang power clean and jerks. I split the 30 burpees. I did 15 burpees and 15 up-downs to keep moving. I finished in under 9 minutes. I looked at the leaderboard later. My time was okay, but I fixated on the 27 pounds. I felt like I sh...

 Pray about everything! I encourage you to pray about EVERYTHING! I'll give you a examples.  After almost 10 years, I finally upgraded my cellphone. I am not joking, I silently prayed before I began the upgrade process on Sunday.  I was nervous enrolling my new phone in a security application used by my employer but the process went smoothly.  Whew!  With the exception of one app, my new phone is working seamlessly. I recently shared with a friend that I pray before starting a long drive such as my commute back and forth to work.  There's so much construction around me that I take back roads because it's more straightforward.  The caveat is that deer roam the fields along those back roads.  I say "Jesus take the wheel and protect me on this drive."  Recently, I've prayed a lot about my cat Patty.  You probably think I've lost my mind praying about my cat especially one that is in good health.  The issue has been her behavior.  ...

I like to help other people.  Joyce Meyer's Wake Up to the Word devotional defines help as "To aid; to assist; to lend strength or means toward effecting a purpose." Help can be given in so many ways.  I follow Joyce Meyer on Instagram and her Hand of Hope program is actively assisting those impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene.  This is an example of giving what I call "big help" which is often needed in times of natural disasters or other events. Do not be discouraged if "big help" is beyond your reach! There are so many ways that we can help each other and help doesn't have to be financial.  I mentioned in a previous post that I am a recovering alcoholic and a way we help each other is through sponsorship.  I sponsored someone once and I had to end that sponsorship because it was not a good fit.  I have not sponsored anyone since but my sponsor is encouraging me to put myself out there again. At the gym, we regularly each other especially ...

Doubt creeps in when uncertainty takes over our thoughts. It makes us question our choices and abilities, often leading to hesitation. This feeling can stem from fear of failure or the pressure to meet expectations. When doubt arises, it can cloud judgment and impact decisions, leaving one feeling stuck. Overcoming doubt requires building confidence and trusting one's instincts, which can lead to clearer paths and better outcomes. Google informed me this blog did not meet their criteria for the AdSense program as the content is not engaging and it is low traffic.  I was disappointed but I didn't have time to dwell on it as I was off to Crossfit class. I came across the email later in the evening while my husband Jon and I were watching TV and I still didn't think too much about it. I've started a new bedtime routine these past couple of weeks where I come up to my bedroom and I read a physical book with a little reading light before I get into bed. The goal is to reduce...

At CrossFit, I often find myself lifting the smallest weights and finishing my workouts last. Despite this, the atmosphere is always supportive. No one laughs at me or makes me feel less than others. In fact, the encouragement I receive helps me push through each challenge. I walk into class each day ready to give my all, using the skills and strength I have been given. I remind myself that quitting is not an option. Recently, I submitted my blog for review to Google AdSense. I hoped for approval so that ads could run on my site and give me the chance to earn some extra money. Unfortunately, I received a rejection notice that said my blog is not ready for ads. The email included helpful links to guide me in improving my site. Although I feel a bit disheartened by the news, I am determined to keep trying. I will not give up on this dream of writing! Running your own race means focusing on your journey, not comparing it to others. It’s important to set your own goals and measure progres...

Oh my goodness, I've had a learning experience today.  I setup a "Santini Serenity" Facebook page that is now connected with my Instagram. I'm using this site called Buffer to connect Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.  This all makes Crossfit seem like it's easy!  Ha!!😁 Patty and I enjoyed a cozy night under a blanket on Tuesday night.  I'm looking forward to more of the same tonight.  Resources: Ryan Robinson Blogging Tools

I thought perhaps I'd share a bit about me and my journey. Nine years ago, on January 15, 2015, I declared powerlessness over alcohol. This was after I mentioned to my primary care doctor that I thought I might have a drinking problem but I drank for a few more day. I went to Dublin Springs for an assessment and was almost admitted for inpatient treatment except they don't take the insurance I have through OSU. I was wished good luck and sent home. A few days later, I walked into a Saturday morning AA meeting. I met some wonderfully patient people and, with the help of a sponsor, walked through the AA 12 Steps. Shortly after finishing those 12 steps, the unplanned happened which was my Mom had a stroke and died after a week at Riverside. To speed up my story, I took over as my Dad's power of attorney which was a HUGE learning experience. He passed away in September 2016.  I truly believe if God hadn't intervened in my life so that I admitted I had an alcohol problem t...

I took a vacation day from my full-time job to spend time with my son Jon before he heads back to BG. I'm also using the day to catch up on stuff and to move at a slower pace. My work alarm goes off at 6 AM but I shut it off and laid in bed for a while since I wasn't in a hurry to get up. I am guilty of hurrying when it's not necessary. On days that I need to go into the Columbus office, I rush through my morning triage and hurry out the door and I'm usually at the office around 8 AM. While the quiet before others arrive is nice, the stress of hurrying is unnecessary. I've also found myself sometimes hurrying or rushing through my morning prayer time. This is the LAST thing I should be rushing through. If I rush through my morning prayer time, I sometimes find I feel harried throughout the rest of my day. I pray that you have an opportunity to slow down and not be hurried today. Images from Grateful Living and the YouVersion Bible App.

Enduring everything means facing challenges head-on, no matter how tough things get. It's about standing strong when life throws obstacles your way, learning from every experience, and pushing through difficult times. This strength builds resilience, allowing you to handle future struggles with greater ease. Endurance isn't just about surviving; it’s about growing and becoming better through each trial. When you endure, you discover your limits and often find that you’re capable of much more than you thought. I can't tell you the number of times in my life that I've simply wanted to give up! I've learned most about perseverance and endurances at CrossFit. During Hero workouts especially, our Steadfast family packs the gym to honor fallen soldiers. These workouts are notoriously brutal so we endure together, encouraging each other not to give up. God is working among all of us. The quoted text below is from Joyce Meyer's "Wake Up to the Word." ...

Good Saturday Morning! I'm typing this blog from my tablet that has an attached keyboard. This setup is intended to replace my aged personal laptop that is better suited for a boat anchor than blogging. I started off my Saturday morning at Crossfit with my Steadfast family. I did the partner workout option with my friend and neighbor Jeanine - 270 wall balls and 170 pullups. We completed our scaled version in 19:31 and took a 200m walk afterward. Always nice to get a good sweat on first thing in the morning! After getting home from Crossfit I tackled the goal I'd set earlier in the week of cleaning our master suite. Our furniture gathers dust like stationary stones gather moss. Several rags and Swiffers later, I declared my effort between the bedroom and bathroom "good enough" and moved on to my usual Saturday chore of laundry. It's a two load Saturday this week. After I finish this blog post, I will be moving on to my favorite part of the day which is spen...

The image shows two weight vests that I own.  The one on the left is a four pound vest that I used while I trained to walk two half marathons in 2019 - Cap City and Columbus Children's. The one on the right is an adjustable vest (up to 20#) that I requested for Christmas back in 2022. It's currently setup for eight pounds and I used in back in November 2023 when our Steadfast family conquered the Chad1000x in honor of Veteran's Day. Chad1000x is 1000 box step ups. In 2021 I completed Chad without a weight vest and a 12 inch box. In 2022, I used my four pound vest and a 12 inch box. In 2023, I used an eight pound vest and a 12 inch box. My goal for 2024 is to increase the vest to 10 pounds and to add a 15 plate to a 12 inch box making it approximately 13 inches.  Chad1000x is not focused on the weight of my vest or the height of my box. Its significance goes far beyond those physical aspects. This initiative is centered on the strength of Community. It encourages people...

In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus visits the home of Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus. While Martha bustles around preparing food for their guest, Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, listening to him. When Martha complains that she’s doing all the work, Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). I'm a Martha and always have been. I guess it's the project manager in me. My husband is more like Mary although he's not sitting at the feet of Jesus. Like Martha, I see tasks all around that need to be done like mowing the grass or attending to our dead SUV which was recently hit as it's parked on the street (double whammy). From my view, Jon wears scout clouded glasses and that's the only thing he sees. While I respect he has many responsiblities as Grand PuBa of the local OA lodage,I need his help, too. Technically, I can ...