AndyBontheRadio @Berrybunchfamily@dingdash.com

this thought just popped into my head

when I was walking up a steep hill one day, someone told me to stop looking up. because it can be quite psychologically demotivating to see how much further you have to go

and i'm sure that is a very sensible thing while walking up a hill

but there are two issues with that as a Christian

if we look at our feet, we won't know where we're going.

or, to put that one another way - and far more importantly - we won't see WHO we're going towards

because Christianity isn't just a journey to a destination

it's a journey to a person; to a 'Him'

also, if we only ever look down at our feet, we won't be enjoying the journey we are on

just a mini thought that popped into my head which i thought i'd share with my DingDash family

let's look up to our guide, who already know the twists and turns of the journey ahead

First solo drive today 🙂

I'm taking Jo to work today, so I'll be on my own, doing my thing, for the very first time

I think it helped that, yesterday, I received a phone call from the hospital anti-coagulation unit, checking on how I was doing at 3 weeks since starting the blood thinners, and to see if I had any concerns etc

I got the same advice from that sweet lady, once again - it'll be in your mind, but don't let is still you just getting on with your life

Folks, don't underestimate the power of a text, email, phone call to check up on someone...even of you're laid to do it!

That call gave me a very much needed boost to push myself even harder towards recovery 🙂

Oh yeah. Theady who called asked me if the there was any intention of "them doing something about sorting out the underlying heart issue?"

Mad me chuckle...I sure hope so!! Was my reply

Just need to move house first

Andy B

Cooked on my own for the family last night...well Nathan chopped the veg to save me having that risk - but felt good, and my legs had enough to stand for a long time

I've tried it a couple of times but always had to abandon the kitchen so somebody else could cook as I couldn't stand up long enough without my legs getting wobbly

So, another step towards recovery ticked off

AND I went for my first brisk walk since October

I've discovered 2 things.

My meds cocktail makes me get much hotter than before when exercising.

And it takes a lot of effort to make my heart beat faster...I carried bags, up a hill, walking fast - and only got up to 102 BPM (so the heart beat slowing beta blockers are doing their thing!)

Covid seems a long way back now, as does the lung infection. My trip to hospital doesn't seem far enough behind me, yet!

But I AM getting there!

Andy B

bizarre and interesting!

I'm not into stats of how many views we get, posts that have been read etc. But while we're not overly bothered if nobody ever watches anything we create, I still find it interesting, none the less, especially when it makes no sense to me!

So, our YouTube statistics came in yesterday, and the thing that threw me is that the busiest month for our videos to be watched was during November, when we didn't actually put anything out...

also, the top video we have for viewings, from all time, is one of our Song Time Videos that Jo did

"The Animals Came in two by two"

Like I said, I found it both interesting and bizarre

And it is encouraging that people have views nearly 3.500 minutes of our videos over the past year om YouTube...'cos it is nice to know that people actually are watching something of what we're producing...and 'cos you do wonder about that , even if your goal is creation and obedience to God, not human success!

Andy B

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/africa/2021/12/11/south-african-doctors-see-signs-omicron-is-milder-than-delta.html

something a little encouraging, that I daren't share on Facebook! sadly, for numerous reasons!! it' breaks my heart how we've seen the vaccine as a polarising issue in civil society 😞

anyway, this is positive to read from South Africa! it's 4 days old, but finding anything that isn't ridiculously biased is bordering on the impossible

@tanjaostman

Supervising. I could get used to being management 😂

Andy B

spent the day in bed today

frustratingly, i took one tablet and dropped another (condensation on the glass, and SUPER slippy tablet)

the one i thought i dropped was not the one we found (Jo went straight into police mode and "conducted a thorough search of the area" - which helped relax me a bit)

so, a quick call to the ward to check what i'm supposed to do.......it seems i probably dropped my blood thinner tablet, but since a double dose would put me at severe risk, and taking a double beta blocker would put me at slightly less risk, the cardiology ward pharmacist (super nice woman) told me to do nothing, but rest all day and carry on this evening with my meds as normal

hence, i'm back in bed for a day of rest - with such a lovely day I had planned for a lovely brisk 30 minute walk...........

........there's always tomorrow

and what have i learned? drink from something with a handle, and make sure i wake up properly prior to taking the tablets, even if Jo is watching me

Andy B

So this must be the one that was supposed to come with the horror advent calendar

He's obviosuly been kicked in the stomach by a horse then wrapped in cellophane

er........

And so it begins

The garage is so called, because it used to be a garage

The logic is undeniable

The trucks remind me of my former profession

The dog was Jo's when she was little

It still works - it walks and barks 🙂

In 40 days we're moving home.

An expected move (our house is a max.12 month let) But God dovetailed that move with Jo being headhunted for a job (5 1/2 hrs drive north) and the timing is nothing short of God inspired. Even her security vetting came through at the perfect moment

We had the new home confirmed last Friday. We move 21st January. Jo starts her new position 31st January.

The goodness and favour of God upon this litttle family is mind blowing and overwhelming!

The miracles we've already seen are more than I squeeze into 1,000 characters (first attempt was nearly 4,000 characters long)

But, a big money issue was solved before we needed to ask a question. We only had one house we could view, and beat all other applicants to apply. Our previous landlord had to be asked for a reference - new agent described it as evil and disgusting. But God had already put things in motion to thwart that attempt close a door God had already opened.

And the BerryBunch studio V3.0 is real!!!