January 21

3 weeks in a row.  That's a winning streak!

In honor of my new-found consistency, today's blog is three things that I've fallen in love with this week. 

1.  Iced Tea.

I know.  Quite possibly the most unoriginal new thing ever, but hear me out.

I'm a dedicated water drinker.  But, I'm bored.  I can't drink coffee, and although I love hot tea, it just isn't practical in my life.  

But, I don't like sugary drinks.  So, I've never had iced tea because, in Georgia, sweet tea is tea flavored sugar.  Not my thing.

I was talking to an acquaintance this week, and she mentioned that she just makes concentrated hot tea and cools it over ice.  That was a total epiphany for me.  I'm now a junkie.  Stash's Mango Passion fruit is unbelievable.  I drank 6 cups of it in a day.  No sugar.  No caffeine.  Perfection.

(And, just so you know I'm me, I web md'd it to make sure I wouldn't overdose.  All seems well.)

2.  Medical Care in Panama

Maybe this one is a little more surprising than the tea?  I've been having some health problems since late October.  It's been frustrating, and I would be lying if I said it hasn't be wearing on me.  I had another incident over Christmas break, and I'm just so thankful to be in Panama.

First, I was able to go to the lab and get the tests done without having to see a doctor or have orders for the tests.  (The joy of an ongoing condition is you know what you need to have tested.)  When the lab e-mailed me the results, I messaged them to the doctor who responded within 30 minutes.  He told me to come in the morning to pick up the prescription.  When I got there, he had me come in and chat about the next steps.  We spoke for approximately 20 minutes. I walked out with samples, prescriptions, and follow-up information.  No charge for any of it. Then, this week, I had the next appointment with a new doctor.  Ultrasounds, appointment, tests.  Done for $155.  (No insurance.)  When I got back to work, I realized I had forgotten to ask him about a different issue.  No worries.  A text message later, I had that situation all worked out.

Yes, I'd rather feel better, but I'm confident that I'm in good, affordable medical hands here in Panama.

3.  My Word of the Year

Even when I published the Me blog, I was super self conscious about it.  I didn't share it with anyone.  I just let those who might stumble over it read it.  But, I am LOVING living intentionally respecting the way the Lord has made me.  Take being vegan.  It's going so well, because I'm doing it my way which is about 90% of the way.  I still say yes to dinners out with friends. I still eat a ceviche or a scrambled egg, but food no longer controls me.  I feel alive and healthy (even with the health issues!) for the first time in years!  

The best part of living true to the Me God desired is that it makes me more aware of where the Lord wants me to improve.  When I lived my life being all things to all people, I was often spinning in a no-win pattern of perfectionism.  I had to fix everything that anyone questioned.  Now, I can sit before the Lord and see where He wants to work.  I've watched my outlook change.  I've found that my faith has increased.  Peace comes more gently and stays for longer.  As I've followed the Spirit's lead into places of purifying, I now realize that true conviction brings me to a path that leads to joy.  And peace.  And gratitude.  I'd become so accustomed to the constant scolding of perfectionism that this new lightness is hard to verbalize.  But I like it.  

May this week be filled with the wonder of new-found loves,

L