Hello, my friend!
I hope you and yours are doing well! My family and I just got back from a long weekend up in East Texas visiting my mom. It was a fun, albeit different sort of visit, as my husband, mom, and I took considerable time going through veritable mountains of my parents’ possessions, as well as my and my brother’s old toys, artwork, sports equipment, photo albums, etc. It was like a four-day walk down memory lane, and I thoroughly enjoyed it…even the parts of it that made me cry as I discovered many of my dad’s (he’s been in heaven 15 years) belongings I’d either never seen before, or had forgotten all about.
Perhaps most special was finding his treasure trove of old comics and toys (he was a collector of G.I. Joes and such till the day he died) that will now be enjoyed for years to come by my five-year-old son, and my second son, due in seven(ish) weeks!
We’ve been up since 4:30 a.m. (we like to hit the road early for the seven-hour road trip back to south Texas!), and I’m beginning to fade, but seeing as I have a full week ahead with homeschool, church, swim and piano lessons, and company coming down on Friday, I’m eager to share this week’s Top 4! I hope you enjoy them!
If you ever have any questions, prayer requests, or requests for future content (for this email or my podcast), please don’t hesitate to email me at diana.tyler86@gmail.com. I love hearing from you!
A PROPER HANDLING OF CRITICISM
“Against criticism we can neither protect nor defend ourselves; we must act in spite of it, and gradually it resigns itself to this.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Have you ever felt defensive when criticized, even lashed out at the critic? I know I have. Have you ever, as a result of criticism, felt so self-conscious, judged, and/or insecure that you went into self-preservation mode and stopped doing the things that had attracted the critics? Again, I’ve been there, experienced that!
The sooner we accept that “critics gonna critique” and often cannot/will not be pleased with our choices and performances, the sooner we can experience the freedom and joy that accompanies sticking to our guns no matter what others may say.
MAKE BETTER DECISIONS (via Dr. David Perlmutter)
“Inflammation severs the ability that we have to make good decisions.
“Here’s the science: the more inflammation we have throughout our body, the more difficult it is for the logical part of our brain (the prefrontal cortex) to send vital messages to the emotional, child part of the brain (the amygdala).
“Here’s how to get inflammation in check:
Walk or move your body DAILY.
Incorporate omega-3 fatty acids into your diet.
Eat dark, leafy greens.
Avoid sugar and industrial seed oils.
Get enough sleep.”
Which of the above areas needs more attention in your daily life?
HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP?
“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.” – Samuel Johnson
MEDICINE NEWSFLASH (via Dr. Bradley Campbell)
@DrBradleyCampbell posted a headline on Instagram recently which reads:
“CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens-brand Mucinex may contain potent carcinogen benzene.”
Campbell elaborated:
“Mucinex isn’t the only medication that gets pulled off the market for containing carcinogens. Over 30% of meds get pulled because of having dangerous contaminants or for having too many side effects. The FDA allowed benzene in meds for decades, FYI.
“Benzenes were going to be disallowed starting in 2024, but now postponed to 2026 or later.
“Some forms of sunscreen, muscle rubs, moisturizers, oral pain relievers, and MANY prescription meds also contain benzene.
“It comes down to the fact that toxic meds are cheaper to make than safer meds. As long as we allow profit > people, our world’s health will continue to decline.”
Thank you as always for your support of my writing!
Fiction:
NEW: Where I Go Night-Night (children’s picture book)
NEW!: The God Next Door (comedic fantasy)
Medusa’s Wish (fantasy)
Moonbow: Prequel to The Petros Chronicles (fantasy)
Age of the Ashers (fantasy)
War of the Ashers (fantasy)
Fate of the Ashers (fantasy)
The Petros Chronicles Boxset
Armor for Orchids (Christian Women’s Contemporary)
Orchid Unshaken (Christian Women’s Contemporary)
Orchid Unbound (Christian Women’s Contemporary)
Orchid Unfading (Christian Women’s Contemporary)
Non-Fiction:
Fit for Faith: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness
Perfect Fit Couples Edition: Workouts and Reflections for a Rock-Solid Relationship
Perfect Fit: Weekly Wisdom and Workouts for Women of Faith and Fitness
Perfect Fit No Excuses: 15-Minute Workouts for Life’s Busiest Days
Immeasurable Fitness Challenge: 18 Days of Total Health for Spirit, Soul, and Body
Immeasurable: Diving in the Depths of God’s Love (a memoir)
