March Madness!
Whether you enjoy college basketball or not, I think there are many areas in our lives where the term, “March Madness” applies. Personally, I love college basketball. Some people believe the Monday after the Super Bowl should be a national holiday so we can all sleep in after the late night watching football. I, on the other hand, prefer that we have this same benefit during March Madness. Full disclosure - I did turn our TVs at work to the different network stations broadcasting games yesterday. We had a slow day at the clinic so I was able to take in quite a few games, flipping the channel as games got close. My bracket is not perfect but is pretty well intact at this point. I love a good upset, so I do have a few underdogs in my team selection. For those who follow this fun basketball tournament, what happened to Kentucky???? That was one I did not expect!
Toby made his first ever basket during a game - and it was a 3!!! (Proud Mom moment)
March has historically been a tenuous month for me until this year. I finally have SO much peace in my thought life that I am now able to enjoy the season and set aside the anxiety that used to plague me in March. Last week I received a call, and when I looked at my phone it said, M Health Fairview Cancer Center. Ugh. While I have immense gratitude for the treatment and care I received and continue to receive there, I hesitated to answer. I knew they were only calling to schedule my upcoming labs and CT scan but I had been enjoying living in the moments following my clear labs and scan results from February. It seemed too soon to revisit the feelings that accompany these appointments. I moved ahead with scheduling the June visits, trusting I would continue with clear results.
Our church held a fun event last week that included music and comedy. The Bible says that a Merry Heart is like a medicine to the soul. Laughter is physiologically good for our bodies and promotes healing. The Mayo Clinic has some very good information surrounding these facts: Click Here for more information. According to this article:
““Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.” ”
There are also beneficial long-term side effects including strengthening the immune system. If you haven’t laughed in a while, find a good, clean comedian to help boost your mood.
I know too many people currently fighting cancer, and a couple specifically fighting colon cancer. I truly hate that this is their story! I pray that my story continues to provide hope and a trustworthy resource to these friends, as well as others who find themselves battling a challenging diagnosis.
The state of chronic disease in this country is also madness, not just reserved to March! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. My current mantra is, eat whole foods, sleep well, and supplement accordingly. Control what you can control and put the rest in God’s care.
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t mind reserving the March Madness for college basketball.
