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Low-Cost Low-Stress Gift Giving When You’re Chronically Ill
As Christmas approaches, I wanted to share some ideas for inexpensive and low-stress gift giving. Being chronically ill often means you’re watching your budget and conserving energy, so spending a lot of time and money hunting for gifts is not a great idea. The point is to let those you love know you are thinking of them and care about them, and a simple, well-chosen gift can do that perfectly! So I’ve rounded up ideas that are low cost, or easily made without using up all your energy.
The best way I’ve found to give meaningful gifts is to make sure I’m gifting something in someone’s love language. If you’ve never read The Five Love Languages, I highly recommend it! (I read the original, but there is a singles edition, and other versions available too.) The book breaks down the way people best receive love into five categories: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch.
My default way to show love is through gift-giving, so in years past I’ve created a lot of stress for myself by thinking I have to find the *perfect* gift.
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Free Philippians 4:8 Printables
I love Philippians 4:8’s reminder of where we should focus our thoughts, and created this printable based on the verse:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (NIV)
I’ve tried to memorize this verse, and I always seem to get hung up on remembering exactly which words appear in exactly which order. I think all the “whatever’s” throw me off! That, and brain fog has messed with my ability to memorize things.
So I wanted to create a printable that captured the essence of the verse. A quick glance at this printable offers a description of the kinds of thoughts that are most glorifying to God, and most beneficial for us.
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Things I Like About Autumn
I’m making this list for a reason you might not expect—it’s not because I love autumn, but because it’s a difficult time of year for my health. And although autumn is not my favorite time of year, I thought it was important to take time to remember that there are reasons to celebrate this season.
First, why don’t I love fall?
Like many people with chronic illnesses, pain, or health conditions, I have a rough time in fall. (Some people actually get relief in the fall if their conditions are aggravated by the heat. I am a summer girl at heart.)
I didn’t blog early this month because the weather changed dramatically and I went into a bad fibromyalgia flare. I was also hit with exhaustion, awful stiffness, and a fever.
All those outdoor activities you see on fall bucket lists? I usually can’t do those. I’m only outside if it’s unseasonably warm. And things like hay rides are off the table—I would sneeze so badly! And everything is spice flavored and scented, and because of a severe allergy, I can’t enjoy them unless I want to end up in the hospital not breathing. Even strong spice scents can trigger an asthma attack. Wearing layers looks cute, but makes me uncomfortable because of my fibromyalgia. Oh fall, must we be so diametrically opposed? What did I ever do to you?
But if I really spend some time thinking about it, there are beautiful things about fall, and things that I can enjoy. Here are some of the things that make autumn more enjoyable for me.
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I’d Like To Unplug…But I’m Sick
I keep reading about the value of unplugging—from our phones, from social media, from electronics in general—but this presents special challenges when you’re chronically ill. As much as I’d like to reap the benefits of unplugging, it’s just not as possible as it used to be.
For one thing, you know what happens the moment I turn my cell phone off? One of my doctors’ offices finally calls me back.
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Recovering from Major Events When You Have A Chronic Illness
Those of us with chronic illness know how challenging it can be to go to major events because of the toll it takes on our bodies.
I struggle to make it out of the house for a short coffee date with a friend, and unfortunately wonderful events such as birthday parties or weddings prove even more of a challenge.
So I created a plan to help me recover from going to bigger events, and I’m going to share tips so you can create your own plan tailored to your needs. I’ll share tips for listening to what your body needs and applying them in a way that is proactive vs. merely reactive.
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Altered Coloring Book Art #2 – Steampunk Aurora
I’m enjoying playing around with reimagining and altering color book pages. It’s proving to be a fun way to get creative even though I’m very low on energy.
(Check out my first attempt
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10 Of My Favorite Health Care Products
It’s hard to know what health care products are worth the investment. Especially if you have a chronic illness, it’s difficult to know where to choose to spend money because there are so many options out there and so many potentials to waste money on less-than-helpful products.
I’m sharing the products that have helped me most so you don’t have to discover them by trial and error like I did.
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A Playlist of Upbeat Songs
If you love music and are looking for some songs that will lift your spirits, I’ve compiled a bit of an eclectic mix!
