No More SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder
Psalm 34:17-19 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. the Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Psalm 43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Psalm 94:18-19 When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
I have for years had issues with SAD, seasonal affective disorder. Gosh, the slumps in mood and activity were awful feeling. I went to work in the dark, came home in the dark, and just had little appreciation for anything winter brought.
I felt a bit better living in Germany. This probably was easier since I was outside walking, enjoying the fresh air, the wonderful countryside, and just the appreciation of being able to live in another country and learn other’s customs. Although I worked full time, the hours were not the 10-hour days I’d been doing in my prior job in the states, I worked from 8-4:30, so there were still a couple of daylight hours left. I enjoyed meeting all the various military and dependents and the various roles I handled in the clinic. I did not have the awful oppression I had felt during the winter living in New England.
But this year, the shortest daylight hours of the year, December 22, did not seem as dark and short as at other years. Living at the beach is a wonderful blessing, I have the lovely eastern sky out one side of my home with sunrises: and the western sky with glorious sunsets. And for the past several months how the sunrises and sunsets have radiated lovely colors! I serve a wonderful Creator and Artist! And how fortunate to recognize it and give Him thanks for some gifts He generously bestows.
Need Media sunrise, sunset
I am so thankful that my winter blues seem to be easing, and certainly the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 have me rejoicing with the days appearing longer, and what a vibrant collection of colors we have been bestowed—lavenders, pinks, oranges, grays, and blues. WOW!
Thank You, Lord for not even having chosen me, but handing me gifts abundantly—flowers, weather, animals, whether pets, birds and so forth. Thank You for my family, both biological and church, my eyes which see, my hearing, my taste, my friends, Your over-indulgence with gifts to me. Thank You for the path You have given me and “mybellaviews.”
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