In 2008, I was in a car accident in Tennessee where I broke my back, my neck, crushed the right side of my face and head, de-gloved my right arm, was left deaf in my right ear, had to have my cheek re-built, and my eye sewn into place again. A month in a trauma care unit was not enough to heal from injuries like mine.
I wanted to move back near my grown children, so after a year of healing, in order to gain strength for the long trip, we bought an RV, pulled a U Haul behind it, and moved to the Oregon Coast, leaving everything behind. We believed this was the 'thriftiest' way to make our move on our limited funds and find a new life.
Our plan was to live in the RV until my husband found work. So when we arrived, we lived quite frugally in the RV at a campground and sought out our new life through online resumes, trying various churches on Sundays, and seeking out all the beautiful places we could find along the Oregon Coast. It was months before it all came together, but we kept our faith, believing God had something better for us.
While we waited, our entertainment was walking the beach and taking photos of all the beauty. This doubled as my emotional and physical therapy. I took thousands of digital photos and put them into my computer; this never cost me a dime. I needed a lot of free therapy. My healing has been evolving with each sunset, each realization that 'we did this' - made a 3,000 mile move in spite of impossible circumstances and on very little money.
At the same time my husband got his job, a home on the water opened up for us to live. Now all our entertainment is free. Sunsets are free, and God never makes one the same. So each night, I get fresh therapy. Daily, the beaver swims by with a branch he has chopped down and is heading back to his den. I take it in and more healing happens in my soul. Right now baby ducks come and eat bird seed I throw out for them. The bag of seed cost me $4.99 on sale at Bi-Mart and is will last at least a month! :)
When the Opsprey lands in our tree for a high view to see the fish, and then dives at the water, and clutches his large trout as he makes his way to a perch for lunch, it is the greatest show on earth, and I don't pay a dime. That is as frugal as one can get! And when I want trout, I go out and catch one.
God is the healer, and for me the 'Thrifty' way to heal is with His Creation. Breathing deeply of the fresh air is free! Sitting in the sunshine is free! Laying in my hammock, praying, and meditating is free!
I am a songwriter/recording artist of hundreds of songs and lost my high range, due to the traching after the accident. But do you know having enough faith to continue practice singing is free? I recently was asked to sing at a conference when their musicians canceled, and I found stirring up the courage to go and do the conference was free. All went well, and getting moving again - pulling myself out of this hole - was free. I just had to do it. Free is about as frugal as anyone can get!
The home we rented came furnished, so we bought the furniture at a great price. Now hubby works, and I take photos of everything in sight while I continue to heal. A large skin graft was done to cover the huge scar on my arm that will always look like a shark bit me. I now call the arm my scarm! One might as well keep a sense of humor, right? Humor, even toward the worst kinds of wounds is free and good for the soul!
I have included a few of my photos so that 'you' might get a little therapy for free right here on Thrifty Fun. I encourage you to believe and have faith that things can get better when everything looks so bleak! There is so much more to tell, I am writing a book about it!
So as Forrest Gump would say: That is my story and I'm sticking to it.
By Songbirdcindy from Oregon Coast
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When a woman is assaulted her self concept and self esteem not to mention her innocence and trust are taken from her. This is a ceremony that returns the sacred feminine power to a woman who has been assaulted sexually, physically or verbally.
Check out these photos.
This is a picture of my healing flowers. I can totally relax and go to a different place when I am working with my flowers. Going to a different place is important when you have a health issue that provides unwanted pain on a daily basis.
