Type A Gratitude

I am so grateful to be a first-time contributing author to this new Christian magazine. And I’m even more excited that my first article is being published in the month of October for four significant reasons.

For starters, my first name, Autumn, reveals that I was born in the most beautiful month of the year where the “colors of the wind” can be seen along the beautiful Smoky Mountains—an area of East Tennessee.

That I share with the charitable Dolly Parton. Families may drive in any direction and see beautiful fall foliage as they spend quality time together during a quick day trip. And, I am blessed to live in the Volunteer state that truly teaches the meaning of community, especially when it comes to helping those in need.

Second, this month marks the one-year anniversary of a project I had secretly worked on over the last decade of my life— the publication of my first Christian book, “Type A Christian.”

I had the opportunity to work with an amazing editor and hundreds of close family and friends during its launch last year. And within its first week of availability on Amazon, my book ranked 1st in the “Personal Growth & Christianity” category and ranked 2nd behind Lysa Terkeurst in New Releases! I truly believe my book and title was inspired by God, and I pray my testimony can help others who consider themselves Type A. It wasn’t until I faced specific trials in my life and unable to rely on my Type A traits to succeed that I realized my behaviors and characteristics were not synonymous with the fruit of the Spirit. So if there’s any Christian women with Type A personalities who want to learn “which traits to grow and which traits to prune,” then this book is for you.

The third reason I love the month of October as I have already implied…it is my birthday month!

But—this is no ordinary birthday! This is the birthday I have been dreading for the last couple of years. It is probably the most anticipated birthday as I will be turning the big 4-0! I have always enjoyed celebrating my previous birthdays with my family as a child, and now I celebrate with my husband, daughter, and his family as well. Even a couple of years ago, I remember taking my daughter to a local store to purchase props for our church’s fall festival when the cashier asked if we were going to a birthday party. My daughter quickly answered, “No, but my Mom is having a birthday!” The cashier asked if I liked having my birthday near Halloween, and I instantly replied, “What’s not to like? One night I get to eat my Mom‘s famous Mississippi mud cake and open presents with close family, and the next day I dress up as my favorite character and get free candy!” I’m not going to lie; I still like to dress-up with my daughter and may steal some of her chocolate candy!

However, after becoming a wife and mother, a women’s health nurse practitioner (WHNP), and now Christian author, I must admit that I am not very excited to turn 40.

I am very appreciative for the experiences God has blessed me through the last four decades, but I am starting to notice some ‘wear and tear’ in areas that I have not noticed in the past. Many of my friends and I wonder why we can’t lose 10-15 pounds, when decades before we could eat all-carb diets without worrying how much exercise would counteract the calories ingested.

We no longer have babies or toddlers to carry, which is bittersweet, because now instead of changing diapers and rearranging our schedules around nap time, we are helping with science projects and rushing out of work to make it to ballgames. We are paying the same amount of money to purchase expensive concealers that would otherwise cover the same cost for a family dinner of six. And some are even skirting with the idea to turn back the clock with injections and fillers to camouflage the appearance of any aging. And, while we would normally be gracious with something actually thin on our bodies, unfortunately, this is the only time we are using various products to plump and volumize. What is that you ask? The hair on our head. We now wonder if we should cut our dry and lifeless hair to shorter lengths because we will never have the volume of Cindy Crawford’s hair, even if she is in her 50s.

But why do we feel like there are so many rules for this season of life, and who makes these rules? Well, as I become older, and maybe a little wiser, I have learned that we actually make the rules for ourselves. We are constantly comparing with one another, but I also learned from a recent blog that sometimes we compare ourselves with none other than our younger selves! And then it hit me! I have been comparing myself to….well, me! I was comparing my looks, my clothes sizes, my former sleep patterns, and maybe even my youthful personality from times of my youth. I started to realize that not only did I need to appreciate the season of life I am in now, but I need to express my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for my journey. I have been very fortunate in reaching various milestones as many of those are answered prayers. Jesus says in the book of Luke, “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (9:62). I know God will continue to bless me and my family as long as we keep Him at the center in our lives, and I am so thankful that my book has given me additional opportunities to be a witness for Him. We need to remember that our past experiences are the building blocks to our future successes, and in order to fulfill God’s will, we must continue to look forward even, if that means seeing a few more wrinkles in the mirror.

And finally, as a WHNP, I would be remiss if I didn’t offer some education for this very special month in regards to women all over the world. Whether you are celebrating a birthday this month or not, we are fortunate to reach special milestones in correlation to various birthdays and turning 40 is no different.

When we turn 16, we get our driver’s license, and when we turn 18, we get the right to vote. But for us females, when we turn 40, we get the biggest gift of all...the dreaded mammogram!

That’s right, October is also Breast Cancer Awareness month. Even though I still feel like I can wear a junior push-up bra, I have encouraged all of my patients turning 40, and even younger women with a strong family history of breast cancer, to comply in recommendations in receiving their yearly mammograms. And now, it’s my turn, but I admit that I am a little anxious about the procedure.

I could choose to forgo the mammogram, but what would that say to all of my female patients if I were to tell them one thing but disregard it for myself? I can only imagine God having the most brilliant plan for His creation and then watching us totally destroy it. He gave us specific instructions on how to live, but unfortunately He could find no one without sin. So, that is why He sent His Son to not only fulfill the law He first handed down but to also serve as an example to all of His followers. Too many Christians first witness to others by mentioning various ‘rules’ that need to be observed in order to become a follower of Jesus—but we also know that we are saved by our faith in Jesus who showed love and compassion first.

Now we know that God gave us specific instructions not to confine us, but to set us apart and prolong our lives, even if that means getting a yearly mammogram.

For more information on breast cancer screening and recommendations, please go to the CDC website and ask your provider or diagnostic center about having a 3D mammogram, which may detect an average of 40% more invasive breast cancer compared to a 2D mammogram. There are various centers that offer low cost or even free mammograms for those without insurance coverage. There were nearly 250,000 new cases of female breast cancer and over 40,000 female breast cancer deaths per CDC reports in 2016.