Living in Harmony…

This is an excerpt of an article about Fibromyalgia…

Jo Ann McKarus, M.A., M.F.T.

“You’ve been in a nasty flare for a week now. Your joints and muscles are so painfully sore that turning over in bed is a major and dreaded task. You’ve had two migraines so far, and the fatigue is so overwhelming that it feels as if your body has been infused with tranquilizers…… You’re a single parent with a sick toddler; or you live alone and are almost out of food; or you’re married to a wonderfully supportive spouse who’s out-of-town (and you’re still almost out of food). You need help. o
Research indicates that fibromyalgia often strikes a particular personality type – ironically, individuals who were exceptionally high functioning and competent, pre-illness. So, while asking for help is often difficult for the population at large, for these individuals, needing to depend upon others can be daunting. They don’t want to be a “burden,” they’re worried others will see them as “weak,” or, worse yet, may tire of them altogether. Many of these individuals believe that the above outcomes and responses from others are not only appropriate, but inevitable and impossible to deal with.
Thus, they add to their own predicament by getting caught in a “Catch 22” situation, where they are in desperate need of assistance, yet struggling desperately not to ask for it. Often, they have never questioned the thoughts and feelings that may underlie their belief systems around the issue of dependency, and what they may be contributing to the “Catch 22.” They’ve simply assumed that needing others equals being needy. It’s no wonder they find it difficult to reach out.
Without question, Western society as a whole does place a high premium on independence and self-sufficiency, thus helping to create and reinforce negative belief systems regarding dependency in general. And certainly, there are those people who will respond to requests for help in a demeaning or burdensome manner (implied or otherwise), no matter how they are approached. What’s essential to understand is that if or when this does occur, it in no way validates a “truth” that needing others implies emotional weakness or lack of competency. Rather, it is about that person’s belief system about themselves. And while it is also true that some individuals will flee from those who need them, this is a lesson to be learned about that particular person – not a global lesson about the nature of dependency. The reality is that you can only experience deep and painful rejection if you align yourself with another’s belief system…”

And so it is,We who have been handed this life path, walk as best we can. Sometimes it’s walking around feeling like you have failed at living, but mostly, it’s quiet. Very quiet! Sometimes my hands feel so tired and achey I don’t even want to check my mail! It’s so hard for people that don’t have this to understand why it shuts you down sometimes. But I have supportive people around me, and my kids get this. They have lived with my limits forever and my daughter is fighting it right along with me. And so it goes…

Ya know we still live, in our own place. I still sing with my group, when I’m able. And when I hurt too much, or anemia adds too much(like now)to the confusion, I just sing for myself! My faith and my family get me through this life, each turn and twist we take in stride. So if I look tired, help me up, make me smile. And remember. I’m not weak, it just hurts sometimes to be too strong….
 

It’s happened again, the day much of the world observes as it’s best and brightest hope came and went. No great declarations from the ones who “lead” us. Just more “if you’sthen you could’s” from the pulpit kings that rule how the lesser think.

Gee, am I a cynical so & so , eh? Think about it, an Earth where we understand The Christ gave up life as a huMan to accept the pain and sin of us all. A well-known pastor said on TV yesterday that we who believe this do as we please with out threat of consequence. Is that true? OR do we LIVE because the consequence was paid? I’m sure there are those who have heard the Truth and live life as though they never heard. But for the most part , the ones of us who have heard have listened and know of the love we have and that must be shared and told. The truth is a life changing gift to be freely who you are accepting those around you. By the love we show around us the “Takers” find they no longer need to “live fast and die” any longer. Again think on this: a cynical, weather worn face loving his gang like his children and they in turn passing that on to the guy in the Mini-mart, and even the “Elder” that might live next door.

Christ has died, Christ has risen..and He may have come back already. No matter…He IS an it’s been DONE! Selah…

These days my e-mail signature is Love is the answer. Today I revisited an old song dear to my heart..”Love Can Make you happy!” Coincidentally, it’s performed by a band called Mercy. For all the uninitiated, here it is:

Love (Can Make You Happy)
Mercy
Wake up in the morning with the sunshine in your eyes
And the smell of flowers blooming fills the air.
Your mind is filled with the thoughts of a certain someone - that you
love.
Your life is filled with joy when she is there. Love can make you happy if (WHEN) you fine (S)omeone who cares.
To give a life time to you and (W)ho has a love to share. If you think you’ve found (S)omeone you’ll love forevermore,
Then it’s worth the price you’ll have to pay.
To have, to hold’s important when forever is the phrase
That means the (L)ove you’ve found is going to stay….

LOVE…

While I know there’s a definite romanticism there, have we not found that certain Someone that makes us happy? We KNOW now..Jesus won the battle over sin and death and we CAN, we should, be happy now. His Love has made us able to be happy…all the time. Now life can hand you lemons, but you know the drill. Make something sweet out of ‘em, the sourness is only for that moment, really. Pain, yep, there’ s pain, but it’s not every second. The sorrow is just for a moment, joy coming in the morning. The journey moves on, and our path continues…

I met a dear new friend today. Another young Mom who Father made “bump into ” me at the doc’s office. She’s beginnng the battle with pain.I can get busy complaining with her, OR I can choose to help her SEE. She has kids who need a Mom who is JoyFULL. And she needs to hear LOVE can make her happy.  I guess I’ll just write to her now and fill her in a bit. Take care, Spread The Love…It’s Easter!