We hear the words, "the new norm", fairly often anymore; too often, probably. It has become a favored phrase. So, why am I now using it? Well, because it perfectly describes my life for the past few years. My physical life, my body. Which also affects everything else in my life.
"The new norm". The other day I read another magazine article with "The New Norm" as the title. I could have written that article. Almost word for word. The author wrote about fibromyalgia, it's effect on her life,the constant fatigue, the daily pain - her "new normal". Anyone I've ever talked with who suffers with fibromyalgia could have written that article. Again, almost word for word. All "fibro people", nearly all I've talked with, use the very same words to describe life with fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is a "pain in the neck". Literally. And in the arm. And in the leg. And in the face. And...in every part of the body. It hurts. It hurts all the time. Sometimes it hurts less; sometimes it hurts more. Sometimes it hurts for so long at a time, and so badly, that I just sit and cry. The hurting never completely goes away. The pain can lessen or worsen within minutes. One moment my hands are puffy and so painful. As little as five minutes later my hands are "feeling skinny", as I put it. Five, ten minutes later still, they could be swollen and terribly painful again.
Some people call fibromyalgia an invisible disease. When there is no bleeding, no broken bones or other outward signs of an illness there is often doubt from others that anything is "really" wrong. This only adds to the sufferer's suffering. Actually, the "invisible disease" isn't all that invisible, at least for me. I'm finding that my hands, fingers and even my face can look puffy and show pain when I am in a bad flare-up. Coping with my own so-called invisible disease has made me much more patient with and understanding of others with "invisible" diseases (diabetes, lupus, arthritis, etc.). The old "don't judge me until you've walked in my shoes" adage is something we all need to remember.
"Fibro" not only adds daily pain to my life, but during the worst, most painful flare-ups I find myself fighting getting depressed. I fight giving in to it, letting it beat me down for the day (and I often don't win that fight...). I fight the guilt feelings I feel when the pain and exhaustion keep me from getting the house cleaned or when I, the pastor's wife, misses church services, or when I feel as if I'm letting my husband down..."Why would you feel like that?", he asks. "Well, just because I'm not able to 'do' as I used to, as least not as much or as often...", I say. He reassures me. I make the same mistake as I've heard other fibro-people say they do: when the pain and energy level is "better" I try getting everything done that I haven't gotten done during the worst pain, only to collapse again.
The "new norm". I've been angry about my new normal for several years now, since I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I've denied it. I didn't, don't, want to accept that I have a new norm in my life. I'm finding, though, that no amount of denying it changes anything - I DO live with a new norm, and have for some time.
"Look to the Lord, and his strength; seek his face always." (Psalm 105:4/NIV Study Bible)
God has promised to be my strength. While I am wasting so much energy denying the new norm of my life, God is quietly waiting for me to turn to Him and accept His strength to help me cope with this change in my life.
Accepting my life's new normal is the way to go. Accepting it won't make the fibro go away, won't make me stop looking for ways to stop the pain or hoping for a cure. Accepting, though, goes a long way towards lowering stress about it. Accepting isn't "giving in" but it reduces my anger about it; I can point the energy used in anger and denial in a more profitable direction.
New norms. We all face new normals of one sort or another, whether from medical problems, aging, changing jobs - any number of reasons. The new norms of our lives are often not welcome changes; we may scream at them, ignore them, deny them. But they stay. Acceptance helps us to get along with our new normals.
Accepting God's strength helps us to accept and work with these changes in our lives. He doesn't promise to eliminate all the bad things in our lives, but He offers us His strength to help us live with our new norms. God is there for us. He waits for us to turn to Him, or turn back to Him if we've turned away in despair
We can accept that our lives have changed, can accept the "new normal", whatever that may be, however hard it may be by accepting God's love and help.
"The writer in Psalms says, "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge, and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' " (Psalm 91:2/NIV Study Bible)
I want to accept His offer of refuge, His strength. I want to trust Him with my pain, my fatigue, my tears and despair. I want to accept God's promise and hand Him my "new norm". I want to trust Him to help me work with and cope with it. I want to keep trying to rest in His promise to be my refuge and strength, for without it, this "new norm" will defeat me.
So many things to write about - everyday life,gardening, cooking,France,Kansas,family,holidays, church,God,Jesus Christ,Christianity,missions, ministry,abortion, politics, art, music, "Sullivan" our English bulldog,reading .....
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
"Chickens on the Go" Matted Prints by sandycarol | RedBubble
"Chickens on the Go" Matted Prints by sandycarol | RedBubble: 
Original photo available matted or not, framed or not, as card, prints, etc.
Original photo available matted or not, framed or not, as card, prints, etc.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Cin's Sweet Potato Pie | Pie Recipes | Just A Pinch Recipe Club
Cin's Sweet Potato Pie | Pie Recipes | Just A Pinch Recipe Club
Another great-sounding recipe that diabetics can enjoy! :)
Another great-sounding recipe that diabetics can enjoy! :)
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER KISSES (COOKIES) | Cookies Recipes | Just A Pinch Recipe Club
FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER KISSES (COOKIES) | Cookies Recipes | Just A Pinch Recipe Club
Since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes this year I'm always on the look-out for some diabetes-friendly recipes. Haven't tried this one yet, but it looks good and certainly simple enough. :)
Since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes this year I'm always on the look-out for some diabetes-friendly recipes. Haven't tried this one yet, but it looks good and certainly simple enough. :)
Friday, December 23, 2011
There Was Pain
I have been struggling with some medical problems since just before Thanksgiving ... a torn meniscus in my right knee and then a large kidney stone. The orthopedic doctor suggested steroid shots for both my knees (said there was arthritis in both of them!), then "wait and see" about surgery for the injured one. The kidney stone took me to the emergency room in worse-than-child-birth-pain, and then to the hospital a bit later to have the too-large-to-pass kidney stone "blasted", which I thought meant having small pieces that would then "pass" painlessly within a day or two. Not so. It will be a week tomorrow since I was in the hospital and the painless-passing of the kidney stone pieces has yet to happen. Oh, and, the nurse said on the phone it wouldn't be painless.
Just took another pain med, which will soon blur my mind, so am trying to write before that happens. Got tired of reclining in the recliner so thought I'd get my thoughts down here before I drift off and/or the kidney stone pieces begin another migration towards the bladder. For all of you who have had kidney stones I can now say that I ABSOLUTELY understand (but wish I didn't)!
I was up at about 4:30 this morning with another of the kidney-stone-pieces-trying-to-pass-into-the-bladder episodes (and they still haven't). Horrible, terrible, almost unbearable, worse-than-giving-birth-type of pain - for about an hour and a half, before the pain med kicked in. I should have taken it before going to bed, but was trying to stay "un-drugged" for a bit. Instead, I've been mostly drugged and out of it in the recliner all day.
My sweet, sweet husband was up with me, having a hard time watching me bending over in pain but hugging me, bringing me a wet cloth for my face, bringing me the liquids to drink that the nurse said to keep drinking, etc. His welcomed attentions did not take away the awful pain but having him there giving those attentions sure helped me endure the pain. When the med finally kicked in and I could talk a little, without moaning, I said to him, "I don't know how someone who is totally alone gets through something like this. That would be so sad."
I called my doctor today about the itching I start having each time I take the pain pill, wondering if I was allergic to the medicine and should maybe stop using it. After asking him about it, his nurse told me the same thing that our doctor-daughter in California had told me over the phone: "Doctor says it's one of the side effects for some people, but to keep taking it, as you'll need it". She was right about that. "Needing" it.
To top off my evening last night, after being without the pain for a few hours, I decided to try and stand long enough in the kitchen to bake a few easy Christmas cookies. I guess I was up too long on the injured knee/leg. As I was (foolishly, I guess) standing on a child's small chair to reach a top cabinet shelf my bad knee/leg just suddenly crumbled beneath me. No pain from it. Nothing. Just gave way and down I went - hard. I couldn't get up so was moaning, groaning and downright crying loud enough for my sleeping husband or grandson to hear me and come to the rescue. It was right at midnight and they'd both been asleep for awhile. Grandson heard, came running to the kitchen then ran to wake my husband. I couldn't get my bad leg in a "right" position to push up on, without a lot of pain ... took the two of them to finally help me up. They both gave me a lecture on "climbing up on things with that leg when you are alone"! Okay - I promised not to do so again.
So ... besides the kidney-stone-pieces-pain, I've also had today a swollen and painful leg again, as well as a bit of hip, back and arm pain.
I do believe that that will be the end of my trying to bake some homemade goodies for this Christmas! In fact, I just ORDERED a couple of things (and they are homemade) from a bakes-goodies-to-sell-lady.
In one of the moments when I could think straight today I told my husband, "I guess I'm going to experience Christmas this year in the way Mary, mother of Jesus, REALLY experienced it: in PAIN.
I've been trying to see something positive in these latest medical messes, in the middle of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. I'm missing out on some of the "fun" Christmas things: shopping, baking, etc. About the only "positive" (?) thought I've come up with was that one - about Mary and her pain at the first Christmas.
It wasn't all fun and roses for that girl, being told she was pregnant and not yet married. She'd be shamed in the community; girls were even sometimes put to death for such things. And how in the world was she going to get Joseph, her fiancee, to believe she hadn't cheated with him and slept with some guy in the village?
I think Mary had quite a bit of emotional pain. I have a feeling that, even when she was at peace with the knowledge of how she came to be pregnant, of Who this Baby in her belly was, that she probably had some human "fear and trembling" of how the friends and neighbors were going to take her news. "A super natural pregnancy? Yeah, right. Come on, Mary, out with it - who's the father?" She would most likely have endured the pain of the community ridiculing her, pitying her, being afraid of their anger and its consequences to her, of their silent treatment.
The emotional pain wasn't the end of her pain, either. She endured the pain of traveling a long distance on the back of a bumping donkey with her very swollen-with-Baby-belly. And delivering a baby back then? In a crude animal shelter, no doctors, no nurses, no clean soft bed, no pain meds, no ice chips. You think that girl was not in pain? Think again!
Yes, I believe Mary had pain, all kinds of pain. But, she also had what she needed to get through that pain, to endure to the end: she had faith and believed what she had been told about this Baby in her belly, that He was God's own Son. I'm pretty sure that she moaned and groaned and shed some tears when that Baby started trying to squirm His way out into our world. Maybe Joseph held a wet cloth to her face, massaged her shoulders, gave her sips of water, had a hard time watching her in the pain of child-birth. But, they both knew the Father of this Baby of all babies was right there with them, would help them endure the process of giving the world the Greatest of Gifts.
The REAL Christmas isn't all light and laughter. It started in pain. Mary's pain, as she gave birth to the Gift from God to us; the same Gift Who would, in pain for us, leave this world, giving us another gift: salvation ... forgiveness.
Merry Christmas to all who read this. May we all remember the pain of the first Christmas that allows us to have the joy of Christmas celebrations now.
Just took another pain med, which will soon blur my mind, so am trying to write before that happens. Got tired of reclining in the recliner so thought I'd get my thoughts down here before I drift off and/or the kidney stone pieces begin another migration towards the bladder. For all of you who have had kidney stones I can now say that I ABSOLUTELY understand (but wish I didn't)!
I was up at about 4:30 this morning with another of the kidney-stone-pieces-trying-to-pass-into-the-bladder episodes (and they still haven't). Horrible, terrible, almost unbearable, worse-than-giving-birth-type of pain - for about an hour and a half, before the pain med kicked in. I should have taken it before going to bed, but was trying to stay "un-drugged" for a bit. Instead, I've been mostly drugged and out of it in the recliner all day.
My sweet, sweet husband was up with me, having a hard time watching me bending over in pain but hugging me, bringing me a wet cloth for my face, bringing me the liquids to drink that the nurse said to keep drinking, etc. His welcomed attentions did not take away the awful pain but having him there giving those attentions sure helped me endure the pain. When the med finally kicked in and I could talk a little, without moaning, I said to him, "I don't know how someone who is totally alone gets through something like this. That would be so sad."
I called my doctor today about the itching I start having each time I take the pain pill, wondering if I was allergic to the medicine and should maybe stop using it. After asking him about it, his nurse told me the same thing that our doctor-daughter in California had told me over the phone: "Doctor says it's one of the side effects for some people, but to keep taking it, as you'll need it". She was right about that. "Needing" it.
To top off my evening last night, after being without the pain for a few hours, I decided to try and stand long enough in the kitchen to bake a few easy Christmas cookies. I guess I was up too long on the injured knee/leg. As I was (foolishly, I guess) standing on a child's small chair to reach a top cabinet shelf my bad knee/leg just suddenly crumbled beneath me. No pain from it. Nothing. Just gave way and down I went - hard. I couldn't get up so was moaning, groaning and downright crying loud enough for my sleeping husband or grandson to hear me and come to the rescue. It was right at midnight and they'd both been asleep for awhile. Grandson heard, came running to the kitchen then ran to wake my husband. I couldn't get my bad leg in a "right" position to push up on, without a lot of pain ... took the two of them to finally help me up. They both gave me a lecture on "climbing up on things with that leg when you are alone"! Okay - I promised not to do so again.
So ... besides the kidney-stone-pieces-pain, I've also had today a swollen and painful leg again, as well as a bit of hip, back and arm pain.
I do believe that that will be the end of my trying to bake some homemade goodies for this Christmas! In fact, I just ORDERED a couple of things (and they are homemade) from a bakes-goodies-to-sell-lady.
In one of the moments when I could think straight today I told my husband, "I guess I'm going to experience Christmas this year in the way Mary, mother of Jesus, REALLY experienced it: in PAIN.
I've been trying to see something positive in these latest medical messes, in the middle of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. I'm missing out on some of the "fun" Christmas things: shopping, baking, etc. About the only "positive" (?) thought I've come up with was that one - about Mary and her pain at the first Christmas.
It wasn't all fun and roses for that girl, being told she was pregnant and not yet married. She'd be shamed in the community; girls were even sometimes put to death for such things. And how in the world was she going to get Joseph, her fiancee, to believe she hadn't cheated with him and slept with some guy in the village?
I think Mary had quite a bit of emotional pain. I have a feeling that, even when she was at peace with the knowledge of how she came to be pregnant, of Who this Baby in her belly was, that she probably had some human "fear and trembling" of how the friends and neighbors were going to take her news. "A super natural pregnancy? Yeah, right. Come on, Mary, out with it - who's the father?" She would most likely have endured the pain of the community ridiculing her, pitying her, being afraid of their anger and its consequences to her, of their silent treatment.
The emotional pain wasn't the end of her pain, either. She endured the pain of traveling a long distance on the back of a bumping donkey with her very swollen-with-Baby-belly. And delivering a baby back then? In a crude animal shelter, no doctors, no nurses, no clean soft bed, no pain meds, no ice chips. You think that girl was not in pain? Think again!
Yes, I believe Mary had pain, all kinds of pain. But, she also had what she needed to get through that pain, to endure to the end: she had faith and believed what she had been told about this Baby in her belly, that He was God's own Son. I'm pretty sure that she moaned and groaned and shed some tears when that Baby started trying to squirm His way out into our world. Maybe Joseph held a wet cloth to her face, massaged her shoulders, gave her sips of water, had a hard time watching her in the pain of child-birth. But, they both knew the Father of this Baby of all babies was right there with them, would help them endure the process of giving the world the Greatest of Gifts.
The REAL Christmas isn't all light and laughter. It started in pain. Mary's pain, as she gave birth to the Gift from God to us; the same Gift Who would, in pain for us, leave this world, giving us another gift: salvation ... forgiveness.
Merry Christmas to all who read this. May we all remember the pain of the first Christmas that allows us to have the joy of Christmas celebrations now.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Meet the Abortion Providers
Meet the Abortion Providers
The abortion makes its millions from snuffing out tiny lives. Thankfully, there are those who worked in the industry who see the truth and leave it.
The abortion makes its millions from snuffing out tiny lives. Thankfully, there are those who worked in the industry who see the truth and leave it.
The Gift
The FaithWriters Writing Challenge and contest for Christian Writers!
In the start of the gift-giving season I found an article I had written a few years ago about a special gift I received; thought it's worth a reprint. :) Just click on the above site and you will see the article .....
In the start of the gift-giving season I found an article I had written a few years ago about a special gift I received; thought it's worth a reprint. :) Just click on the above site and you will see the article .....
Monday, October 31, 2011
Tile / Bird and Leaves from Zazzle.com
Tile / Bird and Leaves from Zazzle.com
New product available at Zazzle.com/samecla* - ceramic tile, in two sizes - available framed also
New product available at Zazzle.com/samecla* - ceramic tile, in two sizes - available framed also
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
For all my readers close enough to attend:
Mark your calendars NOW for a fun get-in-the-Christmas-spirit day:
CHRISTMAS MARKET
Saturday / December 3rd.
Time: 9:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M.
1022 North Plum St.
in the gym at the Wellington Baptist Temple church
for information/directions: 620-326-3255
**************************************
Everyone welcome to come by and have a fun day hearing the Christmas music, drinking some free coffee/tea - buying some of the yummy food available (BBQ, cinnamon rolls, etc). Stroll through the vendors' booths with your coffee or tea - or sit at a table and relax with your drink and/or food. Come by yourself or, better yet, get together a group of friends to come and enjoy the time together.
Our Christmas Market will be large enough for you to find a variety of homemade and handmade quality items
and small enough to be fun and "home-y"... you will have time and space to roam and visit and relax as you shop.
We will also be collecting an entrance "fee" (completely voluntary") of a can or box of non-perishable food and/or a toy for the food pantry and toys-for-some-kids who might not get any for Christmas. We have the opportunity to shop for gifts for our friends and families, as well as share with others who might need some help for Christmas ..... what better way, than sharing, to start the Christmas celebration?
SO.............. MARK THE DATE ON THOSE CALENDARS! :) See you there.
Mark your calendars NOW for a fun get-in-the-Christmas-spirit day:
CHRISTMAS MARKET
Saturday / December 3rd.
Time: 9:00 A.M. - 8:00 P.M.
1022 North Plum St.
in the gym at the Wellington Baptist Temple church
for information/directions: 620-326-3255
**************************************
Everyone welcome to come by and have a fun day hearing the Christmas music, drinking some free coffee/tea - buying some of the yummy food available (BBQ, cinnamon rolls, etc). Stroll through the vendors' booths with your coffee or tea - or sit at a table and relax with your drink and/or food. Come by yourself or, better yet, get together a group of friends to come and enjoy the time together.
Our Christmas Market will be large enough for you to find a variety of homemade and handmade quality items
and small enough to be fun and "home-y"... you will have time and space to roam and visit and relax as you shop.
We will also be collecting an entrance "fee" (completely voluntary") of a can or box of non-perishable food and/or a toy for the food pantry and toys-for-some-kids who might not get any for Christmas. We have the opportunity to shop for gifts for our friends and families, as well as share with others who might need some help for Christmas ..... what better way, than sharing, to start the Christmas celebration?
SO.............. MARK THE DATE ON THOSE CALENDARS! :) See you there.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Be Still
Yesterday I was reading a short devotional that had to do with "being still". The Scripture verse it cited was Psalm 46:10(a) - "Be still, and know that I am God ...".
As a grandma now I find it easier and easier to "be still" ... physically, anyway. Some days it seems that's about all I can do - be still. The aches and pains force me to be still. My brain thinks of all kinds of reasons NOT to be still; my body, with its lack of energy, thinks otherwise. The recliner is always there beckoning me to plop down and be still.
There was a time, when our four children were growing up, when I couldn't give in all that often to any aches and pains. Mothers of children-at-home need to keep moving; keep doing. Physically AND mentally. They just have to keep pushing on no matter how they feel. All mothers know this. "Being still" was too often such a huge stretch of the imagination - I couldn't take it seriously. There was no time to "be still". Really, God, could You have been joking?
But as hard as it can be for some to slow down and "be still" physically it is, for me anyway, even harder to "be still" mentally and spiritually. I might well give in to that recliner ... stretch out ... relieving some pain ... be still physically but, once I am there, my mind will more than likely be racing all over the place.
I find it hard to keep my mind "still", to not be thinking constantly of one thing or another. "Be still, and know that I am God", says God. Okay, I hear You but ... could You sort of help me out here? Turn the brain waves down or something? Maybe block out all those "what'll I fix for supper - I've got to call ... I need to take the clothes out of the dryer - gotta finish reading that book - better call the kids, etc." thoughts?
It's so HARD, God, to BE STILL and "know" You. Being still ... having a calm, blank mind seems so simple. It isn't. Is that why You put that in Your Book, God? Because You already knew how we humans would be racing through life in both body AND mind/spirit? You already knew we'd NEED to be reminded to slow down; to be still? Because You knew all along that we busy, busy, busy people would HAVE to be told: "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD ..."?
Certainly in this day and time we need reminded to do just that. "Be still and know that I am God". Yes. Be still. We NEED to be still. We NEED to know that God is God. We NEED to be still and know that God is God and be still so we can hear what He has to tell us.
God knew, and knows, that we NEED to do this. He knows that our "being still" is just as important to us as breathing the air - we NEED it. We NEED to know Him. We NEED to hear Him. We NEED to know where He's leading us.
Though I do find it difficult, my prayer is that I will be able, more and more, to "be still" and know God - know Him better and better and better. How about you?
As a grandma now I find it easier and easier to "be still" ... physically, anyway. Some days it seems that's about all I can do - be still. The aches and pains force me to be still. My brain thinks of all kinds of reasons NOT to be still; my body, with its lack of energy, thinks otherwise. The recliner is always there beckoning me to plop down and be still.
There was a time, when our four children were growing up, when I couldn't give in all that often to any aches and pains. Mothers of children-at-home need to keep moving; keep doing. Physically AND mentally. They just have to keep pushing on no matter how they feel. All mothers know this. "Being still" was too often such a huge stretch of the imagination - I couldn't take it seriously. There was no time to "be still". Really, God, could You have been joking?
But as hard as it can be for some to slow down and "be still" physically it is, for me anyway, even harder to "be still" mentally and spiritually. I might well give in to that recliner ... stretch out ... relieving some pain ... be still physically but, once I am there, my mind will more than likely be racing all over the place.
I find it hard to keep my mind "still", to not be thinking constantly of one thing or another. "Be still, and know that I am God", says God. Okay, I hear You but ... could You sort of help me out here? Turn the brain waves down or something? Maybe block out all those "what'll I fix for supper - I've got to call ... I need to take the clothes out of the dryer - gotta finish reading that book - better call the kids, etc." thoughts?
It's so HARD, God, to BE STILL and "know" You. Being still ... having a calm, blank mind seems so simple. It isn't. Is that why You put that in Your Book, God? Because You already knew how we humans would be racing through life in both body AND mind/spirit? You already knew we'd NEED to be reminded to slow down; to be still? Because You knew all along that we busy, busy, busy people would HAVE to be told: "BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD ..."?
Certainly in this day and time we need reminded to do just that. "Be still and know that I am God". Yes. Be still. We NEED to be still. We NEED to know that God is God. We NEED to be still and know that God is God and be still so we can hear what He has to tell us.
God knew, and knows, that we NEED to do this. He knows that our "being still" is just as important to us as breathing the air - we NEED it. We NEED to know Him. We NEED to hear Him. We NEED to know where He's leading us.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
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