tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58269884704063232592024-03-13T08:37:25.574-07:00Spring SightFinding hope in the midst of chronic painLinda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-78078153547651429212021-05-18T06:39:00.307-07:002021-05-18T08:51:56.566-07:00A Caregiver's Perspective: Living with Hypereosinophilic Syndrome<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Oyk3knSbicbz5fPqlhikN_oy2FNnBGgsPxb4nmbv7LgH38XJiM6Jd5nspqbKmVbbHPZ0iYfKUzQiU3-Cm5J0U4M4Y9SrF-27eTj2C9HvcT8DNctM9ZiJUs2zFI5nM3cGq8WT9Y9n2avJ/s770/Facebook-cover-photo-80-770x360.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="770" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Oyk3knSbicbz5fPqlhikN_oy2FNnBGgsPxb4nmbv7LgH38XJiM6Jd5nspqbKmVbbHPZ0iYfKUzQiU3-Cm5J0U4M4Y9SrF-27eTj2C9HvcT8DNctM9ZiJUs2zFI5nM3cGq8WT9Y9n2avJ/s320/Facebook-cover-photo-80-770x360.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Seven years ago, I began this blog to share what it was like to live with rheumatoid arthritis, which I had just been diagnosed with, and to offer hope to those living with chronic illnesses. Since then, my condition has improved greatly. I still have to live with multiple chronic illnesses - RA, chronic migraines, hypothyroidism, psoriasis and seizure disorder - but all of them are, by in large, well managed by daily medication and lifestyle choices. I don't drink or smoke, I avoid certain foods that can trigger flares, I exercise regularly and I manage my stress. All of this, combined with my steadfast faith in God, has helped me to live a normal, happy life despite my health conditions. I am very fortunate in that most of the time, I don't even think about them!</p><p>What I have been thinking a lot about for the past year is a condition my daughter has been diagnosed with, which is called Hypereosinophilic Syndrome (HES). Yes, that's a mouthful, and it doesn't get any easier to spell or pronounce over time! It is also hard to describe to people, because it is a rare disease that can affect people in different ways. Like RA, it is an invisible illness, it is progressive, incurable and can be fatal if left untreated. </p><p>Many people who have HES go undiagnosed for years. It is related to the allergic response system in the body, and yet not everyone who has allergies will develop HES. Eosinophil levels may be high in people with asthma and eczema, but usually not high enough to be considered hypereosinophilia. (The normal level of eosinophils is 0-500, eosinophilia is 500+ and hypereosinophilia is 1,500 +) My daughter J has had food and environmental allergies, eczema and asthma for most of her life, and yet it was not until she had a blood test for an unrelated infection that we discovered her eosinophils were over 1,500. Even then, the doctors cautiously waited and watched her numbers for a solid year before diagnosing her with HES. This is not a lightweight disease. The treatment options are long-term steroids, chemotherapy drugs, and biologics, the latter of which have only been available recently.</p><p>The biggest clue to J's condition was not her increasingly worsening eczema and asthma, but rather J's depleted energy level. A naturally gifted athlete, our daughter has participated in a number of sports, from competitive ice skating to volleyball, track and lacrosse. She was used to early morning practice sessions and games after school. It was unusual, then, for her to have to be dragged out of bed in the morning and for her then to be crawling back under the covers when she got home from school. When COVID-19 hit and the schools went online, my full-time job became trying to ensure that she stayed awake during classes, something I didn't always achieve. She went from lacrosse practice several times a week to not having the energy to even walk the dog.</p><p>In December of 2020, J's eosinophil level skyrocketed to 4,500. To make sure it wasn't a fluke, she was tested again a few weeks later and her numbers were over 3,200. In addition to all the regular blood tests we were already getting done, she was sent to a cardiologist, neurologist, and dermatologist for additional tests. After establishing that she did not have any underlying condition that could be causing her elevated eosinophils, she was diagnosed with idiopathic HES. Last month she began treatments with a biologic called Nucala.</p><p>While my daughter has always had various health conditions that required some degree of management, this past year has given me new insight into what it is to be a caregiver of someone with a serious chronic illness. Having RA, which also comes with fatigue, has given me an appreciation for her inability to participate in activities at the level she was used to. I knew she wasn't being lazy or insolent when she said she was too tired to do something; or when she went to church and Mother's Day brunch without makeup and did her best to smile and be polite, but didn't have the energy to be very social. As her mother, I was just appreciative of her being there with me.</p><p>I have shared J's fatigue of medical appointments. I don't know how many miles around the greater Houston area we have driven for all of them, but they have literally spanned from The Woodlands in the north to Katy in the west, to Clear Lake in the south. We are in the Medical Center every month to see her hematologist at Texas Children's Hospital Cancer Center. To say that we are grateful her allergist/immunologist's office (where she has to go once a week) is close by our house is an understatement. </p><p>School is another issue we have both had to deal with. We are grateful to have a great administrative team at her high school who supported our efforts to put a 504 Plan in place and granted accommodations for J. Between COVID and J's HES, this has not been a stellar year academically, but we have high hopes for the future.</p><p>Side effects from treatments vary. After J's first treatment with Nucala, she said she felt like she had run about 200 miles. Her exhaustion was all day, every day for over a week. After that, her energy level perked up until a few days before her second treatment, when she began to feel the fatigue of her HES return. Fortunately, her second treatment went well and the extreme fatigue from it only lasted about a day. </p><p>With two treatments under our belt, it is wonderful to see J starting to thrive again. She is pushing herself hard to pull up her school grades and finish the school year strong. She is looking forward to summer and hopefully will be going back to lacrosse in the fall. I found a great HES support group online and made friends with a sweet young woman who has connected with J. Yes, chronic illness is challenging and has its ups and downs, but God is good and life goes on. Here in the Perkins family, we are keeping the faith!</p><p>For more info on HES, <a href="https://apfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/APFED_HES_bro_final.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here for a handy printable brochure</a>. </p><p><i>Peace, love and joy to you today,</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Linda</i></p><p><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>A Caregiver's Perspective: Living with Hypereosinophilic Syndrome </b></i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. </span></p>Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-20879148856117533912021-01-27T09:41:00.001-08:002021-01-27T13:21:36.584-08:00Rest for the Weary<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJAx72qkmQsw4X8QE9yW5lm7gWd2ue64sAwf8yuma5MZ0K2fg4ng9PgqDMAUrkzl3Ec4J15ZKdFTCpQSIMYch7tYauXBTFA70r4jkJL3ieX3yVRUURUo2Q3kTrDqlqsVJM21Aefs9qSRs/s421/Rest+for+the+weary.jpg" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/giuliamar-34680/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=330869">Giulia Marotta</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=330869">Pixabay</a>" border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="421" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJAx72qkmQsw4X8QE9yW5lm7gWd2ue64sAwf8yuma5MZ0K2fg4ng9PgqDMAUrkzl3Ec4J15ZKdFTCpQSIMYch7tYauXBTFA70r4jkJL3ieX3yVRUURUo2Q3kTrDqlqsVJM21Aefs9qSRs/w320-h299/Rest+for+the+weary.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"> <i>"Come to me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28</i></p><p>I planned to write this post at the end of 2020. It was a long year, wasn't it? We thought it couldn't get worse. Yet, here we are in 2021 and there are still major upheavals in our lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the United States, we have a new president and while some are happy about that, some are clearly not, as evidenced by the violent storming of the Capitol by extremists on January 6 and the subsequent impeachment of Donald Trump. Sigh. Drama, drama, drama. Whichever side you're on, the daily news is pretty exhausting most of the time. Add in a dose of chronic illness (with the fear of getting even sicker thanks to the coronavirus) and it can be pretty overwhelming, right?</p><p>If it's any consolation, life back in Jesus' time was no less complicated. Throughout the Bible, you find stories of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Famines and plagues were not uncommon. God's people traveled from land to land, sometimes being enslaved or persecuted, while at other times finding themselves wandering around in the desert due to their own disobedience. Jesus' family had to flee the country to protect Him from being executed while He was just a baby, and then He became highly unpopular with the Pharisees, from the start of His ministry all the way through to His crucifixion. Jesus knew that life could be stressful, not just some of the time, but a LOT of the time.</p><p>Jesus' invitation to rest in Him when we are weary reflects the prayer of King David in Psalm 23. Verses 1-4 from the New Living Bible say:</p><i>The Lord is my shepherd;</i><br /><i>I have all that I need.</i><br /><i>He lets me rest in green meadows;</i><br /><i>he leads me beside peaceful streams.</i><br /><i>He renews my strength.</i><br /><i>He guides me along right paths,</i><br /><i>bringing honor to his name.</i><br /><i>Even when I walk through the darkest valley</i><br /><i>I will not be afraid,</i><br /><i>for you are close beside me.</i><br /><i>Your rod and your staff<br /></i><i>protect and comfort me.</i><p>Do you see here what resting in the Lord means? We not have all we want, but in Him, we have all we need. Like a shepherd tending his flock, Jesus lets us rest when we are weary, while He keeps watch over us. He leads us beside peaceful streams, giving us living water for our parched and thirsty souls. He renews our strength when we feel like we can't go on. He guides us along right paths, giving us discernment and wisdom, direction and purpose, when we aren't sure which way to go. Even when we are in the darkest times of our lives, we need not be afraid, for we know He is close by, there to protect and comfort us.</p><p>No matter what you may be facing in 2021, you are not alone. God is with us in Emmanuel. He will walk with you, guide you and protect you, allowing you to rest in His presence while regaining the strength you need to continue on your journey. Do not be dismayed. Do not be discouraged. Do not be afraid. Instead, take courage from the power of His might. And when you are weary, go to Jesus. He will give you rest.</p><p><i>Peace, love and joy to you today.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Linda</i></p><p><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Rest for the Weary </b></i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> </span></p>Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-73328721347296925622019-10-04T12:25:00.001-07:002019-10-04T12:25:32.206-07:00Adjusting Your Expectations<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPC_b3PlQTObOovfbVRE3Rygwg3y2-znGrV0ocwBDT5iC2XuARWqKqkMe4oZtA5bxO9z9PF5b_49POv3LXk9wyYb9F5PT5zw4Ob32SvF-s-P1crfnpOXPQJnyBixTZ7XR7Non68uY22wG/s1600/FInal-2019-JPGH-badge-marked-RD-not-RA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="146" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPC_b3PlQTObOovfbVRE3Rygwg3y2-znGrV0ocwBDT5iC2XuARWqKqkMe4oZtA5bxO9z9PF5b_49POv3LXk9wyYb9F5PT5zw4Ob32SvF-s-P1crfnpOXPQJnyBixTZ7XR7Non68uY22wG/s1600/FInal-2019-JPGH-badge-marked-RD-not-RA.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>#RDBlog Week 2019</i><br />
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Expectations. We all have them. We have hopes and dreams, as well as plans for turning them into reality. But what happens when you get hit with a chronic, incurable illness like rheumatoid disease? It is so easy to feel shattered, as if all your hopes and dreams have flown right out the window.<br />
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Five years ago, I went to my dermatologist to find a treatment for rosacea and ended up with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Boy, did I not see that coming! Well, okay, the truth is that I absolutely saw it coming...for at least six months before I got the results of my blood work. My hands hurt every night and I hobbled across the floor each morning, struggling with each painful step. I knew something was not right, but I definitely did not want to hear those two dreaded initials: RA.<br />
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<b>My life, five years into having RA, is definitely different than it was before. It's better.</b><br />
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I cried when I got the news. And when I read the material the doctor handed me about treatments and the long-term ramifications of RA, I cried even more. What about the plans I had for my life? What about the hopes and dreams I shared with my husband of just four months? I thought that life as I knew it was over. And you know what? It was. My life today is not what it was then. It's better.<br />
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If you didn't catch what I just said, listen up, because it's the truth: My life, five years after my rheumatoid disease diagnosis, is better than it was. Is it perfect and pain-free? No, it is not. Am I in remission? Nope.<br />
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<b>The simple difference between then and now is that I have adjusted my expectations.</b><br />
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Prior to developing RA, I was working on obtaining and maintaining a "beach body." I was working out hard and dieting to get down to my ideal body. It was hard, but I was doing it. What I couldn't figure out, however, was why I was so very, very tired every day and it was getting worse. Little did I know that the fatigue of RA was beginning to set in. I felt like a wuss. I was stressed out trying to get my body to measure up to what I thought I should be capable of. And when I couldn't keep up the pace and the weight began to creep back on, I felt like a failure.<br />
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Today, I weigh 30 pounds more than I did when I achieved my "ideal" weight. Do I love that? No, of course I don't! Here's the deal, though. I have learned over the past five years that my identity is not tied to a number. It is not tied to the weight on the scale or the size of my clothes. I am ME and I have come to know myself in a deeper way since having RA and I have come to like myself for who I am. That is a gift that I would not have if it were not for living with my disease.<br />
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It would not be fair to skip over the struggles to get here, and to talk about the other expectations I have had to adjust. With regards to my diet and exercise program, I have learned there are things I can and can't do with RA, and there are things I can and can't control.<br />
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I CAN overcome my tendency to be a couch potato in order to be healthier. I can get up and walk around my neighborhood or the mall, and I can take the stairs instead of the elevator. I can limit myself to a 65-calorie mini chocolate bar as an evening treat and skip the dessert tray or a full-size package of candy. Those are things I can control...and they can make a difference. I could not do much aerobic activity after shoulder surgery, however, and being couch-bound for even just six weeks packed on some pounds. So did taking Prednisone. Even my migraine medication had weight gain as a side effect. And those "beach body" workouts I used to do? All those do now is to put me in a flare that will set me back even more. Can I still kayak, hike, and exercise? You bet. But "easy does it" has become my mantra. Look back in my blog and you'll see I even hiked the Grand Canyon a couple of years ago! I just knew to adjust my expectations and to not push myself beyond my limits.<br />
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<b>I can't control everything RA does to my body, and so I have found my best way to deal with it is to accept the best version of myself, whatever that looks like.</b><br />
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Accepting what you can and cannot control is part of life. Even if I didn't have RA, I can't control everything and everyone around me. My daughter is a teenager now. Need I say more? Perhaps that's why the oldest saying in the book is this: "Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans!" None of us can say for certain what our lives will look like in five, ten or twenty years ... or heck, even next week! So for me, I have found the best way to live is one day at a time.<br />
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As far as my body goes, I am not where I used to be, before I got hit with RA. But I am nowhere near where I feared I might be, either. My medications have been effective, with few side effects, and I am still mobile. If I ever am disabled by RA, though, I will be prepared. I think about accessibility in our current home and the one we eventually plan to build. I occasionally think about learning voice recognition software, in case my hands begin to give me more trouble.<br />
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I have learned to listen to my body so I don't end up in a flare. And those naps I used to feel like a "wuss" if I took? Today, I know that when my body says it's time to rest, I make no apologies. With RA, self care is of utmost importance, including the need to say "no" to doing too much.<br />
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Adjusting expectations isn't just an RA thing. It's a life skill. We all change, from the day we are born until the day we die. The way to deal with it is through acceptance. How do I accept the changes I don't like? That is where I have to reach beyond the physical to the spiritual for answers. My faith is what helps me navigate the roller coaster of life with RA. You see, this is what God tells me:<br />
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<i>"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you a hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11</i></div>
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When I keep those words in mind, it is easier to adjust my day-to-day expectations. Because in the big picture, my expectation is that everything will work out just fine.<br />
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<i>Peace, love and joy to you today.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Linda</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Adjusting Your Expectations </b></i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<br />Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-75971444289936632802018-09-25T12:55:00.002-07:002018-09-26T06:20:02.542-07:00Rheumatoid Disease - There is Hope!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>#RDBlog Week 2018</i><br />
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It's that time of year again and, as usual, there is more I could write if only I had the time. So, I would like to kick off my participation by telling you what I want you to know most: there is hope!<br />
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I began this blog four years ago after I was diagnosed with rheumatoid disease (or rheumatoid arthritis, as many people know it). At that time, I had no hope. I took the information the doctor gave me and found a few sites online that gave me more knowledge about the disease, and became terrified. I had already begun the process of self-diagnosis, looking up what it meant to have a huge degree of pain in my hands at feet, especially early in the morning. When the doctor gave me the news, I was dismayed but not too surprised.<br />
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I'm not sure which scared me more - the disease itself or the medications to treat it. I had just lost my dad to lung cancer and saw him go through enormous pain and suffering being treated with chemotherapy, so the idea of taking methotrexate was terrifying. Biologics were just coming onto the market and while some people were having remarkable success with them, others were having life-threatening scares with reactions that left them in the hospital. Fortunately, I was able to put off taking any anti-rheumatic drugs for awhile, as I got used to the idea of having RA.<br />
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Six months after my diagnosis, I had shoulder surgery on a rotator cuff I had torn. When I wasn't recovering on schedule, the orthopedist told me I had to get on a DMARD (anti-rheumatic drug) or I would not do well, as he already found erosions in my shoulder that were caused by my RA. I went on Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine). I have been on it ever since, with few if any side effects. It's not conclusive if it caused my psoriasis, yet another autoimmune disease, but it's mild enough that I have decided I can live with that as long as my RA is under control using the Plaquenil.<br />
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When I was first diagnosed, I cried because I thought my life outdoors with my husband would be over. I am here to tell you that it wasn't and it still isn't! Since that time, we have hiked in the Canadian Rockies, the Grand Canyon and Costa Rica. We still paddle the bayous and lakes in and around Texas, and I went whitewater kayaking (just Class 1-2) in Arkansas for the first time two years ago! We even joined the Banff Canoe Club when we were on vacation there.<br />
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Life with RA means you have to take care of yourself. You have to go at a slower pace, eating right and getting plenty of rest. Stress can really take its toll, and so you have to manage it. Exercise is important, but you have to pace yourself or you might throw yourself into a flare. I have learned that RA is the weirdest disease ever, too, because your pain can migrate all over your body! I have experienced RA symptoms not only in my hands and my feet, but also in my neck, knees, elbows, hips, jaw and even in my armpits! I have learned that ice packs, heat packs and anti-inflammatories are my friend. So are massages....mmmm, so good! And don't forget other people with RA as well. I couldn't have gotten through the past few years without the support of my friends, both old and new. RA has given me the gift of friendship with some wonderful people who are blogging about their disease as well. They inspire me to keep doing what I'm doing!<br />
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If you read this blog, you'll see that it is spiritually based. While those of us with RA can give you all the tips in the world, God can give you something more: peace. There is something about knowing He has everything under control, even when we can't see it or feel it, that gives me the ability to keep pushing through the hard days. I also find a lot of gratitude with Him by my side. Even though my life has changed, I never forget how truly blessed I am.<br />
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I will be writing more this week about specific topics chosen for this year's #RDBlog Week. In the meantime, feel free to click through old posts of mine, or head over to Pack Health, a support organization I write for. I shared some <a href="https://packhealth.com/living-your-best-life-with-ra/" target="_blank">tips for living your best life with RA</a> there for #RDBlog Week 2018.<br />
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I hope you come back here to visit and please leave your name and a comment so I can get to know you as well! Praying you will have a blessed day. ((Gentle hugs))<br />
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<i>Peace, joy and love to you today,</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Linda</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Rheumatoid Disease - There is Hope! </b></i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> </span>Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-30798026478473476372018-07-02T10:51:00.000-07:002018-07-02T17:36:11.291-07:00Why Our Behavior Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Do to others as you would have them do to you." - Luke 6:31</i></div>
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My husband and I made a new friend recently. His name is Tom. We met him at a New Year's Eve event and by every account, he was the life of the party. He was all smiles and laughter, and was not too proud to don the colorful beads and top hat that were provided to celebrants. We never would have guessed that he was a stage 4 lung cancer patient if his wife Darrelynn hadn't told us about his condition.<br />
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Tom had a bad reaction to a chemotherapy drug recently, which landed him in the hospital for several days and in a rehabilitation center for a couple of weeks afterwards. When I went to visit him, I could hardly believe that he had been at death's door just a few days beforehand. He was so cheery, he made me smile. He hugged on everyone who came into his room and gave a word of encouragement and appreciation to all of the nurses and aides. He gave all the credit for his joy to the Lord.<br />
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When Tom left the care center, Darrelynn posted a picture on Facebook of her and Tom with some of the people there. Below the group of smiling people, she described how they had become friends with many of the "wonderful staff" there.<br />
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If you didn't know Tom and Darrelynn, you might think he had been at a five-star nursing facility, they way they described their experience. I knew better. When I had googled the place before going to visit, I noted it's low rating and some people's complaints about the unfriendly staff. The truth is that it wasn't just the staff that made Tom's experience there so wonderful. It was Tom (and Darrelynn, whose spirit shines just as brightly).<br />
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If you grew up with siblings, or if you have more than one child, you know something about deflection, otherwise known as the blame game. Two kids get in a fight, and when each one shares their story, it inevitably is always the other one's fault. "She started it!" or "I wouldn't have, except for him..." is usually how the story starts. No one ever wants to admit <i>their</i> part in it.<br />
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There is an old saying "There are two sides to every story, and the truth is usually somewhere in the middle." I imagine that truism has been around for thousands of years, because Jesus neatly addressed the issue when he preached about loving others.<br />
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"Do to others as you would have them do to you," Jesus said. He followed up by saying that this is not just how we should treat our friends, but also our enemies. Yes, we are called to treat others - <i>everyone </i>- as we would want to be treated.<br />
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I could easily address this in the political realm, where lately civility has completely gone up in smoke. I will not, however, because this is not a blog to discuss political issues. Spring Sight is designed to bring encouragement and hope to those struggling with chronic illness. So how do we relate this to our situation?<br />
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I used Tom as an example for a reason. Tom was diagnosed with cancer over two years ago. At the time, he was given just a few weeks to live. Boy, has he surprised those doctors! But he hasn't been without suffering. He has had to live with his cancer, and the side effects of his treatments, every day.<br />
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While Tom could easily complain, he has chosen to keep his eyes on Jesus and to be grateful instead. Rather than lashing out in anger and pain, he has reached out to everyone in love. And you know what? As a result of the way he has treated others with love and kindness, that love and kindness gets poured right back into Tom.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The principle is this: It is hard to hate the one who loves you.</span></b></div>
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Have you ever been rushing through the grocery store, in a bad mood, and then someone smiles and opens the door for you or tells you to have a nice day? I don't know about you, but that one small gesture can cheer me right up.<br />
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Just as we who are ill rely on caregivers to be kind and sweet to us. so we must remember that it is easier to care for someone who shows gratitude and kindness as well. What comes around goes around, as they say. Perhaps that nurse isn't mean, but rather having problems at home. Will you pass judgment on her, or just focus on how kind <i>you </i>can be? Maybe that doctor who kept you waiting for an hour is overwhelmed with patients whose problems are bigger than he can fix in an instant. Your patience may be just the gift he needs right now.<br />
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Day in and day out, we have our ups and downs. Sometimes we feel fine and sometimes we are doing well to just put one foot in front of the other. It can be downright difficult to muster a smile at times. And yet, we have to keep going, as do our spouses and other caregivers we interact with.<br />
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If we truly want our days - and our relationships - to be better, then we need to remember what Jesus said. Be kind first. Treat others as you would want them to treat you. There's a good chance it will circle right back to you.<br />
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<i>Peace, joy and love to you today -</i><br />
<i><br /></i><i>Linda</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Why Our Behavior Matters </b></i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></div>
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<br />Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-41784700019591941162018-01-18T09:51:00.000-08:002018-01-18T12:01:24.414-08:00Embracing Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!" - Nehemiah 8:10</i></div>
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Don't let my smile fool you; I am not a naturally happy person.<br />
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Neither a sunny optimist nor a depressed pessimist, I am a realist. Unfortunately, reality doesn't often match up with my highest hopes and dreams. And knowing that fact, as evidenced too many times in my life, makes it hard for me to stay up in the clouds of excitement for very long.<br />
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When I was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), I was relieved to hear that my case was considered mild. After reading up on my disease, however, I quickly learned that it was a progressive disease and couldn't help but begin thinking about "what ifs." What if it gets worse? What if the medicines make me sick or cause me to lose my hair? What if they don't work at all? What if, what if, what if.<br />
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It is no wonder that Philippians 4:6 became my favorite Bible verse very early on...by the age of about nine, actually. "Do not worry about anything..." it begins. Yeah right, said Little Miss Worry Wart. "Instead pray about everything." Okay, I will try that, I thought. And so I did.<br />
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It didn't take long in my early Christian life to figure out that without prayer - letting go and letting God - I was pretty much sunk. There were so many things I couldn't control, and all the worrying in the world wasn't going to change a thing. And yet, many years later, I still struggle with the same question of how to put on a happy face while being absolutely clueless about how things will work out. I want to believe for the best, but it is still difficult sometimes.<br />
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Being in my 50's with several chronic illnesses does not help things. Last year, I planned a fabulous Spring Break trip with my daughter for her 13th birthday, and ended up spending half of it screaming in pain with daily migraines.<br />
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This year, my husband and I are planning to go to the Grand Canyon. Lately, however, I have been noticing some all-too-familiar pain in my hands and feet that I know is due to my RA. Every day, I go to the gym or walk in my neighborhood, gearing up for the canyon hike I have always dreamed of. But for every time I come back exhilarated, there is another time I return exhausted from what seems like a relatively minimal amount of exercise. So if you ask me if I am looking forward to my trip, I will smile and tell you I am, but in the back of my mind, there is a teeny voice reminding me that it might not go the way we have it planned.<br />
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So what do we do when chronic illness keeps us from feeling our best, or when it seems to take on a life of its own, preventing us from being able to plan out our happy ever afters? For me, there is only one answer:<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">When we cannot find joy within ourselves, we must seek out<br />and embrace the joy of the Lord.</span></b></div>
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The Bible makes it pretty clear that we can't rely on our circumstances for our happiness. Heck, there is an entire book dedicated to the struggles of Job, a man who lost everything he had in this world! And yet, there he is as an example of someone who never lost faith and continued to praise God anyway.<br />
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I don't know about you, but just telling me to "trust God" doesn't do much for me. "HOW do I do that?" I immediately want to ask. Thankfully, the Bible spells it out.<br />
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<i>Joy of the Lord Lesson #1: When life gets overwhelming, spend time with Jesus.</i><br />
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Ever heard the story of Mary and Martha? You can find it in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 10, but here are the Cliff notes: When Jesus went to dinner at these sisters' home, Martha spent her time running around, worrying about every detail, while Mary sat contentedly at Jesus' feet.<br />
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I have yet to find any day that didn't get better after spending time in God's Word and in prayer. It's as simple as that. Whether it's something in Scripture that instructs or comforts me, or the peace that comes over me when I'm in communion with the Holy Spirit, my joy is increased immeasurably by the presence of the Lord.<br />
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<i>Joy of the Lord Lesson #2: Take life one day at a time.</i><br />
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When I spend time focused on the future, my list of "what ifs" goes way up. I can usually handle whatever comes my way today, however. That's why Jesus tells us, in Matthew 6:34, not to worry about tomorrow "for tomorrow will care for itself." Taking life one day at a time is the only way to not fret about the future. I can find a little joy every day.<br />
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<i>Joy of the Lord Lesson #3: Trust in God's good plan.</i><br />
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One of the best gifts I have ever received from a friend was a Bible verse - Jeremiah 29.11. "For I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." We can't control the future, but God can, and having the reassurance that He is looking out for our welfare certainly allays my fears. I can look forward to the days ahead with joy, and not dread.<br />
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J<i>oy of the Lord Lesson #4: Live in an attitude of gratitude.</i><br />
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Something I am fond of saying quite often, in the midst of misfortune, is "it could always be worse." Pity parties aren't pretty, and when I am tempted to start one for myself, all I have to do is turn on the news to realize that many people are in much more dire circumstances than myself. In order to experience the true joy of the Lord, however, I have to take it to the next level.<br />
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It isn't enough to just be grateful that I don't have it as bad as some others. I have to look at all the blessings I have received from God's hands! Psalm 126:3 says "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Joy comes from looking at our lives through the lens of gratitude. When we see how much we have been given - even if just food to eat and clothes to wear - it is easy to see just how much God cares for us. There is evidence that even when life doesn't work out the way we <i>want</i>, we often get what we <i>need</i>. Recognizing that fact is key to experiencing the joy of the Lord. We can praise Him every day!<br />
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Today, I can be honest in saying I am not a naturally happy person. It is not in my human nature to smile during trials and be optimistic about the future. But I have found that when I stay close to Jesus, live one day at a time, trust in His plan, and live with gratitude for all He has done and continues to do in my life, I can experience joy - the joy of the Lord - in any circumstance. And if you choose to do the same, so can you!<br />
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<i>Peace, joy and love to you today -</i><br />
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<i>Linda</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Embracing Joy </b></i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></div>
Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-57976822749159439462017-10-03T09:02:00.001-07:002017-10-03T14:19:46.738-07:00Losing the Labels, While Embracing Our Identity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." - Romans 15:7 (NIV)</i></div>
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I looked over to the right of where I was sitting on the equestrian center's metal bleachers, as we waited for our trail ride to begin. My daughter's Bible study leader was talking to several other women, but I couldn't hear them. Instead, they were communicating with their hands. </div>
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I felt a little left out and jealous that I couldn't be a part of the conversation, because I didn't know sign language, but at the same time I admired them. The very fact they were here at the women's retreat told me that their deafness wasn't going to hold them back from experiencing all that God had for them, and it wasn't going to stop them from having relationships with hearing people, either. </div>
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I asked them, through the interpreter, if I could have a picture with them. I said I wanted to send it to my daughter, whose favorite show is Switched at Birth, a television series about a deaf community. They smiled and obliged, but it got me thinking.</div>
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These women had come to the conference with an interpreter, like anyone who spoke another language would, and yet we kept referring to them as members of our church's deaf community. Don't get me wrong, the references were good and kind and filled with gratitude for having these special ladies at the retreat. But I wondered for a moment, "What if they don't like being labeled as the deaf community?"</div>
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Those of us with "invisible diseases" like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune disorders are often quick to complain that people often don't understand our pain because they can't see it. Therefore, we will sometimes be tempted to announce our disability, just so people get it. We don't want to appear lazy or rude when we can't participate in certain activities due to pain or fatigue, and so we will explain our dilemma with a statement like "Well, I would except for my RA..." or "I'm sorry, but my RA is really flared up right now." We unintentionally label ourselves as "a person with RA."</div>
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While it's fine if we want to label ourselves, we don't usually like it when others label us. I have a visible illness, psoriasis, and while my case is mild and so far only affects my legs and hands periodically, it still can generate questions, especially if I am going in for a mani-pedi. "Don't worry, it's not contagious," I have to explain. People with severe psoriasis have a much more difficult time, and I am quite sure they wish their disease weren't so obvious. For them, the idea of someone referring to them as "the guy/girl with that skin problem" has to be painful.</div>
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My daughter, who had developmental apraxia, a speech disorder that predicated her dyslexia, was bullied for awhile for not being able to speak properly and for having trouble reading. Reading out loud in class, which highlighted both of her differences, was emotionally painful. She is super smart, and yet in that setting she was labeled as "stupid." Because she was adopted, she is Hispanic and yet being raised in a Caucasian family, and so the labels others have assigned her include "Mexican" and "basic white girl," depending on who they were coming from. Talk about confusing!</div>
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Knowing someone's disability can help us understand where they are coming from, but it can also be distracting. At the women's retreat, I wanted to connect with these amazing deaf women, and yet, I didn't know how. I let our language differences get in the way, and even let the "cool" factor distract me from getting to know them. Thankfully, I didn't let the "deaf" label keep me from noticing their big, warm smiles and friendly demeanor, which made me even more intent on getting to know them in the future. I even noticed one lady's pretty blue dress and the other one's cute sandals. Unfortunately, the language barrier kept me from being able to give them those compliments. </div>
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How many times do labels diminish us as people? Drama queen, control freak, workaholic, slug, or "just" a stay-home mom are a few ways I have heard people describe themselves and others. Often times, these labels reflect our flaws and our fears. They can't come close to describing the entirety of who we are.</div>
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Fortunately, there is One who never tries to label us with any other word than "loved." To God, our Heavenly Father, that is the only label that matters. John 3:16 begins with "For God so <i>loved</i> the world..." </div>
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Ephesians 1:5 says He "predestined us for adoption to sonship..." and I can tell you as an adoptive mother, there is no child more cherished and loved than the one who is chosen. I John 3:1 reiterates that, saying "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"</div>
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Through Jesus Christ, we are children of God, cherished and chosen, holy and blameless, saved and sanctified, set apart as saints and witnesses for Him. And yet, above it all, even when we fall flat on our faces, and are labeled by the world as losers or failures, we are loved. YOU ARE LOVED.</div>
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So the next time you see someone next to you who is blind or deaf, walking tall or in a wheelchair, standing proud in their position or kneeling humbly in their poverty, think not of them by the labels the world might give them. Notice them for who they are - not just on the outside, but on the inside. They are loved. And when you look in the mirror, remember that you are too.</div>
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<i>Peace, joy and love to you today.</i><br />
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<i>Linda</i><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Losing the Labels, While Embracing Our Identity </b></i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></div>
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-29587722886074545502017-07-29T09:40:00.000-07:002017-07-30T10:11:55.614-07:00Healing from Within: Turning Away from Toxicity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." - Colossians 3:2</i></div>
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What if I were to tell you that there is a way to start healing your body immediately, without any drugs or special diets? Would you try it?<br />
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There isn’t anyone I know, especially within the chronic illness community, who wouldn't say yes. We are all longing for something to make us feel better.<br />
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The burden of chronic illness is not apparent to those outside of our world. We may look fine on the outside, and may even be able to perform our daily activities as if we were not ill. But those of us who have lived with illness day after day, year after year, know the burdens we carry. They are not light. There is a heaviness in our hearts, knowing that we will never get well.<br />
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As our symptoms come and go, and the bottles of medicines stack up on our nightstands, we are reminded that we are not like other people. We hesitate to make plans in advance, for we don’t know how we will feel that day. We cancel lunches with friends we love because they’ve come down with a bad cold, and if we catch it, that may take us down a path we can’t recover from.<br />
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We watch what we eat, we do the exercises that are prescribed, we get stuck with needles on a regular basis, and we go to countless doctor visits. Sometimes it feels like all we have time for is tending to our health. It’s draining.<br />
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What I’ve recently realized, however, is that there’s something that can make us feel even worse: toxic thinking. That can take a variety of forms, from self-pity to anger at family members who just don’t “get” that you’re really sick. One particular topic that has been top-of-mind and become quite toxic for me, however, is politics. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed discussing and debating, but lately, not so much. And while you may not think it’s relevant to this blog, read on.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Three months into the new year, I began having chronic migraines, the kind that were so severe that I was calling my neurologist from my vacation in New York City to beg for something that would enable me to function. Three months after that, I came down with shingles.<br />
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It was no surprise that the first words out of my doctor’s mouth were a question: “What is stressing you out?” I told her I didn’t know. I have a busy life, with an almost-13-year-old, and juggle my role as wife and mother with numerous deadlines as a freelance writer. But none of that is really new.<br />
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The truth is, I knew deep down exactly what was causing my stress: politics. And now that stress was manifesting itself as physical illnesses of all kinds. My RA flared up. My migraines came back in force. Shingles erupted. Even my psoriasis returned.<br />
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Before you ask, let me tell you that I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I’ve not been stressed because the “other” party won the White house. Nor have I been stressed over mainstream media coverage of “my” president. No, I am an Independent. And that, friends, has been the most stressful position of all: watching from the sidelines as I have seen people on both sides of the political spectrum tear each other apart. I have even seen politics dividing the church. My heart is grieved to see so many people, on all sides, hurting so deeply and expressing such anger and bitterness. It feels sometimes as if I am sitting in the middle of a civil war battlefield, bullets flying over my head in both directions. And occasionally, one hits me!<br />
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Some of these issues are deeply personal to me. Had my adopted daughter’s birthmother chosen abortion during her pregnancy, I would not have the wonderful child I am raising today. I am a small business owner, and so issues of the economy and taxation matter. As a Christian, I want my religious freedoms protected, but I also care about the civil rights of my Muslim friends. And obviously, as someone who has multiple chronic illnesses to manage, I care about what happens in the healthcare debate. There are no easy answers to any of it.<br />
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How we respond to political issues, however, makes a big difference. In today’s political climate, people don’t just cling to their ideals, they fight for them – and not always in a nice way. The ugliness I have seen and heard from both sides of the political spectrum is unprecedented and extreme. And it’s hard to get away from it. I try to stay up-to-date on current events, but every time I turn on the TV, read the paper, or even open Twitter or Facebook, there it is. The gladiator battle rages on, bloody as ever, right in front of me, every single day.<br />
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This past week, however, something changed. I went out of town to my father’s hometown in rural Louisiana. There, the restaurants don’t have CNN or FOX News playing on flat screens above the bar. They have hunting trophies and fishing gear on the walls and people talk to each other as they eat, rather than staring at their cell phones. My cousin, who I was visiting, doesn’t even own a computer or a smartphone. He says life is simpler that way. And you know what? He’s right.<br />
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After three days of walking in the woods, meeting and greeting friendly town folk, eating cupcakes and drinking coffee in little cafes, and staying away from the national news, something happened. My body began to relax. My psoriasis started going away. Suddenly, I didn’t just feel happier. I felt healthier.<br />
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I have often said that the Bible contains useful instruction because while we may think we know what’s good for us, God is our creator and so he truly knows what is best for us. So it is no surprise, then, that in Proverbs, it says “As a man thinketh, he is…” and we are encouraged in the New Testament to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”<br />
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Some of the most wonderful people I know are also the most disabled. What shines in them is their outlook on life. While their situations may be truly awful, they choose to focus their minds on what is good.<br />
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Instead of complaining, they find something to be grateful for, whether it is their new wheelchair or their loving support group. While others are angrily shouting their displeasure about what the government’s healthcare policies are (or aren’t), these serene beacons of light to the chronically ill world are sharing stories of how they worked through their country’s imperfect healthcare programs to find the care they needed. They haven’t focused on the government as their sole source of help; instead, they have chosen to trust God as the one they depend on.<br />
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In America, one of the hottest political debates is over healthcare…specifically the ACA, otherwise known as “Obamacare.” While some feel overwhelmed and overburdened by insurance premiums and deductibles that have skyrocketed under the ACA, others feel their lives depend on the insurance coverage they otherwise wouldn’t have because of having pre-existing conditions. You know what? God cares about both groups. While our politicians don’t have the answers, He does.<br />
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In Exodus, the Israelites weren’t sure how they were going to escape from the Egyptian army as they were being chased across the desert with Moses and were approaching the Red Sea. Moses knew, however, that God was bigger, and trusted His plan. Instead of worrying and fretting (or freaking out, which I am sure there were many people doing), he ignored the people who said “Just go back to Egypt! Better that we be slaves than to die!” and followed God’s direction. Voila! The Red Sea parted, they went right across, and when they were safely on the other side, the sea closed up again.<br />
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How often do we look to other humans or human institutions to save us, when we already have God by our side? How often do we worry and fret, freak out, and attack other people who don’t see things our way, when God is the only one who really knows the right way to go? And how often does all that emotional and mental turmoil make us sicker than we already are?<br />
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Colossians 3:2 exhorts us to set our minds on things above, rather than on earthly things. Philippians 4:8 gets even more specific, saying “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”<br />
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<i>Friend, if I were to tell you a way to start healing your body immediately, would you try it? Yes? Well here it is!</i><br />
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Turn off your television and set your mind on things above the political noise and earthly worries of the day. There is still good in the world and so much to be grateful for. Do not let petty things or political differences steal your joy or come between you and a loved one. God is still on His throne. Trust Him. Focus on His amazing love for you, his beautiful creation all around you, and any good and admirable thing that you can find in your friends and neighbors.<br />
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Yes, you can start healing today. It begins from within.<br />
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<i>Peace, love and joy to you today.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Linda </i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Healing from Within: Turning Away from Toxicity </b></i></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></div>
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-74565807145148451342017-06-06T09:34:00.002-07:002017-06-06T09:45:33.847-07:00Time to Get Back on That Horse?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.” <br />Philippians 4:13 NABRE</i></div>
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We had just arrived at the dude ranch for our family reunion and were checking in when the desk clerk, a friendly woman with a broad smile and long blonde hair flowing out from under her bedazzled black cowboy hat, asked the inevitable question: “Are you interested in riding today?”<br />
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The next trail ride was in 45 minutes and, given that it was 3:00 in the afternoon on a hot summer day in west Texas, no one had signed up yet. There were plenty of spots open. Was I interested? Yes. Would I be able to do it? That was the question.<br />
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The last time I had ridden a horse was seven months before, and to call it a pleasant experience would have been a stretch. My left knee, one of the joints I’ve had trouble with since the onset of my rheumatoid arthritis (RA), was not happy. Truthfully, it felt as if it were being twisted right off my leg. No matter how hard I tried to get comfortable, I couldn’t, and I pretty much decided that perhaps my riding days were over.<br />
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While I remember the physical pain I was in during that trail ride, what sticks in my mind the most was the disappointment I felt. With the way my knee was hurting, I was not planning to ever ride again, which made me sad.<br />
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I had been around horses my entire life, from the time my daddy sat me up on top of “Kate,” the old mare at my grandfather’s farm, when I was about three. My uncle was a Texas rancher, married to a professional cowgirl, and when I was in high school in England, my sister and I spent a lot of time at the nearby stables where we learned to jump. Even though riding had been only an occasional pastime for me as an adult, it was still something I loved to do when I had a chance.<br />
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So here I was, at a decision point. Could I accept the ride seven months beforehand as my last time on horseback or should I try again? Would I take a chance and get back on a horse, or would I sit it out?<br />
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I considered where I was physically. My left shoulder was still in rehab for a torn rotator cuff, but it was healed enough to where I thought I could probably manage to get on and off the horse okay. My knee and my hands weren’t giving me any trouble, either, and so I thought <i>what the heck</i> and signed up for the ride.<br />
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I figured the worst that could happen would be for me to find out I really wasn’t able to handle it and I would just get back off the horse (assuming I was able to get on in the first place) and call it quits. <i>May as well get this out of the way and find out now</i> I thought, rather than putting off the test until later in the trip, worrying and wondering until the moment of truth arrived.<br />
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Forty-five minutes later, with the help of a ranch hand, I climbed up on the saddle atop “Sky,” a white horse dappled with some patches of light gray. It not only felt comfortable – it felt good! And when we took off down the trail, I could tell this was a new day. I was back in the saddle again.<br />
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Three days and three rides later, I thought about what an encouragement my story could be to others with RA and other chronic illnesses. I mulled the fact that while I thought my dreams were dashed, they came back again. I marveled at how my disease is so unpredictable that while there are dark moments when I feel it has stolen my very life, there are also bright spots in which I get back the activities I love.<br />
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These twists and turns have happened more than once now, so I know they can happen again. Having hope that “the story isn’t over until it’s over” continues to keep me pushing on with a positive attitude that anything is possible. I know a man who was on death’s door with RA at one time, who went on to climb mountains. And I recently read of a woman with RA who is on her way to achieving the world’s record in kayaking! Wow, how those stories inspire me.<br />
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And yet, this same week, I read a wise post from a friend who also has RA and some other serious physical ailments. She was reminding us to not get discouraged when we can’t do all the things that healthy people can, and to accept where we are. She is right. Just as we can’t live in the future, we can’t live in the past either. All of us would love to go back to where we were younger, thinner, fitter or healthier. But we can’t. We have to make the most of the present, even when the place where we are isn’t our ideal.<br />
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One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Philippians 4:13. I have always heard it as “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The emphasis is on ALL. When we read that, we often think to ourselves <i>if I just have enough faith, then I can do anything</i>. Really? Can an untrained pilot fly a plane? Can we live an extravagant lifestyle on the salary of a street beggar? Can a man without legs run a marathon?<br />
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I wonder if we sometimes miss the point of this verse. That’s why I like the way another translation puts it: “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.” Think about the phrase <i>I have the strength for everything. </i>What is <i>everything?</i> Everything encompasses a lot.<br />
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Having the strength for <i>everything</i> means I have the strength to keep pursuing that dream. It also means I have the strength to lay down that dream when it’s not physically or financially possible anymore.<br />
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Having the strength for <i>everything</i> means I have the strength to keep going and push through the toughest challenges in my life. It also means I have the strength to “let go and let God” and rest in His peace while He works out the details I have no control over.<br />
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Having the strength for <i>everything</i> means I have the strength to fight for my rights or for those of the people we love. It also means I have the strength to surrender my “rights” in order to be of greater service to God and an example of love to others.<br />
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In other words, having the strength for <i>everything</i> encompasses both drive <i>and</i> acceptance. It includes both effort <i>and</i> rest. Because sometimes it isn’t the striving that requires the most strength, but rather the act of being still and waiting on the Lord.<br />
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The rest of that verse says God empowers me. That’s good to know, because many of the biggest hurdles I have faced in life – whether they be physical, financial, emotional or relational – have not been tackled through my own strength alone. I am keenly aware of the strength God gave me when I wanted to quit.<br />
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I have also relied on His strength when the answer to my prayer was “no.” Letting go is not something I do easily, and patience is a virtue that comes far from naturally for me. Like all of us, I want my way and I want it now. When that doesn’t happen, having a positive attitude about it may be the hardest thing I have to do, and guess what? I need God to get me there.<br />
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This past weekend, I was happy that despite my previous bad experience, I had the courage to get back on a horse again. But I am also cognizant of the fact that it might not have worked out, and that at some point in time, there will come a day when I will be not be able to get back in the saddle. And when that day comes, I hope I will remember Philippians 4:13 and the promise it gives, which is that I will be empowered by Christ to be okay right where I’m at in that moment. For godliness with contentment is great gain, says I Timothy 6:6, and I have the strength for everything.<br />
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<i>What are you relying on God’s strength for today? Is it to push forward or to find contentment with where you are at? In this roller coaster called life, have you come to the realization of your need for God to empower you during both the highs and lows?</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Time to Get Back on That Horse? </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></div>
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-57731486409328906282017-05-17T09:36:00.003-07:002017-05-17T09:40:31.592-07:00Giving Thanks for What I Don't Have<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” <br />I Thessalonians 5:18</i></div>
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“Keep an attitude of gratitude.” I’ve heard that phrase over and over again through the years. For me, it’s what I tell myself when I’m going through a hard time. It reminds me to find the little things to be thankful for, especially when the big things in my life are looming over me like a scary monster about to chew me up and spit me out.<br />
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An attitude of gratitude has gotten me through a lot in life. In every situation, from my divorce to my father’s death, I have tried to find the silver lining in the dark clouds. “Well, at least it’s amicable,” I mused about the breakup of my marriage; and “He’s no longer suffering” is what I said when my father passed after a two-year battle with cancer. This “silver lining” approach has become so ingrained in me that my closest friends know that every trial I tell them about will be followed up with the statement <i>“but it could be worse…”</i><br />
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Yes, it could be worse, couldn’t it? It’s easy to sit on our pity pot when times are tough; and yet, when you step outside yourself, you find that even with your troubles, there is often someone else hurting a whole lot more. In the “old days” when I was growing up, parents would remind us of this, even if it were to just tell us to eat all the food on our plates. “Think about the starving children in Africa,” they would say. Suddenly we appreciated that we had food at all, even if it wasn’t our favorite dish.<br />
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I am reminded of this today because I find myself surrounded by friends and family members for whom it really <i>is</i> worse. While I sit here typing this blog, I am looking out the window at a beautiful sunny day, thinking fondly about the walk I took in the park with a friend this morning and the laughter we shared over coffee. Sure, I have multiple chronic illnesses and a torn rotator cuff that isn’t quite healed. It can be difficult to sleep and sometimes hurts to get dressed in the morning. I don’t like that.<br />
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But then I think about a friend whose child is struggling with depression, to the point of suicidal thoughts. Another friend is sitting at the hospital waiting for the doctor to give him a prognosis on his son suffering from traumatic brain injury due to an accident. One family member’s RA treatment isn’t working and she is facing knee replacement, while another family member is preparing for cancer surgery and chemo.<br />
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<b>Having a thankful heart, however, is not the same as giving thanks. Giving thanks is an active verb, not a passive condition. God wants our gratitude, but he also wants action behind it.</b><br />
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It would be easy for me to just send up a prayer of gratitude to God for allowing me my sunny, relatively pain-free day as compared to other I know. And don’t get me wrong, I am thanking Him for all my many blessings, as well as the struggles I don’t have! But is that really enough? In my mind, and according to the Bible, the answer is no.<br />
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Jesus himself commands us to live by the Golden Rule: do unto others what you would have others do unto you. What would I want others to do if I were going through one of the scenarios I described above? While my child were laying in a hospital bed, or perhaps while I was facing a life-threatening diagnosis myself, would I want to know my friends and family were breathing a big sigh of relief, thanking God they weren’t in <i>my</i> shoes? Would I want to hear how they might have troubles, but how “it could be worse” – they could be me? Probably not.<br />
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When we are going through the toughest times in our lives, the number one thing we usually need is hope. We need to know we are going to make it through, that there will be better days ahead. We need to hear that everything will be alright in the end, and so if it’s not alright, then it’s not the end yet. And often times, we need to feel that hope coming from multiple directions, expressed in multiple ways.<br />
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I Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” That is a command for us to share the testimony of our hope in Christ, for salvation, but I also believe it is a command for us to be agents of hope in a hurting world.<br />
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When we see someone in need – whether friend or family member or even a perfect stranger – it is our role as ambassadors for Christ to share God’s love with them and to let them know that there <i>is</i> hope.<br />
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<b>As we minister to the needs of others, the sense of gratitude for our own circumstances grows and we learn the meaning of real joy.</b><br />
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And as we share in each other’s burdens, they become lighter. Suddenly, those friends don’t feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, for they have someone to help carry the load. And as we share our testimony of how God carried us through our own struggles, we give real hope to what otherwise might seem like a hopeless situation.<br />
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So how do I put an attitude of gratitude into action? I make that call. Mail that card. Send some flowers. Lend an ear. Show up with a hug. And of course, pray. Pray for them, and pray with them. Quite simply, I remember what it is to walk through the fiery trials of life, and I walk with them. And in that way, <i>I give thanks. </i><br />
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<i>In what ways can you show your thankfulness to God by sharing His love with others? What circumstance of your own can you view through the eyes of gratitude? Can you see how helping to shoulder someone else’s burden can lift your spirit, making it actually easier to bear your own load?</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Giving Thanks for What I Don't Have </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></div>
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-76185414106579379942017-04-28T11:13:00.001-07:002017-04-29T04:21:08.507-07:0013 Reasons Why {Not}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"So don’t worry, because I am with you. Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you. I will support you with my right hand that saves you." - Isaiah 41:10</i></div>
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It was an ordinary Friday night. We had just gone to dinner as a family and were settling down in front of the TV, talking about what to watch.</div>
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"You should watch 13 Reasons Why, Mom," my daughter said. "It's really good!"</div>
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Curious about the show she had mentioned once before, I looked online to see if there was more information on it before making a decision. Why yes, there was. A whole lot of positive reviews for its direction and creativity, and a whole lot of talk from parents and psychologists expressing concern over the graphic content and messaging that was making suicide hotlines light up like Christmas trees.</div>
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If you don't have a tween or teen, you might not have heard of the latest show on Netflix, which is based on a novel in which a teenage girl commits suicide. The "13 reasons why" refer to 13 messages she left for individuals whose actions played a part in her decision to take her life.</div>
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I will be the first to tell you I haven't seen the show and I don't plan to. I will also say that the same night I learned about it, I took steps to adjust the parental controls on my TV and my daughter's cell phone.</div>
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There are some who think we as parents should watch the show "to understand what our teens face" in today's world. By all means, if you grew up in an untarnished, sheltered environment, perhaps this is the eye opener you need. Drinking, drugs, bullying and date rape...it's all there, graphically depicted (apparently).</div>
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But as for me, I haven't always lived in the light. I have touched that darkness - the despair, the depression, the shame, the hopelessness - and was almost swallowed up by it. I'm not going back. And I'm certainly not taking my 12-year-old back with me.</div>
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When I began writing this blog almost three years ago, it was to give people hope. Living with chronic illness is not easy. Depression is common, and suicide is not unheard of. When the pain feels like it will never end, when your life feels over, it is easy to give up. There are those who do. But I'm here to tell you - DON'T. </div>
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I spent the first few months of this year in daily, intense pain from chronic migraines. If you have ever had a true migraine, you will know what I mean when I say it's not just a headache. At one point, during a trip to New York, I rocked back and forth on the bed, holding my head, crying and screaming, "Please help me. Somebody, help me!" Not long afterwards, I went into the bathroom and threw up, before crawling back into bed and finally passing out from the pain.</div>
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If ever there was a degree of physical pain that made me feel like giving up, it has been during episodes of severe migraine. I have literally felt like dying at times, because I thought I couldn't handle the pain even one more minute.</div>
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<i>And yet, here I am.</i></div>
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Thankfully, God designed our bodies not to remember physical pain. I can tell you what happened, and generally how I felt, but I can't re-live the pain itself. Unfortunately, that isn't the case with emotional scars. Those wounds can sometimes take a lifetime to heal, and when they are reopened, they can hurt just as much as when the initial pain was inflicted.</div>
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When I am hurting physically, I may feel like dying, but when the pain goes away, life looks sunny again. It's easy to then see that "this too shall pass" because it really does. Even with chronic illness, there are moments when the pain dissipates enough to find moments of joy. It's important to look for those, because it helps you endure the rest of the time. Looking at my photos from New York, no one would ever know I had spent half the trip in pain, because the rest of the time, I was all smiles! Yes, there were a few of those pics where I was in "fake it 'til you make it" mode, but for the most part, I managed to salvage some really great moments that far outweighed the nightmare migraines I endured.</div>
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We have to be careful with emotional pain, though. I don't know who coined the phrase "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me," because that's just not true. Harsh words, coming from friends or family members, cut deep. We begin to believe what we hear, and wonder if we really are OK...or not. </div>
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Our mistakes can hurt too. When I look back at my teen years and even into my 20's, it's easy to beat myself up over the many poor decisions I made. I may have changed my ways, but the consequences of those decisions didn't just disappear. There are so many times I have wished I could go back and have a "redo."</div>
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And sexual violence and abuse...well, that pain cut to the very core of who I was, and it took years of therapy for the flashbacks and nightmares to stop. I can still remember hands holding me down, then the hand placed over my mouth as I cried out in pain, ordered to "shut up!" because someone might hear; and the sting of my tears when it hit me that I was not a virgin anymore.</div>
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Night after night, for many years, I cried out to the Lord, "Why God, why?" I certainly could have come up with 13 good reasons to take my life. And yet, I did not. Growing up in the church, I was told suicide was the one unforgivable sin, because how can you confess killing yourself when you are already dead? I'm not sure that God in His infinite mercy wouldn't have forgiven me, but I do know that was not the only thing that kept me alive. </div>
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The words spoken by God in Isaiah 41:10 are powerful. <i style="text-align: center;">Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you. I will support you with my right hand that saves you. </i><span style="text-align: center;">Every moment of every day in which I have been in either physical or emotional pain, I have had to remember them. <i>God will help me. God is with me. God will save me.</i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Despite my health situation, despite my poor choices, despite whatever bad things I have believed about myself, and despite the physical and psychological trauma I have experienced, I have held on to those promises: </span><i style="text-align: center;">God will help me. God is with me. God will save me.</i></div>
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<i>And you know what? He has.</i></div>
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Jeremiah 29:11 says that God has a plan for us...a good one! The only way to find out about that plan, though, is to live it out. We have to wade through the mud, fight the battles, and allow God to cut away entanglements that hold us back, in order to reach the promised land He has for us. Sometimes it isn't easy. Sometimes, we aren't sure we are going to make it, or whether it's worth it. But it is. It always is. How do we know? Because He says so.</div>
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Back in my younger days, surrounded by darkness and not seeing much light ahead of me, I could have found 13 reasons why my life wasn't worth living. Today, looking back in hindsight, I can find 13 reasons <i>- and more -</i> that God wanted me to hold on for. </div>
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If I were able to talk to my teenage self and tell her the 13 reasons why <i>not</i> to take her own life, here are what they would be:</div>
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1. God has a plan for you - a good one - and you will get to hold His hand through your entire journey, finding more comfort and joy, peace and love than you ever thought possible.</div>
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2. You may not realize it, but you're not alone. A lot of people look perfect on the outside, but their life is messy too. Even Jesus suffered through gossip, betrayal, pain and loss. He gets what you're going through.</div>
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3. You think if you were only "good enough" those people will like you. The truth is, some people won't like you even if you're the most wonderful person in the world. That's more about them than it is about you.</div>
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4. You think your pain is never going to end, but I promise it will. One day, you'll graduate. One day, you'll move (or they will). One day, you'll meet people who like you just the way you are. One day, your broken heart will heal. One day, you won't just notice the rain. You'll see the sunshine and notice the flowers too.</div>
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5. Your parents aren't perfect. Neither are you. Do the best you can to deal with them, the same way they are doing the best they can to deal with you. That whole parenting thing is as hard for them as it feels to you.</div>
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6. Everyone makes mistakes. Lots of them. Learn from them, but forgive yourself too. God loves you, warts and all, and the Bible is full of people who have screwed up but God used them anyway! Keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will eventually get where you need to be.</div>
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7. You may feel powerless, but God is all powerful. Give your biggest problems to Him, do the next right thing, and leave the results to Him.</div>
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8. That rape or physical abuse? No, it's not your fault and don't let anyone say otherwise. You didn't ask for it and you didn't deserve it. Stop blaming yourself and get some help instead.</div>
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9. Just because "everybody's doing it" doesn't mean you need to. There are many miserable people in the world, doing things they know aren't right. Don't become one, just to fit in. Live <i>your</i> values and you'll keep your confidence.</div>
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10. There isn't any problem that an alcoholic drink or drug (or act of self-harm) won't make worse. And even if you feel better momentarily, there will be a hefty price to pay the next day or even further down the road. Reach out for help instead.</div>
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11. When God feels far away, remember who's moved. He is always there for you. Don't forget to reach <i>up.</i></div>
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12. Don't be a victim of "stinking thinking." Fill your mind with positive thoughts and surround yourself with positive people. You have to look beyond your problems to find the solutions.</div>
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13. Life is like a rose: it is full of petals and thorns. Yes, sometimes it's painful, but there's an awful lot of beauty there too. Count your blessings every day. A little gratitude can go a long way.<br />
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Had I not chosen to live through the pain of my early years, I hate to think what I would have missed later on: quiet sunrises, gorgeous sunsets, warm embraces, wildflowers in the spring, happy smiles and travel across the miles. Every day, there is something new to look forward to.<br />
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The world is tough and pain is real. Just don't forget whose you are, and who's got your back! <i style="text-align: center;">God will help you. God is with you. God will save you...every time.</i></div>
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Peace, joy and love to you today,</div>
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<i>Linda</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>13 Reasons Why {Not} </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-56494849202201459422017-02-06T15:11:00.001-08:002017-02-06T15:54:02.552-08:00God is Listening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help.</i></div>
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<i>He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears." - Psalm 18:6 (NLT)</i></div>
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As I look across this room today, I am sick of being sick. After battling an upper respiratory infection for weeks, with a cough that just won’t go away, on top of a painful shoulder and a sore foot, I am tired of hurting.<br />
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This is an unexpected feeling, because before Christmas, I was feeling pretty good. I felt like I was pretty much in remission with my RA, and I began a diet, hoping to get my pre-RA figure back.<br />
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Alas, with rheumatoid arthritis – or life in general, I guess - nothing is ever a straight line.<br />
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That is where trust comes in. Trust in myself? Ha, I wish. I’ve been down that road before, thinking that if I just try harder or work smarter, it will all work out. Unfortunately, I can’t control every facet of my life, the least of which is my chronic illness.<br />
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I don’t like being told I’m not in control. I am a linear thinker, which means I want to know that if I am in control of the input, then I can control the output. That isn’t real life, though, is it? There are so many variables, only a few of which I am really in control of.<br />
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I am fortunate to have found a good program,<a href="http://packhealth.com/" target="_blank"> Pack Health</a>, about a year ago, which set me on the path to taking better care of myself. I’ve been able to apply the strategies to my life and as a result, I feel much better overall. I’ve even begun writing <a href="https://packhealth.com/blog/a-new-perspective-on-new-years/" target="_blank">blog pieces</a> for them, so that others may benefit from my experience. That said, no program can prevent all the curveballs that autoimmune diseases can throw at us.<br />
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For me, the most frustrating aspect of living with RA is the inability to heal. I thought I was never going to recover from my shoulder surgery two years ago. I did, but not without a lot of hard work, some extra time, and only with the help of a DMARD (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug). I hadn’t needed to be on a DMARD before, but my doctor made it clear I would never fully recover the use of my shoulder without reducing the inflammation in my body. Wow, what a difference!<br />
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Yet here I am again, with the other shoulder’s torn rotator cuff…and despite months of physical therapy, it still hurts. And while I was just feeling good about a daily walk through the neighborhood with my husband, along comes a constant pain in the bottom of my foot. In between visits to my physical therapist, my rheumatologist and my primary care physician (for that pesky sinus infection), I might actually make it to the podiatrist. Joy…another new medical experience!<br />
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Not to sound like negative Nellie, but sometimes you just have to get real. You know what I mean?<br />
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I tell you why I’m sharing all of my frustrations here. It’s so you know that I understand where you’re at. I know exactly how it feels to be fed up. Or maybe we should call it “beat up” because sometimes that’s more like it, isn’t it? The pain is more than just physical; it’s emotional too. I don’t know about you, but there are days I just want to curl up in bed, throw the covers over my head, and quit.<br />
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You know what keeps me going, though? It’s that still, small voice that says “I’m not finished yet.”<br />
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Yes, I believe it when God says in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has a plan for my life and it’s a good one. I believe Him when He says He doesn’t start something He isn’t planning to finish. And somehow, I don’t think He’s done with me yet.<br />
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There are enough times in the Bible that God says “Do not fear…I will go with you” to let me know that even right now, while I’m ready to give up, He is with me, cheering me on. Sometimes, it’s seeing a news clip that makes me realize I’m really not so bad off after all, compared with <i>them</i>, anyway. At other times, it’s my daughter, who makes me smile and yet also makes me see how much she needs me. And when I look back over my life, I can see where God really <i>has</i> been there during the hard times, carrying me until I could get back on my feet and walk again.<br />
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I know that when I close my eyes and pray, my prayers are heard. He hears my cries. I know, because at some point, the pain stops – even if just for a few moments – and I can feel His peace and His presence.<br />
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Whatever you are struggling with today, whether it is chronic illness or something else, you can be confident in a God who loves you and cares for you. He hears your cries too and says, through the words of Jesus, “Come to me, lay down your burdens, and I will give you rest.”<br />
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Peace, love and joy to you today.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Linda</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>God is Listening </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-56120488294783808052017-01-13T08:32:00.000-08:002017-01-13T09:06:53.305-08:00Quit Yer Bellyachin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." - Philippians 4:8 (NIV)</i></div>
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Happy New Year! Or is it?<br />
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If the Christmas season is "the happiest time of the year" then is it any wonder that after all the tinsel and glittering decorations are packed back up in the attic (except in my house, of course, where we are total slowpokes about leaving the holiday season behind), there seems to be a period of letdown?<br />
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Yes, here we are in January, and 'tis the season to work on those resolutions. Whether you're trying to lose weight or get organized, this time of the year can just feel hard.<br />
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Gone are the holiday parties. Now it's time to work off the 10 pounds you put on while noshing on all that fabulous food consumed at them. Forget the tinsel and bows around the Christmas tree. Now you're trying to find a place to put it all, as you search for those financial files underneath the rolls of wrapping paper strewn across your office.<br />
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If you're in the northern hemisphere, it's cold and wintry, and the lack of sunlight may add to the creeping feeling of depression. If you're living on the south side of the globe, like my good friends down in Australia, you're baking in the summer heat. And if you reside in the United States, well, we are living in the midst of one of the most contentious presidential transitions in our history, which has added even more anxiety into our stress-filled lives. Joy to the world...not!<br />
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<b>You can't control your circumstances, but you can control your attitude.</b><br />
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"So why bring up all of this negative stuff, if you're trying to offer hope for the new year?" you may ask. Good question.<br />
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The answer is simple: bad stuff happens. Period. Now, what are you going to do about it?<br />
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I spend a lot of time on social media and watching the news (as a writer, it's a professional hazard I can't avoid) and I have noticed that this year, in particular, people are just waiting to pounce on anything or anyone they can blame or criticize. It's as if they are addicted to unhappiness. If there isn't something to gripe about, they will find something. Anything. And God help you if you happen to be in their path.<br />
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So, I have to ask myself...what's their problem? Er, OK, perhaps I need to state that differently. What is OUR problem?<br />
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We spend the Christmas season singing carols about Jesus in the manger "so meek and mild" and in a few months, at Easter, will talk about how He went humbly to the cross. And yet, in between His birth and death (and resurrection), Jesus went through a lot! He got hungry and tired. He was criticized and belittled. He saw injustices that made Him angry. He lost a close friend to betrayal. And those are just a few of the stories we know of.<br />
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What we have to look at is how Jesus handled all of the "stuff" in His life. When he felt disappointed, hurt or angry, what did He do with it? If we look at the Gospels, it is clear: Jesus dealt with His feelings, took them to the Father, and then <i>moved on.</i><br />
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Jesus did not allow negativity to cast a shadow over His life, or to stop Him from fulfilling Him from His purpose of loving, healing, teaching and ultimately saving those around Him. He came to illuminate a dark world, and even though He was surrounded by darkness, He did not allow it to snuff out the light He came to share.<br />
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<b>Feel your feelings, but be careful how you handle them</b><br />
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Psalm 4:4 is an interesting verse. The New King James Version says, "Be angry, and do not sin." Some preachers have said that anger is a sin. According to the Bible, it isn't. Even Jesus got angry sometimes, and He lived a perfect, sinless life. This is a warning not about having negative feelings, but rather, some stern advice on how to handle them.<br />
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The next part of the verse says "Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still." That last part reminds me of another Bible verse that says "Be still, and know I am God." <i>(Psalm 46:10)</i><br />
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Sure enough, The Message translation of Psalm 4:4-5 reads "Complain if you must, but don’t lash out. Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking. Build your case before God and wait for his verdict."<br />
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In other words, if you are angry or upset (frustrated, aggravated, or stressed out) about something, take your feelings to God and then <i>let it go</i>. Holding onto resentment will only hurt you, and lashing out towards someone else may have irreversible consequences for your relationship with them.<br />
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Leave the issue with God and let Him deal with it instead. Set some boundaries with those who hurt you, handle things is a calm and respectful manner, and let God handle the results. Forgive and give grace to others as He has given grace to you. This is the only way you're going to be able to live out what Romans 12:18 says "If at all possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."<br />
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<b>Having a hard time letting it go? Try this.</b><br />
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If you've read this far and you're saying, "Well, great. I'm supposed to 'let go and let God'...but how can I actually change how I'm feeling?" I know, you're really angry, frustrated, upset beyond belief, or even disgusted. You want to vent. I get it. I really do.<br />
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Maybe today, you're upset that your chronic illness has taken away the ability to do what you love. Perhaps the pain is unending. Maybe you're mad at yourself for a mistake you've made or because no matter what you try, you just can't seem to lose those extra pounds you're carrying. Or you're trying to kick that addiction, and yet it always seems to be kicking you back. Maybe you're angry at a friend, frustrated with a boss, or disgusted by a political party. I get it. But all the lashing out, online or off, won't change things.<br />
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Here is what Scripture tells us, when our "stinking thinking" gets the best of us: "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." <i>(Philippians 4:8)</i><br />
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Are you trusting in God for your situation? Then meditate on how good He is. GOD is true, GOD is noble, GOD is right, pure, lovely and admirable. He can be counted on to handle your situation.<br />
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The Lord also wants you to find the positive in whatever, or whomever, you are facing today. Upset with yourself? Find something true and lovely and admirable about yourself, and focus on that. The same thing goes toward your attitude with others. In any situation, and in any person, you can always find <i>something</i> positive. <i>Focus on that, while you wait for God to act.</i><br />
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Peace, joy and love to you today.<br />
<br />
<i>Linda</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Quit Yer Bellyachin' </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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<br />Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-69511400391598803412016-12-20T08:20:00.001-08:002017-01-13T09:06:16.953-08:00And the Winner is...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Congratulations to Deb Constien, who won a copy of <i>The Case for Hope</i> book by Lee Strobel in my recent <a href="http://springsight.blogspot.com/2016/11/where-there-is-hope-giveaway.html" target="_blank">giveaway</a>!</b> Thank you to all who participated by sharing my post with your friends on Facebook and Twitter, and for subscribing to Spring Sight. This was my first giveaway, but I have a few more in mind for 2017, so please continue to let people know about Spring Sight! <i>As you know, this site exists for one sole purpose: to give hope to people who are hurting. </i><br />
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As I sit here in my living room, looking at my lit Christmas tree, I am reminded of all the gifts I have received this year - love and laughter, hugs and kisses, sunny days and starry nights, cool breezes and warm fires. I truly believe that the best gifts in life are free. We receive some of them from family and friends, and some from the world around us.<br />
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So often, when we are diagnosed with a chronic illness, we may think we will no longer receive the gifts life has to offer. And yet, my few years with rheumatoid arthritis has taught me that's not true. Living with RA and my other chronic illnesses, I have learned that I now have other gifts to enjoy.<br />
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Today, I am enjoying the gift of mobility. Before RA, I took it for granted. But after an RA flare last year made it difficult to do, I now appreciate the ability to walk around my house. Every time I'm able to open a water bottle or use a can opener, I realize that's a gift too! And I appreciate my husband, who comes to my rescue on those times when I can't do all that I would like. His patient, loving kindness is a gift I might never have realized if I had not become so dependent upon it.<br />
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As I look back over this past year, there is so much to be grateful for. When I was struggling the most, I can see now how God carried me through. And as I have grown stronger and received His healing touch, I have been given more opportunities do the things I love, as well as to "give back" to others. I am still a long way from where I would like to be, but oh, how far I have come! It helps to put it all in perspective.<br />
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I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and that you are looking forward to the new year. If you need further encouragement, take a peek at the recent blog post I wrote for Pack Health, called "<a href="https://packhealth.com/2016/12/15/dont-let-chronic-illness-steal-joy-season/" target="_blank">Don't Let Chronic Illness Steal the Joy of the Season.</a>" Be blessed!<br />
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<i>Do you recognize some of the unique gifts you've been given this past year? Please share them in the comments below</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>And the Winner is... </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-37091169168943250502016-11-29T08:19:00.001-08:002017-01-13T09:07:42.804-08:00Where There is Hope {GIVEAWAY}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” </i></div>
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<i>– Psalm 147:11 (NIV)</i></div>
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Have you ever thought about how precious the gift of hope is? How lost we feel when we don’t have it? If you have ever been hopeless, you know exactly what I mean. I remember many years ago, when I had wandered away from God and made a mess of my life, feeling hopeless. I didn’t know where to turn or what to do. But in desperation, I reached up to Him and He made me whole again. It wasn’t overnight. It was a process. But as I trusted His love for me, I began to see it becoming a reality.<br />
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In today’s world, so many are without hope. People who are chronically ill. Those who are homeless. Orphans. Widows. Immigrants. Addicts. The list could go on.<br />
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And don’t get me wrong. Hopelessness isn’t always obvious. Sometimes, we can look great on the outside but be dying on the inside. I know that because I’ve been there.<br />
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This holiday season, I am going to take some time off from my blog to spend some much needed time with my family. It is the first time in three years that I’m not grieving a loss, in chronic pain, or worrying about a hospitalized relative battling a serious illness. After three years of trusting in the Lord’s goodness, through some hard times, the sun is finally peeking through the clouds and so we are going to celebrate!<br />
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I know that some of you are not in that same place of celebration, however. Perhaps you are hanging by a thread, or maybe you’re waiting for a miracle. Regardless of your circumstances, I want to encourage you to continue placing your hope in God.<br />
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Psalm 147:11 says that the Lord delights in those who put their hope in his unfailing love. He hears our cries and meets our needs in His good time. Sometimes that is not our timing, but I have learned during my journey of faith that God really does know best!<br />
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I remember waiting to become a mother, which didn’t happen until I was 40 years old. Oh, how painful those years of infertility were, and the adoption process wasn’t easy. But when I held my daughter in my arms for the first time, I understood God’s perfect plan. I wouldn’t have been ready for motherhood when I first began making plans for it. I was only ready when it finally happened. My hope was in the unseen answer that was to come…and it has been rewarded in so many ways!<br />
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Wherever you are today, I would like to give you the gift of hope that Jesus has to offer. It is through Him that we find salvation and relationship with a heavenly Father that loves us beyond compare. It is through Him that we have new life…abundant life.<br />
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I would also like to share the gift of hope with <i>others</i> who are hurting as well…those in chronic pain due to illness, and those who just need encouragement. I can’t do it without your help, however. Can you assist me? <b>For EACH of the following actions you take, I will enter your name into a drawing</b> for Lee Strobel’s book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Case-Hope-Looking-Confidence-Courage/dp/031033957X/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1456774784&sr=8-6&keywords=lee+strobel" target="_blank">The Case for Hope: Looking Ahead with Confidence and Courage.</a><br />
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Here’s what you can do to win:<br />
1)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=SpringSight&loc=en_US" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> to my email list, so you can stay up with Spring Sight posts;<br />
2)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lindawperkins1/" target="_blank">Follow me and like this post on Facebook</a> and share it with your Facebook friends;<br />
3)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/LindaWPerkins" target="_blank">Follow me on Twitter</a> and tweet about this post.<br />
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For each of the above actions, you will receive one entry. Once you’ve completed the actions, please comment below and let me know what you’ve done. <b>I will announce the winner on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lindawperkins1/" target="_blank">my Facebook page </a>and via email on December 20</b>, so make sure you’re on my subscriber list for the notification. Thank you for helping to share hope!<br />
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God bless!<br />
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<i>Linda</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Where There is Hope </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-66410962839777075632016-11-15T13:50:00.003-08:002016-12-01T05:44:28.283-08:00In Government We Trust?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” – Psalm 20:7 NIV</i></div>
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It’s been almost a week since the United States presidential election and protests directed at President-elect Donald Trump have become a daily occurrence. The LGBT community, Muslims and Hispanic immigrants are expressing concern over Trump’s campaign rhetoric that brought with it support from white supremacist, far-right wing groups that have become more vocal in recent days. Many are also outraged at his comments to and about women.<br />
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We in the chronic illness community have responded as well. Many didn’t appreciate the apparent mocking by Trump of a disabled man at one of his rallies. Many others have rightfully been concerned about healthcare. Most of us with chronic illnesses applauded Obamacare for its mandated coverage of pre-existing conditions, and yet, insurance rates under Obamacare have skyrocketed – especially for those in the middle class, without subsidies – making it a mixed bag of blessings and curses, to be sure.<br />
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As I sit in the middle of it all, I have watched both sides of the debate. I have seen the anger of my friends with small businesses and the self-employed, who were genuinely hurt by Obamacare. I have also seen the fear of those disabled by rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic illnesses, who desperately need and rely on government-sponsored healthcare.<br />
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<b>Who will help us?</b><br />
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I would love to say that either Clinton or Trump had an iron-clad plan that would help all people with chronic illnesses, but that’s just not the case. Clinton proposed modifying Obamacare and offering up a government insurance option which would hopefully bring down private insurance rates. Trump says he will repeal Obamacare and replace it with “something better” but we aren’t sure exactly what that will look like. We will just have to wait and see.<br />
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I can look back to the days before Obamacare, when I was self-employed and my insurance didn’t cover my daughter’s allergies and asthma. I remember the bill from one emergency room bill. It was exorbitant. I also remember the premiums I was paying and they went up by leaps and bounds every year. I was affected by rising healthcare costs and insurance issues then, just as many people are affected in the same way today. Obamacare has made things better for some, worse for others, and hasn’t changed much for those of us fortunate enough to be covered under corporate health plans.<br />
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My point of talking about this is to ask a simple question: are we trusting too much in the government and other institutions for our welfare, when we should be trusting in God?<br />
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<b>God is whom we should and CAN trust, not any human power.</b><br />
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During the election cycle, I saw a depiction of Donald Trump riding triumphantly on a white horse. To some, this picture was to illustrate him “riding in to save the day” while his opponents might have looked at it and seen someone “coming to divide and conquer.” It was all in the eye of the beholder.<br />
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Donald Trump may or may not end up being the evil ruler some people fear. On the other hand, he isn’t our savior, either. Jesus is. <i>Regardless of whichever political party reigns in the country we live in </i>(I say that because not all of the readers here are from the United States)<i>, God is bigger.</i> And we are still chronically ill. Election or not, some things won’t change.<br />
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We have to deal with our lives just as we always have <i>– one day at a time –</i> and we have to rely on the only one who has the power to overcome whatever adversity we are facing: Almighty God.<br />
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Long before this election cycle began, I made a decision to turn my life and will over to the power of God. And over time, He has healed my body – not of all ailments, but certainly of some. He has soothed my soul – not relieving me of all struggles, but giving me a sense of peace throughout them. He has strengthened my spirit – not by keeping me from challenges, but by encouraging me to keep going so I could eventually overcome them.<br />
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<b>Worrying is fruitless, whereas prayer is effective.</b><br />
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Jesus spoke words of wisdom when he said in Matthew 6:34 “Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” And in Matthew 6:27, He asked, “Who of you by worrying can add a single day to his lifespan?”<br />
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God tells us over and over again in the Bible not to fear because He will be with us. The battle of Jericho was won not by the power of the Israelite army, but by the power of God’s word. Likewise, David was small but overcame the giant Goliath with a slingshot and the spirit of the Lord. God was with us prior to this election, and He will be with us going forward. In <i>God</i> we can trust.<br />
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God knows we are prone to worry. That’s why He tells us not to. In Philippians 4:6, He shows us the alternative: “Don’t worry about anything, but [instead] in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”<br />
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<i>If you are worried about the future today, whether it is because of your health situation or something else, give it to God. Tell Him your needs. And don’t forget to thank Him for His answers.</i><br />
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Peace, love and joy to you today –<br />
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Linda<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>In God We Trust? </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-2154791257907480572016-11-02T13:05:00.001-07:002016-11-02T13:46:13.030-07:00Familial Guilt: Is It My Fault? Is It Theirs?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" – John 9:2</i></div>
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I received a call from a dear family friend the other day. I hadn’t heard from her in a while and she needed to talk. After we got through a few minutes of small talk, she said she had to share something important with me: her teenage daughter had been diagnosed with glaucoma.<br />
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It began with a straightforward statement and explanation of the doctor’s finding. But then, mid-sentence, she broke down in tears.<br />
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“I feel so awful!” she cried. “The doctor says it’s genetic. It’s my fault!”<br />
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I listened as my sweet friend poured out her heart to me, so broken that her own genetic makeup – including several chronic illnesses – had been passed down to the next generation.<br />
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<b>Familial guilt is all too common…and all too painful.</b></blockquote>
Just ask the parents of a child who has gone astray. No matter what they may have done right, their question is always “Where did we go wrong?” We blame ourselves when our perfect little babies don’t stay so perfect.<br />
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It works the other way around too. How many addicts and alcoholics blame their disease on their family members? “If only my mother had loved me more…” or “If only my father hadn’t been a drunk…” are common questions that run through the minds of those who find themselves struggling to break free from a life of self-destruction.<br />
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In both scenarios, blaming doesn’t really accomplish anything, does it? If anything, it piles more pain on top of the pain that’s already there.<br />
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<b>We can only change what’s ours to change.</b></blockquote>
One of the best prayers I know for both of these situations is the Serenity Prayer. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”<br />
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If I’m a parent, I can’t choose which qualities of my genetic makeup get passed down to my child. Last night, my daughter was commenting on how soft and smooth my skin was compared to hers. I told her that she might not have skin as soft as mine, but she had a longer and leaner body type, which I would have liked to have had. She wanted my smooth skin. I wanted her body type. Guess what? Neither of us could have both! We get what we get.<br />
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Perhaps we have made mistakes as parents. Should we beat ourselves up forever? I have yet to see any type of time machine that would enable us to go back and un-make the mistakes of the past, so there would never be any consequences in our lives. I have, however, seen some modern miracles of people who have turned around their lives so dramatically that they became role models and inspirations for their children to follow. It’s never too late to make a positive difference.<br />
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Likewise, I’ve seen examples of wayward adult children who were able to stop blaming their families for all of their misfortunes and start owning their own stuff. Most families are dysfunctional to one extent or another. At some point, we have to grow up and take responsibility for our own lives. And when we lay aside all of that anger and blame, those relationships that may have been toxic during our upbringings can finally start turning around too.<br />
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<b>What would Jesus say? Don’t miss God’s purpose in the pain.</b></blockquote>
Jesus had experience with people who were struggling with familial guilt. Several scriptures in the Old Testament refer to the consequences of sin being passed down to future generations. Therefore, it wasn’t uncommon for parents or even grandparents to blame themselves when something went wrong in a child’s life. Perhaps that was why, in the story of the prodigal son, the father was so overjoyed when the younger son returned, repentant.<br />
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That dad would probably have held onto the verse in Proverbs that says “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Don’t you think that when his son rebelled and spent all of his inheritance on wild parties, abandoning his family duties, the father may have asked himself, “What did I do wrong? Is this my fault?”<br />
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Even physical illness was even explained away as the result of sin. When Jesus came across a man who had been blind since birth, the first question his disciples asked him was, “Whose fault was this?” They wanted to know if it was the man’s sins or his parents’ sins that caused him to be blind. Jesus had a simple, yet clear, answer: It wasn’t anyone’s fault. He was just born that way. BUT, Jesus said, God allowed the situation “so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” And with that, Jesus healed the man and God was glorified, not only by the man himself but by all who heard his story.<br />
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So often, we miss God’s purpose in our pain, as well as in the situations our children find themselves in. How many times have you been inspired by someone who was paralyzed, and yet still praised God? How often do we hear of miracles, like someone’s life that’s been turned around, and been awed by the power of the Lord? How often have we needed to hear what God was doing in someone else’s life in order to trust Him with our own?<br />
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In scripture, over and over again, God assures us that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. That doesn’t mean we won’t go through trials, however. God even has a purpose for those. In James 1:2-3, the Bible says:<br />
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<i>Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.</i><br />
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So it is with our children’s trials. Whether their struggles are physical, mental or emotional, God has a plan and a purpose for it all. Sometimes it is to teach. Other times it is to comfort. And sometimes, it is to bring about a miracle. After all, as one of my friends said recently, “God is a big show off!”<br />
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Nowhere in the New Testament, however, does it say that we are responsible for our family members’ health problems. Just as we don’t get to choose which of our parents’ traits we get passed down to us, we don’t get to choose which genes we pass on to our children.<br />
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In my own family, I’ve learned that having the same health issues as my parents have frequently given me the tools to deal with them. I recognized the symptoms earlier in one case, helping to stop the progression of the disease, and found in another case that the medication my mother had used worked for me as well.<br />
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Likewise, if my child faces the same struggles that I have, it may be a blessing in disguise. I can teach her what I have learned from my own experience and offer her empathy I might otherwise not have. Just as sin can sometimes be passed down from generation to generation, so can healing and restoration. God has a perfect plan!<br />
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<i>Do you ever struggle with familial guilt and blame? How have you seen God working things out for good, when things otherwise seemed hopeless? Are you willing to let go and let God, when it comes to you and your family members?</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Familial Guilt: Is It My Fault? Is It Theirs? </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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<br />Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-88650940646674569722016-10-11T12:42:00.003-07:002016-10-11T13:04:48.240-07:00Doing Good in the Face of Evil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” – Romans 12:9 (ESV)</i></div>
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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about listening to the Holy Spirit for wisdom. In that post, I was referring to wisdom in the context of caring for ourselves. Today, I’m going to talk about it in a different context.<br />
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In James 1:5, the Bible says that if anyone asks God for wisdom, it will be given to him. Isn’t that a great promise? So how is it, then, that we are less than a month away from the U.S. election, and there are so many of us seeking wisdom, and yet we still don’t know what the right decision is with regards to voting?<br />
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One of the most life-changing Bible studies I have ever done is <i>Experiencing God</i> by Henry Blackaby and Claude King. In it, the authors discuss different ways in which God speaks to us: through the Bible, prayer, church, wise counsel, circumstances, and of course, through the Holy Spirit.<br />
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The Bible is filled with men and women who made poor choices, so we can’t look to them as examples of what we should or shouldn’t do. What we can do, however, is look at what God himself – through His encounter with Moses and through Jesus – tells us about His will for our lives.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The original Ten Commandments, given to Moses directly from God, have some pretty important “do’s” and “do nots.” If you want specifics, you can look them up in Exodus 20, but for now let’s boil those ten into the two that Jesus gave, which He said summed up all of them: Love God. Love others. Period. If you really study the Ten Commandments, you’ll see that some of them apply to loving God and others apply to how we are to interact with our fellow human beings.<br />
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So what does that have to do with wisdom and the election, anyway?<br />
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Well, here’s what: there is no easy answer for who to vote for. It is exactly what the Bible says about the reason we need salvation through Christ Jesus: ALL have fallen short of the glory of God.<br />
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Hillary Clinton supports elective abortion all the way through the third term of pregnancy, justifying it as a “women’s right.” She also has a history of lies and cover-ups. On the other hand, every time we turn around, Donald Trump is spouting off what many consider hate speech against people of various kinds. And now, a video tape shows him making lewd comments about women and bragging about his extramarital affairs and even sexual assault.<br />
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What the heck??<br />
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I have found myself in a difficult position. As a Christian, I feel compelled to stand up for human rights: for blacks, whites, Hispanics, immigrants, men, women, people of my religion and people of other religions, for the born and for the unborn. One candidate may disregard the rights of one group, while the other disregards the rights of another. And if you look at the fact checkers, as I do, you’ll see that neither is 100% honest. So what do I do? What do <i>we</i> do?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the things we are called to as Christians is to be light in a dark world. </span></blockquote>
We are to be <i>in</i> the world, but not <i>of</i> the world. And yet, while we are called to be different and righteous, we are not supposed to be self-righteous. After all, it was Jesus who said “Judge not, lest you be judged.”<br />
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I was blessed today to read a little Bible study written by a blogger friend’s daughter <i>(funny how children can understand the Truth so well, while we adults seem to struggle with it)</i> about Romans 12:9. In that verse, Paul exhorts us to “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”<br />
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It is right to hate evil. Not to attack the sinner, but to acknowledge the sin. To call out evil when we see it. Perhaps if more people cared about shining the light on evil, we wouldn’t be facing an election where we are being told to “vote for the lesser of two evils.” Oh, how people on all sides of the political spectrum are wishing we had someone more righteous to choose from!<br />
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And yet, the American people voted for these candidates in the primaries and here we are.<i> So what now?</i><br />
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Now it is time to look at the rest of the verse: Let love be genuine…and hold fast to what is good.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We can’t just hate evil. Nor can we ignore it or excuse it. We have to take action of a different kind: we need to balance the scales by doing good.</span></blockquote>
Romans 12:18 says “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people.” In other words, what the world looks like – or at least in your sphere of influence – is up to <i>you</i>. Not the government, nor other people. You.<br />
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In the Hebrew Bible (referred to as the Old Testament by Christians), Isaiah offers up this word from God, “Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.”<br />
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And when Jesus came along, He went beyond showing what “good” looks like, but also explained why it’s important. The Golden Rule <i>(which, if you didn’t know, He coined)</i> creates good will among men. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Do you want peace? Offer it to your neighbor. Do you want love? Overflow with it. Do you want to be treated with respect? Then treat others respectfully.<br />
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There is no way that the U.S. election will be decided on the morality of the candidates alone. Neither are who I would have chosen, and the implications of either of them as president are concerning. And yet, regardless of who ultimately wins, we do not need to be afraid. As one friend said to me a long time ago, “God doesn’t care who wins the election.” He has used good kings and evil leaders alike, throughout history, for His purpose – which is ultimately to bring us into closer relationship with Him.<br />
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No matter who the future president is, you can’t control how they behave, but you <i>can</i> control what <i>you</i> do, both before and after the election. That is where we need the <i>most</i> wisdom: our own personal behavior. We need to turn from our own sin, go back to honoring God and loving our fellow man.<br />
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Will you be a light or will you be a hypocrite, hiding your sin in secret? Will you keep God’s love for yourself while denying it to others, or will you share the Gospel generously with those around you, no matter how different they may be from you? Will you be a voice for good, even if evil pervades the society in which you live? Will you treat others as you would want to be treated? <i>Far beyond your vote, how you live everyday can make the biggest impact of all.</i><br />
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Today, I encourage you to hold fast to what is good…and if possible, so far as it depends on you, to live in peace with all people.<br />
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<i>Wishing you peace today,</i><br />
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<i>Linda</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Doing Good in the Face of Evil </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lindawperkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' <a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">Thoughtful Thursday</a></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Arabah Joy's <a href="http://arabahjoy.com/" target="_blank">Grace & Truth</a>, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. I also link up often with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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<br />Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-74514589176333172432016-09-30T08:13:00.001-07:002016-09-30T08:34:03.026-07:00#RABlog Week Day 5: Great Blog Posts I Have Read This Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Just One Voice,</i></div>
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<i>Singing in the darkness,</i></div>
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<i>All it takes is One Voice,</i></div>
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<i>Singing so they hear what's on your mind,</i></div>
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<i>And when you look around you'll find</i></div>
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<i>There's more than</i></div>
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<i> <b>- Barry Manilow -</b> </i></div>
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When I was 16 years old, I was a huge (or in the words of Donald Trump, lol, YUGE!) Barry Manilow fan. His songs somehow had the power to make me smile and cry at the same time. There was so much truth and so much raw emotion in them, and a few, like Copacabana, even had a little mystery and humor mixed in.<br />
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In the same way, <a href="http://www.radiabetes.com/2016-rablog-week/#sthash.U2eIUxvb.dpbs" target="_blank">#RABlog Week</a> is one of my favorite times of the year because it brings together a whole lot of different stories and perspectives from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients from around the world. We smile as we hear a story we relate to. We cry when we read of someone’s pain and struggles that are even more difficult than our own. We get some good advice from others who have been there and done that. We are inspired and encouraged, and occasionally, we even find a little humor. As writers, we begin as just One Voice, but then learn there are a whole lot more of us, and together, we sing a beautiful chorus.<br />
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With almost <a href="http://www.radiabetes.com/2016-rablog-week-participant-list/#sthash.luwVBNR6.dpbs" target="_blank">40 registered bloggers</a> and more than <a href="http://www.radiabetes.com/prompts-rablog-week/#sthash.enKVB82V.dpbs" target="_blank">50 entries (so far)</a>, I haven’t had a chance to read all of this year’s blogs, but I can share with you a few I have enjoyed, as well as some collective wisdom I found threaded through all of them.<br />
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<b>Lene Andersen – A Seated View</b><br />
Even though I had seen Lene around the RA blogosphere before, I didn’t understand her depth of experience with RA until I ran across her story last year on <a href="http://immersive.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/d/LBLN/living-with-ra/" target="_blank">Health Central</a>. At that point, all I could say was “wow.” She has been dealing with this disease since she was a young child, and yet despite all that it has cost her – she has not walked since she was 14 years old and she has had at least one life-threatening experience related to RA – she continues to not only smile and live a productive life, but also gives so much to the RA community.<br />
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Lene’s blog piece this week on <a href="http://theseatedview.blogspot.ca/2016/09/rablog-week-day-2-in-defense-of.html" target="_blank">biologics</a> was extremely informative. Her key point, addressing the fears that all of us have about RA treatment options, was this: “Life is full of risk. I chose to take the risks because I wanted to live, not merely exist. My best option for that was medication.” <br />
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<b>Rick Phillips - RADiabetes</b><br />
What can I say? Without Rick, none of this would be possible. He is the founder of #RABlog Week and has an amazing website full of information on RA and diabetes. His <a href="http://www.radiabetes.com/starting-stories-rablog-week-2016/#sthash.Io9XWrwF.IKEwwe4E.dpbs" target="_blank">“starting story</a>” was one of starting over after a terrible reaction to a biologic. Somehow, despite a very scary episode that could have ended tragically, he still finds something in it to laugh about, which is that the position of a computer mousepad can have great implications! I also love that at the end of each post he writes, he gives us a short bullet list of takeaways.<br />
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<b>Writer Elise</b><br />
I met Elise during last year’s #RABlog Week and I feel a little kinship to her because we are both professional writers and we both live in Texas. I really enjoyed her short but to-the-point post about going from being <a href="https://writerelise.wordpress.com/2016/09/27/2016-ra-blog-week-day-2/" target="_blank">a reactive to a proactive patient</a>. She has some good advice with regards to finding the right doctor to work with, bringing up some good points like “Don’t settle for getting by. Work with your doctor to find the right balance for you. As patients, we bring something to the table that most of our doctors don’t. We’re on the inside of RA. We can teach them things they can’t learn from books.”<br />
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<b>Sam – My Medical Musings</b><br />
Anyone who has read my blog knows that faith is at the core of my life. I actually began writing spring Sight because at the time I was diagnosed with RA, I couldn’t find any kind of uplifting source of hope online. I thought perhaps I could dig deeper into the Bible and find hope for my situation, and then share it with others as I journeyed along with RA. Then a year later, I met Sam. She lives on the other side of the world, in Australia, and her health issues are so tremendous, I can’t even begin to imagine how she deals with them. And yet, when I read her blog, I know exactly how she gets through. Like me, she holds onto her faith.<br />
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As we have followed each other online, Sam and I have become friends and sisters in Christ, who gives us strength. We encourage and pray for one another, and I will tell you she inspires me every day to notice the good things in life, rather than dwelling in the negative. This week, she shared her post <a href="https://medicalmysterymusings.wordpress.com/2016/09/13/that-person/" target="_blank">“That Person”</a> and it is one of the best posts she has ever written. If you want to be inspired to look at life with a positive perspective, check it out.<br />
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<b>Common Threads</b><br />
Before I sign off for the week, I want to point out a couple of things I noticed throughout all of the blog posts I read.<br />
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<i>Medical diagnoses aren’t perfect.</i> I was shocked to see just how many people were misdiagnosed before they discovered they had RA. The hard truth is that autoimmune diseases are still not completely understood by the medical community. That means we have to be patient while trying to figure out exactly what’s going on with our bodies. As I saw in the stories shares, eventually they get it right. We just need to stay strong and have faith that the answers will come…eventually.<br />
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<i>Medications and other treatments can be painful, but they aren’t as scary as RA.</i> I went into my disease scared to death about the types of treatment I might need. I had just lost my father to lung cancer and the idea of taking a chemo drug like Methotrexate or doing infusions terrified me. And yet, despite hearing some pretty bad stories of drug reactions and complications, it was RA that took away Lene’s ability to walk, and it was biologics that gave her back a better quality of life. Another of my favorite bloggers, Anna “Six Hips and Counting,” has had numerous surgeries for RA, but today she is an athlete! I have to remember that even if it takes time to find the right treatment, then even with the side effects considered, it will be better than a life with untreated RA.<br />
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<i>There is always a chance for happiness, despite our circumstances, as well as opportunities to give back.</i> I’ve seen it over and over again in this week’s blog posts: happiness is a choice. We can choose to look at the negatives, or we can choose to be grateful for the positives. We all have both the good and the bad in our lives. We can’t always choose what mix we get, but we do get to choose how we respond to it. And one of the best things we can do is to share the good, which offers hope, and to share the lessons learned from<i> all </i>of our life experiences. I’m grateful for all the writers participating in #RABlog Week, who have given of their time to do just that.<br />
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<i>What were some of your favorite blogs this past week, either on #RABlog Week or elsewhere? If you are a new or regular reader of Spring Sight, are there any topics you would like to see me cover in the future?</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>#RABlog Week Day 5: Great Blog Posts I Have Read This Week </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lindawperkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-47166045571491974472016-09-27T09:29:00.001-07:002016-09-27T10:46:37.231-07:00Caring for Yourself ... Wisely<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"Use wisdom, and it will take care of you. Love wisdom, and it will keep you safe." <br />- Proverbs 4:6 (ICB)</i></div>
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Today is Day 2 of <a href="http://www.radiabetes.com/2016-rablog-week" target="_blank">#RABlog Week</a> and the topic is <i>“Active vs Reactive Patients – We usually start as naïve and trusting patients, then at some point we realize we must take an active part in our own medical decisions…” </i></div>
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Some of you may be reading this blog for the first time, as a result of #RA Blog Week, but there are others of you who are regular readers that don’t struggle with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), so I am going to talk today about something relevant to the #RABlog Week topic and to <i>all</i> of us: wisdom.</div>
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Perhaps there are a few exceptions out there, but for most of us, wisdom is not something we are born with. Take, in point, the story of ironing my doll clothes. </div>
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I was about 10 years old and living in the tropics, and so wearing a bikini around the house wasn’t that unusual. My favorite doll Crissy, however, wanted to look a little fancier than I did. Alas, her dress was wrinkled. Being the daughter of a fashion queen (not just self-professed … my mother actually became a paid fashion and image consultant later in life), I knew that wearing wrinkled clothes just wouldn’t do. I told my mother, as she was walking out the door, that I would need to use the iron to take care of Crissy’s fashion crisis. </div>
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Being the good mother she was, my mom told me to wait until she got back home. And being the (stubborn, disobedient) child I was, I completely ignored her instruction. Crissy’s dress was wrinkled. I was going to fix it. <i>Period!</i></div>
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<b>Both self reliance <i>and</i> listening to the wrong people can lead to unwise choices</b></div>
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I remember the day like it was yesterday: setting up the ironing board, plugging in the iron, smoothing out Crissy’s little dress as I prepared to press it. The iron went down on the tiny satin garment. Then I pulled the iron back towards me, in a smooth motion, just like Mother had taught me. There was only one problem. When I pulled back the hot iron, I pulled it back a little too far. As I stood there in my bikini, I gasped as the foot of the hot iron scorched a four-inch rectangular brand into the bare skin of my lower abdomen. It hurt so bad, it’s a miracle I didn’t drop the iron on the floor and burn the house down.</div>
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I didn’t know back then what a third-degree burn was, but I’m quite positive I had one. I panicked, realizing I would be in big, big trouble if my mother found out I had disobeyed. Forgetting for a moment about Crissy’s dress, I looked at the dark brown scar the iron had made on my stomach. If she saw that, she would know! In my childhood naiveté (aka stupidity), I somehow thought that peeling off the burnt skin would hide the evidence. So yes, that’s what I did. <i>(Yes, now it’s your turn to gasp!)</i></div>
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Despite my best efforts, my mother found out about my trespass anyway, as I finally had to go to her for antibiotic ointment for the burn that was now in risk of serious infection. Crissy’s dress was still wrinkled, and I was in deep doo doo. That said, it was the one time I didn’t get a spanking for what I did wrong. I’m pretty sure my parents knew the natural consequences were enough in this instance. I had learned my lesson. The hard way. Clearly, wisdom was <i>not</i> one of my inborn traits!</div>
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In that particular instance, my lack of wisdom was due to not listening to someone else’s advice. I have many other examples, though, where I lacked the wisdom to listen to <i>myself</i>; where I took the advice of someone else who <i>didn’t</i> know better. In almost <i>every</i> case – whether it was rushing into something on my own accord or being led down the garden path by someone else – I can point to one common denominator: I didn’t listen to my gut.</div>
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<b>If we are to be wise, we must listen to that still, small voice</b></div>
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Over the years, I have learned that God has placed in me a tiny voice that tells me the right way to go. As a Christian, I call that the Holy Spirit. Many people just call it their “gut feeling.” Whatever you call it, I bet you know what it is. It’s that tiny whisper that says “don’t go there” or “don’t do that.” It’s the whisper of wisdom calling to us, telling us to look before we leap, to think before we act, to pray about those big decisions, and to seek a second opinion.</div>
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Sometimes, it’s our pig headed stubbornness that causes us to ignore those gut feelings. We don’t look at the facts, we don’t take instruction, and we don’t proceed with caution. Other times, however, it’s the advice of those in authority over us. Yes, even doctors. They are supposed to know what’s best for us, right? Well, in some cases they do, but in other cases, no, they don’t. </div>
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I’m in a battle right now with one of my doctors over my RA treatment regimen. Recently diagnosed with psoriasis, my rheumatologist has jumped to the conclusion that it may be caused by Plaquenil, and so I should change to a different RA drug. You know what? I don’t think so. Three or four other doctors have said my very mild case of psoriasis is hardly a side effect worth worrying about, compared to the other potential side effects of other RA meds like Methotrexate. And so I am in “wait and see” mode. </div>
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I have cut my dosage of Plaquenil to see if it will help alleviate the psoriasis symptoms. Will my RA flare up as a result? I don’t know. But my gut tells me now is not the time to make a wholesale change to my medication. My RA is by and large under control. When I say I am not in pain most days, and any pain I do experience is minimal enough to be treated with over-the-counter remedies, then that’s what I mean. I do not think, as my doctor suggests, that I just have a high pain tolerance … and I know that my blood work will support my claim. If and when I get in enough pain – from RA or the psoriasis – I will be willing to make a change, but not until then. Ultimately, my healthcare is about me, and no one knows my body better than I do.</div>
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In the same way as I have to be willing to say “no” to doctors sometimes, I also have to be willing to say “yes” to their advice, as well as other ideas. When I was first diagnosed, I refused to go on any DMARDs (anti-rheumatic drugs) for fear of side effects. But when I wasn’t healing properly from shoulder surgery and my orthopedist told me I really needed to consider one, I listened. It was the best decision I ever made. Likewise, I listened to my Pack Health coach Tamara, who educated me on the impact of rest, diet and exercise. Making tiny goals each week, which have led to new health habits, have helped me live a better life with RA. </div>
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I have learned that no matter what I am facing – health issues or not – all of the advice in the Bible is true. In Proverbs, we are told to seek wisdom, to use it and to value it. But where do we find it? The Bible says it is found in God. When I pair earthly knowledge – found in research and asking questions – with prayer, I find wisdom. And where does it show up when I need it? In my gut.</div>
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<i>Do you seek out, use and love wisdom? Do you see the value of weighing the advice of others, while also listening to your “gut” when making healthcare decisions for yourself? What do you do when faced with difficult decisions?</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Caring for Yourself ... Wisely </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lindawperkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' </span><a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">#IntentionalTuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Arabah Joy's <a href="http://arabahjoy.com/" target="_blank">Grace & Truth</a>, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. This week, I am also linking up with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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<br />Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-56093524099173759702016-09-26T07:36:00.001-07:002016-09-26T07:36:08.492-07:00#RABlog Week Day 1: A Wedding, a Kayak and a Diagnosis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"RA Does Not Have to Define You" - Linda W. Perkins</i></div>
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Today is Day 1 of #RABlog Week and the topic is "Starting Stories." I've told my story several times here on Spring Sight and I wondered how I might tell it differently this time.<br />
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While I would never consider the diagnosis of a chronic, painful and incurable illness like rheumatoid arthritis to be amusing, there comes a point in your life when you have to find a way to laugh at even the worst of circumstances. After all, it's been said that laughter is good medicine for the soul, and I tend to agree.<br />
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So for today's post, I have created a title that's a take-off on the old "A Priest, a Rabbi and a Minister" joke. Yes, my starting story could be best described as "A Wedding, a Kayak and a Diagnosis." And fortunately for me, I was reminded by a <a href="http://thelifeandadventuresofcatepoo.blogspot.com/2016/09/rablog-week-beginning-of-rheumatoid.html" target="_blank">fellow RA blogger's post</a> that I have already told this story once before, in a multimedia format that's much more interesting than just a written story.<br />
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So without further ado, may I present "A Wedding, a Kayak and a Diagnosis" as told by me, and produced by <a href="http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/" target="_blank">Health Central</a>. Read, listen and enjoy (spoiler alert: it has a good ending)!<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.healthcentral.com/storytelling/mystory/entry/5698194d2f896b617bf08a1d" target="_blank">My Story: A Wedding, a Kayak and a Diagnosis (link)</a></b><br />
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Check back here during the week for more RA-related posts, and go to the <a href="http://www.radiabetes.com/prompts-rablog-week/#sthash.mEP1RwEi.FJokyzdj.dpbs" target="_blank">#RABlog Week topics page</a> to find posts by other RA bloggers!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>#RABlog Week Day 1: A Wedding, a Kayak and a Diagnosis </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lindawperkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' </span><a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">#IntentionalTuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Arabah Joy's <a href="http://arabahjoy.com/" target="_blank">Grace & Truth</a>, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. This week, I am also linking up with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-31664376459399549922016-09-22T12:51:00.001-07:002016-09-22T12:51:23.587-07:00Alone in the Wilderness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” – Luke 5:16</i></div>
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My husband passed by my office door, on the way from the living room to the bedroom. A minute later, I glanced up and saw him standing there in the doorway, casually eating a banana and staring at me.<br />
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“Hey, what’s up?” I asked, trying not to sound annoyed.<br />
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“Oh nothing. Just thought I would see what you were up to,” he said with a sweet smile.<br />
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I smiled back at him, hoping he wouldn’t notice what was really going on inside me. I wanted him to leave me alone. I <i>needed</i> him to leave me alone. But I didn’t want to hurt his feelings. After all, it really wasn’t about him. It was me.<br />
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<b>That stress you’re feeling isn’t just in your head; it affects your body too.</b></div>
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The truth was that inside, I was feeling like a pressure cooker. It was the beginning of fall, which meant piles of paperwork and calendar items were coming home from school with my daughter on almost a daily basis. On top of it, my work life was going crazy, with deadline upon deadline. Add in my various health issues, and I was frazzled.<br />
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It was no wonder I was having problems with psoriasis. A condition known for being aggravated by stress, I wondered if those red patches on my skin were really just my pent-up frustrations oozing out of my pores. And was my fatigue really related to my rheumatoid arthritis, or was it that I was exhausted mentally and emotionally, trying to keep up with everything while keeping a smile on my face?<br />
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All I could think about, while my husband was standing there, was <i>I’ve got to get out of here.</i> Ten minutes later, laptop and Bible in hand, I announced my departure and headed out the door.<br />
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<b>Needing a time out now and then isn’t anti-social; it’s biblical.</b></div>
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There are lots of ways to relieve stress. Exercise, engaging in hobbies, and social interactions are just a few of the ways to handle it. But sometimes, that’s not enough for me. Sometimes – and what seems like more often these days – I just have to take a time out and get away. From everyone. Yes, even from the people I love the most.<br />
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I’m lucky in that my husband is an introvert, so he gets it. He knows that when I’m in that place of needing to get away, it’s not about what (or who) I’m trying to get away <i>from</i>; it’s about what I’m trying to get away <i>to</i>.<br />
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Several times in the Bible, the Gospels talk about how Jesus would periodically withdraw from the crowds and even His family and best friends, the disciples, to be alone. He often went to the wilderness. And He went there to pray.<br />
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<b>The peacefulness of the wilderness can draw us closer to the peace of God.</b></div>
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While Jesus went out into the desert, I find myself drawn to the woods and the water. Sitting in a kayak or beside a lake, surrounded by tall trees, I can feel my body physically changing into a state of relaxation. There, I feel like I can exhale all of that stress I’ve been carrying around. I can inhale the clear air and the natural beauty, and hear the sounds of nature humming a tune all their own.<br />
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There, as I close my eyes and feel the warmth of the sunshine on my face, or a cool breeze dancing across my skin, I feel close to God. I know He is there, all around me. He is in control. He created this beauty from the dust of the earth. So likewise, He can create beauty from the chaos of my life. He’s done it before. He can do it again. I can relax. <i>He’s got this</i>, I say to myself. And just like that, I’m at peace. As the stress melts away, a genuine smile returns to my face.<br />
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I look around and see what the Lord has made. <i>How great Thou art</i>, my soul sings out to Him. <i>How wonderful, how marvelous </i>… the song becomes my prayer … <i>is my Savior’s love for me.</i> And in that moment, as I reflect back on how the Lord has carried me thus far, I know His promise in Jeremiah 29:11 is true. “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”<br />
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<i>Thank you, Lord … thank you.</i> My heart fills with gratitude. My spirit fills with joy. Anxiety is replaced with peace. Stress is replaced with calm. All of those feelings of irritation and annoyance, which I was ready to spew all over my husband just a few hours ago … gone. I’m ready to go home now. Now, now that I have what I needed – time alone in the wilderness with God – I am filled again. With power. With love.<br />
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<i>Where do you go to get away from the stress of your life? Whether it’s in a quiet room of your house or out in the wilderness, we all need a place to unwind, where we can spend time alone with God. When we give ourselves that time, in order to be refueled by His spirit, we regain the strength to make it through whatever challenges we may face in our lives today.</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Alone in the Wilderness </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lindawperkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' </span><a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">#IntentionalTuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Arabah Joy's <a href="http://arabahjoy.com/" target="_blank">Grace & Truth</a>, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. This week, I am also linking up with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-12481576600824306462016-09-06T13:33:00.003-07:002016-09-06T19:57:12.174-07:00Returning to Laughter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“So those who went off with heavy hearts will come home laughing, with armloads of blessing.” – Psalm 126:6</i></div>
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It’s been two years since I began this blog. Two years since my father died. Two years since I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Two years of many tears.<br />
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Two years ago, all I could see was pain. Emotional. Physical. Even spiritual, as I shook my fist at God and questioned “Why?” and “Why now?”<br />
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Being diagnosed with a chronic, progressive, incurable illness like RA has a way of derailing us emotionally. There we are, headed down the path of life, full of dreams of where we want to go, and suddenly, it all comes to a screeching halt.<br />
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I imagine it might be a little like being diagnosed with cancer. There’s something surreal about being told you have a disease that literally has the power to take your life (and yes, RA is more than just joint pain – it can, in fact, be deadly).<br />
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Unlike with cancer, however, where the biggest question is often “Can I <i>beat</i> this?” the question for people with autoimmune disorders – RA, lupus, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis and more – is “Can I <i>live</i> with this?” There is no beating it. Even if they go into remission for a time, these are diseases you are stuck with for the rest of your life.<br />
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Grieving a diagnosis like this is much like grieving any other loss, though. There are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression … and eventually, acceptance. The key to living with chronic illness is not getting stuck in the first four.<br />
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I won’t lie. It’s not easy to live with chronic illness. It goes way beyond the initial diagnosis. Doing what it takes to manage it takes work – a lot of it – and it takes time to figure out what works for you individually.<br />
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Initially, I thought I could manage my RA just taking over-the-counter NSAIDs like naproxen or ibuprofen. But when my knee swelled up enough to prevent me from being able to walk, I discovered the need for prednisone and prescription anti-inflammatories. When I was told I had to advance to a DMARD (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug), I cried. I was scared. Until it worked, that is. Then I felt great! But now, a year later, I’ve been told that drug is the cause of my newly diagnosed psoriasis. I’m fighting the doctor’s advice for a change in medication. After all, what will the side effects of that medication be? Yet, I know that it’s just a matter of time. It’s not just about my skin. I can feel it in my bones. Change is coming, whether I like it or not.<br />
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Living with all of this uncertainty, with painful symptoms that stubbornly won’t go away or medication side effects that may impact our energy level or even our physical appearance, can bring anyone down. Tempers can flare and frustration is often a daily companion. If we aren’t careful, depression can set in.<br />
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While I can accept that there will bad days, when the pain is too much or life just feels overwhelming, I’m not ready to give in to my disease, though. I’m not ready to give up!<br />
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It’s easy to look back to a few years ago, when I was fitter and trimmer, and had fewer restrictions on my life that have come with my illness. When my focus is there, it is depressing. I can grow angry and bitter that life isn’t what it used to be. But life is too short to be spent looking in the rear view mirror. Every day, I have a choice – will I dwell in the pain of life’s unmet expectations, or will I choose to look at what I still have? How can I beat back depression before it even sets in?<br />
<br />
There are many things I do to combat depression, some of which include:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Taking a walk or doing another form of exercise, which can release “happy hormones” (endorphins) into my body;</li>
<li>Listening to upbeat music, which can lift my spirits or even give me a reason to dance!</li>
<li>Keeping my to-do lists realistic, and taking pleasure as I check off items one-by-one;</li>
<li>Turning off the news, and turning on a funny TV show or movie;</li>
<li>Choosing the company I keep – connecting with friends and family members who are supportive and can make me smile;</li>
<li>Serving someone else, even if it means just picking up the phone to offer encouragement;</li>
<li>Finding a creative outlet, exploring around town, or taking in the sights and sounds of nature – choosing to do something that brings me joy.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Yet, with all of those ideas, I can still fall into depression if I don’t remember two important premises: I am loved and I am never alone.<br />
<br />
In so many places in the Bible, I see God’s reassurance that He loves and cares for us. Psalm 126 says “Oh, blessed by God! He didn’t go off and leave us. He didn’t abandon us defenseless…God’s strong name is our help, the same God who made heaven and earth.”<br />
<br />
Despite how we might feel at times, God never abandons us. He loves us right where we are, and it is by His strength that we are able to overcome the hardest of times. We may be powerless over our circumstances, but He has all power! He may not rescue us <i>out</i> of our difficulties, but He always carries us <i>through </i>them.<br />
<br />
If I look back over my life, I can see clearly the loving hand of God in it. Can’t you? And when I choose to see His goodness and faithfulness, when I choose to remember those times in which He carried me through to the other side of my most painful circumstances, I find gratitude. And that gratitude is what leads me back to joy.<br />
<br />
My life may be difficult at times, as I look through the lens of chronic illness and the uncertainty that brings, but there are so many things for which to be grateful. Sunny days. Nourishing rain. The singing of the birds. And a God who says that when I go to Him with my heavy burdens, I have the hope of coming home laughing, with armloads of blessing.<br />
<br />
<i>How do you handle pain and uncertainty in your life? Has living with chronic illness left you hopeless, in despair? What tools have you used to combat it? If you are still struggling, are you willing to accept help and hope from the living God who loves you and wants to lift you out of the pit of depression? </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Returning to Laughter </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lindawperkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' </span><a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">#IntentionalTuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Arabah Joy's <a href="http://arabahjoy.com/" target="_blank">Grace & Truth</a>, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. This week, I am also linking up with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-62549957849194506252016-08-26T12:55:00.003-07:002016-08-26T12:55:25.023-07:00When Saying Yes Means Saying No<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 19:19</i></div>
<br />
“Come on, it will be fun!” she said. “We can drive up together!”<br />
<br />
The invitation was tempting. I had already stepped out of my comfort zone, committing to a retreat that was still a couple of months away, all the while knowing that during this season of the year I am prone to chronic migraines. Nevertheless, I wanted to get to know a few of the women in my support group better, and it sounded like a fun way to do it.<br />
<br />
The problem now, however, was that my new friend wanted to take it a step further. She wanted me to drive together to the retreat, almost two hours away, in one car. To many people, that – three or four women on a road trip together – would sound like a blast. But to me, it was terrifying.<br />
<br />
How does one explain to someone what it’s like to live with the unpredictability of chronic illness? Even more so, living with multiple chronic illnesses? While some people will say “you don’t have to explain yourself,” I felt bad. I didn’t want to appear like I was rejecting my friend, or her offer. But I had been there before.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Three years in a row, I have taken long weekends with my husband in the fall for an annual getaway, and each of them ended up being marred by my illness. This year, we decided to can the whole thing and try a “staycation” with the caveat that if I were feeling up to it, we could go somewhere close by for just one night. It grieves me to have to do that.<br />
<br />
Our fall trip was something we hoped to make into a tradition. But who wants a tradition of trips that consist of me in bed, writhing in excruciating pain? Oh, there were moments of relief here and there, when the meds kicked in, but then I was left wandering around with brain fog. Thanks, but if I’m going to feel that bad, I’d rather just be home.<br />
<br />
So here I am, with a women’s retreat coming up a few months from now, wondering how to gently explain my situation to someone who is just wanting to have fun, and was kind enough to include me in the group plans. I prayed to find the right words.<br />
<br />
“I have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic migraines. I have to be able to take care of myself.”<br />
<br />
And with that, she said OK. She understood. Or at least I think she did.<br />
<br />
The decisions we have to make in order to take care of ourselves are not always easy. As people living with chronic illness, we often get general advice. <i>Eat healthier. Exercise. Drink more water. Reduce your stress. Get plenty of rest. Know your limits! </i>All great ideas, but implementing these strategies can sometimes be tricky.<br />
<br />
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<b>Sometimes, in order to give others our best yes, we have to say no.</b></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">What if getting plenty of rest means taking a nap every day? Try explaining that to an employer who wants to schedule a full day of meetings, to your child who wants to go out and play just when your energy level is dropping, or to a friend who wants to plan an all-day outing. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
Only we know what we can handle and what we can’t. Perhaps we can push our limits and go for it. But that comes with a price. If we push too hard, we may sabotage our health to the point of missing a whole lot more meetings, outings or playtime. Better to just be honest and ask if there’s a way to work around our needs. At work, that may mean asking for a longer lunch hour or more breaks in between meetings. At home, that may be asking your child for rainchecks, with specific make-up timeframes, after you’ve had your nap. And with friends, it may be asking for a half-day outing, or agreeing to meet up later after your daily rest.<br />
<br />
Perhaps you’ve discovered you need a particular morning routine to keep you at your best. Maybe it’s exercise, or eating at a particular time, or meditation. Whatever it is, if you have a routine, then you know that if gets thrown off, you may be paying for it not just that day, but for days to come. That’s reason enough to keep yourself from being pressured into breakfast meetings or early morning social activities. And if it is something you can’t avoid, then at least let the organizer know your preference for it to be an exception rather than the rule.<br />
<br />
Maybe you know you have to take a bubble bath at night, to stave off morning migraines, and you need a quiet, early bedtime. Then guess what? That late-night scrapbooking group or conference “after party” might not work for you. You can still have fun! Stay as late as you want, and when it’s time for you to leave, leave! Life is too short to worry about whether people will think you’re a party pooper, just because you can’t stay all night.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Knowing what you can’t do opens up you up to exploring what you CAN do.</b></blockquote>
If you have RA, psoriatic arthritis, or lupus, you might have to limit your physical activities as well. Maybe you can walk well enough to go shopping, but not enough for a hike. Or know you can kayak for an hour, but not for two. Sun, or even temperature, may be an issue. With autoimmune diseases in particular, so many factors come into play that affect what we can and can’t do, including the medicines that we take to treat our illnesses. Don’t worry about what you can’t do; focus on what you can. You may be able to enjoy all your favorite pastimes, in limited quantities, or you may even pick up a new hobby or activity along the way!<br />
<br />
Knowing how to care for ourselves comes with time and experience. And for me, the number one rule I follow is to always have an exit strategy. I always, always, always give myself an out. Twenty years ago, when I decided to quit drinking, that meant renting my own car on a business trip, because my colleagues were all going to the Coors factory. Today, it means “penciling in” plans and driving separately to events, in case I’m not well enough to participate or need to leave early.<br />
<br />
I am grateful that the experience of planning for this upcoming retreat has given me a new tool for living with my illnesses. Vocalizing “I need to be able to take care of myself” is not always easy, but it’s something we need to be able to do. It is learning to set boundaries, in the kindest of ways. It is realizing that in my quest to love my neighbor as myself, my best “yes” may include the word “no.”<br />
<br />
<i>How do you deal with limits and boundaries, as it pertains to taking care of yourself? Do you find others receptive to them, or is it a struggle? What are some specific techniques you use to care for yourself? Do you realize that living by the Golden Rule doesn’t mean just loving others, but loving yourself too?</i><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>When Saying Yes Means Saying No </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lindawperkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' </span><a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">#IntentionalTuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Arabah Joy's <a href="http://arabahjoy.com/" target="_blank">Grace & Truth</a>, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. This week, I am also linking up with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/2016/03/09/grace-spills-like-fountain-gracemoments-link/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5826988470406323259.post-46655548050701528242016-08-23T09:01:00.003-07:002016-08-24T07:23:30.512-07:00Don't Hide Your Light<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“Men do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. They put it on a table so it gives light to all in the house. – Matthew 5:15 (NLT)</i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I walked towards the recreation building, off to the side
of the church, I noticed the sky. It had turned dark and I knew that it wouldn’t
be long before it would open up and begin pouring buckets. There had been so
much flooding in the area recently, and I knew that more storms might mean I
wouldn’t get home. It didn’t matter, though. I needed to be there. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I entered the building, and an older lady greeted me with a
smile. “Are you here to pray, or for the other meeting?” I told her I was there
to pray, and she directed me to a table of women who already had their heads
bowed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was new to the church and didn’t know what to expect. All
I knew was that an hour beforehand, I had dropped my daughter off at her school
bus stop, waited until she was on the bus safely, and then went home and
sobbed. It was her first day of middle school, a day we had planned for all
summer. Despite her nervousness, it was a day we were excited about. But it was
not off to a good start.<br />
<a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
She was indignant at the idea of mom accompanying her to the
bus stop. After all, she was in 6<sup>th</sup> grade now. So big. So grown up.
And yet, I wasn’t budging. She was not going to stand alone on a street corner
in the fourth-largest city in the country, where pedophiles are plentiful. Not
on my watch. I knew there would be other kids there, but I didn’t know who
would arrive first. So we fought.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
She grumbled an “I don’t care” and rolled her
eyes. I yelled. She yelled back. I slammed the door. Eventually, we got where
we needed to go, but neither of us were happy. It was the worst start to the
best day either of us could imagine. To put it in the vernacular, it sucked.
<i>Legit.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the time I arrived at the church, I needed to pray. And I
needed to be prayed for. “How am I ever going to get through this?” I thought.
I wondered how much worse it could get, if this was already going on at age 12.
Weren’t the teen years the worst? We weren’t even there yet! And as many of you
know, stress doesn’t do much for most chronic illnesses. It’s the number one
trigger for migraines and autoimmune disorders, both of which I struggle with.
I was already trying to deal with RA and psoriasis flare-ups. I really didn’t
need this. And yet, I wasn’t prepared to resign myself to the idea of my child
becoming a “do it yourself” kid, who could get away with anything, because mom
was too fatigued to fight with her. What was I to do?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I joined in prayer with the other ladies at my table,
hope began to creep back into my heart. I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me
in a way that encouraged and yet challenged me. I could hear God’s prompting. “You’re
asking her to be less haughty and rude … perhaps you need to show more patience
and kindness.” I knew His voice, speaking through verses from 1 Corinthians 13,
leading me to grow in love.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After we prayed, I stayed to visit. One of the women, Donna,
shared how she had prayed with her children and what a difference it had made.
Another woman, Esther, reassured me as well, pointing me to more information on
how to connect with other moms in prayer. Gina, a single mom with a daughter in
high school, told me she understood the challenges of having a strong-willed
child, and yet hers was now leading other kids to Christ. Tina, a very fit and
young looking woman I had met in Sunday School the day before, surprised me
when she shared she was already the <i>grandmother</i> of a 4<sup>th</sup> grader. She offered to join me in praying for my child because she knew the impact it could
make. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of the women I met that day had come to the group with
one purpose: to pray. Yet, each one had a different gift to share with me. And
you know what? I needed each and every one of them. Just one would have made an
impact, but in that moment of emotional crisis, I wanted all I could get. And
when I got it – all of those women’s life experiences, strength, hope and
encouragement – it changed the course of my whole day. I came away feeling
supported in a way I had never felt before. I not only had hope, but I had an
action plan! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the time my daughter arrived home, I was in a whole
different frame of mind. I took her to Starbucks for a “do-over,” where we
began our day all over again, and we had a wonderful evening sharing about what
it was like to now be in middle school. In contrast to the night before, she
welcomed my evening prayers for her, and the next morning, we joyfully
celebrated “day two!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is sometimes easy to think that we can’t make a
difference. Or maybe we are trying, but we get discouraged and give up. And
yet, if any of the women I saw yesterday had not shown up for that prayer
meeting, I would have missed out tremendously. I would have lost something I
desperately needed, which only she could give. Each and every person I
encountered made an impact, and because of that, my life was changed; not just
my relationship with my daughter, but also my relationship with God. In the
midst of the multitude, I found Him there. Whispering words of peace, words of
hope, words of love.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Matthew 5, Jesus commands us to “let your light shine
before men.” Our job is to glorify God, and the way to do that is to share what
He is doing in our lives. Yet, it is so easy to cop out. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Perhaps we are shy and don’t want to talk about God at all,
for fear of rejection. Or maybe we feel someone else is doing such a great job
ministering to the needs of others, we figure we will “just let them do it.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the online world, it might be competition that scares us
off. I’ve had links to my blog posts removed from groups I belonged to because
they perceived them as “advertising” or trying to “steal” their audience. And
yet, I am not selling anything, nor am I trying to take away from what they are
doing. I gain as much from what they post as what I hope they will gain from
what I write about. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We all have something unique to offer that only we can give.
Unlike any other product or service in the world, all of which can be
duplicated to one extent or the other, our life experiences are uniquely ours.
No one can tell your story like you can. And I’m willing to bet that if God has
put it in your heart to share it, He already knows the person who needs to hear
it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>1 Peter 3:15 says “Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” How
willing are you to make yourself available to share your story? Don’t hide your
light. Someone in the world needs it today!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>Don't Hide Your Light </b></i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">originally appeared on </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Spring Sight</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> blog, by Linda W. Perkins. </span><a href="http://springsight.net/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Click here</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> for more posts. Get even more encouragement by following me on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/LindaWPerkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/lindawperkins1" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, and </span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lindawperkins" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Twitter</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Many of Spring Sight's posts can also be found each week on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Crystal Storms' </span><a href="http://crystalstorms.me/" target="_blank">#IntentionalTuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Kelly Balarie's</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://purposefulfaith.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">#RaRaLinkUp</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Holly Barrett's </span><a href="http://hollybarrett.org/category/testimony-tuesday" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Testimony Tuesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, Arabah Joy's <a href="http://arabahjoy.com/" target="_blank">Grace & Truth</a>, Holley Gerth's <a href="http://holleygerth.com/" target="_blank">Coffee for Your Heart</a>, and Woman to W</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">oman's </span><a href="http://www.w2wministries.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Word Filled Wednesday</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">. This week, I am also linking up with </span><a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Dukes Lee</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> and Dawn at </span><a href="http://www.journeysingrace.com/2016/03/09/grace-spills-like-fountain-gracemoments-link/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Journeys in Grace</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, as well as with </span><a href="http://www.lorischumaker.com/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lori Schumaker</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><br />
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Linda Perkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09905662146166071518noreply@blogger.com12