Pass the Frozen Peas, Please!

“Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.” – Psalm 119:50

No doubt about it, major surgery is hard on your body. The one blessing, however, is that when you’re “under the knife,” you’re also under general anesthesia. Not so with the recovery, however. While you may not feel any pain during the operation, there’s plenty of it to go around afterwards. And with joint surgery, we’re talking weeks and even months of opportunity for severe discomfort and pain, as the physical therapy process begins rebuilding functionality of not only the joint itself, but the muscles and tendons around it. It isn't just a hard recovery; it is a HARD recovery. One that requires the help of something that can be counted on day and night, to help ease the pain and keep the recovery process going, even if it’s just One. Minute. At. A. Time.

Thus began my relationship with frozen peas. Laugh as you will, but there is no better friend these days than my trusty bag of tiny, round, icy, green vegetables. There’s a saying “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Uh, no, they don’t. Not without frozen peas, anyway.

Every day this past week, since I got clearance to “move” my shoulder, I have had the joy (NOT) of performing various exercises at home to try and regain my range of motion. In one, I roll a giant blue ball across my bed, listening to my biceps tendon and muscles around my rotator cuff crackle as they stretch further and further. Painful, yes, but all things considered, it’s fairly easy peasy (pardon the pun). The real killer is using a pulley to force my arm out and (theoretically) above my head. The first time I used it, I wept so loudly that my husband raced in to find out what was happening to me. Even using motivational music – “Anything’s Possible” being my favorite – to keep me going, I almost always find myself in excruciating pain, as my arm creaks centimeter by centimeter towards the ceiling, or as it makes its way back down again. Let’s pause here for a moment. OUCH! OK, thanks … just thinking about it was making my arm hurt.

So anyway, when I am done with these torturous activities each day, the only way, and I mean the ONLY way I can get my shoulder to stop hurting is to place a large bag of frozen peas on it. No amount of Tylenol will do, nor even prescription painkillers. Peas are it. Period. While Jimmy Buffet may be dreaming of a frozen concoction from Margaritaville, I have my own frozen contraption from the land of the Jolly Green Giant that “helps me hold on.” As the cold envelopes my aching joint and inflamed tendons, I can relax, even enjoy my day for a few minutes, as my body becomes oblivious to the pain and strain that has been inflicted upon it.

The benefits aren't just for my shoulder either. When I woke up in the middle of the night last night, unable to walk because my knee had decided to lock up and it hurt to put even the tiniest amount of weight on it, I could think of no other solution: peas. Hopping across my kitchen to the freezer, I pulled out my bag of trusty little friends, and 20 minutes later, my knee felt as good as new. Physically speaking, I can literally say that frozen peas are acting as my lifesaver – or at the very least, my peacekeeper – these days.

Unfortunately, there are many instances in our lives in which having a physical “helper” is not enough. I may love my peas, and they do wonders for my aching joints, but they do nothing for my soul. When my heart is crying out for relief from emotional pain - caused by a hurtful word, loneliness, or a longing from somewhere deep inside – I need something powerful, beyond myself, to keep me holding on. I need comfort…love…hope. I need the power of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus called “The Comforter.” He is only a whisper away, but just as I have to reach into the freezer and grab hold of my bag of frozen peas to apply its relief to my body, I am the one who must reach out to God and take hold of His hand when I am hurting. It is not enough for Him to be there. I must listen for His presence. I must read and apply His word. Then, only then, can I find lasting relief to the pain in my soul. Enough for the moment. Enough for today. Enough for life.

What kind of pain are you struggling with today? Physical, spiritual, or both? Are you relying on just physical helpers to “help you hold on” or are you trusting God as well?

               

Pass the Frozen Peas, Please! originally appeared on Spring Sight blog, by Linda W. Perkins.  Get even more encouragement by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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How Aware Are You?

"The Lord your God is in your midst..." - Zephaniah 3:17

Being laid up has a way of making me pause for thought. After all, just how many taped TV shows can one watch? It's been just over a week since my shoulder surgery and after lots of TV, a couple of movies and a novel under my belt, I finally decided I needed to write - even if it's with my left hand, using my cell phone keyboard! Yes, this will probably be the shortest post on my blog. :-)

I got the news yesterday that the damage to my shoulder wasn't just due to an injury, but rather by my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as well. And just as I'm waiting to heal from this surgery, my other shoulder (along with other joints) hurts also, signaling that my disease isn't finished with me yet. Clearly, RA is a journey, not a destination.

The good news is that God isn't finished with me yet, either. He is at work in me, just as He is in you. I was sad to see someone on one of my RA support group boards expressing dismay over his "disgusting" life. Yes, RA is disgusting, but our lives don't have to be. I am reminded of that each time I meet an amazing, interesting person and then subsequently learn that they also have RA or another debilitating autoimmune disease. The pictures of my RA support group board members tell that story too. Their posts may tell of pain and struggle, but their photos show joy and laughter with loved ones. Our bodies may be in pain, but our souls don't need to be. The abundant life - one found as we walk hand in hand with our Creator - is like a rose: there may be sharp, painful thorns on the stem, but also attached to that same stem is a beautiful flower, soft and coloful, with a sweet scent that lingers in the air. No matter what our circumstances, through Him we can find joy, hope, peace...love.

March is Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month. If you don't have an autoimmune disorder, find someone who does and give them a hug. They are likely to be suffering silently, as these diseases are often "invisible" to others until they are in the latter stages. If you do have one of these diseases, know you are not alone. Some of the best support groups are on Facebook and there are some other great blogs. I would be remiss if I didn't include links to a few I am especially grateful for, who have shared my Spring Sight blog with their readers: Rheumatoid Arthritis Information (on Facebook) and Living with RA (blog). I especially like Living with RA's recent article on "comparing our scars."

During this special month, I hope you will join me in being more aware; not just of Autoimmune Disease, but of God. Exactly where He is leading me, I do not know, but I trust Him enough to follow. No matter where I am or what I face, when I pay attention, I can feel His presence. I am aware of His love. Are you?

How Aware Are You? originally appeared on Spring Sight blog, by Linda W. Perkins.  Get even more encouragement by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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F.E.A.R. and Fire Walking

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

One of the most poignant images that remains in my mind from my childhood years in Asia is that of a scene from an Indian temple: thin, dark skinned men dressed only in loin cloths, walking barefoot across a bed of hot coals. Looking straight ahead, barely even blinking, they kept their focus on their destination, rather than on the scorching fire under their feet. How they made it across without third degree burns, I have yet to understand, but somehow they did.

Today, some 40 years later, I opened up my Bible and happened across the story of Peter, whom Jesus called out of his fishing boat in the midst of a storm and, much to the amazement of the other disciples (and even himself!), found himself walking on water. Unlike the fire walkers I witnessed as a child, Peter quite didn't make it to his destination, though. Why? Midway to Jesus, he lost his focus and succumbed to something we all struggle with: F.E.A.R.

One of the best definitions I know of this deadly emotion is “False Evidence Appearing Real.” How often do we face situations with dread, not because of how bad they really are, but of what we fear they may be? And despite statistics that tell us at least 80-90 percent of what we worry about never happens, we worry anyway.

The source of our dread varies. Sometimes, it’s based on our past. “I've been hurt before…what if I get hurt again?” is a common response to emotional pain and can prevent us from giving ourselves fully to a new relationship, even of the best kind. We build a wall of isolation around ourselves, and then wonder why we’re lonely. Or perhaps we've lost a job or two, and let our failures define us, never again daring to pursue something we were once passionate about, for fear that we will be rejected one more time. Maybe we've given up trying to lose weight, quit smoking, or quit that addiction that is keeping us in bondage, all because we haven’t succeeded yet. We get so wrapped up in the False Evidence Appearing Real – that our past is our future – that we can’t move forward. Not when we’re bound in F.E.A.R, anyway.

Other times, the F.E.A.R. isn't based upon our own experiences, but rather what we hear about those of others. A lot of racial tensions could be avoided if we didn't let the experiences of a few influence how we perceive many. Rather than leaving it at “he did…” we let our emotions tell us “they will…” Yes, False Evidence Appearing Real. When we see members of our family succumb over and over again to the same illness, we often assume that will be our fate. Or perhaps we hear stories of people who have the same disease we already have, and the wheels start turning in our heads. We cry out, as if we are already experiencing the pain of a future not realized yet, “Oh my gosh…will that happen to me?” F.E.A.R. at work again.

Regardless of the source of our fear, there is one reality that is always forgotten in the midst: God is with us. There is hardly a chapter in the Bible that doesn’t contain the reassurance that He will not leave or forsake us. He not only tells us that it’s foolish to worry, but as in today’s verse from Deuteronomy, He actually commands us not to fear. Perhaps He repeats it often, because He knows we are so prone to it. 

Fear reflects a lack of faith, as Jesus points out to Peter in that water-walking lesson. As long as Peter walked in faith – believing in the power and presence of God, keeping his eyes on Jesus – he walked across that stormy sea. What caused him to start sinking was all that “stinking thinking” as he looked around and focused instead on his circumstances, his emotions, and perhaps even what the other disciples in the boat were thinking: the False Evidence Appearing Real. What happened next is what God does every time with all of us. Jesus reached out His hand to Peter, catching him as he fell, and asked the obvious, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” Why did you doubt you could do something you've never done? Did you doubt I would give you the power? Did you doubt I would keep you safe, every step of the way, no matter how big the waves crashing around you? Why, after all you've seen me do in your life and for others, did you doubt my love?

Tomorrow morning, I will undergo surgery for the first time in my life. For those who have been through multiple surgeries, it probably doesn't seem like a big deal. After all, it’s on my shoulder, not any of my vital organs. I wish knowing that is all it took to keep me out of F.E.A.R. but I’m not immune to that four-letter word. Normally confident in my ability to get through and rise above just about any situation in life, I lay in my husband’s arms last night and whispered in the dark, “I’m terrified.” Taking from my own past of bad reactions to medications, to a close relative’s near-death experience with anesthesia, I had let my mind go into full “worst case scenario” mode, brimming over with False Evidence Appearing Real. There was only one thing that could calm my anxiety: the key fact that my husband gently reminded me of - that when I go into the operating room, God will be there. He will never leave nor forsake me. Yes, I hear Him whispering to me now in His still small voice, “Oh, my child, why did you doubt? Do not be afraid or terrified, for I, the Lord your God, who loves you beyond measure, goes with you!”

What do you do when you encounter fear? Are you able to recognize it as False Evidence Appearing Real? Can you push it aside in order to focus on the One who is leading you to something better, if only you will trust Him, step by step, to get you to the other side of what you’re facing?

For more encouragement through song, listen to Chris Tomlin's song "Faithful."

F.E.A.R. and Fire Walking originally appeared on Spring Sight blog, by Linda W. Perkins.  Get even more encouragement by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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Pride and Prejudice: What are you? Who are you?

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7b

Almost 10 years ago, when my daughter was just a baby, I was sitting on a bench in a shopping mall, with her in the stroller next to me, when a young couple walked up and then stopped. “Aw! She’s so cute!” the girl said, looking at Jenna’s little baby face smiling up at her. “What is she?” Huh??? I thought. “Um, a baby,” I replied. The couple looked at each other and then back at me, “No, I mean, what is she?” It took me a minute or two to realize that they were inquiring about my daughter’s race, as her skin is darker than mine. “Oh…she’s Hispanic,” I answered.

Until that moment, I really hadn’t given too much thought about what my baby was. I was focused on who she was: my precious little girl Jenna! Yet, in the time that’s passed between then and now, I have realized that we as people often view others (and sometimes ourselves) as what we are, rather than who we are. It’s much easier that way, isn’t it?

What we are is a much simpler question to answer, enabling us to categorize people by their race, their religion, their profession…the list goes on. Who we are is a much more complex question, and requires deeper knowledge of things like character, something often only really known by ourselves and by God. If we are open and transparent enough, perhaps our close family members or friends will know us well enough to be able to say who we are, but it takes time for our fullest, truest selves to be revealed. 

We all come with prejudices – preexisting ideas about people – that are not necessarily positive or negative, but are shaped by what we are taught and by our experiences. That’s one of the dangers of only looking at what someone is, rather than who they are. Describe someone as a “corporate executive” and some might look upon that person as a hardworking, successful pillar of the community, whereas others might think of him as a self-centered, greedy person who doesn’t care about anyone or anything other than lining his own pockets. Unfair, right? You really don’t know which portrayal is accurate – and the truth may lie somewhere in between the extremes – unless you get to know who the person is you’re describing.

Even when we try hard not to label people with our prejudices in mind, we do it anyway. We do it when we think about others, and we do it when we think about ourselves. It is ingrained in our society. In fact, one of the most commonly asked questions we are asked as children is “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It continues as adults too. “What college did you go to?” “What do you do?” “What do you drive?” “What do you weigh?” and the really hot one these days, “What (political party) are you?” What, what, what?? With every answer, we put ourselves and others into a little box labeled WHAT. Sometimes, we like the WHAT box a little too much, smug and proud, thinking that’s all that matters. In other cases, the WHAT box doesn't measure up to “standards.” And if we don’t like the WHAT box, we don’t like who is in it.

God knows we have an identity crisis. He knows we tend to make snap judgments, based on outward appearances. That’s why Jesus said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” This is not an admonition to ignore sin in others, so that God will ignore yours. It speaks to the attitude we are to have towards each other: humility. Jesus continues, “For others will treat you as you treat them.” Ouch! Yes, judging others only by what they are on the outside can have a boomerang effect.

Jesus goes on to explain how our tendency is to point out the faults in others, while ignoring our own, and that the solution to both pride and prejudice is to take the “board out of our own eye” so we can see our brother clearly. What does that mean? It means that when we realize how much grace we need, by looking at our own shortcomings, we see others in a new light, perhaps being willing to look beyond just what they are and see who they are.

What if our biggest problem with the WHAT box isn't how we view others, though, but rather how we view ourselves? As illustrated in the earlier example of the corporate executive, how we see the WHAT box is a matter of our perspective, and sometimes we don’t have the best view. Is what you see yourself as enough? I had the most wonderful conversation the other day with a friend, whom I consider just delightful. Unfortunately, she hasn't always seen herself that way, suffering from depression. The fact is, we all have insecurities that can cloud our vision of ourselves. Some of our WHAT boxes may be beautiful to others, but look ugly to us. Or perhaps we have blind spots that others can see but we can't. We need grace for ourselves, as much as we need to give it to others.

Fortunately, unlike humans, God isn't concerned with our WHAT boxes. Today’s verse from 1 Samuel 16:7 makes that clear:  God doesn't judge us as books by their covers. He sees much more than what we are, into the very heart of who we are. The Bible is full of examples of people who didn't have what it took (from a human perspective) to be used by God, but He knew they were who He needed to get the job done. No matter what you are, He loves you for who you are, and His love for you never changes. His Word says, in Jeremiah 31, “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love; with unfailing kindness I have drawn you to myself.”

Who are you? His.

What are you? Loved.

How are you at separating the what from the who when thinking about others and yourself? Is your identity found in your relationship with God, who sees your heart and loves you endlessly and unconditionally, or in your WHAT box of outward appearances and worldly achievements?

Pride and Prejudice: What are you? Who are you? originally appeared on Spring Sight blog, by Linda W. Perkins.  Get even more encouragement by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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