Highs -n- Lows Living with the Disease

Monday, November 25th

Another Beautiful Morning!
I've been thinking about the journey I'm on.  It's been very enlightening...scary and undesirable but enlightening.

When I finally realized what it was I had.  My heart was very heavy....weight like no other.  I had so many questions but no one knew all the answers.  You see, DM and Lupus has no set path, each person is afflicted with them differently.  So each treatment plan is also unique.

The most difficult part of this journey is to figure out who I am, again.  I had this feeling one other time in my lifetime.  I remember this feeling when my first husband, Greg died. I sat at the cemetery by his gravesite asking him what I'm supposed to do now???? I had two young sons that needed me to care for them so I pulled myself up and started on a new journey. 

I have to pull myself up and begin this new journey...After coming to grips with what I am unable to do...No sitting outside soaking up the sunlight and feeling the warmth of the sun on my face or no more shorts, capris and short sleeve shirts... :-). So many things I used to take for granted.

I can tell you this, each day is so different...I have my good days and my bad days.  I need to remember to listen to my body and just because I could do it one day, doesn't mean I can do it the next.  I was told by those that have been through it....life does get better but it will never be the same. :-)

I'm so thankful for all I can do...

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Today's Bible Study

Developing Patience

Read | Galatians 5:22-25

We have all kinds of excuses for why we are not patient: stress, ill health, other peoples’ mistakes, running late, or simply having a bad day. But impatience can cause us to make poor decisions, hurt others, or damage relationships.

God wants something far better for us. He knows that patience helps us to stay in His will—where His favor rests upon us. We achieve strong, loving, lasting relationships when we are willing to wait for others to change. In so doing, we also become happier ourselves.

How do we develop this attribute? First, we must view our lives as God does and recognize difficulties as disguised opportunities to learn patience. We must leave behind the mistaken assumption that success in the Christian life means an absence of problems. God’s purpose is not to provide us with ease, comfort, and pleasure but rather to grow us up into Christlikeness. Patience is one of those “grown-up” qualities we’re to have.

Second, we have a personal responsibility to pursue the quality of patience and train ourselves in it. We must learn to resist our bad habits, wrong thinking, and negative behavior patterns from the past. Practice responding with kindness and love, even if the other person is unjustly accusing you.

It takes time, energy, and effort to change our thinking and our responses. Fortunately, we don’t do this alone—the Holy Spirit is committed to producing this fruit in our lives with our cooperation. See difficulty as God does, and then respond patiently.

Another great day to look forward to...