faith, family, wellness
This morning the intense Texas summer sun came through my bedroom window, and there was this resolve in me that ... it would be a good day. So with everyone in the family still asleep, I awoke first as I usually do, and whispered to our dog Summer, "C'mon girl, let's go outside so you can do … Continue reading Because Today, I Can
This past weekend, I had a bit of a health crisis. I was getting ready to go to bed on a perfectly normal Saturday night when all of a sudden my world fell quiet, literally quiet- and not in a nice, peaceful way. It felt as if someone had pressed my left ear against a thick wall. In all … Continue reading The Night My Life Got Quiet, Too Quiet
They say courage doesn't always roar. If we listen carefully though, everyone is battling something. And I know now, to never take for granted the struggles some people face, even when I can't see them. For many years, I lived with what people would call an "invisible illness." In the fall of 2012, I relapsed with … Continue reading The Courage No One Sees
Ian MacLaren, a noted Scotsman, once said these wise words of counsel, “Be kind. Everyone you meet is carrying a heavy burden.” By no means do I feel I have suffered more than others, or that I have unique insight into pain. I trust we have all walked through difficulties- an illness, injury, loss, injustice, … Continue reading Suffering Well
All my life, for better or worse, I have been quietly paralyzed by this question, “How will they see me?” When I went through a season of chronic illness, the last thing I wanted was to be seen. Here I was, a life that had been built around the approval of others, now felt out … Continue reading On Being Misunderstood
For as much I want to tie a neat bow around the concept of pain, sometimes there are no easy answers. Yes... I see the good that comes out of struggle, the way it rouses a deaf world to become more attuned to God, to each other. Certainly, pain can come from our doing, the sin of others, the effects of a fallen world. But … Continue reading Draw a Line in the Sand
Even though I am feeling pretty good these days, I've come to accept that I will probably always feel some level of symptoms. They no longer disable me, most days. But can I live the way I used to? No, not really. I have learned to adjust, honestly. I make decisions constantly to push or rest. I can't … Continue reading Losing Normal
When you receive a "chronic" illness diagnosis of any sort, a cloud of discouragement can so easily hover over you. An illness that has no end in sight? This can be daunting. When I was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease seven years ago, I was completely overwhelmed by what was happening to my mind and body. It was at times, difficult to put … Continue reading 10 Perspectives On Overcoming Chronic Lyme Disease
I found these pictures from this past summer and had to laugh. How hard it was to get the timing right. My husband and sons could not get themselves in sync. But it was a fun effort nonetheless. 🙂 It's a start of a new week. Monday. I'm already thinking of the roadblocks, hurdles, and massive puddles … Continue reading Ready, Set, Go!
Sometimes, the one thing we need to hear is, "You'll get through this." But often times the big, looming question is, "How?" Often I think it's in the knowing that we find comfort or in the answers that we find security. Sometimes I think that wisdom is having quick answers and our "isms" all figured out ... but yet, why is it that the simplest words sit … Continue reading When You Wonder if You’ll Get Through
invited by grace 