Oops-I skipped Black Friday Shopping!

Yes its true~~I skipped the biggest shopping day of the year--Black Friday!   As I watched the mid-day news and saw people "brawling" over those "can't  live without Bargains" all I could think was-"Well one  good Shove and I would be on the Ground!"

Why do people get into a physical battle over a small discount on an item?   Do  they truly think a real Bargain is waiting for them?   Maybe its the challenge  of waiting in line for hours, in freezing weather, not thinking about getting a Cold--nothing matters except getting that Bargain  deal.

Shopping is  something I would like to do in a  peaceful manner--but that  usually does not happen!  Black Friday would  be  impossible for me to do  because of the lovely Pain that  follows  me around, day and night.  It hurts to stand for too long a time,  and sitting down--well that is out of the picture.   Things change in life--just that  simple, whether its learning how to live  with Pain,   or a major life event--we either adjust  with the change or  stay in one major struggle.

Life is precious and for this old gal--I  can skip  Black Friday shopping!  Besides I know all the stores are packed  with Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!   Too much, too fast,  and way too Soon.

Take care and hope you find a moment  of simple  Joy.    

Blessings,  Martha

Thanksgiving~~~stirring the Memory Pot.........

I have been away from my Blog~~wish I could say it was something big that took me away from my writing but its not.  Doubts and fear surfaced and I needed time to sort everything out.   Perhaps one thing I needed to learn was to give myself permission in taking a day or  two or three weeks off from writing.   The break has helped and I realized just how very much I miss sharing my thoughts and life with others--its very important to me as I share my journey of living with chronic pain--always hoping I can be of help to others  who must walk this wicked path.  

There are so many things I am truly thankful for  at this  Thanksgiving~~~I thank God for giving me the strength each day to get up and move~~~keep moving and looking for some Joy, regardless of how bad the Pain gets.  Don't get me wrong~~~there are many days when I simply can't do much, and this is when I really Learn to respect  this Pain--my body needs rest and its okay to  "be lazy" when these days arrive.  I am beyond thankful for my  amazing Husband~~~who stands with me,  helps  me through the tough times, holds me during the Sad times, laughs with me at things that seem Funny just to us!  

So how did Thanksgiving "Stir the Memory Pot" so easily?   Simple~~~memories of so many times with family and friends who have passed on.  Remembering my First Thanksgiving as a married woman and having my parents there to enjoy the meal with us.  Thank goodness I managed to cook the Turkey and dressing---recalling our son chewing on a huge Turkey leg as a very young toddler~~pausing on that memory, sadness rising and the realization of knowing this is our life now and we cherish it  just the way it  is.  

We  used a  lot of Pots  today--each  one managed to  bring another memory to the surface and there was much laughter today, as we remembered  that long ago time when it was just the two of us and that was all  we needed.  Today as we prayed before our meal, we felt "our loved ones" watching over us and realized there will always be a "Stirring of the Memory Pot" at times of holidays.   I pray your
Thanksgiving day was peaceful and  happy.  

Thanks for following my Blog and I pray you will drop  in and read my words again.   Martha

I Don't Quit~~

Words  I have  whispered~~clinging to them as Struggles in Life have come my way, I speak them with strong Assurance--a verbal  challenge within me as the words fly  from me~~

"I Don't Quit!"

Where do the words come from?   My Answer is simple--Everything I am,  all the Blessings given to me throughout  my Life come directly from God.   HE  is  my constant Light I  reach for in the darkest  hours  of my  Battle with Pain.   HE shows me Joy in each day  as  I  walk  the path of Life with my "Best Blessing"~~my dear  Husband!  

I  am assured by Faith--knowing God  will never Quit, HIS  love is Constant......

HE is the MASTER  of my LIFE.

Something always happens!

My Dentist must be convinced I am running scared from having more work done on my old Choppers~~not the case in this instance!  Stress has its way of flying at us and at the time, we are so convinced of our coping skills~~but while our minds are in a whirlwind of handling Stress~~the Body is on another course that we are not aware of-Yet!

Just when I finally came up with a solution to the main Stress issue~~Bam!!  I woke up realizing my Body was not the same~~Stress was now screaming at me via my Body and it seems every piece of me hurts.  It dawned on me that during this latest run with Stress~~Food had lost its meaning and my body was letting me know-loud and clear.  I quickly fixed a breakfast fit for a Queen-buttered Biscuits, Fresh Scrambled Eggs, hot Tea and Two Large Glasses of Water.  Within the hour my body began to relax~~as if were saying to me~~ "Okay--now how many times have we been through this together?"  My head hung low--"Too many times--I know, yes I know my mistake!"

Instead of simply looking to the Heavens and saying "Here Lord--this is Too much for me to handle!"  No--I fooled myself into a mess of physical Pain, and will NOT do it again.  Thats when I feel like the Lord says "Oh Martha, Martha--why do you worry so much?"  HE is right.......

Time for Lunch!  I will see my Dentist in two weeks.............

God help us to remember how easy it can be to simply LET GO..............  martha

A Message from a young "Tree Climber!"

We never  know when the chance will arrive for  a "Message" to come our  way~~~giving us a few seconds to turn our brains OFF and allow our EARS to  hear words coming.

It happened to me a  few  days ago as I was shopping and stood at the Checkout Counter.   As the years  have  passed, people  see me with a  walking cane-someone will say "You are  too Young for  one of  those!  What happened  to you?"

I have learned to be brief with my story-"Well  I  fell out of a Tree about 18 years ago, landed Too  hard on my Behind, messed up my Sciatic  Nerve, my Leg hurts  ALL  the time, and the  leg feels  Weak and I use the Cane to help me keep  from falling."

No matter how  many times I say it--everyone around me grows quiet!   I wonder what they are  thinking--as I  hear  a  question "Why were you in a tree?"  My answer is  fast--"I  was cutting a Limb down, but  never  thought  I would have  such a Bad  Fall." 

Silence  lingered-- and suddenly a young voice emerged from the line of shoppers and was standing beside  me.   He looked  up at me, lifting his  arm for  me to see it  wrapped  in a Heavy Cast.  His  words  hit home--"Heh- I broke my Arm when I fell out of  a  tree--boy it  really did hurt!"   

My heart was doing flip-flops~~~knowing how bad his  fall could  have  been-- giving Silent thanks that all he had ended with was this broken arm. But He had more to say---"I  heard you tell that  lady about how you Fell  out of a Tree--does you Leg really hurt All  the  Time?"    

I pushed the Tears down inside me--feeling the need to  answer  this child with honesty.   "Well, yes--you did hear me right--my Leg does  hurt All  the  Time.  You were very lucky to only break  your  arm."
He paused---as if he were storing my words  into his mental memory bank~~~ and he said "Lady--I am Sorry you got  hurt!"

Genuine concern from one so young--he started  to  walk  away, glancing back at me with each step  he  took--I  knew  it was time  for just a few more  words~~~"Heh--how about  we  make a promise  with each other?"   His eyes  grew large--"Yeh---thats  okay!"    I  leaned down and said  "How  about we  both promise to NOT climb a  Tree again?"   His  beautiful face broke  into a  huge  grin for  a second--then he grew silent,  I knew  he  was taking our conversation to  heart.

Almost in exact unison-our words  blended together---"We  promise  to never  Climb up a Tree  again!"    I kept smiling  as  he walked  away,  holding his Mom's  hand and turned to Wave at me.    

This "Message" will  stay in my heart  forever.........  

martha

Can We make Changes?

Sounds like  such an easy thing to do~~change our hairstyle, change the Furniture arrangement, Change how we Dress, Change our Computer  layout~~the list goes on.  But what happens when we are faced with Changes that pulls  at our heart?

Today I received an email from a dear  friend--with heart-breaking news of two wonderful women we both know well are now battling against the C word----CANCER.   One has faced Cancer before~~it arrived in her life like a  Major Storm, attacking her body non-stop.   The Community bonded together~~PRAYER started and never stopped--it felt as if a special Team of  Love  wrapped around her.  We all "Changed"~~~~our Friend having Changed the most!

The other friend is facing Cancer~~just  after  she had to  face  major life Changes~~~~a marriage ending, new-found Love bringing a joyful  Change for a heart so deserving of Love.   Now Cancer has marched in~ She must face Changes never dreamed of--I already can feel  the Community bonding again-PRAYERS from our hearts for Both of these  Women....

Can We  make Changes?  Yes-because  it can fly into our lives  and  leave  us feeling as if everything has been turned upside  down.  There are no simple answers---except one that I turn to with Hope---

Tonight I will PRAY for these two amazing women--asking God to  wrap them both in HIS loving embrace.   

martha

What can we do when Nothing makes Pain go Away?

 Its different for each person who lives with Pain~~~meaning we all have our "Pain Habits" in which we reach out to, a way of Wrapping our  Pain up  and hoping against hope  it will simply  go away!

The list of "Comfort items" can go like this~~ Heating Pads everywhere, Special Pillow, our Favorite Comforter/Quilt to keep us warm, a cup of Steaming Hot  Tea, and Favorite old Shows from years ago that we have recorded on our TV, and last but not least--pajamas or Sweat Shirt that top off  our list of needed items for hopeful  Pain relief.

I have my regular  routine of  getting comfortable  when Pain is  throbbing and its definitely a  way of letting people know--"I need to just slip  away today, so please let me sit and do nothing at all."  Yes  all of  these  things serve to help comfort me when I am hurting~~~but as I go through the roughest moments of Pain--I am PRAYING!  Sometimes all I can say is "Help  Me Please"   and my  words grow in desperation as I  find the words  coming out  during the long dark hours of the night--"Please God,  Please  help me get through this."   

Before I  know it, time  has passed and the Pain has settled down to a slow hum--but I know there will be  more rough nights ahead~~~it seems to just go with the territory.    I just looked out the window~~Seems like another Weather System is coming in!   Best  go  gather all my "Comfort Items" up and settle in for the evening.

I pray for HIS loving hand to hold me up.   As the words flow from my lips, I feel a "peace" settle  round me,  and I know this too shall pass.    

martha