When you are hurting....

I really want this blog to not only be for those with MS or for the family of those with MS.  Of course this is a big part of my blog and my life but not the main part.  The main part of my life is my relationship with Jesus.  After that is my husband, my children, my parents, the rest of my family, etc...  MS does affect these relationships but not as much as it used to.  Why?  Because of my hope!  Hope that I will be healed, and if not healed then my hope in Christ to get me through.  Everyone has hurts, everyone needs hope and encouragement, everyone needs ideas or tips or advice to get them started in the right direction, and everyone needs grace when the mess up.  On Mother's Day I came up with this saying....  "I never fail, I just leave room for improvement!" 

I will be having a lot of information about food and your health.  I will most likely have a separate "tab" so that info will be in one spot to come back to.  Be ready to be challenged in this area of food but also be ready to feel GREAT!!!

But first I want to share some great tips I wrote down from a sermon I listened to this morning. 

When you are hurting (physically, mentally, something done to you, etc.):

1.  Don't use that as an excuse for lack of self-control.  Examples...eat whatever you want, say whatever you want, behave however you want....you get the idea.  If you are talking to your children all nasty because you don't feel well and then someone you want to impress (friend, pastor, whoever) comes to your door you will quickly straighten up.  If you have the self-control then, then you can have it anytime!  : )

2.  Don't withdraw or isolated yourself from others, sulk, or feel sorry for yourself.  You can't be pitiful and powerful at the same time.  Let your life be an example to others.  Becoming upset because you feel alone only adds to your hurt.

3.  Don't believe that God is punishing you for your past sins.  Of course there are natural consequences for sin.....you speed and you have to pay a fine, or you steal and you have to go to jail for a certain amount of time.  But when you confess your sins, God forgives you and forgets.  He is not sitting around with a list of all you have done wrong and punishing you over and over again!

4.  Don't give up and think there is no way out.  Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)....if you are lost then start there to find your way.

5.  Keep your commitments and your word.  There are days that something does happen to keep us from fulfilling our commitment but even then call and don't just not show up.  But truthfully many times we just don't "feel" like it or it isn't "easy" for us and we decide to stay home instead.  God always keeps His promises and for those of us who are Christians, we are to be an example of Him to others.  For those who are not Christians....no one forced you to say yes or volunteer so keep your promises as well!  : )

6.  Fight against the hurt and do something good for someone else.  There is such a healing power when we take the focus off ourselves and help someone else. 

I know that life can be hard and we do need someone we can vent to and lean on, but it is not good to stay there....and btw....all that I blog about I am saying right back at myself because I need to remember this as well!!  : ) 

Big Move!

So we made the move back to Texas last week!  : )  MANY  factors went into this decision.  One major reason was my MS.  We always knew that we wanted to move back here once we retired...that we wanted to "finish" here.  We thought it would be after the kids all graduated high school.  A little back story....my husband and I were both in the Marine Corps (me for four years and my husband for 8) and have moved 10 times since we have been married and each of us moved 4 times before that!!!!  I have been a stay at home mom since I have been out of the Corps and my husband has a job that is very mobile.  We have always LOVED moving and were living in Iowa by my parents for the last three years.  We thought we would stay there (we do have choices with my husband's job), but that all changed once I was diagnosed. 

One of the hardest things for me about living in Iowa was the winter.  Shoes really really hurt my feet.  The first winter of MS I wore nothing but flip flops....that didn't turn out well for my feet either!  I got infections in my toe nails and a few times I thought I got frost bite!  : )  Sooooo my doctor told me not to do that again this past winter! heh heh  It was one of the coldest and longest winters Iowa had seen in years.  Schools were closed because of cold NOT snow!  Needless to say I had to wear shoes a lot.  This made my feet hurt so bad that I ended up not leaving my house unless it was completely necessary.  I am very social so that was mentally and emotionally very difficult.  : (

Matt and I started thinking that maybe we needed to move back to Texas earlier that we had planned.  We started praying about it and God just opened every door and FAST!  We got the first job Matt inquired about and sold our house in one day!  : )  The move itself has been exhausting!  With the help of friends and family we packed ourselves up, drove two moving trucks and one van 1150 miles, and are in the process now of unpacking...all in the last two weeks!  : ) 

It is great to be back here and to feel "settled."  We do not plan/want to move again....even though my family thinks we will based on all our other moves!  heh heh  Another little side note...we lived in Texas about 2 1/2 years before me moved to Iowa.  We loved Texas then too, but really felt God calling us to move back around family.  We are so glad we did!  We got to be a home for my brother when he needed it, Matt was able to "officiate" my uncle's funeral, and my children were able to bond with grandparents and spend the night at their house at least once a week.  : ) 

I am going to have to make some big medical decisions because my neurologist here gave me some ideas that I think are valid.....I will blog more about that later....