Category: Pain

The unpleasant, hurtful feelings, both physical and emotional, that we all encounter.

Share Glad Tidings

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Share glad tidings  of great joy  unto every soul.
When we find  something of great worth, share that truth  so we all can grow.
The Church of Jesus Christ  of Latter-Day Saints  teaches what is true.
Let us invite  souls everywhere.  Repentance  makes us new.

When we share  the Gospel's light  with others  that we see,
We must ask for  the Holy Ghost  to help set their  spirits free.
For only God  can enter in  and touch the  hearts of man.
With holy fire  the Holy Ghost testifies of  God's great plan.

There are countless souls  upon this earth  who know not  where to look.
Duty calls  us who know  to give each soul  God's Holy Books,
And share our testimony  with every willing soul.
With guidance from  the Holy Ghost, each child is helped  to grow.

Great shall be  each soul's reward, with every soul  we help save.
We share the truth  of Christ our LORD  & we build  beyond the grave.
Christ is the way, the truth & light.  There is no other way.
Share glad tidings  of great joy  and share it  every day.

In April 2023, President (and prophet) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Russell M Nelson, extended this invitation, “….study .. the account of the Savior’s appearance to the Nephites in the Americas, as recorded in 3 Nephi. Not long before that appearance, His voice was heard among the people, including these words of supplication: ‘Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?….behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive.’

Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ extends that same invitation to you today. I plead with you to come unto Him so that He can heal you! He will heal you from sin as you repent. He will heal you from sadness and fear. He will heal you from the wounds of this world.

Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about HIs Atonement, His love, His mercy, His doctrine, and His restored gospel of healing and progression. Turn to Him! Follow Him! …I testify that following Him is the only way to enduring happiness.”

Fridays and Sundays

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This is a quote from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, on of the previous Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Last week, using the New Testament as our text, we journeyed through the last days of the life of Jesus Christ. Friday was the day of Jesus’ trial, condemnation and death on the cross at Calvary; definitely a difficult day for him. But then Sunday came with the glorious truth that he had risen from the grave and left the pain a sorrow of Friday behind forever.

This is a message of hope for all of us who have our ‘Fridays’. It is a reminder that Jesus Christ is truly the answer to everything, and can help us get to our ‘Sundays’.

www.churchofjesuschrist.org

Easter

Jeanne 1 Comment
This video and many others are found on churchofjesuschrist.org

Springtime is a grand showcase of New Life. Daffodils and tulips push their green stems up from newly thawed ground, a symbol of rebirth. The cold grip of winter with it’s lifeless landscape gives way to a miraculous splendor of life and color. It’s a parable! The tulips shed their dried up petals as the summer heat seems to dry up their very lives. The bulb lies hidden in the cold, dark earth until that glorious spring morning when it rises again. Resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus Christ has broken the grasp of death. He lives today, and His power can enable us to become both new in spirit in our dark times in life, and new in body as a resurrected and eternally living person, a gift given to all of us, and celebrated again this Easter. Easter is truly a message of deliverance for all of us.

Your Old Friend

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Many years ago (like 1975-ish) Bob wrote a poem entitled: “My Old Friend, Pain”. He has been acquainted with orthopedic pain more than the average person, mostly from the childhood bike-riding accident where he was hit by a car, thrown 30 feet, and then run over by the same car! Because of the lasting effects, he’s had 2 hip replacements and 2 knee replacements, and, then, of his own doing broke 2 vertebrae and one ankle, which was severe enough to still cause pain 22 years later. The last hip replacement was just earlier this month, and he is now in the recovery stages. This poem was written by our daughter, Eve, and was inspired by his poem on pain:

Your old friend - pain
Is back again
To humble
And to sharpen
But if you turn your head just right
You start to see reflected light
The contrast, starkly defined
Joy and health - the other side
Without Old Pain
They're undefined
And lacking in their meaning
You've had your share of suffering
A companion through the years
It's played a role
Sometimes a starring part
But you've kept an open heart
You remain
In Pain
But empathetic to the plight
And hopeful for the dawn
You've emerged
Battle - scarred, but wiser
Tired, but kinder
A man who understands
You can't have day without the night
You can't know peace without the fight
Your old friend Pain is back again
Your body heals
Here you stand
Intact
A wounded, but unbroken man.

I’m Fine

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I'm fine; there is nothing whatever the matter with me.
I'm just as healthy as can be.
I have arthritis in both my knees, 
And when I talk, I talk with a wheeze.
My pulse is weak, and my blood is thin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
I think my liver is out of whack, 
And a terrible pain is in my back.
My hearing is poor; my sight is dim.
Most everything seems to be out of trim.
My days, my doctor says are few,
Every week he finds something new.
And the way I stagger sure is a crime.
I'm likely to drop most any time.
I jump like mad at the drop of a pin,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.
I have arch supports for both my feet, 
Or I wouldn't be able to walk the street.
Sleeplessness I have night after night,
And in the morning, I'm a perfect fright.
My memory is failing.  My sight is dim,
But I'm awfully well for the shape I'm in.

The moral is:  As this tale unfolds,
That for you and I who are growing old,
T'is better to say, "I'm fine", with a grin,
Cause it surely will help the shape you are in.

I found this poem (untitled), handwritten in an old file among scraps of geneological tidbits, from Bob's family.  It's not his handwriting, so I won't attribute it to him.  I have no idea who wrote it and probably should not be posting it.  If anyone knows the author, please let me know.  Perhaps his Grandma Davis wrote it.  She was very expressive in writing.

Nevertheless, I like it because it fits with events of the past few weeks.  Bob was finally able to get a new hip replacement a few days ago.  Everyone who works at a hospital looks just barely old enough to be in high school.  All of them.  His surgeon must have begun medical school in kindergarten!.  As they recorded the necessary information, they were amazed that we had been married almost 48 years.  And I reflected on our present physical and mental health--comparing it to our early years of marriage--and reluctantly admitted that we had changed.  A lot.

Bob's marathons have been traded in for shuffles to the car.  My foot was in such bad shape the night before his surgery, that I wondered how I'd get him up to surgery.  Bob's legs and ankle are generously marked from previous surgery scars.  We use grabbers and canes.

And I wondered what happened to all those decades?  Wasn't it just last spring when we planned our wedding?  Isn't getting old for our aunts and uncles and grandparents? --  but never for us!

The Crucible

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It’s been a traumatic 3 months, starting with my son last November, who developed a painful jaw infection accompanied by careless medical care, resulting in emergency room visits and hospitalizations for infection, onset of diabetes from pancreatitis and pending kidney failure. Over-use of steroids complicated his recovery and ability to fight the infection. those were some very tense and worrysome days, lasting into the new year. It required a kind of patience I didn’t know existed. But, we drew together as a family and prayers became a source of strength and healing.

I thought the new year was a harbinger of health, but then my 16 year old grand daughter presented with painful hands that quickly lost their use. Swelling started and medical tests showed nothing.

Then, last Monday, our 18 year old grandson (all of these are in the same family) was rushed to the emergency room with gut pain and jaundice. For the next week he underwent diagnostic ultrasound and endoscopy with gall bladder removal on Wednesday, followed by another procedure to remove more gall stones in the ducts, and finally being released from the hospital on Friday.

We all breathed a sigh of relief, only to be awakened late Friday night with news that paramedics were called in response to my grand daughter’s inability to breathe…very scary…thought to be a panic attack.

So much for the harbinger of health. More like a trip to troubles!

If I were gold
would I think a crucible to be mean?
A dark tomb
with painful heat
that reaches to the soul,
and burns.
Those hours I would never choose.
No.
Look at me--
all cluttered.
I've gathered much along the way.
I carry to much baggage.
I want to let it go.
I pray with fervor to find a way.
The crucible!
How ironic.
The very thing that I abhor
Is now my darkened prison.
The unwanted firey trial
Seems longer than it is.
Daylight finally shoots it's glorious beam
Upon my soul.
My soul--it's free.
The baggage gone
Consumed within the fire.
In weightless glory I rise
And leave this crucible behind
For now.
Purified, changed, whole, free.
I'm finally Me.
This 2 minute video is about the value of adversity

Other’s Needs

Jeanne 1 Comment

A couple of months ago, life became ‘out of focus’ for me. I thought I was having a reaction to medications: trouble sleeping, being anxious about everything, not able to think clearly, feelings of doom, nausea, forgetfulness….My MD had me fill out those screening papers for depression. You know the ones.. They ask you to rate how often you feel hopeless and if you find pleasure in daily activites, etc. etc. I scored horribly and she prescribed an anti-depressant, which I decided not to take unless I could not pull myself out.

I tried really hard to focus on the good things going on around me, which, frankly, was quite challenging to do. I tried to think of other people and what they needed and how I could help. I think the most helpful thing was to read scriptures. They give me an eternal perspective, and a virtual slap of reality that we all have troubles, but, we all can turn to Jesus Christ in prayer and thought and receive an unexplainable rest and peace. I tried every day to focus, not just on Christ, but on others around me. Helping others made me feel worthwhile. Little by little, my mood began to change. I began to feel energized and excited about things that I can do.

Serving with heart & mind, body & soul, we help other's needs.
As we serve, others gain more light, as Christ guides our deeds.
We find our hearts grow lighter, leaving worries & cares behind.
Our cares loose their power to overwhelm heart & mind.

When we sit & think about our trials & troubled woes,
Worries grow & magnify & fester our mind, heart & soul.
Mole hills become mountains & they appear impassable.
Let's give time for others needs & our faith will start to grow.

We start to understand the Lord's wisdom when He did say:
"Loose yourself in service unto others," & we will find God's true way.
As we serve other's needs, we become more humble & more meek.
To a bright new way to truly live, as we more humbly seek.
Out of focus!

I know the devastation of Covid, including the disease itself, plus the loss of sociality, and the discord and unrest it has brought about have contributed immensely to widespread depression. Let’s add politics, natural disasters, floods, drought and fires. My hat off to anyone who has not suffered some level of depression. Being that ‘out of focus’ is something that needs attention. Let’s watch out for anyone around us (family, neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc.) There are many options for treating depression. Perhaps we can all just begin by talking; having conversations with those close to us. I am grateful for my family who listen to me, and for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for all the reminders that God loves me and is always there to help. Check out churchofjesuschrist.org

Be Grateful

Jeanne 1 Comment

Psalm #4 

Be grateful for each pain we have that gives us greater light.
Heartaches from our dear ones can help us gain insight.
Let us be more grateful, for everything we learn and see.
Remember, just past death's door, we join in God's eternity.

Giving Thanks

Jeanne 1 Comment

This is the 3rd psalm of Thanksgiving….I think I missed a day. Yesterday I was feeling a bit down, you know, when everything goes wrong, and you can’t seem to focus on anything, and you don’t feel like doing anything, and you feel guilty for it?

And I thought about gratitude and knew that was the gateway out of my depression…But….Knowing something and doing it are 2 very different things. It’s easy to be grateful when you feel good. Tell me what you do to be grateful when you don’t especially feel like it?

Let us try giving thanks when life burns and stings.
Through many kinds of emotions, God's hope gives us wings,
To fly above life's turmoil and feel God's healing Son,
And warm us & friends, as we grow and live as one.

Get Out Of The Box!

Jeanne 1 Comment

Just some thoughts today…Once you think about it–it just might seem to get worse.

A health crisis is upon us. Cases are on a sharp rise. Hospital beds are at capacity. Wearing a mask and washing your hands is easy-peasy, but some other aspects are not…over time:

Staying at home, as we are asked to do…when we need grocery items (all the time)…When we crave a burger and fries that we haven’t cooked….When we need to prepare for Christmas and shop as we have always done in the past…When we are asked to limit physical contact and who we ought to be around…when we just want to take all day and stroll through a store and just ‘look’.

So, you begin to feel BOXED IN, and the walls seem to squeeze you, and

..that only makes all the things you want to or need to do seem bigger and bigger…and the box gets smaller and smaller and pushes all those ‘things’ against you–in your face, and you can’t see anything else. And there just isn’t room anymore.

And a thousand things are undone…then, none of them are even appealing, in fact, nothing seems appealing. You don’t want to do anything, but you feel ‘driven’ to do something, but what? You can’t see any answers because all your problems have wrapped themselves around your face, and blocked off everything. Sometimes you feel you can’t breathe. Sometimes you feel the whole world is against you, and any joy that used to be vivid is now muted and dull.

And in that closing box, even vision is now limited to not even beyond your nose.

I CALL THIS DEPRESSION !

It’s a very ugly thing. See it for what it is, and get out of that box!

getting out of the box will make the walls of your home seem even expansive! And your sight will lengthen out and discover the many things inside your new expanded space–the things that you CAN DO without even leaving the house. And you are so busy thinking of those things that you no longer notice what it was that you CAN’T DO.

That’s the trick…get out of the box

Sometimes, just knowing you’re in a little box is all it takes to step out and re-focus…but, we’re lucky if it ends up being that easy.

Sometimes we sit in the box, and we know we are in the box, and we want to be out, but we can’t break away.

Friends and family may help if we want them to. Call them. Doctors can help if we need them to. Call them. Jesus Christ will help is we pray him to. Pray.

Just get out of that tiny box!

I think it must also be dark in the box. Watch this to see images of light..