The level of sunlight raises up then down in the hallway beyond my bed
Like a child playing with a dimmer switch, how I know where these thoughts have led!
How can I get up and face the world one more, yes one more day?
When so much suffering met me here or there, no matter where the level of light has shone along the way?
Still one cannot judge the next moment based upon the past…
You just cannot predict when joy, when peace, when hope will come at last?
Simmer down inner child and let the sovereignty of your Lord speak.
You must remember how He delivered you in the past when you were so weak.
Your fears, your toils were measured by My drops of blood while I hung on that cross
I saw, I see, I weep, and I am always right there when you feel lost.
Hitch your heart to Mine choosing faith that freedom will come in due time
Watch for My answers, My leadings, My deliverance some now, some beyond a simple rhyme.
There is hope. There is more. There is a heaven, I promise as I know you have seen.
Walk towards My light dear one: what’s coming is greater than what has been . . .
Friday’s perspective:
In time the beatings diminish
And you catch your breath to finish
The week that held too much, oh dear
Gave way to Friday and better news to hear.
Things moved forward: medical tests and even some healing
Living more in the facts by golly with less in the “fearful feelings.”
I might even go out soon: making plans for the days ahead Lord willing
Better get the pup. It’s time for a ride to pick up the bacon, the drugs, the groceries: excuses good enough to put off another day the cleaning!
May the Lord bless your weekend, Gentle Reader. JJ
An O.T. assisting a client in a tub transfer using bathroom safety equipment.
When I was working in my career as an Occupational Therapist, I coined the following phrase to describe my role to my patients and their families:
An Occupational Therapist takes a look at how a person occupies his or her time and the skills needed to get through the day.
This definition worked well, given the diversity of populations, conditions, and treatment interventions utilized in O.T. Having a simple, quick definition helped me better communicate my 30+ years of licensed and skilled interventions from a variety of treatment settings that might be called upon at any stage over a course of therapy. Together we then crafted a course of action to get the person back into his or her life as best as possible. Funny how the person that may have benefitted the most from all of this is the one writing to you this evening . . .
Recovery from a serious illness has been a case of the phrase “therapist heal thyself” coupled with the expertise of a few other licensed professionals. My part was to study, research, document, evaluate, revise, manage, and just hang in there by my fingernails to get through these past 4 years. However I will credit the Lord, Jesus Christ for providing the courage and hope that my husband, Steve, and I needed to actually start seeing some progress. And guess what, it is starting to happen! The Lord has allowed recovery to begin!
Six weeks ago I began an ongoing, intensive course of IV antibiotics for the treatment of chronic Lyme disease. In the interim I experimented with liposomal melatonin, 5-HTP (a precursor to serotonin), and now CBD oil (from industrial hemp). I believe it is that latter that have helped to move my sleep/wake cycle from that of a brown bat to a gal that is just slightly a night owl. I am starting to dream again and have a little more energy, clarity of thought. Also the years spent chasing down mercury toxicity, mold illness, dental issues, and secondary infections have prepared me to tolerate this level of intensive treatment. Are you ready for the biggest change of all?
The two to five hours per day of violent convulsive episodes is diminishing in intensity and duration! This has been consistent for about two weeks now. PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!!!!!
We are thrilled for some positive change in my condition! We are now hopeful that the powerful doses of antibiotics will help kill the Lyme bacteria and co-infections likely causing the seizure attacks and other noxious symptoms. Whoa. So how do I fill my days? I am continuing my full time job of daily detoxing, preparing a specifically crafted diet, maintaining a detailed treatment log, medical appointments averaging daily, supportive relationships, study-and-research, medical treatments (some complications came with the IV treatments), connecting online to forums critical to these efforts, the “stuff of life,” and taking a walk at least once per week. Maybe this week it will be twice? Yeah God, the pup will love that one!
Like in the past, right now I am just doing my job. I am grateful that the Lord saw fit to lead me into the profession of occupational therapy as it provided me the skills needed to manage the mechanics of this illness. Along the way my beloved Steve has been the greatest friend, confidant, witness, and spiritual leader that I could have ever asked for to walk this road with me. He has labored tirelessly night and day for me, for us. Thank you Jesus for Steve. There are many unknowns and many more months of treatment yet to follow for sure. No problemmo. With my Lord and Savior at the helm, I will be fine. Lord willing, I am going to get well!
Just thought you might like some good news from the “Hope Beyond” blog, eh? Take care Gentle Reader. And thank you for your support. You rock! JJ
The gals knocked on our front door unexpectedly tonight from the cold of night. Do you know where the Murphys live, they asked? We did not but sure noticed the cheerful nature of these young ladies. Could they share a special Valentine’s Day message with us just the same? Of course, answered my husband. What followed was a friendly banter of the differences between the Mormon faith and a Biblical belief in Jesus Christ alone as Lord and Savior of the world. It was too cold for the chat to go on long and our home is a safe zone for fragrances-n-chemicals so we could not invite them inside. They understood. Gratefully, I was able to locate our neighbor’s correct address before they parted which they accepted after my hubby engaged them in a sweet chat of everyone’s hometown.
Later Steve and I prayed for these two. Certainly their friendliness and encouraging messages were a breath of fresh air on a chilly wintry night in the Midwest. They were far from home on their 18-month mission trip rite of passage, so to speak, of their Mormon culture. We hope that they will look beyond their culture and traditions, however, to a saving faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ who brings eternal redemption and joy through the foundational truth found in the Bible. We find evidence of our faith in verses such as:
Romans 3:23New King James Version (NKJV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
1 Timothy 1:15New King James Version (NKJV)
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,
Romans 5:8New King James Version (NKJV)
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 6:23New King James Version (NKJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:16New King James Version (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
In these truths we believe in Him alone as the perfector of our faith, His work on the Cross, and then build the foundation of our faith. I am proud of Steve for engaging these gals with his personable style and sharing of some key points that we hope they will reflect upon further. We hope they will find hope in Jesus Christ and not their religion. In sharing with them, Steve moved beyond standing in frigid temperatures in an open doorway and got into the most serious of conversations with two total strangers rather quickly. What topic could be more important for a Sunday night chat?
On this Valentine’s Day, I submit to you that the greatest love offering of all was given by our Lord, Jesus Christ when he demonstrated that love through His death and resurrection on the cross at Calvary. Salvation and eternal life come through Him alone. May He be glorified for the good that may come for being willing to stand and speak when a knock at the door cometh . . .
Gentle Reader, if you are wondering who God is and how to have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ alone, please write to me here or comment at the Hope Beyond page on Facebook. Or just pray this simple prayer and let me know if you do, k? With love, :JJ
Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and have fallen short in my life. I am sorry. I recognize that you are God and came to earth to save me from the ultimate consequences of my sin through Your death and resurrection. Please forgive me. Be my Lord and Savior this moment for always. In Jesus Christ, amen.
A place where you reach your goal, Nirvana, the prize, all you’ve been awaitin.’
Too bad life is often not like that: the good, the bad, the ugly all take their turn
You never really know what you are going to get when your head lifts from the pillow at dawn.
And so goes my new treatment when things have gotten worse before getting better,
How is this even possible when it appeared the Lord orchestrated these steps to the letter.
Now faith means holding on to that which is unseen for the promise of my Lord’s Day
When the suffering will end, be redeemed for glory whether it comes soon or some other way.
I borrowed my beloved’s belief tonight when mine was just too shaken to go on any more–
With love in his eyes, his heart he prayed for healing and more once again like so many times before.
We know our Lord hears us and that we have His will, His heart within our own
I just pray I can hang on this weary road that seems to have gone on just too long.
[Please send chocolate . . . pure unsweetened cocoa butter works best right now. JJ]
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My hope this night is the promise of my Lord and Savior that, “He will wipe every tear from (our) eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 Somehow, someway, I am going to make it, Gentle Reader!
Jesus is for the Wounded 
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