Monday, October 12, 2009

Lupus & Me


So, I hosted a lupus chat tonight on my network site for women who are lupus survivors. You know each day carries such a battle for the lupus survivor. It can really wreak havoc in the lives of people from young to old.

Sometimes I feel like I am the only person around that suffers and then I talk with other lupus survivors and realize I am not alone. What a blessing it is to be able to speak with men and women all over the country in the comfort of my home about things that many do not understand.



Since being diagnosed with Systemic Lupus I have found that life is too short to believe in fairies and good luck charms. I have come to realize that each life is precious and should be lived to the fullest extent. Just when you think your story is the story to beat all stories, there is someone that humbles you to realize that your battle is not lost. It makes you realize that you have a lot more work to do to get the word about this horrid & sometimes deadly invisible disease. It makes you realize that you have a civic duty to do all that you can to make sure you and your fellow lupus survivors are represented properly in the health fields with proper drug production faster than 50 years.

I take time today to say thank you to all of my fellow lupus survivors. We must be sure to always pick each other up when we are down. To be the listening ear when no one else around us has offered their ear to hear. We have to be sure to be that shoulder to cry on when times in our lives we are riddled with pain. Although Lupus has been a thorn in my side, I must say it is a blessing because I am able to get to know some of the strongest individuals I know. I get to communicate with them on a constant basis. I get to be a part of their lives and help pick them up when they are down and laugh with them when they are happy. What a true blessing it is to be able to do this through a venue that was only a dream in a person's mind.

Today I take time to salute each lupus survivor and I say to you all "You have lupus, lupus does NOT have you!" This disease will not run and ruin your life, you will ruin it and run it out of your life.

Be Blessed, Be Encouraged and Be a Blessing

Thursday, October 8, 2009

All Clear, Enjoy Your Ride

Over the summer, I visited an amusement park with my son and had a great time. We rode the biggest, craziest and fastest rides in the park. Each time, we boarded the ride, strapped ourselves in, was checked by a worker and given the thumbs up to launch. Right before each ride the ride operator would say "All Clear, Enjoy Your Ride." Each ride was a new adventure and each time the operator stated "All Clear, Enjoy Your Ride."

When you sit back and think, our lives are like an amusement park. We have so many rides and so many different aspects of our park. We have the roller coasters, when our lives are a bit topsy turvy, curvy and bumpy. We have our Ferris wheels when we feel like we are moving in slow motion in circles and jumping off at the right time. We also have our 4D movie theater rides when we feel like everything is shooting directly at us and moving us all about. Sometimes we even have the times in our amusement park life when we simply stand still and just watch all of the rides from the sidelines.

The difference between our amusement park life and a traditional amusement park is that before each and every ride of life we don't say the powerful words "All Clear, Enjoy Your Ride." Think about it, no matter how crazy the ride is, the ride operator always states, "All Clear, Enjoy Your Ride." Providing the thumbs up for a successful fun ride.

I look at those words as power for our lives. If we were to state to ourselves "All Clear" that gives us power to know that no matter what it's all good. The path is clear to face all issues all trials, all twists and turns that may come our way. We are all clear, why? Because we know who is for us so we are cleared to realize that nothing can be against us. At the point of us realizing that we are All Clear we can then "Enjoy Your Ride." If you have the go from the beginning the best part of the amusement park is to enjoy the ride. If I am clearing myself, giving myself permission to move forward in life, then I can do nothing else but enjoy the ride.

What an awesome amount of power we would possess day to day if each day we faced it with "All Clear, Enjoy Your Ride" attitude. Just as a roller coaster shoots out on a track and returns to its original point safely, we can do the same in our life. Imagine walking out of your door and before stepping out into your life's amusement park you screamed, "All Clear, Enjoy Your Ride!" Yes your neighbors may look at you a little crazy, but you will release any and all stressed areas of the day before they even begin. That scream of positive and permissive words to move ahead in your day through every spin, every fall, every movement with the thoughts that it will be a great day and that you are going to enjoy the ride and return to your destination in one piece. WOW!

How do you usually feel when you return from a ride in an amusement park? I feel excited, adrenaline running ready to get on the next ride. I know on the next ride I am going to hear "All Clear, Enjoy Your Ride." I look forward to the next ride because I have enjoyed the last. Take this attitude in life. Be excited for the Amusement Park of Life. It is the best amusement park there is. There are so many rides to get on and as the operator of your park make sure you say daily to yourself.....

"ALL CLEAR, ENJOY YOUR RIDE!"


Thought of the day: I will say to myself that my day will be "All Clear" No matter what roller coasters may come my way, no matter what twists and turns I will face them each with excitement and "Enjoy My Ride". I will look to the next ride as an adventure and be sure to give myself the thumbs up to enjoy it!