FMS

I have diabetes, asthma, fibromyalgia, have been known to have a panic attack or two, and ADD. The ADD is the most fun one by the way. It cracks my whole family up! Squirrel!  

Any way, for the most part I haven’t told many people about the ailments that I’ve been blessed with because for the most part I figure people don’t want to hear people complain. I know I don’t. There use to be a running joke with Granny that you never wanted to ask her how she was doing because she would tell ya! Her list of ailments were longer than mine!

I want to be a positive person. I don’t want to be known as a complainer. But someone said something today that made me pause. She has known pain. Her son was murdered. She said today something to the effect of, “God wants us to be honest. Honest with our pain. Without honesty there is no release.” No release from the pain without honesty. In her case she was talking about grief but I think it can be applied to physical ailments as well.

I am an actress by nature. I can smile through just about anything. My younger son is learning this fabulous trait. He had an acute pain on his side. When the doctor would push on it, he would smile. The doctor pushed harder, and Jack smiled bigger. The doctor looked at me and said, “He can’t have an appendicitis he isn’t in enough pain.” But I knew my boy. I knew exactly what he was doing, because I do it all the time. Hide the pain with a smile. How sad. How very very sad. Luckily we got Jack to the hospital and he did in fact have appendicitis and had an emergency surgery to have it removed.

I also think at least for me there was a tinge of pride involved in my unwillingness to share with people that I suffered for fear that the image they had of me would be tarnished. There that is my honesty. I am a proud person who has at times suffered alone for fear of what people may think.

So does God want us to be like Granny who was always telling everyone about her ailments and how awful she felt? Or does God want us to hide the pain with a smile? I am not at all sure what the exact answer is but here is my new answer. To the few people who really care I will be honest and I will smile because here is the Truth.. I have diabetes, asthma, fibromyalgia, have been known to have a panic attack or two, and ADD.

But it does not have me.

God does.

:) 

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed in us.