Hi Pals,
First, I want to thank you all for praying. It never ceases to amaze me when God's children rally and pray for a "weak" one the feeling of being covered is so real. I am sure God sent his ministering angels to protect me this week (Heb. 1 vs 14). I am going to meet with a professional because I want to learn better coping strategies when I come up against certain situations (eg my aggressive supervisor) that trigger very negative reactions in me.
Now about my mom; please pray for her. She is suffering terribly from depression. She is not interested in doing anything. She sleeps way too much, doesn't knit, which she loves to do normally, she isn't going to church much and says she is hardly able to pray. I just spoke to her on the phone and she told me she didn't even watch the Senators game last night. She is a big fan, so that just isn't like her! True depression, (not just the "blues") runs deep on her side of the family. Seven aunts and uncles and every one of them has suffered through it at one time or another - to the point of not being able to get out of bed! Unfortunately this disease was passed on to my generation on the family tree. Although my depression is relatively mild and usually based on a significant negative situation which arises in my life (eg unemployment or a very critical boss - even my bunny's death). I've never been quite as bad as my mom though. I always manage to function - get out of bed and do what has to be done. I do take meds (I am not ashamed to admit when I need help) - most of the time I just need a good non-judgemental friend to cry with and talk too and I'm fine - I get through it with support - like my online Pals. Mom doesn't seem to have that support system. She is going to be 79 years old in June and I suspect at times that age and drawing near the end is depressing her. Another medical condition the two of us have that can contribute to feeling depressed is hypothyroid - it's mild in both of us - but even a slightly under active thyroid will effect a person's feeling of well being. Mom has a doctor's appointment on Monday and I told her to ask for blood tests to see how her thyroid is functioning. I remember when mine was "off" last year I felt "crazy". Once the thyroid meds where adjusted within a month I began to feel better!
Have a wonderful weekend friends.
Julie (LM)
10 comments:
How nice to hear from you Little Missionary Julie. I had been wondering how you were doing and then I saw you in here encouraging Felisol, so I knew that you were somewhat OK.
It is sad that your mom is depreseed.
Mom Golden was going through that a few years back and what brought her out it was that we made her a bunch of Bill Gaither and Friends videos[with Bill Gaither's permission that we could copy them].
Looking and listening to those sweet saints of God singing their hearts out brought her rignt out of her depression.
She fell in love with Vestal Goodman and the rest is history!
I will pray for your mom dear little missionary Julie.
You have a good weekend too!....Love Terry
PS
I remember when we were teenagers and Betty would buy the southern gospel records at The Met....the Blackwood Brothers and the Statesmen Quartet,and Mom Golden would chide us saying, "They ARE kind of wild aren't they?"
And now she is listening eagerly with the the best of us to those lively songs..Ha!
Hi Terry, funny that you should mention the Gaither's - my mom likes them. I bought a DVD of them and am going to give it to mom (and dad too).
Julie (LM)
Praying for you and your mom,
LPP
Dear Julie LM,
I think you are coping wisely with yours and now also your Mom's problems. A dysfunction in the thyroid gland may amongst other cause depression and should be treated with appropriate medication.
There is such a tight connection between bodily and psychological functions, we are a complete creation, not devided into body, mind and soul.
Jesus said that so clearly; "When one limb is suffering the whole body is suffering. That is not just metaphorically spoken, that is how we work.
That is also why stress may result in a stomach ulcer or a heart failure, or a nervous break down.
Both health and illness tell about the wonderful creation of God that all humans are.
It is all so clear to those who will see, but even so thee are people who deny we have a soul.
That's a horrible contradiction to all science, but those who will not see shall remain blind.
I am happy that you, Julie are so well informed about your condition, that makes it all so very easy, no not easy, but hopeful.
Neither of us should be reluctant to see the doctor, but just as the old farmers when they were sowing, call upon the Lord the wait for growth.
Without me you cannot do anything, Jesus said.
I hope you and your Mom will soon receive help.
In fact I will expect you to get blessed this very Sunday and that the healing process may begin to work.
From yours Felisol
Hi, Pals,
Please DON'T post this...maybe just e-mail to all the pals so they can pray.
I have a sad prayer request. We just got an e-mail from a friend who went through breast cancer, and had both removed as a result. She struggles with alcoholism, and it breaks her heart. She has 5 wonderful children, the eldest is 20 and I think the little one is around 8 or 9 now. Her husband left her at the beginning of March, and she is only writing and telling my mom now. She is going through a really hard time...she lost her children to her husband. The pain of that alone breaks my heart. She knows Jesus, but she still struggles. Now she found more lumps on her body, too.
My heart aches for her...I have cried for her so much since she first had cancer 5 years ago. We live a good distnace apart, so we've hardly seen eachother, but there is such pain in her e-mails. Can you please join me in prayer for her? She's even supposed to have the children, but that doesn't matter to her husband...and I think all of you know how awful that is to rob a mother of her children, especially with all that she has gone through. She wouldn't even go to rehab before, because she'd have to leave her children for several days.
Thank you for your prayers,
a heartbroken LPP
Dear LPP,
Such a painful time for this woman! I will lift her in prayer - that she would feel the Lord's comforting arms and be strengthened in the midst of the battle! Thanks for sharing this request.
Julie (LM)
Dear Little Pilgrim Pal...
It just never seems to stop. All the heartaches that we are having over these poor sick people. I will pray too! I really feel your heart pain ..Love Mrs. Shirkie
Dearest Pals,
What do you do when you have high hopes of joy and happiness...only to learn a fact you'd rather have gone on without knowing? What do you do when you feel like you want to cry, but at the same time, it is as though there is no reason to?
In spite of all the sorrow and troubles, I had something to look forward to today. Actually, let me back up a bit...last Friday my uncle called my mom and asked if we can all get together for a meal at my grandparents' on Saturday. She said, no, we have company coming, what about Sunday? The reply was that my cousin's wife had something with her family on Sunday. This is no ordinary meal my uncle was trying to get us together for...we have not been together outside of my cousin's wedding in June 2006, since December 2005. One cousin lives a 25 minute walk from my house, and the other lives in Ottawa. We rarely see my aunt and uncle...they and their son in Ottawa (and his wife) are Jehovah's Witnesses.
Anyway, I prayed for a miracle, that we could all get together on Sunday. My prayer was answered yesterday when my uncle called to say we'd be getting together for coffee and dessert at my grandparents' on Sunday afternoon. I could hardly wait til 4 this afternoon!
My uncle, aunt, and cousins from Ottawa walked in, back from their kingdom hall meeting, all dressed up. I was so glad to see them I could care less where they'd been! Then a few minutes later, my "big brother and sister" (as I'd always looked to them as when they used to be over at my house all the time before their marriage) walked in...all dressed up too. My heart dropped. Not my big brother cousin...he couldn't have...he wouldn't have...but he had. He was re-instated in the JW organization, as my uncle informed us. He had never told us why he'd left, but we were always glad he had. He used to hang out with us all the time, but in the past few years, he's been distant. His wife is like a sister to me (I call my cousins' wives my cousins, too!), and as she stood there pale from her latest stomach problems my heart went out to her. She loves him...she loves family...She's Italian, that's how she was raised. But her recent severe stomach problems had me wondering what was going on, and now I saw it.
I had such a great time hanging out with my relatives, joking, laughing, talking. I hired my cousin to help me move stuff at my client's home that I'm managing. But when I came home, there it was. A funny feeling deep inside...my cousin's gone back again...my dear cousin. Then I felt a short of reassurance from God telling me that when my siblings and I marry one day, we will be able to show God's love to our cousins through our marriage, and THEN they'll see the difference. But what about here and now?
Yesterday and today as I practiced playing the piano, I found myself figuring out the keys to "Life Ain't Always Beautiful"....maybe now I know why.
I don't know if you feel this is worth posting, but I really would love to know...what does one do?
Love and Prayers,
LPP
Dear Little Pilgrim Pal,
we keep on praying, that's what we do.
God the Almighty knows how to call his stray children.
We keep on keeping on praying.
Felisol
Julie:
I'll try posting a comment...again. Each time I've tried I've been foiled. Be assured of my prayers on behalf of your mom.
We love you!
David and the Pals
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