Cloud Therapy* (in Memory of Debbie Hodson)*

Cloud Therapy. 

There is something about looking up into the sky and seeing white, puffy clouds.  It is very relaxing and peaceful.  My dear friend, the late Debbie Hodson, loved to talk about looking up into the clouds and thinking about God's great love.  In 2008, when she was going through chemo therapy due to cancer, I made her a fleece blanket.  It was sky blue with white puffy clouds all over it.  I have been wanting to make more of them but for some reason I cannot find that same material in the stores that used to sell them.  I guess I should have listened to my mom and bought that material when we had that idea several years ago.  

I miss Debbie and I am still reminded of God's love when I look into the clouds. I imagine that she is having the time of her life as she is totally in God's presence without any pain... I wrote this poem in honor of her:

When the pain is so great and times are so tough

and you don't think you can make it, because life is so rough,

Look up into the clouds, high in the sky

as they are sitting still or passing by.

When the clouds are pure and inviting and are white as a dove

they are a small reminder of God's great and awesome love.

When it is overcast and the clouds seem, oh so gray

remember God isn't leaving; He is here to stay.

When all the clouds seem to have disappeared and want to hide

Remember if you do not see God, He is still always at your side.

so if you are having a sad moment or some major uncertainty

Lift your chin up, look up at the clouds, and remember God's cloud therapy.

I originally wrote this poem on February 18, 2009. Also the picture of the dove is a copy of the oil painting I painted in 2011 called "The Holy Spirit is our Comforter." The original painting is displayed at the Loma Linda Children's Hospital in Loma Linda, CA. It is in the children's cancer ward (infusion room). With a help of a friend, we donated it to inspire children who are going through cancer treatments and for their parents who need encouragement too.

To My Fellow Pain Buddies*

To those of you who have Chronic Pain or Fibro, this post is for you:

I'm so glad you all are in this group...I wish you all didn't have to suffer but I feel a new bond of support because we all seem to go through the same things. You all are my new fibro buddies....or should I say the msd's "moist-sensitive buddies" or the bpf's "barometric pressure friends"...whatever we call our selves, I wish we didn't have to go through the horrific pains and other health issues that go along with it...

I have learned through all this pain, to encourage others since I know what it is to be in various types of pains....To all of you...I hope and pray you have a great day...with more strength to do what you have to do, the courage to face the day...and to remember to take care of your self whether it is hot packs, Epsom salt baths, relaxing, or doing whatever you have to do to take the edge off.

Some of the most frustrating things we deal with is not being able to do what we want to do when we want to do it.  I did whatever I could yesterday to take care of myself so that I would be able to go to church..I took the Epsom salt bath, used the massager and the healax,  rested, and stretched but all night I suffered in pain.  It can be so frustrating to not do simple things like going to church.  It is good to go out and socialize and be connected with people yet it is so hard when pain has got me down. So it is a breath of fresh air to know I have you all on my team.

I know you all know what I mean because you deal with it daily too.  Remember to take care of yourself. Plus try to find an outlet for your pain.  I paint and do creative writing to help me forget the pain I am in and to focus on other things. I also have to lean on God for his strength because I would go nuts if I didn't.


Dear God
I pray for my new fibro friends in the support group.  You know what we all are going through. I ask for a healing in our lives, to take away this excruciating pain.Yet I know if that is not your will, I pray you give us strength to be able to get up, face the day, help us to take care of what we need to in our lives, and help us to be able to get out of the house when we are in so much pain so we don't seclude ourselves.  God, you are the God who saw Jesus die on that cross thousands of years ago.  You even heard Jesus cry in the garden of Gethsemane before he was on the cross, "Lord, please take this cup from me. Yet Let your will be done."  It was your will for him to die on the cross to take away our sins. and He ended up being raised from the dead and is alive and well...

 Lord I ask for your healing...Yet if you do not heal us, I ask you to show us what your will is for us. Thank you that you have brought us this far. I know I couldn't have lived with all this pain, without your unconditional love and strength... God, please touch each of my fibro buddies today and everyday and if anyone of them is mad at you for not taking the pain away, please help them through it.  I know that I used to be angry with you for not healing me but now I know I have a purpose in my life to help others...Help them through the hurt, the angry, and the frustrations, but most of all help them through the pain so that they can lean on you for love, grace, strength and hope like I have.....Thank you
Amen


Fibro buddies, have a blessed day...Remember to take one day at a time... Live second to second...We are strong people to have to deal with all this pain...Remember we are conquerors...


note: portrait picture taken by  Expressive Praise
Dove painting painted by  Expressive Praise