Finding Nuggets of Gratitude When Life Happens in Fibromyalgia Flares

    
Did you know that a fibromyalgia flare can mimic a symptomatic severe case of the flu with total body pain void of fever, leaving an uncertainty loomed whether the real thing or not? Now, couple that with a few days of unrelenting bouts of lower spine/back pain impeding walking or everyday movement, where getting out of the bed unless absolutely necessary found its way to the bottom of the options for today list. A skirmish in life, indeed, was and is happening! 
Okay so, this early morning I mulled over names of folk, including my son, to call upon to bring me a huge pot of soup. The thought hit me that I have enough fixin’s in my pantry, fridge and freezer to brew up that big savory homemade concoction myself. Sooo, let us see what happens when fresh cabbage, spinach and onions, assorted cans of vegetables, a chicken drumstick/thigh quarter, leftover homemade turkey broth, Worcestershire sauce, instant whole wheat brown rice, seasoned to taste with thyme, cumin, sea salt, basil, oregano, and garlic powder are co-mingled with a totally blessed sufficiency of grace to get-up-and-go is employed at whatever snail-paced forward motion to get’er done. By my faith, I saw the end product before it was actually done. 

Voilà! After persistent and consistent effort with committed determination for a longer-than-normal time preparation and cooking time, SUCCESS!

    
Over a gallon of tasty-morsel fusions of scrumptiously delectable composites to satisfy the dulcet cravings was found as the nugget of gratitude for this weakened yet Christ-strengthened gal. I do realize that the prior sentence may have sounded like a mishmash of a compromised choice of choreographed words. However, the following needs no interpretation… 

Did the same person ‘who moved my cheese’, move my whole wheat crackers?

Week 12 – Finding Nuggets of Gratitude When Life Happens

  
WOW!😱 I think you would agree… What a horridly horrific image!!!!!😣 

I first saw it a few weeks ago on a blog post of a precious friend. Its impact hit me hard! As I read and reread and periodically revisited the horror in that picture, I tearfully grappled with the realization that this was her life, my friend’s life. The fact that this now had a face, made it even tougher.😢 

Please let me hear your comment/s on the first two questions of the four following questions: 1) How did that image impact you?; 2) What does that image say to you?; 3) Are you a victim or perpetrator or both?; 4) Do you know someone who is either or both? Comments on the last two questions of the four may stay between you, this blog and God. 

Here are two other sadly thought-provoking bonus questions: 5) Does that picture have a face to you? 6) Has it now become personal to you?

Before your thoughts run rampantly amuck in pondering, “What possible nugget of gratitude could come out of this life happening?! Miss Rainey has surely lost her mind and gone off the deep end!” Follow me with my seemingly bizarrely twisted chain of thought. This is going to be a nugget of gratitude that we together are going to find as we get the dialogue going. I look forward to you interacting with others and with me on this journey.

So this time I am soliciting your help. 

Repost on this blogpost your WordPress blog site and/or share on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram or other social network site/s of choice. Use hashtag “lifehappeningsurvey” when you share and/or comment. Please ask others to do the same.  
Survey family, friends, followers, co-workers, business partners, clergy, teachers, bosses, church members, children, grandchildren, relatives, law enforcement persons, health care providers, siblings and anyone else by asking one or all of the 4 above questions. Accumulate their responses. Then come back and report your findings on this blog or you may do so on my personal social network sites, using #lifehappeningsurvey. Together we shall reveal the nugget of gratitude!

Whoa! What an incentive for you to check back next week to see what nugget find of gratitude we have unearthed! Together, you and I shall lead others to freedom with joy! And hopefully in addition, you will then follow my blog, invite others to view and do the same. You see, I am all about giving hope to others.😉 A blessed day to you because I know #Iamblessed and enjoy #givingyouhope! #lifehappeningsurvey

Week 9 – Finding Nuggets of Gratitude When Life Happens

LOL is used so often. Why not purpose in our hearts to really LAUGH OUT LOUD today!” Even better yet, why not commit to tastefully create a LAUGH OUT LOUD MOMENT/s for someone who is going through a ‘life happening’ event/s and find out nugget of gratitude together for life and health. 

Here are our GPS coordinates… 

Let us get in the car and drive ourselves and others straight forward to the ‘Y’ in the road up ahead… Steer away from Negativity Avenue to the left. Veer right onto Positive Energy Drive. Go a few smiles. Turn left onto Stress-Reduction Lane. Go a few more smiles. Make a screeching hard right onto LAUGH OUT LOUD Circle! Proceed a few more smiles. See people laughing out loud everywhere. Make a screeching hard stop for laughter! We have arrived at our nugget-find of gratitude new circle of friends destination… Proverbs 17:22 (AMP) – “A happy heart is good medicine, and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

Clicking on this link reveals facts on laughter and stress reduction from Mayo Clinic Stress Management. 

Let us LAUGH OUT LOUD knowing that we laugh at our own risk of feeling better. Let us absorb and bask in scriptural and clinical proof that laughter can reduce stress and create a path to healing. So now let us submit to our triple-heart-bypass today… a Cheerfulheart, a Happy heart and a Merry heart!



Be sure to once again check back next week to see what nugget find of gratitude has been unearthed. And do not forget to leave a comment and ❤️ at and on my blog site. Then follow my blog, invite others to view and do the same. A blessed day to you because I know #Iamblessed and enjoy #givingyouhope!

Ponder This – What Do You Do With The Pain Again?

As you intently and honestly ponder the questions posted in this blog! Post your point of pain comments. Or if you prefer, perhaps write about the pain of others with whom you are familiar. Have you ever considered the “nugget of gratitude” that may be hidden in the pain when “life happens“? Then check back in a few days for my riveting “Finding Nuggets Of Gratitude When Life Happens” post.

Pain Defined

What do you do with pain? Do you pray it away? Do you wish it would just go away? Is your faith challenged because you have pain? Do you wonder what others are going to think of you?  Do you wonder why it is there in the first place? Does confusion set in because your stand in faith against it does not immediately manifest release? Is there healing in pain? Is there healing thru pain? Or perhaps should you ask yourself, “Do I r-e-a-l-l-y want the pain to go away?” What will you do if the pain is no longer there? What do you do with the void that the absence of pain has left? What do you do with the pain?

Week 5 – Finding Nuggets of Gratitude When Life Happens

Some have patiently awaited for the promised informational update on the story behind the pictures below that I also posted on FaceBook.

Well, here goes…

Excitement was in my step as I headed downstairs of my new residence to the bi-monthly Variety Show of karaoke, poetry, story telling, laughs and simply a whole lot of senior adult fun and fellowship. However, this time it was accompanied by a yummy spaghetti dinner.

I arrived about 7 minutes late and was met with a totally unexpected inquiry. “Do you have a tape player?” Hmmm…did she mean CD player but was calling it a tape player or did she mean cassette player? In asking to get clarity, sure enough it was a cassette player that she needed. My mind quickly raced to that Big Bin of electronics sitting out on the patio, which my son had tried to get me to discard, had one in it. So I politely stated I was not sure if I had a portable one or not, but that I did have a stereo system with one and that I would need something to carry it on if I did go get it. Her mouth said, “Oh that is okay, you do not have to bother.” But those eyes spoke with a different agenda without being able to even utter a word. Since the program was about to get underway, I was not sure if I should follow the directive of her eyes and politely excuse myself or just sit there. The sitting became uncomfortable because those eyes were peering loudly.

Up from the table I arose to make a bee-line up the elevator to my new abode! In my frantic search in the Big Bin, there was no portable cassette player. I could hear her voice in my ear, “I just want everyone to hear this song that I told them about at the last Variety Show.” So I retrieved the dolly from the outside storage area, which my son had also asked me to part with. I loaded the small stereo and speakers, which guess what? Yes, my son indeed had also attempted to persuade me to get rid of. Oh, but how happy I was that I did not listen to my son! I rolled it all out of my apartment, down the hallway, to the elevator and parked it outside the meeting room door, so as not to create a disturbance. My, my, my, did her eyes ever light up when I whispered I brought my stereo system downstairs! What joy churned in me to see her so happy. Excitement and satisfaction were in my step as I went forward to set up my equipment and observed many of the gazing eyes of glee upon me in anticipation of an added element of enjoyment would complete this precious time.

So my gratitude broke forth in being able to replace that forlorn demeanor with nuggets of sheer delight as she would be able to keep her promise to the group to play the song that meant so much to her. Whew, sure am glad I did not listen to my son to part ways with what he deemed bordered hoarding! Not saying he was wrong. You see, my question to my readers now is, “Do any of you have need of any old electronic device of any type?” I am really pretty stockpiled with old computers, cd players, VHS rewinder, cameras, dvd players, RCA chords, adapters, etc.

Be sure to once again check back next week to see what nugget find of gratitude has been unearthed. And do not forget to leave a comment and ❤️ my blog site. Hopefully, you will then follow my blog, invite others to view and do the same. A blessed day to you because I know #Iamblessed and enjoy #givingyouhope!

Week 4 – Finding Nuggets of Gratitude When Life Happens

The gratitude nugget I discovered is a grateful heart for those ‘angel’ friends in my life. In being reminded that nothing is impossible for God, it appears He places the presence of folk such as this to serve as that life support to assist in overcoming seemingly impossibilities of any nature. Ofttimes, a compassionate heart just needs to collide with circumstances that seem cruel and harsh through a listening ear to bring calm to the raging sea of emotions. Get ready! Someone is waiting for you to be that “peace be still” angel friend of an opened heart and a fined tuned ear.

Be sure to once again check back next week to see what nugget find of gratitude has been unearthed. And do not forget to leave a comment and ❤️ my blog site. Hopefully, you will then follow my blog, invite others to view and do the same. A blessed day to you because I know #Iamblessed and enjoy #givingyouhope!

Finding Nuggets of Gratitude When Life Happens 52-Week Journey

On this eve of 2015, I am gratefully reflective upon 2014 as it appears the Lord is going grant me entrance into this brand new year. 2014 presented opportunities to laugh or cry, engage or disengage, shout or whisper, lean in or lean out, blush in embarrassment or accolades, complain or rejoice, tear down or build up self and others, speak life or destruction, organize or disarrange, express sympathy or congratulations, obey or rebel, go under or up, compose or merge, parent well or with inconsistency, be defeated or conquer, succeed or try again, personally develop or remain status quo, be content or dissatisfied, survive or thrive, encourage or intimidate, forgive or live imprisoned, idolize or covet…

In looking at the moments of gratefulness, would there be a conviction for actively engaging? Or would freedom be granted for lack of evidence?

Well, it is my endeavor for 2015 to daily present nuggets of gratitude finds whether life happens favorably or unfavorably. It is my desire to ignite a firestorm of folks excitedly jumping on to form an unending conga line dance of gratitude. I want there to be enough proof of gratefulness, that a lifetime sentence of a grateful heart is imposed with no chance of early release or parole.

Check back soon for my first nugget of gratitude find when life happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE0W-kQyz6A

Blessed To Be Contagious!

The unexpected twist that occurred at my medical appointment today…

No matter what is going on or how I am feeling, “Blessed” is the response I give when asked how I am doing. Now those of you who have interacted with me interpersonally, know that about me. That is because no matter what the present feeling, feelings could change from moment to moment. Soooo with a smile, ‘Blessed’ was how I responded to each of the 3 staff who asked “How are you doing today?”.
Despite the extreme pain, blessed’ is a constant, no matter how the body or soul feels.

Now the doctor was with earshot of each of those encounters. However, upon the doctor’s entrance into the exam room, he presented me with the same question. I joyfully replied, “Blessed!” And then the unexpected twist from the doctor as he joyfully smiled and became very animated in demeanor and excited and encouraging words.

“Ms. Matthews, you are really something with your positive attitude given the pain and complexity of your health, you manage to bring sunshine and make people feel good or better just by being around you. Many people in your situation would be feeling sorry for themselves and project negativity. You are amazing!” While I was humbled and blessed by his words, I let him know that because of The Lord I am most blessed and that is what I choose to major on.

Side note… Many know how painfully challenged my health has been since Christmas 2013. His words were like praise music in my ears…especially since the 3 times I have seen this specialist has been during this escalated difficult time. So praise to my Lord who Always causes us to triumph and thus I am truly blessed.

Let me encourage all my readers to be blessed and be contagious!

An Unsuspected Vehicle of Healing

Listen to what happened to me when I dared to step outside of the proverbial box. My 16year flight attendant career with American Airlines was unexpectedly grounded due to a brain injury brought on by the 2004 sudden strike to my neurological system which mimicked a stroke. Even though this traumatic event redefined my options to work, I knew my power to earn was still in tact. I totally did not expect what was in the divine design when I made the choice to step outside the proverbial box into Ambit Energy seeking financial freedom. With the goal and hopes of exceeding beyond and eliminating the disability income limits, I determinedly pushed through the first few months of brain pain. Little did I know that my consistent and persistent engaging in the proven system of Ambit Energy would become an unsuspected vehicle of healing to the brain injury. This too could be your vehicle of hope when you choose to Step Into The Proverbial Box.

What About The “IT” Did You Forget?

It really excites me to hear thru facebook, emails and text messages that my blog is being read! Now it would thrill me even more to get your thoughts and feedback on the “It” in January 6th post! Because the Lord has placed “teacher” in my calling, interactions with some posts shall most assuredly be heavily desired from time to time. This will help me to know if value is being added to your life. So let me ask it this way, “What about the ‘It’ Did You Forget?”

Also, are you aware that my miracle story was published in an online magazine? And if that was not enough, let me also tell you that my miracle mini-story was published and is available in Barnes and Nobles and on newsstands across the country. This all because I chose to trust God and step outside the proverbial box in forward progressions of my life in finances. I had no idea of the extent that step of faith would broaden the foundation He is laying for me to glorify His Name! And the “It” which initially brought me great shame until God had someone I did not even know, speak up unknowingly as an instrument of the Lord to speak freeing life to me.

So you never know…perhaps your words could speak the life that this blogger, child of God needs! So again I ask, “What about the ‘It’ Did You Forget?” Go back and check out the January 6th post and remember…there just may be a blog pop quiz! 🙂