General
From Paul:
Sometimes you feel great, and other times, you feel
challenged.
Since I was young, I had a problem with the expression of “having
a bad day”, because it seemed doing so was attaching blame for an inappropriate
behavior or mood to a predetermined duration of time.
This morning Doris was feeling uncomfortable such that we
chose to watch the zoom broadcast of our sacrament meeting from home. Later during
the day, she felt better. Then again, she had some discomfort later in the day,
but the periods of time during which she felt good, or less comfortable, were
seemingly taking turns. Her experience with her treatments and side effects are
singular to her. Not only do I not have the same ups and downs, but from what
we have been told by the medical professionals, each person in treatment
experiences things differently. What can I learn from this experience?
I am learning and having reinforced in my understanding that
we experience ups and downs as a part of life. Taking the moments of discomfort
and spreading them out over a longer period is a disservice to the soul. I
think when Jesus was teaching in the sermon on the mount, He said it this way:
“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow
shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof.”
Even though Jesus used the word “day” in His teaching, I believe
what He was truly saying was that we need not worry about the things of tomorrow
but focus on what we are going through now. This teaching is also couched in a
side conversation with his disciples, reassuring that God would take care of
their day-to-day needs, and that they need not worry. I find comfort in this
interpretation, that many of our concerns, or “downs” are temporary in nature,
and we need not spend more time wallowing in pain, self pitty, or having the “woe
is me” attitude, because the blessings will come, and we can move on in the
Lord’s time frame.
Doris is good about recognizing that the time of discomfort is
temporary, while also recognizing that it seems extraordinarily long while she
is going through it. But better times come and we are grateful for them.
From Doris:
Resting is Healing
The last piece of advice given to me by my doctor this week
was the following, “Remember, resting is healing.” She said this as we
were exiting the exam room.
Since she is also a cancer patient and has been undergoing
treatments for five years, those words seem especially significant. Her counsel
was not just casual, well-meaning advice. Of all the things she could have
chosen to share, why was that the most important?
Cancer forces me to slow down physically. I long to do what
I have always done, but my body can’t. The limitations are
frustrating. Sometimes I want to do something, but my body really needs
to take a nap.
Resting from the mental and emotional burden of being a
cancer patient seems almost impossible.
I often ask Heavenly Father the following questions related
to my cancer journey. “What am I to learn?” “What am I to do?”
I believe my doctor gave me at least one answer to those
questions. I am to learn how to rest.
The following scripture reminds me that true rest comes from
Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer.
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
His rest provides healing in body, mind and spirit. I will
strive to more diligently come unto Him so that in His rest I will find
healing.
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