In my BUBBLE.....

In my bubble…..

For years I’ve struggled with my bubble. That space that is JUST mine. I don’t like for people to get close to it, step in it, or invade it. It’s an invisible boundary…that only I know where it begins and ends.


Early on I noticed this bubble. With time, it’s intensified. I get VERY uncomfortable when people get close to it. Standing in line at Wal-Mart, Someone talking too close to my face, sitting in between strangers at the DMV, Airplane, Dr’s office, and even church…yes I said Church! lol I know that may not be a very Christian lady like thing to say but I’m being honest. It’s my bubble.


I've had panic attacks and anxiety over this for years and through counseling I found that some is from childhood traumas and it’s my way of protecting me and some of this is just natural. It’s our way of setting a boundary. Boundaries….. something I have a hard time setting!


Do you ever struggle with setting boundaries? I do…for me….I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Sweet? Not really…..See we need to let people KNOW that it’s not ok to guilt trip, to bully, to overpower, to hurt you. I am 42 years old and JUST now this year….set boundaries. I'm a grown up! I'm a big girl! :-)


Seem strange to wait this long? It has never come natural for me. I avoid confrontation like the plague! I don’t like it so at the risk of hurting someone else’s feelings…I allowed people to treat me wrong, whether it was abusive, controlling, guilt trips, disrespect, degrading, or any negative way that hurt me or hurts my kids. No more! I have boundaries!

The purpose of having boundaries is to protect and take care of ourselves.  We need to be able to tell other people when they are acting in ways that are not acceptable to us.  A first step is starting to know that we have a right to protect and defend ourselves.  That we have not only the right, but the duty, to take responsibility for how we allow others to treat us.


Say what?? I have the right, the duty, and the responsibility to take care of myself. YES! Woo Hoo! Don’t you think we should’ve known this from the beginning? Some of us have….and those like me that haven’t….have a chance to set that boundary now.


Whether you have a bubble or a boundary. Or if you are blessed like me to have both…:-) Embrace it and take care of it. It’s yours!


Don’t walk away from this blog feeling like it’s all serious and blah. It’s not! It’s exciting!! It’s refreshing! It’s awesome!


We need to love one another, nurture each other, protect each other, and encourage each other.


It all up to us what we allow and what we don’t.  If people around you get upset that you set your boundaries....then they are the ones that you probably needed to set it for the most. 

Galatians 6:5 For each will have to bear his own load. 

Proverbs 22:24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you says the Lord and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong! Be courageous! Do not be afraid of them! For the Lord your God will be with you! He will neither leave you nor forsake you.

Mitochondrial Myopathy Disease.....We need a CURE!

My youngest son has a serious lifelong disease....Mitochondrial Myopathy Disease. Have you ever heard of it? If not, this is the reason for this VERY IMPORTANT blog. We need a cure!

My caboose, my baby, my now almost 15 year old has had a very difficult several years, lots of Drs appointments, tons of testing, he missed a year of school and has been homebound for a year. Some days he can barely get up, loses his vision for 30 minutes at a time, has been passing out randomly for years, and has a hard time just making it through some days. Heartbreaking does not describe the feeling that I feel as well as our family. Spreading the word and telling people about Mitochondrial Disease is so very important to me. Each day is difficult because this is a progressive disease with no cure. Devin's body is trying to produce energy but with the cells dying off, the energy is taken from his fat, at this point...he doesn't have much...then it attacks muscle....once it attacks muscle....it attacks all vital organs...Please take a moment to learn about this disease so that we can spread the word.....We need a cure!

So let me tell you about the disease...Mitchondrial Disease is a chronic, genetic disorder that occurs when the mitochondria of the cell fails to produce enough energy for cell or organ function. Mitchondria are found in every cell in the body. They are known as the powerhouse of the cell. Like batteries, Mitochondria are responsible for creating more than 90% of cellular energy. They are necessary to sustain life and support growth. When Mitochondrial failure causes cell injury that leads to cell death....the mulitple organ cells die and there is organ failure.

Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles, kidney and the endocrine and respiratory systems. Depending on which cells are affected, symptoms may include loss of motor control, muscle weakness and pain, gastro-intestinal disorders and swallowing difficulties, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory complications, seizures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental delays and susceptibility to infection.

.Mitochondrial disease is unpredictable. Day to day, hour to hour patients can develop symptoms and their stability can be threatened.The prognosis for patients with mitochondrial myopathies varies greatly, depending largely on the type of disease and the degree of involvement of various organs. These disorders cause progressive weakness and can lead to death.

Can you see that this disease needs a lot of attention? We need research, we need a cure! This disease is progressive and there is no cure at this time. As time goes on these children (and some adults) are getting worse. Please help me spread the word.

In September there is a Mitochondrial Disease Awareness Week. Although there is not a walk or a Chapter here in New Orleans handling a specific event. I want to make sure that everyone that I know and everyone that I can reach out to knows about this devastating disease that has changed our lives forever.

Please check out the following organizations if you'd like to learn more.

Muscular Dystrophy Association3300 East Sunrise Drive
Tucson, AZ 85718-3208
mda@mdausa.org
http://www.mda.org
Tel: 520-529-2000
800-344-4863
Fax: 520-529-5300

United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation8085 Saltsburg Road Suite 201
Pittsburgh, PA 15239
info@umdf.org
http://www.umdf.org
Tel: 412-793-8077
Fax: 412-793-6477

National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)P.O. Box 1968 (55 Kenosia Avenue)
Danbury, CT 06813-1968
orphan@rarediseases.org
http://www.rarediseases.org
Tel: 203-744-0100
Voice Mail 800-999-NORD (6673)
Fax: 203-798-2291

SOURCE: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Know that I am thankful that you read this. Please help us find a cure by spreading the word about Mito and continue to pray for those suffering with this disease.


God bless,

Shawna

 

Peace....

Such an awesome word, great feeling, and biggest struggle for me. Although I know that there are so many scriptures about peace. Peace be with you, My peace I give to you, He promises peace to His people, Peace....Peace...Peace! It is not always easy for me to feel. During an intimate prayer time last night..God spoke to my heart..."Set your boundaries, Don't feel bad saying No, Trust in Me, Let me carry your burdens, You are not alone." Funny thing is...I was praying for my friends and not even for myself but while I was being still and having an intimate discussion with Him, I was able to hear His voice.

Peace is achievable! Thank you Jesus that through my mess...I have a message!! Keep the prayer requests coming...I'm blessed to pray for you!



Come to Me, My precious, when you feel out of control and overextended. I want to take you to a place where you can be still and reflect on your life. I did not call you to be everything to everyone. You have placed that demand on yourself. Even My son, Jesus, needed to walk away from the demands of the crowd and find comfort alone with Me.

Let's write out what really matters most to you, so we can draw some boundaries to preserve your peace of mind and purpose for living. Even I drew the boundaries around the mighty ocean. It's good to take control of your valuable time and realize it's all right to say No. That one word will deliver you from a life of pressure to a place of amazing control and peace.
Love,
Your King who knows your boundaries

~

"Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe. Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil."
~Proverbs 4:26-27~

Fortune Cookie

I love Chinese Food! I think there is something very cool about getting a treat at the end of your meal. :-)
To be honest, I don't even like the fortune cookie..I throw them away but I do read my fortune. Not that I really think it's telling my future or anything about my life...only God knows that but it's still fun to read.


A few days ago while eating with my kids...I opened my fortune cookie and this is what it said.."Every good friend once was a stranger" Hhhmmmm I thought wow that's awesome! It wasn't until that night that I really thought about it. What if I never met any of my friends? I mean almost all of my friends have been my friends for 30-37 years and I have a lot of them. I do have a few friends that I've met in the recent years but I've been blessed with LONG friendships. What would I have done without my friends? Scary thought.... actually I don't even want to imagine life without them! Deep thought, huh?


Then.....my flesh kicked in. I started thinking of a few people that I wish I never met. They could have just remained a stranger...lol As soon as I started thinking that....God convicted me! If everyone was loving, caring, protecting, considerate, and kind...how would I learn patience, tolerance, or forgiveness?


With the closing of a chapter in my life....comes great disappointment but also great excitement. I have a future ahead that is guided by God. There are strangers that will come into my life by God's divine appointment to make an impact on me...and my kids. How exciting is that? 


Whether you've been my friend for 37 years, 30 years, or 1 month....know that I am so thankful that God put you in my life! :-) 

Proverbs 17:17

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,

    and a brother is born for a time of adversity. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9

9 Two are better than one,

    because they have a good return for their labor:

¹⁰ If either of them falls down,

    one can help the other up.

But pity anyone who falls

    and has no one to help them up.

11. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

12. Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Love..the undeserving

• 

  
  

  I have set you free to love others, so don't let people who have caused you pain paralyze you from experiencing the joys of love. I know there is always a risk when you give a piece of your heart away, but I've created you to enjoy the gift of special friendships.
  
  Choose wisely the ones that you invest your time and energy in, and also give those you love the freedom to fail. Remember that no one... will love you as perfectly as I do. If you let Me take the disappointments that come with relationships, you will be free to give and receive love unconditionally.
  
  Remember, My princess, most people need love the most when they deserve it the least.
  
  Love,
  Your King who is Love
  
  ~
  "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins."
  ~1 Peter 4:8 ~

Beautiful!

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! 

Notice the BOLD CAPS?? That means I'm yelling at YOU! I just want to make sure that you hear this loud and clear! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

Self image...ugh! I've battled that my entire life! I've been told no less than a million times how beautiful I am by my dad. If you know him...you know how he says it..."Isn't she beautiful?" He will literally ask anyone that is near him, whether he knows them or not!!! So embarrassing! I deep down love it, but I'll never admit it to him because I like to respond with "Dad, please!" then I roll my eyes, shake my head and graciously thank the person that says YES just because they feel compelled to because my DAD is asking! :-)

Why is my nose so big? I have too much cellulite! My stretchmarks look like road map! My hair is gray, why   do I have more gray than most of my friends? Why are my legs skinnier than everything else? Why are my wrinkles coming in faster than I can pick the right wrinkle cream?? Why am I so white? Why can't white teeth come naturally? Who would want me, when so many other woman are prettier? (going through a divorce doesn't help..lol) Do ANY of these sound familiar? OK maybe not the same issues but do you have a list of whys? Things you'd love to change? Pick out the good things and focus on those. I love my eyelashes, they are thinner than they used to be but I have always liked them, I love my feet! They are pretty!  Can you pick out things that you like? Focus on those and then remember that our inside is what really matters...KNOW that YOU are BEAUTIFUL!


I praise you (God) because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt. (PS 139)


God created me, He created YOU! He made us different for a reason. I'm all for keeping up a nice appearance and coloring my gray roots! I'm not saying that taking care of yourself is a bad thing. I'm saying truly not knowing how beautiful you are is a bad thing. Our beauty comes from within..True beauty and all that  know you can see it. Don't worry about what the world thinks...worry about what God thinks of you. He made you PERFECT! Perfect in His eyes. So I challenge you...(and me, which is why I wrote this. :-) I need it too!) to say this...I AM BEAUTIFUL! loudly and proudly...I AM BEAUTIFUL!

Remember Fiona the ogre in Shrek? She told Shrek that she thought that she'd be a beautiful woman after their kiss but instead she was still an ogre...Shrek replied "YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!"

You are too. Encourage someone today and let them know how beautiful they are.

I'm an ANT!

I am fascinated by this devotional and had to share! Ya see, I feel like an ant...not an aunt but an ANT. I mean I am an aunt, and I'm very proud of that title but an ANT seems so insulting. I feel small, weak, and constantly running around non stop in the cracks..in the chaos...and feel lost in the busyness of the day, traffic, and "ant" race. Then....God speaks to me, through this devotional..what an awesome God! I have never read this particular scripture before or atleast it didn't speak to me when I read it before...but it sure did a few days ago! As a matter of fact. It spoke to me so much that it's been imbedded in my thoughts!

So the scripture says that Ants are creatures of little strength yet they store up their food in the summer. I know that I have strength but some days seem so little. I know that I have great faith but some days it seems so weak. Some days I feel like I can take on the world and some days the world stomps on me repeatedly! (All can relate, I'm sure) The more that I find out about the ants...I realize that I AM an ANT! I am preparer..probably to a fault but nevertheless...ants prepare by storing their food in the summer. They carry more than their weight! I do that, of course most of it is on my shoulders! lol It shows strength! I'm no longer insulted that I feel like an Ant! I'm refreshed by the very thought. :-)

Scripture Scripture Proverbs 30:24-28 “Four things on earth are small,yet they are extremely wise:Ants are creatures of little strength,yet they store up their food in the summer;hyraxesare creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locustshave no king,yet they advance together in ranks;a lizard can be caught with the hand,yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

Observation
I love these proverbs as they affirm God's creation and how He created nature and life; that the creatures of the earth are created with such innate intelligence that one can only marvel in God's awesome providence; so great that the mind cannot conceive or understand, but instead believe in his glorious ways. The fact that ants are able to carry things exponentially heavier then they are and how they store their food in the summer, how the hyraxes will make use of what God has provided as shelter, how locusts without leadership know how to move in organized ranks and how lizards are able to venture and get in to almost any place they seek.

Application
As I listened to and read these proverbs, it brought to mind how God's creation can reaffirm useful points of success for me. 1. That like the ants; preparation is important. Planning ahead allows one to often be able to handle much more then we think we can handle, just like the ants. 2. Like the Hyraxes, God does provide resources and opportunities. We just need to be able to see God's provision and use it. 3. As the locusts are able to be organized and work with one another even without a leader, so to can we in seeking to work relationally and productively with others. 4. Lizards seem to be able to get into any space or dwelling they want even though they are vulnerable to capture; so to can we be bold in moving out and into areas and things that God calls us to, even though there will be risk involved.

Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for speaking to me through the ingenous ways of your creation such as the wise creatures of nature. Through your scriptures, you paint a beautful mural of life, a master piece that can teach, guide, enable and prompt us with your loving wisdom. I am thankful.