A Psalm for Lyme Fighters

I was reading my Daily Bible passages, and again visited the Psalms- in particular, Psalm 142. 

What a great Psalm for Lyme Fighters. 

Here it is-  

See if you can relate:


Psalm 142  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Prayer for Help in Trouble.

^[a]Maskil of David, when he was ^[b]in the cave. A Prayer.

142 I cry aloud with my voice to the Lord;
I make supplication with my voice to the Lord.
² I pour out my complaint before Him;
I declare my trouble before Him.
³ When my spirit ^[c]was overwhelmed within me,
You knew my path.
In the way where I walk
They have hidden a trap for me.
⁴ Look to the right and see;
For there is no one who regards me;
^[d]There is no escape for me;
No one cares for my soul.

⁵ I cried out to You, O Lord;
I said, “You are my refuge,
My portion in the land of the living.
⁶ “Give heed to my cry,
For I am brought very low;
Deliver me from my persecutors,
For they are too strong for me.
⁷ “Bring my soul out of prison,
So that I may give thanks to Your name;
The righteous will surround me,
For You will deal bountifully with me.”

 

 

Well-  can you? 

 

I sure can! 

 

This July marks the ending of three years into treatment for Late-Stage Neuroborreliosis with 5 Co-Infections- and the beginning of my fourth year.. (I expect to battle on for my life-time). 

 

That first year (if you read back on my blog site)  I spent months in a cave of my own. 

 

Down in our basement area, I'd spend 5-8 hrs a day, five days a week, using a Rife machine protocol. (along with abx, nutrition, supplements, herbs, etc.)  An all out 'blitz', complete with me in our 'bomb shelter' like basement area. 

 

I felt SO alone.

 

Only by the grace of God's presence meeting with me, did I keep going.  I found Him Trustworthy and Sufficient in those days. 

 

Even though I was held captive by the disease and necessary treatments- in Him, I could be:

 free,

 loved, 

have purpose,

have identity,

be heard,

be wanted,

be valued,

be rescued,

...be dealt with bountifully. 

 

Did I always feel those things?  No.  But, that did not mean those things were not true.  They are truths I hung on to, and continue to hold on to... all wrapped up in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.   The One Who extends His tender Compassion to us, no matter our state of being, no matter where we are.

 

Many days I don't feel the 'bounty'- my mortal eyes evaluate my state with mortal standards.  But, as I sit before Him, enjoying His Word, enjoying Him- I am reminded of His amazingly bountiful grace and mercy-- and indeed, if He deals bountifully with me in only those two areas alone- it is more than enough...  And yet, He extends to me well beyond those...  Selah (soak it in; my Hebrew paraphrase) :)

 

 

 

What if I can't do any more than I can do today?  (The silent question we dare to ask.)

Is it enough? 

 

Yes.  In this moment, it is enough- because He is present with us in it.

 

This lesson, this 'place', doesn't come easily.  It is borne through months of labor-living in the caves. 

 

But, it is a valuable lesson.  And brings us to daily living, minute by minute, before Him, in whatever state we are in. 

 

Our brother, Paul, puts it this way: to be content-  (Paul is another who knew well about 'cave/prison' dwelling, and chronic health challenges):

 

Philippians 4:10-12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

God’s Provisions

¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I speak ^[a]from want, for I have learned to be ^[b]content in whatever circumstances I am. ¹² I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

 

 

To be content, no matter my circumstance.  Know that I am much more cognoscente of the lesson, I practice is more now-  but, it is not something I have down-pat.  I must continue to practice it- by keeping in close communication with the LORD- pouring myself out to Him, and allowing Him to refill me.  It needs to become like breathing.

 

Are you in a cave today?  Or, is it a day spent outside?... no matter what-  The LORD is drawing near-  draw near to Him, be content in the moment with Him-  and you will enjoy the moment, and be less concerned with 'what will or won't happen' down the road. 

 

Blessings-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Humbled and Honored

                                                                     

Well, it's been a bit since I last posted.  Thought I'd check in and see how you are doing?  (No, this is not a pic of me- but our curious horse) :)

Life happens- and at a rate much faster and with energy requirements generally higher than my personal ones!

Got through our son's high school graduation!   WOOT!  So awesome!  He is excited for college to begin this fall!  Also been continuing to (slowly) work on estate matters, left by my dear dad who passed-away this winter. 

And, this next month- one of our daughters is moving a number of states away- to take on a new season/career move of her life...

Throw into the mix that Lyme amped it up- so I needed to as well.  More labs, more procedures (more money), more treatments...

Yes, you could about guess my age (I now qualify for some discounts!- YES!), as I am definitely experiencing an intensive case of the 'middles'! 

How about you?  Are you experiencing the 'middles'?   Maybe not 'mid-age'- but with the flux of life with Lyme- we can get the middles too.

The Lyme ride can take us up and down in a matter of minutes, many times without much warning as to which way we may go.  This can often lead us to that 'middles feeling'- not being sure if One should step-up, or step-back, or just sit-down-on-the-step!   

One day our mind may say, 'let's go!', but our body says, 'NO!'-  other days it may be the other way around-- our body is ready to get-at-it, but even though we try to move forward- it feels like we left our mind back on the bedroom dresser! 

By nature/design, I am an organizer/administrator/goal oriented kind of person.  The disorder that Lyme brings to my mind, my life- is especially challenging.  I really like planning things out- and having them go along the way I set out. HA!

Lyme has gifted me with challenging being.  Not that the way I am is bad- it's just Lyme challenges it, and when I look past the frustration, I find it is a great tool to learn to let-go a bit more... I don't have to have 'everything' figured out. 

God is the God of order-- He is the One who orders my days, my foot steps. (really, anyone who thinks they know what they are going to do is basically kidding themselves, Lyme or no Lyme!) 

Check this out from James (who was probably also a planner!):

James 4:13-14  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” ^14 [a]Yet you do not know ^[b]what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

So, what are your plans?  Do you have the 'middles'- and not sure?  Whether you have seeming definitive plans, or you have the 'middles' and aren't sure which-way-is-up right now-  Know this-

The LORD our God, Almighty to Save, King of Kings... He has a plan.  And, His plan does not change.  He has a Way for you, and a will for you-  He knows the desires of your heart (even those collecting dust in our Lyme-locked hearts we are afraid we'll never see again).  Trust in He Who Is Worthy of our Trust.

As we let Him work on our hearts- He will dust things off, and, as is His nature, He will make all things new in time, His time, in His way- 

So do not be discouraged.  He is not done.  He is at work in our lives. He will redeem, and repurpose all these 'middles', and ups-n-downs, we experience with Lyme. 

Keep your heart toward Him, and your eyes turned toward Him... Lyme CAN-NOT steal your future from His hands! :)

[ blessed to be a 'petite' with http://www.caravansonnet.com/; check out her blog and clever craftings!  She will be an encouragement to you!   Also- a magazine is publishing a review of Practical Care Tips for Those in the Lyme Fight  in their next publication (page 40); here is their webpage http://www.chreader.org/) 

Bless you! 

Psalm 9:9-10  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

^9 [a]The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
¹⁰ And ^[b]those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Psalm 21:6-7  New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁶ For You make him ^[a]most blessed forever;
You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.

⁷ For the king trusts in the Lord,
And through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken.