'The Family of the Heart'

                             'The Family of the Heart'

The 'Family of the Heart' includes all people

that stand in a loving relationship to one another. 

Where care, concern, communication, hope and love is an art,

that becomes 'a way of life' to our sisters and brothers.

Plus, when we live consciously and grant freedom, equally, to all people,

as we would wish for ourselves to receive,

to hear with our hearts and not our ears only,

with a willingness and compassion to perceive.

It is in the small things done with full-hearted concentration

that we 'find freedom' and 'feel peace' and 'love'.

A way of bonding with each other is woven

that allows the spirit to flow from above. 

Also, when we truly love our neighbor as ourselves,

we 'are offering' every action to be something beautiful and kind.

The 'family of the heart' permits reverence in all of life relationships

for the joining of hearts and minds.

There is no value in pain and confusion as one might think.

The value lies in the rearrangement of the elements

that will lead to clearer vision for all.

This is 'a process' to 'channel our energy into love' for access to 'the real'

that 'keeps us on purpose', of our 'destiny call'. 

The 'awareness of unknowing', creates 'hope' and 'faith' in life itself.

We all sense the mystery and wonderment of life. 

Less we have no risk, grief, pain, nor loss,

it would take away the 'teachers of strife'. 

As we listen with 'our hearts', we can discern 'a higher power' presence,

affording strength to carry us far.

This opens the channels for 'healing and wholeness',

to unfold to 'all people' today and all of our tomorrows. 

                                                                                        by Doris Swertfeger

                                                                                                                 2016

Until next time

Doris

Hello Friends,

 'MAKING FRIENDS-PRICELESS & GIVE THANKS FOR PROBLEMS-PRICELESS'

Problems are inevitable on our journey.  Every problem can teach us something.
They can transform us little by little into the masterpiece that the Lord created us to be.
Or, by our choices, they can be stumbling blocks by which we fall when we react with distrust, defiance and lack of hope. 

Believing comes from the very depths of who we are.  When we believe, it comes from our heart, not our head.  As we look at our loved ones, do we want to embrace them and do we want to be with them?  Of course, we do. Do we learn from our Friends and grow with/from them?
Of course, we do.   Do we not, think and pray for them that we will grow in His Love and fellowship with our Friends for the good of everyone?  I do!  So, I feel it is fair to say that we become a better person/persons when we bond and stay close to our friends.  Would you not agree?  Why else would we want to be with them, embrace them, and give thanks for them.

Friends are gifts from our heavenly Father, our Lord, our God, a higher power and/or whomever you believe in your heart that provides all things in this world, to those that choose to accept.  This ultimate belief that we know in our hearts that friends nurtures us and allows us to be a better person for ourselves and others is truly a gift.  
MAKING FRIENDS-PRICELESS.

Have we ever thought of Thanking our Heavenly Father for OUR PROBLEMS?  NOT SO MUCH, I am sure.  Well, let me share a little of my story that gave me pause to do just that.
I Thanked God for my Problems! 

You must understand as you are reading my posts that I will repeat myself in various ways from time to time.  And, I give myself permission to do this because this is my story and it is very difficult to have everything in order over a 20 plus years.  So, bear with me.  I am just a simple person, remember me stating this in my profile? This is all relevant.

I shared with you that I had a 'near death experience' in the 1990's.  So much pain, stress and what I had thought and felt was a 'world of hurt' in my life over the past two years of my RSDS/CRPS, I had awaken from a 'near death experience'.  The first thing that went through my mind was: 'where am I and what am I doing here'.  I had been in this wonderful vibrant place of colors, light and a sense of  'awe'.  I looked around and saw a doctor standing over me, oxygen on my face, an IV tubing in my arm and I knew just one thing; I didn't want to be in this place!  After recovering from that episode and some very difficult days that followed, I truly started questioning where God was and why in the world he would bring me back to this! 

Soon afterwards,  with help from others, mostly from an awesome pastor, I searched, prayed, listened and chose to rethink and discern that God must have a reason for allowing me to go through these experiences.  Many reasons, in fact.  One, He had allowed RSD to become a part of my life.  Secondly, He allowed me to go through the 'near death experience' and thirdly, He allowed me to return back from the 'near death experience' for a reason. 

Instead of my becoming angry with God, which I did for quite a while, I chose to focus on the positive and would 'counteract' every negative thought that came into my mind with a positive thought.  I was making better choices each day and as I did this day after day, I begin to BELIEVE in my heart, not my head, that there was a mission for my life right where I was. 

I believed in my heart that 'God allowed in His Wisdom What He Could Have Easily Prevented in His Power.'  This quote is by Graham Cooke and I cannot take credit for it but when I read this, I believed/believe in my heart that this was/is my mission.

If I had never traveled this path without RSDS/CRPS, (a problem), I BELIEVE that I would have never growth into the person that I was Divinely Meant to Be.

I THANKED/THANK GOD FOR PROBLEMS-PRICELESS

I will share very soon on my post: How Problems can transform into Inconveniences.

Until next time,
God Bless!
Doris

Sunday evening

Hi Friends,

I am sharing with anybody that wants to read my posts.  Some of the things that I write is positive and some is just reality that I feel is important to reflect on and learn how to cope and accept in our life and living.

I am sure we all have heard the statement: It doesn't take long to look around us and see somebody worse off than we are.  Have you ever heard this? I have and I have felt this.

I am grateful for what RSD has taught/is teaching me.  I feel that I have learned volumes about life and living and if RSD had not crossed my path, I wouldn't be the person that I am today.
I can honestly say that I enjoy my life and living and from hence I have come.  Pain, sorrow, lessons, setbacks; yes, but I am a more rounded, deeper caring, spiritual person now. 

I read somewhere that if you walked into a place and there was a huge table with crosses all over it and each cross represented your burdens/crosses to bear in life, that you would most likely pick up the one that was your cross/burdens in the first place.  It is good that we have no control of what comes our way.  I feel and believe that there is a 'higher power' greater than ourselves that knows what is best for our journey in life. 

Now, perhaps, what we can do to make those burdens/crosses lighter would be to reflect/focus on what they might mean to have crossed our path and learn from them.  Just maybe, they were put in our path for us to slow down and listen within as to what it is that this 'cross' is trying to teach me.  Sometimes we need to refocus and go down a different path on our journey. 

I remember many years ago now when I was diagnosed with RSDS/CRPS that I was just doing my thing. I didn't think too much about what was going to be happening in the future.  Just living my life and enjoying most of it, with my ten year old daughter.  I was a single parent with a good job and enjoying my work. 

And, than one day, it all changed.  Trauma from a previous surgery started to tailspin and that is when RSDS/CRPS entered my life and living.  The only thing that I really knew that I wanted was to survive as a good mother for my daughter for I was a single parent.  I HAD TO WORK AND I HAD A PURPOSE BESIDES MYSELF.  After crying the 'why me' and started focusing through support.  The 'Why Me' changed to 'Why Not Me'. My family, neighbors, church family and my work family were awesome!

I just want to say that I would never have made it to where I am now if I would have tried to handle RSD on my own.  EVERYBODY NEEDS SUPPORT.  RSDS/CRPS persons need support when all that they feel is  PAIN.  Empathy from another is the first step in healing.  Sympathy got me nowhere.  I wanted somebody to understand me and NOT feel sorry for me. And, if they haven't experienced RSD, they can still be there in love, caring and allowing you to just 'BE in the Moment'.  That heals and comforts pain.

You know, sometimes it is hard to cope and share and even get up in the mornings but if we don't keep trying we cannot help ourselves or anybody else.

So, on those days that we find it so very hard to move, move anyways!  Yes, call somebody and share ANYTHING with somebody.  This is the first thing that I found that helped me the most from going into a depression.  And, even if you don't say a word other than, "Hi, this is ______, I am not having a good day."  And, your friend or whomever you have chosen to call will take care of the rest for awhile.  BUT, WE HAVE TO START TO MOVE AND TRY TO REACH OUT.  The rest will follow.  Believe me, I am not sharing anything that I haven't experienced myself.  I didn't/don't want to just hear stories that sound good.  I always wanted to hear the truth even when it hurt. 

If I could wish anything today that I could say or do to help any person in pain but especially, to RSDS/CRPS persons since having RSDS has inspired me to start my blog; it would be to first and foremost, search for a purpose to live for, look for a passion to fulfill and keep your focus on something that is bigger than you are and/or your pain.  Take up a hobby and/or do something that fills your head/heart and life.  And, secondly, KEEP MOVING! 
I was told if I ever sit and did not move, I would be in a wheelchair the rest of my life.  I truly believe this because if I get the flu or I am off of my feet for days, I hurt and I know and reflect on what I was told.  WE MUST KEEP MOVING.

I worked for several years after my diagnosis of RSD.  The only reason that I could do this was because I had an awesome employer and I worked with some awesome co-workers.  I will never forget their support.  They allowed me to be an equal in the midst of my struggles and treated me the same as before I was diagnosed with RSD.  If any of you are reading this post, thanks, once again.  You all know who you are.  You're the best!
I remember having a button attached to the wall of my cubicle.   The button had a picture of a penguin on it.  The reading on it read: I can't fly but I get around just fine!  And, so DID I! 

Most importantly to remember, we can't go it alone.  It's ok to ask for help and than we all win.

Until next time,
God Bless!
Doris