It's such a relief to have you guys to talk to!

It's such a relief to have others that I know really do understand. People I don't have to "pretend" to. Well, pretend isn't the right word but I don't know what else to call it. Like when one of my kids or a friend or neighbor calls and wakes me up at 11am or 2pm or 5pm or all of the above and tries to give me advice when they don't have a clue what's causing it, even though I've told them before. Or when I'm in so much pain that I simply can't talk, I can't carry on a conversation, and they think I'm being rude or that I'm not interested in them or something.

Or then there's the friends who always have to try and "one up" you. You know what I mean? They'll ask how you are and actually want specifics, but if you say you're having trouble walking that day, then they'll explain how once they had so much trouble walking that they fell down twice. I've often wondered what they'd say if I told them I accidentally cut one of my fingers completely off because my hands were shaking so badly...just to see what part of their body they'd tell me they lost.

Or then there's the ones who call you up to complain about their headache, which is starting to get better now that they took some tylenol. And the ones who call because they just heard about the perfect "cure" for you. All you have to do is drink this juice, eat that kind of veggie or fruit or berry or something, and you'll be all better. No more pain! And they can bring you some right now if you want... They just don't get it when you say, no... "what do you mean you don't want any...don't you want to get better????

I shouldn't be like that I know,  they probably just don't know what else to talk about with people like us. It's rare to find a person who doesn't live with pain themselves that can just be themselves and accept you as you are without demanding that you be able to meet their expectations somehow.

So that's why I'm so very, very glad I've got you guys! With you guys I can just be me. I can rant and rave, cry, throw a tantrum, laugh, get excited or whatever. I can tell the truth in here: I can tell you that I'm in a lot of pain and know that you understand that I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm just stating facts. It's just life, that's all. No more, no less. Thank you for being here for me and for each other.

I honestly believe that it's really important for us to have each other and that God Himself arranged for each of us to be here for each other. Here we can mourn with each other, rejoice with each other, carry each others burdens and encourage each other, for we are all members of the same body, the body of Christ. It seems like every time we post to each other, it's as though the Lord is also posting with us and that's pretty neat!



2 Corinthians 1:3–4 —Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, *who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. *

Romans 12:5 —so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. *

1 Corinthians 12:26 —If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. *

Galatians 6:2 —Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. *