Evidence.

What do you need to know something exists? Scientific proof with graphs, facts, figures, and variables? A study from a prestigious university or maybe just a news report with some facts from your favorite news anchor? You know evil exists in the world. We see people die every day, maybe not first hand. You feel jealousy, anger, resentment, or other emotions in your heart. But do you SEE evil? Can you tell me what it looks, smells, feels, tastes, and sounds like? No. What you can tell me, though, are the consequences of acting on it--acting on a force that exists in our world, in humanity. Do you deny it exists? No. Because we see the consequences everyday. Cancer. Death. Sadness. Not being able to protect the ones who are dear to us from the pain of this world. Not being able to protect ourselves from disappointment and pain.

Then why is it so hard to believe that there is something opposite at work, too? Goodness, righteousness, loveliness, happiness, aren't those feelings you enjoy/. Have you gotten up to see the sun rise? Not a morning person? Watch it set each night. Remember when there was a pocket of people paying for each others coffee at Starbucks? What about holding the door open for someone or helping the neighbor with yard work? Did you have a teacher who went out of his or her way to explain something to you so you could understand it? We can no longer refuse to SEE the consequences of good. Don't deny it exists. It needs to be seen, yearns to be recognized. When we don't SEE, we suffer, our future suffers. Ps 52:1 "...Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God [endures] continually."
Rejoice in the goodness of the day that is at your hands and share it with those that have been given to you. Choose to see the Goodness.

Sometimes It’s Not Enough

WARNING:  THIS IS NOT MY TYPICAL BLOG READ WITH CAUTION

In the night sometime Saturday when my family was resting, busy with dreamland, I was writhing in my bed. It had been good for almost a year. The pain was slowly creeping back, like a one of those bony, grainy black and white hands that slinks around a door in an old, grainy horror film right before you scream and throw your popcorn up in the air on your neighbor. But you push through. It’s what you always do with endometriosis. You have no choice. It doesn’t go away. It doesn’t get better. The symptoms my recede for a bit after a surgery with drug therapy, but they are like the tide. They always come back and there is inevitably going to be a hurricane. My tropical storm is building to one.

While I have never been able to have children of my own. I would venture to say that these cramps have got to be close to what it is like to have some sort of labor pains before you go to the hospital. They come in waves and all you can do is bear down and breathe. They will knock you out. The pain goes through your core into your low back. Down your legs enabling you to walk, doubling you over in pain.

Neurotic. I get that a lot. Bipolar. It all has to be in my head. Then someone cuts me open and takes pictures and says, “boy you’ve got it bad.” DUH! How many times do you have to cut me open to say that?! Of course I do! Stage 4 every time. It cuts of my intestines. That’s why the bathroom becomes my office. It’s why I cannot chase my kids around the yard. Laundry piles up. Dishes don’t get done. And my life has to start all over again every year when I have another surgery.

But no one listens. Take 4 Motrin every 4 hours for the pain. That doesn’t work anymore Aleve doesn’t work. Tylenol sure doesn’t work. Take a combination of them. That doesn’t work. Heating pads don’t help.

Girls are suffering from this every day. Tortured. Life, enjoyment of the simple things, like taking a walk. Sitting up, or playing with their children are stripped from them even with suppressive drug therapies. Then it wreaks havoc on their mental well being.

I don’t know if I have a point, but I needed to rant, rave and educate. When you meet someone suffering, cut them some slack and don’t treat them like a mental patient. This is a disease that they have to live with for the rest of their lives. There is no surgery, no drug, no magical age that will take it away. Many of us are too young for a hysterectomy because it will drastically shorten our life-spans and increase our likelihood of other deadly diseases. What are we to do? We pray, we press in, we carry our cross, but sometimes, it’s not enough. Listen, give us a break.