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Dear Newsletter Readers,
I wanted to share some thoughts which might be
helpful during this busy holiday season, which can be quite stressful--
1. First, remember the Real Reason for the Season--the
birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Somehow we have
made Christmas into a frenzy of materialism and
gift-giving, partying, visiting relatives, etc. All this can
be fun, but it seems that Santa, Rudolph and Frosty have taken over what
should be a "holy day" rather than a "holiday." My husband tells
me there are more suicides on Christmas than on any other day
of the year. How awful!!! If this holiday were really
about Jesus, then this would not happen, because we would all be celebrating
something that brings GREAT JOY and HOPE, no matter how painful or
sorrowful our lives might be at the moment.
Years ago when I was going through terrible emotional
strain and suffering due to an impending (and unwanted)
divorce, my pastor preached a message on holiday
depression. I was in the throes of self-pity
when he made a comment that I will never forget because it put my focus
back on Christ. He said, "IT'S NOT YOUR BIRTHDAY
ANYWAY!!" So true!!
I recall how my mother used to point out to me when I was a
child, "it's NOT X-mas -- it's CHRIST-mas!" Today as I was driving around
town, I saw a sign on a business that said, "IT'S GOD'S PRESENCE THAT'S IMPORTANT,
NOT YOUR PRESENTS!" Wow! All these
reminders help me focus on what Christmas is about. Also, last Sunday I
sang in my first Christmas cantata! It was an awesome
experience. The title of the cantata was "CHRISTMAS IS JESUS." This
beautiful uplifting music had been in my heart and mind for many months as we
practiced for the program. Now when I see the Christmas lights
in my neighborhood, I think to myself, "Happy
Birthday, Jesus!"
2. On a health note, I have been trying to manage
my SUGAR intake wisely during the
holidays--sugar is everywhere!!!! Eating too much of it can cause
fibro flares, depression, lower your immune function and cause
unwanted weight gain. UGH...who needs all that?! If you do eat
more sugar than usual, you might want to take a B-complex vitamin and some
calcium and magnesium....that's what I do.
3. Avoid chocolate and nuts, if you are prone to
COLD SORES, as I am. Some
people find that taking several Lysine tablets at the first "tingle" helps them
avoid cold sores. I personally find that keeping anti-bacterial hand gel
on the cold sore area prevents outbreaks.
4. I am thinking today of many who will not have a
"Currier and Ives" Christmas. To name just a few--our military personnel
overseas, families who have been through a bereavement this
year, the newly divorced, people who are terminally ill, people
recovering from surgery, those with severe family problems, those who stand by
the bedsides of sick family members....and I could go on and on! I
remember them in my prayers. Even if we find ourselves in
difficult, painful or trying circumstances, we can still appreciate
the TRUE meaning of Christmas: that God loves us and sent His Son
into our world...to die for our sins so that if we believe in Him, we can live
eternally in heaven with Him, where there is no sin, sickness, suffering or
tears.....just holiness, righteousness, praise and joy! That's good
news for EVERYBODY.
5. The immune shake I drink every morning keeps me going
strong. I couldn't function without it. After living as a
semi-invalid for so many years due to immune problems, I am
very pleased with the level of my health and stamina now. My fibro story
is at http://www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm
My chronic fatigue story is at http://www.fms-help.com/fatigue.htm
6. I use a natural antibiotic when
needed to successfully combat various kinds of infections that might try to
start. (I can't use prescription antibiotics due to intolerable side
effects, so I'm thankful for this alternative.)
7. If you need encouragement today, visit
Rest Ministries at http://www.restministries.org
It's a very comforting site. There are also many FMS/CFIDS message boards
online where people with this illness can get support and information.
8. I put mineral sachets in my drinking
water to help make my pH more alkaline. This helps me with my
overactive bladder problem when I get too acidic. Disease thrives in an
acid environment.
9. This may seem sad, but I'm getting to the happy
part........I recently played for the funerals of two
people who died quite young. One was a 10 year old boy who fell out
of his tree house and accidentally hung himself on some rope swings that were 8
feet below. The other was for a 49 year old man who died suddenly in
his sleep, leaving his wife and two shocked and broken-hearted teenage
sons. Yesterday I was asked to play for yet another funeral....this
one for a 42 year old man who died of a cancerous brain tumor. I had just spoken
with him a few weeks ago, so it is hard to believe he's gone now, leaving a
wife and children. I am realizing more and more how temporary our
lives on earth are! We're just passing through, but we all have a special
work to do for as long as God leaves us here. Life is short.
The other day I saw a young man at McDonald's with a
T-shirt that said: "IT'S NOT THAT LIFE IS SO SHORT,
IT'S THAT YOU'RE DEAD FOR SO LONG!" Wow! Never
thought of it that way......I have pondered this saying for weeks!!! Back
in the "olden days" when people often died in their 20's, 30's and 40's,
evangelists preached the gospel with great urgency, knowing that a person's
eternal destiny could be just around the corner. Nowadays, with many
people living into their 80's and even 90's, it's easy to forget that this life
is just a journey to one of two places--heaven or hell. We get to choose
our final location.
I was 36 years old when God graciously showed me on May 11,
1988 that I had been "religious but lost!" It came as a shock
to me, but I tearfully and gratefully accepted God's wonderful gift of salvation
that day. It was a kind of business transaction--I gave Jesus my sins
and He gave me His righteousness. What an awesome deal! I had
been trying to get to heaven by "being good," but found out we can never be
"good enough" to go to heaven. That's why Jesus came and died for us.
I thank God for opening my eyes to His wonderful GIFT. "By grace ye
are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of
God, not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians
2:8,9 Now
here's a GIFT we can ALL receive--the GIFT of salvation and having the Lord Jesus Christ in our
hearts and lives....no matter how good or bad our lives seem to be going for
us. So don't let Jesus remain as just "a stranger in a manger." The baby
whose birth we celebrate today came to give everlasting life to all who will
receive Him.
Wishing you a Merry
CHRIST-mas and a Happy New Year. Remember
that no matter what you're facing, God can help you. Just ask!
Love to all,
Dominie
Bush
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100 Tips for Coping with Fibromyalgia &
Insomnia
 My Fibromyalgia
Story
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 My Insomnia
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 Dominie’s FMS/CFIDS newsletters
II Corinthians 1: 4 - "Who comforteth
us in all our tribulation,
that we may be able to comfort them which are in
any trouble, by the comfort
wherewith we ourselves are comforted of
God." Visit Dominie's FMS/CFIDS
Homepage at www.fms-help.com for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers and their families.
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DISCLAIMER: I am not
a medical doctor. I am a fibromyalgia / chronic fatigue syndrome survivor. The
purpose of this website is not to diagnose or cure any disease or malady, but is
presented as food for thought. This information cannot take the place of
professional medical advice. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should
come under the direction of a physician. No guarantees are made regarding any of the information in this website.
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