In This Issue:
P.P.S. In Under Two Minutes
“God, Why Do I Hurt?“ by Dave Graham
Inspiration (by Elinor Young)
Linda’s Lines, Linda Scott
The P.E.N. & ink Link
P.P.S. in under two minutes.
Have you tried to explain Post Polio Syndrome to a friend, then half way through you notice them nodding off? Try this two minute drill.
Our brain communicates with our muscles through the nerves. Polio destroys these nerve cells causing our muscles to die.
The beautiful thing about nerves is that they help each other. When one goes down others help out, so a person can lose many nerve cells and not experience much dysfunction.
Most polio survivors have been living in this state of fewer cells for years. If they were very young when they contracted Polio they may have grown up thinking this was normal.
All people’s nerve cells die off with age. For the normal person, having many nerve cells, this is not a problem. For those of us that have been living with a reduced number of nerve cells, this can result in a variety of symptoms including weakness, fatigue and pain.
God, Why Do I Hurt?
by Dave Graham
Feeling pain plays an important role in our existence. When our bodies experience danger, pain alerts us to the threat. Children learn their basic behaviors within boundaries established by pain.
For those of us suffering from the effects of Polio and Post Polio Syndrome, pain serves more than as a guidance tool. Ever present pain reminds us of our very unique set of circumstances. It causes us to adhere to a pattern of learned skills and life style techniques that we individually design to minimize pain’s intensity.
When I overdo or go beyond my normal activity limits, I experience increased pain. I am responsible for that pain because I am in charge of my behavior. Apparently I have chosen to over do, so I can expect the consequences. In my own mind, I deserve it.
Some times, however, I don’t deserve it! Those are the times when I have been careful to stay within my activity limits, yet I still have increased pain. It makes me angry! Who is to blame? It would seem easy, almost natural to blame God.
What kind of power does God exert over our lives? For me, the scriptures have answered this universal question: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).
Does God desire for me to hurt? Of course not. Did the Lord cause my disease? No. I believe He gave me a life where I am free and have an ability to make personal choices. To do that, I must live with the natural laws which He set up in this created world. Within the boundaries of those laws exists a certain amount of chance.
God’s intentional, perfect will stands eternal. His circumstantial, permissive will reaches beyond my ability to understand, at least in this life. My faith calls me to trust in God’s ultimate will and purpose and to love Him simply as a small child trusts and loves his earthly father. As the baby, when he falls is comforted by his Daddy, I must take comfort in my Heavenly Father. In my moments of pain, I know it is only temporary.
Inspiration
by Elinor Young
Elinor’s professional career and health challenges have followed a path common to us who have post-polio syndrome. In her 40’s, she was forced to retire from a stimulating profession as a missionary linguist in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Here she shares her faith and her prose.
I am a tumble of thoughts and emotions. One minute expressing the pure joy of the encouragements You have sent, the next being close to tears of pain at the losses. But people tell me how honest blending touches them.
That leaves me with a similar humble awe as I used to feel looking at those wild towering Irian Jaya mountains, trying and failing to comprehend the power that pushed them up so straight and tall. Power persistently conscious humbled recognition as it regularly shook those mighty mountains, sliding soil down sheer cliffs, exposing rock that winds and time had taken decades to cover.
Fear of that power softened to wonder at the sight of the bursting joy of waterfalls leaping, laughing with unrestrained abandon down those same cliffs. The same cliffs displaying trembling scars and laughing beauty. Those two needing to dwell together for the mountain to declare the full wonder of your power.
I am much smaller than those giant mountains, but I am a much greater creation. My heart isn’t mere stone. It is alive. It has been given grace and faith with which to blend the weeping and the laughing into an even more wondrous declaration of your power. Your power in a human heart. That is what the painful scraping and washing joy — wedded — expose. Awesome.
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