I recently found out some interesting family history on one of MrCoco's relatives-by-marriage. We knew she was Italian and that her grandfather had come to the States at a young age. What we didn't know was how young he really was (11 years old) and why he came over alone (the family was in some mafia stuff and the oldest sons were targets, so they sent him off to "save" him.) There was nothing glamorous about his life at all. He started working in mines at the age of 12 and basically his whole life was one horribly difficult experience. You didn't work, you didn't eat. It was every man for himself. A poor child without family -- I can't even think about it for more than a couple minutes at a time, it's still fresh in my mind...
So, here we are... let's see... about 4 generations removed from this person. In a different time and a different world. We have food in abundance. Most of us have at least a couple family members who we know love us and would help us in times of need. Really, we have things pretty good.
So, what do you think our trials are? I'm having a hard time with the thoughts nowadays that we have it so bad. I'm just not seeing it. Most of the problems I see are self-inflicted, which don't really "count" to me.
Thoughts?
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
I find it interesting on your note that most of our trials are self-inflicted. Myself, I have noted that most people's problems fall into one of two categories: self-inflicted and the ones that hunt you down.
For myself, I have noticed that generally my problems hunt me down. I pretty much behave myself, avoid causing problems or behaviour that would lead to problems. I live the Gospel, pay tithing, read the scripture, church, live morally and honestly, etc. My thought is that if you are not creating your own problems, Satan will create some for you and/or God gives you some to deal with.
Frankly, I find it rather counter-intuitive as one would tend to think that doing what you are supposed would help you avoid such things and such trials. One of my biggest motivational sources in putting my life on the right track was to do as I should and be faithful and not have to have those trials. Boy, was I wrong! I think that we are lead along the path of learning obedience and faith through those trials, and then once we really begin to be obedient and faithful to the point where it becomes more knowledge of God and His ways and less faith that we receive trials to see if we will stay the course, endure, not murmur or bail out.
I also find that trials are different for people in different ways. For example, moral issues, honesty issues, lifestyle issues are a much greater issue than they were 100 years ago. Trials and tempations then are different than what they are now, or vary from one country to another.
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Lo, there I see my mother, my sisters, my brothers Lo, there I see the line of my people back to the beginning Lo, they call to me, they bid me take my place among them In the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live...forever
Yes, I believe there are the "hunt you down" type trials, the personally crafted tests just for you... This is a very unique experience, though. Reminds me of Job. How Satan was saying, Oh, sure, he's righteous because he has everything handed to him on a silver platter. Let me have a go at him and we'll see what Job's made of. Very interesting story, that one...
I guess I've just been thinking lately how hard life was 100 yrs. ago. Just hard. Hard work. Physical work to just procure your food and water and clothing and housing. Hard physical issues with diseases, death, etc... I'm almost paranoid thinking, "We can't have it this easy forever. Something's gotta' give."
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
Valhalla wrote:For myself, I have noticed that generally my problems hunt me down. I pretty much behave myself, avoid causing problems or behaviour that would lead to problems. I live the Gospel, pay tithing, read the scripture, church, live morally and honestly, etc. My thought is that if you are not creating your own problems, Satan will create some for you
This is certainly the category that I would put Lupus in.... Even the trigger was not something that I was doing wrong in my life, but I got very sick all the same... MANY years later...
Since then almost EVERY trial our family has had, has been connected to my health issues.
The trigger for most people (that is NOT all... just most...) can be linked to some trauma event... an accident, a major illness, something that confuses the body enough to start the whole process... They call it a trigger in my case because there it is the most likely explanation... In fact some doctors believe that the same is true for most autoimmune diseases, including diabetes...
For me my doctors suspect that MINE was either my rape or having severe parasites on my mission a few years later... neither event was my fault... Again this is not a for sure thing, but I was healthy until after my mission... I was sick for most of my mission, but I got the parasites early on... I lost 35 lbs on my mission and I wasn't overweight back then. My mother didn't even recognize me at the airport... I just loved my mission and carried on...
After my mission I was VERY sick... had kidney issues, etc.... then after a blessing had much better health until after my 3 child 6-7 years later. I went for years with doctors telling me I had this or that... or was just a hypochondriac... Whatever!!! My current medical team really believes that my trigger for the Lupus becoming active was one of those events... I was in my 20s when I first started having any health issues at all... up till then I was a horse, never even had colds!!!
See, same with my daughter. She hadn't missed one day of school in four years. She was 9 when she was diagnosed. The only trauma I can think of would be her parents' divorce (obviously not her fault). Otherwise she's always really upbeat and active and happy... She was only 2 yrs. and 6 months when we seperated permenantly. Could that be it? Gosh, what a thought.
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
I guess I've just been thinking lately how hard life was 100 yrs. ago. Just hard. Hard work. Physical work to just procure your food and water and clothing and housing. Hard physical issues with diseases, death, etc... I'm almost paranoid thinking, "We can't have it this easy forever. Something's gotta' give."
Life was indeed hard 100 years ago but in some ways it may have been easier. We've been spoiled with government social programs that basically will take care of a person from cradle to grave. Back in the day you basically had your family, perhaps a church charity, and maybe a fraternal organization such as Oddfellows or Freemasons. People pretty much had to plan their own futures. It wasn't until the depression that we saw social programs start to become such a driving force. Of course, 100 years ago we didn't have cell phones, pagers, internet porn, television, etc. The work or die mentality created generations of hard working kids who grew up into hard working adults. Now ask a teen or young adult to actually work and you are lucky to get them to unplug from some media device or devices to even give you an answer. I've had two young guys in their late teens/early 20s both quit their jobs with me in the past couple years. Both were caught on the drug test for weed. I told them if they got into drug counselling and stayed clean they could keep their job. Neither one of them did it instead choosing to quit their job. They both had highschool diplomas but lived at home. They didn't care if they worked or not because they knew they were not going to starve. They just went home and continued smoking dope and playing video games. If that's progress, I don't want it.
I've told my wife on a number of occassions that if I could go back in time and live while maintaining the same level of health care I enjoy today, I would do it. Our society has become slaves to electronic devices.
That is interesting about the mission. I was totally healthy until after my mission. I got really sick for a couple of days on my mission and I think it or something has stayed with me. Sometimes I just feel nauseated and can't tolerate anything other days no problems. Some days I can easily handle hot and spicy food and other days can barely tolerate toast. Testing has figured out nothing.
As to the trial thing, I mostly find that the more I mind my own business, or the nicer I am to people, the more I try to do the right, the more frequently that trials and other assorted crap seem to come my way. Maybe it is more like Job than we think. If we are going to do right just because that is what we want to do, will we keep doing right despite getting repeatedly kicked in the proverbial crotch?! I think the more diligent we are, the more we are tried. The Lord is going to try us to see if we will stand in the coming days. I do think it is because we are closer to the end that the Lord will prove out mettle.
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Lo, there I see my mother, my sisters, my brothers Lo, there I see the line of my people back to the beginning Lo, they call to me, they bid me take my place among them In the halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live...forever
I have a coworker who recently discovered that her severe wrist pain is connected to her use of aspartame and splenda. When she uses those two products, she has severe wrist pain. When she doesn't, the pain goes away. In fact, her health lately has been much better since she swore it off.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
In general it is believed that chemicals (including sugar) should be a NO NO for people with auto immune diseases... I know that I certainly feel better when I keep aways from chemicals... Meds are in that same boat and we have played the pros and cons pretty close to the vest when it relates to my treatment... I don't take anything I have not recieve a confirmation about that is necessary to my continued quality of life...
Because I only have one kidney, I have a much harder time processing toxins left over from chemicals like medications so they are OFTEN a double edged sword for me... That is usually the reason my pain levels get so high... it's like a person with a HIGH increase in lactate concentration during heavy exercise... this creates that sore muscle feeling... For me it is toxins that build up in the tissues and can't get out through NORMAL channels (the kidneys)... So I pretty much always feel achy, sometimes it's a lot worse...
I never abused alcohol or drugs in my youth, even though I was inactive for a while... I have always been very health conscious, kind of a health-food nut before it was an acceptable fad... I was raised on foods that were very natural... We eat that way today... We don't eat very much processed foods... We buy in bulk and we cook the basics.
Coco, as far as your divorce being the trigger... unfortunately I suspect that is possible... but please don't beat yourself up about that... I also believe that I would have had some other trigger if needs be, because this IS my lot... Heavenly Father allows me to have this particular challenge because it CAN (if I will allow it to) help me to learn things I might not be able to learn any other way... that guide me towards him. That may very well be true for your daughter too...
I have learned that we can moan over our lot or we can choose to learn... I choose to learn (most of the time). I am also convinced that eternally useful learning is NOT the easy road, at least HARDLY EVER...
Sometimes I just feel nauseated and can't tolerate anything other days no problems. Some days I can easily handle hot and spicy food and other days can barely tolerate toast. Testing has figured out nothing.
Have they checked you thoroughly for parasites? Those were some of my symptoms in the field... There are some parasites that are VERY hard to find, they actually enter the blood stream and take up residence in areas that are not as accessable to detection as the lower digestive track... The gastrointestinal tract is also a prominent part of the immune system.
I was finally sent to a gastrointestinal specialist/surgeon to get completely clean of all the different varieties I had... I served in remote areas, and dispite boiling water I was sick within 2 months of arriving in my first area.
I still have digestive issues associated with scaring in my stomach and colon... I had many months of internal infestations, including some of the most damaging parasites. (Sorry, I know that sounds gross... but I have never been able to figure out a way to discuss this topic without the gross factor...)
Could that be it? Gosh, what a thought.
