{"id":2004,"date":"2016-04-03T18:50:22","date_gmt":"2016-04-03T18:50:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/?p=2004"},"modified":"2016-04-03T18:50:22","modified_gmt":"2016-04-03T18:50:22","slug":"keeping-easter-present","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/2016\/04\/keeping-easter-present.html","title":{"rendered":"Chronic Illness and Pain: Keeping Easter Present"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Image<\/a>
Image Courtesy of graur codrin\/FreeDigitalPhotos.net<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Easter’s celebration was glorious here in Southern California! I hope you also had a wonderful time, and are still fully in “Hallelujah!” mode wherever you live. But I also know how difficult that can be; after the initial joy wears off, and we feel the extra fatigue from the holiday, the uplifting sense of renewal we enjoyed can begin to slip away.<\/p>\n

In years’ past, I’ve experienced this myself, and this year, I am resolved to not give in to the “other side” of Hallelujah! Here are some things I’m going to try to do, and that may help you keep Easter in your heart for a long time:<\/p>\n

Revisit the Easter Gospels. \u00a0As our church year moves ahead, often our personal Bible readings do, too. \u00a0This year, dedicate at least one day per week to rereading the Easter Gospels. Remember what the joy is all about.<\/p>\n

Color Brightly. The recent craze of adult coloring books reminds me of other ways we can color our world so that we remember the brilliant white, gold, and lively pinks, blues and greens of this season – and of Easter. Decide to add a dash of these colors to your daily outfits or surroundings. Let them cheer you all over again!<\/p>\n

Share\u00a0Gratitude. At Easter, we sing “Hallelujah!” But to keep our joy-filled spirits up, we also need to give thanks to Our Father in Heaven for the awesome gift of salvation. Share that gratitude each day brightly, actively.<\/p>\n

Be Alert to Wonder. One of the amazing things about Easter for me is the sense of wonder it always brings me. Whether I’m hearing of Our Lord’s love for us, his suffering in order that we might live, or the Resurrection itself, the Season is full of things beyond our understanding, but also so beautifully blessing. Stay open, eyes and ears, to the wonder God brings.<\/p>\n

Rejoice!<\/p>\n

Maureen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Easter’s celebration was glorious here in Southern California! I hope you also had a wonderful time, and are still fully in “Hallelujah!” mode wherever you live. But I also know how difficult that can be; after the initial joy wears off, and we feel the extra fatigue from the holiday, the uplifting sense of renewal…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":548,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1422,360,1047,578,379,1245,1421,1246],"tags":[2074,478,2076,2077,183,149,265,2071,2073,2075],"class_list":["post-2004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chronic-pain-and-illness","category-chronic-pain-and-the-holidays","category-determination","category-good","category-goodness","category-lupus-2","category-positive","category-take-some-time-to-rest","category-uplifting","tag-chronic-pain-and-illness-and-easter","tag-easter","tag-feeling-better","tag-gods-healing","tag-gods-love","tag-healing","tag-joy","tag-joy-in-easter","tag-keeping-easter-close","tag-pain-and-easter"],"yoast_head":"\nChronic Illness and Pain: Keeping Easter Present - 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She expected to be writing scripts. God had other plans. A few years after her graduation, Maureen was diagnosed with a life-threatening case of organ-involved lupus. Her life turned upside down as she grappled with the effects of the illness and other health conditions that ensued. She was no stranger to serious health challenges; even as a child, Maureen had survived numerous bouts of pneumonia, flu, and other infections. But lupus made her take a fresh look at her life goals - and took herlifelong, strong Catholic Christian faith and writing in a direction she'd never imagined. Today, Maureen writes and speaks about walking with the Lord while living with chronic pain and illness. Her most recent book is \"Don't Panic!: How to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough (Franciscan Media). 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