{"id":729,"date":"2013-07-17T09:03:26","date_gmt":"2013-07-17T09:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/gooddaysbaddays\/?p=729"},"modified":"2013-07-15T21:24:04","modified_gmt":"2013-07-15T21:24:04","slug":"controlling-the-uncontrollable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/2013\/07\/controlling-the-uncontrollable.html","title":{"rendered":"Controlling the Uncontrollable"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Image<\/a>
Image courtesy of graur codrin\/FreeDigitalPhotos.net<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ah! If only we could control our illness and pain! At least then we might be able to pick and choose the times and days when these awful challenges could stay in the background, corralled, quieted.<\/p>\n

But, unfortunately, much like Hans Brinker who tried to stop leaks in the dike by plugging them with his own fingers, even if we are able to bring about some relief, eventually, often, we simple run out of fingers.<\/p>\n

It’s been like that with me – three significant and serious events in less than a month. A new and painful diagnosis. A car accident. The death of my father.<\/p>\n

I think I “ran out of fingers” ’round about the end of May!<\/p>\n

Yet, for all that these things were emotionally and physically draining, and for all that I am still sorting through the many feelings and activities that go along wtih them, I don’t feel as if life has fallen apart or is hurtling out of my control. Why not?<\/p>\n

Well, first of all, I might feel deep sorrow, acute pain, utter frustration, but I believe that God is in control. Not that He is “punishing” me or anyone else upon whom sadness has befallen. Rather, as these and other crises happen, God is with and all around me, covering me and the situations and others in them with His love and protection.<\/p>\n

Secondly, I understand that as long as I, or anyone else, lives on this earth, there will be problems. We’re human. We’ll rejoice sometimes and suffer pain othertimes.<\/p>\n

Third, to the extent that I can do things to forward health, or take care of the responsibilities that come along with problems that arise, I do. But, if there are other things out of my control, well, I’ll lift them up to God and leave them with Him.<\/p>\n

Fourth, (and we so often forget this), in the midst of the storm, surrounded by things we cannot control, we so often forget to take care. Yet, it is extremely important that we do. (My Beliefnet Gallery, posted elsewhere, has suggestions for this: “Five Thoughts to Help You Recover from a Really Rough Time.”)<\/p>\n

Believe. Understand. Do. Take care.<\/p>\n

This we can control. The rest is up to God.<\/p>\n

Blessings for the day,<\/p>\n

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

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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). She is also the author of, \"Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain & Illness\" (Image Books\/Randomhouse), \"Beyond Pain: Job, Jesus, and Joy\" (Twenty-Third Publications), \"The First Year: Hypothyroidism, Second Edition\" (Perseus) and \"Taking Charge of Lupus: How to Manage the Disease and Make the Most of Your LIfe.\" She writes the syndicated column, \"Living Well,\" for Catholic News Service, and has also written for Saint Anthony Messenger Magazine, Journey for Women Magazine, The Upper Room Magazine, LupusNow, and Arthritis Today. Maureen's health continues to be a challenge, however she feels honored to be able to bring her perspective, from experience and knowledge, to others. \"Good Days...Bad Days with Maureen Pratt\" is a new way for Maureen to reach people who carry the burden of illness and pain in their lives, or who care for someone who does. Through the blog, she hopes to bring issues of health, wellness, and spirit into focus and, especially, inspire others that, no matter what health challenges, illness, or hardships they endure, each person can find a good way to realize the wonderful potential God has placed within each heart and soul.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.maureenpratt.com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/author\/mpratt"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/548"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=729"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/729\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":731,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/729\/revisions\/731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}