Arthritis has its blessings.

Did I catch you off guard with the title of this entry?!!  Arthritis has its BLESSINGS.  REALLY??!!

I have to tell you that when Savannah got diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis almost a year ago, I went online to find out as much as I could on this disease.  I especially liked the blogs on people’s personal journeys with juvenile arthritis...they really gave me a lot of insight.  However, I do find it disheartening that so many blogs, about any kind of trials, are filled with such doom and gloom.  Okay, Savannah hurts, every day, and there is no cure for juvenile arthritis (at this time).  Yet, a good friend of mine, who had juvenile arthritis as a child and who now suffers with rheumatoid arthritis and a host of other diseases as an adult, recently reminded me of the positives of Savannah having this disease.

  My friend wrote:

 “Again, I remember the loneliness and sadness of feeling different and not getting to do what other kids my age could do when my illness hit full fledge when I was young. Out of about 40 in the church youth group when I was young, I am only of about 5 that stayed faithful.  One of the reasons I did was because of my illness.  I was so thankful to be alive and I had done so much praying that I held on to God for all I was worth.  Kids that struggle for whatever reason when they are young and have parents that point them to God for encouragement, never forget their walk.”  

I hope these words uplift you as they uplifted me.  God is in control, good or bad, pain or no pain, and we must look for the blessings and help our children see the blessings.

Savannah is presently taking gymnastics four days a week and is doing great with it!  Yes, she still has pain, but she pushes through it and she can do it!  We praise God she is doing as well as she is doing and continue to pray she even gets better.

So, count your blessings...they are out there...sometimes you just have to have a friend to remind you.