Test, Yes This is a Test

As an MS victim individual, I never dreamed that Isimple anymore. Everything, it seemed, was now a
would be disabled. Who would, unless they were in tomajor task, an incredible object to be overcome.At
nightmares? Who would ever expect to become aevery turn, the same ugly question loomed, "Should I do
burden to others, dependent on friends and loved onesit myself, or ask someone with legs that work to do it
for things that we all take for granted? Sure, thesefor me?" Tough test for an individual who has been
things do happen, but they would never happen to me.independent. I suspect that this feeling of frustration
Right?I am certain that most of us MSers share thishas engulfed virtually every person with a debilitating
basic feeling, regardless of gender. What I believedisease or physical injury. Our response to this critical
matters most are what we do with our lives once thequestion is the subject of this article.For slow learners,
reality sets in. Maybe, it doesn't fully sink in for somelike myself, who resist what ~ we must come to
time? It didn't for me. I was going to beat this thing,realize ~ would have saved other people an incredible
bounce back, overcome the dread disease, in theamount of frustration, this is an "Open~book" test.
same way I had always successfully overcomeQuestion: "Should we routinely ask others to help us?"
obstacles, by shear determinations: resolve, action, faithAnswer: "We should ask for help."If our marriages and
and "Will~Power!" This is a test.Well, it was mostrelationships survive, we learn to appreciate our
frustrating to discover that my old methods of passingpartner's commitments to us ~ in ways well beyond
the tests were largely ineffective in the battle to bewhat we might have ever imagined that person
normal again. I had the resolve, just not the endlesscapable of. Maybe, we might wonder, if the situations
reservoir of energy from which I could always draw.Iwere reversed, would I have been so committed? I
would take actions, affirmative actions! Some of themhope so, but really ~ I wonder ~ would I have
impulsive and not affirmed by my physicians andbeen?When we fail to ask our partners or others for
professionals who have had experience withassistance, even when we want to believe we can do
"Problem~Patients," like me. I would become a test forit ourselves, we put even more of a burden on the
them. I would even become their problem. Yeah, as ifvery ones we don't want to bother. Hey, they are
they didn't already have enough tests of their ownbothered! I see it is a selfish act to cause people who
going on in their professional and personal lives?OK, Icare about us to worry that we might cause injury to
would defeat this deceitful devil then with faith. If Iourselves or to others.Perhaps, my limited energy
haven't been as close to my Devine Maker, I'll see is Icould be better utilized by writing articles that will help
can be reunited. Heb.11:1 says, "Faith is the substance ofothers speed up their learning curves. Huh? Is this the
things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen."best use of my "Will~Power?"Russ Miles is the author
Well, I haven't any problem with the hope aspect, atof the novel, For Sale By Owners:FSBO.
least. AndSeasoned Real Estate NAR(R) Broker Disabled by
James 2:26: "For just as the body without the spirit isMultiple Sclerosis,
dead, so also faith without works is dead." I am alreadyFOR SALE BY OWNERS:FSBO ISBN
into the works by my taking actions. Right? If I'm not0-595-28703-4,in trade paperback,
getting the desired results, perhaps I will need to studyis available by phone or Internet:1-800-Authors to order
further? Job 36:15: "Hard times and trouble are God'sdirect!
way of getting our attention!"I am not really certain I likeVery HOT-LINK Adobe e-book & hard cover editions
that...Increasing my frustration was the fact that thealso available
strength, I could muster, was being increasinglyFSBO at at Barnes and Noble and other fine
consumed by mundane tasks involving movements.booksellers.
Simple things, like taking out the trash, were not so