At a recent variety show in Branson, the opening act was a juggler who performed the famous spinning plate trick. I have to agree with my son, it was making me a nervous wreck watching him run back and forth trying to keep them all spinning and wincing when one of them crashed.
This is exactly how I felt before chronic Lyme hit my life. I was doing too much, stressing, running, out of gas all the time. It happened gradually, it’s not like I planned it. But we had been on a “chasing good health” road ever since our kids were born. They both had health issues, varied and all seemed to be so mysterious. So we started nutrition, diets, doctors, chiropractors, etc. I cooked everything from scratch, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, additive free – auuuggggghhhh! Homemade birthday cakes, special snacks at school, trips to 6 different grocery stores – my plates were wobbling big time.
Then I got really sick, and all the plates crashed.
But there is something critical I learned in chronic Lyme disease about my spinnning plates and I want to share it with you.
1. First, I can let some plates crash. In fact I can let almost all the plates crash and survive. Friends, the church, neighbors and family came in and helped me keep the important ones spinning. We always had food to eat and the kids got back and forth to school, the bills got paid and we survived.
Lots of plates crashed and we survived. In fact, some of those plates were just for show and needed to be gone.
If I’m not careful, I can still get caught up racing back and forth spinning the plates of life. Life with kids is like that even for normal folks. Now add in special diets, chronic illness and more doctors – so I have even more plates to keep spinning.
2. Take stock of life and see what is really important and let all the rest go for a season. It doesn’t mean that little league sports or dance lessons are gone for good, but it’s okay if there are gone for now.
3. Quit volunteering for everything. You can be a good parent, worker, humanitarian even if you aren’t the volunteer of the year. Give to the ones that matter in this season.
4. Start learning to say no. You can’t do what you used to and don’t feel bad about it. God is using this season to redirect your time and energy so go with the flow.
5. Let down appearances. You know what I mean. Leave the house without makeup and guilt in your pajama pants. Don’t mow the grass on time, and the dust bunnies grow under the couch. It’s okay. None of those things matter in the end.
6. Focus. You are what matters. Get healthy, get positive, get focused on what is eternal. God, family, friends – that’s about what it all boils down to. Keep those three plates spinning and you have got it together.
It’s like a weeklong camping trip that you have to backpack in everything you are going to need. You lay everything out you want to take and keep packing and repacking that load. How much can you carry? How much do you really need?
7. Be intentional. Some days are non functional and some days you can blow it out of the park with energy. Ride the waves of chronic illness successfully. If you feel like it, do it. Don’t let people talk you out of it by “taking it easy”. You need to know your limitations, but if you feel good do it. Be intentional with the good moments you have. Spend them with your kids, spouse or family. Boil it down, prioritize and focus, really focus. Be intentional with those remaining plates.
Blessings and healing,
Janice Fairbairn
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