How to be Dignified

Just got an email this afternoon from my ex-spouse (the emotionally abusive one) that he is getting married in a month.

So how do I handle this?  I don’t care on 99% of the levels but I do have some concerns.  He’s replacing me.  My kids have grown further and farther away from me in the past year and now it’s starting to make sense.  He’s had this person by his side the whole time and the girls kept it from me as well as he did.

So how to be dignified and graceful in this situation?  I’m not quite sure yet that is why I’m writing this down in the hopes that someone can relate to this situation or be helped by something I say here.

So a month.  Really?  He made sure to include the fact the girls like her and she cooks, plays Minecraft, colors with them.  Basically replacing me as I do those things too.  She’s never had children of her own…and she’s moving in on mine.  Maybe she’ll be great.  I’d like to meet her.

I’m going to have to up my A-game but in a dignified way.

How do you be dignified when you are in primal mode?  I really need to listen to my chill out playlist on iTunes.  And I need to listen to the Matthew West song “Forgiveness” until I can forgive him for this last thing he’s done to my  heart.

This week I was verbally assaulted by my children.  Know this:  I’m a very tough person.  My mom says I’m the most courageous person she knows.  My brother said that too.  I get out of bed every day, whether I feel like it physically or not.  I have fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder with a significant amount of anxiety that goes along with the bipolar disorder.  Yet I get up, I work.  Sometimes I’m so physically tired I can barely do anything when I get home.  My parents don’t understand it.  I wish they would.  They think my house should be ready for company at any time.  And that THAT is the reason the kids don’t want to come over.

Which leaves me with my dog.  And my two birds. Right now I want to go home, get my exercise clothes on and walk my dog, in the dark.  And walk until the hurt dies down a little bit.

If you have any suggestions as to how to rise above the emotions I’m feeling I’d love to hear from you or hear your stories.  God is still on the throne.  The sun will rise again tomorrow and the moon will come up tonight.  Tomorrow I will get up and it will be another day at work.  Then I have a whole weekend with my girls.  I have plenty to do with them.

See…my chains are gone.  Forgiveness means my chains are gone.  I’m no longer a prisoner of hate.  I’m ME.  And that is enough.

 

 

 

The Alpha and Omega

The other day I was sitting at the stoplight behind a vehicle with sorority symbols.  It got me to thinking how God is the Alpha (beginning) and the Omega (end). It was a good reminder that what God sees is the whole of my life from the beginning to the end. 

It is comforting to know that my life was planned by Him and that he knows what will happen each and every moment.

When things feel big I try to remember that I serve the Alpha and the Omega and it puts things in perspective!

Thoughts About Good News

What a wild and expected couple of weeks this has been! I was diagnosed with pneumonia a couple of weeks ago. Round one of antibiotics was a failure so they did more X-rays and am on round two of antibiotics.

Although I would not wish on my enemies, it has allowed me time to rest. Truly rest. Unplugged from most in the world, from work, from most things. I spend whole days not talking to another human being.

This morning I was cleaning my kitchen listening to my favorite playlist on my smartphone. Singing and worshipping my King who sits in the throne in Heaven and in my life.

Listening to my favorite music is like a weird trip down memory lane. Each song on my list has been one that God has used powerfully in my life. It’s like revisiting old memories but this time they are more like revisiting God’s mercy and grace.

When each song comes on I am transported to a certain time in my life, often that started with turmoil but was redeemed by God’s grace. They are like little victory songs, gems.

I own a rather spectacular dog named Louie. When I sing his tail wags and I don’t think he quite knows what to make of it but he knows that I’m happy and in turn, that makes him happy.

My mom wrote me an email recently and told me that I’m so brave. It was sweet. I’ve never thought of my being brave. I look at my life and am humbled by the God who has carried me through so much and I rejoice. I’m not brave, I just have learned to cling to Him with my last bit of strength, knowing His strength will carry me when I’m not strong enough.

I serve a big God. One who cares about me. One who cares about you. Who cared so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross. You see, the Bible tells us that sin separates us from God. Nothing we do can bridge the gap between our sin and God. So God, being all loving, sent Jesus to take our place. To cover our sins and give us the chance to be able to approach God. This week Christians celebrate Easter.

For those of you who are unfamiliar about what Easter is and how amazing it is I’ll sum it up. Jesus was killed. He took our place as our sins (wrong things we do) would separate us from God for eternity.

So God being the all loving God sent His Only son (can you imagine) to die in our place. But that’s not the cool part. After being crucified on a cross, Jesus rose from the DEAD after three days in his tomb. He declared victory over death.

I ask you: do you know where you are going to spend eternity after you die? The Bible states two options: hell and Heaven. No amount of good deeds will get you to Heaven.

It’s simple: realize that we need God. Thank Him for sending Jesus to take our place, to pay the price for our sin. Ask him if he will transform your life. I can guarantee you that it will change your life as it did mine.

I’ve tried hard to keep this as real as possible. If you would like to know more about how to have JOY in the midst of life, please write me or comment here so I can communicate with you and pray on your behalf.

This is the week we celebrate good news! Join me in serving an all powerful, all knowing and all loving God. I invite you.

Clinging to the Life Raft

The hum of the washing machine as it whirls in the background. Listening to my top 25 playlist on my iPhone. There it is again. That song. Forgiveness by Matthew West.

This song is like the anthem of my life that just won’t go away. Even now I sit here on my soft green chair with pneumonia it plays and I type.

I know that God has forgiven everything that I’ve done and everything that I will do. That concept is hard to wrap a mind around but I grab onto it like a life raft.

I’ve forgiven others for things I never thought possible.

Yet here I sit pondering the concept of self forgiveness. It sounds like a bunch of psychobabble bunk but I take pause. This might be the missing link to this journey of grace I’ve been on.

I give grace to others: my family, my friends and my kids but I am less likely to give it to myself. Why is that? I think it’s because deep down I think that I don’t deserve it. Sure I know what the Bible says and trusted people say but still I reserve this concept of forgiveness for others, leaving me devoid of this freedom.

But what if:
I could lay down my condemnation of my failures, of my sin, and allow myself to forgive myself?

To:
Fully accept that forgiveness that God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth for.

Perhaps:
I could finally fly.

Grace: God’s and Good

One last day of my half of spring break with my children. Today I remembered what it was like to be a stay at home mom and for a few minutes I was sad. Not sure the kids even noticed it.

On breaks I feel like normal. Or what used to be my normal. With them waking up and going to bed in my home day after day. It is the best thing in the whole world.

I think people considering divorce should spend not only time with trusted advisors and counsellors but they should also be required to spend equal amounts of time with divorced folks. They need to see the realities of it all from all the angles.

As complicated as divorce is, I have chosen to make the most of each day of the new normal (what I call my post divorce life).

That includes jumping into situations that are hard, wearing both parenting hats, and daily choosing or at least trying my very best to make each and every day with my kids count.

Count for fun, for discipline, for learning, for memories. Making the most of each day. Each meal. Savoring the sweet moments with each child. Stolen moments.

Single parenting is hard. Really hard. But when I think that I am not capable, God’s grace flows down and grants me peace in the middle of the chaos.

A Cease Fire between my Body and Mind

This was the first day in a really, really long time that I am not just wiped out now at the end of the day. It’s weird and wonderful at the same time.

I think my weekend rested my body, mind and soul. I had a lot of time to think about what is going on in my life, in the lives of my children and to pray.

God has put very specific things on my heart to pray for my daughters about. Sometimes I wonder if they know just how much I love being their mom and just being together with them. I hope they never doubt my love or commitment to their well being.

Having bipolar disorder is interesting. Sometimes interesting good and sometimes interesting more harder. Very rarely do I get more than one day that my body and mind are not warring against each other. Once in a blue moon, like tonight, I imagine this is what it must feel like to be normal.

No busy head, no mood swings, my body is just at peace. My mind isn’t noisy. No I don’t hear voices but my mind is just noisy a lot. It’s hard to explain.

A big fat tear just ran down my cheek because I wish that I could feel this normal everyday. And the tear was because it just isn’t so. And then I reminded that this life here on earth is temporary. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when I die I’ll go to Heaven. I also am comforted here on earth because I know that the troubles in this life are only temporary.

I’m just on the first part of eternity. This stint here on earth. And someday God will wipe the tears from my eyes and my body will be healed. What joy that will be.

Until then I get to trust Him for my everything. For my children, for my job, health, family and future. But I will sleep well tonight knowing that the God who hung each star in the sky not only knows me but knows me intimately. He knows how many hairs are on my head this very instant.

An Extroverted Introvert Speaks Her Mind

The silence is deafening and it’s a beautiful thing. Work, email, texts, phone calls, family, friends, kids, church, dog, home. These things are all wonderful but I cherish the time that I get to just be silent.

When there are no work calls to take, no one wanting my attention. It’s my time to recooperate and recharge for the next season of life.

Unless you are one you have no idea the unique challenges one faces as a single mom. The drive that gets you out of bed in the morning. The willingness to do whatever it takes to provide for my family. Working odd jobs on the side, some that you like and some you don’t, so that you can pay your bills and maybe have enough money to take the kids out once in a while.

But I do it willingly. You see, when I get to have silence for a day I am again reminded of just how thankful I am and how blessed I am to be their mom. It truly is my “calling”.

People say I’m an extrovert and that makes me smile because I don’t think of myself that way. I think that I am an introvert who has learned how to be more extroverted so she can feel connected to others. I do this not because I want to but because it is good for me to interact with others. To not be alone.

For me, silence is my way of recooperating from a week of pretending to be an extrovert. It’s my way of enjoying just being alone. I recharge when I am alone; I’ve always been like that. Extroverts would recharge by being around others. I am not like that. When I need to recharge my batteries I turn to silence.

For many reasons, silence = peace. In silence there are no hurtful words being slung around in real time or cyberspace. There is no bickering of siblings trying to live together. In silence it feels like protection. It’s safe.

But God did not create us to be alone. I am a mom, a daughter, sister, sister in law, niece, cousin, aunt, employee. So after being recharged by silence I enter the more uncomfortable extroverted world for another week of noise.

I do this because we were created to live in community. We were created to be family members, moms, aunts, cousins, daughters, sisters, sister in laws, and employees. And so much more.

The fuel is in the silence but the reward is from the relationships.

The Fracture of Technology: broken relationships

When I see parents post about taking technology and devices away from their kids, getting off Facebook, etc I just want to say DUH. Wow you are actually amazed your child read a book when you took their device away? What is amazing in this scenario is not that they read a book or painted a picture but that YOU were surprised.

I’m not anti technology, never have been but I am painfully aware of the consequences of it. Technology is amazing. The ideas and concepts being created now boggle the mind.

The problem with technology and the individual is this. We were created by God to have relationship with each other. Texting and Skyping is the technology equivalent to relationships that porn is. Both are a cheap substitute for the real thing.

When you spend more time with your computer for fun than your spouse or kids then a large bell should go off. If it doesn’t you have major problems which you don’t even know about yet.

I was married and my spouse would email me from upstairs instead of just coming down to talk with me. I remember us sitting in the same room, both on our laptops and he emailed me. And I was just five feet away in real life but in reality I was an eternity away. Because technology did not enhance relationship. It kept real communication from happening.

There were many, many times that I was jealous of my spouse’s relationship with his laptop and company. He courted his servers more than he ever courted me. While he cared for his clients, servers and computer programs diligently it was an escape for him. Hiding behind technology kept him from having to have real relationships with others. With me. With our kids.

I’m an adult and realize the problem was not me. But I worry that my children will grow up wishing their dad had put down the laptop and had just spent time with them a bit more. I hope that they realize that they are worthy of our time, of his time. All the time.

So I don’t have cable, watch tv other than Netflix, don’t have Internet access at home and no longer use a computer for personal use at my home. I wouldn’t trade the time I get to spend with my girls for any amount of Leave it to Beaver episodes.

And that is my choice. I choose relationships over technology. I choose the touch of a little girl’s hand over the cold touch of a keyboard.

Emotional Terrorism

One email derailed my day. I’m mad that it did but it did and now I lay here trying to unpack my emotions like a suitcase full of wrinkled dirty clothes.

We’ve all heard the phrase “we don’t negotiate with terrorists.” This post is not about the worldwide terrorism, it is about emotional terrorists.

Emotional terrorists are small people. Power hungry people who devise pleasure from hurting others. Sometimes it is those they live or used to love. I know. I was married to one.

People who control others are weak and pitiful. But they still inflict great chaos and hurt to those in their path. The sick part is that is WHY they do it. They utilize your vulnerabilities to their advantage.

After reading an email from my ex this morning I was transported back to feelings that I do not care to relive. Every time I write an email requesting what is normal and expected in a situation it is either: 1. Not answered 2. Answered but like a day later even though I know this person constantly checks his email 3. Met with opposition-always and without exception.

Unless you’ve lived through one of these type of abusive relationships you can’t imagine the PTSD like response your body goes into after such an interaction. It’s like fight or flight. Adrenal pumps. Emotions erupt and threaten any peace you currently had that day.

I remember feeling like this every single day. My mind never got a chance to recover day to day and it felt like every day was fight or flight. I’m not talking physical abuse here but emotional abuse. These physiological responses threatened my health physically and mentally.

I used to feel like this every single day. It might not be the best choice of grammar but it sucked. Big time.

The human part of me wants to retaliate with shock and awe. To what end? Not willing to put my children in the middle of two warring parents (even if we’re no longer married). The rational side of me knows engaging the enemy in this case is what they want so I will not issue shock and awe upon their heads but I’ll be honest, I really want to. But that is the hurt talking.

I don’t get to be the judge but there is some comfort in the fact that God will someday. Even saying that makes me feel small. Truth be told I’ll only recover from my anger and hurt when I hand it over to God. And I’ve been miserable all day because instead of handing over my hurt I’ve nursed it.

Opening up my tight little fists slowly….

Honest Cries of a Broken Heart

It’s the middle of the night and I’m awake. Been a long time since a painful memory from my failed marriage has kept me up.

Listening to my go to song, “Forgiveness”, by Matthew West on repeat song on my iPhone. Knowing that I need to let it go as holding onto this buried hurt will do nothing but cripple me at this point.

Yet here I am, giving power to a past hurt that serves to do nothing but injure my hurt. Torn between the concepts of hurt and forgiveness yet knowing the second is the only path I can take.

My soul is hurt and it’s hard to even pray but I know the Holy Spirit is making my hurt known to the Father. It’s hard to forgive. I’ve written about this many times, over the years.

Torn between needing to experience the pain that comes from healing and the desire to want to let it go. Like many years ago when I knew that I needed to forgive my ex spouse I prayed for years for the desire to want to forgive him. God worked in my heart that time and since to forgive this one who hurt my heart so.

Wishing hurt away does nothing productive. I’ve learned from experience that it is necessary to truly feel the hurt before I can experience the gratitude to God when He frees me from the hurt. I’ve learned it is allowable to feel the hurt as long as I don’t get stuck in it. Or try to bury the hurt without turning to my Heavenly Father and asking Him to free me.

The concept of forgiveness has nothing to do in my case with reconciliation between the two parties. It is about forgiving someone who has never once asked for forgiveness. It is about laying down the hurt at the throne of God and realizing that God sent His son to die for not only me but for my ex spouse. Knowing that Jesus’ spilled blood was for everyone. None of us deserved for Him take our sins, to take the penalty of our sins. Yet He did. And on the cross He forgave those who put Him to death. What a picture of forgiveness.

Lord, give me the desire to want to forgive this particular hurt tonight. I know that I can only give forgiveness if You change my heart Lord. Change my heart, Lord.