I read an interesting article on another blog this week and it really hit home for me. To say my relationship with my mom has been turbulent would be putting it lightly. When I was young, there was a lot of mental and emotional abuse in our family. When I was pregnant, I came face-to-face with the struggle of sheltering my unborn son or allowing a relationship to develop. Now, seeing my mom with Judah and the unconditional adoration she has for him, I'm glad they know each other. Judah has also helped mend old wounds between my mom and I.
On a lighter note, some fun facts about my mom:
1. She once tried to super glue on a pair of false eye-lashes. It seemed like a good, time-saving idea at the time.
2. Without her glasses, she applied 'leave-in conditioner'. Luckily, my brother knew from the smell something was wrong... it was really Nair. Miraculously, no hairs were hurt.
3. She once dismembered a entire wooden bunk bed using only a hammer & and pure anger.
Except from the article:
Three Ways to Forgive our Parents
1. Be a Screen Door
Like the wind blows through a screen door, let blustry comments, stormy blasts just blow right past. Incidents can only hit hard if you have your front door closed. But having a screen door policy allows all the pain to blow by....
1. Be a Screen Door
Like the wind blows through a screen door, let blustry comments, stormy blasts just blow right past. Incidents can only hit hard if you have your front door closed. But having a screen door policy allows all the pain to blow by....
2. Only Believe the Best
When you believe that everyone is always just doing their best, that we never war against flesh and blood but against the principalities, that in light of their own limitations, they truly are doing their best... this changes everything. Love bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things and whatever is good and pure and lovely, think on these things.
3. Tell the Thankful Truth
The truth is, there is always something, a lot, to give thanks for and that is the truth about every single parent. Consider offering a father, a mother, the gift of a jar full of slips of paper with your gratitude and thankful memories jotted down. This kind of grateful truth-telling heals the old wounds.
When you believe that everyone is always just doing their best, that we never war against flesh and blood but against the principalities, that in light of their own limitations, they truly are doing their best... this changes everything. Love bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things and whatever is good and pure and lovely, think on these things.
3. Tell the Thankful Truth
The truth is, there is always something, a lot, to give thanks for and that is the truth about every single parent. Consider offering a father, a mother, the gift of a jar full of slips of paper with your gratitude and thankful memories jotted down. This kind of grateful truth-telling heals the old wounds.
The whole article, including the author's own story:
http://www.incourage.me/2010/06/why-we-all-need-to-forgive-our-parents-.html
http://www.incourage.me/2010/06/why-we-all-need-to-forgive-our-parents-.html
I love the picture! And beautiful thoughts.
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