Thursday, March 12, 2009

Are you there God? It's me, Lisa... Chapter 1

Hi there,
I know we don't talk much but this time I really need a friend. I hope you're listening because I don't know what to do.

You see things get a little tempestuous around here and sometimes, no matter what we do, nothing works to calm the storm. We've tried being patient, talking calmly, trying to reason... that made us look soft. We've tried tough love, being extra firm, and taking the no-nonsense approach... that made us look mean. We've tried loss of privileges, various consequences, even bold threats... that was a battle of the wills.

So we live day to day bracing ourselves for another wave, hoping the damn won't break. Some days it's hard to find the strength to keep building. And, as time goes on, the struggle gets more & more intense and our strength less & less resilient.

I know I've asked before, but can you please help him understand our goals and why we set boundaries & limits. There is acrimony in his voice when he talks, especially to the little bird, so communication is difficult. This often causes friction and discord, which ends up making us all miserable.

So, God, if you can hear me, please send an angel...

2 comments:

  1. I'll say that prayer for you too. Is there any more helpless & scary feeling than that?
    You reason, rant, beg, joke, and they keep seeming to slip through your fingers. I don't know if there is an answer, or if they go through this period and you hope that because you raised them with love and caring, they come back into being the loving people you know.
    I have often thought that I wish I had taken my kids to do volunteer work. The act of helping others, not only shows them how much better they have it, but takes their minds off themselves for a while.
    Hugs to you!

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  2. Hey girl, you're not alone with that battle. One of the most important things that we can do as a parent is not give up on them AND continue to pray for them.

    It's really difficult to juggle the different attitudes in our boys, knowing what works well with one may not for the other and then feeling like we have to explain ourselves to them.

    I have seen that it calms for awhile and then gets stormy again for awhile...I believe it comes and goes with their ever changing bodies and their growth. That hard part is the lack of respect they show us.

    My one tends to treat me no differently than his brothers, in the way that he responds to me...that's rough and scarey when he is only eight years old.

    I do understand; we shall raise our hands together and once again, give them to The Lord.

    Father, I know that You hear us; knowing the end from the beginning in all areas of our lives. I believe that You allow our struggles to deepen our understanding, strengthen our relationship with You and create knowledge to share. Open our minds to know, to see, to that sparkling reality of what we ARE able to do to get through these tougher times with our boys. Make it clear and enable us to continually rely on Your strength, Your reactions and Your will...and not our own. I trust You completely and believe this all to be in Your care. In Jesus Name, Amen!

    ♥ Heather

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