Where what you say can and will be used against you ☺
♦♦♦ Rant alert ♦♦♦
I rarely rant, do I? Oh nevermind. Don't answer that.
Darling Easter pictures will come soon enough.
Recently, (yesterday) I was pulled aside for some well intended advice about something I had discussed on this blog (neighbor). "You're letting it get to you too much. You can't let it affect your life.....etc. etc."
Well, ok. I was asked about it when we walked in the door (understandable). So we (briefly) discussed it then. And, I wrote about it on the blog.
Hmmm. Golly.
My neighbor (and I have very few of them!) killed her toddler son. Why yes. That's bothersome. For a variety of reasons. Surely, it is. I am terribly sad for their entire family and can understand the complexity of the situation. My heart goes out to them. All.
It's really not having an impact on my daily activities.
Permagrins are ridiculously lame and phony. Shall we wear them for the sake of other people?
Why is it so uncomfortable, causing us to mentally writhe, wanting desperately to make everything fine, when we observe people sad, struggling, mourning, troubled, sorrowful, or any other number of "negative" emotions?
Don't those feelings enable us to process, develop compassionate hearts, connect, gather around one another, heal? They move us, prompting action and assistance and prayer and love and courage. They cause us to cry out to God on behalf of ourselves and others. They keep us looking upward, longing for a day with no more suffering, no more pain, when we will meet Him face to face. They help us appreciate and savor the sweetness of the good times, to not take them for granted.
Quickly "fix it fix it fix it" ((((everything is fine!))) is the American way, right? If it's not, cover it! We wouldn't want people to know we have tender hearts that are prone to cracking underneath all those smiley faces!
I just don't believe our expectations for abiding in okey dokey fine and dandyland are realistic or beneficial.
It's ok to not be ok.
For a while. During certain stages. Some rather long, some quite short.
In fact, it may even be absolutely, essentially, idyllically, ideal.
10 comments:
Amen! I think it's amazing that you're mourning with that family. You're not judging, you're not turning a blind eye, you're not sweeping it under the rug. There are definitely those situations that touch our hearts, and when you can see a daily reminder of this tragedy by looking out your back window, it is ever more present.
Our hearts SHOULD break with what is, without a doubt, breaking the heart of God.
We should ALL be so affected.
amen to what lindy said!
we should all be affected by the things that break God's heart. you are so right. and i think THAT is ideal!
You're right. As Americans, we can't handle negative emotions. We answer "fine" even when we're not because no one truly wants to know if we're hurting.
Another amen to Lindy.
I think something would be wrong with you if this didn't bother you. That's a big deal and a wake up call for all of us. I don't know all the details, but things can happen in the blink of an eye that will change lives forever - not just our own, but people all around us. I've been praying for this family that I will never meet, yet I mourn for.
Tish,
This woman did not live near me, but her story has deeply sunk into my heart too. Today as I became frustrated with my 3 year old, as I chose which battles to take up and which to walk away from. As I reached out to a friend on the phone for a little perspective and humor. All these tiny instances brought to mind this sad story you shared. It is something that should bother us, affect our lives and disturb us out of our introspectiveness, so that we pay attention and maybe even prevent more sad stories.
Hi everyone. I don't know the full story, but I just wanted to share what I heard from another neighbor of this accused mom at PPSEL.
This mom...her son is in my son's class, totally believes this mom is innocent. She said the media is completely twisting the story and not giving all the facts. She has watched the woman's son and has witnessed great care in how the mom handled her boys. Like I said, I am not sure of the whole story, but I am guessing we don't have it.
I know none of you are condemning her and that is great. I just haven't been able to shake the words her neighbor kept saying...."she is a good mom, this could of happened to you or me."
I hope the truth comes out. God Bless.
--Jen Drake
Hi Jenn, is it Hampton or Cooper's mom? She is my neighbor too :) I am NOT surprised to hear someone say she believes she is innocent!! At all! I only know her in a casual, neighborly way, I know Michelle knows her better....
Big prayers for them.
That is the point - whether guilty or innocent - either way - it could have happened to you or me.
Hi Tisha. Yes, it was/is Michelle. She is very distraught. I shared what she shared w/ me yesterday in another comment area of your blogs. I hope that is OK. I really hope this all gets sorted out.....I can't imagine the horror of it all for that family. God preserve them.
Yes, thank you Jenn. I have wondered so much, thought about them so often, prayed for them every day. I did not call Michelle because even though I knew she would know something because I didn't feel it would be right. You sharing what you did was very helpful. I believe we will all be able to pray better, more clear prayers knowing more than we did before. It's sobering. Thank you.
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