Do you ever have those moments when you can CLEARLY see someone else’s faults? Secretly give yourself an imaginary pat on the back because of your astute sense of discernment? I had that experience recently when a ministry colleague reflexively told me “we’re not going to do that” when I suggested an idea I thought had great merit.
My prickly retort was “why don’t we at least pray about it before so quickly saying no?” (Two points for my reasonable, spiritually mature response, right?)
Oh, the roller coaster of aging parents. One moment, you can’t imagine life without them. The next, you’re ready to tear your hair out. Then, you hit the curve of overwhelming guilt from having had those negative feelings. And on and on it goes.
One day, the frustrations will be over. Your parents will be gone and you’ll long to hear that same story for the 373rd time. You’ll wish you had cherished the time more, gotten frustrated less and listened a little better. I certainly do.
Never do those feelings torment a person more than when a loved one has died. Words left unspoken. Gratitude unexpressed. Forgiveness withheld. Hurt that festers. The pile of regrets often growing deeper and more painful with each passing year.
What do you do with all of those emotions when a loved one is gone? Many of us try stuffing them away, but the emotions eventually erupt. Sometimes our pain spews onto someone else in the form of anger. Or we might inflate like a life raft as a result of using food for comfort or slowly disintegrate from a bottomless glass of wine.
The glazed stare. The “deer caught in the headlights” look. I’ve seen it a lot. And, sadly, it’s come most frequently in response to the question: “What’s your dream?”
“Dream? Me? Have a dream? For my life?” Yes, YOU!
Yes, you devoted homemaker who now has an empty nest.
Yes, you retired entrepreneur who misses the excitement and challenges of building a business.
Yes, you hamster-on-the-wheel.
Yes, you who feels lonely and forgotten.
Yes, you busy mom of young children.
The previous two years had been brutal. I’d survived the dying and death of my husband and both parents. Watched each one draw their last breath. Coped with my only child leaving for college. Processed mountains of paperwork, and had my fill of cleaning out others’ “stuff.” Whew! That I was still functioning was a tribute to the grace of God, therapy, and wonderful friends.
What else could happen? (Don’t ever ask that question. Advice from Job and Joby. I mean Jody.)
Today's guest post was written by my friend, Elizabeth Dixon. She's an inspiring speaker and writer who focuses on overcoming challenges and living life to the fullest. You can find her at www.biteanelephant.com.
The worst rut that I have found in life was while I was on my mountain bike. Soon after this situation I realized that mountain biking was not the best sport for my long-term health.
I’m tired of playing charades. Of pretending things are fine when they aren’t. Or of acting like someone different than I really am.
When I was in middle school, my English teacher assigned us the challenge of writing a family history. Seemed reasonable. But not to my mom. She wore a cloak of shame because of our family background. The truth she feared coming out? That my dad’s family was of Polish origin. Gasp!
Dads, this one’s for you. It’s important. It’s powerful. And the message is very simple:
Every child longs to know that their dad loves them and is proud of them.
Every child.
Your child.
Male or female, young or old, successful or struggling. It matters more than you can imagine.
When you hear the term “mid-life crisis,” what comes to mind? For me, it’s the image of George Banks in “Father of the Bride 2” with freshly dyed hair, revving the engine of his convertible as he eyes an attractive young gal in a nearby car.
Turning 40 or 50 or 60 can be traumatic. It’s natural to begin wondering: “How is life flying by so quickly? What have I done that matters? How much time do I have left?”
This message was initially posted in August, 2013. Re-posting because it's that season again!
Allergy season must have started early this year. Or maybe that’s not the real reason behind all of the red-eyed parents that I’ve seen recently. Yes, the red eyes are the symptom of a changing season...just a season of life, not the weather.
It’s a season of transition for many parents - the time when children are leaving for college.