Winter 2011

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful Winter day we are having in North Texas!  The snow is falling in big fluffy flakes and our yard looks like a picture out of a book!  The dogren want to go out every few minutes and chase the snowflakes and play tug of war with their toys.  The snow will be gone soon so I am enjoying every moment.  Aren't the berries beautiful on the Yaupon Holly tree?!

Snow in Texas is such a treat!  It's a time when the kids can get out and build snowmen and life just seems to stop while we all look in awe at the beauty around us.  Being born and raised in Minnesota, I remember the severe cold and, at times, blizzards.  It's something you get used to and the blood thickens...  In the little city where I was raised, Winter was a time of ice fishing, skating, skiing and in later years, snowmobiling.  I loved ice fishing and driving around on the lake but as for skating and skiing, let's just say, I wasn't too good at ... gave it a good try though.  The city poured an ice skating rink in the fairgrounds area and built a huge warming house.  Now, having a huge stove in the middle of a room wouldn't be allowed because of the danger of a child falling into the stove.  No one ever did when I was a child though ... guess we knew enough to hang out mittens by the stove but stay far enough away to not get burned.  My family included some pretty famous skiers and people came from far and wide to ski down the gigantic ski slope.

I am on day 25 of my 40 days of prayer ... Be angry and sin not.

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family."~~Anthony Brandt

The subject of anger was such an important part of my recovery as a childhood trauma survivor.  I was afraid of anger and angry people yet I was angry as a child at times and as an adult.  I didn't connect my abuse with the anger; however, when I went through trauma counseling, I found that anger is common in children and adults who have been abused.  What I needed to learn was to get angry at the source of my anger, get it all out, then start the healing process.  Now, I am in the refinement stage of moving on and addressing my anger as it comes up.

Home is a place of safety from the storms of life!

When tension and/or conflict arises in my life, my focus isn't on whether I am right but that God is right.  James 3:16 says that strife opens the door for every evil work.  As an adult, when distressed, I go back to the time when the conflict first occurred and look at my part.  In that place, I have learned to repent of anything I did that contributed to the strife and speak death to the crop of dissension I sowed.  God will not ask me how the other person handled the altercation, He will, for sure, ask me how I handled it.   As a child, it was different in dealing with anger ... I was a victim ... a child whose innocence was taken from me.  I had to stop saying it was my fault and realize that I was in survival mode and dealt with abuse by disassociating.  Ever seen a little one with fists a flying?  That's frustration and hurt.

The Beauty of Winter

The snow is beautiful and creates a tranquil picture.  The snow can also be a wild storm taking man and beast down in it's fury.  Anger that produces change for the better ... that exposes the secrets of the perpetrator, can be so welcome.  On the flip side, anger that causes bitterness, deceitfulness and things that are intended to hurt another person is sin.   Wisdom dictates that I examine my own motives.  To understand means that many small issues aren't worth being angry about.  Now, when strife rears it's ugly head I choose to humble myself and be silent.  No one can make me angry.  If I am angry it is because I have chosen to be angry and because a root of anger is already resident in me.  My course of action is to respond as Jesus did:

"Wherefore my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."~~James 1:19

Hamilton Elf had to get out and enjoy the snow today too!  He was sitting on the dining room table looking out the window.  Somehow I knew he wanted to get in on the action outside.  He did find a place next to the fountain that he liked and willingly posed for a photo.  Do you think I am procrastinating putting him away for his nap?

Hamilton Elf and I are signing off at 5:00pm Texas time and are leaving you with this thought: 

"It has been said that time heals all wounds.  I do not agree.  The wounds remain.  In time, the mind, protecting it's sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens, but it is never gone."~~Rose Kennedy

Wherever you are ... whatever you're doing ... remember that you are loved and prayed for ... I pray that my blog in 2011 will reach your hearts and souls and that you will know that you aren't alone on this journey we call life.