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Silly Putty

May 6, 2013 By 1 Comment

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Psalm 126:5 (NKJV)

 

Silly puttyMy children received Silly Putty in a goody bag and I’m sure you can imagine where this is heading.  :)

I have to say, my kids, ages 6 and 3, did great following the rules of where they were allowed to use it and kept it safely in the case for a couple of weeks without incident. Then we had a couple of minor incidents and I should have taken the hint and moved it along.

I didn’t.

Then I found a big, big mess. Somehow it was separated into six large pieces and found our favorite big cozy blanket as comfy as we do.  This queen sized fleece blanket joined our family last fall and the four of us enjoy cuddling under it while watching movies. It is also the blanket of choice when someone is sick.

I was less than thrilled to see the mess and determined to remove it at all costs. After attempts to remove the putty with larger pieces of putty failed miserably, I hit the Internet. I was sure there have been many Silly Putty victims before me and I was right. I will spare you the details, but let you know that it was a multi-step process and required a lot of time and patience. But it worked!

It occurred to me that emotional healing and/or spiritual growth (sometimes it is both) are multi-step processes that require time and patience. I cannot clean my own mess or remove the deep wounds of my heart in my own strength. Instead I must partner with the work God is doing, no matter how painful or complicated the process. He is always good and loves us more than we can imagine.

There is hope if you are in a painful season right now. It is a season. It will not last forever.

I have found healing from depression (three separate times) through a multifaceted approach (including medicine). I am living proof that, by God’s grace, you can come through dark times stronger and healthier.

Lord, we lift up all who are in a dark place right now. Please give them hope and assurance of your Presence with them. May Your Holy Spirit bring comfort and wholeness as only You can, through medicine or however You choose to work in each situation. Thank you for Your faithfulness and the promise to never leave or forsake us. We trust Your Word and not our feelings. Meet us in the Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

~Lynn

Contact: lynn@chosenfamilies.org

Filed Under: Depression, discouragement, Hope Tagged With: ,

A Little Reminder

April 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

I continue to be amazed at the way the Lord uses music to comfort and inspire me. “The Same Love” by Paul Baloche has been doing both.

In light of the struggle and pain that comes with living in a fallen world, it is great to be reminded of God’s love and power. He is calling us to surrender our burdens and fears to Him. He calls us beloved and longs to heal our brokenness.

I encourage you to find 5 minutes to prayerfully listen to this song and hear Him calling and declaring that you are His.

~Lynn

 

 ”The Same Love”

You choose the humble and raised them high

You choose the weak and made them strong

You heal our brokenness inside and give us life

CHORUS

The same love that set the captives free

The same love that opened eyes to see

Is calling us all by name, You are calling us all by name

The same God that spread the heavens wide

The same God that was crucified

Is calling us all by name, You are calling us all by name

You take the faithless one aside

And speak the words “You are mine”

You call the cynic and the proud, “Come to Me now”

CHORUS

The same love that set the captives free

The same love that opened eyes to see

Is calling us all by name, You are calling us all by name

The same God that spread the heavens wide

The same God that was crucified

Is calling us all by name, You are calling us all by name

BRIDGE

You’re calling, You’re calling

You’re calling us to the cross

Filed Under: Hope, Music, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Surprising Spring

March 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

…but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. John 4:14 ESV

I love to journal and it is one of the tools that help me stay emotionally healthy since my first bout of depression sixteen years ago.  However, I have recently (and accidentally) added a new, non-written, mode of processing my day and spending time with the Lord while………..washing dishes!

Up until we moved in October I had a large dishwasher so I loaded all of the dishes up and kept up my fast pace of life, missing an opportunity for reflection and prayer. Our new home only has room for a small built in dishwasher, so instead of running it multiple times a day, I hand wash the larger dishes. I need to be gently hand washed and made clean from my day.

I have found my dishwashing time therapeutic, as most nights I am able to have 10-15 minutes of limited interruption and I love it! Every night is different (and truth be told, some nights the dirty dishes sit in the sink until morning!) but I am learning to find ways to connect with the Lord in the midst of my day, instead of trying to add one more thing. Who needs one more thing to do?! Plus, I find shorter, more frequent times with the Lord keep me focused on Him and aware of His Presence. I crave His life giving Presence.

While we all need to be connected to the Lord, those of us on the hidden disability journey often require extra strength and grace on a daily basis. We need to combat the fear, disappointment, and frustration that attempt to invade our lives and make us dry. I am thirsty for Living Water.

Let’s be creative in finding time to process our thoughts and feelings (vent if needed) and stay connected with the Lord. If you are inclined, please share what you have found helpful, no matter how simple, to prime the pump and encourage others.

Your fellow traveler,

~Lynn

 

Filed Under: balance, Depression, Emotions, God's presence, Journey, Self Care, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

So Long Cesspool

February 25, 2013 By 1 Comment

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29

Our family is returning back to the basics of sorts.

Unfortunately, my daughter almost six (with Sensory Processing Disorder) spent her earlier years getting yelled at A LOT before we found out she had a hidden disability. Traditional discipline did not work and actually exacerbated her behavior. We were frustrated, scared, and thought we had a defiant child who did not care about us at all. So our default became yelling, and lots of it, despite its ineffectiveness.

While in survival mode and barely hanging on in every way – emotionally, physically and spiritually – we had little ability to be proactive in teaching and modeling how followers of Jesus should interact with one another. We were too busy reacting to her misbehavior and our apparent lack of control (of her and ourselves) clueless of how to help correct and manage it. It was not pretty and downright destructive.

So now, after occupational therapy and a daily sensory diet (exercises and activities to help her body) we are no longer in crisis. Sure we have difficult seasons and our share of challenges, but we have not returned to that toxic cesspool of completely out of control parents and children.

As a family we are memorizing this verse and looking for teachable moments, in abundance as she and her three-year-old brother interact with one another, to intentionally speak words that encourage and give life to one another. We are learning to handle our anger and frustrations in healthy ways that do not hurt the people we love the most and better reflect our identity as God’s children. We are asking the Holy Spirit to help us live this out and to forgive one another when we fall short.

I trust the God of the impossible to help redeem the toxic episodes in our family’s history so we can bring Him glory as we live life with a hidden disability.

~Lynn

 

Filed Under: Communication, Emotions, Sensory Processing Disorder, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Worn

February 7, 2013 By 4 Comments

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. Psalm 126:5

January has left me feeling very worn.

After family sickness before and during Christmas, the return to school was anything but easy for my daughter with Sensory Processing Disorder, who missed four days of school leading up to the Christmas break with a fever.

It took a solid three weeks to readjust to all day Kindergarten and we still have some tears every morning as I drop her off. At least she is no longer crying at night as she goes to sleep, as she gets ready for school, and in the car on the way to school.

It has been emotionally draining to say the least. While nothing we tried totally worked to alleviate the separation anxiety, we found wearing her weighted vest did help to calm her when she was really upset about having to leave me.

Thankfully, her crying now stops within minutes from drop off and does not extend throughout the morning as it had been. Despite a tearful start to her day, most of her school days end up being pretty good. But I often return home from drop off with her little brother worn out from the battles to get her out the door and to school on time.

In the midst of the worse of this struggle I discovered the song “Worn” by Tenth Avenue North and it really ministered to me. I have wept on several occasions while listening to it as it gives words to how worn out I have felt in the day-to-day struggles of my daughter’s hidden disability and in the midst of my failures as a mother.

As I have cried out to God with these lyrics, I have felt His assurance that He is with me and will redeem our struggles for His glory.

Please take the 4 minutes to listen to this song accompanied with the lyrics and let the Lord minister to you as well.

Worn but anticipating songs of joy,

~Lynn

Worn Video with lyrics by Tenth Avenue North

 

Filed Under: Challenge, growth, Parenting, Sensory Processing Disorder Tagged With: , ,

Time

January 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

[It is] God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. Psalm 18:32 (NKJV)

I am about two weeks behind.

The fall was busy with moving into a new home in mid October, hurricane Sandy, sick children and a nor’easter just heading into the busy holiday season compounded with struggles from my daughter’s sensory processing disorder. Then already behind on Christmas shopping in mid December, I became sick (guessing it was the flu); and despite my best attempts, so did my whole family.

Thankfully none of us were horribly sick, but it did take a full two weeks to feel 100%. So Christmas Eve and Christmas day were spent just our sweet little family to keep the germs to ourselves.  It was very different, but we all made the most of it.

We started celebrating Christmas with extended family on New Year’s Day and again the following weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed each celebration and embraced the joy of the season. And just last week I began doing what I try to do every New Year: reflect on what God has done and ask Him for one word for the upcoming year. Beginning this process (I’m not yet certain on the word) has made me feel like I am finally ready for 2013!

As I have been journaling and reflecting on the past month or so, it occurred to me that what appeared to be behind according to the calendar, was actually on time for me and just what I needed.

While I cannot know for certain, I wonder whether I would have really celebrated and enjoyed Christmas as much if it had been celebrated the same as every year? This past year was NOT like every year for us (a future post or two) and it made sense that our celebration was not the same.

We are not the same people.

So even if our celebrations were on the appropriate days, it would have been different anyway. Trials and tribulations have a way of drawing you close to the Father that forever changes you if you let them.

Realization: I am not behind, but on time according to His schedule as I seek to abide in Him.

On time,

~Lynn

 

Filed Under: Christmas, Expectations, Holidays, Sensory Processing Disorder, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

The Fight for Peace

December 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

“Peace be with you!” John 20:19

I recently found myself identifying with the apostle Peter in a new and deeper way while reading through the Gospels and his overestimation of his faith and trust in Jesus. I was reading Mark 14:27-31 where Jesus predicts Peter’s denial and Peter emphatically insists he would never disown Jesus but would die with Him. Peter wholeheartedly believed that no matter what he would stay faithful. As we know, within hours Jesus’ prediction comes true and Peter “broke down and wept” (verse 72).

I was reflecting on a similar personal disappointment in my own relationship with Jesus and my overestimation of my spiritual growth through a recent trial. I was sure that after experiencing the Lord’s provision in such clear and powerful ways for our family, I would no longer be anxious about our finances.

I was wrong and have spent the past two weeks battling anxiety and fighting for my peace.  Between racing thoughts, trips to the bathroom for my upset stomach and sleepless nights, He has heard my cries and met me in my emotional turmoil. He is helping me stay focused on Him alone and slowly I am regaining my emotional equilibrium.

I daily confess my deep need for Him in my life and surrender to Him fresh each morning. I admit that I had become complacent in our relationship for a couple of weeks leading up to this episode and it was enough to lose my footing. How quickly I turned to self-sufficiency and lost my way.

As always, there was no condemnation or shame for my humanness. I felt His forgiveness and deep love for me, his precious daughter. Our intimacy has been restored and we are moving forward, but this time in His strength and not my own. Anxious moments still come, but they are not as severe or long lasting. I recognize the significant progress I have made in this area and look forward to more freedom.

May we all experience the Prince of Peace in all His glory this season.

~Lynn

 

Filed Under: Anxiety, Emotions, Forgiveness, growth Tagged With: , ,

Glimmers of Hope

November 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31a

Life has been a little crazy for the past few weeks in our home. Between the challenges of moving, sickness and Hurricane Sandy we have had no shortage of excitement. While we personally only lost power for 27 hours, we still have friends and family without power and live only 20 minutes away from towns that were completely devastated by flooding.

My husband was able to volunteer with a large group from our church to reach out to some of these people. (Groups have gone daily since the Friday following the storm to lend a hand.) Their stories are heartbreaking and their despair palpable. Experiencing them first hand has recalibrated my priorities and minimized the inconveniences of life post Sandy: long gas lines, 8 days off from school, road closures.

So many churches are working TOGETHER in the hardest hit neighborhoods and people are overwhelmed that strangers would help them through their most difficult time and with such messy work. They have accepted prayer, asked for Bibles and inquired about the times of church services.

People we did not know existed before the hurricane have become our friends. We celebrate the progress being made as we follow up with them and distribute donated supplies. They are smiling and laughing again as they continue to grieve and rebuild. There are small glimmers of hope in their eyes. (As a depression survivor, I know the value of hope in any situation.)

God is moving and being glorified as His people seek to love their neighbors in very practical ways all over the northeast. As usual, our God is redeeming what was meant to destroy and drawing people to Himself – the True Hope.

Please continue praying for those affected by Sandy and find a way to serve your neighbors wherever you live.

Praying with expectation,

~Lynn

 

 

Filed Under: Depression, General, Grief, tragedy Tagged With: ,

A Father’s Touch

October 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30

I don’t know about you, but I am still growing to continually trust my children to our Heavenly Father’s care.  While I think this may be true for every Christ following parent to some degree, I think it may be even harder for those of us parenting a child with a hidden disability (SPD).

It can be so easy to worry about them when they are not in our care. Will teachers notice the subtle hints my daughter gives when she is struggling internally or will she ask for help if she needs it?  The list is virtually endless.

The fact is, although I cannot be with her all of the time, God is.  The more amazing fact is that He loves her even more than I do! It doesn’t seem possible, but it is!

I was reminded of His deep love and care for her a couple of weeks ago while she was upset and did not want to go to school.  Adjusting to full day Kindergarten is a challenge for any child, but especially for someone with a hidden disability.  I did my best to console her and suggested that perhaps God has something special for her at school that day and she wouldn’t want to miss out would she? We prayed together and she was off.

I thought about her all day wondering if she was having a good day despite the rough start.  I was eager to pick her up to see how she was doing. At dismissal I was greeted by a girl with a huge smile as she proudly shared about her opportunity to be the teacher’s helper.

“I bet you are glad you went to school today, since God DID have something special for you,” I reminded.

We both learned a valuable lesson. I thanked God for His loving touch in both of our lives.

In awe of His loving ways,

~Lynn

 

 

Filed Under: Encouragement, God's presence, Gratitude, Parenting, Sensory Processing Disorder, Trust Tagged With: , , ,

A Timely Tweet

September 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3

God continues to surprise me how He speaks and reveals Himself ever so personally and often at just the right time.

I was recently processing a disappointment that I thought I had adequately dealt with and moved on.  However, I soon realized there was more work to do and I needed the Lord’s help with it – AGAIN!  So this morning, I searched my heart and confessed all I was feeling regarding this issue. I confessed my pain and brought Him my questions.

Then I returned to Psalms, where I had been reading, with no real answers or resolution. There were a couple of verses that jumped out to me and applied to other concerns in my life. I prayed through them and gave thanks for the insights I gained and the blessing of His Presence.

I woke up the rest of the family and went through our normal morning routine.  My son and I returned home after dropping my daughter off at school and I sat down at the computer to quickly check email and Twitter.

There it was.

My answer came through a tweet by pastor Rick Warren that the Holy Spirit powerfully impressed was for me in more ways than one.  It read: “Trust God’s timing. ‘Not yet’ isn’t ‘No.’ A delay isn’t a denial. Wait patiently.”

The Holy Spirit comforted me in a deep way through this truth and reminded me I really can trust His timing. I was filled with joy and peace about the situation and how the God of the universe would speak to me, even through Twitter. :)

I have learned that often times the Lord speaks to us not only for our benefit, but for the benefit of others as well. I am to receive His personal word for me and look for opportunities to share it so He can bless someone else. It’s just how the Kingdom of God works.

So friends, you really can trust God’s timing with whatever you are facing.  Although waiting is hard, it has the potential to move from ‘hardly bearable’ to ‘transformational’ when we focus on the Lord and allow Him to work in us.

Trying to wait patiently,

~Lynn

 

 

Filed Under: Challenge, Depression, Encouragement, General, God's presence, Prayer, Trust Tagged With: , , , ,
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