There is a proverb that tells us that a hope deferred makes the heart grow sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. This past COVID year had deferred many of our hopes. We got discouraged and began to build walls of self-protection because we couldn’t face more disappointments. Seeing HOPE is a CHOICE, and I write to tell you that there is still sweetness to be found. Hope is a desire with expectation of fulfillment. It takes COURAGE to hope.
The idea of parents working together all of the time is a fantasy. I share this as an encouragement! Marv and I have been partners in parenting (and grand-parenting) for 50 years now, and we still have to work at this. We each have different skills sets and different approaches, and even now, I get surprised that we still have to work at parenting in unison.
Behind most anger is fear, frustration, hurt, isolation, depression, guilt, shame, stress, jealousy, rejection, loneliness, helplessness, injustice. In our families, we end up yelling at the people we love most because anger and anxiety are intertwined.
The fear of what might happen creates an inner turmoil over things that we cannot control. We can trade our anxiety for peace – peace because He cares and peace because He is in control.
