Patterns...
I lay awake for a little while last night in between getting toe jabs from my youngest child and sleep. I wondered what I felt led about to write on this morning. It has kinda been on my mind for several days and so I think that is sign enough, right?
Before we moved last year I received the blessing of working in Mental Health for a year and a half. By far, this has been my absolute favorite job ever. I worked with the greatest team of people whom I wish I could have just uprooted and brought with me. The other part of it was I was truly helping people. It also helped me to realize that there were much larger problems out there than the ones I was going through.
We saw an array of issues: drug addiction, phobias and fears, violence and some were even psychotic. The theme we supported there was the people we worked with were honestly at the end of their line. We were their last resort before they were committed or someone else committed them. Most of the time when they met me they were tearful and hyperventilating.
We would get them through the 30-60 day program and see improvement. We would discuss their problems in a group setting so everyone could weigh in on the issues at hand. These folks would either get something from the program and have a life changing experience or we would see them again in the same situation a few months down the line.
The ones we would see again and again and again were those that had created a pattern for their lives. No matter how many times you encouraged them to change the people they surrounded themselves with, or change their lifestyles they would usually be right back. Sometimes it was very discouraging, but after a while I had to realize that they were making the decision to live the life that they were living.
One of the main things we taught was "patterns". People that were having suicidal issues... guess what, most of the time their parents committed suicide. People that were having problems with violence or domestic abuse...their parents abused them. People that had problems with drug abuse grew up with drug abusing parents. A lot of the time these folks wanted to blame their problems on genetics. Sure, you know what, that might be a fraction of the issue but it was their decision to go down that road.
So what am I trying to say this morning? If you had problems growing up... maybe Dad was a alcoholic and beat you during his rages... YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE AN ALCOHOLIC and BEAT YOUR KIDS. You chose to continue the cycle.
It doesn't even have to be something that drastic. If Mom and Dad didn't show you affection, they weren't the touchy-feely kind... they didn't say I love you enough... they weren't there for you when you needed them... DOES NOT mean you have to be that way with your child. Look at your childhood and figure out what you were missing... look at how you treat and react and show love to your babies today. Are you continuing the cycle?
Well today, guess what...it's okay to break it.
Romans 8:18- For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
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