Our Family is Dysfunctional??????

 I found out last night that my cousin died last November.  To be fair, I guess he died when I was in the hospital with pancreatitis.  It would not have been good for me to learn such sad news when I was so very ill.  

I don't understand why he's being buried two months later and probably none of my family understands this.  Still it seems odd that no mention of my cousin's death has been made in the past two months by anyone who knew about it.  Are we all sooooo busy that a man's death is irrelevant and forgettable?

The deepness of the dysfunction in my childhood family, and that extended family, has reached out and slapped me in the face once again.  I'm going along just fine, totally in love with the life that Robert and I have built, and then BAM there it is again.  What a sick bunch I was born into!

Well, if you've read here long, you know that I want to present answers to life's problems so that this blog lives up to it's name.  Even a tiny ray of hope is better than none at all!  So I went in search of some good advice for those of you who also are amazed by how a family can be either Heaven on Earth or hell on Earth. 

 For those of you who weren't fortunate enough to have had Heaven on Earth families, while you were growing up, this video is for you.  I just watched it and it is soooo good.  Even though half of my family of origin is dead, the other half is still walking around with me.  We have the memories of all of the crap that went down in our incestuous household.  Here's to us and to you if you need this information.

  Here's to being in charge of our own feelings and knowing that we don't have to act like we like something a family member does just for the sake of "Keeping the peace."  If it's harmful to me, then I must stop it!!  There are several very helpful tools mentioned in this video to do just that!

  Hugs everyone,

  Dawn

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!

 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!

We made it through 2023.  God has sustained all of us yet living ones!!!  He took everyone home to Heaven to live with Him forever IF
they gave their lives to Him when their home was on the Earth.  I can only hope that was all of the ones who died.  Why not hope for that?

We had a marvelous New Year's Eve party here.  We had 21 guests and not a one of them complained about us not serving alcohol!!  Robert and I both had alcoholic dads who nigh unto ruined our lives and our marriage so why would we want alcohol in our home EVER?

I digress. It's going to be a hot political year in my country.  With the stolen 2020 election not yet resolved, how can we trust that they won't cheat again in this Presidential election?  We can't so that is why every single conservative MUST get out and vote for President Trump to be restored to his office that was stolen from him!

I am ashamed to say that I learned recently that conservatives and born-again Christians are the LEAST likely to go out and vote.  I guess "We'll pray about it," is their excuse for neglecting their civic duty to pick people who will represent their wishes!  That's probably why our country is falling apart so I'm starting early.  GO OUT AND VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

I found a poem that blessed me as I ponder the responsibilities of the new year ahead of us.  I pray that it will bless you too!!!

Dawn

A New Year's Plan

I tried to think of a clever new phrase—
A slogan to inspire the next 365 days,
A motto to live by this coming New Year,
But the catchy words fell flat to my ear.

And then I heard His still small voice
Saying, "Consider this simple, daily choice:
With each new dawn and close of day
Make new your resolve to trust and obey."

"Don't look back, caught in regret
Or dwell on the sorrow of dreams unmet;
Don't stare forward anchored by fear,
No, live in this moment, for I Am here."

"I am all you need. Everything. I Am.
You are held secure by my strong hand.
Give me this one thing—your all in all;
Into my grace, let yourself fall."

So, at last, I'm ready; I see the way.
It's to daily follow, trust, and obey.
I enter the New Year armed with a plan,
To give Him my everything—all that I am.

--Mary Fairchild