So Facebook has a new-ish feature 'On This Day' that shows you posts you made or were tagged in from the same day in past years. Today's posts from a year ago show how much God has brought the boys and me through in this last year.
A year ago today, I had the second discovery of THIS divorce. In a twisted replay of the previous 2008 divorce, the ex had faked three months of marriage counseling and promises of 'doing the Hard Work to put our family back together.' Social media plus the arrogance of thinking you could never get caught exposed the lies and two marriages were blown straight to hell. It was the day the ex finally lost any respect or love on my part. It was the last day he saw TheBoy unless it was by accident. The ex left our house with his car covered in mustard and 'F*** You' written in Silly String on his back windshield; both editorial gifts from TheBoy.
We have since spent the year juggling appointments with various counselors and doctors, finding the right dosages of meds for TheBoy and me, having late night sessions of talking, crying, or raging. I have listened to my beautiful boy calmly tell me he had thoughts that it would be easier to be dead. I stepped out of a management position at work to gain the flexibility to come in late or leave early to get to counselors, psychiatrists, or whetever. I have spent weeks and months not even wanting to fight the depression this time. Wanting to just stay in the cave. Wanting to tell everyone and their varied levels of honesty to just piss off and leave me alone.
I've never let go of God. Actually, he's never let go of me. In the first recovery, I feel I was more proactive in that whole "press into God" thing. I prayed, I cried, I read, I plead, I threw myself into My Father's lap. This time, I think I was just existing. Existing in God's presence. Like sitting in a dark room just being. Knowing God was all around me but not really trying to talk to or beg of him. I think I just kind of sat in the dark confident he was doing His Work. I had no energy. I had no fight. Not for me. I didn't have a second round in me. So I existed. Knowing I should be reading His Word. Knowing I should have been running to church to serve in any capacity I could find. Knowing I should have been praying and seeking and Trying. Like last time.
But I didn't want to. I still don't want to. I want to stay in the cave wrapped in my hard-won knowledge that nobody is trustworthy. Everyone lies. Marriages are painted just like women in makeup. Hollywood peddles a fucked up idea of love. And the entitled narcissists in America think love conquers all and you have to follow your heart and certain people Belong Together and everyone else in the way are just extras in the movie of their epic love story. All is fair in love and war.
So yah. I'm cynical. I'm untrusting. I'm angry. I'm disappointed. I have a very different view of what is important in life and what is just ridiculous distraction.
It will change. It already is changing. I've forced myself out of the cave I've built. TheBoy has, too. Those close to us can see a change. There has been a shift. Not a huge u-turn. But a turn of some kind.
We are not lost to the dark side. I'm not 100% devoid of life or love. Just today, I'm sharing a year's worth of struggle in one post. So it's bleak. Sorry. God is still doing His Work. And I'm letting him. I will keep doing mine. I continue to provide for and raise my boys. To be vigilant for shadows that cross TheBoy's heart, mind, or psyche.
To ensure I don't just get sucked into the void of hate, I love in the small ways right now. I love in a fashion that I can handle at the moment. I have focused my efforts anonymously to people I don't know. I feel like that's where I can actually show real love right now. To people I don't know. People from which I expect nothing. I ask God to guide my little acts. And he shows me. I feel like it's tuning me into hearing him better. And if I can help people without any faith in God or humans to have just a tiny bit of faith because of some random stranger? Ima just do it.
Lil'Bro is thankfully young enough to deal much better. He sees the ex a few times a month. He doesn't like what the ex did but missing his dad outweighs his anger. TheBoy will take longer. At fifteen, the impact of the deceit and betrayal is just huge.
I know things could be worse. I'm aware that my plight is mine and is nothing compared to the horrors going on around the world. But I share because sometimes sanity comes through reading something seemingly minor that makes you realize you're not alone.
I'm not alone. I've always got God. And he is incredibly generous in surrounding me with neighbors, friends, coworkers, family, and church family that - for some reason - walk with me. Through my moods. My ups and my caves. Or maybe they just want me for my pies.
A year ago today, I had the second discovery of THIS divorce. In a twisted replay of the previous 2008 divorce, the ex had faked three months of marriage counseling and promises of 'doing the Hard Work to put our family back together.' Social media plus the arrogance of thinking you could never get caught exposed the lies and two marriages were blown straight to hell. It was the day the ex finally lost any respect or love on my part. It was the last day he saw TheBoy unless it was by accident. The ex left our house with his car covered in mustard and 'F*** You' written in Silly String on his back windshield; both editorial gifts from TheBoy.
We have since spent the year juggling appointments with various counselors and doctors, finding the right dosages of meds for TheBoy and me, having late night sessions of talking, crying, or raging. I have listened to my beautiful boy calmly tell me he had thoughts that it would be easier to be dead. I stepped out of a management position at work to gain the flexibility to come in late or leave early to get to counselors, psychiatrists, or whetever. I have spent weeks and months not even wanting to fight the depression this time. Wanting to just stay in the cave. Wanting to tell everyone and their varied levels of honesty to just piss off and leave me alone.
I've never let go of God. Actually, he's never let go of me. In the first recovery, I feel I was more proactive in that whole "press into God" thing. I prayed, I cried, I read, I plead, I threw myself into My Father's lap. This time, I think I was just existing. Existing in God's presence. Like sitting in a dark room just being. Knowing God was all around me but not really trying to talk to or beg of him. I think I just kind of sat in the dark confident he was doing His Work. I had no energy. I had no fight. Not for me. I didn't have a second round in me. So I existed. Knowing I should be reading His Word. Knowing I should have been running to church to serve in any capacity I could find. Knowing I should have been praying and seeking and Trying. Like last time.
But I didn't want to. I still don't want to. I want to stay in the cave wrapped in my hard-won knowledge that nobody is trustworthy. Everyone lies. Marriages are painted just like women in makeup. Hollywood peddles a fucked up idea of love. And the entitled narcissists in America think love conquers all and you have to follow your heart and certain people Belong Together and everyone else in the way are just extras in the movie of their epic love story. All is fair in love and war.
So yah. I'm cynical. I'm untrusting. I'm angry. I'm disappointed. I have a very different view of what is important in life and what is just ridiculous distraction.
It will change. It already is changing. I've forced myself out of the cave I've built. TheBoy has, too. Those close to us can see a change. There has been a shift. Not a huge u-turn. But a turn of some kind.
We are not lost to the dark side. I'm not 100% devoid of life or love. Just today, I'm sharing a year's worth of struggle in one post. So it's bleak. Sorry. God is still doing His Work. And I'm letting him. I will keep doing mine. I continue to provide for and raise my boys. To be vigilant for shadows that cross TheBoy's heart, mind, or psyche.
To ensure I don't just get sucked into the void of hate, I love in the small ways right now. I love in a fashion that I can handle at the moment. I have focused my efforts anonymously to people I don't know. I feel like that's where I can actually show real love right now. To people I don't know. People from which I expect nothing. I ask God to guide my little acts. And he shows me. I feel like it's tuning me into hearing him better. And if I can help people without any faith in God or humans to have just a tiny bit of faith because of some random stranger? Ima just do it.
Lil'Bro is thankfully young enough to deal much better. He sees the ex a few times a month. He doesn't like what the ex did but missing his dad outweighs his anger. TheBoy will take longer. At fifteen, the impact of the deceit and betrayal is just huge.
I know things could be worse. I'm aware that my plight is mine and is nothing compared to the horrors going on around the world. But I share because sometimes sanity comes through reading something seemingly minor that makes you realize you're not alone.
I'm not alone. I've always got God. And he is incredibly generous in surrounding me with neighbors, friends, coworkers, family, and church family that - for some reason - walk with me. Through my moods. My ups and my caves. Or maybe they just want me for my pies.
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