Devotion · family · Family Share · fatherhood · motherhood

#Devotion Sunday

Please watch the video 🙂 

7c62b-1ababebeautyofafamilyblessing

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Romans‬ ‭10:9-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NIV‬

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John‬ ‭10:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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Kids 1st Day of School praying with DAD

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dad · family · fatherhood · kids · mom · motherhood

4 ways to have a Family Saturday

We all have busy lives. Finding time today is almost impossible

If you’re like me, you feel like there’s still stuff to do at the end of the day. Tempted to keep your computer and phone on at all times. Fighting distractions in your brain even when with your family.

You need to have priorities. In the end, our family is all that matters, so don’t push your family to the bottom of your to-do list.
If you want a stronger marriage and family, start by investing more time.

https://twitter.com/4Guys_1Girl
Family Date Night

1. Remember that “Date Night” doesn’t have to happen at night

Look for ways to connect during the day.

2. Never walk into your house while you’re on your phone

I make sure to end the call before walking through the door.

3. Have set times where everybody is unplugged

Try to shut down the electronics more often. Talking with each other is always better than texting with somebody else!

https://twitter.com/4Guys_1Girl

4. Prioritize family time AND one-on-one time

Plan activities you can all do as a family, also plan for one-on-one time with each other and with each of your kids individually. That time will be golden for your kids.

https://twitter.com/4Guys_1Girl

coupons · entertainment · family · free · Vacation

Boston Tour #MomsOnABudget

Sunset - Boston 18th of March 2006

There are so many great things to do in Boston that are completely free!

  1. Boston Common, Free
  • Park Street Church, Free
  • King’s Chapel & King’s Chapel Burying Ground, Free
  • Benjamin Franklin Statue & Boston Latin School, Free
  • Granary Burying Ground, Free
  • Old Corner Bookstore, Free (Note: Currently being leased by Chipotle)
  • Site of Boston Massacre, Free
  • Massachusetts State House, Free State House Tours (Weekdays 10am-4pm)
  • Faneuil Hall, Free
  • Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, Free
  • Bunker Hill Monument, Free (Suggested Donation)
  • USS Constitution, Free tours every 30 minutes of the boat (The Museum has a suggested donation of $5 for Adults, $3 for Seniors, and $2 for Children, but any amount is appreciated). *You will need proper ID and go through a security check*
  • Old North Church, Freedom Trail Drop-In (Suggested Donation of $1 per person)

Take a Freedom Tour: 

There is always something happening here > Faneuil Hall Marketplace:  live street performers, restaurants, vendors, shops, and more. Free to explore and enjoy.

Boston Common, Public Garden & Swan Boats: Enjoy the Boston Common and the Public Garden.

Take a stroll at Castle Island: Castle Island is a 22-acre park and is a great place to walk, jog, roller-blade, sunbathe, and more. Castle Island is also home to Fort Independence, which gives free guided tour daily until 3:30pm.

Star-gaze at the Coit Observatory at Boston University: The observatory is open and free to the public every Wednesday night at 8:30pm in the spring and summer and 7:30pm in the fall and winter.

Tour The Boston Public Library: The Boston Public Library offers free art & architecture tours during particular times by volunteers.

Charles River Esplanade: Great way to spend a beautiful day; During summer months enjoy free movies and music at the DCR Hatch Shell.

History at the Massachusetts Historical Society:  library founded in 1791. Free to visit.

Get on the water at Fort Point Pier: The Fort Point Pier is free to the public.

Scenic stroll on the Haborwalk: Walk alongside the waterfront with the public walkway connecting the best of Boston Harbor.

Kismet at the MIT Museum

Free Museums in Boston

Visit the Institute of Contemporary Art on Thursday Nights: The ICA is free every Thursday night from 5-9pm and free for families (up to 2 adults accompanied by children 12 and under) on the last Saturday of every month (except December).

Discover the MIT Museum: Admission is free all day the last Sunday of every month from September to June and free the first weekend of every month for Bank of America cardholders for Museums on Us.

Closed on the following holidays in 2015:

  • January 1: New Year’s Day
  • May 25: Memorial Day
  • July 4: Independence Day
  • September 7: Labor Day
  • November 26: Thanksgiving
  • December 24 & 25: Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
  • December 31: 3 p.m. closing

Head to Cambridge and explore the Harvard Museum of Natural History and Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology: Massachusetts Residents can visit free with valid ID on Sunday mornings from 9am-12pm year-round or from 3-5pm on Wednesdays from September to May. Proof of residency required. This offer is not available to commercial groups.

Visit the Museum of Fine Arts on Wednesday Nights: Admission is voluntary on Wednesday nights after 4pm and certain days of the year. Also, Bank of America cardholders can receive free admission the first weekend of every month, part of the Museums on Us program. Youth 17 and under also receive free admission daily after 3pm, weekends, and public school holidays. Otherwise admission for youths is $10 adults $25

Explore the Commonwealth Museum for free, always: The history and treasures of Massachusetts and is free to visit and park.

Devotion · Family Share · photography

Leaving a Legacy for Your Child

Leaving a Legacy for Your Child

The space shuttle Columbia – most of us didn’t know much about the amazing crew on the ship’s last mission until they were lost in that awful re-entry tragedy.

Now, we understand what truly outstanding men and women these people were – beginning with their commander, Rick Husband. Hearing from his family and friends, it quickly became clear that he was a magnetic follower of Jesus Christ. He quoted memory verses from Joshua 1 to prepare his crew the night before the launch. He prayed with his crew just before they met the press and boarded the shuttle. He molded his diverse crew into a bonded team.

And then there was the really touching thing he did for his kids before he left. He made 17 videos for his daughter and 17 videos for his young son, each one a “devotional with Daddy” for each day he was scheduled to be gone – it was Daddy with the Word of God and Daddy praying with them. Can you imagine what a treasure that has been for them?

He left them the kind of legacy God intends for every father to leave – a contagious love for Jesus, the teaching of God’s words and God’s ways, and a consistent life of Christlike love and purity.

The answer to, “How do you know that’s what a father’s supposed to be doing?”, is found in

Ephesians 6:4. It says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

There are men who might say, “That’s women’s work.” There are men who try to delegate to their wife the spiritual leadership for which God holds them accountable. Throughout the Bible – beginning with Adam – God makes it clear where the buck stops when it comes to spiritual leadership in a family. It stops with the man.

And that’s not supposed to be a bad thing. It means that a man can leave a legacy for his children that can literally change their lives and last forever. That’s an exciting prospect! Rick Husband modeled this God-given assignment of being your children’s spiritual coach when he left God’s Word for his children along with hearing him talk with God on their behalf.

One reason some men haven’t stepped up to building spiritual legacy could be fear of failure. We men tend to only do things where we’re pretty sure we won’t look stupid. We ask out a girl only when we’re pretty sure she won’t shoot us down. We show up for a sport where we can look reasonably coordinated. And because trying to lead our family in praying and exploring God’s Word is unsure ground, we tend to shy away from it, or we hide behind the fact that we think our wife is better at it. But God doesn’t buy any of that. There’s only one way you can be a failure in being a spiritual leader for your family – and that’s by not stepping up! Just do it – however clumsy and unsure you may be at first.

When your children remember you, will they remember a praying man, a godly man, one who loved and lived by the words of God? It’s the greatest legacy you can give them. In the words of the psalmist,

“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord” and will follow God’s mandate that men should “teach their children, so the next generation would know…even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God…” (Psalm 78:4, 6, 7).

We never know when our own mission on earth will end. Therefore, we can’t waste another day working on our spiritual legacy. The greatest gifts you will leave your children will not be in your will – they will be in your life – as you pass onto them your living faith in your living God!

Further study

Malachi 4:5-6
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Going Deeper

One thing I need to do more of to leave a spiritual legacy with my family is…

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
10And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,
11And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not, when thou shalt have eaten and be full.
12Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
13Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
14Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you.
15(For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
16Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
17Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.
18And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers,
19To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the Lord hath spoken.
20And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, what mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you?
21Then thou shalt say unto thy son, we were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
22And the Lord shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes:
23And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.
24And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
25And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us. Deuteronomy 6: 4-25
Info: Bible and Daily word with Ron Hutchcraft
Family Share · kids

10 things moms do that are super annoying


10 things moms do that are super annoying. If you are a mom, or are planning on becoming one, be wary of these 10 super annoying things all moms do.

1. Mom’s judge women who don’t have kids

Maybe not outright, maybe not very obviously, but there seems to be some secret judging in the minds of many moms when it comes to their childless friends. It could be jealousy or even a little pride, but a mother has a different relationship with her childless friends when her own baby is born. A level of understanding and empathy is altered when you make the leap into motherhood.

This is so true. Actually, just caught me doing it the other day. Lol

2. Moms insist others have children, too

Moms – especially new moms and empty-nesters – have a tendency to not so subtly suggest you have children, too. Presumably so you can share her joys…and some sleepless nights. It’s natural to want to share what you have, but this particular question can be intrusive. Childbirth and parenting are huge undertaking, and not be entered into lightly; or unduly influenced.

Not me– I tell them all the time that having a kid is hard. If there’s someone that

3. Moms can’t focus

Mothers of young ones are easily distracted and forgetful (but for a good reason). She’ll call you, scold her kids, hang up, and call you back, but forget what she was talking about. The only way you can keep a mom’s attention for a full conversation is to get her in person and get her alone. We understand that it’s hard to focus when the three-year-old could run off with the scissors at any moment, but it’s frustrating when I’m trying to talk to you.

4. Moms are always late

Or just break plans altogether. As a mother, kids come first. Kids also take forever to get all ready to go. Even with a babysitter, things can still be cancelled. Mommy emergencies can make getting together impossible—good thing her kids are darling.

I don’t agree. I had 3 kids less than 2 yrs. apart and always made to my appointments etc. on time. If you are always late don’t blame it on the kids. It’s your own fault. Get up early. Start getting ready early 🙂

5. Moms talk to adults like children

We understand a mom has taken on a protective and disciplinary role, but she may need to be reminded when it’s time to clock out from the job and just be a woman, a friend, or a wife.

6. Moms give unsolicited advice

…especially about parenting. Doing something 24 hours a day, 7 days a week can convince anyone they’re an expert. But unless someone comes to you in need of guidance, try to gauge whether others want to hear your pearls of wisdom. We may not need your unsolicited advice.
7. Moms may need some reminding

A mother can easily lose her identity in motherhood and forget who she was before she was a mom. Through the sleepless nights, midnight feedings, diaper duty, and sporadic showers and meals, a mom may not remember what she liked, what she valued, or what was important or interesting to her before the bundles of joy arrived.


8. Moms lose perspective in parenting

A mother’s world can become quite small. She may talk nonstop about every little thing her child says and does because that’s her world now. Her world revolves around her child, so she assumes the rest of the world has to revolve around her and her child as well. A mother will advocate aggressively for her rights as a mother and the rights of her child without always considering the perspective of others in the situation.
9. Moms assume other people want to be around her kids



Sometimes a mom thinks anywhere she wants to go, her children should be welcome as well. Very young and ill-behaved children do not belong in expensive and posh establishments, like fancy restaurants, galas and art museums. Nor should young children accompany parents to bars, clubs, wine tastings or pub crawls. Even without a posted sign, some things are “adult only.”


10. Moms can’t be spontaneous

A mom has to ask permission, arrange sitting and organize several schedules before she can commit to anything. Plans need to be made weeks in advance and can still be up in the air minutes before she’s due somewhere.

Now with the last statement I totally agree lol

Devotion · Family Share · kids · reeding · Review

Protecting Your #Child from • Soul Poison •  #Parenting 

Protecting Your Child from “Soul Poison”
There are some decent, even values-oriented things on television for children these days. But, as you know very well, there’s a lot of garbage, too. And in between those two extremes, there are shows that are mostly good but have some words scattered in them that little ears shouldn’t be hearing – or big ears, for that matter. Along comes a service called TV Guardian – which automatically replaces a naughty word with a nice word, thus removing what could be bad for your child. Occasionally, the replacements are actually a little amusing. Like the word “sex,” for example. The replacement word is “hugs.” Which gets a little interesting when someone asks, “So what will be the hugs of your baby?” But I do think TV Guardian is a pretty good idea.

Something like TV Guardian was invented for parents who realize a very important assignment that they have; to protect their children from anything that could harm them. Of course, a parent is going to protect their son or daughter from physical harm – like getting too close to the edge of a cliff or running onto the Interstate. But Mom and Dad have no less a responsibility for protecting their kids from things that can hurt their soul. And there’s a lot of soul poison out there.

There is a ten-word challenge that underscores where the front lines of the battle are for any life – including that of your children. Proverbs 4:23 begins with these attention-getting words, “Above all else…” Then these ten words – “Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” In other words, be careful about what gets into your heart – or into your child’s heart – because it is the reservoir from which everything else flows.

Yes, one front in the battle for a child’s pure heart is related to what they listen to and watch. It’s amazing how we will allow someone to portray right in our living room, on TV, DVD, or Netflix, things we would never, ever allow to be done in our living room – sexually, for example. We allow comedy into our home and into their heart that trivializes sin that ruins lives; not realizing that our kids are learning to laugh about things that are eternally serious. No matter what the parental peer pressure of what other parents are allowing and what the culture says is “must see” stuff, we’ve got to stand our ground on not allowing our kids to mentally eat out of the garbage can.

 
But guarding their heart is so much bigger than TV or movies or music. It’s about the poison that comes from us. The bitterness they’re learning by listening to us, the anger, the self-centeredness, the putdowns of other people, the names they hear us call people, the prejudice they hear in the way we talk about others, the disrespect they hear us expressing toward people at work, at church – or even toward their Mother or Father. That’s more deadly poison than anything the media can pump out. Our precious children need “Parent Guardian” – to protect them from the poison that they see modeled in living color by a Mom or Dad.

The DVR in your son’s or daughter’s heart is always recording. It’s always capturing what it hears, and the impressions are shaping who they’re becoming. You are the guardian, assigned to your child by God, to protect that young heart from poison and infection – even if (especially if) it’s coming from you.

Going Deeper

One undesirable trait I see in my child that reminds me of myself is… One thing I could do to help them and me grow in that area is…

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬ Tweet: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬ - Via- @4Guys_1Girl

“I will sing of your love and justice; to you, Lord, I will sing praise. I will be careful to lead a blameless life— when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart. I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it. The perverse of heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with what is evil. Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate. My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me. No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the Lord.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭101:1-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Study by Ron Hutchcraft
Devotion · Family Share · love

Looking For The Life To Come 

Looking For The Life To Come 

Ask yourself: in my marriage, how often do I get trapped into fighting over things that, in the end, don’t really matter? How many marital problems would be solved if couples would simply read the Sermon on the Mount once a month together?

This isn’t to disdain the things of the earth—no need to do that—it’s to exalt the things of heaven. Jonathan Edwards wrote like a poet: “Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams; but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean.”

All of this means we have to work at keeping our focus, our magnificent obsession; otherwise, we might put all our focus on lesser (but still important) aims—trying to improve our communication, get our finances in order, keep our romance fresh and fun, and so on. We have to remember that these are not the stuff of life, and they are not the end goal. After all, as Edwards reminds us, “

If our lives be not a journey towards heaven, they will be a journey to hell.”If you truly desire to live this out, talk with your spouse and/or a group of good friends on a monthly basis. Ask one another: “How is the hope of heaven influencing the way we love one another, the way we raise our kids, the way we spend our money, and the way we focus our time?”

For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭14-21‬ KJVA)

For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭20-21‬ KJVA)

* How are you and your spouse daily living out your hope of heaven? If you were able to keep an eternal mindset, how would this affect your day-to-day life?

Anxiety · Causes · Depressed · Devotion · Family Share · Health · kids · love · Mental Health

From One Who Was Cut And Pierced For You; He understands!

Suicide among young people is on the rise. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide is now the third leading cause of death for youth between ages 10 and 24. Some states even report it as the leading cause of death in this age group. “It results in approximately 4,600 lives lost each year. The top three methods used in suicides of young people include firearm (45%), suffocation (40%), and poisoning (8%). ” Deaths resulting from suicide are only part of the problem. The CDC states, “More young people survive suicide attempts than actually die. A nationwide survey of youth in grades 9–12 in public and private schools in the United States found that 16 percent of students reported seriously considering suicide, 13 percent reported creating a plan, and 8 percent reported trying to take their own life in the 12 months preceding the survey.”

It’s obvious that suicide is becoming a serious problem with our youth.

The telltale signs

There are usually warning signs that let you know when your teen is struggling emotionally — the kinds of struggles that lead to suicidal thoughts.

  1. Depression. This is not simply a child having a bad day and feeling down. All children have those from time to time. This is about a child feeling depressed day after day — a feeling of hopelessness. You can’t seem to cheer him or her up.

  2. Other suicides. When a fellow student commits suicide, it puts the thought into the minds of others.
  3. Too much stress. Kids are under a lot of pressure in school and far too many pressures at home.
  4. Involved in drug and alcohol abuse. When these abusive behaviors are present, likelihood of suicide increases.
  5. Bullied at school or on social media. We hear continually about bullied kids being so hurt and ashamed that they finally can’t deal with the hurt anymore.

When these factors are involved, it doesn’t mean your child will commit suicide. It just means you need to pay attention, improve your relationship with your child or consider getting some professional help.

What parents can do

These reports are daunting, and parents may wonder what is to be done to stem this tide. No parent wants his child to die — and most certainly not by suicide. Here’s the good news. There are specific ways parents play a vital role in helping prevent their children from committing or attempting suicide. The following are the most powerful things a parent can do.

Create a strong family environment

This is done several different ways:

  • Eat meals together as a family at least five times a week. This creates a safe place where family members can talk about what’s going on in their lives, laugh and share their concerns.
  • Play together. Do fun things. Board games, ball games, bowling, picnics, camping — anything fun and wholesome that brings the family together.
  • Visit relatives. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins bring a great deal of support and love into a child’s life. Make this happen for your family.
  • It’s reassuring to know that parents, siblings and loved ones care about you. This happens from continual association with each other in the home — in a congenial atmosphere. This doesn’t mean there won’t be arguing at times. That’s normal. It just means you keep the family activities going, regardless. Remember to tell your kids you love them. That matters. They need to hear it often.

Attend religious services

In a recent article, Greg Hudnall, a suicide prevention trainer, says of the youth, “[R]eligion helps them feel a connectedness, and that connectedness is very powerful.” This same article reports that “the students who reported high levels of religious participation — attending services one time per week or more — were half as likely to have contemplated suicide.”

Hudnall goes on to say, “One thing parents and religious communities can do is help youths deal with disappointment, psychological stress and failure.”

Keep a close eye on your child’s behavior and demeanor. To prevent suicidal thoughts, be diligent in involving your child in family activities and religious experiences. These two traditions have proven to be highly effective in curtailing suicide. If suicidal signs persist, seek professional help. It’s a fact that some suicides will happen even if parents do all they can to be there for their children. When this happens, parents who know they did what they could to save their children can, at least, find a measure of peace.

Together, Gary and Joy Lundberg author books on relationships. For more from the Lundbergs on improving communication, see I Don’t Have to Make Everything All Better.”

via Protecting your child from the expanding risk of suicide.

pol

Now this article called my attention. Not only because I’ve been suffering from the depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms and having a difficult time these past couple of years of my life more than others. But because I read in a group yesterday, on a board a mother crying out for help because her daughter is a cutter. The daughter just told her about it and she didn’t know what to do. Her husband didn’t understand and wanted to keep quiet about it just between them. (Normal .. Some people are embarrassed ) not something easy to deal with specially if your family is a family that a lot of people look at as a good, healthy family. For an example; My husband is a Pastor and I’m the messed up wife lol. Is how I see it (OOops Joke about it ). Am I embarrassed? I was at the beginning for a long time, but not anymore. and you might ask me. Why not anymore? Well, I’m the one that needs the help, and I’m the one that knows if I don’t get it, or look for the help now things can get worse and than what? Will being embarrassed help me than? So that’s what I did. Regardless of what people might think or will think of me or my family I’m getting the help I need. I don’t care what others think of me or my family. I’m doing this for us. Not for them. So I think it’s very important for You as parents to talk to your kids and be aware of whats going on with them and not just your kids but your spouse as well. Give them the help they need. Trust me as I say this.  If your TEEN comes to you and tells you ” Mom or Dad I’m a cutter I need help.”  They NEED help, and YOU will NOT be able to provide that HELP they are seeking unless you have the structure to do it all alone and most of us don’t. GET PROFESSIONAL HELP. If you could provide that help they wouldn’t be doing what they are doing in the first place. They would just come and talk to you and solve the problem. They cut to feel relieve, to release the pain, to feel alive. Depression is not something you can wake up one day and say ” Oh it’s all gone. ” Please use the helpful links and seek help.

🙂 Hugs to all 🙂 

For Women 

Crisis HelpLine

PTSD