tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65002863056466768732024-03-14T00:08:06.317-07:00Welcome HomeDavid and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-42059761276814747822018-07-12T11:32:00.000-07:002018-07-12T11:32:51.096-07:00Avoiding Emotional Hooks!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Its so easy to get drawn into other people's drama, let alone out kids'...</div>
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Here are a few easy tips to avoid getting hooked!</div>
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<img alt="" border="0" data-type="image" height="213" id="innercomp_txtMedia8ciimgimage" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ac0b176bb05d0899bd69588540d8b6d4.jpg/v1/fill/w_452,h_301,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/ac0b176bb05d0899bd69588540d8b6d4.jpg" style="height: 151px; object-fit: contain; width: 226px;" width="320" /></div>
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<a href="https://www.headway-coaching.com/blank-3/2018/07/09/3-Simple-Strategies-to-Keep-From-Getting-Emotionally-Hooked" target="_blank">Click here to read more...</a></div>
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I'd love to here your thoughts in the comments!<br />
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All my love,<br />
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CathyDavid and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-30591531570725379672017-05-30T16:10:00.000-07:002017-05-30T16:10:51.173-07:00Can I just say?...<div class="MsoNormal">
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Truth.</div>
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God has woven my path
through some pretty incredible places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No, I have not traveled the world or even seen much of the beauty in our
own back yard, but I have journeyed to places I could never have imagined!<o:p></o:p></div>
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After parenting 11 incredible human beings who taught me
more than I could have learned in as many lifetimes, I was sure that there was
nothing that could challenge or excite me more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>David and I knew we hadn’t seen it all, but parenting had come at us
full force with things like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">severe health
issues, drug addiction</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mental
illness</i> on top of the usual bag of tricks parents who deal with trauma
affected kids see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi895E40bgWwHXWTEwoHjSpX1GnvqoHOKmDHkP5EJoCwbsGers6ynU23_K7MDUAnoTwIKazVNvlreLrXzUdEfSVE9PnfC7mR-0ajPsWgm_wyaOfsb3TobGwwavLJHurx0S9i8mq5zg3VVw/s1600/CIMG0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi895E40bgWwHXWTEwoHjSpX1GnvqoHOKmDHkP5EJoCwbsGers6ynU23_K7MDUAnoTwIKazVNvlreLrXzUdEfSVE9PnfC7mR-0ajPsWgm_wyaOfsb3TobGwwavLJHurx0S9i8mq5zg3VVw/s320/CIMG0207.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Missing one :)</td></tr>
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When all was said and done, I wasn’t sure if I even knew how
to live life at a normal pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let alone
have friends, talk about things like pedicures, Nordstrom sales and exotic
vacation places.-what were those?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(My
idea of a vacation was the 10 minutes of quiet I stole in our 15 passenger van
while waiting for the kids to finish baseball practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And ‘NO’, I did not participate with the other
families in their tailgate parties…cuz, how on earth do you fit food for 13 on
a tailgate??!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Missing many, but included the one :)</td></tr>
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In the Spring of 2013, as our 15 year old was just
recuperating from a bone marrow transplant and I was beginning to adjust my
eyes to the light at the end of the tunnel, when I was presented with an offer
I could not refuse.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ibsen Adoption Network had received a small grant to fund
some post adoption support programs and they were looking for someone to head
them up, would I like to have the job?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Part-time, not great pay, but something to really sink my teeth into as
my kids slowly seeped out of the nest?...Absolutely!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Fast forward to 2017…<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m just recovering from a brain aneurysm ( I wouldn’t have
minded skipping that little detour!), my kiddos have all (almost) moved on, the
Post Adoption Support programs have grown from basically nothing to several
thriving support groups, a robust Women’s retreat, parenting classes, online
presence, quarterly events, etc…Ibsen finds itself in need of an Executive
Director, would I take the job….why not?!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEHMmySasPCD6xfTFmpaDXuVLT_5vjIdn_qS0jiu63eDJvgC7gcabD1OPy0dNPzgT09oPdCT22FzZwb6xa3ADUQEegc-Mu8k1SlTu3MOLU3f6U85ZawqCFwt-jSbZqFVS3erkPbSKP_o/s1600/IMG00016-20101103-1516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEHMmySasPCD6xfTFmpaDXuVLT_5vjIdn_qS0jiu63eDJvgC7gcabD1OPy0dNPzgT09oPdCT22FzZwb6xa3ADUQEegc-Mu8k1SlTu3MOLU3f6U85ZawqCFwt-jSbZqFVS3erkPbSKP_o/s200/IMG00016-20101103-1516.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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So here I am…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Absolutely NO experience in leadership other than parenting
a passel of kids BUT what I do have is this- <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-size: x-large;">A sold out, 'no holds
barred', un-relenting passion for the people we serve!</span></u><br />
<u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></u>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGngnEL5MzXjYCYNDIQZA-j7sMC6yAzp33DXClPNJK8QP5icoTEegx1f0qwbhoAGITA985kOnU24uidgXmfnzOazclGaD9nl4mcUfBJYU7eos7H2iv0kvIXmIEP4QLMzk-PBibpp4bcA/s1600/fullsizeoutput_10cb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="621" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBGngnEL5MzXjYCYNDIQZA-j7sMC6yAzp33DXClPNJK8QP5icoTEegx1f0qwbhoAGITA985kOnU24uidgXmfnzOazclGaD9nl4mcUfBJYU7eos7H2iv0kvIXmIEP4QLMzk-PBibpp4bcA/s320/fullsizeoutput_10cb.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the self-sacrificing, courageous, loving women we are honored to serve!</td></tr>
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<li><span style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><b>They have stepped up to fill a need that is not
being met.</b></i></span><span style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b> </b> </span><span style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">These kids are in care or
orphaned by no fault of their own, what would become of them without these
families???</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><b>They have laid down their comfort for the a
child in need</b></i></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><b>They have given up ‘normal’ so that a child
would have a chance to know it</b></i></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><b>They have done an incredibly scary, difficult
thing because no one else wanted to.</b></i> (just saying…)</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><b>They have changed the trajectory of a child’s
life from hopelessness to hope</b> </i>(that is not easy to do, and comes at a great
price)</span></li>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">What is my
point?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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We
want to do more!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We
want to stand by these parents and let them know we will walk that journey with
them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: red;">We
want other potential foster and adoptive families, who see the need (over
400,000 children in foster care, 153 million kids in the world) and are afraid
to take that leap, to find their courage because we will be there with them!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">But we cant do it alone…. Yes, this IS a cry for
money…for help…YOUR help…because we know that not everyone can take a child,
but EVERYONE can do something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i>You
come with us on this journey and we promise you will not be disappointed!</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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How
can you join us?---<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
-<span style="font-size: large;">Pray</span>-
pray for our organization, our direction, our financial needs and most of all,
the families we serve<o:p></o:p></div>
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-<span style="font-size: large;">Contact
me </span>personally if you want to be on a team that provides practical needs for a
foster or adoptive family- we would love to have you on our team!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;">
-<span style="font-size: large;">Give</span>-
these programs that support families doing the hard work of taking care of kids
that have fallen into desperate places by no fault of their own<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Please consider showing your appreciation to these
incredible families (and at the same time encouraging others to consider
following their example) by donating </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">TODAY!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.ibsenadoptionnetwork.com/donate.html" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1297198187"></span><span id="goog_1297198190"></span>Join the journey-start here!</a><span id="goog_1297198188"></span></span></div>
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David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-149122041541813732016-08-16T14:04:00.000-07:002016-08-16T14:04:53.010-07:00Internet Battles Over...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With school just around the corner, </div>
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this little white box could mean a little more</div>
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sanity for everyone!</div>
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In our home, we have struggled with kids choosing to be on the internet over homework, chores, simply listening to my voice, <i><b>staying up at night to go on the interne</b></i>t, downloading inappropriate movies and music, going to questionable chat rooms...you name it, we have had to address it with one kid or another. Believe me, if it wasn't needed for school and work, I would have happily pulled the plug on the internet years ago just to avoid the headaches!!!<br />
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The only downfall to this gadget is that it came so late in the game for us!<br />
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This little cutie is called the Circle With Disney. It is $89.00 and you can get it at Amazon, Target, Best Buy or the Disney Store. <br />
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But first, let me explain what it does...<br />
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You plug this baby into your internet router and now everything that comes through your internet, passes through the Circle before streaming out to gadgets in your home. <br />
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Next, you download a Circle app onto your phone or computer, that ONLY YOU have the password to. <br />
Circle will identify all the devices that are accessing your wifi and list them for you.<br />
You then make a profile for everyone in your house and assign the devices that belong to each person to their profile.<br />
Circle offers several levels of filter that you can choose from for each profile. For example, if you have a young child in your home, the filter on their profile could be set to 'Child'. Circle would then automatically filter any unfavorable websites or content and that child couldn't access it. Each person in your home can have a filter level that is appropriate for their age.<br />
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<u>Let me just highlight a few of my favorite things you can do with Circle---</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
*Pause internet for an individual or the whole house and un-pause with one click<br />
*Set bedtimes and wake times for each individual<br />
*Set total time limits for each individual<br />
*Check browsing history (cannot be erased by them!)<br />
*Circle alerts you when a new device accesses your wifi<br />
*Alerts you when the Circle has been tampered with<br />
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Being a new product, they are constantly working out the glitches and improving it. But so far, I have found the technical support team to be very helpful and open to improvement ideas.<br />
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We did find internet speed to be a little slower, but our internet is choppy on a good day. We also discovered that we had over 21 devices accessing our internet...that may have contributed!!! 😳<br />
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Did I mention that it was only $89.00??? So seriously worth it! Like I said before, I only wish we had it when the kids were little. <br />
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"Not doing your chores like I asked?..." Click. "No more internet for you!" Done.<br />
Need I say more...?<br />
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If you want to learn more about it follow this link...<a href="https://meetcircle.com/" target="_blank">Meet Circle</a><br />
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<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-57887582892145253512016-07-18T11:11:00.004-07:002016-07-18T11:16:06.579-07:00Its What We Do...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
If we are honest, most days we are just trying to hold things together.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBdWu1KPSPbCzb23ViTzaUhJk-ht3IJjevZP_5mu3aQMbieyB1pH10szz1X3mhAjYxclzYChS-KMNHprPDU4Up4Uots_3PnkhpUDoGnrAbxYwmWqkpvukXbxL4QE9RVI3XJj8SmEi4Xc/s1600/IMG_2805_Fotor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBdWu1KPSPbCzb23ViTzaUhJk-ht3IJjevZP_5mu3aQMbieyB1pH10szz1X3mhAjYxclzYChS-KMNHprPDU4Up4Uots_3PnkhpUDoGnrAbxYwmWqkpvukXbxL4QE9RVI3XJj8SmEi4Xc/s320/IMG_2805_Fotor.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
Everywhere we look,
something is threatening to come apart at the seams. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Whether it’s family, house, yard, health, or
work: it all seems to be held together by a very thin thread. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">God has gifted women with an extraordinary
ability to not only juggle multiple items with incredible skill, but to keep
them from falling apart. We wield a God
given Super Glue that we innately know how and where to apply. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are doers and fixers…and we are good at it!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We see every broken place, crack, splinter and weak spot and
we are ON IT! Fixing, applying, adding,
piecing or simply fretting about how to fix it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
I don’t know about you…but I get so exhausted!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes,<b> a lot of times</b>, the problems are too complex for
us to handle. There are no books,
seminars, conferences, techniques, counselors or even medications that we can
turn to for help. <o:p></o:p></div>
The issues that we deal with are<i> huge</i>. God has asked each and every one of us to
<u>hold the broken close to our hearts</u>. In
doing so, their pain becomes very personal.
We rub up against it, touch it, feel it and help that person carry it. Pain and brokenness are messy…so very messy! When we get close, it soils us.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
But God asked us to embrace the broken
because that is exactly what He did for and to us. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Is it easy, NO! Is it fun, not in the slightest! Does He ask us to like it, not at all! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He never asked us to enjoy our walk in this
world. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
He just asked us to be <i>His light
and love</i> to the person we are walking with, knowing that the world has done a
number on them too! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But when we can’t fix it: when there isn’t anywhere to turn and we run
out of answers, then we get <b>discouraged. </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hopelessness, depression and despair start to swirl around
like smoke and we choke on it. Although
we can work like crazy to fix things on a good day, the minute we can’t find a
solution, we bow our heads and give up. At
least, I do! And at that moment, we are
made <i>useless.</i> Our light goes out and we
are<i> disarmed</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Satan uses some pretty heavy weaponry on us because we are
fighting ‘front line’ stuff. We are
walking beside Gods people, and this broken world has placed them within Satans
grasp. God has asked you to help get
them back! Do you think Satan is going
to stand back and watch that happen?!!! I DON’T THINK SO!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He will hit you with the big guns…problems that are too big
for you to handle and when you can’t fix them, he’ll hit you with doubt, despair,
discouragement and depression! You’ll get mad at yourself, your family, your church
and community. Everyone will have failed
you, in your mind! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">But look at what he says in Acts 17:26-27---</span></h4>
<h4>
“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on
all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the
boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps<i> feel
their way toward him and find him</i>. Yet
he is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and
have our being’”</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do you hear what Paul is saying here? <b>Remember who God is!</b> He has allotted when you were to be born,
where you were to be born and what the boundary of you life would be, whether
physically or spiritually. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
No matter where
you are, you can at least FEEL your way toward Him and FIND Him! </div>
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<br /></div>
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He is not so far from you…because ‘IN HIM WE
LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING’…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Fixing things in our life requires action, using our hands. It’s what we do, we are<i> good at it</i>. But when the dark smoke starts to swirl
around you, you’re choking and you can’t see; </div>
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reach out and <b>‘feel your way
toward him and find him’</b>. </div>
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<br /></div>
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He didn’t
leave you in some unknown place. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
He put
you there, and ‘<b>is actually not far from’ you!</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmjscqfH7T_mE1gUSc2aee1fevgjmQkg85KwzS8bVd7gaSTmlDEY0rtWPcvgv9cy-SAK4Rq06fZOidl4IGJfaKPBGQfNvCYQvx390xErTBlfRVjgLBDzGPlbLxI9hlZP-OXwGJemRgnU/s1600/IMG_1944_Fotor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmjscqfH7T_mE1gUSc2aee1fevgjmQkg85KwzS8bVd7gaSTmlDEY0rtWPcvgv9cy-SAK4Rq06fZOidl4IGJfaKPBGQfNvCYQvx390xErTBlfRVjgLBDzGPlbLxI9hlZP-OXwGJemRgnU/s320/IMG_1944_Fotor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seattle skyline shrouded in smoke from wildfires<br />
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In His love,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cath</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-7210998957070596072016-07-14T21:30:00.003-07:002016-07-14T21:30:51.763-07:00In these troubled times...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Its good to remember who God is and that He is never shaken...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfp2HttigzSIRRGTTtSjagUhRFF5BwE1X1D6xuAUzoRNYOx41t7XI4GYS8yfKOpLbHTmmpTY6S-Wni3xOwba0jXaYKIyZGzHhOfhCtUKiPnQ953pe6HEyLS4fVJZL9w8dzJEnC82qRSw/s1600/IMG_1786_Fotor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfp2HttigzSIRRGTTtSjagUhRFF5BwE1X1D6xuAUzoRNYOx41t7XI4GYS8yfKOpLbHTmmpTY6S-Wni3xOwba0jXaYKIyZGzHhOfhCtUKiPnQ953pe6HEyLS4fVJZL9w8dzJEnC82qRSw/s320/IMG_1786_Fotor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-245423264101001652016-07-08T11:41:00.000-07:002016-07-14T20:40:42.599-07:00A Teens Journey Through Addiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0S6VZVu8gci_MJiPSEzjjjHKDWYY3wYMvk6tmG2XfX_TV1vwiQH4vlmlC5PFcUlmfRCW8ceTPP3n1bTNuZUPB-DoIYFuYr5gp-tjCLwEHF7_3uFcdauLRWF7Kl0sWtRYaqP273ewK_4/s1600/DSC_3672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0S6VZVu8gci_MJiPSEzjjjHKDWYY3wYMvk6tmG2XfX_TV1vwiQH4vlmlC5PFcUlmfRCW8ceTPP3n1bTNuZUPB-DoIYFuYr5gp-tjCLwEHF7_3uFcdauLRWF7Kl0sWtRYaqP273ewK_4/s320/DSC_3672.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This kid!...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
our 9th child,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
18 years old,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
didn't graduate from high school,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
can't drive until he's 21 years old due to drug charges,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
lives in a half-way house and washes dishes in a restaurant,</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and we simply could not be more proud of him and his accomplishments!!! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Why?</div>
<br />
Because in one week, we will celebrate a major milestone in his journey...ONE YEAR OF SOBRIETY....Yeah!!!!<br />
<br />
At this time last year, we were picking him up from jail and driving him across the mountains to a drug treatment facility. He was so angry that we had to have his older brother ride along for extra protection in case he bolted or got violent. I was literally shaking during the entire three hour drive! Our relationship with him was almost completely broken. We were all hurt and angry.<br />
<br />
After 35 days in that treatment center, we drove 5 hours to the next one and he stayed there for 3 more months.<br />
<br />
When his time there was up, we had no choice but to bring him home until we could find an available bed at an Oxford House (a clean and sober half-way house). And he's been there ever since.<br />
<br />
Its not that we didn't want him to stay home, in fact, I grieved heavily at losing him again. You see, he is such a bright, funny, loving, magnetic person. He lights up every room he enters with a huge smile. Drugs had stolen that person from me since the time he was 11 and then when he had finally gotten clean, and we could see glimmers of the boy we once knew coming back out, he wasn't able to stay. And I felt robbed again.<br />
<br />
But his drug buddies lived around us, and he couldn't risk falling into that lifestyle again. Not only that, but he had gotten pretty heavy into dealing drugs and their were several people who wanted him dead...literally! <br />
<br />
And now, here we are! One year clean and sober...no alcohol, pot, Molly, mushrooms, cocaine, etc. None of it...!<br />
<br />
Here is our story...<br />
I don't want this to come across like we did it right or have all the answers, far from it! But rather, in the hope that it will help someone who is in a similar situation and needs some encouragement, its a lonely road!<br />
<br />
It took 3 years of fighting law enforcement to get him arrested enough times or for a serious enough offense that the court would order drug treatment. That's right~ I was the crazy mom who called the police, called parole officers, called the court, called juvenile detention...hours upon hours of phone calls, snapping pictures of every shred of evidence I could find and waving it in peoples faces until someone finally heard me cry..."Help him!!!" ..."Please, someone help him before he's 18 and its too late!"<br />
<br />
Why did I need the court to send him to treatment? Because in our state, you can't force someone to go to counseling after the age of 13, let alone treatment. Its ridiculous! He was a danger to society and himself, but unless he admitted there was a problem and chose to seek help on his own, there was nothing we could do. So we hounded the system. Praise God it worked for us, but there are WAY too many people who don't get to enjoy such happy outcomes. <br />
<br />
The system is broken. Especially when it comes to drug abuse and mental illness. ( I will tell you about our run-ins with the mental health circus sometime...that was a crazy ride!..no pun intended :P) But along the way, you learn valuable little tidbits that help you out...<br />
For instance--in our state, every time you call 911 on your child his name gets on a list that goes to a Juvenile Court Judge, if he sees your childs name come up enough times, he can order him to appear in court to find out whats going on.<br />
So, like a Mom on a mission to save her child, I called him in for everything you were allowed to call in for; leaving the house without permission, threatening people, damaging property, illegal possession of drugs or drug related items, skipping school...you name it, I called. <br />
<br />
Some cops understood my mission and even applauded it. Others complained that I was wasting their time. It seemed to just be the luck of the draw.<br />
<br />
At one point, we got him signed up for the Youth At Risk program. Its a program through Juvenile Court where they bring in a mediator to try to assess how bad things are and help the family get things back on track. If the kid won't cooperate, then they turn them over to a Judge, who then takes over the parenting role and consequences for breaking family rules becomes time in detention. <br />
<br />
Its a good program for kids like ours, who really couldn't give a darn about house rules or school at all. The Court Appointed Mediator was great and actually gave David and I the green light to lay down some heavy consequences that hesitated to do before. It didn't take long for our little runaway to decide he didn't like the pressure and he decided Jobcorp was a better option for him. But that only lasted about 5 months before he was kicked out for drug use...no big surprise!<br />
<br />
Our big break came in December of 2014, when we received a notice from the court that he would have to appear before a judge for a drug charge from <i>10 months</i> prior!!! Way back in February he had been caught on <b>school property</b> (big no-no) with a baggie of pot. It had taken 10 months for them to formally charge him. So in January, we went to court, he was found guilty and sentenced to 3 days in Juvie-big whoop. But, the best thing that came out of it was that he had to serve 9 month probation, and his probation officer was GREAT! She saw what was going on and was watching him, and all his cronies. If she even caught a whiff of something fishy, she was ON IT. Plus, she really made me feel like we were a team. She understood my desperation to get him help and encouraged me to let her know if I saw him doing anything questionable. Three months into it and he was locked up for a month with an order to go straight from detention into rehab. She had compiled a laundry list of parole violations ranging from being 10 minutes late to out-patient drug counseling to a failed UA (urine analysis drug test). Nothing horribly serious, but enough that the Judge could see that although our son was good at covering his tracks, he really did need some help.<br />
<br />
Little did they know how right they were. We found out later, that during that same period of time drug dealers had almost shot him! They had jumped him right in our neighborhood, drove him to a remote location, beat him up and had a gun to his head! He was saved by a curious stranger passing by with a spotlight. True story!<br />
<br />
That was the final trip to detention and the beginning of sobriety. Today, he is loving his new life! <br />
<br />
And this week we get the joy (yes, it is a joy again! Thank you, Jesus :) ) of spending a few days at the beach with him. We will have a celebration honoring his amazing accomplishments and present him with this token...<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y0_qEuHx5QqmEz2Mak-Bs7Ew6QYaj1rYhk6hUW3aO7o0ToBOxnUN21I836Ns3R3A9ZWa94K2ze7DgoPlmg4W2P_c61gELU5UNiCW3fDru0TS4IhsWvboKZUbfWeEn9dZD0CFivfnAIM/s1600/IMG_2682_Fotor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Y0_qEuHx5QqmEz2Mak-Bs7Ew6QYaj1rYhk6hUW3aO7o0ToBOxnUN21I836Ns3R3A9ZWa94K2ze7DgoPlmg4W2P_c61gELU5UNiCW3fDru0TS4IhsWvboKZUbfWeEn9dZD0CFivfnAIM/s320/IMG_2682_Fotor.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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We know that sobriety is very fragile. It will be a life-long journey that he has to take one day at a time. There may be set backs, but we praise God for His mercy and faithfulness to us and pray that you will not lose heart in yours.<br />
<br />
I love the mandate that God gave in Joshua 1:7, "Only be strong and very courageous, ...do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go."<br />
<br />
<br />
In His love,<br />
Cath<br />
<br />
Read about his celebration...<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Had to share this little update...<br />
<br />
It was such an honor to celebrate his accomplishment during our family vacation! Remembering the journey and celebrating where we are today, was more emotional than I had expected. It was an overwhelming concoction of pride, joy and painful memories.<br />
<br />
Here are a few pics...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghM_3amD_uu3pYv5BmkzdM3RuYjQKWUpKuqq1BA76ONVDJToJOx77sdVZWpNHzVyZ01B4BqAdXSSdeSxLEwEngoUbNf0WLUMFW6tvVBNp4GHrgRJ1FlijX8XzgByvRq0Ku0IkJQlLwgoc/s1600/DSC_4855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghM_3amD_uu3pYv5BmkzdM3RuYjQKWUpKuqq1BA76ONVDJToJOx77sdVZWpNHzVyZ01B4BqAdXSSdeSxLEwEngoUbNf0WLUMFW6tvVBNp4GHrgRJ1FlijX8XzgByvRq0Ku0IkJQlLwgoc/s320/DSC_4855.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our boy! Really a young man but he will always be my boy :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRq9C3aHjZeIcOuLIFqbRnCAVV0fmVSlIHUrQ2Y3wNyySLNh-Kg8nITd-GkvaqcJIgBAaG3jxnT4WhwcJujQE3fzR5kbubIlpd0fU9b1WoalxbFcy6BWsvDqttDzbPtQBvAWEaIBA8HE/s1600/DSC_4856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXRq9C3aHjZeIcOuLIFqbRnCAVV0fmVSlIHUrQ2Y3wNyySLNh-Kg8nITd-GkvaqcJIgBAaG3jxnT4WhwcJujQE3fzR5kbubIlpd0fU9b1WoalxbFcy6BWsvDqttDzbPtQBvAWEaIBA8HE/s320/DSC_4856.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loves from sister...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F8JWQHVLj7wCL-1HuzDR7GhCLNmJJj0gN6f2rV3PHJJeCENUUsrD9M5MwUcBkdeglFLMs6r5SkaCyvERC9jMfQKdsTcnGsQCOpvi1P8YFxY4U4ct7hxeGofnmViuLs1pfv_zW5vyMR4/s1600/DSC_4916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F8JWQHVLj7wCL-1HuzDR7GhCLNmJJj0gN6f2rV3PHJJeCENUUsrD9M5MwUcBkdeglFLMs6r5SkaCyvERC9jMfQKdsTcnGsQCOpvi1P8YFxY4U4ct7hxeGofnmViuLs1pfv_zW5vyMR4/s320/DSC_4916.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad presenting him with his medallion </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg684TarXzcxVXHbmjV0H6EFwdL7pGZb-N8r-bhV6oLbpAs0SzKANXP1s4vukM8-HuwBrDe7J7jjow75wJdpL7PytTi1lNgFz-ir6KgXB_-JgAoYUcZpOlxqqzuDLKG3mruEdvSmcVEiJg/s1600/DSC_4920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg684TarXzcxVXHbmjV0H6EFwdL7pGZb-N8r-bhV6oLbpAs0SzKANXP1s4vukM8-HuwBrDe7J7jjow75wJdpL7PytTi1lNgFz-ir6KgXB_-JgAoYUcZpOlxqqzuDLKG3mruEdvSmcVEiJg/s320/DSC_4920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">His girlfriend helping him put it on. They met in rehab. She has been sober 10 months.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1cE4ve0edThEQcYyXxjud-qBffSC8pOtONB_uFwfLrOHI3enrHNxlLtCAczCbtZamAe4lSQIprZjsJLD_zfpwcYvblC2-bbHBwW-bAbsfnbZRo15ak5asIvyKZkNWOGb8eMyqbOZ12A/s1600/DSC_4921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1cE4ve0edThEQcYyXxjud-qBffSC8pOtONB_uFwfLrOHI3enrHNxlLtCAczCbtZamAe4lSQIprZjsJLD_zfpwcYvblC2-bbHBwW-bAbsfnbZRo15ak5asIvyKZkNWOGb8eMyqbOZ12A/s320/DSC_4921.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He loves it and hasn't taken it off :)</td></tr>
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<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-27011597436711563952016-07-07T09:29:00.002-07:002016-07-07T12:03:05.919-07:00Hope For The Cave Dweller<h4 style="text-align: center;">
I don't know about you, but caves freak me out! </h4>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
In my mind, all forms of nastiness is found inside caves; </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
darkness-dwelling creatures, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
smells, drippy water, crumbling earth...its all bad!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQzidUG_HrdBK_LNqXYSOaRJbt8zpwsOL5gFiVf_I8IG70mw6JYYQ4PBf-QddWnwJMI3Qmoo6Tms-wpYME7McILo4PHu5E0Qd61pg_H-SH6e77Nlpysp0x9kX_R3OoA7XLFmEEsADdq8/s1600/352589-cave_Fotor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQzidUG_HrdBK_LNqXYSOaRJbt8zpwsOL5gFiVf_I8IG70mw6JYYQ4PBf-QddWnwJMI3Qmoo6Tms-wpYME7McILo4PHu5E0Qd61pg_H-SH6e77Nlpysp0x9kX_R3OoA7XLFmEEsADdq8/s200/352589-cave_Fotor.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I do NOT want to go there!</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
But lately, God has been showing me the good in caves. </div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Psalm 142 says, "A Psalm of David, when he was in THE CAVE. A prayer."</span></h4>
<br />
When he wrote this, he is surrounded by Saul's army; no escape in sight, desperate, afraid and confused.<br />
<br />
Then David proceeds to pour out his plea to the Lord from within The Cave.<br />
<br />
(Can you hear the desperation?)<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Psalm 142-</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. </i><br />
<i>I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.</i><br />
<i>When my spirit faints within me, you know my way!</i><br />
<i>In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.</i><br />
<i>Look to the right and see: there is none who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for my soul.</i><br />
<i>I cry to you, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."</i><br />
<i>Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low!</i><br />
<i>Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!</i><br />
<i>Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name!</i><br />
<i>The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.</i><br />
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Although we don't want to go there and we do all that we can to avoid those dark places, it is where God prepared David to become a King. He didn't put him in a Prep School for Kings. He drove him into the wilderness and into a cave, hunted by a mad man bent on killing him! Tough training!<br />
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But why the wilderness? That desolate, dangerous place where people go to die?!<br />
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Its where I imagine my GPS lady will direct me some day (because I'm pretty sure she hates me!) And one day, someone will randomly stumble upon my shriveled body crumpled next to my dirty, dusty car with blown out tires and everyone will ask, "What the heck was she doing WAY OUT HERE?!" Blame my GPS!<br />
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The cave in the wilderness is that place where we desperately cry out..."NO WAY, GOD...this can't be for me! There is no way that you would want me here, in this...!"<br />
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And yet, there you sit.<br />
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In a cave, in the wilderness, isolated, in the dark...there and only there...can He finally get your undivided <b>attention!</b><br />
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It was only in the wilderness, inside a cave, where David learned to <i>PRAY! </i>He lost all his self-confidence and aspirations. He had no fancy words or animals to sacrifices, no temples, no priests or prophets. He couldn't DO anything. All he had left to do was pray. <b> That</b> is our training ground. That is where God wants us. He will drive us into the wilderness time and time again, if only to hear us cry out in our helplessness...<br />
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<i>"With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord."</i></div>
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and</div>
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<i>"When my spirit faints within me, you know my way!"</i></div>
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<i>"I cry to you, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.""</i></div>
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I wish there was another way that we could learn. It would be so nice if we could come to that place of complete submission and desire to draw close to the Lord without a dank, drippy, cave and 'the hounds nipping at our heals'. Unfortunately, we are stubborn by nature and really balk at going down on our knees...so He is gracious enough to help us out-;)<br />
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This morning, I was thinking about a friend who is in a hard place. It seems that she is being driven into the wilderness and my heart aches for her. I was crying out to the Lord to help her, remembering times when I was in similar situations and felt so very alone, its painful, hard work to be in those places! But, I'm forever grateful that it isn't in vain. Good will come. David needed that time to prepare his heart and soul to become king. <br />
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So take heart, friends! God is wanting to prepare us for great things too, if we will let Him...and get down on our knees. :)<br />
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In His love,<br />
Cath<br />
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<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-33491452728932378722016-07-06T13:14:00.003-07:002016-07-06T15:51:50.487-07:00Gods Hand in the 'New Normal'<div class="s2" style="border: 1px solid transparent; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Many of us face the challenging reality that</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"> our homes have taken on a very different feel since we adopted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">The dynamics have changed; between children, spouses, even extended family and friends. Besides a few familiar faces, it seems like a completely different family and we mourn the loss of what we had. What has become the ‘New Normal’ of our home is not exactly what we had imagined it would be when we set out on this journey. </span></div>
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And honestly, we really don’t like it very much!</div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Moms I talk to are riddled with guilt that they don’t especially like they way things are. They</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> mi</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">ss the way it used to be and</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> that doesn’t feel ‘</span><span class="s4" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">right</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">’. </span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">But we need to remember that change is a </span><span class="s5" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px; text-decoration: underline;">process</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">. </span></div>
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And the process can be REALLY hard!</div>
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Coming to terms with the ‘New Normal’ in your life isn’t a one-time event. Unfortunately, you aren’t able to put it on your ‘to do’ list and then check it off as completed when you feel you are done. </div>
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It would be so nice if you could!<br />
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<u><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">So </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">here are a few things that make the process of accepting our ‘New Normal’ a little more challenging</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">…</span></u><br />
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">1. </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Family is our Magnum Opus---our Greatest Work. It’s the best we can create in this world and says so much about US, what we believe, what we stand for…and it should! God thinks an awful lot about family, so should </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">we.</span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">2. </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">We may have thought that it would look a certain way and now (in so MANY ways) it doesn’t. So we see our Great Work falling apart.</span><br />
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<span class="s4" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">-If you can’t relate to any of this, feel free to stop reading now <span style="font-family: "symbol";">:)</span></span><br />
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">3. </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">The very nature of Adoption and Foster care is based on choice. We ‘chose’ to do this (or did we???...</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">more</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> on that later), so we must have chose wrong. Now we are just stuck with a broken piece of work that is making everyone we love miserable and we ‘just have to live with it’. A very depressing and incredibly overwhelming thought! </span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">4. </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Maybe you are thinking that if you got yourself into this, you will just have to work REALLY hard to fix it all. You will go to every therapist, doctor, school counse</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">lor, or do whatever it takes to find a solution. Not</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> all that is bad, it can be super helpful, but what is driving </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">you</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">?</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">…guilt</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">, fear, an overwhelming need to fix what is broken before it breaks your family, a need to get back what was lost?</span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Heres my point-</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Did you forget that...</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">God is the Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth, </span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">The Alpha and </span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">Omega,</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> </span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">in Him there is NO MISTAKE?!!! </span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">He holds the picture of your family…</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">.NOT</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> YOU!</span></div>
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You chose to adopt and were able to do it ONLY because HE ALLOWED IT. </div>
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If you are here in this place, it is because <u>this is where He wants you. <span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></u><br />
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What you see as <i>“Broken”,</i> He is going to use to fix YOU!<br />
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That’s right…how tremendous!<br />
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Please don’t think that I am belittling your situation, the depth of your depression or the weight in your heart. </div>
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I may not know exactly what is going on in your family, but I do know the One who created it. And I have been in a similar place</div>
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, and still am. </div>
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And if there is one thing to cling to it is this…that YOU ARE EXACTLY WHERE GOD WANTS YOU! </div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">It may not be easy, and you may not like it much. In fact, that may make you a little</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;"> mad at God. Feel free to rage at Him, He can take it. But at the end of the day, please remember that He is doing a good work in YOU, because He loves you so very much. </span></div>
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<span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">This is about you and your relationship with Him…and probably your attitude-</span><span class="s2" style="line-height: 14.399999618530273px;">lol</span></div>
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When we take our eyes off the way others are robbing our lives and look at what God is doing in us through them, it is the first step toward becoming ‘friends’ with our ‘New Normal’.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">With love and hugs~</span></div>
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Cath</div>
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David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-24513347430203344662015-08-06T16:04:00.001-07:002015-08-06T16:04:15.278-07:00A beautiful reminder...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-20643305502445214472015-05-27T11:06:00.001-07:002015-05-27T16:18:11.558-07:00Get it. Read it...its amazing!Country singer, Jimmy Wayne tells about his life growing up in foster care. He has turned his experiences into a life dedicated to making a difference in the lives of youth still in care.<br />
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In honor of <b>National Foster Care Month</b>, the kindle edition of his book, <u>A Walk to Beautiful,</u> is only $2.99!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Walk-Beautiful-Power-Homeless-Found/dp/0849922100/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410661544&sr=8-1&keywords=walk+to+beautiful">I encourage you to take a look inside the life of a child in foster care by reading this....</a><br />
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David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-60582950862211792222015-05-27T09:38:00.000-07:002015-05-27T09:38:55.248-07:00Making an impact...This is such a sweet story about the way one family is making a difference and raising awareness...<br />
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The need is great, and this family wanted to let others know what they could do...love it!<br />
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<a href="http://wivb.com/2015/05/26/new-york-family-bikes-through-buffalo-with-a-message-on-foster-care/">Click here to see how this sweet family is making a difference!</a>David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-17512384197243816612015-05-07T21:20:00.000-07:002016-02-06T14:10:54.494-08:00Learning To Live With LiesSorting through a cupboard in my den today, I stumbled upon an old journal. As I flipped through the pages, I found this poem that I etched late one night during a very dark time.<br />
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The pages leading up to the poem, are the accounts of an incident between two of my kids. One that I remember well!<br />
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Not a poet by nature or practice, this shows how fiercely I am wrestling with the ability to love my kids, forgive them and continue to work towards their health and healing, while surrounded by lies on every side. <br />
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Truth slips away, a friendship strained.<br />
Not speaking, an uncomfortable silence...tears.<br />
Floating...drifting....<br />
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Self.<br />
What is self without truth?<br />
Am I true?<br />
Do I know how to live without it?<br />
<br />
You lie.<br />
Slashing at me as if I'm a robber in the night.<br />
What do I steal from you, that you fight me with lies?<br />
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I'm bleeding; dying, but you don't see it.<br />
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Here to help you.<br />
Here is my hand.<br />
Again, I offer you all that I have.<br />
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Will you hurt me?<br />
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Oh heart of mine, can you keep beating when the breath is gone and your blood is poured out?<br />
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Oh heart of mine, where is your power to forgive?<br />
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Reach out.<br />
Reach out and LIVE!<br />
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Trust is not in truth, dear heart.<br />
Love is not in honesty but beyond....way beyond!<br />
You will find it living in the shadows with hope or floating on the clouds of forgiveness.<br />
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Go, go my heart! Do not stay here in the dark!</div>
David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-16621394020693778512015-05-06T18:40:00.001-07:002015-05-06T18:41:51.491-07:00This woman...!!!This is a woman that I am in awe of daily.<br />
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She is a mighty force.<br />
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A compassionate, caring follower of Christ, who lives to pour out her life and energy for women and orphans.<br />
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She has never drawn a salary for what she does.<br />
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The world truly needs more people with her heart!<br />
<br />
Click here to be inspired...<br />
<a href="http://thatwemightbeadopted.blogspot.com/2015/05/noble-indeed.html#links">That We Might Be Adopted: Noble Indeed</a><br />
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<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-35869213694094281272015-05-06T06:22:00.002-07:002016-02-06T14:11:51.487-08:00How Long, Lord?Today I take our son to Childrens Hospital for a procedure.<br />
They will scope his stomach and his colon and bring back a sample of the tissue in each to examine.<br />
I don't know what to hope for...that they find something that will give us a clue to why he is 17 years old and only weighs 97 lbs or that they don't find anything and we just march on like this is normal?<br />
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I'm tired.<br />
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He is tired.<br />
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This has been such a LONG journey!<br />
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Two years ago April, he had his bone marrow biopsy for Myelodysplastic Syndrome. A rare blood disorder that, if left untreated, turns to a fast and fatal form of leukemia.<br />
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We caught it in time, and infused the life giving blood from two umbilical cord donors into his limp body that saved him.<br />
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They saved him, but he developed Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD). His body and the new cells refuse to co-exist in peace. They fight, they rage, they reek havoc in his system causing rashes, stomach issues, fatigue, etc.<br />
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So today, they will be looking for signs of GVHD unrest in his stomach and colon.<br />
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How long?<br />
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Will his cells never learn to cooperate? To even just agree to disagree?<br />
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Will their fighting reduce him to skin and bones....wear him out completely?<br />
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I shouldn't worry or be anxious. Considering all we have been through, this is small potatoes. I don't know why this has hit me so hard the past couple of weeks-??<br />
Its selfish, I know. But maybe its the sense that for his sake, and mine, he is 17. He should be planning his future, spreading his wings, gaining strength to launch out of the nest. And yet, he grows weaker...<br />
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Over the past 5 years, we have 'launched' 6 1/2 kids (one is in process). Its rough. We made it, but it was rocky. We made a few mistakes, learned a few tricks and are just getting familiar with that scene.<br />
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Now, I may need to learn how to 'un-launch'. And honestly, I don't want to!<br />
If he doesn't launch, that means he isn't doing well.<br />
That means he is still fighting for his life.<br />
Its not behind us, ITS still with us like a bad smell!<br />
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How long, LORD?!!......how long....?<br />
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This is at a Make-a-Wish event.</div>
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Silly boy!</div>
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All immunizations went out of his system when they kill his </div>
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bone marrow.</div>
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So we have to start all over :(</div>
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I don't know how many GALLONS of blood they have</div>
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taken out of the poor boy?!!!</div>
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This was at his two year check.</div>
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He has such a good attitude about it all!</div>
<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-69591777410811111932015-05-05T11:45:00.002-07:002016-02-06T14:12:21.868-08:00Blessing On The Broken Road<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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During a recent (wonderful!) Adoptive Moms Retreat, I was chatting with some other moms who were struggling with one or more of their kiddos. As they searched for answers on what they could do to resolve some pretty challenging issues, we came to a hard place...should you/is it ever ok/what are the potential pitfalls to calling the police or involving the authorities???<br />
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I can't say that I'm an expert, and I certainly don't have all the answers. Every situation, family and child are so very different. But I do want to share a few thoughts that I have gleaned from our situation.<br />
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There are certain things that we have not wanted to compromise on in our home; violence, sexual abuse, threats, drug or alcohol abuse, or destruction of property. Now, there are other things that some people might think we shouldn't allow, that we have chosen to overlook for the preservation of relationships. Such as, smoking cigarettes, lying, stealing, etc. Who knows if we were right to do that, but thats what we did and it seemed right at the time. Maybe we would do it differently if we faced the same choices again.<br />
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But here is what I really wanted to point out....<br />
There was a time, when I thought that having a child arrested was the worst possible thing that could happen to a family. I don't think that I was even conscious of having that perspective, but I did. <br />
For weeks following our sons arrest for drug possession, I slumped into a dark depression. I wrestled with a belief that all had been lost. It felt as though he had entered into a dark world in which there was no hope of escape. We were the worst parents ever and should never have embarked on this road. <br />
For three long years, he battled everyone around him. He has been in and out of juvenile detention, been expelled from school too many times to count, had his license revoked, lived outside our home, run away for days at a time, assaulted people, stolen innumerable items and money, probably stole a car and broken into houses. But despite all that, we are ok. He is ok.<br />
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The critical thing that I have learned through all this is...<br />
There is a bigger, much more elaborate story being written in his life. And it is not finished yet. I am glad that I called the police, begged probation officers to follow through on charges and ultimately made him see that every choice he made had consequences for good or evil. He hated me through this 3 year journey, but he could count on me and my responses!<br />
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Much good has come of these hard knocks. <br />
One example, albeit sorta silly, is that he is reading chapter books now. He would not pick up a book by choice, no matter how much I pleaded or bribed. Until, he was stuck in Juvie on the weekend of his 17th birthday. In his extreme boredom, he picked up a book and began to read. When he came home, he begged me to buy it so he could finish it. Since then, he has worked his way through the whole series. Miracle!<br />
But whats more...he loves us, he loves being around us. Has a job at Wendy's, has a Christian mentor (which he found himself!), asks to go to church with us, is getting his GED through Goodwill, and has a probation officer that keeps him accountable. <br />
His story still isn't finished, and it won't be for many years. <i>But where we are is not where we will stand- and I am so very thankful that we do not serve a stagnant God!</i>David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-75377344640822207912015-04-28T20:08:00.003-07:002015-04-28T20:18:40.116-07:00Blooms...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTKIpJKo1kqF78YdP_kXoYZj4dI8IGoJcAbkGOeCYQYFtLsletcS9hbhbja4nRXN1XaHJs5jy2y8PfPuXb8EEqFMxkE9QCDSvcgUN8-S94U5unyxkjB62PEmJvcD8YDQwTI25fYx6EZc/s1600/IMG_0499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFTKIpJKo1kqF78YdP_kXoYZj4dI8IGoJcAbkGOeCYQYFtLsletcS9hbhbja4nRXN1XaHJs5jy2y8PfPuXb8EEqFMxkE9QCDSvcgUN8-S94U5unyxkjB62PEmJvcD8YDQwTI25fYx6EZc/s1600/IMG_0499.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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We have waited 8 years for this spindly little dogwood to give us a bloom. </div>
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Today, I found this. </div>
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In the rain. </div>
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On a less-than-ideal day. </div>
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During a less-than-stellar week. </div>
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I just LOVE little gifts from God like this!</div>
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I have felt a lot like that tree looks. It really can't be blamed for not producing. We have moved it several times, partly in an attempt to make it happier. But our efforts have only made it more stressed. Either way, in a strange way, I can relate. At least this week! </div>
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But here it is...</div>
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<i> The promise that blooms will come, when you least expect it!</i></div>
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When you have forgotten that you were even made for blooming or have forgotten how. </div>
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~ there they are in all their glory!!! </div>
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David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-21581430312208192032014-11-22T11:13:00.001-08:002014-11-22T11:15:07.207-08:00Need ideas for Christmas-maybe this will help...<a href="http://www.onethankfulmom.com/the-daily/top-ten-toys-and-games-2014-2015/#.VHDgCZRIuwM.blogger">Top Ten Toys and Games 2014 – 2015</a>David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-49665790167273402922014-11-18T12:38:00.000-08:002014-11-18T12:40:08.770-08:00This girl...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Was born on an unknown date, in a house that no longer exists</div>
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somewhere in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia...</div>
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Was sent to an orphanage around the age of 6 or 7,</div>
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along with her younger sister and brother, when her mother died...</div>
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This girl was sad...</div>
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This girl was afraid...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BZUpGaLBKGThzEeRTYFaGtDlMjIdIoWk-TAIkCosY3OjkX1Q5PQFOfqTF_hbEklDTpwkOEp6KH6SiqiVQ0Q26owtVqiYRPIaRRKi1Uz0sYNL8W1UbH1b4qs8-jrCx86idcJruDW3ReQ/s1600/img298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6BZUpGaLBKGThzEeRTYFaGtDlMjIdIoWk-TAIkCosY3OjkX1Q5PQFOfqTF_hbEklDTpwkOEp6KH6SiqiVQ0Q26owtVqiYRPIaRRKi1Uz0sYNL8W1UbH1b4qs8-jrCx86idcJruDW3ReQ/s1600/img298.jpg" height="320" width="248" /></a></div>
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Became their constant guardian and protector, comforter and "mother"...</div>
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was separated from her baby brother because,</div>
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'it is too hard to find families willing to adopt more than two children at a time.' ...</div>
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This girl was broken...</div>
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This girl was loving....</div>
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This girl was courageous...</div>
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Was adopted and brought to America when she was almost 9 years old...</div>
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did what she had always done...</div>
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faced the challenge with all the courage she could muster!...</div>
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threw herself into every struggle with the will to win...</div>
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and determined to find the good...</div>
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even when the pain came in floods and threatened to drag her under...</div>
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This girl was hurting...</div>
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This girl was confused...</div>
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But she pressed on...</div>
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Never willing to let the pain that the past created,</div>
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become the only future she would know...</div>
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This girl was determined...</div>
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This girl was forgiving...</div>
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This girl is<i><b> amazing...</b></i></div>
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This girl is<i><b> strong...</b></i></div>
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This girl is <i><b>wise</b></i> beyond her years...</div>
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This girl is a woman I am so proud to know...</div>
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This girl is our daughter!</div>
<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-86999693537048616242014-11-09T06:29:00.001-08:002014-11-09T06:29:36.679-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-22038562941994133342014-11-08T14:00:00.003-08:002014-11-08T14:01:22.350-08:00Not Our Problem?The most recent government statistics give us the hard truth that we are not making progress... or if we are, it is not nearly good enough, fast enough, or thorough enough! <br />
When you look at these numbers, can you take a minute and soak them in?<br />
Can you put a face on each one, or better yet, a name?<br />
Do you see that these are neighbors, cousins, sisters, brothers...ours?<br />
We like to say that it is not our problem, that someone else was irresponsible and failed. Made bad choices and fell, taking their children down in their own destruction. But the hard truth is, that we are failing. Society is failing them, and if we consider ourselves one of the human race, we must take responsibility for our part. If we have a part, what are we doing with it?<br />
Its true that we can't fix it all. But can we do more than place blame? More than turn away? More than nothing? Maybe just one small thing? <br />
Here, I will help you do one small thing...<br />
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Watch the video, ReMoved<br />
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And then,<br />
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If you are really courageous, post it to your site, or facebook with the same challenge.<br />
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or...<br />
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look away.<br />
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<b>Here are the numbers---</b><br />
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There are currently <span style="color: red;"><b>402,378</b></span> children in foster care!<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b> 31,498 </b></span>of them have been in for <b><span style="font-size: large;">5 </span>years or more!</b><br />
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<b style="color: red;">101,840</b> are waiting to be adopted!<br />
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Almost, <b style="color: red;">20,000</b> age out of the system every year-that means they are booted out at age 18 with no where to go! Of these, 40% had been homeless, 60% of the men had been convicted of a crime, only 25% got a diploma, and 50% were involved in illegal substance abuse.<br />
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Still don't think this is our problem?<br />
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<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-24708154650382725802014-11-08T13:32:00.001-08:002014-11-08T14:01:10.350-08:00ReMoved<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lOeQUwdAjE0" width="480"></iframe>David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-32604910956258433092014-01-02T07:49:00.001-08:002014-01-02T07:49:41.314-08:00<span style="font-size: large;">Well, dear hearts...2013 is behind us. </span><br />
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It leaves me with such a mix of emotions. On one hand, I'm not sure there has ever been a year that I was so thankful to watch disappear in the rear view window!<br />
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And yet, there is a part of me that doesn't want to let it go. <br />
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Trials and treasures were so intricately woven into the fibers of the past 12 months.<br />
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If only I could preserve the details under glass and set it upon a mantel.<br />
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Seeing it fade behind me, I fear that it will be shortly lost to memory as well.<br />
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But I have both hope and a terrible <strike>dread </strike>that there will be years to rival it, in the future.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The lessons learned through the trials of this past year fly in the face of fear...</span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">There are no mistakes-</span><br />
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We are the ones that have been chosen to face what we face at this very time, for a perfect purpose. So stand tall and look up! God wants YOU on the frontline of THIS battle.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">We don't have to know why-</span><br />
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Asking why the challenges exist, or why we are the ones that have to face them, waste energy and make us bitter. What we need to ask is, what am I suppose to learn through this? We already know why they are here...because YOU are the person GOD WANTED in this PLACE at this TIME!<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Look up-</span><br />
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You can't fight a battle, when you are staring at your belly button! Who has God placed around you, others that are struggling, people who want to help, a beautiful creation to lift your spirits and give you hope, a sunrise to remind you that its a new day...the best remedy for emotional exhaustion is to give thanks and to give to others. Sitting in the corner licking our wounds only leads to infection- get up and give to others!<br />
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<span style="color: orange;">What challenges are you facing, how do you get through each day? </span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Share with us, so we can encourage each other.</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">Leave a comment...</span>David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-69304045494044315702013-04-27T07:06:00.003-07:002013-04-27T07:06:42.101-07:00"You Are A Fine Fellow!"<strong></strong><br />
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Between sleep and the wretched affects of chemo, Jack musters the energy to obey the Physical Therapists requests to exercise by riding a pedal powered go cart around the unit. <br />
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Like a young, black Mr. Rogers, he animatedly smiles and waves at his neighbors that are too sick to leave their rooms, bringing faint but appreciative responses. <br />
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"Pete", his "pet IV pump" ever trailing at his heals, Jack pauses at the end of the hall and declares to a doctor working away at a computer, "You are a fine fellow!" <br />
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YOU are a 'Fine Fellow', Jack!<br />
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Day Zero, Minus 3.....aka-transplant in 3 days....<br />
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David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-36201206578609984412013-04-25T09:05:00.002-07:002013-04-25T09:05:50.775-07:00Day Zero Minus Six-no turning back now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<u>Chemo started today:</u></div>
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It feels like either we embarked on a journey to Forever... or the beginning of the end. </div>
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I tried so many times to imagine what this day would feel like, but couldn't. </div>
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Now I know why; its surreal!</div>
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They just pumped two different types of toxic chemicals into his body, in an attempt to save his life! </div>
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Over the next few weeks, my beautiful boy will feel the effects of the poison in his body while I sit by and helplessly watch.</div>
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We could debate about the medical alternatives, the pros and cons of traditional vs. alternative forms of treatment, but that's each families decision. For us, it was clear, this was the road laid before us and the one we chose to take.</div>
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Ultimately, we trust in a God that leads, directs, and is the one that heals.</div>
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<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6500286305646676873.post-4120486605809034412013-03-26T13:41:00.000-07:002013-03-26T13:43:54.752-07:00May the road rise up to meet you...Today I realized that <span style="color: blue;">all</span> my children will be home for Easter-Hurray!!!!<br />
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A year ago, I never would have guessed at the enormity of that statement. The last 12 months have seen changes that I could not have imagined. God is good, life is temperamental.<br />
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I have learned that it is difficult to avoid looking forward without some element of fear. Knowing there will be joys along the way <u>isn't</u> enough to calm a nervous soul; even though reminders of the sort are a favorite form of comfort from well-meaning friends. The reality is that we are <span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">weak</span> </span>and <span style="color: black;">vulnerable</span>, and we know it. Look at the animal world and you will see how the meek react in the face of danger. They don't face it bravely, they run and hide-a very natural reaction.<br />
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If the turmoil in my life has taught me anything, its that I am living in a<u> broken</u> world. I cannot change that and all the good thoughts I can think, don't make me any more prepared to face the hardships. Good times are a band aid; they cover the wound and help keep out the infection of <em>bitterness</em>. They don't prevent hurts, prepare you for them, or even make them heal any faster.<br />
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My life is filled with joys, I am thankful for them. But my comfort comes from the fact that I don't walk alone. That my Savior walks with me through the only Hell that I will ever know. My comfort is in the knowledge that I don't have to like my circumstance; I can cry, weep, wail (which I am getting VERY good at, by the way), struggle, tear my clothes, and pull my hair out. But at the end of the day, I realize that I am the one that He has chosen to walk<u> this</u> path and by His grace, walk it I will!<br />
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The real danger in hardship is in working so hard to handle it 'correctly', we continue to look inward.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">(<em>Please read that sentence again.)</em></span><br />
Focusing on every detail of our emotional state that we forget to look out...to look UP!<br />
If God thought we could go through our challenges the 'right' way (<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">whatever that is</span>),<u></u><br />
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<u> <span style="font-size: large;">He never would have given them to us!</span></u><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What???</span></strong><br />
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That's right.<br />
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He knew we would kick, scream, get angry, be selfish, thrash around...and then, look<strong> UP.</strong> Like a toddler that finally decides to quiet their fit and listen, we take a breath and do the same. Then we <u><em>listen</em></u>, and we <u><em>learn.</em></u> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">We pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> feel a little better for having gotten it all out,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> take<u><em> His hand</em></u></span> ...</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-size: large;">and keep<span style="color: black;"> <em><u>walking!</u></em></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />David and Cathy Carlsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00303306748696414219noreply@blogger.com0