Joys And Concerns

Allen, thanks for the update. Tell me how old Tiffany is again? Just curious.

Allen, Thanks for the update. I don't believe the report of the doctor that Tiffany is "emotionally disturbed" maybe "emotionally distressed". School these days are war zones, both physically and emotionally. Kids have to deal with so much and it can take it's toll on a child that is had enough of all the pressure. I remember when I was in school you had to manuver through the different clicks, bullies, idiots, and some hard teachers who were just plain burned out. In addition, the work load is three times it was when we were growing up---phew!!!

Tell Tiffany I said, I'm proud she didn't lose her cool with the therapist. Tell her I said stay strong and remember who you are and don't let anyone tell you different. You are a child of God, a child of a God who loves you dispite your flaws and all. And He'll help you through this situation. I'm praying for you.

Allen, I just wanted to encourage you and your wife: Remember what you wrote about suffering and the Lord helping you through this situation? I just wanted to add that...Just as the Lord didn't run from His suffering or stop it by calling 10,000 legions of angels to his rescue, but he walked through it and He triumphed over the suffering. You too will triumph over this suffering, just keep your eyes on the Lord's promises as you walk through the fires and the floods. You will neither be burned up or overtaken by the floods. Maybe you already know all this, but I just wanted to share it with you anyway.

Peace,
Love and hugs,
Roisin

Thanks Rosie and Roisin for the kind words of encouragement! Even though I may have known those things, Roisin, It never hurts to be reminded of them! Thanks for being such good friends! I hope some day we'll get to meet each other! Maybe even at the reunion! And if not, I'll be looking for you at the BIG reunion!

Rosie, Tiffany is eleven! Awfully young to have to go through all of this mess! but she's a fighter and she has all of us praying for her, so I have no doubt that everything is going to be okay for her!

You're in my thoughts and prayers!

Your Brother In Christ!

An old Navy buddy of mine always would say:"See you here, there, or in the air"

wizard, take joy in all the little family moments that haven't changed amidst all the testing and such. Draw stregnth from each other and keep reminding yourself this too shall pass.

Along with what Roisin said, I want to add for you to remember that you and your wife are great parents to be addressing the situation as you are, doing whatever is best for your daughter, even when difficult. Many wouldn't take that route. She will be blessed because of your devotion to her.

Love her hard, love your wife hard and love yourself hard. Do something fun as a family.

I know I'm rambling, but when we had trouble with our 11 year old daughter, what I needed most was to be reminded what 'normal' was. It was all about drawing into our famliy. The family God created for us to be living in.

You have been a great friend to me, Allen! you and your family are in my prayers. Hope we get to meet face-to-face one day too! Either here or up in the air as MacE says! Keep us up-to-date! Eleven years old, eh? Well she has lots of years ahead of her, a lot of healing can take place through those years. Kids can be so hard on each other at this age. Keep us posted, friend!

This isn't really a concern, but I just want to say it somewhere.

I am sad. Two more stories of mine were rejected. I know, hardly the end of the world and there are the stories of how many bazillion rejections famous authors had, but I'm just a bit discouraged. I'd just like a little bone tossed my way. OK an entire skeleton, but it has to start somewhere.

Thanks for listening to the whiner.

E

I understand your discouragement. It's hard to be rejected when you feel good enough about a work to actually submit it for publication. I would encourage you to try submitting it to a different publisher. Maybe submit it to several. It's just like they say about hockey: If you keep putting shots on the net, one's bound to go in eventually.

Keep the faith!

Allen,

I'm glad Tiffany was willing to endure the testing. It's too bad she had to. Although it's hard to live with labels, maybe having her classified and having special programs from the school will help.

I think it speaks well of you and your wife as parents to be so willing to seek help for Tiffany instead of saying, "No, not my little girl! She's fine!" Even though you were forced to have her evaluated it's good you're willing to consider she may need help and be willing to get it.

I pray that your family will have the strength to deal with all this and that all will end well for your daughter.


Todd

Oh Elspeth! I am so very sorry. I know how hard that hurts whenever I have gotten my artwork rejected. you just have to keep plugging along and doors will open. My sister-in-law I told you about who is a published author, still gets rejections! So hang in there and try, try again! And you are NOT whining!

Elspeth,

There is a saying that says, "It is better to have loved and lost, then to have never have loved at all (paraphrased)" I think it can apply to your situation if I stretch it to say...You'll never know love if your not willing to be vunerble and risk exposing your heart. The same can be said for your willings to risk rejection by exposing your heart through your writing. It takes real guts to give away something you labored over with love, sweat, and tears knowing it could be rejected. Let each and every rejection make you more defiant and more determined to push even harder and knock on every last door, even to the point of putting your foot in the crack of the door when the person on the other end is trying to crush it.

A lot of people dream of being a writer or say, "I'm a writer or poet," but never cross that line of possible rejection because they are afraid it would blow the dream a part----But Elspeth you are a writer (A real writer). Be fearless, set your eyes like flint on the prize---write because you love it, you believe in it, you breath it into your soul and it drives your passion even further.

Onething that I learned about most of the best writers of the 20th Century is that they all read everything they could get their hands on. Many admitted that reading made them better writers. So devour all the literature you can get "your" hands on and learn from the Masters.

Love and hugs,
Roisin

Roisin,

Thank you so much for your words.

I had decided just this morning that I should let my dreams of being published quietly slip away. That it was a silly, fanciful dream. Time spent on a selfish enterprise when I should be doing something more tangibly productive.

I don't know where my place is. For now I am taking it as it comes. Writing for church and friends and tossing out there those works I have written.

E

I have a friend whose son is heading down the wrong road and refuses to consider other options. Please pray for both him and his mother. It must be devestating to watch your only child do this and not be able to do a thing about it.

Please don't give up, Elspeth! I hate to see another person give up on their dream like I have done. I have no desire to even paint anymore. It was my heart's desire to go to Scotland to paint and yet I just want to go there and enjoy the trip and not worry about paint brushes, sketch books or anything. I will take my camera for sure and perhaps the whole experience will inspire me to get back into painting again..............I hope. Even if it doesn't I would have still loved the trip, I am sure.
You hang in there and keep at it, gal! My sister-in-law goes through periods like that too and yet things tend to turn up for her.........it will for you.

Oh so sad about your friend's son. It is sad to see children do these things. hopefully he will come around through the prayers of family and friends. keep us posted.

Ahem. Is this thing on? (taps on microphone) Testing One, Two, Three. . .

May I have your attention, please, for an important announcement?

DON'T GIVE UP YOUR DREAMS!!!!

Thank you.

About five years ago, I put my six-string claymore (that's guitar to you) in its case and had no intention of taking it out again. I spent more time learning how to play it than a doctor or lawyer spends learning their business, and here I was barely scraping by. I had played in bands for over twenty years, in bars for drunks (and with drunks) who couldn't care less. I felt my time was gone, I had no chance of being a 'star'. I was tired of the massive b.s. So I quit.

Then a chance meeting at a restaurant gave me a new direction, fresh ideas and _renewed dreams_. Now, I play with a trio doing mainly old cowboy music (Marty Robbins, Sons of the Pioneers) as well as in church. I'm planning to buy some recording equipment in the next few weeks to start recording a new project.

Elspeth, try a new direction. Write something totally different, shorter, longer, whatever. Just don't stop.

CR, take your paints with you. Don't worry about them, don't feel you _have_ to use them. But if you don't take them, you'll miss them, and wish you had.

Don't quit. Fail, yes. But don't quit. Don't _ever_ quit.