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"You Don't Know My Story"

This phrase has haunted my thoughts all week.


It began while we were in about hour 536 out of a 6 hour training course last Saturday for our fostering/adoption licensing we have to take. 


Social worker shared a story.  A story about "Junk Behavior" (any behavior of an individual that does not bring physical harm to an individual or property--i.e.-whining, rolling of eyes, cursing, name calling, etc.).....this story--made.me.CRINGE!  Imagine--LOUD 3 year old screaming at the top of his lungs in Walmart.  For 25 minutes. Social worker was encouraging us to look at said behavior as "junk" and to just.ignore.it.  Children want and need a response--positive or negative. 


BUT--that's not the point of this post.....THIS IS.....as she told the story--it was as if GOD (through the Holy Spirit) smacked.me.SQUARAE.in.the.face.  Seriously--I was feeling overly anxious just hearing this story (true story that happened to previous social worker w/ this organization with her adopted foster son).  "You don't know ______ story.  Why are you so quick to judge the parent of the ill-behaved child in the store?  Or why do you automatically assume that child calls the shots? You don't know (his) story."  I immediately had this "flashback" to the 100's of times that, after my Uncle's death-I'd see "READDY ICE" machines at Walmart or outside a convenience store and I'd begin to cry. I'd quickly feel embarrassed and think that the whole world was watching me....and want to scream "MY UNCLE DIED OKAY--THAT'S WHY I'M CRYING AT THE MOST INAPPROPRIATE TIME AND MAKING YOU FEEL AWKWARD!  HE WAS ONE OF THE THE MOST AMAZING MEN IN MY LIFE AND HE'S GONE...AND THE DAMN ICE FREEZERS REMIND ME OF HIM AND I CRY....OKAY?"    No one knew my story. And no one judged me---or at least---confront me and share their thoughts. 


Think about the many times you've been in a situation where you were quick to judge.  Did you critique someone's parenting skills?  Or how they spoke to their spouse?  Or responded to their parents?  Or their supervisor?  Next time you find yourself "jumping to a conclusion, " remind yourself--You.Don't.Know.Their.Story.  Plain and simple.  You don't know if they were abused as a child.  Or being abused as an adult.  You don't know if they are terminally sick and having a hell of a day and needed to get out of the house and just so happen to be "inconveniencing you" by their emotional melt-downs at Walmart.  You don't know if they were up all night with a sick child or dying parent.


What about the friend or acquaintance you think talks too much?  Or shares too much?  Or is overly emotional?  Or doesn't talk enough?  And doesn't share enough of what's "REALLLY" inside?  Perhaps THEY were abused and neglected as a child.  Perhaps they have been burned by tooooo many people and as a result have built walls around their hearts and lives to "protect" themselves. 


It was a sad, but beautiful reminder, from God--for me to just BE....to not judge others so quickly--to extend GRACE that Christ so freely extends to me--to those around me.....


We are going to find ourselves in situations w/ our future family that I hope and PRAY others will be gracious and forgiving to.  We won't be able to tell every child's story to everyone we come into contact with--not even our own extended family members will necessarily know all the details of our future family.  That's an okay thing.....just praying that the Holy Spirit will prompt others the same way It has me....."You don't know their story." 


Get your Grace Gloves on people. ;o)

Stay Tuned....

Hoping to get a face-lift here soon.

Hoping to catch up and post new items.

Hoping to add a PayPal button.

Life is SPINNING 100 mph--and THIS IS WHY!