Thorns

My son several times a week, says that he is dumb and that he hates his Tourrettes and that he's an imbecile .  This is obviously a HUGE struggle for me as a mom.  My sweet heart of a boy still struggles desperately over a lot in life that he didn't get to choose.  Now he HAS to manage it by learning strategies and coping mechanisms... which eventually wears him out.  Today was no exception.

As his mom, I can quite often see his storms rolling in, but at my suggestion, he has literally NO interest in doing what I have suggested. When I tell him to think of and use a tool for help processing through his emotions, he is too far frustrated to think clearly or quickly.  This tug of rope today brought desperately to mind the discussion Paul's Thorn in his Flesh in the 2 Corinthian Chapter 12!

We've all been there, am I right?!  That tug.  Between what we struggle with the what is obviously the will of God.  You see, He didn't come so that I might have comfort.  He came that I might have LIFE and have it abundantly.  Well, I don't know if you've noticed, but life isn't often comfortable.  Growing, moving, progressing, changing.  breathing, a heartbeat... not always comfortable.  What happens as we grow.  So many things!  Physically sometimes we outgrow our clothes and become uncomfortable in what we had once grown accustomed to!  Think that concept can bleed over into the more emotional, spiritual, mindful part of our inner life?!

Sometimes, we grow so fast that our physical balance actually becomes temporarily disturbed!  Tripping, fumbling, clumsiness becomes an issue!  This can create falls, scrapes, frustrations, the desire to give up!  But this doesn't last forever, it's just part of it!  The more we practice on those bigger feet and longer legs, the better we get.  The faster we get.

And oh the development of our brains!! Whew!  I have an older child in Junior high and that whole shift in their thinking strategies is both exciting and amazing... and utterly frustrating and annoying!

We all battle struggles.  They don't look the same, and they don't even all feel the same, but they are a connection none the less.  The struggle is not the end!  It's the lesson that creates beauty on the other side.

I've seen and still watch my neuro child STRUGGLE through plenty of things that don't seem so hard to others.  And I know its hard and frustrating... but it is a super important part of his journey that I can not, nor would I want to take away.  Ideally, I want to sand down the roughest parts so it's not soooo bad, and cushion some of the falls, but sometimes, all I get is to fix him up after it's over and teach him ways to help and prepare for the next time.  Cause in this life.  there usually is a next time.