Family Tests

Many us see pristine family photos online of happy families. Those images don’t accurately depict what may be going on behind the scenes. Those images don’t accurately depict what many of us have experienced growing up or what we may be experiencing within our families at this given time. We may find ourselves within moments of distress as families tempted to give up, lash out, and pull away in action. I would like to encourage you to not allow those negative circumstances to break you all apart, but allow those challenging circumstances to strengthen you all as a united front.

Little Things Can Be Things

Our tests as families will vary in size and magnitude, yet they will all push us in asking the question “How are we going to get through this? ” I will never forget when our washer and dryer broke right before Christmas. We tried to save money by purchasing a used washer and dryer set. You get what you pay for. The used washer set broke within weeks. A family of six (especially where at time the twins were babies) needs to wash clothes almost daily. We had no other choice but to pull together, think strategic, and to be more resourceful. Some of our best times were at the laundromat as I reflect. It taught our children some good hands-on skills. They saw first-hand all it took in seeing “Mama” doing the laundry. They would help load, fold, and unload those heavy baskets like miniature pros. Let’s just say we found less toys in the washer after that!

Larger Than Life

There were times where what laid before us as a family in being tested felt larger than life. Those larger than life experiences that hit us as families truly test us in faith. My husband had a life threatening sickle cell eposide which landed him in the ICU for two weeks. Following his hospital stay his job released him from employment. Our family challenge of getting him back healthy, the financial strain of bills, and the emotional burnout as a mother trying to keep a sense of normalcy for the children almost pushed me to the point of burn out. We never imagined giving birth to tiny 24 weekers, extended hospital stays, surgeries, and the continuing therapies. There are too many incidents to name in one blog post of the challenges we’ve faced as a family. I will say this after each low blow or unpredictable stance we were pushed to pull it together though our faith.

United Front

There’s an array of emotions that we go through when will feel tried and tested. Our families aren’t immune to hardships, sickness, and disputes. Our children may go through things that push us to the breaking point as parents. We will be tempted to throw in the towel. We will feel like giving up, or we may fight sadly the feeling of giving up on those we love. Our families aren’t measured by how we’ve been tested, but how we choose to stay connected though it all. Our children learn effective coping skills in seeing how we as parents deal with life’s shake ups. We have the choice when tested as famlies to be divided when hit hard, or we can pull it all together as a united front. Make the decision through strengthening faith to not give up as famlies when tested never losing faith in God or one another.