I usually try to give people the benefit of the doubt, and offer credit. I have a short temper, but it is quickly extinguished, so it takes a lot to make me angry at someone. I flare up and cool off and move on.

There is one exception to that: If someone hurts my children in any way or causes them pain.

Tonight, before our evening prayers, Rich and I had to have a talk with our children that we were hoping we'd never have to make. We were hoping the circumstances could change, and it would have just been a hard time that we, their parents, went through, and we'd tell them about it much later, if at all. That is not to be.

I mentioned here the hard time that we've been going through for almost two months now, and the time came when we had to explain, as much as we could, to our children. Tonight was the closest I've gotten to outright anger, because our explanation meant that I got to watch my three oldest sons tear up and cry, and all I could do was wrap my arms around them and cry, too. We comforted them as much as we could, but they are so sad, and it broke our hearts to have to introduce this sadness to them.

Amira didn't really get the import of what we were saying, but it will not be many days before she understands it all too well. Jerome will likely have some hard times over it, but I don't expect him to remember this for very long.

It is a pain and burden that has been imposed on us. Please pray for us, our children, our friends.

Labels: Family, Prayer Requests