"Madeas Family Reunion"

Rob and I were able to go out on Friday with a pastor friend and his wife. It was a great time. The boys spent the night with my sister. All three of them. Originally, we were only taking the 2 little ones and leaving Jordan home. I just am not totally comfortable with that yet. At night, and I wasn't sure how long we'd be gone. The boys love going to my sisters house, and she was wonderful to take them all. See, I don't usually like to leave all 3 of them at any place for long. Boys can just be so competitive, and I worry. Generally they are good for others, but I guess I'm just the Mom. Oh well.

We went to a Mexican restaurant. It was really yummy. Then, since we did not have to hurry home we went to a movie. We saw, "Madeas Family Reunion". Okay, I really enjoyed the movie. Some might not. It dealt so well with abuse. It had some really funny parts also. I felt like I was crying the entire movie, either from a sad scene or a funny one. I really, really liked the movie. I think when it comes out on video I'll watch it again. This movie came from a Christian prospective dealing with abuse. Forgiveness was a great part of the movie, as was faith in God. Wow! It is so hard for an abused person to get away from the abuse to begin with. I personally think it is almost impossible to be done without the help of Christ at work in your life. One impacting part for me was when one of the girls in the movie talks about God loving her and seeking her when she didn't even love herself, and how absolutely healing that was for her. Again, I just really enjoyed the movie. I think it has to do with the fact that I come from an abusive family. This family was so much like my family in so many ways--well, we weren't rich though-but this movie hit home for me. It made abuse real to the world. I think as a society we don't talk about it, because if we don't talk about it, it doesn't happen and it's not real. UGH!!!!! It showed the emotional tie that the abused person has to the abuser. Sounds crazy, but it is so real. I never understood it until my sister and I started to deal with it. I'm so excited that we are breaking the cycle in our family. My children will not have to deal with the same issues that we are dealing with. God is so good. I'm thankful that he chose me, and has given me the courage to stand against abuse in our family. I could not do this without him, and giving me my husband who is absolutely wonderful with helping me. Wow, God is awesome.

This movie was particularity good for me to see. It helped me to have a renewed compassion for abused people. I have a strong desire to help these people, and lead them to Christ. This, I believe, is the only way they will have the strength to break the cycle. See, I believe our Heavenly Father, will CARRY us through these times. My hearts especially goes out to a lady in our town. She is probably my age, maybe younger, she has 4 children and is pregnant. Her youngest child, 2 years old, was severely beaten by her boyfriend. They thought she was going to die. We live in a small community and news traveled fast, and the community churches started praying. It was in the paper that "it was the worst case our police chief had seen". Well, the baby is alive and at home with Mom. I'll tell you when I heard it, for about an hour I could hardly even function properly to get my work done that day. I totally do not excuse the mother for this, however, my heart goes out to her, because I'm sure that abuse is all she knows. I'm am in prayer that if it is God's will he'll help me to lead her to salvation. I have known her for about 4 years and talk to her quit a bit. She comes in to the store I work at, when I worked 3rd shift was when I got to know her. Her 3 oldest girls ride our church bus. She is just such a hurting soul. Please help me pray for this situation. God is faithful, and I'm sure he has a plan, and if I'm to be a part of it, I want to be willing to do my part.