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Authors: Melody Carlson
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about your dad, Maya? Would he be able to come?”
I considered this. “Probably not. He’s touring in Europe until spring.”
She nodded. “Right. Well, do you want me to talk to some people about this? To see if I can get the ball rolling?”
“Sure,” I said eagerly. “And I’m willing to help, but I actually have a lot on my plate right now.”
“I’m sure you do.” She touched my arm. “Chloe told me about the phone call from your mother. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. Chloe knows I meet with you. And I had a little meltdown in front of her and Allie and Dominic this week.”
“Sometimes we need to melt down. It allows friends to step in and help. And it reminds us of how weak we are so that we can invite God to make us strong.”
“I actually felt a lot better after I told them about the whole thing,” I admitted. “And it really helped when they prayed for me.” I frowned slightly now.
“But?”
“But…I guess I still feel a little confused. I mean, if I think about it too much, and I try not to.”
“Confused in what way?”
“Well, I want to live my life like a Christian even when it comes to my mom…”
“And?”
“And I feel kind of guilty right now. Like I know she’s struggling, and she asked me to help her, and I turned her down.”
“How did she want you to help her?”
“Oh, you know, a place to live, to be together…the happy little family.”
“Meaning you’d be taking care of her again?”
I nodded. “But aren’t we supposed to be like that? I mean, Jesus tells us to love everyone, even our enemies. And to feed the hungry and give to the needy. I feel selfish telling my mom she’s on her own. And hypocritical.”
“You’re right. Jesus did say those things. And a lot more. But a lot of things in the Bible don’t always make perfect sense. There’s another thing that Jesus said that confuses a lot of people.”
“What’s that?”
She opened her Bible and read a pretty long section of Scripture.
Don’t think that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came to bring trouble, not peace. I came to turn sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. Your worst enemies will be in your own family.
If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. And unless you are willing to take up your cross and come with me, you are not fit to be my disciples. If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.
“Wow,” I said, feeling overwhelmed. “What does that really mean?”
Caitlin closed her Bible and smiled. “To be honest, I don’t know all that it’s supposed to mean. But then there’s a lot in the Bible that I don’t get…yet. I guess what I want to say to you, Maya, is that the important thing is to
follow Jesus
. Follow Himwith your whole heart. And allow Him to lead you through this thing with your mother. Because He’s the only one with all the answers.”
“Did Chloe tell you that she told me I wasn’t supposed to parent my mom?”
“She mentioned it.”
“And that seemed right to me. I mean, when she said it, it’s kind of like it clicked inside of me. Like it was the truth.”
“It’s possible God was using Chloe to speak to you, Maya. I have to say I agree with her on this. I don’t think God does want you to parent your mother.”
“And that verse about daughters turning against their mothers…” I thought about it for a moment. “Do you think that’s because my mother has turned her heart against God?”
“That sounds right to me.” Caitlin nodded. “I think it would be very difficult to align yourself with your parents’ beliefs if their beliefs conflicted with your own.”
“That pretty much describes Shannon and me. On top of illegal drugs and alcohol abuse, her whole moral standards and values are totally different
I considered this. “Probably not. He’s touring in Europe until spring.”
She nodded. “Right. Well, do you want me to talk to some people about this? To see if I can get the ball rolling?”
“Sure,” I said eagerly. “And I’m willing to help, but I actually have a lot on my plate right now.”
“I’m sure you do.” She touched my arm. “Chloe told me about the phone call from your mother. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. Chloe knows I meet with you. And I had a little meltdown in front of her and Allie and Dominic this week.”
“Sometimes we need to melt down. It allows friends to step in and help. And it reminds us of how weak we are so that we can invite God to make us strong.”
“I actually felt a lot better after I told them about the whole thing,” I admitted. “And it really helped when they prayed for me.” I frowned slightly now.
“But?”
“But…I guess I still feel a little confused. I mean, if I think about it too much, and I try not to.”
“Confused in what way?”
“Well, I want to live my life like a Christian even when it comes to my mom…”
“And?”
“And I feel kind of guilty right now. Like I know she’s struggling, and she asked me to help her, and I turned her down.”
“How did she want you to help her?”
“Oh, you know, a place to live, to be together…the happy little family.”
“Meaning you’d be taking care of her again?”
I nodded. “But aren’t we supposed to be like that? I mean, Jesus tells us to love everyone, even our enemies. And to feed the hungry and give to the needy. I feel selfish telling my mom she’s on her own. And hypocritical.”
“You’re right. Jesus did say those things. And a lot more. But a lot of things in the Bible don’t always make perfect sense. There’s another thing that Jesus said that confuses a lot of people.”
“What’s that?”
She opened her Bible and read a pretty long section of Scripture.
Don’t think that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came to bring trouble, not peace. I came to turn sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law. Your worst enemies will be in your own family.
If you love your father or mother or even your sons and daughters more than me, you are not fit to be my disciples. And unless you are willing to take up your cross and come with me, you are not fit to be my disciples. If you try to save your life, you will lose it. But if you give it up for me, you will surely find it.
“Wow,” I said, feeling overwhelmed. “What does that really mean?”
Caitlin closed her Bible and smiled. “To be honest, I don’t know all that it’s supposed to mean. But then there’s a lot in the Bible that I don’t get…yet. I guess what I want to say to you, Maya, is that the important thing is to
follow Jesus
. Follow Himwith your whole heart. And allow Him to lead you through this thing with your mother. Because He’s the only one with all the answers.”
“Did Chloe tell you that she told me I wasn’t supposed to parent my mom?”
“She mentioned it.”
“And that seemed right to me. I mean, when she said it, it’s kind of like it clicked inside of me. Like it was the truth.”
“It’s possible God was using Chloe to speak to you, Maya. I have to say I agree with her on this. I don’t think God does want you to parent your mother.”
“And that verse about daughters turning against their mothers…” I thought about it for a moment. “Do you think that’s because my mother has turned her heart against God?”
“That sounds right to me.” Caitlin nodded. “I think it would be very difficult to align yourself with your parents’ beliefs if their beliefs conflicted with your own.”
“That pretty much describes Shannon and me. On top of illegal drugs and alcohol abuse, her whole moral standards and values are totally different
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