Talking Brands At The Alley Today

What do you think about when I say, Harlequin?

Come by The Writer's Alley, I am talking about branding! 

Happy Monday!

#whyIwrite

We have been on Spring Break, and with the craziness of four kids demanding entertainment, I have slipped in my regular blogging. 'Tis life.

But, as I run around town with kiddos and friends, I happen to find time to squeeze out word count as I have a few projects going on. It's fun to be busy in the writerly way. And it's something essential to me. I hope to get back on the blogging track. For now, I am writing "offline". Have a beautiful Palm Sunday tomorrow!

Faith-Filled Friday: Hebrews 10

Mental Health is Real: From a Mama's Perspective

What do you do when your child's therapist says she's at a loss?

I mean, we've seen this gal for over a year now, and she's done wonders for his anxiety. But lately, my son's inherent stubbornness has him go to these sessions and refuse to cooperate. He crosses his arms and looks at me with anger and mouths, "I want to go home."

Part of me thinks it's a good thing. He used to hate school and was fine with me picking him up early for these appointments. But now, he is not so okay when I pull him away from his happy social place in third grade.

But then there is the part of me that struggles with the underlying issue of why he so vehemently hates it. He's said it before, and he's struggled long with the worry.

"Am I weird?" He's asked time and again. "It's weird to go to a therapist."

How does a nine year old buy into the stigma of mental health? But it's there. It's very much a concern of my little boy who struggles with general anxiety and mild depression.

It's a terrifying thing to see a person you love struggle with chemical inbalance and whither away to a desperate mess. I know how he's felt because I've dealt with it on and off. And so has my husband. And so have many members of our extended family.

I read way too many local stories of teen suicide, too many national stories of individuals acting out because of uncared for mental health.

Mental health is real. And we should think about it as much as we think about our cholesterol, blood pressure, waistline.

I pray that it becomes more accepted, so those who need help feel they can receive it without hiding it.

So, what can I do for my son, right now, since he's putting up a fight? The therapist said to see how it goes, and if he's doing good, then we can push back his appointment. But if he has breakdowns, then we need to continue.

Gotta pray for peace, for him. It hurts to see him struggle. Gotta love him, gotta remember the many golden pieces of advice from his counselor, and gotta remember that mental health is real. And I have to prepare him for his next session. Regardless of his resistance. If he needs it, then there really is no excuse.

Let's stop the stigma, and give our children, our teens, and our fellow adults a chance toward peace without shame or ignorance.

Christian Rumor: Mama Drama non-kid-induced

Our kids are being raised in a 'brave, new world'..and brave being used in the most loose way. I mean, seriously, spouting opinions about anything under the sun has become as widespread as inquiring to a new friend, "Where'd you grow up?"

Any delusion I may have had as a young mother assuming my kids would gradually be exposed to the ways of this world is obliterated in my current role as extinguisher-of-all-the-crap-my-nine-year-old-hears.

The child really is a sponge. And there are a lot of over-saturated sponges walking around his school telling him things about this big bad world. It's been a tough go of it, especially since he fears that a certain candidate will win and ruin the country (at his age, I was worried that the girl across the street would find a new best friend. Geez).

*BTW I strongly see his point on this* HOWEVER, something I came across today really put this phenomena of worldly topics reaching my kids ears (and hearts) in a whole new camp, and a dangerous one at that.

When a rumor is told, fiercely spread nationally, and a whole group is motivated to fan the flame, I am on a major defense and have to do my best to dig out the seed already planted in their little brains. And what makes me ferociously mad, is when the rumor-spreader is part of a Christian agenda.

Do you realize, Mr./Mrs. Christian Movement Maker, that you are crushing your witness to the world? You might be gaining steam politically or socially, but you are hurting the next generation in the most devastating way.

You are teaching my kids to judge (think there's a Bible verse on that) and alienate themselves from places where they might just make a difference.

You are running the risk of my children to not trust God's people. And that God's people are not trustworthy. And when that happens, they believe lies about God's people and God himself.

No Christian, no matter how well-intentioned, how desperate, or how popular, should associate with a rumor. If anything, Christians should be the first to stand up against the lies, the hate, the deceit. More and more, especially in election year, I see the mass quantity of falsities being spread indiscriminately. We have to sift through lies to even catch a glimpse at truth. And what's most scary, is how I see many people not being bothered to doing that, so they are constructing a false world around them, a flawed opinion that's gaining ground in taking over the young minds after us.

It's ugly and it must be stopped.

Stop believing rumors, Church. Start standing for truth, even if it doesn't puff up your agenda and it brings innocence to a non-believer. As my grandmother used to say,

The Truth's the Truth.

Let our kids grow up knowing that, first and foremost.