1 Corinthians 10:13
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide a way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." English Standard Version
Judy's childhood was tumultuous at the hand of an overworked Mother, a gravely ill younger sister, an outspoken older sister and a stressed out Father. Hiding from trouble became a game. Her own knowledge deep down that she was on earth for a purpose, kept her from drastic consequences. She loved life, loved learning, found peace in the public school environment, reached out to those in less fortunate situations, served as peacemaker between her two sisters and stayed away from trouble.
She was the middle sister of 3 girls. All 3 births were within 28 months. Her theory about her mother/daughter relationship is that her Mother married, started a family, and never had the opportunity to recover from 3 girls in diapers and the fast forwarded life of three girls in graduation gowns. The weddings crept up on her Mother so quickly that the third engaged daughter decided to save Mom the grief, and simply elope.
Because the only accepted way to leave their home in the 60's was to marry, all 3 were married in a span of 24 months at age 18, well Judy turned 19 a few weeks before her wedding. New homes, careers, husbands, children and a new awareness of the effects of their upbringing, separated family members for several seasons. Holidays were stressful, and support from parents and siblings were strained.
Judy's marriage was a dream until her husband joined the ranks of all their peers, and left for the US Army during the Viet Nam war. It wasn't long before coping skills were tested. Alcohol and drugs were introduced, then took control. Army, good-byes, relocating, rare family visits, lack of coping mechanisms, were drowned by anything that would numb the emotions. Her sons at ages 7 and 9 were the love of her life, and her husband was the only one she longed to stay with, but the stresses of life were strangling her, as she choked down more pills and alcohol to cope.
Judy's childhood was tumultuous at the hand of an overworked Mother, a gravely ill younger sister, an outspoken older sister and a stressed out Father. Hiding from trouble became a game. Her own knowledge deep down that she was on earth for a purpose, kept her from drastic consequences. She loved life, loved learning, found peace in the public school environment, reached out to those in less fortunate situations, served as peacemaker between her two sisters and stayed away from trouble.
She was the middle sister of 3 girls. All 3 births were within 28 months. Her theory about her mother/daughter relationship is that her Mother married, started a family, and never had the opportunity to recover from 3 girls in diapers and the fast forwarded life of three girls in graduation gowns. The weddings crept up on her Mother so quickly that the third engaged daughter decided to save Mom the grief, and simply elope.
Because the only accepted way to leave their home in the 60's was to marry, all 3 were married in a span of 24 months at age 18, well Judy turned 19 a few weeks before her wedding. New homes, careers, husbands, children and a new awareness of the effects of their upbringing, separated family members for several seasons. Holidays were stressful, and support from parents and siblings were strained.
Judy's marriage was a dream until her husband joined the ranks of all their peers, and left for the US Army during the Viet Nam war. It wasn't long before coping skills were tested. Alcohol and drugs were introduced, then took control. Army, good-byes, relocating, rare family visits, lack of coping mechanisms, were drowned by anything that would numb the emotions. Her sons at ages 7 and 9 were the love of her life, and her husband was the only one she longed to stay with, but the stresses of life were strangling her, as she choked down more pills and alcohol to cope.
In her childhood, her ability to hide from her parents, when they were struggling with anger issues, developed a sneaky, uncanny side that ended up being her demise. She sampled drugs and ultimately settled on alcohol as a young adult. Numbing her pain and disappointments in life, she kept her feelings to herself until they were too much to bear. Knowing an explosion was about to take place, and seeing everything in life was more than she could bear, she had heard it quoted but still hated hearing the scripture, 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Of course she didn't know the end of the promise in this scripture, only the middle - the plot, the emphasis everyone put on "God will not," not even the lead in to the scripture was familiar.
None was ever explained to her. A friend just continually quoted, "God will not put more on you than you can bear!" It burned like a branding iron into an achy place inside her chest. She carried the burden of an awareness ... God's teachings were lies.
Since every story structure is made up of a beginning, a plot and an ending, she was living the plot on her own, never knowing that the issues she struggled with were "common to man," and that the end of the story is God's beautiful "way of escape." Enduring to the end is now her lifetime goal. Being a part of other people's stories has been a healing balm.
She remembers thinking, "If God doesn't put more on me than I can bear, He must not know me or my limits."
Of course she didn't know the end of the promise in this scripture, only the middle - the plot, the emphasis everyone put on "God will not," not even the lead in to the scripture was familiar.
None was ever explained to her. A friend just continually quoted, "God will not put more on you than you can bear!" It burned like a branding iron into an achy place inside her chest. She carried the burden of an awareness ... God's teachings were lies.
Since every story structure is made up of a beginning, a plot and an ending, she was living the plot on her own, never knowing that the issues she struggled with were "common to man," and that the end of the story is God's beautiful "way of escape." Enduring to the end is now her lifetime goal. Being a part of other people's stories has been a healing balm.
She remembers thinking, "If God doesn't put more on me than I can bear, He must not know me or my limits."
"A Way of Escape - the 12 steps I never took," is her journey to recovery from those things she could not bear - ALONE!
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