Judgments

Some of you may not know what to do with the differing stories you are hearing about my family. Some are forming opinions based on my blog and snatches of gossip floating around. Some have heard parts of the story from me or my kids or Heath. I am asking, once again, for you to suspend judgment. You do not and cannot know the whole story.

You can only know my entire story if you can crawl inside my soul, feel what I feel, know what I've lived, experience the triggers I experience, and think the thoughts I think. (That's not taking into account Heath's, Abiel's, Judah's, Asher's, and Ella's entire story either.) There's only one being who can do that - Creator God. Until you can do that, you cannot judge me, the situation, or Heath accurately. Not even with a boat load of stories told to you from seemingly reliable sources, words from my own lips or journals, or posts from my own blog. You can't accurately assess my life based on the few outward choices you observe from a distance or hear about. Do you really know why I am doing what I'm doing, write what I write, live how I live? Your judgments will always be without all the evidence necessary to make a fair and accurate judgment. Your judgments will be laden with your own triggers, fears, belief systems, and bias.

So how am I asking you approach me, my story and my family? With curiosity? With unconditional Love? With a desire to know or understand me? With a desire to share something real of yourself. Come without pity or placating. Come without an agenda to change me, make me repent, and fall back in your line so you feel comfortable around me. If those options feel too difficult, then feel free to stop reading my blog and unfriend me from facebook. I'm not trying to make enemies. I'm not trying to change anyone's belief system. I'm not trying to win anyone to my side. I'm simply telling my stories and expressing what is real in me. I plan to continue learning how to do that with increasing clarity and realness.

Thank you to all who have read, listened, and observed while remaining loving and nonjudgmental. Your kindness is light in a stormy season.