The Rhythms of His Heart

 I woke up in the night with a picture of a bride walking her aisle wounded. Her white dress ruined by a bloody wound that needed tending to.  She was visibly upset, but wasn't making a lot of noise actually.  You see,  her wound was not very visible from a distance.  It was only as you got close that you could see little drops of blood on her back from a sword that cut her deeply.  She had tried to cover it up with layers of cloth, but it was still bleeding through to her beautiful fairy tale gown. There were some  that saw the blood and asked "What can I do to help?" There were some that stayed at a distance thinking all was well and good.  Some began in anxious fear running for band aids, peroxides and ointments that would take care of  the surface of the wound, but failed to go deep. Some even thought it good to take more swords and cut around the wound intending to see it clearer, but instead caused more damage. There even were people who in good concern were pr

A year ago around this time I sat with a Youth who became very angry and volatile at the drop of a hat.  One evening she came to sit in a space with me to "cool off."  Honestly, I was anxious about it as soon as I got the text she was coming!  Even though I knew this was the job I had signed up for,  I was tired of being yelled at and sworn at for no apparent reason.  It was a harsh reminder of what happens when kids in care have lives of not learning love, not learning trust or true family and blame those who try to give them glimpses of anything different.  If you are a group home worker, social worker,  foster parent or youth worker reading this I know you know what I'm talkin' about :) High fives to you when you do your job well--for caring long hard hours and enduring such emotional stress!  I pray your heart stays tender with a "thick skin" that gives you courage to continue to do your work well! I also need to give a few fist bumps to you if you are r