The real deal.....

Are you the real deal?  

By this I mean, Are you real?

There's been a lot of, what my pastor likes to call "crappies" lately.  As opposed to "happies".  These crappies are mostly happening to my almost 21 year old daughter, however, I can remember not so long ago when these things were happening to me.  If you have followed my blogs you know that Anna's Granpa has died.  They were tight.  The day before the funeral our house sale fell through.  All the while we are trying to figure out whether or not to proceed to move in with family as planned or stay in the house.  Losing a month of pay myself and knowing that I'd left a well paid job for a less stressful one, left us to believe that proceeding with moving in with family was the way to go.  At least showing it was easier.  Thinking Anna would be better after she went to school, we tried to keep her busy.  It was a long break for her.  She couldn't wait to leave.  This semester has thrown some major curve balls at her.  Another class to juggle, boyfriend, grief, etc.  

So before I go any further, are you the real deal?

Anna and I are a lot alike, you ask, we give.  I'd like to think we are the real deal.  We would go to your family's funeral and hold your hand.  We would let you cry for hours then eat pints of ice cream with you.  We would call you and say, what can I do?  And if we didn't know, as some people don't have the ability to be empathetic, we definitely would admit to our short comings and try to put ourselves in your shoes.  At least try to try to care, instead of running away from what is hard to deal with.  We bring you lunch, chocolate, neat things that make us think of you.  We give you things of our own because, why not, you love it more than we do.

So, are you the real deal?

Did you hold her hand at the funeral?

Did you listen to what your buddies said about another's marriage rather than keeping to yourself, or did you judge?

Did you eat a pint of ice cream with Anna while she cried?

Were you supportive?  Send a card, maybe some flowers?  Or even acknowledge ones existence.

This is definitely a very huge valley we are going through as a family.  All for different reasons.  My husbands friends no longer call him because he works new hours, he got a promotion today,  after one year.  These friends probably don't even know the name of where he works.  They think they knew about our troubles, but they were ours.  In our walls, in our home.  They dislike me, such a shame.  Like Anna I'd give you the shirt off my back.

Anna's boyfriend cheated on her, his reason, she was mean to him after Christmas break.  So lame.

I looked at her today and said that she had a lot of grown up decisions to make.  She agreed and said I know and I can't stop crying.  Keep praying Anna.  We will make it.  It's a valley of many we will go through and God is walking right beside us the whole way.  When we get to the end, He will still be there.  Never depend on people, they will always let you down, God will not.

I ask again, Are YOU THE REAL DEAL?