A day in the life - with a 13 year old girl!

If I didn't believe in God, didn't have a real relationship with Him, I would throw in the towel and walk away into the sunset.



Today is day nine of M1's latest "episode", as we've come to call it. She's been defiant, rude, yelling, cutting and last, but not least, tearful. It is so sad. Part of me is so angry with her and her behavior, and part of me is full of pity for her. Pity is NOT what she needs.



It started with two assignments in the second week of 8th grade - write about your family. M1 is so conflicted in this area. She wants to love and be proud of her mom, but she realizes, I now believe that she's fantasizing about what most likely will never be. Her mom's not really "there for her"; except in her dreams.



So, we've gone down the openly defiant path this past week and days, she spent a day "cutting"; but her psychiatrist told her the next morning that it wasn't cutting, it was drama queen material. She's spent a day in in-school suspension; decided to run away from home last night at 8:45 pm, only to be "caught" by a former day-care worker that recognized her walking, me alongside her in the car, and stopped to help. And these things happened in just three days!



Last night, after running away and coming back home, she offered that she did love me and did know that I love her. That was like a MAJOR step for her . . . and for me.



It's the last day of school for the week. Will she come home in a good mood? Her friends are kind of ignoring her because of the rigamaroar caused at school by the cutting. They don't like having their parents called, they don't want their day interrupted by invitations to the principal's office. It's all coming full circle.



I've prayed all morning she'll have a good day today . . . and God is faithful, but He's also just.



There's a new day coming . . . tomorrow. //mp//