welcome to york

My mom is literally a part of me. You can't say that about many people except relatives, and organ donors.

~Carrie Latet

Some of you may know that last August, I moved my mom from Arizona to Pennsylvania so she could be closer to family. A little history here might help. My parents divorced over 20 years ago. Together, they lived in Ohio. After the divorce, my mom picked up lock, stock and barrel and moved to Arizona. She had always loved the desert and everything ‘western’ including horses and cowboys.…and Arizona has a lot of cowboys! (She likes the idea of cowboys – not actually being with cowboys – I don’t want you to get the wrong idea! She swore off men after the divorce). She loves Arizona. But in the past five years her health has begun to deteriorate. She has high blood pressure, diabetes, COPD and congestive heart failure and those are just the things that could kill her. She has so many other issues that we almost need to hire an assistant to keep it all straight.

Our journey together has been challenging to say the least. She was raised by parents who loved her but had no idea how to express that love to her. As much as they loved her, they struggled to love each other. Add alcoholism into the mix and you have a chaotic family dynamic that left little to room to nurture the needs, let alone the dreams, of a young girl. To understand my mom, you need to understand her history….and what is part of my history.

You may be asking yourself ‘what’s this story is doing in my blog on contemplative spirituality’? Well, let me tell you. I’ve spend a lot of time writing about how my time with God impacts my actual living out life and my life with mom is one way God is speaking into and moving through my life.

It is also important for you to know that I write about this subject with her permission. It was either this or develop a standup comedy routine…you cannot believe all the material I have! The blog seemed the easier choice. So, with her blessing, I will begin to share, in bits and pieces, both funny and touching stories of how God has brought us back together in so many ways. I think you will cry – either because you are laughing…. or because you identify with the tragedy that is passed down generationally, the hard work of the breaking of unhealthy patterns and the beauty of forgiveness and healing.

May you come to see parts of yourself and relationships in your life and either recognizing where God has already provided healing and redemption or how God may be calling you to move towards restoration or peace.

Mom – I dedicate these pieces to you – I honor your willingness to leave all that you knew and come to share in my life and the lives of my family. I know it was one of the hardest things you have done, but I am so glad you are here. You have provided me with endless material to write about. :0)
Love,
deb