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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

No Matter How Old I Get, My Brother Is Still 2 Years Younger Than Me!



I wanted to dedicate this blog to my little brother, Chad! Tomorrow is his birthday, so I wanted to take a minute and tell him how much he means to me! It's not very often in life that we find people that we share alot in common with-& I didn't have to go far to "find" him...but I'm soooo glad God chose to give him to me! We have shared an unbelievable past together and both have realized how faithful God has been to us! I can remember how sweet and innocent Chad was as a child. It was like he was so carefree and happy. I always wanted to do my best to love him, set a good example for him, and protect him! As we got older and he kept growing, and growing, and growing....I realized he didn't need too much "protection" from me any more, and it became more like he was my "protector"! Ha!

Chad is the type of brother who always wants to make sure everyone is doing well & he deeply cares and is concerned about his family! I know if I needed anything- he'd be there for me in a second & vice-versa. God has put a passion and sense of purpose inside of Him and when we were younger, things didn't make a whole lot of sense...BUT God made sense of it...and He has used the weak places in our lives to make us Strong. Because when we are weak, He is strong!

Looking back, I can see how being mistreated as a child can make a person angry...And to be honest, for many years my brother & I were angry. Chad had basketball as an outlet-Thank God! and I didn't know what to do with my anger, so I turned it inward....which I found out was called depression. Everyone does their best to live their lives, but when children don't have stable parents to lean back on...it's pretty unsettling for the kids. All parents say their doing their best-but what does that really mean? The only hope we had for a decent future was Jesus Christ!

So what do you do with an Extreme childhood? You go out and make the most of what God has given you- use your height (build), talents, and heart to pursue God's plan for your life. You don't care what anyone else is doing or says or what you "haven't" been given but you give whatever you DO have to help others. You spend countless hours on the phone, speaking to pastors, setting up opportunities to share Christ with teenagers who you know desperately NEED him. You take time to listen and respond to emails from kids who are hurting, just like you were. You become the parent you always wanted to have...You give your children endless opportunities, and get involved in their lives and care about what THEY care about! You don't rely on excuses to say, but "I'm just doing the best I can"....you actually ARE doing the BEST you can, with whatever limited insight you've been given..:-)

As far as the anger goes, it has been a process, but I can see how both of us have grown!!! There is freedom in Jesus Christ and that's why He's been our Only hope! The more time you spend with Him, the less you want any "junk" in your life!

My brother is one of my hero's. And that says a lot because other than Jesus, I don't have too many! There have been a few Key people who have let me down...unfortunately- but He's not one of them! I understand love better, because of the gift God has given me in my brother!

Thanks Chad for being so LOVING! You are Wonderful & I appreciate you to the core!

Happy Birthday!!!

Your Sis, Wendy