How these things happen?

This picture above was taken many many years ago. My sister Lorie on the left holding Chelsea and my sister Sandy on the right holding Sarah. Both girls (my sisters) grew up in the same home as I. Both with the same opportunities. But I can say truthfully they are polar opposites in life ...in everything good and bad in life.

Sandy graduated Valedictorian of her high school class. Sandy went to college and became a teacher. Sandy married a wonderful Christian man. Sandy and Chad have three of the most precious little boys, who have been brought up in the church. I don't say that lightly...these little boys knew Bible songs and Bible facts and knew God's love at ages most people don't even realize their children can learn at! They are faithful loving parents who have all their priorities in line...correctly in line!

Lorie? I am pretty sure she never graduated from high school (unless she has added her GED at some point). She has been married twice; both husbands were not the father of any of her children. The first husband married her when she was pregnant with her first child and later divorced her. She had two more children, each by yet again different fathers. She married a second man who had just gotten out of prisons and had AIDS (but she didn't because she got tested once!) She worked and the AIDS husband kept her children. She then divorced that husband. The most positive thing I can say is that apparently Lorie works and she has custody of all 3 children, but I am not sure that is even a positive.

I wonder at time how two children with like opportunity end up on different planes of reality?

ONE thing that makes a profound impact is desire, desire to be what you want in life, desire for success, desire for Christ....Sandy had it all. Lorie had none...it was all about self.

TWO, the second thing would have to be early childhood impact. There is no way to stress the importance of the first few years of life better than to see what it looks like on those who had horrible introductions to this life. Lorie's birth mother was a terrible mother. She cared more for herself and men than she ever cared for her children. She allowed men to hurt her children and her neglect added to that impacted the future of her children....certainly Lorie. Lorie was RAD, extreme RAD, long before the term was a household word.

Most sad to me, most upsetting is the children that are seemingly caught up in this cycle of life. I am sorry. I am sad. But my influence is less than limited.

Yesterday Lorie replied to my message on Facebook (she has been my facebook friend for a while) asking if she was remarried to Heath (because she was listed as newly married).

Her response was "H*** NO! He hacked into my account". Ya know. I delete people from my facebook account who curse. It bothers me. But in this case, when the words are directed back to me I had no choice but to reply as a sister 15 years older (who has children watching) should reply.

"A simply no would have been fine. I am sorry he hacked into your account. But I have children reading these posts."

The proper response? It would have been a "sorry, I was upset." Not that it would have flown with my kids, but I would have let it fly for her. But, she deleted me from her friends and all my children, frankly that is a HUGE relief. Her comments that always included "love aunt lorie!" are meaningless to me or my children. I am not sure she understands love.

Lorie has made allegations against my parents and me, she is a mess. Her life reflects that mess. She professes to be a Christian, but the fruits of her tree? They are not Christ-like.

But back to the question....how do these things happen? Simple. Satan. He works though people. He feeds them selfish desires and hatred. He's real. He's imbedded in this world just as surely as the trees are....

With every sad story there has to be a good one...right? I think so. I know so. There are success stories all around us. But all those successes have one thing in common.....

CHOICE! People CHOOSE to live the lives they live. Plain and simple. As my children read my blog, I hope they always realize that the person you wish to be is the person you choose to be! Plain and Simple:)