From the Blendermom Archives: Words, Words, Words

October 8, 20141 Comment

Verbal affirmation: That is my love language. I don’t really remember when words became so important to me. I remember writing my first song when I was in the 4th grade. I wrote songs and poetry in high school and even had a poem published in a creative writing publication through the school.

I do remember, however, when words started to hurt, when words felt like fists, when words changed me for the rest of my life. That is what verbal abuse will do to you. It leaves you in deep pain, beaten, and defeated. “I love you, so I’m going to tell you all that is wrong with you! Everyone else, your friends and co-workers, they think the same things about you that I’m saying. They just don’t love you enough to tell you.” I heard that day after day. Words and more words just chipping away at my lonely soul. Oh if only I had really known by heart Proverbs 18:2 “Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.” (That’s a good one and pretty much describes a verbal abuser.)

Here is one small example. When he would get angry he would (what I call) rage at me for hours. He would go on and on about what I had done wrong, twisting and turning it making me wish I was smarter or could have known how to say or do whatever it was I had not done right. I remember one night he was angry at something I don’t recall what it was. He had been raging and angry for a couple hours and I was exhausted. I was exhausted from defending myself and the long day and needed to go to work the next morning. I turned the light off and told him lets just try to calm down and go to bed. I got into bed and he flipped the light on in my face and said he was not finished with me yet but that he would after his shower. While he was in the shower I went and made a bed on the floor of the baby’s room thinking he would leave me alone and let me sleep if I was in there because he would not want the little one to wake up. Exhausted, I drifted off to sleep until I was awakened suddenly feeling breath on my face and in the darkness I was able to make out his eyes a few inches from my face. My heart began pounding. He coldly whispered that he was not finished with me and if I wouldn’t come back into our room he would drag me back in there. I started whispering/begging to let me sleep and finish it the next day but he grabbed the corners of the blanket and proceeded to drag me out of the room. He got about half way and I heard the baby stir. I did not want the little one to wake up! So I got up, head hanging and followed him back into the room. I don’t remember what happened after that. I just remember my deeply broken and bruised spirit as I walked out of that room. I remember the fear, shame, and humiliation.

At the end of the movie, Labyrinth, is another very good example of what emotional and verbal abuse looks like. The goblin king originally plays the victim making the object of his affection, the girl feel like she is ungrateful for all he’s done even though the things he’s done have actually been against her and have been meant to harm her. Next is the big part of the contradiction of abuse. He says to let him rule her. He says to do as he says and he will be her slave. That can not happen it is the opposite. You can not have both because one will always be in control and dominate the other. Also, more importantly, when comparing it to spousal abuse is how he says to fear him and love him! Take a look at this verse! 1 John 4:18 NIV “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” You can’t have fear of that person and receive love! That’s not love.

Because verbal affirmation is my love language, I honestly think that is why that kind of abuse had such a profound impact on me. Words, good and bad, hit right to my heart. My husband can clean and do laundry (which I’m not hatin) however if he doesn’t verbalize his love to me, I wonder what ulterior motive might he have. Sounds crazy but that is me.

This post was also published on familyfusioncommunity.com and here is the link: http://familyfusioncommunity.com/2013/11/04/words-words-words/. My email is me@blendermom.me if you need someone to pray with you if you are in this kind of relationship.

Abuse is Abuse

October 5, 2012May 20, 20132 Comments

I want to talk about verbal/emotional abuse. I didn’t know what it was at first. I thought that I was just becoming too sensitive and could not handle my self the way I should or maybe I wasn’t smart enough to say and do the right things as his wife. I thought that I was going crazy because I would scream and cry when I was alone because if I did it in front of him or tried to defend myself his anger would become so much worse. Let me state this clearly that he never ever hit me or laid a hand on me. It was always implied however. That was what tortured me the most was always this unspoken threat of what might would happen if he became even more angry and it terrified me. When he would get angry he would (what I call) rage at me for hours. Going on and on about what I had done wrong, twisting and turning it making me wish I was smarter or could have known how to say or do whatever it was I had not done right. I remember one night he was angry at something I don’t recall what it was. He had been raging and angry for a couple hours and I was exhausted. I was exhausted from defending myself and the long day and needed to go to work the next morning. I turned the light off and told him lets just try to calm down and go to bed. I got into bed and he flipped the light on in my face and said he was not finished. He then said he would finish after he took a shower. While he was in the shower I went and made a bed on the floor of the baby’s room thinking he would leave me alone and let me sleep if I was in there. I drifted off and then I felt eyes on me and breathing. When I opened my eyes he was inches from my face. It scared me to death. He coldly whispered that he was not finished with me and if I wouldn’t come back into our room he would drag me back in there. I started whispering/begging to let me sleep and finish it the next day but he grabbed the corners of the blanket and proceeded to drag me. He got about half way and I heard the baby stir. I did not want the little one to wake up! So I got up, head hanging and followed him back into the room. I don’t remember what happened after that. I just remember the deep broken bruised spirit as I walked out of that room. I didn’t know it was abuse becaue I didn’t have physical proof but I later realized it for what it truly was. Victims of abuse have a very deep need to be validated! They want people to see that they are not this horrible person the abuser wants you to think you are and terrified that just that is the way the world will view them and even more terrified that the world will see the abuser as the victim! You have to realize, though, that abuse is abuse no matter what form. It is about one controlling the other. I posted the video of a clip from the end of the movie “Labyrinth”. I actually love the movie but this is a very good example of what emotional and verbal abuse looks like. If you watch the clip you notice that the king originally plays the victim makes her feel like she is ungrateful for all he’s done even though the things he’s done have actually been against her. But next is the big part of the contradiction of abuse. He says to let him rule her. He says to do as he says and he will be her slave. That can not happen it is the opposite. You can not have both because one will always be in control and dominate the other. Also and this is the really important part especially when comparing it to spousal abuse is how he says to fear him and love him! Please please think about this verse! 1 John 4:18 NIV “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” You can’t have fear of that person and recieve love! It is not what real love is. Real love is what I talked about in previous post. It is real caring and real respect. God wants you to feel His love! He does not want you to be treated this way. If you have any questions or need advice please email me and I, with God’s help, will do my best! info@blendermom.me

Great Expectations

September 5, 2012Leave a comment

Some times I struggle. Haha I bet you’re thinking duh, we all struggle. That is true, we all do. However, let me explain further. I’m not talking about being a blender mom. Yes, that has its set of struggles but I’m talking about being a mom, being a wife, being a Christian woman, that is where I struggle too. Where is my place in this world? What is my true idenity? What is God’s purpose for me in this life? I know you have often asked those questions to yourself like I have. Here are some things to think about when you find yourself wrestling with this issue as we all will at times. First, God gave you everything you need to be great when He made you!! Read Psalm 139, the entire chapter declares this. Then read 139:13-16 You were made complex and awesome! Do not underestimate this! Next, is a verse that I heard taught about in a message by Diane Wilson. Look up Genesis 1:27&31 of the amplified Bible. Take hold of those words in vs 31 “and He approved it completely”. You were approved of completely when you were made! I was made to think by a marriage in the past that I was somehow made wrong. I could not say the right things and do the right things without provoking rage. I became broken in my soul. I was told day in and day out that I was not smart or capable. I was slowly taught to not trust myself and in turn to not trust the Holy Spirit living in my heart. I came across Psalm 139 one day. I had heard it before but never really took it in. God reminded me that day that He does not make mistakes and He did not make a mistake when he made me. Study His word and know that he made you with a purpose in mind, so expect more of yourself than what other people in your life that may be trying to drag you down make you think you are not capable of doing. Expect more from God too, the One who made you! God’s plan for you is not some great difficult trial. It is as simple as taking what you love and are good at and using it for Him. I love being a mom and creating a home and memories for my children are very important to me. I feel it is my purpose in life to raise these children that God has given me to love Him in a powerful way. It is to help them realize that He made them complex and awesome too. Guess what? It is those simple desires that God created in me that I feel He wants to use. When you are looking for your purpose in life, start simple, right where you are. What are some things that you love to do or feel you are good at? Then ask yourself how could you use that for His glory?

“Trusting God completely means having faith that He knows what is best for your life. You expect Him to keep His promises, help you with problems, and do the impossible when necessary.”
― Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth am I Here for?