Scrapping the Sad Moments

The first challenge of the year is up at Scrapping Everyday Miracles.

This month we were encouraged to scrap a sad moment in our lives.  It was perfect timing in a way.  I discovered a few childhood family photos on my laptop as I was cleaning it up over Christmas.  This photo is so telling of the way I feel about my childhood.  So much sadness still present in my heart over it.  Look at my brother and me, how sad we appear to be.  Chances are we were likely yelled at for one thing or another just before this photo was snapped.  The only person smiling in the photo is my father.  The controlling, and abusive one in the family.

The twist this month was to use a bird, a symbol of freedom on our project.  Mine is tiny, but it's there on the My Mind's Eye brad on the bottom right.

A lot of journaling on this one.  Not hidden this time, but right out in the open, giving God the glory for the woman I've become in spite of the heavy hand under which I was brought up.  Jouranaling reads: "People often have a hard time believing my upbringing was as difficult as it was.  My bubbly, outgoing personality doesn't line up with what should have been the product of the emotional abuse I suffered as a child.  My explanation is always that God had a plan for me.  It was by His grace that both my brother and I turned out to be caring, loving individuals who broke the pattern of generational sins in my father's family.  John 16:33 has been a type of life verse for me. "I have told you these things that you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble but take heart for I have overcome the world."  It's so clear in this photo how unhappy we all are, only my father is smiling.  He was the only one with anything to smile about.  We all lived under his heavy and controlling hand. Thankfully, all my life I had other adults, surrogate parents who loved me, encouraged me, and showed me what the love of Jesus truly looked like.  The Holy Spirit worked through them to grow in me compassion, forgiveness, and a tender heart.  I am who I am because of Jesus.  Amen"

Have you ever scrapped a sad moment in your life?  I found this a little emotionally draining to do, but I'm glad I did it.  It will become part of my scrapbooks.  It's a part of my history, and deserves it's place among the memories of the rest of my story.

If you'd like to see what the rest of the team chose to scrap you may do so here.  If you choose to play along with us, you may link up there also.  You have until January 31st to do so, and be entered for a chance at our Top 3, as well as a $15 gift certificate to Paper Loves Glue (a fabulous little Etsy shop with great crafting product)

Hope your week is off to a great start, thanks for popping by today! Pin It