Saturday, July 23, 2011

how to respond to this message?

When you get a message that you don't know how to respond to, what do you do?  I got a couple text messages that fell in this group.  I had wished someone a Happy Birthday two weeks ago.  Today I got a response:


I did nothing special; it was not a 'special day'. You don't know who I am. I don't celebrate my birthday.  Its just another day I'ld like to forget. I hate my birthday and I wish everyone else would forget about it & never remember it again.  I don't feel special when someone says 'happy birthday'.  I feel mocked.  Remembering me 1 day out of the 365, doesn't cancel out being forgotten-or-UNIMPORTANT the other 364! Its retarded!


How do you tell someone their anger at life is evident?  How do you tell someone that they are special, God created them and that this is the day that is yours to remember your birth and another year to serve Him?  How do you tell someone that they are remembered & loved by me, daily, yes 365 days a year even if only notified occasionally?  How do you tell someone that when you get messages like this it creates distance, hurt and pain?  How do you tell someone that you know life is hard but that God gives Strength, Love and Courage for this Journey?  


I don't have the answers...because I have tried and I continue to get these responses.  I pray that God will show me how to help this sibling who is struggling beyond words and is angry at God and life.