Jeremy Taylor- Question 1 (Ashamed and Encouraged)

I have had many opportunities to be ashamed of my birth and of my economic position growing up, but for some reason I always seemed to look at the positive side of things. I grew up in non-Christian and poor family with an alcoholic father and a rebelling brother. My brother, mom, and dad were always negative and pessimistic so I felt as if I needed to be the positive, peppy, cheerful person in the house to bring the mood up.  There would be times were I would be alone and I’d become upset, or days when I let it get to me and I would complain or be ashamed, but for the most part I was pretty ok with it all.

                Taylor also writes about not being ashamed of your parents, now that is one thing I still have trouble with. I love my dad, I really do, but I am tremendously ashamed of his alcoholism. I don’t mind talking about it or sharing it with people, but I would never ever want anyone to meet or see my dad while he has been drinking. I honestly am not sure how to overcome being ashamed of it either.

                I am encouraged by my background in the fact that I learned a lot because of it. I had to grow up quicker than most kids, I learned how to take care of myself, I learned how to be the mediator and peacemaker in situations, I learned how dangerous alcohol and pride is, etc. I witnessed a lot of bad examples of things too, like I learned how not to treat your spouse and how not to treat your children. Because of my home life I also learned what true love is and that God is enough. When you feel completely alone and have nothing left and you see even a glimpse of hope or someone caring for you, you reach for that with everything you have. I’m lucky that God stuck his hand out to me when he did and pulled me close to him. It is encouraging to see how far I have come from when I first fell in love with my Heavenly Daddy, to how much more I'm in love with him now.