CELEBRATE This Week: LXXX
I’m glad you are here to celebrate! Share a link to your blog post below and/or use #celebratelu to share celebrations on Twitter. Check out the details here. Celebrate This Week goes live on Friday night around 10(ish). Consider it as a weekend celebration. Whenever it fits in your life, add your link. Please leave a little comment love for the person who links before you.
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I turned my Instagram account public. I’ve been using it to collect & document celebrations. I love it. Please follow me there: @ruth_ayres to find celebrations throughout the week.
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That’s Diego Fuller, Christian rap artist. You should follow him on Instagram @diegothagogetta or Twitter @gogetta4Christ.
Today I heard his story and it soothed the story I am living. Jay had a day where he made a choice he wished he didn’t make. Then he lied to cover it up.
This morning I was trying to celebrate the way Jay quickly turned to the truth and then, as soon as he got in the car with Andy after school, he told him the whole story.
This is a celebration. The turning to the truth is always a celebration. Admitting the truth is also a celebration. These are big steps in trust and security. These are steps I can rejoice as his momma, but the truth of the matter is the damage is still done. He made a mistake and it is one that people will remember.
I carried this bittersweet celebration with me into today’s opening session of CAFO 2015, trying to cling to the truth that healing is always a process and this is evidence of Jay’s healing.
Then I heard Diego’s story. As a teenage foster child, he burnt down his parent’s house. His dad told the story, telling of getting clothes at Walmart for the next day and checking into a hotel. Diego had foster brothers and they were all sure they would be moved to a new placement the next day.
This never happened, because their parents knew the commitment of forever families.
Today, Diego surprised his dad by showing up on stage beside him. He shared the power of unconditional love. Because of the big mistake of burning the house to the ground and the family remained intact, Diego (and his brothers) realized the power of being engrafted into a family.
There I sat, a little momma from a little town with a little boy who made a poor choice the day before. And I realized it’s the love that shows up on the other side of the poor choices that heals a child. When love stands firm on the other side of a poor choice, family becomes real. Love is real.
I celebrate — truly celebrate — getting to love my son on the other side of a tough day. I celebrate the power of sharing stories so we can make one another resilient. I celebrate healing love.
And I especially celebrate finding a rap artist with a positive message for Jay to love singing along with. Check out Diego Fuller’s album, Engrafted.
I hope you’ll celebrate and invite someone to join us!
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What a story of love and hope…that is a story to celebrate all week.
Love. Truth. Forever. So many reasons to celebrate!!!
What a hopeful and powerful story!
This (When love stands firm on the other side of a poor choice, family becomes real.) is so important to me, and to realize, Ruth. I love hearing all about Jay and the outcome, meeting Diego and his own amazing story. What a nice week you've had!
Sounds like several stories to celebrate. Jay's story of growing and changing. Diego's story of redemption. Diego's parents, who exhibited LOVE in amazing ways. And your willingness to love and hang tough with your boy. I needed to read this today. Thank you!
Your love for your children is ever present in every word you write. We all make a poor choice at some point, learning from them changes lives.
You are learning the hard way about family and choice and love. This wisdom “When love stands firm on the other side of a poor choice, family becomes real. Love is real.” will carry you through.
Ruth, I am always amazed by the power of your family stories and how forever love is present in your thoughts and actions.
I see kids everyday who do not have that person waiting to love them on the other side of a tough day, and it breaks my heart. I admire you so much for the hards things that you do. I wish some of my students had a Ruth in their lives. But they don't. So for now, I will do my best to love them when they are in my care each day. Beautiful story.
I got chills when you wrote about Diego's story. What a testimony to real love. You show that love, too, and it's powerful.
Oh my heart.