Yes for sure. Stress is a part of life. We can't avoid it. The one thing we can do is realize that the Lord is with us in our darkest hours and has our backs. We are not alone. He wants us to cast all our care on Him for He cares for us.

THANK YOU so much for those quotes. I had to read them a couple times and thought about how my dislike for the girl my son was about to marry, the way she treated me (I should have been the adult and ignored her behavior) and the fact that she was aethiest -- well, had I responded with love instead of standing firm on them needing to treat me and my DH with respect -- might not have been estranged for 7 years.

But the past is the past and over the first years when I was apologizing for 'whatever' they saw that I did or didn't do, didn't matter. They were young and head strong.

But I felt the guilt - could my actions have caused my son to not be with his father for 7 years and now my DH is gone? Again, all the punishment we give ourselves. We should not do that. I have asked their forgiveness but first and foremost, God's forgiveness.

Yes, I was the source of my own stress and it stole freedom and joy from me. Now that is in the past and I learned to love myself and find happiness in life, but it is hard without my DH.

Each morning I start the day with this prayer: God, thank you for another day; show me where you want me to be and help me to bless someone today.

Norske, I was in that very same place myself. Trying desperately to obtain the love of my daughter while she was still bouncing between which parent she favored most, left me feeling stressed, and somewhat guiltridden when she estranged.
I've played those events over again in my mind, and realize I could not have done anything more, and God has given me peace about her decision. It still pains me, but it is, and will continue to be her burden to bear for the remainder of her life, and into her eternity. I have left that sad time at the cross, and wake up each day grateful for another opportunity to enjoy God's embrace, and demonstrate His love, and enjoy the love of a faithful, Godly son.

I really believe estrangement has much less to do with any reaction or behavior of ours to our EC in the past
than it does about their choices. We did not cause it. The enemy did and their free will.

I love you morning prayer, Norske. Each day is a gift. Your DH and you were good parents. We all were.

It is called 'rumination' ---- I try so hard to stop that at the door before it comes in, takes over in a comfy chair and soon I am lost in the same 'ole thoughts that drain me, depress me and take me away from my Lord and Savior.

I have to admit I've been doing a lot of negative thinking over the past week. If we didn't feel sadness when family hurts us, would that not make us rather like robots? I think the only people who could get through estrangement without feeling down and depressed, at least from time to time, would be sociopaths,

Well, I think its a difference between having the feeling and the feeling having you. When we have a headache, for example, we do what is necessary to be relieved of the pain so that we can get on with the day unhindered. People with chronic diseases often speak in theses terms. They have an illness that they didn't ask for, didn't want, and cannot change but they do not surrender every aspect of their lives to it so that they voluntarily give it control over things that they have full control over such as their thoughts, words, character, witness, disposition, and living their lives in abundance to the glory of God. The illness doesn't have them. When our thoughts lead us into pain over things we have no control of, we need to do what is necessary so that those thoughts don't control us and Rob us of the joy of our salvation and hinder our primary purpose to"glorify God and enjoy Him forever."

I definitely create a lot of my own stress. I can't help but go over it in my mind of what went wrong. I just have to pray and stop myself. It is hard.

It is hard and without Our Faith and God we would not survive the loss , pain and hurt! But with God all things are possible!

I to,am guilty for causing my own stress,thinking to much of what people think if i dont do something they think i should do.And its hard to shake it out of your thoughts.I have been trying,very hard.Not wanting to hurt peoples feelings,but they can hurt mine and i accept it sounds crazy doesnt it? But i am sure alot of you guys know what i am talking about. I think i am doing better taking it slow,and pray to God to help me and he is .