Nourishment for a Hungry Mind: Are You an Enabler

By Betty Mack Thornton

MY TRIALS STARTED AT THE TENDER AGE BETWEEN 7 & 8 YEARS OLD. TODAY IM 58 YEARS OF AGE. THEREFORE, IT HAS TAKEN ME ...YEARS TO BE ABLE TO SAY I'M FREE, PRAISE THE LORD I'M FREE, NO LONGER BOUND, NO MORE CHAINS HOLDING ME, MY SOULS IS RESTING, IT'S JUST A BLESSING, PRAISE THE LORD HALLELUJAH I'M FREE.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483654591

Book preview

Copyright © 2013 by Betty Mack Thornton.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 07/22/2013

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Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter One   During Childhood

Chapter Two   Giving Them What They Want, When You Don’t Want Too

(1st example)

Chapter Three   Allow Them To Voice Their Opinion, Listen, Be Honest,

(2nd example)

(a. Lies, deceit, abuse)

Chapter Four   Exposing Your Children To Your Bad Behaviors

(3rd example)

(b. Beginning of abuse)

Chapter Five   Deneen’s Story

PT. ONE

(a. mental abuse)

PT. TWO

(b. verbal & physical abuse)

RESIDING IN PHILADELPHIA

Chapter Six   Telling Them They Are Loved, Always Give Them Compliments Let Them Know They Are Wonderfully Made

(4th example)

THE END.

I Dedicate This Book To My Mother Annamae Mack, And Grandmother Gussie Mcnair,

Remarks

From The Author

Food for thought

HAVE YOU CRIPPLED YOUR CHILD/CHILDREN?

( emotionally, socially, mentally)

Acknowledgments

We all have been through some STUFF and, before we leave this world we will go through some more stuff, but in the midst of the stuff we go through, we should give God praise and say HALLEJUAH anyhow. I must first acknowledge my Heavenly Father, if it was not for Him where would I be? I can not imagine my life without Him in it. I can never imagine a conversation without Him being a part of it. I thank God for His forgiveness when I didn’t deserve it, for giving me the gift of writing, allowing me to visualize the spirit of compassion, for removing the spirit of trepidation within me, which I held the majority of my life. I thank God for showing & allowing me to love & accept just who I am in spite of obstacles I had to face. For I know it was His Grace and Mercy that brought me through, the many times I felt like giving up, throwing in the towel, from a child to an adult He kept me strong. I know and understand today, He’s more than enough, He’s all that I need, and I Bless Him for keeping me covered.

FATHER, I THANK YOU.

I acknowledge my Children, my Husband, for always believing in me. For always saying I can do it, for always giving me feedback at times when I was critical of myself. For forgiving me and looking past my faults. You guys were always by my side, I may not say it all the time to you, but it will always be conveyed by me. I love you. I thank God for the connection to the three of you. I am grateful for each one of you, I will tell the world I was Blessed with two Sons any Mother would be proud to have. A Husband that’s far more than I deserve, who has been with me, stuck with me through everything I’ve gone through. Who has forgiven me of my wrong doings never criticized or judged me, never in the 34 years of marriage put his hands on me, or called me out of my name. What a Blessing the three of you are to me. I THANK YOU.

I acknowledge my precious darlings, whom I call Grand Daughters, Nevaeh & Sanai. God never make mistakes, and the two of you are proof of that. I am so grateful to have the two of you for my Grand daughters, you are the daughters I never had. My love for you is more than I could ever express. At the tender ages you are 9 & 8, I just feel in my heart you will grow up to be fine young ladies. Never let anything or anyone get in the way of your goals & dreams. You can do whatever you set your hearts and minds to do. You are too young to understand now but, whatever you do or try to accomplish keep God in front of it all. And remember if any one or, anything knock you down that would be their fault, but if you stay down it would then become your fault. Don’t be a victim in other words be a survivor, get up! I pray that you grow up in the Grace of God. I LOVE YOU.

I acknowledge my Pastor, Bishop Barry E. Connelly, for teaching me not to let my today’s disappointments cast a shadow on my tomorrow’s dream. For reminding me the only place where dreams are impossible is in my mind. For reminding me life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, but about learning to Praise God during the rain. I thank you Bishop for making yourself available every time I needed my Pastor. I haven’t met a Pastor yet who actually gave his congregation his phone number so they would never have a problem getting in touch with him. I thank you for being you, I Bless God for creating you. May God continue to Bless & keep you covered. I THANK YOU.

I acknowledge and give a hugh thanks along with a lot of love to my friend Evangelist Doris Connelly, whom I call Rev. G (g for girlfriend) for coming to my aide everytime I needed her. On the phone one minute, banging on my front door the next. Praying with me, & encouraging me. I will never forget certain moments we’ve shared together. Evangelist Connelly, I love you, may God always keep you covered. I THANK YOU.

I acknowledge my Best girlfriend Theresa Thomas who has stuck with me through thick and thin. For remaining in my life when all other friends departed themselves from it. I thank you for being there for me when I could not be there for myself. I love you, I Bless God, for allowing you to be a part of my life. You are definitely the Sister I never had. I was told that by many, but I was showed that by you, you are everything I would have ever hoped for in a Sister. I THANK YOU.

I acknowledge Shirley Tompkins, for putting up with me 3,4, and 5 o’clock in the am. For talking to me when I needed someone. I will never forget the patience you had with me, for keeping it real, telling me what I needed to hear not what I wanted to hear. For always using your spirit of truth & honesty, for always encouraging me and seeing the strength in me that I could never see in myself. I THANK YOU.

I acknowledge Jennifer Johnson for just being who you are, never changing, as so many do. Always knowing what to say, when to say it, and above all how. Never judging or criticizing, remaining humbled even when your spirit was broken, as I try to do myself, continuing to persevere. No one knows the hurt & pain you and I have cried over and prayed over together but, In spite of it all God has given us the strength connected to His strength to remain strong. I love you girl, I THANK YOU.

I acknowledge Alberta Howie, at times you’re my friend, my Mother, & my Sister all in one, I love you. I acknowledge the Adult Ushers, working with you for 20 years, I couldn’t have been more blessed to become connected with a finer group of people. Over the years, you all have shown so much compassion, understanding, and respect. I love you so very much. Spiritual Mother’s Estelle Johnson & Carolyn Dolby I thank God for you women of wisdom.

I THANK YOU ALL.

To all of my supporters, you know who you are. Thank you for being you, thank you for being there through difficult times, and a very special thanks to my cousins who has been in my life, all of my life Mrs. Blanche Coleman, Ms. Gloria & Eunice Wright. Without saying, the three of you know how I feel about you. Love ya! To the many of you I have met on face book, through your in-boxed messages, telephone calls, comments, etc. although you have told me many times what an inspiration I was to you, you guys have no idea the many times I have been encouraged by you, I THANK YOU. To all my haters: for your criticism, for your judgmental responses, for all your accusations, for the lies you told on & about me, I really thank you from the bottom of my heart. I thank you for the determination, the inspiration & the aspiration you’ve given me. It’s because of you that I was able to keep my face to the wall! THE BEST IS YET TO COME, I THANKYOU! Mother Mitchell & Sister Veronica Riley, I love & respect you dearly. You are two great women of God! I THANK YOU for being you.

Introduction

The main focus of this story is Betty and her Mother. Although Betty loved her Mother very much she was angry at her for several reasons such as, leaving her in harm’s way, (in the hands of an abuser) not talking to her as a Mother would talk to her Daughter, crippling her in ways that traveled along the way with her, all of her life. She blamed her Mother for many things that she had to endure in her life. However, at times Betty feels as though, there are certain things she shouldn’t hold her Mother accountable for. Because, she realizes maybe her Mother couldn’t teach her things that were never taught to her.

After all, during the time her Mother & Grand Mother