Quite a decent day yesterday- for me and the family I think. The boys had a good day and no major issues or arguments or blowups by anyone

I think my wife had a good day though we didn’t get the chance to talk much as I was out late with the boys and she was getting her garden set up until we had a late dinner. We wanted to get to bed at a decent hour so did not have much time to talk.

My one son is going through something that is affecting him emotionally but he has requested to deal with it himself and we have decided to let him do that as long as there is no apparent problem. All part of growing up we feel. He seemed happier yesterday and even more so this morning. I think I know the best way that I can help him to stay happy and I am trying my best to do that.

My other one son was tired and skipped our baseball practice. He had a fun game the other day and I am hoping the same happens tonight and the next two nights. He thinks that he is no good at baseball when he fails at a part of it but then is not motivated or energetic or driven enough to put in the necessary hard practice needed to get over the hump that all ballplayers face sooner or later. I am no longer pushing hard and hope that he just has fun the rest of the season. It may be that this is not a sport for him even though he has a bunch of untapped talent. As a parent I need to continue to press (though less often and more sensitively than I have in the past) but also back off more often than I have. I think I can do it but I really don’t want to see him give it up without having done his very best.

All of this of course affects my wife and I, just like it would in any family and we find ourselves feeding off of each other’s frustration and anger to the point that things sometimes escalate too far. If I can stop myself and just remain calm then it should help the boys, me, and my wife. And maybe they will start to be able to do the same though with teenagers that will be a tall order.

I rested more easily yesterday and even managed a brief and restful afternoon nap. I imagined a blanket descending on me that enveloped me in calm, and peace, and love, and the presence of God…hard to describe but it managed to take away the stress and worries enough to allow me to rest. I tried it again last night and managed a better night’s sleep. I still feel a bit bone-weary but on the mend.

Life is too filled with wonder and good things all around so why do we too often focus on the negative? I am trying to change that as I enter here now into the second day of my Resolve.