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    Choosing to Forgive: Growing up with an Alcoholic Parent
    Choosing to Forgive: Growing up with an Alcoholic Parent
    Choosing to Forgive: Growing up with an Alcoholic Parent
    Ebook90 pages52 minutes

    Choosing to Forgive: Growing up with an Alcoholic Parent

    By Diane DeLong Clark

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    About this ebook

    Growing up in Upstate New York during the 1940s and 1950s was idyllic in many ways, with wintertime sledding and summer days spent on the shores of Lake Ontario. But even though she was involved in school activities and had friends, Diane harbored a painful secret: her father was an alcoholic. Often out of work, he might explode with rage at the dinner table because someone chewed too loudly, or accuse Dianes mother of infidelity, or pass out naked, sprawled across his bed, within sight of anyone who came to the front door. Not surprisingly, Diane learned to fear, resent, and mistrust her father.

    Unfortunately, there are many stories like Dianes, in which families are traumatized by abuse. Hers could have ended there, but thanks to a loving God, it did not. What makes Dianes story different is that she learned about the power of forgiveness. In Choosing to Forgive she shares her insights into this most precious but sometimes mysterious gift from God. How do we forgive people when they have deeply wronged us? What if we dont want to? What does forgiveness look like in everyday life?

    Diane has asked these questions and others in her journey toward forgiving the man who caused her such pain. Intended for both those whose circumstances are similar to Dianes and those simply want to learn more about forgiveness, this moving memoir tells the story of how forgiveness freed her to have a rich and happy life.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInspiring Voices
    Release dateApr 18, 2012
    ISBN9781462401291
    Choosing to Forgive: Growing up with an Alcoholic Parent
    Author

    Diane DeLong Clark

    DIANE CLARK is also the author of a children’s story called Jake and Barney—A Tale of Two Kittens, a true story of two gray kittens rescued after being dumped, and From the Heart, a collection of poetry written over a period of ten years. Now approaching her seventieth birthday, Diane lives within view of the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire with her husband, Creighton.

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      Book preview

      Choosing to Forgive - Diane DeLong Clark

      Choosing to 

      Forgive

      Growing Up with an Alcoholic Parent

      Diane DeLong Clark

      missing image file

      Copyright © 2012 Diane DeLong Clark

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      All Scripture references are taken from the New International Version/

      The Message Parallel Bible, copyright 2004,

      published by The Zondervan Corporation

      Inspiring Voices books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

      Inspiring Voices

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.inspiringvoices.com

      1-(866) 697-5313

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      ISBN: 978-1-4624-0129-1 (e)

      ISBN: 978-1-4624-0130-7 (sc)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2012937132

      Inspiring Voices rev. date: 04/12/2012

      Contents

      Acknowledgments

      Foreword

      Preface

      Part 1 / The Memoir

      1.   The Silence

      2.   The Fear

      3.   The House

      4.   The Memories

      5.   The Visitors

      6.   The Road

      7.   Daddy

      8.   Mother

      9.   Siblings

      10.   High School

      11.   My Wedding Day

      12.   Interlude

      Part 2 / The Choice

      13. A New Perspective

      14. Making the Choice

      15. Being Intentional

      16. The Grudge

      17. The Servant

      18. Letting Go

      Epilogue

      Afterword

      About The Author

      Appendix

      Acknowledgments

      I must first give praise to Jesus Christ, for without Him I would have nothing of importance to write about. He is my inspiration in this life and my hope for eternity. I’ve simply tried to listen to His promptings and obey.

      To my son, Brian, a heartfelt thanks, for you taught me the art of sentence structure and how to be more creative in sharing my story. Your knowledge and expertise has been invaluable.

      A great big thank you to Pastor Ben White who served as my great encourager when I would begin to have doubts about my abilities as a writer, reminding me that it is God who enables, not me. He spent hours reading on his own time, correcting my grammatical errors, and writing little funny comments in the margins to make me laugh. Thank you Ben!

      My greatest support came from my husband, Creighton, who patiently listened to chapter after chapter as I made changes and additions. And, most of all for his love and encouragement throughout the process of remembering and reliving my childhood. I love you very much!

      I would also like to say thank you to those at Inspiring Voices who have been so kind and helpful and always there to answer my many questions from the beginning and throughout the process.

      And to my readers, thank you for allowing me share my story with you. I would welcome thoughts and comments. You may contact me at [email protected]

      Foreword

      There wouldn’t be enough space allotted in a forward to talk about how my wife, Sarah and I feel about Diane Clark, and her husband Creighton, but I’ll do my best to keep it short and to the point.

      Diane and Creighton are two of the most loving, hospitable, wisdom-filled individuals we know. We’ve enjoyed every moment we’ve spent with them, and they’ve given us advice that we will never forget nor forsake.

      Diane is a gifted poet and songwriter as well. She has a way, when she’s in a room full of people, of breaking quietly into a beautiful song at any moment. And when you hear one of her many poems, it will warm your heart, make you laugh, and maybe even make you cry. She has gifts that she humbly offers to everyone around her. May you consider the story you are about to read a gift. It is an embodiment of Diane’s talent.

      These are things you can keep in mind as you delve into the pages that follow. In them you will meet a woman who has faced many trials and hardships. But above all you will sense her gentleness and peace, and get a

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