Jan Silvious - Foolproofing Your Life: How to Deal Effectively with the Impossible People in Your Life

Thank you is in order for some special people who have walked through the book-writing process with me. Some were there early on to encourage me, and some have come lately to cheer me across the finish line. To each of you, I am grateful.

To the Group: You know who you are, you know where we have been, and you know what God has done.

To Debra: You cheered me on while the book languished and then came to life.

To Sandy: You were a faithful encourager from the beginning.

To Debbie: You went Home before the book came out, but you cheered me on until the day you died!

To Mark: You draw word pictures like no other. I have learned much.

To Rebecca: Without your belief, this book would not be.

To Traci: Your touch on the words has been full of grace, and your spirit has been gentle and kind.

To Mother: You did a lot of foolproofing when I was a youngster, and I am grateful.

To my familyCharlie, David, Sandi, Lauren, Jon, Aaron, and Heather: Each of you is a delight to my soul!

To all of you who have asked, Hows the book? Here it is. Your interest has kept me writing for a very long time!

Sally looked wistfully at the other women in the room. She had come to the Christmas party at church reluctantly, hoping to find some peace and joy for her soul. But in the midst of her friends amiable banter, all she could hear were the words of her husband, Don. They were words that had cut her to the quick: You are so dull and stupid. I dont know why I ever married you.

Don was on one of his tears. Just last month he seemed to be doing better, trying harder and treating his wife better, but then things began to tense up. There had been a minor disagreement over a Christmas present, and from that point on, Don had seemed to become angrier and angrier. The man who just a few days before had vowed his love for her now was cursing her and raging at her. This man she loved but feared was almost destroying her.

It was so hard to put it all together. Her pensive look would have given her away if anyone had looked at her closely. Although she was among women who loved her and wanted to include her, she was on an island in her mind, trying to figure out why she felt so crazy.

Maybe you are like Sally. You understand what it means to be caught in the undertow of a relationship that seems to pull you down. Each time there is a lull in the tension, you tell yourself, This time, everythingis going to be all right. Yet in a few hours or a few days, you are thrust into confusion again. Often you are blamed for whatever negative circumstances occur, and yet for the life of you you cant figure out why.

Sarah is a woman who was forced to look reality square in the face. My mother can be so much fun and a real friend in tough situations, if she wants to be. She is generous with my kids, and we look forward to her monthly visits.

Sarah tried to love her mother, Mary, but Mary had another side to her that baffled Sarah and everyone else. I guess you could say she has a major blind spot, Sarah explained. Everything will be going along fine, and then something happens to upset Mother. We never know what it will be; we just find out that shes upset. Her anger flares, and she has what my dad always called one of her three-day mad spells.