The Vacuum Cleaner Syndrome

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I like to feel in control of my life. It is hard for me to trust a God I cannot see and usually cannot feel or hear. However, when I refuse to give up control and submit to the Father, I shut out the power of the Holy Spirit in my day-to-day life.
It is not easy to let go of control because I am naturally wired to act just like a vacuum cleaner, sucking up all my children’s pain. Likewise, my children are compassionate vacuum cleaners, who attract other people’s negative emotions. They are all aware  they learned this dysfunctional behaviour not only from observing my husband and me in action but also because they have inherited this trait from both of us.

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