It wasn’t long after this that I realized that it wasn’t “my” message at all. It was “your” message and that of everyone the Lord brought to me who was in the middle of heartache, the loss of a loved one, cancer or serious illness, loss of any kind. I would share with them that, they might not understand why this was happening to them now, but someday the explanation would be revealed to them.
Until then, have “faith” and trust God with all you heart. Where there is faith, there is “hope”. Never give up “hope”, God will see you through. And the greatest of these is LOVE. Above all else, show GOD’S LOVE in all you say and do and believe me, you will be blessed. I told this story so many time through the years always emphasizing that it was so not about me. “It’s about you and God.” In repeating it over and over, I realized that “God is Love.” God and love are synonymous. We have been given power through “love,” we have been given power through “God.”
At the time this all happened, a series of events began that would ultimately break up my wonderful little family. Frank’s company gave him a company truck to drive, so we gave our second car to our brother-in-law. Yes, we were still making payments on it, but Frank had a vehicle to drive and the way we figured, it was as broad as it was long.
Then something unforeseen happened. The company asked for the truck back. There we were, with only one car between us. Frank was so hurt that he changed jobs and began working for another company. It was there that he met a young office girl, left his family, and began a new life without us.
Ladies, whatever you do, don’t pray for more closet space and don’t dress your husband so nice that all of the other women are going to want him. I did both. BIG MISTAKE! If my second husband, whom I will tell you about later, left the house in stripes and plaids, I said, “Good bye, Honey. Have a nice day.”
I never asked God “Why,” because I had given my life to Him. I had told Him to take my life and to use me in any way He saw fit. However, I felt as though my insides had been torn out. Somehow, all of this must work into His plan for my life. I had trouble putting one foot in front of the other, but I had to keep going because of those wonderful kids. Cindy was thirteen, Kevin was twelve, and little Brady was only eight months old. We struggled but we had one another, and somehow, we made it through those difficult years.
You learn so much when you spend time in the valley. You have no idea how much God can do for you until you do. I once heard it said that nothing grows on the mountain tops. It’s only in the fertile valleys where the growing takes place. That’s so true. It sure wasn’t easy, but I can honestly say, I wouldn’t give up that time that I spent alone with the Lord and the kids for anything.
I learned who I was and how blessed I was to have such wonderful kids and great friends. Money showed up in my checking account, Linda and Marie’s brother in law, Curtis filled our freezer full of meat, Donnie brought us food he got from his friend he just called, “the meat man.” Someone tore the music from a hymnal of the hymn, “God Will Take Care of You,” and mailed it to me. I knew, with God‘s help, we were going to make it.
It was two years later that I met Gene, the guitar playing Marine I told you about earlier. The one with the motorcycle and the cowboy boots. I had no idea the evening I met him at a function in Indianapolis that he was Donnie’s “meat man.” The one who gave him meat almost out of date to feed that lady and her kids. Me! Do you believe that? What are the chances that I would meat (Ha) him. I guess you could say he “knocked my socks off.” That’s why I married him four months later. He just seemed to belong in our family. He was a good stepdad and loved the kids as if they were his own. Now, I’d like you to fast forward five years for the next chapter of “The Message In The Mirror.”
The Message On The Mirror 1971-2013
