Winter

Winter

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Thankful Thursday


If God is almighty, there can be no evil so
great as to be beyond His power to transform.
That transforming power brings light out of darkness, joy out
of sorrow, gain out of loss, life out of death.
(Elisabeth Elliot)
Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden,
and they shall sorrow no more at all.
(Jeremiah 31:12)

So often in this life I think that we can look back and
see the defining moment when life gave us a challenge.
It is up to us to choose what to do with that gift that
has been given.
In 1969, I was 11 and God decided that His perfect will
for my life, was that my Mom should go home to be at
home with Him. I have thought about that defining moment
in my own life a bunch this week, because her birthday
is today, had she still lived here, she would have been 71.
Instead, God took her at 30, In that moment of time, I was
changed. I think sometimes I grew very old. I went from
being a daughter to a girl who got off the school bus each
day to a empty house and I went in to make beds and
clean the house before my Dad got home from work.

My brother was eight and my sister was six. I became a Mom.
I tried so hard to carry the burden, on Saturdays I did laundry.
I think though, much harder than loosing my Mom, was my Dad remarried
February 14, 1970
I had 3 step brothers and new Mom.

I struggled to keep my faith, I struggled to listen and follow God. In 1970 though
It was the Age of Aquarius, Hair was a huge stage play and Jesus Christ Superstar,
was all of the rage. I wanted so bad to be a hippie. Thank goodness for
Farah Fawcett. :) I went to a grade school that saved my life and my sanity.
Our community was so small that everyone knew what had went on.
The teachers at my school were for the most part deeply caring and a lot
of them were Christians that came along side and gave me balance.

The Brady Bunch was cool so we became the coolest people in school and my
step Mom looked a lot like Mrs. Brady.
Then I went to High school I stayed pretty much a good girl but by the time
my senior year came, I took a class taught by a Atheistic Jewish woman,
who hated the Bible and she taught me to distrust the Bible, and God. I took
a Evolution course taught by a Christian who destroyed what little faith
I had left.
By the time I graduated from High school I was into Transcendental Meditation.
I was looking for my own Yogi and yet, there was always a nagging.
What will you do with Jesus? Always, I could never get away.
My Mom had made me memorize scripture before she died, so
those verses would come back to me all of the time.

By 1980 I met my husband, and he was a Christian and he went to
church. I didn't want to go. I went anyway because of the Gettysburg
Address, A house divided cannot stand. I knew that if we were not
of one mind on this issue then our marriage would be fractured.
My husband was my best friend and no matter what, I did not
want to loose him.

I remember a lady inviting me over to her house for tea, she was telling
me about all of these answers to prayers, and the books she read.
I was into Stephen King, The Dragon Riders of Pern and a bunch others
that I don't remember.
I didn't tell her what I read.
She invited me to go to Bible Study Fellowship. She even got a babysitter,
because by this time we had our first child.
I went, I sat with my arms folded across my chest. I did not want to be there.
I listened to the lecture and thought, " What a lot of bunk." " These people
are nuts." " I am not coming back, ever." They gave me my lesson
and I went home and tried to do it.
I read the Bible and for the first time, my eyes were open. By October
I had got on my knees and asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior.
I was forever changed.

I have often wondered. About that day in September, would I have ever
been a Christian if God had not chosen to take my Mom? Would I have
ever been blessed by having a second Mom?
Would I have ever been blessed by having my great step-brothers?
I don't think so, It was a crushing blow to be sure, but God meant it
for good and I was given a great gift. Sometimes, we don't see
"the rest of the story," until decades later. But for me, I see it
as the golden thread that runs all through the fabric of my life.
Today, I am thankful, that I have now two Moms in heaven.
I have been so blessed and I wish you blessings on This
lovely Thursday in September.



Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, for His wonderful works to the children of men!

(Psalm. 107:6)








10 comments:

mariel said...

oh, Kim, this was an incredible testimony that gives SO much glory to our Heavenly Father! What a redeeming God to take such pain of a young girl and make it into eternal life for a willing woman. He is so very faithful to pursue us in our most depraved state and completely change us! I met Him, very begrudgingly, in the pages of His Word, too. And I have NEVER been the same...you are a living testimony of the life-changing power of His word!!

Thank you for sharing this.
hugs, mariel

Diana Ferguson said...

What a testimony!!!! Thanking Him for His grace and mercy.

Julia said...

Kim Thanks for your testimony on how the power of God's love has changed you. A grateful heart is a happy heart. JB

Cotton Eyed Jo said...

I cried as I read your posting today. One of my deepest beliefs throughout my life is that our God is a loving god. It didn't square up with the picture that was painted of him by the very fundamentalist church that I attended with my family.

My heart ached for that 11 year old girl, and then I felt such pride in you, as I'm sure your mother did. Taking on the jobs you did to keep your family home fires burning. I've known children at school with similar problems, but not many. I hope I was able to be as helpful to even one of them.

Our life paths have some similar chords, as I was also a seeker, but more because of the mismatch of my own sense of God, and how he was portrayed to me through the church. This was all at a time before rockets, and I believed in alien life, so granted I was a weird girl. :)

My interior prayer life has held me up through so many sad times in my life. I still believe our God is a loving god. When I stand before him someday, I'll accept his will for my everlasting life. I'll lift my eyes to his, I hope, so that he can look deeply into my heart.

Thank you for lifting your eyes to us, and showing us your heart. There is so much more I'd love to say to you. Will be praying for your peace today. ♥

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

This is awesome...what an awesome God we serve.
You did in one post what took me 15 with Mommy Piggy Tales!
My mother lost her Dad at that age, but she went to an orphanage....it was a Christian one that continued her the upbringing of her pastor dad.
My daughter experienced a huge tragedy at this age...although she is still walking it out this encourages me, once again, to see God's faithfulness.
Thanks for sharing...you did a better job then my 15 posts!
What a blessing to read and yes, an Thanksgiving Post!

Sue said...

Kim, What can I say, except, I am so touched by your testimony.I am just sitting here, thinking, and thanking God of how He is always working in our lives,and of how he goes before us prepares the way, places the right people and circumstances there. Oh! my! Where would I be with out his divine intervention in my life.
Thank you for sharing this most inspiring post, and for sharing your heart. What a wonderful blessing you are.
Much love,
Sue

Primitives By The Light of The Moon said...

Such an inspiring post. Both my Mom and Dad lost their Dad's before there teenage years. They often talk of the difficult times and my Mom especially since her Dad's death was very horrific she clung to our heavenly father. I'm so very glad she did it made us girls have a very prayerful mother and she along with Dad led us down a path that has helped to shape our lives into what they are today.
I'm glad your path turned back towards God....You are such a blessing to so many. I enjoy reading your blog and gain so much from it! Many hugs to you today. :)Ginger

Jacque. said...

Kim. I really don't know what to say. I'm so happy you are where you are today, because you inspire me so much. Our Father is the most awesome Father! Thank Him for being with you...and thank you for sharing this.

Lynn said...

What a powerful story, Kim. That must have been so hard to lose your mom at such a young age.

Lisa said...

That was a powerful testimony. Thank you for sharing. It must have been hard to lose your mom. It's amazing how He can save us, and thank goodness that He does.

Before my cousin-in-law gave me the Left Behind series to read and asked me to go to church with her, I was so lost. I see it now, now naive I was thinking that I thought I knew everything.

I was even dabbling in witchcraft before she came along. It scares me to think, how lost I was.

I remember one evening after several months of going to church with her, I told me husband, "I want to be saved, but I don't want to give up control to Jesus."

My dh in his infinite wisdom said, "What makes you think that you were ever in control. Jesus was just there all the way."

Lisa