On more of a personal note, some know this, but many do not. Both my parents abandoned me. That is not a statement you hear much from an adult, but it being the truth. My Father as a new born, and my Mother 15 years ago. Though I reunited with my Father at the age of 16, and had a relationship with him up to five years ago when my brother passed away. Both have stated that I wasn't wanted, and ruined their lives when they were so young. I know that is their issue, not mine, but nonetheless, it hurts. Both had remarried and have had other children. I admit sometimes feeling sorry for myself, as an adult woman, with a beautiful loving daughter of my own, why my parents chose to blame me for being born and want nothing to do with me, I cannot understand. I know that it is their loss, and that their problems are not created because of me. Their actions had a reverse effect on me, it has made me a strong, independent, caring, person and a loving Mother and wife, my family is everything to me. For that, I wouldn't change anything. My Grandparents raised me until I was three. They were the most wonderful loving Christian people in the entire world, my angels. They gave me my morals and compassion for mankind, and my love for God, something no matter how bad the world can get around me, I won't change. But, I also had numerous Aunts and Uncles, cousins, second and third cousins...a very large family. Since I don't have this relationship with my Mother, one of her sisters, my Aunt has adopted me as her own daughter. We are very close, and though she is 80, she sure doesn't look or act like it....she still drives, volunteers, travels, and is a "computer geek"...she is unreal. When I get a little down, she is always there to pick me up, and make me realize how great of a life I have, a healthy and happy daughter, a wonderful loving husband, and so many things in my life, that so many others don't have, and remember my faith. Well, today...I got this e-mail from her. And, with all the sad news lately, and yes, I admit, I've been feeling a little sad about my parents as of late, I think because my birthday is coming up on the 9th of February. This e-mail from her, just really made me feel so much better. Please take a few moments to read it, the very last paragraph is my favorite. Very powerful!!!
A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday... "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 203,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this.. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!
"When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could you get that for me?"
