Journal -Old Mistakes, New Life

Sometimes in life, through our journey, we run into people and even circumstances throughout our lifetime that prepares us for who we are now and will be tomorrow.  Its a journey that will help mold us, help us grow (emotionally, mentally, spiritually), help us educate & brings maturaity.

Last Sunday, I attended a funeral of an Adventist man who had died a week earlier from complications of MS.  He has had it for over 30 years in which there was time he had it in control.   Bill was the 3rd husband to a good friend of mine.   They had been married for 14 years.

 

The wonders of this is this...this friend at one point I considered my enemy. But today, she is the closes thing I have to talk with, pray with, and an emotional support with.  Not only is she to me, as I am to her.   At one point, this person use to be in partnership with my dad that unfortunately brought a lot of physical, emotional and spiritual abuse. And at some point where it nearly cost me my life.

But through the years, between our ups and downs, we have somehow become friends, where forgiveness saved our relationship.  And that alone was God.  And in the last few years, after much therapy on each others (but seperate) part, we have now become the type of friendship that instead of tearing each other apart, we are there for each other in so many ways.

She was there for me when my son passed, the least I could do is be there for her for the loss of her husband. While at Tim's funeral, my siblings was surprise that "C" was there and yet while some was anxious to talk to her. My one sister was resistant and tried to remind me what she did to me. I know what she did. But I changed. She changed. She asked for forgiveness.  She did something about changing the way she was, as our father still has not. Once she realized what I said, she went over to talk to "C".  Hopefully from there, forgiveness opened hearts.

 While at the funeral, I had the opportunity to speak in how this person helped get a job in private duty nursing and eventually working in nursing homes. I didn't know why. I went to College to be a school teacher, not a CNA.  it was a job I for sure hated and although I did it for several  years, little did I know at the time it would prepare me for Timothy.  "C" also was doing this, and she too was a school teacher. However, this too also prepared her for Bill.  Neither of us knew why God put us into such a position, but it was God's way & plan.

This last Sunday, God rewarded me at the funeral. "C"'s son, Branson was there. Let me tell you, I had the biggest crush on him.  He use to work at the McKee's bakery (LIttle Debbie's) and use to sneak it to us by throwing it down via the small airplane he was learning to fly when he was in college. This was like in the mid-70's.  I had not seen Branson since the late 70's.  I was shock but surprised to see him. He looked nothing like he use to. Yeah the years changes people...so does age. But sometimes age also bring improvements too...lol   But during the luncheon we shared photos of our kids...and of his granddaughter.   He was bald, but still sexy.  It was so good to see him again.   I had seen his older brother, Mark,  a lot on and off. But Mark was never the most friendly person and it would be funny how his mother would always warn me.  but his wife was friendly.

IN our past life, we made mistakes. In our current life - we learned from those mistakes. Those mistakes prepared us for what God has planned for us today.  Today brought forgiveness, a new life and life-long friendships.