Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Reflections

By Terri Burton

 

It was an ordinary day about to become extraordinary.  I was sitting at a table in an antique mall pricing items to put in my booth.  A friend walked past and asked if I minded her aunt joining me to rest her legs.  She sat down and told me she was 86 years old and then she jumped into the “deep”.  No conversations about weather or illnesses for this lady, she wanted to share from her heart.  I leaned forward to listen.

 

“I was 60 years old when my husband died after a two year struggle with cancer.  The next year my only daughter was killed by a drunk driver in a car wreck.  He never served a minutes time for that.  Something surely was not right about that.  I hardly spoke for about a year, hardly ate.  The pain in my heart was horrible.  I didn’t care if I lived or died.  One evening I was rocking in my chair and God spoke to me.  He said I needed a baby to rock.  I thought I was going crazy.  A baby at my age, that was crazy.  I didn’t sleep all night and the next morning I got on the phone and started calling people.  A friend of mine laughed and said she knew just the baby for me.  A neighbor of hers had a baby boy and she was looking for someone to watch him while she worked.  Within two weeks, I was rocking that boy and I raised him.  Two years later his sister was born and I raised her too.  They are in their twenties now and they both call me Granny.  I had a reason to live again and the pain lessened.  God helped me when I didn’t know what to do.”

 

A lesson in love and healing was freely given to me that day and to you as we make our own way Home.

 

2 comments:

  1. That was a very poignant, meaningful story, Terri. That woman had a lot of strength and courage. Her heart was breaking yet she was able to rebuild her broken life through helping others. God bless her and you, too, for sharing it. Susan

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  2. My heart goes out to you, Terri. I don't know how you ever survived those tragedies. Well, from your writing, I guess I do know. The Lord got you through the agony. Thanks for sharing. Susan

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