Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Park (10/25/12)
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TITLE: At Jesus's Feet | Previous Challenge Entry
By Terry Atchison
10/28/12 -
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Taking a shower, all my frustrations fill my mind, along with that usual throbbing of a migraine. My life is half over. What have I accomplished? “No!” My bottle of body wash falls to the bottom of the tub, cracks open, and spills out half of the contents. When I bend over to pick it up, I bang my forehead on the faucet. “Ouch!’ I’m so tired of always finishing second or third at work. My efforts never seem to be appreciated. The warm water soothes me as I rinse off.
Looking in the mirror to comb my hair, I try not to look into those eyes in front of me. All I see is a face that I can hardly stand to look at anymore. The loser is there, looking back, taunting me to my very core. “Today will be a better day. You will see.” I almost believe it as those words form on my lips. But I know that today will be another day of failure, no matter what endeavors I will undertake. One last look of disgust and out the door I go.
Driving along the interstate to work, I turn on the radio. I fall upon the same religious station I used to listen to with my wife. Floodgates open and wonderful memories of loving times overwhelm my mind. Those Christian songs remind me of her, the love of my life, who is now gone forever.
Marilyn left me six months ago, after I had called her some terrible names. We are both believers, but I had let my work take over my emotions and my life. My job had become the number one priority in our marriage of fifteen years. Church and friends were also set aside as I climbed the success ladder. Money and I, the big I, had become the all-important gods in my life. Now, alone with myself, I realized how unimportant it all really was without her love. My job meant nothing anymore. I gave up trying.
We had been talking the past couple of weeks, about getting our marriage back together. She still loved me, even after the indifferent way that I had treated her. I prayed to God as I drove along, listening to those wonderful songs which touched my heart anew. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I thought about her and the times we enjoyed together, so long ago, it seemed.
“Father forgive me for what I have become. You are the only way. Touch her heart that we may love again and serve You together.” The music played on and the traffic became very bad. I realized that in my mind I was repeating “Help us Father” over and over. Then my cell phone rang.
“Hi, this is me.” Marilyn was calling me. “I just finished praying, like I have been praying every morning, noon, and night since I left. I’ve received an answer and I really want us to get back together and let God take care of all this. Would that be ok with you?”
“Wait a minute! I can’t see.” My eyes had filled with so many tears that I was afraid to have an accident. I exited the interstate and pulled into the first parking lot available. “Would that be ok with me? Are you kidding? I love you! Yes. Thank you God!” I sounded like a crazy man; a very happy crazy man. I needed air, so I stepped out of my car as I talked. There in front of my car was a church with an enormous statue of Jesus. I had found the perfect place to park: at Jesus’s feet.
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Though this is a powerful story, it is quite weak on the topic. The pulling over to park felt like this was tacked on to try and make it fit the topic.
With that said, I know sometimes God lays a story on our hearts and we need to be obedient to Him. It may not rank high in the topic criterion but it could save someone's life or have an effect that we can;t even begin to imagine. Keep writing for only you can tell those stories. :)
God bless!