TITLE: Marcie's Dad By naomi thomas 06/13/06 |
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This is my very first attempt at a short story. Please be gentle hey! Ha
No on a serious note i would love some strong critque, i really would like to know how i fair in this awesome writing world. Look forward to your critiques.
Marcie’s Dad
Slamming her bedroom door in frustration, Marcie flung herself on her bed and cried bitterly. She had just had another awful fight with her dad about something she thought was really none of his business. Marcie had just bought herself a new car and was so proud of her achievement. When she told her dad that she wanted to put an alarm on her car, he flew into a rage and told her that she was spoiling the appearance of her car and that it cost too much. He wasn’t concerned about the safety of the car rather it was more to do with the appearance. Why was he so difficult? After all, it was her car. So what if they had to drill holes into the car door to fit the alarm. Wasn’t that better than waking up one morning to find her car stolen? Man her dad was impossible. Marcie decided that no matter what he said she would get it done. Drying her eyes and sitting on the edge of her bed, Marcie knew in her heart that she was everything she hated about her dad. She had the same violent temper, was equally stubborn and would not back down from an argument especially when she knew she was right. So many times Marcie wished she were married and a million miles from home, but that was not to be. Marcie vowed that she’d never marry a man like her dad; in fact she’d simply never marry. She loved her dad and hated him all at the same time. How could that be? Maybe one day she’ll understand, but for now Marcie was too angry to even think about it.
Marcie’s upbringing was no different from the kids she grew up with in a tiny middle class community. It was one filled with violence, alcohol and physical abuse. Her weekends were packed with loud adult parties which always began on Thursday evenings and finished late on Sunday afternoons. Her home would constantly be filled with drunken uncles and aunts falling over the furniture in an attempt to dance, or collapsing on a bed because they were unable to make it home. But for Marcie, the most unforgettable part of her upbringing was the constant physical abuse of her mother by her father literally very weekend. Marcie was the youngest of four children and although the oldest were all boys, they were unable to stop their father from beating her mom almost every weekend. At night especially on weekends when everyone would eventually stumble home at some ungodly hour, Marcie would crawl under her bed and place her hands over her ears because it would be only a matter of minutes before her dad would start yelling at her mother and then the beatings would follow. Her mother’s screams for help would echo through the darkness. Marcie and her brothers would stay in their rooms until it was all over too afraid to help their mother because of their father’s violent temper. The next morning Marcie would fearfully step out of her bedroom knowing that her mother would be terribly battered and bruised, wanting to see her yet afraid of what she would look like. When Marcie was six years old she ran away from home and went to live with her aunt. But her dad picked her up the next day and beat her so severely that she never ran away from home again. Marcie grew up with a deep rooted hatred for her father as well as other men who were physically violent to women. These memories tormented Marcie throughout her adolescence and adult years. As the years passed the frequency of the beatings decreased, but the beatings continued nonetheless.
Many years later Marcie did marry much to the surprise of every one. Marcie married her child hood sweetheart a man so completely different in every way from her dad. He was gentle, quite, soft spoken and never violent. Not long into her marriage it became evident to Marcie that she was as abusive to her husband as her father had been to her mother. Although she knew that what she was doing was wrong she felt helpless to stop herself. Marcie knew that if she wanted her marriage to work she’d better seek help, so Marcie approached her friend Jacob who was in his final year at Bible School studying to be a pastor. Humiliated and embarrassed at her behavior, Marcie explained the events of the past year to Jacob. He listened intently never interrupting until Marcie had off loaded all her concerns to him. With gentle and compassionate counsel Jacob explained to Marcie that her anger and frustration in her marriage was because of the environment in the home she grew up in and that the only way she would be able to heal was if she forgave her dad for all the hurt he had caused in the home. Only then would she be able to free herself from the demonic forces of bitterness which had taken root in her life and which were controlling her marriage. Marcie knew Jacob was right but she couldn’t bring herself to forgive her dad. If there was anyone that should be asking for forgiveness it was her father, not her. After all, it was because of him that she was such a mess today.
Unable to follow through with Jacob’s advice, Marcie continued as before, her life not getting any better and her relationship with her husband deteriorating fast. However, Jacob never gave up on Marcie. He constantly prayed for her salvation and would often pop in for a cup of tea and a chat.
Sadly, one day Jacob’s father passed away. Jacob read the eulogy for his father at the funeral. Marcie listened intently as Jacob spoke passionately and tenderly about his dad. It made her heart ache. He explained how precious his relationship with his father had been and how much he had loved and respected his father. He went on to further explain how God had sent His only Son to die on the cross so that we who are sinners may be saved and have eternal life. With tears flowing freely down his cheeks, Jacob spoke about God’s great and merciful love for us and if God can forgive us every time we sin, we should be able to forgive others who sin against us. Jacob told everyone at the funeral that we are to forgive our fathers no matter what; that it was so important to let them know how much we love them while they were still alive and to cherish our relationships with our dads just as the Father in heaven cherishes us and forgives us no matter what we do. It was an emotional church service for Marcie because she knew that she had to make her relationship right with her father before it was too late. Marcie came to the stark realization that in order to do this she must first have a relationship with The Almighty God. Could she live with the regret of not forgiving her dad for the rest of her life? Could she live with the guilt knowing she was given an opportunity to make things right and choose not too? These questions plagued her as she watched Jacob’s father’s coffin slowly descended into the lonely dark grave, while the choir gently sang the song “Oh the Blood of Jesus.”
Sitting alone in her bedroom that evening, Marcie couldn’t shut out Jacob’s words about forgiveness. She visualized the coffin and imagined the lifeless body of her dad lying in it. She understood pain but this was a different kind of pain. A pain so deep she wondered if God would be able to take it away. If only she wasn’t so proud. If only she could put the past behind her and move on. If only… if only…But no! She had to do what her heart was urging her to do, so slowly, Marcie bent down beside her bed and quietly asked Jesus into her heart. Marcie sobbed as she confessed all her sins to God and told Him how afraid she was of the unknown. She asked Jesus to make her a better person and to help her in her relationship with her father. After she was done Marcie sat down on her bed and felt a joy and a peace she had never known. Her heart felt lighter and she felt hopeful about the future. The chains that had kept her captive all those years, God had faithfully broken. Marcie couldn’t explain it but she knew that everything was going to be alright. Yes! There was hope.
After tucking the kids into bed that same evening, Marcie phoned her husband who had gone away on a business trip out of town, to tell him that she loved him and to let him know what Jesus had done for her. Picking up her Bible, she snuggled into bed and turned to Romans 12: 17-21. This was the same passage of scripture which Jacob had preached on that morning. These verses, Jacob informed everyone summarized Christian living. If we love someone the way Christ loves us we must be willing to forgive just as our Father in Heaven forgives us. The Bible went on to say that we should never repay evil for evil, but that we should be careful to do what was right in the eyes of God. We should never take revenge for revenge belongs only to God. Marcie began to realize that forgiveness involved both attitude and action. Her attitude towards her dad had to change from this moment on as well as her actions towards him. A difficult road lay ahead, but Marcie kept in mind what Jacob had told her many times before and that was that God would be with her through all her trials and tribulations. Early the next morning Marcie couldn’t wait to tell Jacob her good news. Her friend was delighted when he heard it and the two of them cried all over again, but this time they were tears of joy.
Over the next few months Marcie and her husband attended every church service and Bible study that they could, and it wasn’t long before she was actively involved with the youth while her husband played in the church band. For the first time in her life Marcie began to experience a life filled to the brim with joy, peace and love. Never before had she known so much peace, so much joy. Marcie loved her husband more and more each day and God faithfully began to heal all the hurts in their relationship.
However in the midst of all this joy and peace, Marcie knew she still had a major hurdle to cross; her relationship with her father, which had become strained over the years. It took Marcie the better part of seven months before she was able to pluck up the courage to go and speak with him, during which time she went for regular counseling sessions to Jacob to help her through this difficult transition. The memories of the past were still there but the pain and bitterness she harbored towards her dad was slowly subsiding. Father’s Day was coming up and Marcie prayed that God would give her the courage to talk with her dad on that day.
Finally the big day arrived. Praying with her husband and Jacob before she left Marcie felt confident that she could do it. As she drove up to her parent’s home, she watched as her father, now old and grey, bent down to smell the fragrance of the rose in the garden. A surge of love rushed through her as she saw him carefully pick off the rose shuffle over to where her mother sat, lovingly hand her the rose and kiss her cheek. Tears rushed to her eyes as she witnessed the first ever emotional scene between her parents. The Holy Spirit whispered to her and said, “Look Marcie, your mother has forgiven him and she still loves him, why can’t you do the same?” Marcie hugged the steering wheel and sobbed asking God to forgive her yet again.
Drying her eyes and quickly applying a fresh coat of lipstick, Marcie boldly got out the car and waved as her parents saw her approaching. Kissing her ailing parents Marcie knew that she had never loved them more than she did at that moment. They were so delighted to see her and sitting down Marcie looked her dad straight in the eye and said, “Dad I love you and I want you to know that I forgive you for all the hurt you caused me and I ask that you forgive me for all the times I was so bitter towards you. I really do love you. Happy Father’s day,” and she gently kissed him again while placing his gift in his lap. Tears welled up in her father’s eyes and for a moment there was complete silence. Her father took out his handkerchief and pretended to blow his nose when in actual fact he secretly wiped a stray tear falling from his eye. A silent sob escaped her mother’s voice as she began to weep quietly. “No Marcie, I ask that you forgive me for all the pain I caused you and everyone else in the family. I am so sorry and want you to know I love you very much too. Thank you for forgiving me. God knows I don’t deserve it. This is the best Father’s Day gift I have ever had.” cried Marcie’s dad. Marcie hugged her dad like never before and whilst savoring the hug, quietly said thank you to God. Jacob had been right; the feeling she experienced was liberating. Now she was free, free to love her father as God intended and free to move forward with the rest of her life.
It’s now five years since Marcie’s dad went home to be with Jesus and the memories of the past don’t haunt her any longer. God has removed all the painful memories replacing them with only good memories of her dad. Marcie now heads the youth program at her church and is actively involved with kids of all ages. Her main focus is counseling children who come from disadvantage homes, emotionally disturbed children, or kids who have been abandoned by their parents.
Forgiveness as Marcie learnt breaks the cycle of retaliation and leads to mutual reconciliation. Forgiveness makes the enemy ashamed and changes his or her ways. Forgivness frees you of the load of bitterness.
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sin, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Forgiving others will make you one with Christ.
One of the ten commandants is that we honor our parents. This commandant comes with a promise that if we honor them it will go well with us on earth and we will have a long and happy life. Honoring your parents means firstly, speaking well of them and speaking well to them. Always act in a way that shows respect and courtesy towards them. Follow their teachings and examples of putting God first. Provide for them when they are too old to care for themselves or when they are ill, and lastly, probably the best way to honor your father long after he is dead is to pass on his godly teachings to your children. Fathers are given to us by God and they have a special place in God’s sight. Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers out there.
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