Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: ODD (10/06/22)
-
TITLE: But, Life | Previous Challenge Entry
By Christine Ramey
10/12/22 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
into eternity. Sad, but true. Life is no guarantee. Still, with all of his multiple health issues, his
way of living hasn’t always been fair. However, I’ll always treasure those happy memories I
have stored away.
I’m grateful for being raised in church. While having the privilege to hear on one or more
occasions him preaching as I served playing the piano. He was the Pastor, and I was the pk kid. I
had the desire to learn the piano, but as I grew, I didn’t really stick with it as I should have. But,
grateful for those precious years of watching him serve the Lord behind the pulpit.
As life continued, his health diminished. First, with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Then, later with hip
and knee replacements and other issues. Today, I remember when he finished serving his time as
Pastor from the church he served, God soon called him to be a facility director at one of the
largest churches in Jacksonville, Fl. It was called First Baptist Church. Through different things
that happened, his job continued to change. He was eventually working at this church and we had
moved across town to their campground center to live and manage it. Things seemed like a
perfect life. Yet, as his R.A. got worse however, he needed those hip and knee replacements
pretty often. We were constantly taking him back and forth to the hospital.
One summer I can recall, we all were busy as usual while a youth group was visiting. Mom was
busy in the house cleaning. I had gone outside on the 300 square foot property to get a fresh
breath of air. Dad had been trying to fix his lawn mower. It had been down for months. Eagerly
working on it, he somehow popped his hip while sitting on a small bucket. He then couldn’t get
up. He tried to get us both on the phone, but being out were we where the signals occasionally
got lost as it did that day. Somewhere along the way, some of the youth had been walking back
and forth from the baseball fields to the cabins. When they did, they noticed him in pain. Thank
goodness!
I passed by about that time. Asked them what was up! I asked one of them to go knock on the
door and get my mom. When they came back, it had been a while. So, they offered to stay with
him and they prayed with him till we got back.
While I went home to see what was going on with mom, I found her upstairs in our two story
home with a twin mattress at the top of the stairs. When I asked her what she was going to do
with it…she replied, “Take it down stairs so daddy can lay on it while we wait on 9.1.1.“
She then she slid it down the stairways, and together we took it outside to hook it to the back of
our truck. She then drove the truck with the mattress behind to where the youth were at, while
we were gone they called the adult workers to come help. Together, we got it hooked up to the
truck. By that time, 9.1.1. showed up. They were pretty familiar with us. Knew our situation.
But laughed seeing him on the mattress. One guy said, “That’s pretty brilliant, I’ll have to
remember that one!“
Just like that day and every other time after that watching him ride off in those ambulances
reminded me how precious life really is. Each day is a gift with our loved ones . We have
learned a lot of lessons about the but…life…in these last 10 years. Yet, in every situation God
has been faithful to show us He is nearby us as always.
He was out of place that day with his health amongst the group of youth that was there and of
course with the mattress situation especially, but we will never forget their kindness. Today, as I
watch him slip away, I’ll remember the countless times God has been there for my family. No
matter how bad things are or seem, He is always in control. Another lesson we learned through
the hardest days of life. We always could say…but, life! Then, God!
This is a true story.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
Your family is blessed with so much love, which is a gift from above.
Praise God for His continuous and unwavering love and provisions over all of His children.
Blessings~~
I see how our Heavenly Father has always cared and provides for you and family.
Blessings of hope and peace to you! :-)
I too sat with my mother as her life on earth slowly ended. It was confronting, emotional and precious. So I was with you as I read your words.
I hope you continue to write.
10 at the beginning should be written out—ten. Halfway through, the words ‘were’ and ‘where’ were mixed up, and there were several run-on sentences.
Your story is good, but could be better, if these things were corrected. Keep writing!