My Memories of You: Then and Now | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: My Memories of You: Then and Now | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lori Godfrey
10/08/14
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My Memories of You: Then and Now

I never expected nor dreamed my senior year in high school would ever bring such wonderful events into my life. As meeting my high school sweetheart. The year, Nineteen Seventy Seven and he was in my government class. I remember it as though it were yesterday.

“Lori, you see the guy sitting over there. He likes you”, my friend behind me said.

“No he doesn't, I replied.

“But he does, he keeps looking at you”, she insisted.

Before I knew it, the “One” who kept looking in my direction, walked forward and introduced himself to me.

“Hi, I am Bruce”, he said. “Hello, I am Lori”.

We talked for few minutes and then it was time to leave. He was good looking, I thought. But he was a junior. Odd that he would be sitting in a government class. But it was true, a student in the eleventh grade could take this class, if they wanted to.

The days went by with Bruce and I continuing to see one another. One day he asked me if I went to the stock car races on Saturday night? I said I did. He then mentioned, to my surprise, he was a driver. The next Saturday night my girlfriend and I attended the races and sure enough, true to his word, he was driving.

I often wondered how his Mom felt about him driving stock car. As if he could read my thoughts he told me she wouldn't attend because of the danger. Now that I am a mother I can relate to her feelings. Not wanting to see my son driving and possibly getting injured.

Soon my senior year ended and we continued to date. Bruce would drop subtle hints of marriage but for some reason I didn't take him serious. Then one night I talked to him on the phone.

“I've been trying to ask you to marry me”, he said.

“No, you haven't, I replied.

“Yes, I have”, he stated.

“Then yes, I'll marry you! When? I asked.

“Well, first some things have to take place”, he reminded me.

Sadly though, our life would not stay the same. It seemed as if life would say “No” to any happiness we might encounter.

A phone conversation with his sister revealed the news I never expected to hear“ Bruce has Leukemia and the worse kind”.

My world came crashing down that fateful day. We spoke on the phone but his wish for me was not to see him in the hospital. I know it was for my sake. He only wanted me to remember him as he was. He called and said the leukemia had changed his plans.

Thirty Four years later I still have fond memories of him and think of what might have been. He died at the very young age of twenty. Life at times is very unfair. There are events that take place in each of our lives we will never understand. Yet not everything that occurs in life is bad.

Even though it wasn't meant for us to be together, I am still grateful Bruce and I met. It made me a stronger person and two years later I came to know the Lord in a personal way.

But my life since then has taken a turn I would not have expected. Two failed marriages is nothing to be proud of but my first marriage gave me two sons who are serving the Lord today and who keep me young.

My future is in God's hands, where it should be. After all, he is the One who directs our steps, if we are willing to say, “Not my will, but thine be done”. It is when we try to take things into our own hands, we get into trouble.

On a very bright note: Bruce became a Christian in the hospital and said he wasn't afraid to die because he knew where he was going. To the Christian death holds no chains. The sting of death is broken because of Christ's death on the cross.

I know I will see him in glory. For now, I live my life with my sons at my side. Should God have someone for me is entirely up to Him. The most important, in my life, is what I am doing for the kingdom of God and it bringing him glory.

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