Larissa's Pearl | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Larissa's Pearl | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shanta Richard
04/27/22
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The plaintive cries of the night insects, the croaking of toads, and the screeching of a night owl, heightens the gloominess of the dark night. Larissa, anxious and worried waits at the open window waiting for her wayward son to return home. This has become a routine almost every Friday. Late in night Logan will come home disheveled, and staggering. He would go straight to his room and fall on his bed, shoes and all. Later when she hears him snoring, Larissa would go in remove his shoes and wipe his face, cover him up and let him sleep.

All Larissa's pleading, scolding and tears had no effect on Logan. Her earnest, fervent prayers to God seemed just as ineffective. When Larissa thought that she has reached the limit, it became worse. For one Friday night, Logan came home with an equally intoxicated girl. Pushing the girl forward, Logan announced,

"This is my wife, Marilou, mom, " Logan announced nonchalantly, " We got married to day".

Completely taken off guard, Larissa has nothing to say. She had hoped that Logan would find a good girl who would help him overcome his addiction. But Marilou was definitely not that girl. And thus without any fuss or frills, Marilou joined their family. Disappointed and distraught, Larissa turned to her only hope, God's saving grace. She continued to passionately pray.

God does answer prayers, though it may not be the way we want or desire. He blessed Logan and Marilou with a baby boy. It really was a healing balm to Larissa's aching heart. As expected Marilou didn't care for her child and left him to the tender care of Larissa. For a while all seemed well .

But tragedy struck. Returning home late one night, Logan's car crashed into a lamp post, fatally wounding Logan, and seriously injuring Marilou. On his deathbed in the hospital, Logan pleaded for his mother's forgiveness and asked her to pray for him. As she prayed he accepted Jesus. Despite the agony of loosing her son, Larissa rejoiced that her son would go to heaven. Marilou on the other hand had to undergo a physical therapy for a long time.

The shock of the accident and loosing Logan together with the time Marilou spent in the Rehab, cured her of her addiction. When fully recovered, Marilou decided to continue her education and find a good job. In the meanwhile she had no time for the baby and she gave Larissa the custody of the child. Larissa doted on the boy. She felt that this time she will not make the mistake she made with taking care of Logan.

She remembered how she, a young widow, had neglected the psychological needs of a growing child. She had been overcome by her own personal grief and loneliness that she had no time for her grieving son. Seeking comfort the boy had turned to drinking. God has blessed her with a second chance. She would not mess it up this time. The sand inside in her body did cause the oyster pain, yet she did not spit it out. She cared for it and nourished it till it matured into a shining pearl. Caring for her grandson might be a challenge. With patience and a lot of love she would accept the challenge and groom the boy to grow to be a good man, glorifying God in his life. She prayed that one day he would be a lustrous pearl and decorate the diadem of almighty God.

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