Note: I had planned in writing part 4 to my testimony, but I have been sick with the flu and a high fever and my brain is not functioning very well at the moment! As soon as I am able, I will write and post the rest of my testimony. I the meantime, here is a short story I wrote in 2016:
Faith Like a Child
It was going to be a long winter. Today was December 15th, and not technically winter, but as long as there was snow on the ground, Amelia considered it as so.
She pulled the sixteen year-old Honda Accord onto the street in front of the small ranch-style house. It was one of those homes where no one could agree on the color. Some called it peach, others orange, and the wise said peachy-orange. Amelia just called it ugly. The two bedroom, one bath rental was not decorated in the colors she would have chosen, but, then again, she did not exactly know the first thing about decorating. These days it was mostly braided throw rugs, second hand mismatched furniture, and a smattering of children's toys scattered every where but in the children's room.
As she exited the vehicle and headed for the front door, fluffy snowflakes quickly covered her bare head. It was not the first time she had wished for a garage. She stopped for a moment before entering the house. The lone sugar maple tree in the front yard was never more beautiful than when its leaves were transitioning from green to crimson, but there was something breathtaking about the way the snow hung off the empty branches, glistening in the moonlight as if it had been lit with a thousand miniature lights.
She tried not to sigh as she opened the door. She loved her husband and two children more than her own life, but the tension she felt coming home these past three weeks was so strong, the tidal wave of negative energy nearly barreled her over the moment her feet hit the front entrance. Ryan, her husband of seven years, had unexpectedly lost his job the Monday before Thanksgiving. Securo, the security guard company Ryan worked for unsympathetically told him his post no longer existed. Securo met the security needs for most of the business in their small town of 3,065 people. Ryan had covered posts anywhere from the landfill to a car lot. His current assignment at Smith High Schools had been his favorite. However, the local police department finally had it in its budget to place one of their own officers on duty at the school, and Securo's services were no longer required. Ryan had literally begged for any other post. He had put nine years into the company, but suddenly it was if he had only been there a day. He was dismissed with the promise of a good job reference if he needed one, and escorted out by a fellow, or make that former, co-worker.
Smith was a small tourist town with lakes full of Rainbow Trout and campgrounds packed from May until September. By October 1st, most of the campers went back to the city, all the jobs dried up, and work was scarce.
Amelia had never wanted to be anything more than a wife and stay-a-home mom, but until Ryan could find another job, she would readily leaver her comfort zone to help her family. She had somehow managed to get one of the last available jobs in town as a janitor/cook at the local women's shelter; a job Ryan could not apply to for obvious reasons. Since Amelia had become the bread-winner and Ryan the stay-at-home dad, their world seemed topsy-turvey and not quite right.
The problems at home had nothing to do with Ryan's capabilities. Ryan was not only the best husband she could ask for, but also a terrific hands-on father. Five year-old Colt and three year-old Sophia adored their father and, overall, were quite content Ryan had become their main caretaker. Because Amelia loved and respected her husband beyond words, she never criticized when the children's clothes clashed, he only cooked food made in the microwave, or forgot to wash her work uniform. None of that mattered when she considered how blessed she was to have such a loving, gracious husband.
The tension she felt now was all about money. Her salary was $400 less a month than Ryan had been bringing home. They had applied for heating assistance for the winter. However, they were evaluated based on the average of the family's income for the past three months, so they did not qualify. Each time she walked into the home to feel the thermostat set to a chilly sixty-five degrees in order to save money, it added to her frustrations. They took less showers, used more paper plates, and even did less laundry just to cut down on the water bill. What was next, making the ultra-girlie Sophia wear her brother's football and fire truck hand-me-downs because they could not afford new clothes? The little curly haired brunette loved her ribbons, bows, and frilly skirts; it would be a shame to force her to wear jeans every day.
Sometimes Amelia wondered what God had against them. She and Ryan had strived to live holy lives and raised their children to both fear and love the Lord. They were obedient in their faith and walked in the ways Jesus taught. Had they missed a step? Was God angry with them about something? Or was life just being life? They were not exempt from the trials of this world, and they did not expect to be. She tried very hard to hold onto her faith that God was still in control, but some days she wondered if God had more of hands-off approach to teach His children the harder lessons that would make them stronger in the long-run.
She was never home for more than a minute before her presence was known and she was surrounded by hugs, kisses, and affectionate words welcoming her home. Her cares were swept away in the warmth of her family, and she stayed in Ryan's arms a little longer than usual before leaving his comfort to enjoy the dinner he had put together.
As she sat down to the little round table painted a cheerful daffodil, she was overflowing with love for her family. She complimented her husband on the creative dinner of canned chili mixed with cut-up microwavable corndogs. She could not wait to try his wonderful concoction.
The family took turns praying over their meals, and today was Colt's turn.
The little blonde-hair, blue-eyed boy was not as shy as his sister and loved to pray aloud.
"Dear gracious Heavenly Father," he began as seriously as any minister. He then ran all his words together into one long sentence, "Thank you for mommy and daddy and for daddy reading 'Winnie the Pooh' to us today, and thank you that mommy gets to still cook and clean even though it's for other people, and please help daddy to get a new job even if we wish he could stay home too, and thank you for loving us and taking care of us, we love you too. In Jesus' name, amen."
Colt's childish prayer was so simple and yet so profound. In Amelia's own prayers, she often failed to follow through by acknowledging that God was always taking care of them in spite of how things appeared on the surface. In her frustrations and fear she rarely remembered God loved them or declared her own love. She complained more than she praised.
If only I could have faith like my children, Amelia silently mused.
Half way into their meal, the cell phone in Ryan's pocket buzzed. There was usually a no-phones rule at the dinner table, but as long as Ryan had active applications and resumes floating out there, the rule had temporarily been placed on hold.
"Hello... Yes, this is Ryan... Yes...," there was a long pause as he listened to the person on the other end with an occasional, "Uh-huh" and finally ended with, "Yes... Thank you, I will... God bless you too."
Ryan disconnected the call with a wide grin.
"Well, buddy, God just answered your prayer," Ryan revealed to his son, then addressed the rest of the family, "That was the Smith Airport. Their security guard of twenty-five years has decided to retire by Jan. 1st. They wanted to know of I would be interested in the position starting Monday. It pays $2.50 more an hour than my old job and offers full benefits for the entire family."
Amelia jumped from the table around to her husband's chair and gave him an excited hug.
"But wait, honey, I don't remember you applying for that job," Amelia realized.
"That's just it; I didn't. Jim, my old boss at Securo just happens to be the brother of the owner of the small airport. That was his brother on the phone. He asked Jim if he could recommend anyone for the position. They prefer to hire people as employees of the airport, rather than contracting with private companies," Ryan explained, "Jim recommend me."
"Wow! That is amazing!"
"Can I pray again, mommy?" Colt asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Of course," she answered, returning back to her chair.
They all bowed their heads again.
"Thank you, God, for answering our prayers and giving daddy a job, 'specially since he really wanted to be a guard again. You know what's best. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Yes, Jesus, You do know what's best, Amelia silently agreed.
She knew there would always be times in her life where her faith either faltered or grew. But as long as she lived, she would never forget the day the faith of her child brought tears to her eyes and a new song in her heart!
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:1-4
It was going to be a long winter. Today was December 15th, and not technically winter, but as long as there was snow on the ground, Amelia considered it as so.
She pulled the sixteen year-old Honda Accord onto the street in front of the small ranch-style house. It was one of those homes where no one could agree on the color. Some called it peach, others orange, and the wise said peachy-orange. Amelia just called it ugly. The two bedroom, one bath rental was not decorated in the colors she would have chosen, but, then again, she did not exactly know the first thing about decorating. These days it was mostly braided throw rugs, second hand mismatched furniture, and a smattering of children's toys scattered every where but in the children's room.
As she exited the vehicle and headed for the front door, fluffy snowflakes quickly covered her bare head. It was not the first time she had wished for a garage. She stopped for a moment before entering the house. The lone sugar maple tree in the front yard was never more beautiful than when its leaves were transitioning from green to crimson, but there was something breathtaking about the way the snow hung off the empty branches, glistening in the moonlight as if it had been lit with a thousand miniature lights.
She tried not to sigh as she opened the door. She loved her husband and two children more than her own life, but the tension she felt coming home these past three weeks was so strong, the tidal wave of negative energy nearly barreled her over the moment her feet hit the front entrance. Ryan, her husband of seven years, had unexpectedly lost his job the Monday before Thanksgiving. Securo, the security guard company Ryan worked for unsympathetically told him his post no longer existed. Securo met the security needs for most of the business in their small town of 3,065 people. Ryan had covered posts anywhere from the landfill to a car lot. His current assignment at Smith High Schools had been his favorite. However, the local police department finally had it in its budget to place one of their own officers on duty at the school, and Securo's services were no longer required. Ryan had literally begged for any other post. He had put nine years into the company, but suddenly it was if he had only been there a day. He was dismissed with the promise of a good job reference if he needed one, and escorted out by a fellow, or make that former, co-worker.
Smith was a small tourist town with lakes full of Rainbow Trout and campgrounds packed from May until September. By October 1st, most of the campers went back to the city, all the jobs dried up, and work was scarce.
Amelia had never wanted to be anything more than a wife and stay-a-home mom, but until Ryan could find another job, she would readily leaver her comfort zone to help her family. She had somehow managed to get one of the last available jobs in town as a janitor/cook at the local women's shelter; a job Ryan could not apply to for obvious reasons. Since Amelia had become the bread-winner and Ryan the stay-at-home dad, their world seemed topsy-turvey and not quite right.
The problems at home had nothing to do with Ryan's capabilities. Ryan was not only the best husband she could ask for, but also a terrific hands-on father. Five year-old Colt and three year-old Sophia adored their father and, overall, were quite content Ryan had become their main caretaker. Because Amelia loved and respected her husband beyond words, she never criticized when the children's clothes clashed, he only cooked food made in the microwave, or forgot to wash her work uniform. None of that mattered when she considered how blessed she was to have such a loving, gracious husband.
The tension she felt now was all about money. Her salary was $400 less a month than Ryan had been bringing home. They had applied for heating assistance for the winter. However, they were evaluated based on the average of the family's income for the past three months, so they did not qualify. Each time she walked into the home to feel the thermostat set to a chilly sixty-five degrees in order to save money, it added to her frustrations. They took less showers, used more paper plates, and even did less laundry just to cut down on the water bill. What was next, making the ultra-girlie Sophia wear her brother's football and fire truck hand-me-downs because they could not afford new clothes? The little curly haired brunette loved her ribbons, bows, and frilly skirts; it would be a shame to force her to wear jeans every day.
Sometimes Amelia wondered what God had against them. She and Ryan had strived to live holy lives and raised their children to both fear and love the Lord. They were obedient in their faith and walked in the ways Jesus taught. Had they missed a step? Was God angry with them about something? Or was life just being life? They were not exempt from the trials of this world, and they did not expect to be. She tried very hard to hold onto her faith that God was still in control, but some days she wondered if God had more of hands-off approach to teach His children the harder lessons that would make them stronger in the long-run.
She was never home for more than a minute before her presence was known and she was surrounded by hugs, kisses, and affectionate words welcoming her home. Her cares were swept away in the warmth of her family, and she stayed in Ryan's arms a little longer than usual before leaving his comfort to enjoy the dinner he had put together.
As she sat down to the little round table painted a cheerful daffodil, she was overflowing with love for her family. She complimented her husband on the creative dinner of canned chili mixed with cut-up microwavable corndogs. She could not wait to try his wonderful concoction.
The family took turns praying over their meals, and today was Colt's turn.
The little blonde-hair, blue-eyed boy was not as shy as his sister and loved to pray aloud.
"Dear gracious Heavenly Father," he began as seriously as any minister. He then ran all his words together into one long sentence, "Thank you for mommy and daddy and for daddy reading 'Winnie the Pooh' to us today, and thank you that mommy gets to still cook and clean even though it's for other people, and please help daddy to get a new job even if we wish he could stay home too, and thank you for loving us and taking care of us, we love you too. In Jesus' name, amen."
Colt's childish prayer was so simple and yet so profound. In Amelia's own prayers, she often failed to follow through by acknowledging that God was always taking care of them in spite of how things appeared on the surface. In her frustrations and fear she rarely remembered God loved them or declared her own love. She complained more than she praised.
If only I could have faith like my children, Amelia silently mused.
Half way into their meal, the cell phone in Ryan's pocket buzzed. There was usually a no-phones rule at the dinner table, but as long as Ryan had active applications and resumes floating out there, the rule had temporarily been placed on hold.
"Hello... Yes, this is Ryan... Yes...," there was a long pause as he listened to the person on the other end with an occasional, "Uh-huh" and finally ended with, "Yes... Thank you, I will... God bless you too."
Ryan disconnected the call with a wide grin.
"Well, buddy, God just answered your prayer," Ryan revealed to his son, then addressed the rest of the family, "That was the Smith Airport. Their security guard of twenty-five years has decided to retire by Jan. 1st. They wanted to know of I would be interested in the position starting Monday. It pays $2.50 more an hour than my old job and offers full benefits for the entire family."
Amelia jumped from the table around to her husband's chair and gave him an excited hug.
"But wait, honey, I don't remember you applying for that job," Amelia realized.
"That's just it; I didn't. Jim, my old boss at Securo just happens to be the brother of the owner of the small airport. That was his brother on the phone. He asked Jim if he could recommend anyone for the position. They prefer to hire people as employees of the airport, rather than contracting with private companies," Ryan explained, "Jim recommend me."
"Wow! That is amazing!"
"Can I pray again, mommy?" Colt asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Of course," she answered, returning back to her chair.
They all bowed their heads again.
"Thank you, God, for answering our prayers and giving daddy a job, 'specially since he really wanted to be a guard again. You know what's best. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Yes, Jesus, You do know what's best, Amelia silently agreed.
She knew there would always be times in her life where her faith either faltered or grew. But as long as she lived, she would never forget the day the faith of her child brought tears to her eyes and a new song in her heart!
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:1-4
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