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Change My Heart Oh Lord �� ��� Sharon Thomas �� Sisters in God's Way My best friend Marie is more like a sister to me than my only blood sister is. I often feel like a second mother to my sister Val, especially now that Mom and Dad are retired and always off "gallivanting." "I love Val," I told Marie one morning, "and there's no way I'd want to miss the experience of helping her with that new baby. It's just that I'm so tired all the time. I can't keep up with all of the things that need to be done. The problem is not with Val," I said. "What is the problem?" Marie asked. Before trying to answer Marie's question, I said, "Do you remember that woman we took a basket of food to?" "Yes," Marie said. "What was her name? It was Jean, wasn't it?" "Right," I answered. "Well, recently Jean has wanted several favors every week." "When will you stop being overly generous?" Marie shook her head disapprovingly. "I knew you were making a mistake when you told Jean to call you if she needed anything. She's the kind of person who will always need something, but what she needs most is attention." "I'm afraid you're right," I said. "I've been taking her to the doctor when her car broke down, letting her leave Rita here to play with Brittany while she goes grocery shopping, and listening to the problems she's having with her oldest boy. With all that, and running over to Val's every time the baby sneezes . . . " The phone rang. "Brittany will run from her room to answer it," I said. "We've started teaching her how to use the phone and she loves it." Soon Brittany was saying, "Mommy, it's Mrs. Connors from the church." "Jean Lowell asked me to call you," the church secretary said. "Her son has been arrested. He's at Juvenile Hall." "What can I do?" I asked. "I don't know exactly," Mrs. Connors said. "Maybe talk to her and find out what she needs." "I'll pray about it," I said, and I did send up a silent prayer before I spoke to Marie. "Jean is having more problems. Her son has been arrested." "Imagine having a child in that kind of trouble," Marie said. I nodded. "I'm not sure I want to get involved. Shouldn't I put my limited time and energy into helping my own sister?" Before Marie could answer, Brittany said, "Mommy, Mrs. Lowell is your sister." I stared at my little daughter as she continued speaking. "She's your sister in God's way." How could I have forgotten? I, who had taught Brittany that all Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ, had been acting as if I hadn't learned that lesson myself. I felt ashamed of myself, but very proud of Brittany. She had paraphrased my teaching so well! Later, as I prayed for guidance, God seemed to be telling me just to let Jean know that I cared about her problem. I could call or write and say, "I'm sorry your son was arrested", but would that help at all? It seemed almost cruel to put the sad fact of her son's arrest in writing. Still praying in my heart, I went to my desk and picked out a pretty note-card. Then God inspired me to write on the inside: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Dear Jean, My daughter Brittany has reminded me that we are all "sisters in God's way." I'm sending this card just to brighten a sister's day. Sincerely, Rhonda Hamilton ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I added the note to a stack of letters that I needed to mail and left the situation in God's hands. Whatever else He might want me to do for Jean, I'd be open to His leading. I knew that God, who loves all His children, wouldn't ask me to do anything that I couldn't do. The card was just a start. It would let Jean know that I cared. ��� Brief Autobiography Martha was my best friend. We went together to piano lessons at Mrs. Hale's house. Martha's lessons, not mine. I yearned to make beautiful music, too, but my family could not afford to pay for lessons. I know now that I could have looked over the teacher's shoulder and learned with Martha. Why didn't I do that? Probably because God did not make me a musician. I am a writer by calling and by the grace of God. He gave me a gift and opportunities to learn how to use that gift. The first such blessing was in Mrs. Hale's living room. She had shelves filled with books. While Martha played the piano, I read those books. That's how I learned to love reading. All writers were first readers, so I credit Mrs. Hale's library as the beginning of my journey toward being a writer. God granted me many other opportunities to learn. For instance, a relative revealed to me that there are books and magazines which teach writing. Those publications provided my education. Without attending a single class or writer's conference, I have had my work accepted by more than two dozen publications, most of them small-circulation weeklies. "By my God have I leaped over a wall." Those words of David from the King James Bible (II Samuel 22:30b) echo in my mind every time something I wrote gets published. As I write this, I am not sure where my career is going next. I invite you to pray with me as I consider which "wall" God wants me to jump. �� ��� �� ANNOOOLAND'S Various Links The Annchor | Devotions | Inspirations | The Blessed | Crucifixion | 15 Prayers | John 3:16 | ROS | Rose Garlands | Pan-A-Vision | AnnDangered | Panpals | Panasia | PanIsland | Pantasy and Legends Pan, Peter and Ann | Awards | My Awards | AnnHancer | Home � Sharon Thomas' Homepage � �� Get your FREE Yahoo!GeoCites Homepage WebMistress does not support nor endorse the advertisements that are displayed at random below on all her pages. They come with the free website hosted by Yahoo!GeoCities. �� ��
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Sharon Thomas
Sisters in God's Way
My best friend Marie is more like a sister to me than my only blood sister is. I often feel like a second mother to my sister Val, especially now that Mom and Dad are retired and always off "gallivanting."
"I love Val," I told Marie one morning, "and there's no way I'd want to miss the experience of helping her with that new baby. It's just that I'm so tired all the time. I can't keep up with all of the things that need to be done. The problem is not with Val," I said.
"What is the problem?" Marie asked.
Before trying to answer Marie's question, I said, "Do you remember that woman we took a basket of food to?"
"Yes," Marie said. "What was her name? It was Jean, wasn't it?"
"Right," I answered. "Well, recently Jean has wanted several favors every week."
"When will you stop being overly generous?" Marie shook her head disapprovingly. "I knew you were making a mistake when you told Jean to call you if she needed anything. She's the kind of person who will always need something, but what she needs most is attention."
"I'm afraid you're right," I said. "I've been taking her to the doctor when her car broke down, letting her leave Rita here to play with Brittany while she goes grocery shopping, and listening to the problems she's having with her oldest boy. With all that, and running over to Val's every time the baby sneezes . . . "
The phone rang. "Brittany will run from her room to answer it," I said. "We've started teaching her how to use the phone and she loves it."
Soon Brittany was saying, "Mommy, it's Mrs. Connors from the church."
"Jean Lowell asked me to call you," the church secretary said. "Her son has been arrested. He's at Juvenile Hall."
"What can I do?" I asked.
"I don't know exactly," Mrs. Connors said. "Maybe talk to her and find out what she needs."
"I'll pray about it," I said, and I did send up a silent prayer before I spoke to Marie.
"Jean is having more problems. Her son has been arrested."
"Imagine having a child in that kind of trouble," Marie said.
I nodded. "I'm not sure I want to get involved. Shouldn't I put my limited time and energy into helping my own sister?"
Before Marie could answer, Brittany said, "Mommy, Mrs. Lowell is your sister." I stared at my little daughter as she continued speaking. "She's your sister in God's way."
How could I have forgotten? I, who had taught Brittany that all Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ, had been acting as if I hadn't learned that lesson myself. I felt ashamed of myself, but very proud of Brittany. She had paraphrased my teaching so well!
Later, as I prayed for guidance, God seemed to be telling me just to let Jean know that I cared about her problem. I could call or write and say, "I'm sorry your son was arrested", but would that help at all? It seemed almost cruel to put the sad fact of her son's arrest in writing.
Still praying in my heart, I went to my desk and picked out a pretty note-card. Then God inspired me to write on the inside:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dear Jean,
My daughter Brittany has reminded me that we are all "sisters in God's way." I'm sending this card just to brighten a sister's day.
Sincerely, Rhonda Hamilton
I added the note to a stack of letters that I needed to mail and left the situation in God's hands. Whatever else He might want me to do for Jean, I'd be open to His leading. I knew that God, who loves all His children, wouldn't ask me to do anything that I couldn't do. The card was just a start. It would let Jean know that I cared.
Brief Autobiography
Martha was my best friend. We went together to piano lessons at Mrs. Hale's house. Martha's lessons, not mine. I yearned to make beautiful music, too, but my family could not afford to pay for lessons. I know now that I could have looked over the teacher's shoulder and learned with Martha. Why didn't I do that? Probably because God did not make me a musician.
I am a writer by calling and by the grace of God. He gave me a gift and opportunities to learn how to use that gift. The first such blessing was in Mrs. Hale's living room. She had shelves filled with books. While Martha played the piano, I read those books. That's how I learned to love reading.
All writers were first readers, so I credit Mrs. Hale's library as the beginning of my journey toward being a writer. God granted me many other opportunities to learn. For instance, a relative revealed to me that there are books and magazines which teach writing. Those publications provided my education. Without attending a single class or writer's conference, I have had my work accepted by more than two dozen publications, most of them small-circulation weeklies.
"By my God have I leaped over a wall." Those words of David from the King James Bible (II Samuel 22:30b) echo in my mind every time something I wrote gets published. As I write this, I am not sure where my career is going next. I invite you to pray with me as I consider which "wall" God wants me to jump.
ANNOOOLAND'S Various Links
The Annchor | Devotions | Inspirations | The Blessed | Crucifixion | 15 Prayers | John 3:16 | ROS | Rose Garlands |
Pan-A-Vision | AnnDangered | Panpals | Panasia | PanIsland | Pantasy and Legends Pan, Peter and Ann | Awards | My Awards | AnnHancer | Home
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