Christianese

I thank God Mike and I found each other. That is nothing short of God circumventing our own stupidity at 19, and 21 years old. I wanted to marry someone like my Father. And NOT a fireman or policeman. I only had 2 ‘no’s in the whole world. I just couldn’t handle the thought of loosing my mate to a job. But I want others to. Just not mine. How kind of me, eh?

I met Mike… ehem. In Bible School. I got my MRS. at Bible School. I’m so ashamed. But how could I not? He was perfect. See:

Mike knows stuff like the Black Watch. Only my Dad knew that! It must have been God. Naturally, I hounded him. But not outright. The GUY had to ask the GIRL out. You know, the Christian way. And he did. Eventually.

And life has been a bowl of cherries since then. You know that feeling when you unsuspectingly chomp down on a cherry pit? Yeah. That one. It was the most difficult, tumultuous, emotional year of my life. 20 years old, man! Barely out of diapers. Definitely not out of the Christian bubble. Yet.

But you know what? We are still together. And you’ve NO idea how many times we both had legitimate causes for divorce. Truly. If you suffer in your marriage. I understand!

Why did mine turn out? I don’t know. What do I look like - Grandma? THEN I’ll know everything. RIght now I do know one thing that helped me:

~my Christian faith at home ~

I can’t remember many of the Sunday Schools or churches that I went to. Although we went for years and years to the same one - until we moved to a different city. But I remember stuff taught to me at home, at Christian High School, and Bible School. I had to memorize verses like crazy. Torture, right? Apparently when they said, “It’ll come back to you at the right time” they weren’t just playing us!

Now, I don’t want you to think I had a rosey childhood. I most certainly did have it better than most. But there were issues in our family. Let me tell you! But I won’t. My parents were first generation Christians in both of their families - of- origin. Further up the tree is a sad, sad history of mental illness and alcoholism. Some of you will know what carries down to the children from that kind of environment.

Without my upbringing, I wonder if I would have had that nagging feeling bringing me back to church? Even in the midst of my sin, I knew I would have to reconcile whether or not I was with God or against. Especially before I drew other people into my sin. I cared about them a whole lot more than I did myself.

I wonder if I would have been able to ask for help in the darkest days of depression? When I knew in my heart that God made me and I was alive. I just didn’t know why. But I knew that there was a reason.

I wonder if I would have been able to believe, after an intense fight with God over the loss of a friend’s child? That was the time, I gave up being “submissive”. I wanted answers. Forget all the Christian platitudes. How dare He! An innocent baby. Killed during birth. It still makes me angry. I still don’t understand. And I could write a book on what I’ve learned about God since then.

I wonder right now, how to come back after some tragic events of two years ago. I know God is there. I know where to find comfort. I don’t know how to resolve some stuff right now. But I’m okay with that for today. I have a strong foundation in my heart of belief. Nothing - not even my own stubborness and stupidity - can separate me from God, my Friend, my Savior. I’m so thankful.

Find more Thankful Thursday posts here.

Or you can view more blasts’ from the past at Sincerely ‘fro Me to You. And this week Kirsten is LOL FUNNY! Not that she isn’t every day or anything.