 |
|
|
ENDURANCE
On Jan. 2, 1996 I kissed my husband goodbye and started back to the office. He had taken a few days off work and we were enjoying a more relaxed day after the holidays. We lingered a while over lunch discussing plans for the New Year. We even dared to make plans to visit our Michigan friends we had spoke of so many times. That looked like a real possibility for the latter part of the year. One o’clock came all too soon and I started to the hospital to finish my day.
At three o’clock my youngest son arrived home from work. A call for an ambulance came through and I wondered why the emergency. All too soon I realized the call had been from my son. He had found my husband in the garage The coroner ruled sudden heart attack. Life stood still. All plans were suddenly null and void. Dreams of vacations, retirement, and grandchildren someday were snuffed out.
The next year is still a blur. Friends and family can only do so much. My work at the hospital helped me get through the days. Nights were long. God became more real to me than before. “Help me endure” was my plea. I clung to certain scriptures. I cherished the verse , “For I know the plans I have for you saith the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” God was teaching me endurance.
Two years later, in May of 1998 my dear friend from Michigan called to tell me she had CA. She had kept this from me for 5 years. Her husband had quit his job to care for her. We kept in touch by cards and emails. In Sept., 1999, Emilie’s suffering ended. Richard, her husband had endured by her side faithfully caring for her. Now he was ushered into a new phase of endurance.
Time past. I emailed Richard scriptures that had helped me get through my husband’s death. We knew our faith would endure. After many emails and phone calls, Richard made plans to visit me, 1,100 miles away. We had formed a beautiful bond of friendship. Could it be that more would develop?
Our first time to see each other after 20 years was filled with emotion. He brought letters I had written Emilie through the years. I had handfuls of pictures we had all taken during happier times. We talked of how God had helped us endure the trials of life.
Friendship turned rapidly to a deep abiding love. We were married three months later.
We look back on our lives and we’re filled with such gratitude for the hope that caused us to endure through life. We see hope as the door to endurance. Endurance brought us through battles of daily life to our new place of happiness.
Periods of enduring makes us stronger. It increases our hope. It brings us to bold, beautiful new experiences that can be described as rewards for endurance.
|
|
|
