Life Happens | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Life Happens | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jacquelyn Horne
02/13/08
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God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Sandy read the Serenity Prayer on the wall for the umpteenth time. It had been hanging there for years, even before her marriage to John. But, this morning, it’s different, she mumbled into space. I’m really reading it for the first time.

This is the third year I’ve spent our anniversary alone, with teary eyes and pounding heart. When does it end? John is gone. Not dead, but gone. He isn’t coming back.

Sandy read the printed prayer again. Her future depended on how she reacted. She really needed to “accept the things she could not change”, and was beginning to understand that she couldn’t change this situation. What to do? Move on - a giant step for this depressed divorcee.

She realized that she morbidly “enjoyed” these sad days. She was wallowing in them, glad to feel sorry for herself. God help me!

She didn’t like the image appearing in her mirror of life and decided that today was the day to transform that picture. Lord, where do I start?

In her teens, Sandy had wanted to be a missionary, but marriage to John had ended that dream.

Opening the scriptures, she turned to Philippians 4:11 (KJV). “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” This was a tall order for someone who’d been disgruntled for three years, but Sandy was determined, and she knew God was going to help her. Why didn't I ask for this help three years ago? Such a waste of time!

Sandy was determined not to sit and brood. A party! That’s what I’ll do. And she picked up the phone, before she could talk herself out of it. By noon, she had invited several of her church friends over for refreshments. Only five were able to come on such short notice, but she was pleased with herself as she replaced the phone from the last invitation. She had even invited two married couples! She’d been shying away from contact with couples since her divorce. It hurt to see others so happy together.

By 7:30 that evening, the house was clean, the finger foods bought and prepared, and Sandy was groomed and ready. Just as the doorbell rang with the first arrivals, Sandy noted that she hadn’t pouted all day. She’d had no time to feel sorry for herself. Thank you, Lord, she mouthed silently as she opened the door to the chill of the night air and both couples arriving at the same time.

“Come in. So good of you to come,” Sandy smiled as she hugged the women and offered each man her hand in fellowship.

“Laura may be a little late,” offered one of the women. “It looked like she had company when we came by her apartment.”

Sandy panicked. I’ll be the only single person here, she reasoned. But her new determination to cope with life’s situations kicked in. You can handle it, she admonished herself.

The two men wandered into the family room, found a comfortable chair each and began to chat. The two women stayed in the kitchen with Sandy, helping with the coffee and snacks. Everything was going well. But where was Laura?

Just as the coffee was ready to serve, the doorbell pealed, to Sandy’s relief. When she opened the door, there stood Laura, but she was not alone! Great, I’m still the only person here without a partner. Sandy nearly cried, but the good hostess in her kept it under control. God, what are you doing to me?

“I hope you don’t mind, Sandy. Bob drove over from Belmont to visit me tonight. I was just leaving as he arrived. I talked him into coming with me.”

“The more, the merrier,” smiled Sandy with more gusto than she felt.

Laura pointed to the good-looking man with her. “Everyone. This is my brother, Bob Laney. He’s been away on the mission field for the past five years. While he’s visiting the states, I’m going to find him a wife,” Laura laughed and Bob’s embarrassment was evident.

Sandy blushed as she shook hands with Laura’s brother. She didn’t know why, nor why she was happy that Bob was not Laura’s “date”.

God, what are you trying to do to me? But she just couldn’t be angry with God…

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