03/03/2019
(Previously shared in 2009)
April 6, 2009
Please Be Kind and Rewind……….
As I was walking from the kitchen - yes I said kitchen and not my trail - I heard the words, “Be kind and rewind.”
I paused, momentarily, to determine what the meaning could possibly be. Again, I heard, “Please be kind and rewind.”
Soon my mind began to drift back to the many things that God has miraculous done for me over years of my life. I have either stored those memories away, forgotten about them or just hadn’t seen the necessity to repeat or, should I now say, rewind them.
I thought about the times when I rented VHS movies from the video store and there was a smiley face that said, “Please be kind and rewind.”
Well that pretty much meant, now that you’ve enjoyed this movie, make it easier for the next viewer. Rewind it for them.
I often hear of so much pain, discouragement, fears, trepidation - my son will like that word. It means nervous apprehension for those of us who might need to look it up J - and just plain dread. Many are overcome by what seems like mountainous impossibilities. Some are depressed and others even contemplating su***de.
Bottom line, many are just losing hope.
When the Lord spoke those words to me, He later said, “Share the things that I have done for you, even if you have shared them before.”
He further said, “Some need to hear it again; some never heard you before; some didn’t find it relevant at the time.”
So here I go. Let me rewind, perhaps, one or two things that God has done in my life.
My economy was really bad for me in the early stages of my marriage. Pretty much like the song, which one of the verses says:
How you gonna pay your rent/ All your money spent/ Little bit to buy some food/ Baby needs a pair of shoes/ Look you got a light bill due/ Even got a gas bill too/ Phone’s on disconnect/ Waiting for your next pay check/ Listen what you ought to do/ Jesus will see you through/ I’m a witness He will see you through. - Jesus will work it out (Cosmopolitan Mass Choir)
My husband, at the time, and I had filed bankruptcy. It is not something that I am proud to share but it’s a fact. Moving on, we were renting a house from a relative. She passed away and her niece was in charge of her affairs.
One sunny afternoon she paid me a visit. I was home with our three sons and we had a pleasant time during her stay. She brought her son with her, who was my age, and I was glad to see him. However, just as soon as she prepared to leave her demeanor did a 180 and she said, “Doll, you’ve got to get out and get out now.”
I was in shock!!!
I looked at her son and he just shook his head and whispered, “She’s been like that since she had surgery on her brain.”
There was no way to talk her out of it and I WAS AFRAID!!! Our rent was perfect, our life was simple. My family and I were happy. Well, let me interject this. We were happy until people told us differently. Let me explain.
Others figured that we should be doing this and that and that and this with our lives. But what we were doing was great for us. It was a simple and wonderful life and we loved and served God. I was criticized that I had a degree; yet, I was home raising our sons. It’s what the plan of God was at that time for our lives; nevertheless, others had so much to say.
Again, moving on, I told my husband, who never showed fear even if he felt it, about the eviction notice and I began to dread the daily task of combing the newspaper for somewhere my family could move to on our modest income.
Oh! I was selling Tupperware at the time but my main party supplier was my sister Annette. She loved the parties.
One day, as I was driving to the bank to deposit my meager earnings from my Tupperware sales from the previous week, which was probably a little over $100, I passed this large house on 12th street . There was a sign on the lawn that said, “Open House.”
God said, “Stop”, I said, “No.” God again said, “Stop” and I said, “No, God I don’t want to get my feelings hurt because there is no way we can afford a house like that.”
Well, I stopped, gathered my children and knocked on the door. A nice gentleman opened the door and told me that he renovates homes and had finished this one. He took me on a tour and I knew there was no possible way for us to have such a nice home. Bottom-line, I AIN’T got no money and we AIN’T got no credit!!!
He told me that a postal worker wanted the house but hadn’t given him the money to hold it. He then said, “If you are really interested and have $100, I will hold it until your husband can see it.”
Did I mention I had my TUPPERWARE MONEY!!!
I gave him the money, got his phone number and went on the hunt to find my husband on his route at work.
He loved it, I loved it but we had bad credit.
The owner asked us to meet him at the bank that following Monday morning - it was on a Friday that I had the tour.
Needless to say I had all weekend to lose 10 lbs. I was so afraid.
We met him at the bank and I sat myself up for one of the greatest disappointments of all time. The loan officer asked two questions and neither of which were for me. She asked my husband for his social security number and for proof of insurance for the house.
You see, it was an “ASSUMABLE LOAN”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We Got It!!!
My dream house! Two stories with four bedrooms and a large kitchen, dining room and living room all on a corner lot on what was, then, one of the busiest streets in my hometown. The point of that statement is all could see what God had done for us!!!
Much to my dismay, in the process of time, I lost my house. My husband wanted a separation and I couldn’t afford to pay the mortgage. I was devastated.
He packed us up and moved me and our sons to a place God sovereignly blessed me to find.
Yet, I would pass our home God had given us and always cry. I remember thinking, “God I can’t hold on to one single thing you have given to me.”
Due to a lay off I lost the job I loved, I lost the husband I loved and I lost the home I loved!!!
There was a sign that had HUD on the lawn. So now everyone knew my situation!!!
Let me shorten this. I eventually got another job and my boss was insistent that I buy a home for my sons and me.
Oh goodness, I didn’t want to tell him about the bankruptcy on my credit. He pressured me to call a real estate agent. I did.
He was a Christian man who was very kind and allowed me to tell my story.
At one point he said, “Let me show you this house on 12th street .”
I wanted to scream. I didn’t want to tell him it was my home.
He pulled into the driveway and I thought I would lose my mind. He opened the door and there was my home, just like I left it, except for the fresh paint job.
I walked through trying not to cry.
I opened my son’s closet door and there were all the mischievous writings on the wall, which hurt even more.
I finally told him that I had lived here before. Ironically, no one ever moved in the whole time since we left.
He asked, “Is there anyone you can call to help you?”
He had a cell phone. That was so impressive to me because it was around 1989.
I said, “Let me call my brother in Texas .” My brother and I are about 12 years apart, so we didn’t grow up together.
I said, “Hi A.D. there is a man who wants to talk to you.”
I tried not to listen. Afterwards, He hung up and said, “Your brother said what do I need to do to get my sister back in her house!!!”
Yes you got it, I GOT MY HOUSE BACK!!! And you know what, I’ve lived in this state for 19 years and I STILL have my home in Oklahoma .
It’s the one that has been broken into recently and previously damaged by renters in the past but it’s still mine, given by the grace of God.
And as I wait for further instructions on what God has planned for the gift that the devil can’t take away…These things I recall to mind, therefore I have hope and now I hope you do too….
I have more things to rewind, just for you so…..
Until next time….Think on these things…
P.S. The house is now a part of the outreach services of Turning Point Ministries. It’s now “A Place To Go.”