I Wept Yesterday 2/16/2019 While Viewing An Obituary Memorial Video. I Knew This Young, 37 Year Old Man From Back Home. Let Me Share With You About Their Great Family & How They Accepted Me Into Their Familly Owned Business. I Was An Event/Wedding Planner For Them In A Season Of My Life.

Yesterday morning was a great morning. As you read in my previous blog entry I sang in tongues for  4 hours prior to getting out of bed. I was heading to my hair appointment and I called my daughter to leave her a voicemail message. I did and then realized I did not include one more thought in the last message left so I called her again to leave a message. Well, she answered the phone and I shared with her. I was now at my hair appointment location and said I had to go in the shop and then she said...….
She did not know which son it was of this couple but one of them died recently. I went to get my hair done and a cute haircut once again. I then left the salon and they told me about a new "actual" bakery (not some type of retro style bakery that is out there. A bakery like when I was a child.) I thought I would check it out while I was right there. I was talking with them and they knew my hairdresser by name so I asked what is his favorite. I then purchased a version of his favorite. He loved the blueberry muffins so I got him a blueberry coffee cake to let him try that. They have small sized pies also. I did pick up a coconut cream one to try. They carry things like bakeries used to carry years ago like lady locks (cream filled horns), Danish, apple fritters, long john cream stick's ,eclairs, cookies etc. get the picture. An actual bakery and not that retro type of stuff. They even have a waffle you can order with a coffee and sit there and enjoy it. They do have a variety of coffees also. I dropped off the baked good to my hairdresser and I was on my way.
I google searched obituaries and found out which son it was that died. My heart sank it truly did in that moment. I finished doing my errands and when I got back home I then searched on my computer to see the actual obituary. That is when I discovered the funeral home website and where I viewed this touching memorial video. I cried throughout the entire video while I was viewing it. I must get another music cd, "Never Alone" by James W.Goll to send to his family. I know this music will help the healing process of the parents. How did I meet this family? Let me share with you. You always know there will be a story behind events that took place in my life right. Well, this is one of them and you will definitely see the hand of God in this meeting/story.
Back then I was living in a community after my divorce. I really felt to learn to live and adjust to receiving alimony and child support to be home with my children when they came home from school to be there for them. I did this and it was nearing the time when alimony was going to end. I needed some sort of income to supplement child support. I saw a small ad in a local newspaper and I applied for the position. The hours would fit my schedule so I could work and then be home with the children also. It was an hourly position. Let's back up this story a bit further now so you can truly see the hand of God in the making of this story. The church I attended was doing "cross walks" in neighboring communities back then. We were instructed as we walked these communities that we were to only pray blessings on these communities and not curse/deliverance type of prayers. We had a large wooden cross and you could take a turn walking with this large cross on your shoulder if you so felt led to do so. Once we walked in a city and one of the stops was the actual cemetery where Charles Finney was laid to rest. Boy did we have a little "church" going on at his grave site.
Weeks prior to me getting hired for this position I applied for we did a cross walk in this community. This was the community in which I resided in. We walked right past this establishment as part of the cross walk on the opposite side of the street. So let's go back again to another volunteer program I also participated in. The local ministerial association of the churches in this quaint town participated in the Jesus video project. You were assigned a group of people to volunteer with and a geographic location area also. We actually distributed the "Jesus" video to each home in that assigned area. If I remember this, in the satchel was the Jesus video along with a bag of microwave popcorn for the resident at that home to view. This was a great witnessing opportunity. A bit after the videos were distributed we would then go back into the neighborhood and ask if they received the video and if they wanted prayer. I loved working on this project in your own community. While volunteering I actually met a future pastor that came to the community and I attended their little church for a season in my life also. So, we are at this one home and an older gentleman opens the door and invites us in his home. He re-dedicated his life to Jesus. There is more to this story ok. Listen to the words I just shared with you that built up to me being hired as an event/wedding planner for this business. I get hired and while talking with one of the employees I worked with I shared the Jesus video story and she replied to me that it was her husband that re-dedicated his life to Jesus. That was definitely a confirmation that the hand of God was in this for me. I stayed with this position I believe for 5 years.
These are some things that happened while working for this family owned business. I remember the big screen tv in the lobby (it would be used in an event if there was a video to be played etc.) was playing the day 9/11 took place. When my son needed surgery due to a rapidly growing tumor in the ankle area (they did not know if it was cancer or not at the time of the surgery) a group of us prayed in a circle for him at this very establishment. This is a story within a story now. Prior to my son's surgery we had to go for an MRI. Since he was younger in age they allowed us to be in the room with him while it was being conducted. I sat beside my former husband and I had a bible on my lap. All of a sudden it appeared to be misty in the procedure room while my son was in the cat scan. This is what I saw and in that moment I knew he would be ok. I saw a huge is size angel standing by the head of my son with one foot on either side of his head and this angel was as tall as the room was large, he was a big angel that had his arms also in a crossed position. Sure enough the surgery biopsy was benign. Now I think it was 1 1/2 years later and he goes for a check up with the Dr. and they discover that they did not get all of the tumor with the first surgery for it was close to the growth plate and they did not want to chance nicking the growth plate for he was still growing. Surgery again for this child. One thing I remembered each time I did not allow the mention of the word "cancer" at all in our home. Second surgery was also benign. I struggled with this once with the Lord as to why this child had to go through this surgery twice. I just could not understand because there was a healing process each time with I think A cast for several weeks etc. Well, this was the response. I was at a very well know children's hospital and I would bring my bible with me. I was always most thankful when I would ride the elevator and not have to be getting off for the floors were cancer patients would be (children that is.) I remember one evening sitting in a rocking chair by a window near my son's room and I began to pray for children in that hospital that did not have anyone to pray for them. That was my purpose Holy Spirit showed me. I had a healed son leaving the hospital with a praying mother. Other children needed someone to pray for them on their behalf. Even thought this 2nd surgery tended to bother me with the why again ? My son tells me it really did not bother him to have to go through the very same surgery a second time.
I remember when my father's estate was finally settled and we did get some funds from his estate. I felt led to give this couple that owned the business in which I worked a seed offering of $1,000.00 and I did. Did you know that when it was time for me to leave this job, in faith that is, the wife actually blessed me back with $1,000.00 I think it was cash she gave to me.
Talk about a family that was a true family in the community I would say they are a perfect example of this. They were always there to help in the community. They had an Easter and Mother's Day buffet each year. Not only would I work these events at the door but my children would also seat customers to their reserved tables and even my mother would come to town to visit and help out also. This then allowed us to be together on these holiday's. This family had their family members work these events also. Now listen to this generosity of this family. Everyone that worked that day would then have their immediate family come after the last reservation seating in the afternoon and they were then blessed to enjoy the buffet free of charge with their family. That is a generous heart personified.
When I first started working here the original proprietor (the grandpa) would still come in and play classical music very loud in the back part of the business and do you know what he was doing? He was using the big iron contraption to iron/press the linens used for events. That is true dedication and we all loving referred to him as Grandpa. I rejoiced with this family in good and happy events and also cried with them when family members died. I do recall that there were pockets of opportunities when I would have moments in sharing my faith and encouraging this very son that I am writing about today in the business office. Now they have 2 sons and I apologize for this (I am not sure if it was this son or the other one) but with one of these son's I actually had the opportunity to pray over the engagement ring they were going to present to their future wife. I never worked on a laptop computer before this job and the one owner tried to show me different things on the computer but I think it may have been a bit overwhelming for me back then so I did the things I needed to do on the laptop for daily work. Like invoices created/printed etc.
I was also good at communicating with the various food purveyors that would come into the business. I never missed an opportunity to ask for samples for the business. Sure enough we would get samples for the kitchen to make and try out.
This was family based business and I would just love when the little grandchildren would come in and they would ride their little tricycles in the big hall. It was good to have these visits they blessed me while working.
Last night as I laid down for bed I began to cry again for the loss of this fine, young man and for his family. I then was comforted in knowing that there were others that went before him and they are rejoicing in welcoming him home to heaven. That brought much comfort to me. I also sought Holy Spirit for interpretation for my 4 hours of singing in tongues. He shared with me that I was proclaiming blessings of all kinds the entire time I sang in tongues. Isn't that amazing, it is amazing to me. The wonder and awe of Holy Spirit sharing with me I just love that.