Three Years - Intro 💕

Summer 2015

Heritage Hope Church of God Revival

Proverbs 27:9

Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.

                By any measure, 2015 was a great year. I was making my house a home after moving in the previous year and really starting to enjoy my family and friends. It truly was a feeling I cannot put into words. I had struggled as a single mom with three small kids and with very little help from their dad things were starting to really turn around for me. I guess you could say my prayers were being answered.

In January I rang in the new year with one of my best friends, Rissa, and my kids, was gifted a stray (unwanted) long haired cat, Lilli, celebrated my 33rd birthday, signed me and my kids up for the Polar Plunge at work, and my cover photo on Facebook said, “Live for the moments you can’t put into words.”

February and March were even better than January! The unexpected happened and I was totally here for it! Winter Storm Octavia brought all the snow and all the happiness. I am a sucker for a good amount of snow, although I didn’t expect Walmart to have empty shelves! We ended up with close to ten inches of snow and it even carried into the first part of March! I guess Cabin Fever really is a thing; I cut my bangs. Now with the snow gone we were free again, although I did miss the snow! I took Kollin to the Adventure Science Center in Nashville and had a blast! It was the neatest place for us because we both share a love for science! Last, but not least, we ended the month with the Polar Plunge! Some of the participants wore costumes and it was so fun watching everyone, until it was my turn! Breathtaking, literally!

In May I flew to Dallas with a very good friend and spent a long weekend taking in all the sights! I missed my kids, but I needed this trip so much! I cannot tell you what my favorite part was. The food was amazing. The sightseeing was captivating. Oh, it was Jason Aldean, he was my favorite part. Well, him and the lady that changed her clothes standing behind us, of course. Then me, Rissa, Michelle, and my three kids took a trip to Gulf Shores to finish out the month. It was the best trip. It took us about a month to get there because Michelle is the slowest driver ever and she drove separately! I don’t feel like I need to put any emphasis on the condition of our room. It wasn’t that bad for a single mom’s budget. We checked for bed bugs, the hole in the bathroom wall wasn’t that big, you could barely notice the cigarette burns, and after an hour you didn’t even notice the odor anymore. Plus, we were only in the room long enough to sleep. Rissa got sick on the Dolphin Cruise, we ate at all the outdoor restaurants, met ‘debit or credit,’ and I fell in love with Evan. Oh my, Evan was the sweetest (and cutest) employee at Alligator Alley! No really, he was my lock screen on my phone, and I am pretty sure I have a whole post dedicated to him on Facebook. Oh shit, what if he reads my book!!! Sorry, not sorry, Evan!

The summer months brought on warmer weather, Rissa’s birthday, lake days, and the occasional bottle of wine on the back porch. We enjoyed the Drive-In, fireworks, and cookouts! Especially the cookout to celebrate Michelle becoming a nurse! We packed in everything we could before school started back in August.

I think I could write a book on everything I did and learned in 2015. The high points were enjoying Captain before he started school that year, watching Kollin play football, celebrating Hannah getting 2nd place in the PCYFL Cheer Competition with her cheer team, starting a new job at Baptist Health, and being surrounded by the most amazing friends a girl could ever dream of having. You know, answered prayers and all.

Rissa’s family attended Heritage Hope Church of God and her mom, Nana Shell, invited us to come to revival one night. So, we picked a night and off we went. I don’t remember the name of the man that spoke that evening but, I do remember not looking forward to it. He was young and seemed happy and chatty, very chatty and even long winded. Yep, not looking forward to it at all.

Little did I know that joke was on me.

I don’t recall praying or having some sort of introduction but, I do recall the orders he started barking almost immediately. Then, I wanted this revival to end just as quickly as it started. He asks, “Can all the women please raise their hand?” Well, that could be a lie. I don’t remember if he said to stand up or raise our hands. I am hoping it was just raising your hand, it seems less embarrassing, so I am going with the hand raising. We all raise our hands and like me, many are probably wondering how the men in the room got excluded from this little activity. I notice others are looking around in a way to hold everyone accountable. Then the young man says, “Ok, if you are married, put your hand down.” And, of course, my stupid hand stays in the air. He then follows by asking the engaged women, committed relationship women, dating women to put their hands down. Really!!! Really???? Still sitting over here with my stupid hand in the air, waving it around like I just don’t care. Ok kid, I say kid because he looks like he’s in his early twenties and I am not happy to be here. Now I am even unhappier than I was before.

It was a God Wink, and I had no clue.

So, now that all of us single ladies are on display, he asks, “How many of you pray for your husband?” Oh, I am about to lose it. Buddy, you told all those ladies they didn’t have to keep flailing their hands around. We are single, sir. How can I leave, and it not look like I am leaving. I am pretty sure none of us are praying for our husbands.

Then it connects. Why don’t we pray for our husbands? His sermon was about praying for our future. Pray that your husband is happy and healthy. Pray that your husband has a relationship with the Lord. Pray that the Lord will draw your hearts closer together. And the part I took from one extreme to another, pray for exactly what you want.

When I left that revival, I knew I had some work to do. I made a joke out of this whole assignment. I prayed for the most ridiculous things. I prayed that he was happy, healthy, drawn to the Lord and to me but, I prayed for someone to do all the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and driving. I prayed that he would love my kids just like they are his and that he would love to travel. I prayed to be spoiled. I was 33 years old and had never come close to being married. I didn’t get my hopes up, but I also wasn’t looking. Besides, why not pray for exactly what I want? The worst that can happen is Jesus will tell me no.