When your spouse dies, your life changes in so many ways. Things that you used to do as a couple are now off limits to you as a widow. People who used to welcome you as a couple now ignore you as a widow. One of the things that we used to do as a couple was participate in the annual marriage retreat in Prescott. The church subsidizes the dinner and hotel stay and good ministry was always brought in to minister to the married couples. When my wife of 40 years died, that door was shut to me and it remains shut where I live now. I could teach a marriage seminar. But I cannot attend one any more.
After Kathy died, my friend in Prescott, being sensitive to me and to the Holy Spirit, used to take me out to dinner on Valentines night. His wife was almost every Valentines day working out of town, so he would pick me up and we would have dinner together. Often he would drop me off and go to the seminar anyway, but not always. He did this for at least four years in a row, maybe five.
To this day I do not think that he understands the profound impact he had on my life. His generosity and act of love preserved me and saved me from many lonely nights when I could not attend the marriage seminar. I'm forever grateful to God for stirring up my friend's heart to minister to me. I called him this week to again thank him for his kindness to me.
No comments:
Post a Comment