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| Real Love Was There |
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The Little Girl Praying
When I was 18, I joined the Army. After basic training, I had to rush back home to marry my favarite cheerleader from high school. No, it doesn't sound very romantic, I know, but I did love her. It wasn't the kind of love I've come to know today.
I didn't know it then, but Real Love was there.
I had wrestled in High School and I "fell" in love with my favorite cheerleader. I should also point out that she was pregnant with my first child.
I didn't know it then, but Real Love was there.
Very quickly we were married and off to Fort Gordan Georia, where I continued my training. I still think I was a pretty good little husband. I brought all of my paycheck home and we got what we could afford for our soon to arrive baby girl. But, it was never enough in the eyes of her parents. In fact, they never liked the idea of me taking their only daughter so far away. Little did i know that there was a plan being layed out to undo all that we were working toward.
I didn't know it then, but Real Love was there.
I was on top of the world in those days, and when Tracey was born in Feb 74, I was the proud father.
My mother, who was so happy for us, painted a painting of a little girl praying, knelt down on the side of her bed. She sent that painting to us for Tracey's bedroom.
I didn't know it then, but Real Love was there.
Still, evil was growing, and schemes unfolding while I was caught up in my tiny little world. My wife's parents paid for her and Tracey to go back home for a visit as soon as Tracey was ok'd to travel. The plan was that I would drive out soon and bring them back.
I didn't know it then, but Real Love was there.
When I arrived to visit my inlaws and pickup my girls, I was greeted at the door with a new plan. A plan that didn't include me in anyway at all. I could not believe what was happening before my eyes. Legal matters had been devised, papers readied for signature, and everything had already been settled, and now it was my turn to seal-the-deal. It was more than I could understand, it was bigger than I was. I argued and fussed, but the threats, both legal and physical were huge and I caved in within just a few days.
I didn't know it then, but Real Love was there.
Back to Georgia I went, all by myself. By the time Tracey was 12 months old, her mother was already remarried and not long after that I was informed that it would be wise to sign over my right as her father.
I didn't know it then, but Real Love was there.
And so, I picked myself up and plunged myself into my career. Germany, Portugal, Alaska, and everywhere in between. Life continued on and I eventually fell in love again. I remarried and had two more children. I've shared some of that story with you in other articles.
In 1993, I was stationed in Hawaii with Sherry and our two children. There was a fire in Oklahoma that burned a home beyond repair. Firemen, in an attempt to contain the ravenous flames, chopped away at doors and walls, and tumbling over furniture. When it was all over and days had pasted until it was safe to walk through the mess, Tracey, now 19, found a painting the firemen had set on the floor against the wall, backwards. On the back of the painting was written, "I Love you" signed EAP (Elizabeth Ann Pittman, my mother). This was the painting my mother had sent us in the first few weeks of Tracey's life. Remember, the little girl praying? It was one of just a handful of salvageable things left from the fire.
In the next few days, Tracey would try to find out who "EAP" was and no one would say anything. Oddly enough, one of the other things saved from the fire was a family bible that her mother and I received as a gift when we were married. We had filled out the family tree on one of those precious days in Georgia many years ago.
I didn't know it then, but Real Love was there.
Tracey opened the bible that had been a table decoration all those years and found, not only the EAP she had been looking for but the whole truth about who she was and where she had come from.
And so on that typical sunny day in Hawaii, my phone rings just arms length from me and a precious voice on the other end says, "Dad?".
In the days before she called, I had been trying to decide how to use my last wish, I had been given by the Secretary of the Air Force. After working in the Pentagon years before, I was promised I could go anywhere I wanted and now I had just enough time left for one more assignment. I was leaning toward Cape Canaveral in an effort to get back into the space program upon retirement. Traceys' phone-call convinced me to get assigned close to her and our relationship was restored and I Thank God for being there the whole time.
I didn't know it then, but I know now,... Real Love was there. God was there the whole time, watching me, waiting, Pure and Holy. Not one second, through the pain and torment that living in a broken world brings us, is He worried that His Love will not prevail. His Love is there now, in your situation too. You may not know it now, but Real Love is there.
It may not be a painting of a little girl praying, but God knows exactly how it will play out, my friend. His love surpasses all understanding.
Do you know Him today. He knows you, and He waits for you. He waits for His love to perform with such precision that surgeons can't even relate to. Through eternity past, you have been on His mind through everything you've been through and He Loves you. Do you know Him? I hope and pray that you come to the fullness of His knowledge today.
I love you. |
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| To add a comment to "Real Love Was There" |
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| January 26, 2009 |
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| Oh my word! What a story of God's awesomeness and how He takes the bad and turns it around for good! WOW! What a testimony unto the Lord!!! |
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| January 26, 2009 |
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| Lara Leger, I like that name. I don't know what God is doing today. I don't know why He has brought me to this place of writing these events of my life, like this. I don't know how it is that you and the others like you here, have become friends like this,... but underneath my inability to understand it all is a confidence, a peacefulness that He (God), through the covering of His son Jesus, and His Spirit now living within me, is working out something awesome. All I have to do now is just abide. Amen? I love you and your comments... here and on other blogs too. Thank you. |
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| January 26, 2009 |
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| What an awesome testimony of what God can do. Thank you so much for sharing & caring. You are a blessing, my brother in Christ. God continue to bless you. |
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| January 26, 2009 |
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Preston~ I read and value every word of this journey of Yours. Christ Jesus' ingredients have perfect results...without exception, every time. Thank You.......Ken ps i was a Military Policeman at Fort Gordon. kwo |
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| January 26, 2009 |
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| Pandabear, Ken, there you are, coaching me along, encouraging, and helping me to feel connected. I love you and I thank God for you both. |
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| January 26, 2009 |
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Man, this really tugged on my heart. I LOVE how it all came together in the end. AWESOME stuff!! Thanks for taking the time to write it out, Preston! |
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| February 19, 2009 |
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Preston, after my youngest son died, my oldest son got a girl pregnant, they miscarried. she moved away and so did i. he got two girls pregnant in the span of a month and the other one came back and wanted to marry, he told her about the first two who did NOT want to marry him and she said she didn't care.
They married and he had three daughters born in the span of five months. I do not get to see the older two granddaughters because they refuse to let us and he won't fight. I get to see the granddaughter of his wife and the two sons they had after. This gives me hope that if the Lord tarries that Grace and Jasmine will someday know that I wanted to be a part of their lives. Thank you. and I love you too. I love that signature you give so freely. It is no longer odd to me but comfortable. |
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| February 19, 2009 |
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Juanita, Even if it dosn't happen before we go home (heaven), we know that love (G0d) will never fail. When you stand before Love you will see how He works all things to Glorify Himself (love).
I know you are aware of thr "transfiguration" in Matthew. Listen to me, Precious, God Loved Moses, God Punished Moses for messing up, by NOT LETTING HIM GO INTO THE PROMISS LAND. Moses died without ever going into the land, Just like God said. But, Oh, is God Love,... look where Moses is standing in Matthew. Its hard for us to understand what a loving expression this is because we think of death as the end of fun,.. the end of travel, expression, etc,.. Moses got to go to the promise after all, didn't he. God was there in your situation' Juanita and He is still working out Love. I Love you. |
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| February 19, 2009 |
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| Ok, now I am crying. This is beautiful. I feel so filled with hope. Tonight when I needed it so deeply. I am understanding some things just in your response here about Moses. Moses was truly loved and didn't even think about how he was punished but he was. I feel stronger. Signing off, hubby just came in from woodshop, and gotta sleep but I will revisit this in the morning. Love you too. |
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