For most widows I have been told that the Holidays, Anniversaries, and other special days are the hardest for them. Jeff and I really never thought much about those things and really they have not been that hard for me. I miss him more in the every day. So it might seem really strange that this week of March Madness has been tough on me emotionally.
You see, Jeff and I love sports and the week that March Madness started was our favorite. We were also very competitive. I can still see him sitting on the couch with his bracket and his two highlighters, one for the winning color and one for the losing color. Cheering for our CARDS being our number one priority of course!
Its always been so fun to watch teams fight for their lives in the tournament and we loved to root for the under dog. Love to see the team that no one thinks can win snatch that win!! Especially those last minute wins.
How many people are around us every day that think they are on a losing team? Nothing is going right for them and they think that no one believes in them.
Jeff and I had the honor of coming along side a kid who has been in and out of prison. We lost touch with him right as Jeff was battling cancer and when we tried to find him so he could come see Jeff for the last time we couldn’t find him. This week I got a letter from him and he was in jail again. He didn’t know that Jeff had died so I had to write him and tell him. He adored Jeff and Jeff adored him. Yesterday I got another letter from him and he said that he has not forgotten all the things we taught him about Jesus and that he wants to prove to me when he gets out that our time with him was not a waste.
The words on that page just made me weep. You see, I would never look at our years with him as a waste. He grew to know Jesus and he got to see what a real family looks like. We love him. We are on his team forever, winning or losing! A lot of people think he can never win because he is the under dog, but God reminds me that so am I, and look what HE has done with my life. We are in this game with him to the bitter end. He will not get out of jail for another year but I am praying that when he does get out that he makes a winning shot at life again.
Wont you pray with me for the under dog? Not the basketball teams but all the people who need to know of a Jesus that has enough Grace for all of us!! You see in basketball’s March Madness the guys don’t get a second chance.
I love this verse in Jonah 3:1 it says “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.” You see we serve a God of second chances! So get your highlighter out for that one!! I sure did!