Originally Posted by Allheart
Since all of you were so kind and open, I thought it only right to share with you why I do believe in God. I couldn’t list all the reasons, but will share just a couple of snapshots.
My childhood was difficult, as many of ours may have been. I don’t go into detail, as I find that within the difficulties are many immense blessings, and I never wish for pity. Nothing to be pitied about.
With that said, God truly did carry me through my entire childhood and I knew within all by being that He was right there watching over me. He sheltered me from storms and protected me, and allowed me to smile in my heart and within my soul. He blessed me with 4 incredible sisters who we share a love and bond, that no words can ever express.
He also blessed me with a husband, that never is there a day that I have a doubt, it was God’s intentions to bring us together.
I did go to Catholic school and my favorite subjects were Religion and English. I wasn’t an academic achiever by no means, but I worked hard to get the grades I knew would keep me out of trouble with Mom.
It did hurt my heart and soul that I saw some of the nuns favor greatly the students who did academically excel. I remained quiet and just watched and smiled. My parents were divorced, strike 2 for me. Not an honor student and from a divorced home. Back then, divorce was not common and was very frowned upon. Strike 3, I had to get a reduction in tuition because Mom couldn’t afford the whole cost….and strike 4, I was on Student Government, without being an honor student, and yes, I was judged my the sisters (nuns). Not all, but some, actually most.
During Student Government Office elections for my Senior year, a handful of students, who wanted their National Honor Society friend, to get President, did something very awful. They went to one of the sisters (nuns) and told them an awful untruth about me. As God is my witness, it was and is untrue. Anyway, the Guidance sister, called me down to her office, and layed into me, about this untruth. And told me my whole junior class told her it was true. I was horrified, speechless, my mind completely went blank. I can’t even remember anything after I kept saying, “Sister that is so untrue, it’s not true.”. After I felt I wasn’t believed by her, I went to the Principles office, who was a priest, and knew my Mom oh to well, as she called him constantly when she drank, to complain about me and my sisters.
I said Father, and I began my story, he turned to me, and said “I heard all about it” and then he chuckled. Chuckled!!! I was horrified. All I kept thinking is, I will be dead tonight. My mother is going to paralyze me, and he is chuckling?????? He said, he knew the results of the top 8, and I had nothing to worry about. That it was like an election in the real world, and not to worry. The other side is just going after the top vote getter. I said, “Father….my mother???”. He looked at me and said, “She will believe you”.
Okay then Father, if you think my Mom will take my word over a sisters….then I will have faith too. I went home, Mom was on the couch reading the paper after a hard days work…I moved towards the step, and sat a couple of steps up from the bottom, in case I had to take off running. I said, “Mom…..something happened in school today…Sister ***** accused me of……smoking pot….( to this day I hate pot because of this incident, never tried it, and never will)….and Mom it’s not true…Mom put her paper down, looked at me, and said, “ I believe you”….and started reading the paper again. Ooooooh the glee I had. I have to say, it was one of the most happiest days of my life. The next day, at school, my head was high, I smiled at the girl, who started it all…and never looked away. Oh, and the girl, who started it all? The Advanced placement student, National honor Society, the one adored by the nuns, was suspended about two weeks later, for disrupting a classroom. How I tried so hard not to be overjoyed by that, but I did contain it.
And I was elected President of my school. I never retailed against those who tried to hurt me, but the damage they could have cost me, still horrifies me, as Mom was very strict. Being President, however, was a very hollow victory, and painfully achieved, as I then learned, that life can be unkind, but God will always keep us safe. Not because I got President, in a way that whole incident saddens me. To boot, after my year, my school made it mandatory that all those who hold office, must have honors. Of course, I don’t agree with that.
So, yes, I was judged, even by those of my own faith. But of course I instantly forgave them all, as they are only human. And it was not all the sisters, and I have had many more beautiful, wonderful learning life experiences from sisters, much more positive then negative.
This may seem like a trivial reason why my faith is so strong, and it’s not actually a reason, but just one event, I share with you, to let you know the strength that God does employ in my life.
How hard it is to turn the other cheek, and sometimes the cost are painful, but in doing so, honestly the rewards are great.
God has been so good and is so good, and I just wanted to share this precious gift with all of you.
Our road will at times never be easy, choices hard to make, confusion and the like, but God has promised to never leave our side, we just have to leave room for Him.
Thank you for letting me share with all of you, something that was a painful event in my life, as I could not believe people could be so unkind, and the hurt that I still carry does remain, as they have no idea how their untruths could have truly caused me great harm, by their was God’s loving arms to protect me.
May peace and joy be with all of you always.
