Facebook is always good for showing past pictures and posts as memories. It will show all the things you’ve posted on that particular day, every year back to the first year you joined.
Today’s memory for me took me back. Could’ve been a trigger but instead, I actually smiled and thanked God for how far He had brought me.
The memory was a picture of my two boys and I, on our way to a Tye Tribbet show. They were so young and so excited to be going and their smiles expressed it. Their first concert. I looked at my smile and remembered how, during that time in my life my marriage was at a crossroads and decisions needed to be made.
That Friday night the boys stayed up as they were allowed to do, and we had our normal family movie night. Only my husband was missing. And not answering his phone. So I lied to the kids, covering for him, saying he was at work. My suspicions, my gut and past experiences told me otherwise.
We watched our movie, and ate junk food. Later they would go play video games until they fell asleep. I was restless, couldn’t sleep and ended up on the couch which sat in front of a huge bay window. I cried all night long. Cried and prayed…talked to God and wondered why this chapter was in my life’s book at all. At about 6:30 am I watched as my husband’s girlfriend slowly drove up our street, parked a little further up, and he got out of the car., casually walking to our family home. You read that right. I watched my husband’s girlfriend drop him off in the early morning after spending the night together. (You may need to read that a couple of times to fully grasp it. I’ll wait.) This would be the first of many drop offs. I knew then that my prayer needed to shift, because with this level of blatant disrespect and disregard for me as his wife and the mother of his children, as well as no regard for our children, the marriage was over.
I managed to go about my day as usual, preparing breakfast, playing with the boys, Saturday morning clean up with my gospel blasting (usually it’s Anita, Luther, Aretha and the like but on this day I needed to save my sanity, not be entertained), and finally off to the concert. I don’t know if the kids picked up on what was going on. I don’t know if they wondered why is dad not going to the concert. I wonder if my efforts in keeping a joyful disposition was successful or did they see the sadness in my eyes. The sadness that I see when I look at that picture.
It’s been a couple years since that day. And even though my boys had a blast at the concert, dancing and singing, I never listened to another Tye Tribbet song. Not his fault, but it was a rather tumultuous time. And my senses are sensitive, so things, people, smells, sounds and music instantly put me in another time and remembrance. But when I look at that picture and then look at my boys and I now…and think of all the ways God has kept us, in spite of…I actually started singing Tye Tribbet’s Mighty Long Way. Because sis…look where He brought me from…
Life is not without storms. A tumultuous marriage and toxic divorce is definitely storm classified. But two things to consider…after the storm, comes peace. And when you can look back at the storm, you’ll see it was God that kept you. Kept your food supply. Kept your bank. Kept your strength, when you have to to do the job of two. Kept your mind during the times you felt overwhelmed or tired or like giving up. Kept your laughter even when your situation isn’t funny. Kept your children when you had no idea how to parent certain circumstances. Kept your faith when things look bleak. Kept your JOY. Kept your PEACE. And keeps keeping you!
Hey sis, I hope you never suffer through infidelity and/or divorce. No woman should have to suffer through that kind of pain, embarrassment, despair. But if you find yourself in my size 8 heels, and you find your husband is now your wusband (like mine) please let my story be proof that if you just hold on to God, He will work things out for you. Weeping may endure for a night…but JOY comes in the morning…
I am proof that JOY comes in the morning
Your Favorite Sistergirlfriend Authoress…
Valencia Joy
PS I chose a more current picture of us, vs the Facebook memory 🙂