----- Original Message -----
How neat that Brad and Brenda came to
visit! What a nice surprise!
I'm sad to hear about your mom. I will
pray that Jesus will give her His love and that she will except it. I
think the reason she doesn't like all this "loving stuff" is that she doesn't
have love in her life, and maybe she doesn't love herself. How can she
if she doesn't realize how big and marvelous God's love is for her? I
know you are hurt and a bit angry, and I don't blame you. My advise,
though, and it's harder to do than to say, is to keep praying she will accept
what God did for her. People who try to make others miserable are
miserable themselves. I'm sure you know all this, but it's just a
friendly reminder that we all need from time to time.
I'll also pray for this friend of yours.
Love,
Julie, who never gets tired of being called
Loving
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 8:10
PM
Subject: Some prayer requests and we met
Brad and Brenda
Dear Loving EChurch Family,
First of all, I want you all
to know that I'm praying for all your prayer
requests, no matter what they
are.
I'm Praising God that on Saturday night, we had the neatest
surprise! our
door bell rang, I went to answer the door, and I said "Who is
it?" The next
thing I heard was: "It's Brad Duns from EChurch." I was so
surprised! I
opened the door and let them in, and I gave them both a big
squeeze! Yes,
it was the Loving Brad and Brenda Duns! I was so surprised,
and so very
happy to see them! We had a wonderful visit with them and I
took some
pictures of them, and Vernon took one of the 3 of us.
Brad
is just as we all know him! You know he's funny and sweet and loving!
Yes,
Brenda is a real sweetheart! I love her a bunch! Next time they will
stay
with us!
Vernon likes them a lot, too! I'm Praising God they came to
see us!
Now for my few prayer requests.
Please pray for Vernon's
Sister-in-law's, Aunt Mary. She has cancer of the
colon and it has spread
to her liver and other places. They didn't get it
all during the surgery,
but they did remove her intestine and they told her
she would have 2 years
of quality life. Only God knows, and I pray for a
complete healing for this
loving lady. She is 86 years old. So far, she's
doing great, and eating
everything. Please pray that if she has chemo and
radiation, that she will
do okay with that, and have no problems. Please
pray that she can stay in
the same house that Vernon stayed in, so she'll
be close to the hospital
for her treatments in Mitchell. Betty, Dean's wife
and the rest of Betty's
family are very close to her. They have been taking
her back and forth to
the doctor.
My next prayer request is about my Mom's and my
relationship. Actually, it
could include most of my family.
You all
know, unfortunately what rejection is like. I feel as though I've
been
rejected by my Mom and she'll see to it that everyone in my family is
on
her side. I'm very hurt about what I'm about to tell you.
I called her
Saturday night, before Brad and Brenda came, and I said the
usual "Hi!
Loving!" She said hi and then she said. "You know what Pat! I'm
really
getting tired of this loving stuff. Every Other word is 'loving'." I
told
her that's not true. I couldn't believe what I was hearing from her.
She
wasn't drinking, either. She said it in a really crabby voice which is
so
much like her when she's not drinking.
I lashed out, and I told her
that Harvey and Joe don't mind it, but
Sherilyn, Birdie and her don't like
it. I also told her that all my friends
love me for who I am and that they
love me unconditionally. I told her my
friends love me more than my entire
family loves me. Of course, she denied
it. I started crying and I was
really upset.
We continued to talk about other things, but I was upset
and didn't want to
talk to her any more. I ended the conversation and told
her that I loved
her and hung up.
I called her on Sunday afternoon
and left a message on her answering
machine and I apologized for the things
I said. I've not heard from her at
all. In other words, she has not
acknowledged my apology at all.
I'm not going to call her for a long
time.
I did ask for God's forgiveness for what I said to her. I should
have
worded it different.
I'm so tired of rejection from my family.
I actually thought things were
getting better, but it's obvious that they
only put up with me because they
feel they have to. I do all the calling,
and they never call me very often.
I doubt they will even call me on my
birthday.
Please pray that I can deal with this rejection and that she
doesn't turn
the whole family against me. I think she'll probably do
that.
Thanks much for your prayers and for listening. All your advice
is
appreciated. I could write a book about this stuff, but I don't think
you
want to hear it.
I love you all so very much. Thanks for always
putting up with me and for
being my friends.
Love and
Blessings,
Pat Ferguson