As I am writing this story, my wife is out shopping with her youngest sister. They will talk, laugh, have lunch and do some shopping. That happens a lot since we moved back to the U.S. and retired. This activity is normally on Sunday, after Church with all three sisters. One sister had to work last Sunday, so Susan made time for her today. Susan really enjoys being with her sisters. When they have to leave, I hear them saying, “Love you, be careful, GOD bless.”
Sisters spending time together sounds normal, but Susan and her sister’s lives have been far from normal. Born in the Philippines, their family struggled for years because of their Father’s drinking. Finally the children were each sent to live with different relatives. As the eldest, Susan worried about her brothers and especially the sisters she rarely got to see. As the eldest, Susan cried out to GOD to help her so she could help her family. When we got married in the Philippines, Susan brought her sisters to live with us. They were a big help in the house, especially after our daughter was born. I was in the Air Force and when we moved to the U.S. our only contact were letters and pictures. Phone calls were rare and only for emergencies. When we were again assigned to the Philippines for a few years, Susan’s sisters stayed with us. They spoiled our daughter and the sisters grew closer. The Air Force transferred us to another country and it was harder to leave, not knowing if or when we would see them. After two years, we moved to the U.S., got Susan’s mother and petitioned for her sisters to join us.
After years of waiting, her sisters immigrated to the U.S. and lived with us until they found jobs and got their own apartment. While they were still settling in to their new life, I joined the Foreign Service and we moved overseas. The sisters were separated again, but we returned almost every year during our 16 years with the State Department.
During that time her sisters learned to drive, got married and each bought their own homes. They comforted one another when their mother passed away and when their two brothers died. They didn’t need us so much, but they looked forward to their time together during our brief visits. Susan’s sisters were there when we couldn’t be for our daughter and grandchildren. They continued to love on our daughter and added more love for our grandchildren.
Their relationship reminds me of my relationship with JESUS. It hasn’t always been so smooth, when I rejected Him or pulled away. We haven’t always been close, but He wanted us to be closer. When He drew near to me, I would move away. Though we never lost contact, we weren’t as close as we could have been. There have been brief times when we became very close, but it seemed like the world kept pulling us apart. Though I failed and left His presence, He patiently waited for me to return because “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV). When I accepted JESUS my relationship became eternal with GOD who loves me so much and JESUS who died for my sins.
Wayne Lance (2018)