Day 30 - Going Home

"There's no place like home!" Dorothy, in the Wizard of Oz

Mom came back to my hospital room the next day slightly subdued.

“My! Morgan, you have done alright for yourself,” she said as she handed over a tote bag with my clothing inside.

“All your clothes are designer and your apartment is fannn-cy,” she said drawling out the word fancy for emphasis.

I sighed, “Yes, I’ve done alright… But I tell you, that job is wearing on the soul. I’m going to have to pray about continuing there.”

“Well, come back home and spend some time away to get perspective.”

“I believe you’re right, which is why I called my boss and the human resource department to arrange for a leave. Since I’ve never taken a vacation in the five years I’ve been with them, they had to give me a month.”

Unbelievably, Mom clapped her hands and yelled, “Yay!”

“Who IS this woman?” I thought to myself, “I have never seen her excited before.”

Just then the Doctor popped in to say all the tests showed I was perfectly fine and free to go.

As I shook his hand and thanked him for all his help, he said, “I didn’t do anything. I don’t know what this was all about, but the Man upstairs must have had a part in it.”

“I know He did,” I said emphatically.

After he left, I got dressed quickly and got checked out. While I was waiting for paperwork, I made arrangements for us to fly back to my old hometown.

“I’m so excited to be going back after 9 long years,“ I said to Mom. “I want to see Sister Clara, Jamie and Miss Amy.”

Suddenly a thought came to me – “Is Sister Clara still alive?”

Mom said with a laugh, “I truly believe Sister Clara will be here until Jesus comes! She is in her early 90s now but still lives on her own and even drives to church and the grocery store. She doesn’t drive at night though!”

Mom looked at me compassionately as she said, “She was hurt that you left and never sent word, though.”

I looked down at my hands as I clenched them in my lap, “I know I hurt her. I feel bad about it. I was so consumed with my own hurt, I never considered anyone else.”

“I totally understand,” Mom replied, “because that is how I was. I dwelt on the events of that terrible year and never got past it. I didn’t even consider how I was making other people feel with my actions.”

We stopped by my apartment and I packed enough clothes to last awhile, then we were off to the airport. I’d be sleeping in my old room by bedtime!

Jamie met us at the airport and practically drowned me with her tears.

“Oh, Morgan, we’ve missed you so badly. I need you in our pinochle games so I can win.”

We all laughed at that, and then she went on, “Seriously, I felt so bad at not letting you come live with me. I never dreamed you’d run away.”

“Jamie, it’s all for the best. I had to get away and see how far my dreams would take me. I just regret the way I did it.” I said sheepishly. “I know I was wrong to neglect letting you all know I was safe.”

“I think we’ve all learned to be truthful throughout this experience,” Jamie stated firmly, “and this Saturday night, I’m going to start the ball rolling.”

Looking curiously at her, I questioned, “You mean there is more to this story?”

“Tons more,” Mom remarked, “but if I don’t get some food in me soon, I’m going to pass out.”

Jamie laughed, “Always thinking about her stomach! How does she stay rail-thin?”

“It’s a mystery – but one I want to solve after we stop at the diner. Dinner is on me,” I declared. “I’ve been dreaming about Herb’s meatloaf ever since I left home. I want to see if eating it at the diner is as good as take out was.”

Later, Jamie dropped us off at home and I had the honors of unlocking the door and walking back into time. Grandma Rose’s house was just as I remembered!

We are on Day 30 of my serial, Angel on Assignment: The Book of Morgan. Don't miss tomorrow's post - there are still some surprises in store!

If you have missed any of the previous posts, click on the title, "Angel on Assignment" in the upper right hand corner in my side bar. It will take you to a page where you can find all links as they go live.

This serial is not intended to be doctrine. Scripture does tell us angels come to warn, bring messages and sometimes watch over us. It also tells us we could possibly unknowingly entertain an angel. My serial is just me imagining how that might look in our present day and time.

Tomorrow's offering: Loose Ends Are Really Just A New Beginning

This post was written as part of the Write 31 Days challenge. A whole group of writers will be writing for 31 days straight on a variety of topics. Click here to check it out.

~~~

I'm honored you stopped by the Journey today!

I don't want you to miss a post, so why not sign up to subscribe? It's easy-peasy. Just enter your email address in the sidebar right above my profile.

If a post resonates with you, please consider sharing by clicking on the social media buttons at the bottom of this post.

I'm sharing this post at Trekking Through The Week.

Day 29 - Mother-Daughter Talk

"... his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck, and covered him with kisses" Luke 15:20 DARBY

“Mom!” I croaked. “Mom, I …” But my words were muffled as Mom wrapped me up in the biggest bear hug I’d ever received from her.

“Morgan! You’re awake! Oh, please forgive me for being such a jerk all your life!”

“Mom, please forgive me for running away!”

“It’s okay, baby, I’m sure I understand why you did. Just … Morgan, please, please let me be part of your life now. It’s been so lonely since you been gone!”

“What?” I grinned through my tears, “Girl talk with Jamie on Saturday nights isn’t enough?”

“Oh, you! You know what I mean. Grandma’s house is awful big for just me to rattle around in.”

Mom settled herself on the edge of my bed. “Seriously, we have a lot of catching up to do. Would you consider coming home for a spell – once you get out of this hospital? OH! I guess I ought to let the doc know you’re awake!” Mom pushed the call button and held it.

Presently a nurse popped her head in the door. Her eyes got wide when she saw me awake and talking. She said, “I’ll be right back with the Doctor!”

A flurry of activity ensued with people coming and going and whispers of more tests, “just to be sure.”

Finally, it was decided I should stay overnight for observation. I looked over at Mom, who suddenly looked very worn out.

“Mom, why don’t you stay at my place for the night. You could bring me back some clothes. I’m sure I look a mess.”

I looked around suddenly realizing I had no idea where my purse, keys, and most importantly, my phone were!

The nurse said, “A nice policeman brought all your personal effects from the crime scene.”

My head whipped around, “Crime scene?”

The nurse and Mom both laughed, “At first, it was reported you’d been shot! The crowd at the bus stop all believed it, but come to find out, you had not been shot and there was no evidence of any bullets being fired.”

Mom said, “And that is how I found out where you were – the local news picked it up as a human-interest story – “The Shooting that Wasn’t” and ran it on our local station. I glanced up to see the picture of you they posted from your ID and I just knew it was you! I called the police department and we compared notes until we were reasonably certain were talking about the same person."

“I know it was a long way for you to come,” I guiltily remembered I’d run as far away from home as possible. “Why don’t you go my place and get some rest and come back in the morning? Be sure and bring me back an outfit – preferably jeans, tee shirt and tennies. I’m going to call my boss and arrange for some time off.”

My stomach rumbled about the time nurse whisked in with a tray of food.

Teasingly, I said, “I sure hope hospital cuisine is better than I’ve always been told. Right now, I’m hungry enough to eat even school cafeteria food.”

Mom came by my bedside, and for the first time I could remember, kissed the top of my forehead and wished me good night. She then whispered, "I love you."  As the door closed behind her, tears leaked from my eyes. Who would ever have imagined this day?

We are on Day 29 of my serial, Angel on Assignment: The Book of Morgan. Morgan finally hears the words from her mother she has longed to hear all her life!

If you have missed any of the previous posts, click on the title, "Angel on Assignment" in the upper right hand corner in my side bar. It will take you to a page where you can find all links as they go live.

This serial is not intended to be doctrine. Scripture does tell us angels come to warn, bring messages and sometimes watch over us. It also tells us we could possibly unknowingly entertain an angel. My serial is just me imagining how that might look in our present day and time.

Tomorrow's offering: GOING HOME

This post was written as part of the Write 31 Days challenge. A whole group of writers will be writing for 31 days straight on a variety of topics. Click here to check it out.

~~~

I'm honored you stopped by the Journey today!

I don't want you to miss a post, so why not sign up to subscribe? It's easy-peasy. Just enter your email address in the sidebar right above my profile.

If a post resonates with you, please consider sharing by clicking on the social media buttons at the bottom of this post.

I'm sharing this post at Inspire Me Monday. 

Day 28 - Sharon's Come to Jesus Moment

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Presently, I heard the quiet tones of the person who was speaking earlier in my hospital room.

“Nurse reports the patient had tears running down her face and she was whispering over and over, ‘God, please forgive me!’ I feel the patient may be coming conscious in the next few hours.”

“Doc, do you think she can hear me?” came a trembling voice I knew well.

“It’s very possible,” the Doctor replied. “There are reports of coma victims becoming conscious and repeating word for word things said at their bedside while the family thought they were out of it. But, I still can’t understand the patient’s unconsciousness. There are no signs of trauma to the brain.”

Amazingly, I heard my mother say, “It might be because of years of trauma to the spirit.”

“Doc, would it be okay if I spent some time here with her?”

Doc replied compassionately, “Take all the time you need. Just ring the buzzer if she becomes conscious.”

I hear the door close softly and then another pregnant pause.

A soft light diffused the darkness behind my eyelids, but try as I might, I could not open them.

I heard mom choke out from a tear-clogged throat, “Morgan, I am so very sorry.”

“It kills me to see you laying like death here.”

She jumped up and started pacing up and down the room. “I don’t know, maybe it’s easier to say this without you looking at me; but I’ve been a jerk. Here I hated my old man for the cruelty he showed.”

“But what’s worse? Whipping a child with a belt or whipping her with your tongue?”

“All these years you’ve been gone, I’ve relived every cruel thing I ever said. I shocked myself because I didn’t know I was capable of saying such things. I dwelled for years on the wrongs that had been done to me.”

She snorted a hoarse laugh, “You know Mama always said that hurting people hurt people. She meant Dad hurt me because his dad hurt him. And she didn’t even know the half of it!”

A long silence, “But, I thought I’d never be like that old man. Instead, I was worse. The beatings I got healed up eventually, but the scars of the words I said to you …

She approached my bed and grabbed my hand – “Morgan, I am so very sorry!”

“I didn’t mean it! I didn’t mean it at all! I see now that you were the blessing God sent to comfort me when I lost Joe Lee.”

“Sister Clara made me see how I’d let a root of bitterness grow in me until it choked out every kind and loving thought I might have. By the time you were a teenager, only hate could spew out of my mouth!”

Suddenly I felt mom’s head lying on my shoulder as she soaked the sheets with her tears. “Oh God, I’m so sorry!  Please forgive me for being angry with You and everybody else!”

I wanted so bad to comfort my mom! I worked like anything to open my eyes, but they were still so heavy.

Mom went on, “I’m a dirty rotten sinner just like my old man – please take this mess and change me into a new creation just like Sister Clara said You would! I’m so sick of me!”

She sniffled, “I promise from this day forward to leave the past behind me and do my best to live for You. Just please let Morgan wake up!”

I worked my jaw a few times trying to say, “Mom, it’s going to be okay,”

At first it was frozen, like when you wake up in the middle of a nightmare wanting to scream, but you can’t. But finally, I got it open and managed to croak, “Mom!”

Mom later said that was the most beautiful sound she’d ever heard!

We are on Day 28 of my serial, Angel on Assignment: The Book of Morgan. Sharon takes a look at her life and is sick of herself!

If you have missed any of the previous posts, click on the title, "Angel on Assignment" in the upper right hand corner in my side bar. It will take you to a page where you can find all links as they go live.

This serial is not intended to be doctrine. Scripture does tell us angels come to warn, bring messages and sometimes watch over us. It also tells us we could possibly unknowingly entertain an angel. My serial is just me imagining how that might look in our present day and time.

Tomorrow's offering: Mother-Daughter Talk

This post was written as part of the Write 31 Days challenge. A whole group of writers will be writing for 31 days straight on a variety of topics. Click here to check it out.

~~~

I'm honored you stopped by the Journey today!

I don't want you to miss a post, so why not sign up to subscribe? It's easy-peasy. Just enter your email address in the sidebar right above my profile.

If a post resonates with you, please consider sharing by clicking on the social media buttons at the bottom of this post.

Day 27 - Come-to-Jesus Moment

"Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day." Genesis 32:24

On that fateful day when the angel, Kai, confronted me and I fell into blackness, it was the oddest thing. It wasn’t a sterile cold blackness or a death-like place of nothingness like so many atheists like to believe exists.

It was more of a place of waiting. As I’ve already said, scenes from my life passed before my eyes covering my life from young childhood to the day of confrontation. And then?

A pregnant pause.

I felt compelled to examine how I’d spent my life ever since that day I gave my life to Christ at camp.

If you can blush in the darkness, then I know my cheeks were red.

Knowing I’d squandered my opportunity to make a difference for Christ made me feel bad.

Instead I had put every ounce of energy into building my own kingdom.

My own very lonely kingdom involving … me.

Oh, I tried justifying myself. Look at what had been done to me! I didn’t ask to be born! None of this was my fault!

But I knew deep inside I never asked my Lord and Savior even once for His will for my life.

I also knew running from my mom and cutting her off was wrong.

A new thought came to me: my mom was a victim as much as I was. She didn’t ask to have such an abusive father. She didn’t ask to have the father of her baby killed. She did what she had to do to make sure we both survived.

True, she didn’t have to be so hateful about everything; but would I have done differently if I had walked in her shoes?

The longer I mulled over my treatment of mom the worse I felt. After all, I had told her Christ had changed my life; yet when the truth came out, I was stubborn and non-cooperative and ran away.

Let’s just call it what it was:  I was unforgiving.

Christ forgave me and gave me a second chance. I know He expected me to give her a chance as well.

Then, I thought about how I’d acted at college and on the job. No one there would have guessed I was a Christ-follower. I didn’t party – that was true – but I was only focused on myself. I never helped anyone or even went out of my way for someone. Look how many “Miss Amys” had helped me; yet I never gave back to even one of them.

In fact, I even stole an idea and took credit for someone else’s work.

By now, tears were slipping from my eyes, spiritual as well as physical.

“Please God, forgive me!

We are on Day 27 of my serial, Angel on Assignment: The Book of Morgan. Morgan comes to the startling realization her mom was a victim just as much as she was!

If you have missed any of the previous posts, click on the title, "Angel on Assignment" in the upper right hand corner in my side bar. It will take you to a page where you can find all links as they go live.

This serial is not intended to be doctrine. Scripture does tell us angels come to warn, bring messages and sometimes watch over us. It also tells us we could possibly unknowingly entertain an angel. My serial is just me imagining how that might look in our present day and time.

Tomorrow's offering: Sharon's Come-to-Jesus-Moment

This post was written as part of the Write 31 Days challenge. A whole group of writers will be writing for 31 days straight on a variety of topics. Click here to check it out.

~~~

I'm honored you stopped by the Journey today!

I don't want you to miss a post, so why not sign up to subscribe? It's easy-peasy. Just enter your email address in the sidebar right above my profile.

If a post resonates with you, please consider sharing by clicking on the social media buttons at the bottom of this post.

I'm sharing my post at Dance with Jesus.

Day 26 - Guilt Makes for Sleepless Nights

Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. Revelation 2:5a NIV

About this time, I began to have trouble sleeping. I’d never had any sleeping problems before. I was so exhausted from each day’s activities; my head would hit the pillow and I’d be out like a light.

But now, I’d have strange dreams. Puzzling dreams. I’d wake up in a cold sweat and then toss and turn until the alarm went off.

I felt a lot of guilt over stealing the secretary’s idea. I tried to justify it to myself in a variety of ways just to have it pop up in my brain the next day.

Then, there was this strange guy who began to bother me. Oh, he didn’t do anything to me. It just seemed wherever I was, he’d turn up there too. He would look at me with a clear unflinching gaze seeming to want to say something to me.

Of course, by now I’d learned to act as if others were invisible. It saved me from having to make a lot of small talk. A girl with a mission to become CEO had no time for small talk.

But I could just feel him wanting to talk to me. I didn’t like it one bit!

Worst of all, I started hearing a faint whisper, “Look how far you’ve fallen.” I could drown out that whisper as the day went on but during the bleak hours of the night, it seemed to get louder.

So, I worked harder and harder, got busier and busier, just so I wouldn’t have to listen to that whisper.

Sometimes I’d think to myself, “Something’s got to give. You can’t go on much longer like this.”

Then I had the worst nightmare of all.

I saw the football team on the field all in a huddle. Coach was telling them the next play when suddenly he fell over dead. Shot by a sniper!

Then one by one the players were shot and fell on the ground. I glanced over on the hill expecting to see Bobby Fordham with a gun.

But it was me!

I jerked awake sweating like crazy. “Boy, what a nutty dream!” I sat on the edge of my bed a long time with my head in my hands.

“I can’t go on like this! What am I going to do?”

The alarm went off and I sighed …

“Girl, you’re all you got. No one else to help you pay the bills. You got to get up and go out there and make it happen!”

I got up and dressed carefully. “I better dress for success. A power suit and some Jimmy Choos will make me look good even if I don’t feel it.”

I left my apartment that day looking my best, not realizing it would be a long time, if ever, before I came back.

We are on Day 26 of my serial, Angel on Assignment: The Book of Morgan. Have you ever spent sleepless nights racked by guilt?

If you have missed any of the previous posts, click on the title, "Angel on Assignment" in the upper right hand corner in my side bar. It will take you to a page where you can find all links as they go live.

This serial is not intended to be doctrine. Scripture does tell us angels come to warn, bring messages and sometimes watch over us. It also tells us we could possibly unknowingly entertain an angel. My serial is just me imagining how that might look in our present day and time.

Tomorrow's offering: Come-to-Jesus-Moment

This post was written as part of the Write 31 Days challenge. A whole group of writers will be writing for 31 days straight on a variety of topics. Click here to check it out.

~~~

I'm honored you stopped by the Journey today!

I don't want you to miss a post, so why not sign up to subscribe? It's easy-peasy. Just enter your email address in the sidebar right above my profile.

If a post resonates with you, please consider sharing by clicking on the social media buttons at the bottom of this post.

I'm sharing my post at Crystal's #FreshMarketFriday and Arabah Joy's Grace&Truth communities.

Day 25 - Goals in Life

‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!’ - 

Benjamin Franklin

It seems funny now, looking back, how fast the next 4 years flew by. It’s really kind of remarkable that a girl who was so sheltered would be able to make her way through academia and do it so successfully.

Since I had no clue about parties or socializing, it was easy for me to work hard and then achieve goal after goal. I had learned to make friends with the faculty and it seemed year after year, there was a “Miss Amy” who was always there to help me.

I had decided long ago my goal was to become a CEO of a major corporation. I needed to make a lot of money and achieve a lot of status to make up for being a “Fordham.” At first, I told myself it was necessary to make a lot of money because I wanted to give back to my town; in some small way, atone for what Bobby Fordham had done.

As the years went by, that ideal flew out the window, and my success was for me, all for me.

Right out of college, I got an internship with the most prestigious advertising agency on the Atlantic coast.

I made sure I became indispensable to my supervisor. Willing to work long hours, living totally for my job without being side-tracked with any romantic relationships, I became known as an up and coming mover and shaker.

Unfortunately, my ideals weren’t the only things to fly out the window; so did my principles.

The ad agency life was a rough and tumble world where the only thing that counted was what idea you had for today. Yesterday’s successes were fondly remembered sometimes by corporate when they wanted to brag about “their girl, Morgan,” to all their peers, but forgotten when the next deadline loomed ahead.

Of course, no one can stand under that pressure for long.

Every day, “think… think … think what would make people want to buy this product? What new and creative way can I say something that’s been said a million times?  What to do? What to do?”

I’d had a lot of days where I came up with something. I’d also had a lot of days when I didn’t.

One day, I overheard one of the girls in the secretarial pool talking about an idea she had that she wanted to pitch to the boss.

“Maybe it will be my ticket out of here!" she said excitedly.

“Ssh,” said a co-worker, “the walls have ears around here. Someone might steal your idea.”

I wrestled with myself for a whole lunch hour … then went straight to my boss, “Hey Boss! Something just occurred to me …” and repeated word for word the idea I’d heard.

I stayed away from the secretarial pool for a long, long time.

We are on Day 25 of my serial, Angel on Assignment: The Book of Morgan. Has Morgan sold out to the corporate world. Does she even consider what God might want her to do with her life?

If you have missed any of the previous posts, click on the title, "Angel on Assignment" in the upper right hand corner in my side bar. It will take you to a page where you can find all links as they go live.

This serial is not intended to be doctrine. Scripture does tell us angels come to warn, bring messages and sometimes watch over us. It also tells us we could possibly unknowingly entertain an angel. My serial is just me imagining how that might look in our present day and time.

Tomorrow's offering: Guilt Makes for Sleepless Nights

This post was written as part of the Write 31 Days challenge. A whole group of writers will be writing for 31 days straight on a variety of topics. Click here to check it out.

~~~

I'm honored you stopped by the Journey today!

I don't want you to miss a post, so why not sign up to subscribe? It's easy-peasy. Just enter your email address in the sidebar right above my profile.

If a post resonates with you, please consider sharing by clicking on the social media buttons at the bottom of this post.

I'm sharing my post at Tune In Thursday.

Day 24 - A Long and Winding Road

"The long and winding road
That leads to your door

Will never disappear..."

John Lennon / Paul McCartney

After that fateful day in Miss Amy’s office, time seemed to just fly. Together, we worked out a plan where I would leave home and arrive at campus in time for summer semester before the news was announced that a student at my school had received such a prestigious scholarship.

Since I’d already had my 18^th birthday, legally I didn’t have to have my parent’s permission for any of my plans.

Miss Amy gently pointed out ethically I should talk to her and let her know. Stubbornly I resisted that idea. Finally, I agreed to leave her a note.

And so, on the day chosen, I waited for mom to leave for work, then placed a letter on the table where she’d be sure to see it. I walked all around Grandma Rose’s house and the backyard one last time.

Taking a backpack, Grandma’s Bible and a duffel bag with all my worldly possessions, I headed for the bus station. I pulled out the ticket purchased for me and showed it to the driver. He showed me where to store the duffel and I got situated in my seat.

Nervously, I kept glancing at all the passengers. I don’t know why. It’s not like mom would have returned home yet and read my letter. Even if she did, I doubted she would come after me.

Still I kept looking.

Eventually, the driver closed the door and revved up the motor of the bus.

We were off! And I would never be back.

We are on Day 24 of my serial, Angel on Assignment: The Book of Morgan. Morgan leaves home without telling her mother. Can anything good come out of it?

If you have missed any of the previous posts, click on the title, "Angel on Assignment" in the upper right hand corner in my side bar. It will take you to a page where you can find all links as they go live.

This serial is not intended to be doctrine. Scripture does tell us angels come to warn, bring messages and sometimes watch over us. It also tells us we could possibly unknowingly entertain an angel. My serial is just me imagining how that might look in our present day and time.

Tomorrow's offering: Goals in Life

This post was written as part of the Write 31 Days challenge. A whole group of writers will be writing for 31 days straight on a variety of topics. Click here to check it out.

~~~

I'm honored you stopped by the Journey today!

I don't want you to miss a post, so why not sign up to subscribe? It's easy-peasy. Just enter your email address in the sidebar right above my profile.

If a post resonates with you, please consider sharing by clicking on the social media buttons at the bottom of this post.

I'm sharing my post at #TellHisStory.