By
Sandy Ditoro
Tina
was never supposed to be able to bear children. She had a myriad
of health problems. She was scheduled for a laproscopy to clean her
uterus and remove some cyst from her overies. Prior to surgery, she
was sent to have her preop blood work and exam. Hours later while
she enjoyed a late lunch at a local BBQ resteraunt with her
husband they received the most shocking phone call of their lives.
She was told they couldn't do the
surgery tomorrow because she was pregnant! So shocked, Tina made sure
they didn't confuse lab work with another patient. Brian not able to
hear the other end of the conversation was concerned she got word she had
cancer. Nearly hyperventalating, he was overjoyed
with the news, too.
As
time went on reality set in and took away some of the joy. Tina,
recently promoted, worked full time in a career she enjoyed very much.
Brian was working full time and attending school at night fulltime to
persue his MBA. With much student debt from previous years
and medical expenses, she and Brian greatly depended on her the income
she brought in.
After
praying, studying, and speaking with a close friend, Tina
revealed to Brian the horror that was building in her heart. She told Brian
that she felt that she would lose her soul if she did not quit work and stay
home to rear their child. Brian is as remarkable as Tina. He
told her that she could quit work.
Neither
of them knew at the time how they could make it without her income. They just
knew the commitment they were making to their child and to God. They had
just built a new home (closed on it the week they found out they were
pregnant). A year later, their property taxes increased by $400 a
month! It was more than their struggling budget could stand! They
put their house up for sale.
Keep
in mind that they were ever looking for ways to keep Momma home with the baby.
They were not like so many who look for the least excuse to send Momma out to
work.The only solution they could come up with at this point was to live with
other people until they could pay off some of their debts. So now they
have moved in with Christian friends. (May God bless their wonderful
Christian friends, too!)
Post
Note
When
I wrote to Tina to ask permission to use her story, I included these thoughts:
I
know God will bless you so richly and the greatest joy will be when you and
Brian are older! All that you are investing in your daughter now...the
love, the sacrifice etc..., you will reap in abundance when she is grown. I
watch the horror and the sadness other couples my age
are experiencing watching their children’s lives fall apart...
divorces, grandchildren hurting, their grown child hurting.... Some I
have known since their children were young and I remember how they left
their child with baby sitters or in day care, let the TV be the baby sitter on
Saturdays when they were at home... They were not there for their
children to teach them how to love, how to raise a family, how to live close
to God and now their children pay the price with their own
families.
An
added thought: We live in a sinful world and even when we do all the
right things sometimes our children still end up hurting. How important it is
to give them the tools and the faith to cope when life’s heartaches come
along.
I
want to share something with you that Tina said when she wrote me back and
gave permission for me to tell their story:
Wow,
you made me cry (in a good way!). Yes you may use my story. I am
not a good writer...I'm too long winded; you have my permission to write
an article. Your words were very encouraging to me and I will pass them
on to Brian, too, who needs lots of encouragement.
When
you write the article it is important for people to know that my parents set
the example for me. They loved us kids so much that today as an
adult I understand all the sacrifices they made for us and I'm just in awe of
them. They always put God first.
We
didn't take elaborate vacations, live in a fancy home or eat out all the time,
yet alone watch much TV. Because of their love for us and their love for
God, everyday with my family was elaborate and perfect! We laughed so
much! This doesn't mean we never had hard times but the hard times were
easy to get through because of our faith.
Just
like today. It is very hard at times not having a home of our own, that
sense of ownership and independence, but when I think about what we gave it up
for...to see her precious smile and to hear her innoncent feet pitter patter
across the floor, to know we are molding her, one of God's children....I would
never change a thing. God will reward us.
Do
not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man
sows, that he will also reap. (Galatians
6:7)
