A Favorite Memory

60 Day Photo Story ~ 5/60

DAY FIVE: a picture of my favorite memory

How in the world is one supposed to pick one picture to display their favorite memory? Not only is my once photographic memory fading as I get older, but of all the memories that make my heart happy I have to pick just one??

Well, in picking ONE I had to choose this one, and of course it has a story behind it. Did you expect anything less? :)

My life at that point knew nothing but confusion, hate, rejection, humiliation, despair, abuse, deception, lies, sadness, and loneliness. At this point in my life I was looking for a new start.

The day before pulling onto the lot here at Lakeshore Apartments I contacted 12 different apartment complexes, looking for a new place to live... to start over fresh. Of the twelve I called and left messages for, only one responded. When the manager called me the next day, he said I could come that afternoon to look around the complex and see the apartments that were available. I agreed, and an appointment time was set.

I arrived as scheduled and met the manager... his name was Mike.

The introduction started as a very professional tour, and ended several hours later as we both looked at the time and realized we had been sitting in the floor of my chosen apartment talking for hours about anything and everything... our experiences, jobs, children, our pasts and even thoughts about our futures.

I married Mike seven months later.

Since then we have been through a theme park of roller coaster rides. Some of them thrilling and exciting, the ones that you want to ride over and over again... others were more like the rides that flip your stomach and cause you to puke all over yourself. But we've ridden every single ride together, side by side over the years. Our stomachs have strengthened over time to handle the rough times with more ease, and the thrill of the good rides holds even more excitement for us as we've grown closer and closer over time.

All because of that one returned call from Lakeshore Apartments.

God has a purpose in ALL He does and in every path He guides us on. We don't always understand the point or purpose. So many times I could have chosen to give up... little did I know then that He would be partnering me up with someone that had a similar past that would join me in creating a healthier, happier future full of love, understanding, compassion, encouragement, and joy.

Thank you Lord for memories, and how You go about creating them for us!