LIFE--IT'S HAPPENING

Written by the administrator of Christian Adoption.

12/5/00

Life--it's happening…

Eddie was called to run a train at 1:10 a.m. early Sun. morning. After 12 years of railroading, I am prepared for him to leave at any time, to come home at any time, and sometimes to leave and come home within hours--if they have 'busted' his call to run a train. So, it is not unusual for me to be packing lunch for him at any hour of the day or night. He left shortly after 1 a.m. and I began to shut down the house. He called a few minutes later and I answered the phone saying, "They busted your call and you're coming home right?" "No, "Sam" my conductor forgot a coat and it's too cold for him to walk the train without a coat. I'm coming back home to pick up a coat for him--just wanted you to know what was happening before you heard the front gate chain being messed with." "Okay, I'll have a coat ready for you. Is the train there and waiting for you?" "No, we'll have to wait for a van to take us to Parsons and we pick up the train there to head south. See ya in a few minutes." "As I waited, I prayed--which I try to do more and more of each day--pray more, talk less." (Really--Vicki, Cheryl, Cathy, Cathie, Debbie, Sandy, Tyler ad infintim…!) Eddie came home and picked up the coat--running to the truck to head back to the RR depot. The van didn't arrive--one hadn't been called by the dispatcher in Omaha, NE. So "Sam" and Eddie sat and waited and sat some more. A little after 2:00 a.m., a man came into the depot in seemingly despair. "Hey, do either of you guys know Mark Johnson or Frank Malone or Jason Smith? I used to know those guys and am looking for them." Eddie said, "Hey man, you've been gone for awhile, they are north-enders out of KS City and no longer work this end of the line." "Oh, I was hoping I could find them. I'm really in a jam. My wife and kids were on their way home from Tulsa and the car broke down. They're stranded on the highway and someone is letting them stay in their home until I get there. I have a ride there, but I need some gas money. Can you two guys loan me some cash? I work at Amazon.com here in C'ville and I will be glad to pay you back." Eddie pulled out a $10 bill and gave it to him; "Sam" pulled out a $20 and took the $10 bill back. This left the man with $20 for his gas need. He then took down their names and phone numbers to contact them later in the week to repay them. "Thanks man, I need to go get my little 4-year old daughter and wife tonight… After he left, "Sam" began to ridicule Eddie--"I tried to tell you we were getting scammed, but you wouldn't listen. Hey, we just got burned. He's going to go score some crank with our cash." "You don't know that "Sam" and why think evil of the man and presume the worst of him? We don't know what his needs are or if he was scamming us." Enter into the RR depot another crew of men, while Eddie and "Sam" are still waiting for their van ride to Parsons. "Well, ol' softie Eddie just got us burned out of $20 bucks. This guy came in scamming us and we got taken. Ol' 'God bless your heart' Eddie just cost us some cash." From the hecklers, "Eddie, man, you have such a soft spot for people... Ol' good old boy Eddie, Mr. 'Bless your heart' Eddie...no surprise with me…Eddie could get scammed by anyone…Eddie, Mr. Gullible…on and on they went. AND every new crew that came in to tie up from a train or to catch a train had to be told by "Sam" what Eddie 'made' him do and how dumb Eddie was. So, finally after so much of this, Eddie pulls out $10 and hands it to "Sam" -- "Here take this $10 and then you didn't lose anything." "No, nay, I don't want your money Eddie. It's just man, why did you have to give him any money at all?" "Look, "Sam", if he was scamming us, God will take care of it. God blesses those that give with a cheerful heart. And you are ruining your blessing by your attitude. The gift without the giver is bare. God will take care of my finances and bless me if it was a scam." Well, "Sam" persisted the rest of the night, even on the radio, into the next day at the restaurant where the crews eat in McAlester, OK, and on and on… Eddie presented a new perspective to "Sam", "Hey, "Sam", nobody likes to work with you out here on the RR and hardly anyone will even go out and eat with you. Isn't it worth $10 to you to work with me? I don't put you down, I don't give you a hard time, and I even walk the train sometimes for you ("Sam" is well over 300 lbs.) Isn't it worth $10 to work with me rather than some of the guys that really dislike you?" Well, that finally shut "Sam" up as he sat with Eddie's coat on his back. When they headed home on a Northern bound train and arrived back here in C'ville--the news had spread like wildfire. Eddie the fool (BUT was he a fool?), Eddie the soft touch… and then the same man showed up about 4 a.m. the same morning and asked if anyone knew Eddie Hill or "Sam" the conductor--I really could use their help and I need some gas money to go get my wife and kids that are stranded in Tulsa…

Okay, so it was a scam--but who was the loser? Who lost more? The man that was scamming people or the man that heckled someone with a pure motive for giving--like the good Samaritan? I don't need to judge that nor do you. God will sort it out one day. There will be one giant final wash load and God will sort it out. But so it goes in life. Daily we are faced with decisions that we can respond to with God's Word, with the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, or we can become like the rest of the world. It is our choice, our decision.

As we face the many challenges in building families through adoption--we can respond with God's Word of victory, peace, thanksgiving, and holiness---or---we can be like the rest of the world. And if you don't guard your mind and watch your thoughts, it could be easy to become cynical and bitter. But that is the response of the world and of the natural man or the carnal Christian. Thank God we have each other and have others that willingly and with anticipation pray for us and for successful placements/births with God's hand of blessing upon them.

We fully understand and appreciate the kind of pain and suffering that many in our CA family are experiencing right now, especially at this time of the year. We encourage you to respond as our Lord Jesus Christ would--with faith, with hope, with conviction that you are going about your Father's business.

Our phone rings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you want or need to call--we're here.

And we'll even send you $10 if you need it…

Eddie, Deborah, Danielle & Samuelito

For more information please read Muffin and Labor. We encourage you to prayerfully consider registering with our service, and/or writing to us.

adoption@christianadoption.com   

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1.800.277.7006       620.251.4405

Deborah S. Hill   P.O. Box 243   Coffeyville, KS  67337    

www.christianadoption.com       adoption@christianadoption.com