God IS Real

When I was younger, about 11 years old (I should have said, much younger!). My mother was an alcoholic. The only way my sister and I knew about church was through a little old lady who was our neighbor, Mrs. Higby. She had asked my mother and father if she could pick us up on Sunday's and take us to Sunday School. We loved going to Sunday School and we never missed a Sunday. My Sunday School teacher, Mrs. Taylor, awarded me a Bible with my name engraved on it for perfect attendance. She wrote this in my Bible "Lori, may this book keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book". I still have that precious gift.

During that year, my mother passed out cold while pouring her last screwdriver. I was alone with my sister when that happened and quickly rode my bicycle for help. In a short period of time, an ambulance came to our house and took our mother away. Alcohol treatment was much different 25 years ago, I can assure you. For her first month, she was tied to her bed while detoxing. For those of you who have never experienced that, it can be quite frightening for an adult, let alone a child.

We were allowed to visit her for Christmas, she had been there a little over one month. We were so excited as you can imagine. But, what we saw....the things she said...the things she did... was that our mother? She didn't remember me and I was sad. An elderly woman lay in the bed next to hers and was very sweet. She called for me to come near her and she quickly got my mind off of the terrible things that had taken place. She said, "Honey, what do you want to be when you grow up?" I said, "I want to play the violin". The dialog continued but she asked if she could pray for me and I said, "yes". From that point on, when it was time to visit my mother, I would go and see her instead.

Anyway, after she was half way through her treatment, she had lost alot of the muscle tone in her legs and the doctors feared that IF she lived, she may never walk again.

At home, I over heard this call and took my sister by the hand and told her that we would go and pray for her. We didn't know how to pray except what Mrs. Taylor taught us. I can imagine that it was a simple prayer asking God to make our mother better.

In a short period of time after that, my father got a phone call that would confirm that not only was Mom feeling much better but she walked down the hallway by herself. The nurses all stood to the side in amazement. That day I knew that God was real. He heard the prayers of two children who were hurting and missing their mother and wanted to make her a testimony of His healing power.

Yes, my mother quit drinking (Praise God) and I never did learn how to play the violin, but I learned how to play the piano! :)