We lived in a motel on Union Ave, across the street was a gas station, Texaco at the time. The owners and workers knew me and my siblings very well. They felt bad for us, a few times I had gone in to their store and taken a gallon of milk, and a loaf of bread, without paying for it. I was caught by the owner once, and instead of calling the cops, or yelling at me, or condeming me for what I was doing, he gave me some cereal and snacks on top of what I had. I was overwhelmingly thankful to him, not because I didn't get in to trouble, but because this would allow me to feed my siblings for atleast a few days. Since that day, he would set out different things on the back step of his store for me or my siblings to come by and get and take home, somteimes the food would be expired or going stale but we didn't care food was food to us at the time, and we were grateful for anything we could get. I will never forget that man at that gas station, he saved us in a way, he provided for our needs on days when we didn't know when or how we were going to eat. I actually went back to that gas station when I was about 21 years old, and it was not a Texaco anymore, but the same owner was still there. He recognized me instantly and I thanked him profusely for what he had done for me and my siblings so many years ago. His face will for ever be etched into my mind and heart. Thankfulness.
I remember a certain Thanksgiving when I was about seven years old. We had a lady in our life that we called Aunt Wanda. Often times we would run away from our parents home to her home. It was quiet a treck from our motel to her house. We would cross over a railroad track, walk through a vacant field, walk along a canal, and her house was next door to a church we would go to sometimes when we were at her house. Any who, Aunt wanda had a little yellow car and this particular Thanksgiving she had come to our motel to pick us up and take us to her house for dinner. We all climbed in (nine of us at the time) and went to her house. I will never forget the overwhelming smell of food when I walked into her house, it had been a few days since I had eaten much. When I went into the kitchen, there was so much food I didn't know what to do. We sat down that afternoon, and we feasted. We told jokes and laughed and loved the day away, and I will never forget Thanksgiving at Aunt Wanda's. Last year during Thanksgiving I heard Aunt Wanda wasn't doing so well health wise, so I boxed up a couple of to-go boxes of my own Thanksgiving feast at my house, and I delivered it to her motel room where she was staying, and despite her health, she still got up and made a thanksgiving meal for her family, because that is what Aunt Wanda does. Thankfulness
I got into the foster care system at the age of eight. When I was about ten I was living in a home with my twin sister, and the family we were living with had their own set of twin girls. I remember this family very well. They taught me about God. They taught me how to ride a horse. They taught me how to figure skate, but most of all they taught me what the love of a family really felt like, even if it was only for a short time. I remember Thanksgiving that year living in their home. Lisa had gone out and bought all of us girls matching outfits of different colors, she spent time doing our hair up nice and pretty, big bows and all. I remember going with them to their various family members homes, and not feeling awkward or out of place. Sometimes, growing up in foster care is really hard, you don't feel loved, or wanted, and often times you feel like an outsider. But here at Lisa's it was different, her entire family welcomed us with open arms. I had a temporary grandma, and cousins, and aunts, and uncles. It was something I will never forget nor ever take for granted. That was the first time I ever had that. Thankfulness
I have a twin sister. I can't begin to explain how thankful I am that God hand picked my very best friend, the other half to my whole. My twin sister and I went through everything together. Every foster home, almost every school, friends, boyfriends it didn't matter. She knows more about me than I know myself. Having a twin is something that is really hard to explain. When she hurts I hurt, when she is happy I'm happy, I feel her pain on a deep level. When she gave birth to my nephew I had sympathy pain, and I felt something the minute he was earth side. There is no one I am closer to than her, my wombmate. I will always cherish the relationship we have with each other, and I will never take for granted the fact that God deemed us worthy of this special unbreakable bond. I see myself when I look at her. I love her more than I love myself. The bond twins share is such a bond that if you are not a twin you would not understand, or be able to feel what we feel on the same level. What a gift. Thankfulness
When I was about twelve years old, I was seeing a Dr. for sexual abuse trauma. He had an assistant working there, an angel by the name of Annette Lyday. From the very first time I met her I knew there was something special about her, we had an instant connection. One I don't ever remember having with anyone else before. I fell in love with her, EVERY time I went to my Dr.s appointments the doctor had to almost literally pry me out of her office. I felt such a connection to her that at night I prayed and dreamed that she was my mother. I know kind of wierd but it's the truth, and that is how much she had an impact on me. When I stopped going to that Dr when I was about fourteen or fifteen, I lost contact with her. She was never too far out of my mind though. Well a few years later, I was living with a new foster family, and my second week at their church, I ran in to this angel again. Oh I was so happy to have her back in my life. It was as if no time had gone by at all. Today she is known as my Auntie Annette. If ever I was to look back on my life and think of the one person who has impacted my life the most it would be her. She has taught me so much in all the years that I have known her. She has taught me the love of a mother, a love I have never experienced but one I have desperately wanted. She has encouraged and pushed me to succeed far more than I ever would have thought possible. She shows me what unconditional, unfaltering love is, and I am truly blessed to have her in my life. She has taught me what true strength and beauty are, and how they come from the inside and shine out. She is a light in my life. She has won battles, some others don't know about. She has fought and won her battle with breast cancer, a true warrior she is. I will forever be changed by her, and by the love and grace, and kindness she has showed me. I wouldn't be the woman I am today without her teachings. I love you Auntie Annette. Thank you. Thankfulness
Sometimes you have a friend and that friend eventually turns in to family. I have one of those. Her name is Angie. I honestly would be completely lost without my best friend beside me. She knows everything there is to know about me, and she gets me. She has seen me at my best and seen me at my worst. Through love and lost, through the good, the bad, and the ugly. She has seen me win so many battles, and has pushed me to overcome so much of my life trials and tribulations. She has given me words of wisdom, of encouragement, times of trouble when I don't think I can go on, she is there to hold my hand, wipe my tears, and pick me back up off the ground. I love how she loves. I am so grateful to have someone to call my best friend. We have known eachother since seventh grade, but in the last six years or so our friendship has really blossomed into something to be jelous of. Everyone should have a best friend like Angie in their lives. But, you can't have mine! I love you Angie so very much, and you have had such a great impact on my life and who I am today. Thankfulness
When I was twenty two years old, I found myself completely lost. My heart was lost, my soul was lost, and my mind was lost. I felt completely empty and unimportant. Why would God let me go through everything that I had gone through and why did my life have to be so hard all the time. Little did I know he was preparing a table of so much more before me, as I was struggling to keep afloat. I was living with my biological dad at the time, (and it was not the ideal situation at all.) I knew that if I didn't change my living sitaution I was going to end up either dead, on drugs, or something to that degree. My dad's girlfriend Dawn was going to a church down the street from where we lived. A little church on S. Chester Ave close to Ming Ave. She invited me to go to church with her, at first I was very hesitant. I hadn't been to church in probably about three or four years. I had some pretty bad experiences with churches and I was put off by them. But, I decided to take her up on her offer. I will never ever ever regret that decision, as long as I live. It was one of the best decisons I have ever made in my life, such a decision that it was life changing for me. I have now been coming to this church for almost five years, and they have been the most rewarding, hardest, vulnerable, strengthening five years of my life. I have gained so much more in the short amount of time that I have been coming here then I ever did my entire life. I not only found a church that loves God, and loves People but I found the family I had always wanted and had been looking for. To feel loved, and welcomed and encouraged by my church family is really an understatement. Each and every person here at CACC has made an impact on my life in their own way, and I am forever blessed and changed by them. I am currently the Secetary of the church, and this has allowed me to continue my schooling full-time. I never would have gone back to school if it weren't for my Pastor's encourageing, and supporting, and guiding me along the way to continue and finish my education. What a true gift it is for someone to believe in you, and to see that you are full of so much more potential than you yourself see. What a valueable treasure this church has become. Thankfulness
When I was about twelve years old, I was seeing a Dr. for sexual abuse trauma. He had an assistant working there, an angel by the name of Annette Lyday. From the very first time I met her I knew there was something special about her, we had an instant connection. One I don't ever remember having with anyone else before. I fell in love with her, EVERY time I went to my Dr.s appointments the doctor had to almost literally pry me out of her office. I felt such a connection to her that at night I prayed and dreamed that she was my mother. I know kind of wierd but it's the truth, and that is how much she had an impact on me. When I stopped going to that Dr when I was about fourteen or fifteen, I lost contact with her. She was never too far out of my mind though. Well a few years later, I was living with a new foster family, and my second week at their church, I ran in to this angel again. Oh I was so happy to have her back in my life. It was as if no time had gone by at all. Today she is known as my Auntie Annette. If ever I was to look back on my life and think of the one person who has impacted my life the most it would be her. She has taught me so much in all the years that I have known her. She has taught me the love of a mother, a love I have never experienced but one I have desperately wanted. She has encouraged and pushed me to succeed far more than I ever would have thought possible. She shows me what unconditional, unfaltering love is, and I am truly blessed to have her in my life. She has taught me what true strength and beauty are, and how they come from the inside and shine out. She is a light in my life. She has won battles, some others don't know about. She has fought and won her battle with breast cancer, a true warrior she is. I will forever be changed by her, and by the love and grace, and kindness she has showed me. I wouldn't be the woman I am today without her teachings. I love you Auntie Annette. Thank you. Thankfulness
Sometimes you have a friend and that friend eventually turns in to family. I have one of those. Her name is Angie. I honestly would be completely lost without my best friend beside me. She knows everything there is to know about me, and she gets me. She has seen me at my best and seen me at my worst. Through love and lost, through the good, the bad, and the ugly. She has seen me win so many battles, and has pushed me to overcome so much of my life trials and tribulations. She has given me words of wisdom, of encouragement, times of trouble when I don't think I can go on, she is there to hold my hand, wipe my tears, and pick me back up off the ground. I love how she loves. I am so grateful to have someone to call my best friend. We have known eachother since seventh grade, but in the last six years or so our friendship has really blossomed into something to be jelous of. Everyone should have a best friend like Angie in their lives. But, you can't have mine! I love you Angie so very much, and you have had such a great impact on my life and who I am today. Thankfulness
When I was twenty two years old, I found myself completely lost. My heart was lost, my soul was lost, and my mind was lost. I felt completely empty and unimportant. Why would God let me go through everything that I had gone through and why did my life have to be so hard all the time. Little did I know he was preparing a table of so much more before me, as I was struggling to keep afloat. I was living with my biological dad at the time, (and it was not the ideal situation at all.) I knew that if I didn't change my living sitaution I was going to end up either dead, on drugs, or something to that degree. My dad's girlfriend Dawn was going to a church down the street from where we lived. A little church on S. Chester Ave close to Ming Ave. She invited me to go to church with her, at first I was very hesitant. I hadn't been to church in probably about three or four years. I had some pretty bad experiences with churches and I was put off by them. But, I decided to take her up on her offer. I will never ever ever regret that decision, as long as I live. It was one of the best decisons I have ever made in my life, such a decision that it was life changing for me. I have now been coming to this church for almost five years, and they have been the most rewarding, hardest, vulnerable, strengthening five years of my life. I have gained so much more in the short amount of time that I have been coming here then I ever did my entire life. I not only found a church that loves God, and loves People but I found the family I had always wanted and had been looking for. To feel loved, and welcomed and encouraged by my church family is really an understatement. Each and every person here at CACC has made an impact on my life in their own way, and I am forever blessed and changed by them. I am currently the Secetary of the church, and this has allowed me to continue my schooling full-time. I never would have gone back to school if it weren't for my Pastor's encourageing, and supporting, and guiding me along the way to continue and finish my education. What a true gift it is for someone to believe in you, and to see that you are full of so much more potential than you yourself see. What a valueable treasure this church has become. Thankfulness
Being Thankful, and I mean really truly whole heartedly thankful is a blessing. I know the struggles, I've survived the unimaginable. I am thankful for each and every experience I have had. It has made me value my life, and the things I have, and the people I have. I don't take anything for granted because I know what it is like to have nothing, to be a nobody, and to feel empty.
Thankfulness.
Be Blessed,
Rebecca Martin
