Who'da thought...

As I was looking through my Facebook this morning, I came upon a video by Def Leppard that one of my friends had posted. I decided to go ahead and click on it. What the heck, I used to LOVE that band. I can still remember the poster that my friend from high school, Teresa, had in her bedroom of them. Those were the days, aye? Or, were they? That song, and others from that era, brought back memories...of how I used to be.

Who'da thought...that a teenage girl that cared about nothing except where the next party was, who was going to buy a bottle of Jack Daniel's for her, where the cutest guys were, and how to gather up enough money to buy the cocaine she needed each weekend would end up as a woman who loves God, loves children, loves home schooling, and wants to adopt children with special needs. Back during the time that this picture was taken I was one of three things: Drunk, getting drunk, hungover, or thinking about getting drunk.

WHO'DAH THOUGHT! It makes me want to cry...cry for joy. For, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." (Nehemiah 8:10) ...and cry for all the years I wasted...being "wasted."

I have to laugh and shake my head a little...

I can remember when I didn't even LIKE children! I hated babysitting. I couldn't stand it if my friends' kid brothers or sisters tried to hang around us. I remember one friend in particular, Nancy, who had this cute little sweet sister named...oh gosh, now I have forgotten. She was so cute! But no, I was mean. I didn't want her around. I would embrace her and want to take her home now! That precious little thing. She only about 2 years old, and I was so cruel. "Make her go away," I would say. What an idiot I was. I'm still amazed when my children's friends come over and they WANT to spend time with our younger children. I admire them for that.

It wasn't until my first nephew, Jesse, was born, that I started to like children. He grew on me. I was still a dumb drunk that cared mostly about herself, but I found myself volunteering to babysit him and take him places.

Fast forward about 10 more years when I was 28 and gave birth to my first child, Tristin. WOW! That was it. I instantly was so in love with her! I remember telling my mom, "I love her so much...this is amazing...I couldn't live with her. I can't believe how much I love this little person."

Well, I have to get going on brushing kids teeth and teaching, but I just wanted to post what I was thinking about this morning. I think the point I want to get across more than anything is that if you meet someone who is like how I once was...don't write them off too quickly. Someone introduced me to Jesus when I was about 20 years old, and that changed everything...slowly, but surely. People who were kind to me, who loved me unconditionally, I remember. Mostly, of course, I remember how much Jesus loves me. Gosh...for someone to love ME...STUPID ME...so much that he allowed Himself to be beaten so badly that you COULDN'T EVEN TELL HE WAS HUMAN ANYMORE...(yes, that is in the Bible)...and then nailed to a cross like that? Come on...how can you EVER doubt His love for you? Do you know anyone else who would do that?

This song says it all...