Oh, what a wonderful time we all had at the 2nd annual Roger Bennett Memorial Concert. A special thanks to the Hoppers, who were amazing. They had some really neat stories to share about their memories of Roger, and it was very heart-warming. Of course, they presented an awesome concert, as usual, and everyone seemed to have a great time! Another special thanks to the Citizens Bank of Batesville, AR, for their generous support of the event. That's a real community bank - they support many causes there!
I told you in my last post that I would share some more stories with you that I heard at NQC. They are WAY too many to list, but there is one in particular I want to share (and I hope the teller won't mind that I shared it.....). I am going to leave out names, though. It seems that, many years ago, there was a father and son who attended Gospel concerts. The son's mom had left them when he was only 10, and it really did a number on a young boy. He did, however, have an interest in piano, and loved to hear Roger play. So, at a concert, they approached Roger, and he sat down and talked to this boy for a while, and then Roger gave the boy one of his instructional piano videos and told him to practice. Well, the boy did practice - so much so that his dad would have to drag him away from his keyboard every night to eat. Today, that little boy is the pianist for a well-known Christian artist, and his dad felt inspired to share that with me. Needless to say, he and I both shed some tears over that exchange. It just goes to show us all that we never know the impact we might have on someone's life, simply by taking the time to listen, share, and care. That's the kind of person Roger was, and his actions still inspire me today. I want to be that selfless, and not because I think it would make ME shine, but I want CHRIST to shine through me!
I had a great visit in AR, and was able to spend more time with my folks than I have in a long time. Doug, Roger's dad, and I went to Strawberry to visit relatives, and that was a very good day, too. I even got to see my youngest nephew get married, and then got to spend a too-short afternoon visiting my childhood friends on the way back home. (That's a neat story, too, and one which I will share sometime.)
OK, many of you have asked, and have waited for me to answer (patiently, which I appreciate, since I am kind of private about some areas of my life), so here is an update. As you probably know, I have been seeing someone for a time now (longer than you actually know, because I still had my own issues to work out). I have struggled with moving on in my life, but in a nutshell, God has given me the peace to do so. I had an incredibly healing week at NQC, and was able to speak with many friends, who were all supportive, and gave me some wise counsel. So, I am telling you today that, although I will never lose the part of my "old" life, I am beginning a chapter in a "new" life now. God has sent a person into my life who understands that although my past is still tied to my future in many ways, I have room in my heart for more love. It is still a bit awkward, at times, mainly in dealing with close family, but God is working on all of that, too. I just have to have the faith that He is still in control, and He knows the outcome. Very little in my adult life has gone according to my plan, but I am still able to say "Thy will be done, Lord." So, all that to say that I am getting married again in a few weeks. I've decided to keep my name the same, though, because getting married at 48 brings a whole lot more legalities with it than getting married at 20 did.......houses, businesses, travel documents, accounts, cards, etc. It's just easier. I will, of course, share more later, but I need to go now and get some work done. I would highly appreciate your prayers, especially with the family thing, and also welcome your comments. I do feel so blessed by your love and support, and so grateful for your stories and memories of the special, special man I was so blessed to be married to for 25 years, 3 months. I learned much from him, and I remember him every time I sign that I am still
In His Grip!
Debbie
