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REDEEMED: FINDING YOUR WAY BACK TO GLORY
Aaron C. Rhodes
Chapter 1
Cemetery 2008
It’s hard not getting to see your children. This is especially true when it is due to bad choices that we make as adults. A lifestyle of being the life of the party cost me dearly. The truth was I was hurting and lost. The only way I could tolerate everyday life was to drink. Now I was leaving a bar an emotional wreck. I drank for hours trying to forget about not getting the boys.
I had called Teresa and asked if I could come see them. When I told her I was at a bar she became upset with me for not going home to rest. She said, “If you come over tonight I will call the police; just go home Aaron.”
In my drunken state I couldn’t be alone at my house. Instead, I went to Sunset Cemetery to visit her grave. It was after midnight and dark. The light of a full moon helped me make my way to find her grave. There were rows of headstones with names of people that marked their final resting place. After stumbling my way over to her grave, I fell to my knees.
I gently used my fingers to clean the dirt that had blown on her headstone. It had a small bear on it. I stayed on my knees for a moment, just looking down at her headstone. “Baby, I said, “I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help you. I wish you were here.” I started crying and lay down on my stomach, my face in my arms. “God, why did you do this?” I cried. I had prayed for God to save her and He never answered. I couldn’t understand how He could take her. To make everything worse, I had lost the rest of my family. Just a few years ago my family seemed so strong, only to be broken now. I was alone and felt hopeless.
“You can’t be here, son. It’s after hours,” A groundskeeper said in the distance. I couldn’t make out his face. It was dark, and tears were in my eyes.
“I’m leaving,” I said to the groundskeeper as I stood up from the ground and made my way to my vehicle.
“Your peace lies with God, son. Just lay it at the cross,” The groundskeeper continued as I walked away.
I thought about what the groundskeeper said as I got into my vehicle. I didn’t know where peace was for me. I knew that I needed help but didn’t know where to turn. I refused to pray for help after God didn’t answer me while we were losing her. I was struggling, alone and hopeless.
Sitting in my truck, I started to think back to a better time. A time when all was right with our world and my family was whole. I remembered I was going to the hospital to be with Teresa while she gave birth to our second child Warner. I never could’ve imagined my life would be in such disarray six years later in 2008. The memories came flowing back to me from that December day in 2002. It was a time of happiness and love, that of which I so desperately needed now.
Chapter 2
The Big Day 2002
We circled the parking lot trying to find a place to park. Landyn was sitting in the back seat of the car. He was ready to get out and go to Teresa’s hospital room. “Dad, do you see a parking yet?” Landyn asked.
“Not yet, but I’ll keep looking.” We had been anticipating this day for months. Landyn dreamt of the day that he would have a little brother. I could see his brown eyes in the rearview mirror and could tell he was excited. His brown hair flowed perfectly over his round face.
It was only a short time ago—in 2001—that Landyn was fighting for his life after being run over by a car. His recovery from that accident was miraculous. It was hard to tell that he was ever even in an accident.
“Dad there is a car leaving!” Landyn shouted. A blue pickup truck had just started to pull out of its parking place.
“I see it son, and we will be inside soon.”
Teresa was at Odessa Regional Hospital. She was full-term and more than ready for the baby to be born. When we had found out that the baby would be a boy, we chose the name Warner. On the way to the hospital she said, “Warner had plenty of time to be ready for today, so let’s get him out.”
Landyn was trying to get out of the vehicle before it stopped. “You have to wait until I’m parked, son.”
“I know, said Landyn, “but I am so excited that I can’t control myself!”
We quickly got out of the car and grabbed the bags that Teresa had prepared for the hospital. Landyn was so excited that he practically dragged me to the front of the hospital. “Hurry, Daddy. I have to get to Warner.” What a great God we have. God had done so much for my family and now he was giving us another baby. Landyn seemed happier than anyone. “This is the happiest time of my life!” It was indeed a happy time and I was thankful to God.
We were now at the front of the hospital and went inside. I said, “Landyn, when we come back out of these doors, we will have Warner with us.”
Landyn smiled and then stopped to hug me. “I love you Daddy!”
“I love you too,” I replied, “and you will always be my special boy! Never forget that.” Landyn smiled again, kissed me, and then sprung back around and pulled me to the elevator.
This was a great day!
Chapter 3
Welcome Warner
Warner was a beautiful baby. He had blond hair and blue eyes just like his mother. I held him and told him how much I loved him. I kissed his forehead and the tears started to come down my face. One year earlier we almost lost Landyn from the accident. We were now experiencing the euphoria of having another baby. I was so carried away with holding him that the nurse had to nudge me to take him to Teresa.
I made my way over to Teresa. “Look what I have, sweetheart!” She wearily smiled as I carried Warner over to her. Then while talking to him, she started to cry. His blue eyes never left Teresa’s eyes. This would be the perfect time to get Landyn. I touched Teresa on her shoulder and leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I’m going to go get Landyn before he bursts into the room.”
She laughed. “That will be a great idea. Just hurry back.” I kissed Teresa and Warner again then went to get Landyn.
Landyn started bouncing in his seat when he saw me coming. It was sweet to see him so eager to meet his new brother. He couldn’t contain his excitement any longer and ran toward me. He jumped up in my arms and asked, “Is Warner here Daddy?”
I smiled at him. “Yes he is here, and you can come see him.”
As we entered the room, Landyn said, “He’s here!” He wriggled out of my arms and ran to the bed to see Warner. “Warner it’s me, Landyn! I’m your brother that’s been reading to you.”
I made my way to Teresa’s bedside. We enjoyed the moment as our little boys bonded. I looked at Teresa and noticed she was looking at me with tears in her eyes. I leaned over and gave her a hug and began to weep as well. This was such a wonderfully answered prayer from God. We had waited seven years to have another baby. Our God was so gracious and loving.
This was a day to be thankful.
Aaron C. Rhodes
Chapter 1
Cemetery 2008
It’s hard not getting to see your children. This is especially true when it is due to bad choices that we make as adults. A lifestyle of being the life of the party cost me dearly. The truth was I was hurting and lost. The only way I could tolerate everyday life was to drink. Now I was leaving a bar an emotional wreck. I drank for hours trying to forget about not getting the boys.
I had called Teresa and asked if I could come see them. When I told her I was at a bar she became upset with me for not going home to rest. She said, “If you come over tonight I will call the police; just go home Aaron.”
In my drunken state I couldn’t be alone at my house. Instead, I went to Sunset Cemetery to visit her grave. It was after midnight and dark. The light of a full moon helped me make my way to find her grave. There were rows of headstones with names of people that marked their final resting place. After stumbling my way over to her grave, I fell to my knees.
I gently used my fingers to clean the dirt that had blown on her headstone. It had a small bear on it. I stayed on my knees for a moment, just looking down at her headstone. “Baby, I said, “I’m so sorry that I couldn’t help you. I wish you were here.” I started crying and lay down on my stomach, my face in my arms. “God, why did you do this?” I cried. I had prayed for God to save her and He never answered. I couldn’t understand how He could take her. To make everything worse, I had lost the rest of my family. Just a few years ago my family seemed so strong, only to be broken now. I was alone and felt hopeless.
“You can’t be here, son. It’s after hours,” A groundskeeper said in the distance. I couldn’t make out his face. It was dark, and tears were in my eyes.
“I’m leaving,” I said to the groundskeeper as I stood up from the ground and made my way to my vehicle.
“Your peace lies with God, son. Just lay it at the cross,” The groundskeeper continued as I walked away.
I thought about what the groundskeeper said as I got into my vehicle. I didn’t know where peace was for me. I knew that I needed help but didn’t know where to turn. I refused to pray for help after God didn’t answer me while we were losing her. I was struggling, alone and hopeless.
Sitting in my truck, I started to think back to a better time. A time when all was right with our world and my family was whole. I remembered I was going to the hospital to be with Teresa while she gave birth to our second child Warner. I never could’ve imagined my life would be in such disarray six years later in 2008. The memories came flowing back to me from that December day in 2002. It was a time of happiness and love, that of which I so desperately needed now.
Chapter 2
The Big Day 2002
We circled the parking lot trying to find a place to park. Landyn was sitting in the back seat of the car. He was ready to get out and go to Teresa’s hospital room. “Dad, do you see a parking yet?” Landyn asked.
“Not yet, but I’ll keep looking.” We had been anticipating this day for months. Landyn dreamt of the day that he would have a little brother. I could see his brown eyes in the rearview mirror and could tell he was excited. His brown hair flowed perfectly over his round face.
It was only a short time ago—in 2001—that Landyn was fighting for his life after being run over by a car. His recovery from that accident was miraculous. It was hard to tell that he was ever even in an accident.
“Dad there is a car leaving!” Landyn shouted. A blue pickup truck had just started to pull out of its parking place.
“I see it son, and we will be inside soon.”
Teresa was at Odessa Regional Hospital. She was full-term and more than ready for the baby to be born. When we had found out that the baby would be a boy, we chose the name Warner. On the way to the hospital she said, “Warner had plenty of time to be ready for today, so let’s get him out.”
Landyn was trying to get out of the vehicle before it stopped. “You have to wait until I’m parked, son.”
“I know, said Landyn, “but I am so excited that I can’t control myself!”
We quickly got out of the car and grabbed the bags that Teresa had prepared for the hospital. Landyn was so excited that he practically dragged me to the front of the hospital. “Hurry, Daddy. I have to get to Warner.” What a great God we have. God had done so much for my family and now he was giving us another baby. Landyn seemed happier than anyone. “This is the happiest time of my life!” It was indeed a happy time and I was thankful to God.
We were now at the front of the hospital and went inside. I said, “Landyn, when we come back out of these doors, we will have Warner with us.”
Landyn smiled and then stopped to hug me. “I love you Daddy!”
“I love you too,” I replied, “and you will always be my special boy! Never forget that.” Landyn smiled again, kissed me, and then sprung back around and pulled me to the elevator.
This was a great day!
Chapter 3
Welcome Warner
Warner was a beautiful baby. He had blond hair and blue eyes just like his mother. I held him and told him how much I loved him. I kissed his forehead and the tears started to come down my face. One year earlier we almost lost Landyn from the accident. We were now experiencing the euphoria of having another baby. I was so carried away with holding him that the nurse had to nudge me to take him to Teresa.
I made my way over to Teresa. “Look what I have, sweetheart!” She wearily smiled as I carried Warner over to her. Then while talking to him, she started to cry. His blue eyes never left Teresa’s eyes. This would be the perfect time to get Landyn. I touched Teresa on her shoulder and leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I’m going to go get Landyn before he bursts into the room.”
She laughed. “That will be a great idea. Just hurry back.” I kissed Teresa and Warner again then went to get Landyn.
Landyn started bouncing in his seat when he saw me coming. It was sweet to see him so eager to meet his new brother. He couldn’t contain his excitement any longer and ran toward me. He jumped up in my arms and asked, “Is Warner here Daddy?”
I smiled at him. “Yes he is here, and you can come see him.”
As we entered the room, Landyn said, “He’s here!” He wriggled out of my arms and ran to the bed to see Warner. “Warner it’s me, Landyn! I’m your brother that’s been reading to you.”
I made my way to Teresa’s bedside. We enjoyed the moment as our little boys bonded. I looked at Teresa and noticed she was looking at me with tears in her eyes. I leaned over and gave her a hug and began to weep as well. This was such a wonderfully answered prayer from God. We had waited seven years to have another baby. Our God was so gracious and loving.
This was a day to be thankful.
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