Marie

Anything on your mind that isn't about RLS? It's nice to realize that there is life beyond this disease and have an opportunity to get to know our online family in a different context.
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Walking After Midnight
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Marie

Post by Walking After Midnight »

Marie is leaving for Iraq again. We don't want her to go, but who's going to argue with her? Not me. I've already tried. I put my two cents in when she first started going to Russia, then when she went to Iraq the first time, her visits to Jordan and Egypt…believe me we've all tried. She says, "What do you want me to do, sit at home and wait to die?" and I say, "Why can't you be like everybody else's Mom?" and she just looks at me and smiles because she knows that I don't want that anyway.
She told me long ago that the only thing Prejudice is...is fear. I knew what she meant, but she has to live by example. It was fear of the Soviet Union, the days of the Iron Curtain and the Cold War that brought her to this place in her life, and when the Soviet Union fell and "tourists" were finally allowed in, she had to go and see that place, for herself. Now she's been there at least twenty times. She has a pocketful of Doctors who send her there with Medicine. All kinds of medicine and it is precious because Doctors there just can’t get enough of most of it. And she brings toothpaste and soap and things that make you smell good and small gifts…whatever she can get her hands on. She packs it in suitcases that have also been given to her, lots of suitcases and she’s sixty-nine years old but she totes those things around, through airports and train stations on buses thousands of miles and steps. Don’t tell her she can’t bring them in. And she’ll visit prisoners and orphanages, churches and military bases, hospitals and schools and regular people walking the streets. She knows she’s not even making a dent…and at the same time making a world of difference.
Marie is a missionary, a mentor, a minister, a true believer and Ok, like everybody says about their Mom…she’s a “Saint”. I went with her to Russia in 1996; she was surrounded by people the entire trip, but then, I don’t think I’ve ever been to Wal-Mart with her when it didn’t seem she knew everyone in the store. It’s not hard to see through her. She’s genuine. All the while TV Evangelists are giving “religion” a bad name, but she’s the real deal…there’s nothing phony about her. We’ve seen her give her last dollar away, go for days without eating if she’s trying to get through to God, be up all hours of the night if someone needs her, visit folks or watch her grandchildren when she’s dead on her feet…and all the while maintaining her spotless house.
Marie was born in 1937, somewhere in Ohio. Her mother died when she was just four. She had three sisters and they were split up and sent to live with different relatives. One of her sisters was seriously mentally ill. Marie doesn’t talk much about them or her childhood. It wasn’t that it was horrifying or terrible, but I know she keeps some secrets locked inside. We knew only one of her sisters, my Aunt Vi. She passed about two years ago. My Mother married my Father at the age of 16, dropped out of high school and started having kids…six of us. She ended up getting her GED when she was in her 50s, and has since graduated from Bible College.
Now I’ll tell you something you might not understand or believe; she has the ear of God more than anyone I know. She’s one of THOSE fanatics. She also has a gift for healing. I found this out for sure when one day, she put her hand on my head, looked to God and I felt a sort of electric tingle start in my head and work its way down my entire body and out my toes. When we were teenagers, we had a neighbor friend named Chuck, who my Mom loved. Chuck came down with a nasty virus, fever and cough etc. My little brother took her over there and when Chuck’s Dad came home from work, Chuck was out in the yard. He said…”I thought you were sick?” and Chuck said…”I was but Marie was over and prayed for me.” I could tell you a lot more, of gifts and miracles, some of it you wouldn’t even believe. It doesn’t matter if you do or not because I was there.
And it’s funny how her home always feels the same. Safe. Through much turmoil in my life, I’ve gone there to get away from things, even if it’s just for a few hours. The “demons” may be chasing you around, but not at Marie’s house. They have to wait outside. It’s as if God lives there, and no telling who else will be there. When we were growing up it seemed there was always someone staying with us. A traveling evangelist and his family, a couple missionaries, some kids traveling around the country, everyone was welcome. Her house on the outside looks likes nothing special…but you don’t know the half of it.
And as much of a Tower that she has been to me, I still smile when she is arguing with my Dad about little things…like how to open the Ice Cream box, and when she tells me I need to take vitamins and soak my feet in Epsom Salts. I still have to laugh when she says she doesn’t believe there were ever dinosaurs on Earth, or when she puts another ding on the Car.
So this time I will worry about her again and wish she wasn’t leaving. I’ll pray every day and be happy with knowing she will probably be back. And she’s nearly seventy, so even more I’ll cherish the days with her and count myself blessed in a unique way, just for knowing Marie.

Penguinrocks
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Post by Penguinrocks »

God Bless Marie and everyone who knows and loves her for the sacrifices you have all had to endure....

love much love a thankful penguin
Beware the Penguin

becat
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Post by becat »

Wam you just have no idea how hard that hit me.
I agree, God Bless your mother, sounds like a woman to cherish forever, by many.
I, too, will be praying for her on her travels.
How I wish i could bring one I love to her for her healing hands, my heart might rest as easy as yours does.
And your right about being in Momma's house, even though my parents moved many times, my home is always where my mother is.
Your just a gift to us WAM, please never stop sharing these bits and peices.
How much luckier and better I am for knowing you, even if it's just through cyber space right now.
I do truly hold you like family. You too, Miss Penguin.
Love Lynne

jan3213
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Location: Illinois

Post by jan3213 »

WAM

I just read about "Marie" and am honored that you shared her story with us and so grateful that you are a member of our famliy.

I cannot find adequate words to express what a wonderful talent you have. But, it's more than talent, WAM. You give each of us part of your heart when you write--you are a very, very special person. I can see why you are: you have a wonderful mother.

I will keep her in my prayers. And, you, too. God bless you.

Jan
No one is alone who had friends.

FidgetBoy
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Post by FidgetBoy »

simply wonderful... keep writing!
Josh

Rubyslipper
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Post by Rubyslipper »

What a gift, to be able to write a picture for us to see, hear, feel and touch. Marie is one of God's chosen ones, just like in the Bible where God chooses special people to do His work. Your story of your mother reminds me of Salome Taylor, a lady of tremendous faith and spirit. She lives in a nearby town and I feel truly blessed to have come to know her. She too is on a mission for God. She retired several years ago from teaching but continues to work two jobs to raise the money needed to do mission work in Haiti. We know other people who go to Haiti and do mission work but Salome is a little different. The others stay in safe areas, where groups of people work to build houses, churches or orphanages. Salome pays her way to Haiti through her extra jobs and crams every little space with medicines, health items, clothing. When she gets to Haiti she rides in the back of a truck for 8-10 hours then gets out and walks all over the mountains, tending to the people, usually by herself. At the end of the day, the first woman she spoke to that morning will be waiting outside the hut she is staying in for that night, patiently waiting for Salome to change clothes and give her the dress she was wearing that day. I am honored that Salome looks at me as a giver to the people she tends. All I do is send money for her to buy items that the people there make and sell it here to give more money back to Salome. On days like today when my life seems so hard, I think about all the hardships she goes through so willingly just to help people she has no connection to except through her loving heart. I am humbled by both Marie and Salome.
You've always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself! (Glinda of Oz)

mikeyvon
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Location: Northumberland, PA

Marie

Post by mikeyvon »

Hi WAM,

Marie, that's your mom! Wow, what a woman. I don't know of anyone that's done that much stuff. And good stuff. Just think how much better this world would be if we all lived one day as she does.

Got back from Ohio last night. Visit was nice but not without incident. Will make for a good story. Still tired so I'll tell it later bro.

mike

Walking After Midnight
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Re: Marie

Post by Walking After Midnight »

mikeyvon wrote:
Got back from Ohio last night. Visit was nice but not without incident. Will make for a good story. Still tired so I'll tell it later bro.

mike



Hey Mike...what happened?
I've been waiting with mucho anticipation for this good Ohio story.
?
Hope everything is alright...take care.

Randy

mikeyvon
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go buckeyes!

Post by mikeyvon »

Howdy Randy,

I still difficult to comprehend the things your mother has done. Hopefully we'll meet sometime and I can hear the details. Wow!

Yeah, It was a nice family visit to Ohio last week. Immediate family gets together once a year when Carl comes in from LA (he say's hi to all). The only trouble centered around my youngest brother (bro #4). We were all sitting in the front of my mom's house talking with family and a few friends when bro #4 decides to throw me off the property because of my liberal political views. It degenerated into a severe shoving match until he broke it off and stormed into the house...two minutes later he's back and it starts all over again. I'm telling ya Randy, it took all the will power I had not to move in close and take him out with a right hook (or maybe three). I wasn't going to throw the first punch, and fortunately for him, he didn't either. It took a while but things finally cooled down. Fortunately my mom was in the house watching the Indians game and didn't have to witness the scene (LOL). He's always had anger problems but I still love him like "a brother" LOL. He's just lucky bro#3 hadn't shown up yet. His political views are further to the left than mine....and he would have knocked him out for sure. My wife is smart, she hasn't attended a family get together since 1983 (because of situations like this). Actually in retrospect the whole thing was pretty funny in a way. I told my wife that because my one friend is a retired ER physician we almost had the need to yell the famous saying "Is there a doctor in the house!". LOL, LOL.

BTW, are you going to the meeting? And do you know where in Ohio your mom is from.

your friend Mike.... and love to ya all

Walking After Midnight
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Post by Walking After Midnight »

Good one Mike.
Not what I was expecting. That's one of those things that, when they happen to us we can at least look back and laugh.
Later anyway.
Sounds like you have kind of a big family?
I read it last night or late the night before but worked a double yesterday and was kinda wore out. As far as my Mom, I'm not sure where exactly in Ohio she was born. I think near Lima but my Dad is from around Butler, Fredricktown, Mt. Vernon...that area so she might be closer to there than Lima. I'll find out and let you know. Hopefully I'll remember.
I'm not going to the meeting, can't get anymore time off work this year. I'd really like to though.
See ya Mike.

Randy

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