A Brief Explanation

The following two stories, "The Boxes" and "God Will Provide" actually go together. I felt they could be two seperate stories so I wrote them in that way. They both were an amazing experience of God's care for Sue and also for me. Blssings, Kay

The Boxes

by Kay Heitsch 

It wasn't long after the "For Sale" sign went up on our front yard that they started arriving in our mailbox; postcards. Each one asked to provide service for our impending move. As I sorted through the array of cards, I selected three and called the first number. A man answered the phone and stated that he would be happy to come out and give me a free estimate. He explained that he was planning to go out of town for the weekend to come the following week. We set the appointment, and I called the other two numbers. 

The next week at the time agreed upon, he arrived. He introduced himself as Roger. As he walked through our four-bedroom home, he calculated everything on a handheld computer with all the extras. When he finished, he handed me the printed estimate. Then he told me that to help save money on boxes; I could call down to his office and ask if anyone had turned in their used boxes. He said if anyone did, those boxes would be free for the taking. Little did he know that saving money on boxes was exactly what we needed. Moving was nothing new for us. We had moved many times in the 27 years my husband; Bill, was with his former company. We had lived in 4 different states. But now Bill was not with this company anymore and we were paying for this move ourselves. 

Our family had been through a lot over the years. The worst being the death of our 16-year-old son, Todd, in a car accident. I'd witnessed God bring triumph out of tragedy through his death. I had even written Dr. Norman V. Peale about some of these triumphs a few years before. When Roger was about to leave, I told him I wanted to give him something for coming out. He was surprised when I handed him the book "Have A Great Day-Everyday!" written by Dr. Peale. I told him about Todd's accident, and I explained the special meaning this book had for me.* Roger thanked me and said his wife was a big fan of Dr. Peale's, and he knew she was going to love this book. Roger went on to say that the weekend trip he had been on was with his wife. He said she had just found out she had cancer. As Roger walked out the door, he said, "I know God sent me here today." 

I had not forgotten Roger's offer of the used boxes, so I called every few days to check to see if any had been turned in. Although the office girls were pleasant, the answer was always the same, "Sorry, we do not have any used boxes at this time." The days seemed to be flying by. I kept calling asking about the used boxes, but still, the answer was the same, "No boxes." 

When Todd died, I had been given an insight. I told myself I never wanted to forget it. The insight is that what mattered in life were two things: our relationship with God and our relationship with others. I had not forgotten this insight, so as the day of our move came closer, I wanted to go back to the town where Todd had spent his last days of life. I'd made many close and personal relationships with the people there. I would be moving to another state and may not see them for a long time, if ever. 

Bill had started a new job in our home state of Michigan. He was staying with his folks until we could be moved. He called and said, "Have you started packing yet?" Well, no, I hadn't; in fact, I didn't even have any boxes. I told Bill that I was heading to Dover for the weekend to visit, and I was sure that God would have the boxes ready when I came back. Bill was less than enthusiastic about my trip, but he didn't put up too much of a fuss. It was wonderful going back to Dover and seeing friends again. There was a sadness, too, not knowing if I would ever see them again. With the IMPORTANT job done, I headed home, ready to start packing. 

On Monday I called about the boxes. "No boxes" was still the answer. I called our church secretary, Jennifer, and suggested I go around behind stores and look in dumpsters for boxes. "Oh, this is just great!" I thought. It's only been raining for days now. Just what I want-soggy boxes. "Lord, you need to help me here!" 

The following day I called bright and early in the morning. Much to my surprise, a man answered the phone instead of the usual girls. When I asked about boxes, he said, "Yes, we did get some boxes back." I told him I would be right down to pick them up. I called Brandon, my youngest son, and told him to get ready; we would get our boxes. I was so relieved that I wouldn't have to go through dumpsters for boxes. 

When I walked into the front office, I could finally put a face to the voices I had talked to so often. When I told the girls, who I was and that I had come to pick up the used boxes, they looked at each other with wonder. The girls said they had no idea what was going on, as they did not have any used boxes that they knew of. They suggested I go downstairs and see the man down there. When I got downstairs, much to my surprise, there was Roger, the man who had given me the estimate. He remembered me and asked why I was there. I explained to him what was going on. Roger told me to go outside and pull around to the warehouse. 

As I got out of the van at the warehouse, a man walked out on the loading dock. He asked if I was the lady who had called about the used boxes. When I told him I was, he said, "I'm sorry, I'm the man who answered the phone. We did have boxes, but now they're gone." My heart sank. Roger was walking up overhearing the conversation, and immediately he said, "Yes, we do have boxes for her." The man on the dock started to tell the story again when Roger interrupted, "I want you to give her all the NEW boxes, tape, and packing materials she will need for her move, on us. I also want you to make sure she has the best men we have to make her move. I want this to be the best job we've ever done." 

I was SHOCKED. I didn't know what to say or do. I stammered out an expression of gratitude through my tears and gave Roger a big hug. After that, he walked away. As the man on the dock looked up what I would need on the computer, he looked at me and said, "Who are you? How do you know Roger?" I told him I wasn't anyone special; I honestly didn't know Roger except that he had come out to our home to estimate the move. With a look of puzzlement on his face, he said, "Are you sure? Roger doesn't go out to homes and give estimates; he's the owner of the company." I answered, "Well, he came out and took the estimate on moving us." 

There was no way that Roger could have known how much we needed this gift of boxes after looking at the home we lived in, but he offered them anyway. God had everything worked out, right down to the number of boxes that were needed. I believe it was a Divine connection that brought Roger, who didn't make house calls, to our home that day. When Roger said, "I know God sent me here today," I knew he was right. *A letter that I wrote about my son, Todd, is written as the Introduction in "Have a Great Day Everyday!" on Page 8. This book may be ordered from The Peale Center 66 East Main Street Pauling, NY 12564 (1.866.713.7278)

God Will Provide

by Kay Heitsch

It was another beautiful day in the neighborhood. I started on my daily three-mile walk. As I usually did, I asked the Lord to bring anyone who I may help to the road. On my walk this day, a woman was waiting at the end of her driveway for me. As I walked closer, she said, "How did your house sell so fast?" I responded, " I put it in God's hands." I immediately added that putting things in God's hands doesn't always mean fast results. The last house we sold in Dover, Ohio, took two years to sell; and I also had put that one in God's hands. She smiled, and then I noticed a "For Sale" sign in her yard, too.

We talked awhile, and Sue told me that she was going through a divorce. She was apprehensive about her future. She expressed her fears about several things, one being where she would get boxes. From out of nowhere, I heard myself say, "Don't worry about boxes; God will provide you with the boxes you need just like He is going to provide them for me!" I was stunned! Where on earth had those words come from. Sue looked at me and said, "You know I have faith, but not like that!" I wasn't sure I had that much faith either, but the words were out, and I was going to believe God now.

A couple of weeks later, on my walk, I noticed a new family had moved in. Seeing their packing boxes piled out by the curb got my attention. The thought, "These are Sue's boxes," came to my mind. I walked right over to Sue's house and told her about the boxes. Excitedly I said, "Let's go over and ask if they are throwing these boxes away. If they are, we can ask them if you can have them." Sue was somewhat hesitant, but I was insistent. Sure enough, the people were happy to give the boxes to Sue, and they said she could have any others they put out. We both drove over and loaded them in. There, God had provided Sue with her boxes, but now what about mine? Sue suggested I take these boxes since I would be moving before her, but I said, "No, I believe these boxes are for you."

I wondered if I should take Sue up on her suggestion in the back of my mind. Deep in my heart, I knew the Lord would provide me with the boxes we needed too. A week before we were to move, the Lord did provide all the boxes we needed for our move. When Sue came down to say, "Good-by," I noticed that we had a few boxes left over that we didn't need. I asked the guys who were packing us if I could give Sue these extra boxes. They said, "If Roger gave them away once, he wouldn't mind giving them away again." Sue called me when she finally moved. She told me it was amazing that she had the exact number of boxes she needed for her move, with the extra ones I gave her.

That day when I said, "Don't worry about boxes, God will provide you with the boxes you need just like He is going to provide them for me!" I couldn't believe I said those words. However, the Lord gave me the faith to keep believing, and the results were terrific.

Just Looking

By Kay Heitsch

There was a lot of new home construction going on in our neighborhood. As you might well imagine, this construction was quite fascinating for little boys. One day, as I was on my daily walk I heard a young mother yell, "Joey, what are you doing?" I looked around to see if I could see the little guy. I did see him. Joey was standing on top of a mound of dirt, looking down into a newly dug basement. Joey yelled back, "I'm just looking, Mom! I'm not looking for trouble!" 

Now seeing Joey standing on top of this mound of dirt, Joey's Mom ran out of the house to help him come down before falling in the hole. I smiled at Joey's response. He didn't think he was "looking for trouble," but his mother could see that Joey may be in trouble with just a slip of his little foot. 

How often do we think we are "just-looking" when in reality, we may be "looking for trouble?" In the garden, Jesus said to the disciples twice: "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." Luke 22:40 and again in Luke 22:45. Jesus knew that the disciples were about to be standing on top of a situation where they might fall. Jesus wanted them to pray that they would not fall into temptation. Why? Because Jesus wanted to save them from the hurt that the fall would cause. 

I think we all know the story. Peter denied Jesus, and the others ran away when they were on top of the situation. They did not pray ahead of time but fell asleep instead. The emotional hurt they felt was genuine. We may not think that trouble could be around the corner when we are on top of the hill. We may think we are "just looking," not knowing that there could be trouble if we fell. I believe that if we are wise, we will remember the words of Jesus: "Pray that you will not fall into temptation," even though we may think that we are "just-looking" and "not looking for trouble." What do you think?

Yes He Can!

by Kay Heitsch, 

I was hurrying around Friday morning, getting ready for a trip to Michigan. We'd received a call that the headstone for Todd's grave was ready. Todd's headstone had been a special order because we wanted his picture put on it. We also asked that his running shoes be carved in the front. I was anxious to see how the stone turned out. 

Then the phone rang. When I answered the phone, a woman introduced herself as June.* During our brief conversation, June told me that she'd read the story "In Loving Memory of Todd" in the Plus Magazine. June said she'd also shared the story with her eight daughters. June explained the reason for her call was to let me know how inspired she and her daughters were with the story. June said they were amazed to see how the Lord had taken this tragedy and made something positive out of it. Then June commented that she didn't know what she would do if anything ever happened to one of her children. I assured June that God would be with her, just as He had with me, no matter what may happen. I thanked June for her call and encouragement. I explained that I was sorry I couldn't talk very long because we were getting ready to leave for Michigan. I told June I'd be happy to talk to her more when I came home.

 Sunday afternoon, we drove back to Ohio. We were pleased with the way the headstone had turned out. Early Monday morning, the phone rang. When I answered the phone, I recognized June's voice, but she sounded different this time. In a quiet voice, June asked, "Did you read the newspaper on Saturday?" "No, I didn't," I answered. I heard June take a deep breath. June started to cry softly and said, "My only son, Jason* was hit by a big semi-truck on his way to Florida. Jason is dead." There was a pause. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this," I replied, feeling half sick to my stomach. June continued, "I can't tell you how thankful I am that my daughters and I read your story. Because of reading "In Loving Memory of Todd," we know that the Lord can bring something positive out of Jason's death too." 

I asked June what funeral home they were using for Jason's calling hours. That evening I went over to show my condolences. To this day, the picture of June and her daughters standing around Jason's casket still stands out in my mind. With tears filling my eyes, I walked over to June and her daughters. After introducing myself, I gave each one an understanding hug. Words were not necessary; because they knew from reading the story that the Lord could bring something positive out of Jason's death, as He had in Todd's. 

*Names have been changed. "In Loving Memory of Todd" can be read in the May Archive

The Greatest Day Of My Life!

by Kay Heitsch 

When I woke up, I didn't realize that this would be the greatest day of my life! A few weeks had passed since Todd's death in the car accident. People had been very generous in bringing in food for our family. But the time came when I had to venture out to the grocery store. My first experience of grocery shopping did not go well! I had Brandon, our two-year-old son, in the grocery cart.

I'd gone down several aisles when I came to the cereal section. Without thinking, I reached up to grab Todd's favorite cereal. I broke out in a cold sweat, realizing I didn't need to buy this anymore. I jerked my hand back. I felt stunned for an instant. All of a sudden, I thought I was going to burst into tears. Since I didn't want anyone to see me crying, I grabbed Brandon and left the shopping cart right in the cereal aisle. With tears burning my eyes, I drove straight home.

The following week I was completely dressed and ready to go back to the grocery store when I felt panic grip me. I started to think, "What will my reaction be if I reached for one of Todd's favorites again?" I was feeling out of control. Before Todd's death, life seemed pretty easy for me to control. But Todd's death had been very hard on me. Quite frankly, I didn't want to go on living without him. The fear of being "out of control" made me feel paralyzed even to leave the house. Another thought came: "What are you going to do?" I knew I couldn't go on living with this paralyzing fear and grief. I knew drugs, alcohol, food, or anything else would not take this kind of pain and fear away. 

My mind went back to the last few years. I'd been reading books about people who had to overcome lives. I needed that kind of life now—the kind of life where no matter what happened, I would be able to handle it. Of course, I wanted to live this life, on my own, without God's involvement. I'd been doing pretty well, staying positive until Todd's death. Now I was beginning to see that this wasn't possible anymore. Deep down, I knew what these "overcoming" people had that I didn't. I recognized that they had a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I wanted this overcoming life, too. I understood that I desperately needed it to go on for my family. I had finally come to the end of myself.

I couldn't muster up enough positive thinking on my own anymore. I could see that this kind of overcoming life wasn't possible without God's power. I fell to my knees right where I stood. I admitted to the Lord-- and myself--that He was the power, and I needed it right then. Immediately, I felt this flood of peace and "liquid love" filling me. My panic and fear were gone. When I woke up that morning, I didn't realize that this would be the greatest day of my life, but it sure was!

The Phone Call

by Kay Heitsch 

When the phone rang, I rolled over and looked at the clock. "Who would be calling at this hour?" I mumbled. I answered the phone. When I put the phone to my ear, all I could hear was a woman sobbing. "Oh Lord, who is this? She must have the wrong number," I reasoned as I tried to shake myself awake. Finally, through her sobs, I heard her say, "Kay, my name is Sue.* You don't know me. I need someone to talk to." There was a pause as she caught her breath. Sue began to sob again, then cried out, "My little boy is dead! It was a horrible accident. I ran over him today with the tractor."

 WHOA! My mind was having a hard time taking all of this in. I started to think, "Am I awake, or is this a bad dream?" For a few seconds, I wasn't quite sure. Sue started to calm down a bit, then explained what had happened that afternoon. As best as I can recall, Sue had decided to mow their big yard with a tractor. Her young son Bobby* wanted to ride on her lap while she cut. For some reason, he fell off her lap and landed under the blade. Bobby was killed! 

I have no idea what I said when Sue shared the details of the day. I've learned that words aren't necessary when a person is grieving. The grieving person needs to talk about what happened, sometimes repeating the story many times. I don't understand this, but I've seen that talking about the situation seems to help with the healing process. Sue and I talked and talked. Besides talking about the accident, she shared that she was married and had an older daughter, Lisa*, who was about eight years old. Sue said that Lisa was having a tough time dealing with her little brother's death. 

During the next few days, I prayed many times for ways to help Sue and Lisa. The day arrived for Bobby's funeral. I knew I needed to be there for Sue. While I was getting dressed for the funeral, I had a Divine inspiration. A thought came to me to buy Lisa a stuffed animal. I left the house early and stopped at a local store, and bought a cute stuffed animal. I didn't have time to wrap it, so I bought a pretty gift bag and some colored tissue paper. I put the stuffed animal in the bag and topped it off with the tissue paper. I knew this thought to buy the stuffed animal must be from the Lord since I'd never done anything like this before, or even thought of it, for that matter. 

When I walked into the funeral home, I saw little Lisa sitting with her head hanging down. I walked over and handed her the pretty gift bag. Lisa looked up with tears in her eyes and gave me a faint smile. She removed the stuffed animal from the gift bag and held it close throughout the service. I could see that having this stuffed animal was bringing comfort to Lisa. 

To this day, I still don't know who gave Sue my phone number, but I know the Lord does. I was in the grieving process myself when the phone call came. As I prayed and allowed God to show His love through me, I also received God's healing balm of love, healing my wounded heart. 

* Names have been changed.

Shaken Faith

by Kay Heitsch, 

I wondered what kind of response I would receive when the local newspaper in Dover, Ohio, asked to reprint "In Loving Memory of Todd." 

A few days after the reprinting of "In Loving Memory of Todd," a letter came from a young woman who had been a high-school classmate of Todd's. She wrote that when she heard that Todd had been in a car accident, she prayed that "the Lord would do what was right for His kingdom." She felt the right thing would be that Todd would live. Later, when the young woman learned that Todd had died, she was devastated. She could not understand why God had allowed Todd to die. Because of this, she almost lost faith in God. 

Then, in the newspaper, she read the headline, "Dover Mother Finds Triumph Through Tragedy." As she read the article, Todd's young friend realized that the Lord had answered her prayer. Her letter made me do a great deal of thinking. How often have I allowed my faith to be shaken when I did not see immediate answers to my prayers? I have learned to trust God more, remembering that He will do what is best for His kingdom. * The letter "In Loving Memory of Todd" is listed in the May Archives.

The Unreasonable Request

by Kay Heitsch, 

Carolyn had been through a tough time. It all started with a bad cough that wouldn't go away. She went to the doctor, and he ran some tests. The tests showed there wasn't a problem with her lungs, but a tumor was found on her kidney. The doctor told Carolyn that this needed to be taken care of right away. Carolyn had never had a problem with her kidneys before. So, his indication of surgery, right away, was a scary thought. 

Carolyn decided to go home and think about it. A couple of days went by, and all of a sudden, Carolyn noticed swelling in her toes. Then her foot and ankle began to swell. Quickly the swelling moved up her leg. She knew she needed to go back to the doctor immediately! At the office, the doctor stressed they couldn't wait much longer. Carolyn would need the risky surgery as soon as possible. The doctor then suggested that Carolyn have the surgery at the University Hospital a couple of hours away. 

When the doctor mentioned the University Hospital, Carolyn's heart began to race. She hadn't been to that hospital since her husband died there several years before. She did not want to go back there. Unrealistic thoughts rushed into her mind. She kept quiet, though, because she knew the University Hospital was one of the best. 

When Carolyn returned home, she told her five grown children about the upcoming surgery. However, she didn't share her negative feelings with them. Carolyn knew she was unreasonable, but she still didn't want to have the surgery at the University Hospital. 

Finally, in desperation, Carolyn decided to pray. She expressed to the Lord this dread she was feeling. Carolyn told the Lord she knew she was unreasonable. Then she asks if He would make it possible for her to have the surgery at another hospital. The doctor scheduled the surgery for Friday. 

On Thursday, Carolyn's daughter called her. "Mom, the doctor has been trying to call you. Your surgery has been rescheduled and is now going to be done at the City Hospital." Carolyn couldn't believe her ears. No one knew, except the Lord, that she didn't want to have the surgery at the University Hospital. 

Hearing this welcomed news, a flood of peace came over her. The dread was gone. Carolyn still didn't know what the surgery outcome would be, but it didn't bother her. After seeing how the Lord had answered her prayer, Carolyn knew that He had everything under control. 

I'm happy to report that Carolyn came through the surgery with flying colors and is now doing very well.