Do You Remember My Name?

by Kay Heitsch

Do you remember my name? I have been asked this question at Planet Fitness. I don't think we realize how important remembering a person's name is. Sometimes I do remember, but I'll admit, sometimes I don't. This week on the PF Facebook page, I noticed some girl thanked the staff for remembering her name.

Last year I started to keep a memo in my phone where I put names of people at Planet Fitness. I jot something next to the person's name to help me remember who they are. I have seen some big smiles from people when I actually call them by name.

I'm reminded that God has our names written in the palm of His hand in Isaiah 49:16. See, "I have written your name on the palms of my hands." This Bible text makes me smile, knowing that God knows my name and He also knows yours.

Love In Action

by Kay Heitsch

As most people know, I belong to Planet Fitness. When you belong to a fitness club, they have rules that they must enforce. One of the rules is that you can not leave your belongings in a locker for an extended time, or the lock will be cut off, and your things will be removed.

A while back, I came into a PF workout and found out that a club member's lock had been cut off. The member whose padlock had been cut off was a guy who has some mental challenges. I'm sure this member knew he was supposed to remove his things when he left, but somehow he'd forgotten. After a few days, the management had to cut the lock off.

The day he came in and found out his lock had been cut off was a day I hope I will never forget. When two of the other members noticed that he was upset, they went over and asked what had happened. After he shared that his lock had been cut off, they immediately bought him a brand new combination lock. They took their time to help him learn how to use it, but also, we're kind enough to put the numbers down and kept them in their wallets in case he forgot.

I was very touched by this kind gesture. I've seen people avoid this young man with his mental challenges, but these two men took it on themselves to help him to feel welcomed, wanted and accepted. I witnessed love in action this day by two young guys who had big kind hearts.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

by Kay Heitsch

Since I've become a Christian, I've noticed that not all Christians share their faith the same way. I tend to be friendly and outgoing, and when someone asks me how it is that I'm so happy and friendly, I see that as an open the door to share God's love with them.

This week at Planet Fitness, a young guy came up to me. He said he noticed how friendly I was with everyone, but I hadn't said a word to him. Quite honestly, I never remember ever seeing him before. Without hesitation, he continued, "I don't care what religion you are, but we are all going to die. You better know where you're going after you're dead. We aren't guaranteed tomorrow."

I smiled, asked him his name, then quoted this Bible verse, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV.

I then went on to share with him how well I knew that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. I told Martin that it became evident to me after my own son Todd walked out the back door at age 16 and never came home again.

I don't see myself sharing my faith the way Martin did. However, I have learned over the years that we all don't have to be alike. God works in different ways with different people. Since there are no two people who are just like, I'm sure God-like variety.

Not The Answer I Expected

by Kay Heitsch

People have different ways of dealing with the death of a child. We don't all grieve or handle the pain the same. That was certainly the case when our son Todd died instantly in a car accident. The hurt and pain of this horrific experience in life were overwhelming.

Years before Todd's death, I had a problem with alcohol. I found myself drinking earlier and earlier in the day. My dad had a drinking problem, so you'd think I would have learned from his experience. In a sense, I did. As I saw that the alcohol was starting to control me, I made a conscious decision to stop it. I stopped drinking altogether! So when Todd died on that sad day in February, I will admit I did think of drinking to help with the pain, but I knew it wouldn't bring Todd back. Good-hearted people suggested RX drugs to help, but I had experience with drugs in my past, so I declined. In all reality, I was numb enough.

At first, I tried to deal with Todd's death on my own. After all, I had stopped drinking and quit smoking on my own, hadn't I? I felt I had enough "willpower" to handle just about anything. But I found I had come on a situation in life that was more than I could deal with. I'd been reading books by Dr. Norman V Peale. Dr. Peale told stories about people who seemed to be able to "rise above it" and live a positive life no matter what life brought. I wanted and needed that "rise above it" power now.

The day I received this "rise above it" power was an ordinary day. I needed to go to the grocery store, but the fear and anxiety of going out in public and possibly crying froze me in my tracks. I'd experience a situation when I was out where I felt 'out of control,' and I didn't like that feeling. I was a "control" person. I'd read in these Dr. Peale books, I'd read that what these "rise above it" people had that I didn't was a personal relationship with the Lord. They seemed to rely on His power and not their own. I decided that this was what I needed now. I had tried on my own, and it worked in several situations, but now I had come to the end of myself.

I knelt down by the love seat in our home and asked the Lord to help me. I told him I was giving myself and Todd to Him. I asked Him to please bring something positive out of Todd's death and to use me. In an instant, I felt this overwhelming feeling of liquid love pour through my entire body. I stood up and somehow knew God was going to start bringing positive things out of Todd's death.

That night when my husband Bill came home with a 12 pack of beer, I tried to tell him what had happened. I said I couldn't really explain it all, but I had given myself and Todd to the Lord. I remember saying something like, "I don't know where I'm going or what I'm going to do, but I know God is going to bring something positive out of Todd's death." Bill didn't say anything that I remember but changed his clothes and sat down in his recliner to drink his beer.

Coming home, drinking beer while sitting in his recliner started to be a nightly scenario. Bill was dealing with Todd's death in a way I believe many people do. Alcohol temporarily will numb the pain, but when you sober up, the pain is back, along with a headache, etc.

One day I had an unusual thought. I said to a friend, "I'm going to start using heavy artillery on this drinking issue." Where I got the idea of "heavy artillery" with prayer is anyone guesses. Every day when Bill was about to come home, I'd go in the bedroom and pray. I'd ask the Lord to please replace Bill's drinking with something else. I was a new Christian, so I didn't suggest what the Lord could use to replace the drinking. I left it in His hands.

I'd started to attend a church with the kids. I'd invited Bill to come over, but he'd usually respond, "Someone has to work for a living." One day he did decide to stop in on his lunch hour when the church had a potluck. A few of the people in the church were preparing for an Easter service. They were using performance tapes and were practicing after the potluck. Joe, one of the guys, asked Bill if he could sing. Bill admitted that he had sung years before. The group invited Bill to join them. Much to everyone's surprise, Bill really could sing. In fact, he had a great voice and could sing harmony too.

As strange as it seems, someone in the group gave Bill a key to the church. They also gave him a few performance tapes and showed him how to use the system. Instead of stopping for a beer on the way home, Bill was going over to this church and singing by himself.

Several weeks later, Bill was asked to sing a solo. Bill had a stool brought to the front of the church that he sat on. I remember Bill saying he was going to be like Perry Como because his knees were shaking. Before he sang, he said something to the effect of not understanding what I meant when I said I had given myself to the Lord, but he did now.

I am still amazed to see how the Lord answered my prayer to replace drinking with something else. I would have never in a thousand years thought of singing, but God knew what would help heal the pain in Bill's heart. Singing was not the answer I had expected, but it was the correct answer using a heavy artillery prayer.

Just Go

by Kay Heitsch

When our daughter asked if I could come and watch our two little grandsons, Noah, age 6, and Eli, age 4, I was happy to help. We live several hours away, so it's a treat to visit and spend some time with them.

However, I woke up the day before having a terrible UTI. If anyone has ever had one of these, you know it's not fun. I drank a lot of water and called the doctor's office to see if they would call in an RX to take with me. To my disappointment, they would not. The doctor said to just take AZO pills and drink cranberry juice. They told me I should call when I got back if I still had the issue.

I debated on whether I should even start out, let alone babysit for a week. I decided I would do as the doctor said and just go on my trip. I started out taking the AZO pills and drinking water/cranberry juice on the trip. I stopped at all the rest areas along the way.

My week with my grandsons was a real blessing. I had taken some Bible storybooks and other books on children's prayers the time before. I'd read these books to both of the boys while I was there. Much to my surprise Eli the four-year-old, remembered all of the stories. He even remembered the good night prayer. I was so delighted to hear him tell me the stories and say the prayer every night and even before his nap.

I took the pills and drank the cranberry juice the whole time I was visiting. I really didn't want to take any antibiotics, but I sure didn't want this to go into something more serious. The infection got worse before it got better, but it was almost gone by the time I got home. I was very thankful!

I was also very thankful I did just go and visit even though I wasn't feeling the best. I know my time reading the Bible stories will have a lasting impression on my grandsons.

You Just Never Know

by Kay Heitsch

Yesterday I stopped by a house in our neighborhood that had been sold. I knew the older man John who had lived there because I use to walk with him around the area. I thought maybe he had moved into an assisted living facility. I pulled in the driveway and asked the guy who was outside about him. According to his children, he had died in his sleep of a broken heart.

The last time I'd talked to John, he told me his wife had died. I gave him a big hug and told him how sorry I was.

I felt sad to learn that John had died, but I was happy that I had given him a BIG HUG when I left him.

You just never know when giving a person a friendly hug may be the last time.