What Can Be Said 001

The phrase, “what can be said” is a general topic concerning all that God prompts me to write about. I felt “prompted” to begin by putting down in words how God worked in my life both as a new Christian and through out the last twenty seven years of my salvation.
My name is Paul, (my wife calls me Paulie) I’m 42 years of age and reside in Hernando Florida. I have been here for the better part of 20 years in the same County now. Aside from a couple years now and then to visit other states. Prier to that time I lived in the State of Maine.

At the rebellious age of 15, my Mother made the very wise decision to take her 4 children to Florida to visit and stay with her Parents. It was September, the year was 1980. We all crowded onto a Gray Hound bus heading south. Once we got to the sunny State of Florida we tried our best to get comfortable and start life over again. My younger brother and sister were enrolled in the local school system, while my Mother and I began looking for jobs in this then still small town. The town itself was small but the main road was already a very busy place. We at various times would walk the mile or so downtown to seek employment.

I remember walking into the only fast food place in town then, (McDonalds) and filling out an application. I was hired that same day. I worked one day and got a call from the local Pizza Hut. I remember it so well because it was my 16th birthday and we were having cake at the time they called.

October 1st 1980, As soon as I got there I was asked a couple simple questions and started me out washing dishes that very same day. Very little time had passed when they trained me to make pizza. One week turned into two and two quickly into three, I would often go in early to help open up and get things ready for the lunch crowd, even when it wasn’t my days to work. Even when I didn’t get paid for it.

It’s was November 5th now, and there was my schedule, I got up, jumped in the shower, sat and watched The Love Boat, (though I’m still not sure why) then headed down the road to help out and to get free lunch to-boot. I think I had eaten more pizza in that month than I have in the twenty six years since.

Thinking back, there was never any sense of impending danger, or even the feeling that I shouldn’t go out that day. That particular day started out just the same as any other day in the last month.

I remember as I walk along the roadside stopping to pull the sandspurs off my pant cuffs, or perhaps I had done it so often I just imagined that I had remembered doing it. The same can be said about the memory of needing to cross the road before entering the busy intersection. I had done it so often I really don’t remember if I did that day. All I remember was that I had a destination.

I became aware that I never made it to work that day, though more than two weeks had passed since I started out. During those two weeks there had been a great battle going on. And from where I was laying it seemed the majority of that time had been a losing battle. When my eyes did open and I realized that I didn’t recognize my surroundings. I began to panic. When I tried to lift my head, it was met with searing pain. When I realized I couldn’t move my legs I thought someone had tied me down. I obviously wasn’t thinking very clearly. It was but a few moments before I passed out again. The next time I awoke I found my mothers gentle face there beside me…. continued