127 ~ The PF Billboard

By Kay Heitsch

Knowing I would be alone while Bill was on the road, I made an effort to stay in shape.

I got up early, before 6:00, and did my cleaning and Ball workout before heading out to help these ladies. Sometimes in the winter, I had to shovel to get out. I was walking in the neighborhood too, as often as I could.

Being in my 60s and mowing with the push self-propelled mower, and shoveling, with Little RED wasn't always easy. I had energy, but I wasn't strong.

Bill was home one weekend, and we were out. I noticed a billboard advertising Planet Fitness. I told Bill I wanted to check it out. I joined and became a Black Card member.

As a Black Card Member, I could bring a friend and use the tanning beds, massage chairs, and massage water bed. Believe me, after mowing and shoveling, that massage water bed felt great!.

Not everyone thought going to this PF location was a good idea. PF was in a mall where most of the stores were closed. I was informed that this area had some issues. So what do you think I did?

I befriended all the intimidating-looking bodybuilders in the club. It was great! These guys called me "Mom." I knew if I needed to ask for help, they were more than willing to help.

God was taking good care of me with many PF friends. I was a member of PF for over 7 years. I'll share a few stories later.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

126 ~ My Last Time With Bea

By Kay Heitsch

Bea was an interesting person. Having been with her for six years, I have learned a great deal.

Bea loved to call companies on the phone to complain. I got a kick out of all the free stuff she managed to receive.

When we went shopping, she had no problem going to the service desk and demanding to speak with the store manager. Once, we actually had security follow us around.

Bea's Will was a constant point of her conversation. I couldn't quite figure out why she talked about it so often. I wondered if she had some crazy idea that I was after her money. Because of that, I tried to make sure I clipped enough coupons, etc, so she never even paid me the $15.00 a day.

I drove Bea to the bank and lawyers' offices often. When I did, I never went inside the offices with her. I either sat in her car or the lobby. I wanted to make sure she could see I wasn't being nosey.

When Bea's sister died, I went into the funeral home only for moral support while she took care of business there.

The last day I was with Bea was at night. I had been over to the cemetery that day, putting Todd's winter decorations on. I was tired both physically and emotionally. It had been a long day.

After I was home for a while, Bea called. She said she needed to go to the ER. This wasn't anything unusual. I had taken Bea to the ER at night several times.

When I arrived at Bea's house, she was actually sitting out in the driveway in the dark. I thought that was very weird! Also, she didn't want me to drive her old white Cadillac. She wanted me to drive my car.

Once she was in my car, I ran inside her house, grabbed a key from the counter, and locked her back door before closing the garage door. Big mistake!

As I was driving out of Bea's neighborhood, she yelled for me to stop! It freaked me out, but I did stop! Immediately, she opened the door and threw up.

We arrived at the ER, where they eventually put Bea in a room and did some tests. I waited with her until they said Bea would be admitted. It was after midnight, and Bea told me I should go home.

Bea got up off the bed in the ER and walked me to the door. I gave her a hug, and her last words were, "Kay, you will get your reward in heaven!"

I drove back to Bea's house to put her purse inside. However, the key that I took from the counter did not open any door. I was in a panic, but it was late.

When I got into bed, I got on FB because I loved seeing comments about Todd's grave. I thought it would help me to relax. However, someone posted something negative, and it broke my heart. This had been a long day.

Be careful what you post. You have no idea what a person has been going through.

I called Bea's brother, and he said he had a key. Praise the Lord!

I went back to the hospital to see Bea, but she was totally out. The nurse asked me not to wake her up because she was a handful! I bet she was!

Bea died a couple of days later, right around Christmas, just like Lucille.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

125 ~ The Hug

By Kay Heitsch

The phone rang; it was Bea, my 86-year-old friend, calling. Bea was wondering if I could take her to Flint to see the eye doctor. I assured her I could, so I drove over to her home on the scheduled appointment date to pick her up.

Bea's eyesight was failing, so she could no longer drive. However, she still kept her old white Cadillac and insisted that I drive it whenever we went anywhere.

Bea's appointment went well, and we were on our way to grab a bite to eat. It was a cloudy day, but we didn't have any rain or snow.

We were at a complete stop at a stoplight when someone hit us from behind. Bea was furious, to put it mildly. She started to call this person a few choice names. I knew this situation was about to get very ugly.

Flint is a town that, on occasion, has been listed as #1 in murders/crime/arson for its size in the USA. Detroit has a slogan about being bad, but at least it's not as bad as Flint.

There was really no reason for someone to rear-end the car, so I wasn't sure what was going on when I pulled over.

I was feeling a little tense when I got out of the vehicle. As I walked around the car, a young black woman got out with an attitude. I could see all the other doors on her car starting to open.

For some reason, I walked over to this young woman, put my arms around her, and gave her a hug. When I gave her a hug, all the other doors shut!

Bea got out, and when she saw me hugging this girl, she calmed down. I called the police, and they responded, taking a report.

I really don't know what was actually going on that day. I believe the Lord put the thought to hug this girl in my mind. The hug saved us all from what could have been a very uncomfortable scene.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

124 ~ Where Are We?

By Kay Heitsch

I had a little routine going. I helped Arlene on Monday. My mother-in-law is on Tuesdays and Fridays, and Bea was on Thursday. On occasion, I helped Twyla on Wednesdays.

Twyla loved to have me drive her around. One day, she wanted me to drive her to her old stomping ground, where she lived in a city when she was young. I had no idea where we were going, but Twyla gave me directions as best as she remembered.

Well, Twyla didn't remember as well as she thought, and we ended up in some rough area. Maybe she had lived in this area years ago, but times had changed, and Twyla didn't recognize where we were.

I had a little flip cell phone. Of course, no GPS. I called a friend and told him we were lost. Gary asked me to find a street sign. When I told him the name on the sign, he said, "Get out of there right now! You're in the red light district!" I stayed on the phone with Gary, and he directed us out, thank the Lord!

Areas in cities undergo changes over time. Bill's grandpa built a beautiful home when he was young. He refused to move when the area of the city began to deteriorate. To make a long story short, he was murdered in his home by a couple of neighbor teenagers. It was a nightmare!

Perhaps this was why I felt so strongly that Twyla and I needed to get out of that area. I was glad to have someone to call for help.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

123 ~ Bea's Blind Date

By Kay Heitsch

I asked Bea how she met her husband, and she told me this funny story, which wasn't too funny at the time.

Bea was friends with a couple while she was single. One day, they told Bea they had a friend they thought she might like to meet. Everything was arranged for a double blind date.

However, the couple had an argument and decided not to go on the date, but told Bea she should go anyway. So, Bea agreed to go and meet her blind date.

Everything was going well until they were in John's car, on their way home. All of a sudden, the police were pulling them over. They grabbed John out of the car and threw him on the hood. Bea was in shock! Bea didn't know who this guy was and what she had gotten herself into.

After a lot of hoopla, the police decided they had the wrong man and let them go. Just so happened, John was driving a car that resembled a stolen vehicle the police were searching for.

This was quite a blind date and a wild way to meet your husband. Bea always spoke well of John, and they were married for many years.

This seemed like it might be a tragedy, but it turned out to be a triumph for Bea.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

122 ~ Another Commitment

By Kay Heitsch

While I was still helping Arlene, one morning a week, Nancy was informed about another woman seeking assistance. Nancy called me, and since I was home alone, I decided to go over and meet her.

Nancy let me know that this was going to be a paid job, so when Bea offered $15.00, I figured that was for an hour, as that was the going rate. I was in for a surprise when Bea meant $15.00 a day. But in fact, it was sometimes $15.00 a week of running back and forth.

Nancy asked how it was going, and I told her about the $ 15.00-a-day situation. Nancy immediately told me I should say something. However, I felt that I had said $15.00 was fine, so it was my fault.

Bea and I spent a lot of time together. She would often say she wished I were her daughter. I enjoyed spending time with her. I learned a lot about her life.

Bea never had any children. Her parents came to the USA from another country. Bea had a brother and a sister, whom I met over the years. Bea's husband had died before I met her.

Bea had a vision problem and was unable to drive. For some reason, she kept her old Cadillac, and she insisted I drive it whenever we went anywhere. I'll share a story later about being rear-ended at a stoplight. Wow!

I drove Bea all over. She liked to shop at Meijer, so I got online and made sure she got all her coupons. I had coupons to eat lunch, so in reality, I saved her over $15.00 a week. I got a kick out of it.

Life with Bea was, to say the least, interesting. I never mentioned anything to Bea about the $15.00 despite helping her for six years.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

121 ~ I Learned To Adjust

By Kay Heitsch

Actually, I should have been used to Bill being gone. We had moved many times between 4 states. As I mentioned, Todd had attended eight different schools when we moved to Dover, where he was in the 7th grade. However, this time all the kids were gone.

One night, I was on FB and somehow mentioned being alone. A friend who knew nothing about what was going on gently reminded me that I was never alone because the Lord was with me. Sometimes people have no idea what their gentle words can mean to another person.

I found myself staying very busy. I enjoyed doing all the yard work and shoveling snow in the winter with Little Red. As some of you may remember, my pictures were taken during the worst winter we had in many years in Michigan. I wore out a few Little RED shovels.

I won't lie; for the most part, I did enjoy being outside, but at times it was overwhelming because of the tremendous amount of snow. I found myself coming in the house sobbing my eyes out.

You will discover that you can accomplish a lot more than you think if you maintain the right mindset. You sometimes need to talk to yourself to stay positive and keep moving forward when times get rough.

The good Lord brought friends to keep me company. For one, I reconnected with a girl who attended the same school I did on Facebook. We liked the same TV shows and chatted through several in the evening. I loved that!

Life was going to be different. Bill was gone for about 9 years on the road, but it was okay. I learned to adjust with God's help.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

120 ~ I Wasn't Expecting This

By Kay Heitsch

I have experienced some unexpected events in my life, but I was not expecting to hear what Bill had decided to do next for a job.

I don't know how long he had been thinking about this new adventure, but I was only told about it on a Thursday, and he was gone by Monday. Bill had decided he wanted to try over-the-road truck driving.

When Bill told me, I was shocked! For most of our married life, Bill left for work in a suit and tie or a sports coat and tie. I remember saying, "You don't even know how to drive a truck!" He said he knew that, so that's why he was going to go to truck driving school.

Over that weekend, we shopped for all the things he thought he would need for this new job adventure. He said he would be training in another state. I was still on tilt as he packed up. I didn't know what to think.

Monday came, and I drove Bill over to meet his new trainer. I was feeling emotional about this, but the Lord knew this was coming.

It wasn't long after I got home when Dom, a good friend of Todd's and now mine, came for a visit before he headed up north for hunting.

I needed a friend, and the good Lord knew it!

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

119 ~ Can You Help

By Kay Heitsch

I wasn't used to being at home, so it wasn't too long before I was ready to get out again.

My friend, Nancy, sells Avon, and she knows a lot of people. Somehow, Nancy heard of an older lady who needed a little help. Nancy did work like this, but she didn't have time to do any more, so she called to see if I could help Arlene.

Arlene was a spunky little lady. She lived in an apartment close to our home. Her family did live in town, but Arlene was independent. She preferred to handle her own affairs.

Once a week, I would go over and pick Arlene up and take her to the grocery store. Sometimes she would walk around the store, but other times she would sit, and I would shop. If I had a question, I could always ask her if this was what she wanted. Two things Arlene always bought were fresh flowers and Port wine.

Arlene's family had moved her to our area. However, she was from a little town up north. Every so often, we would take a trip north and meet up with her old friends. It was interesting because Arlene was the oldest of her friends, so I'm sure everyone thought this would be the last time they saw her. Wouldn't you know, she outlived everyone except one person.

Arlene moved to a new apartment. I tried to help her do some cleaning because her eyesight was not good. I would tell her that the throw rugs were dangerous, given her failing eyesight. She always agreed, and I would put them away. But when I came back, the throw rugs were back down.

After much encouragement from Arlene's family and me, she finally got a Life Alert button. Wouldn't you know, she did fall, and she activated the Life Alert button.

Arlene ended up in a nursing home. I would visit her, do her hair, and spend time with her. She was in a wheelchair, so I'd take her outside, and we even went to Goodwill a couple of times.

I had the cell phone numbers of her friends I had met. I would call them, and Arlene could chat for a while. Arlene's mind was pretty sharp until the end. She died at the ripe old age of 99.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

118 ~ Maybe Todd Knew More

By Kay Heitsch

Once I had given Todd entirely over to the Lord, I experienced a profound sense of peace.

Well-meaning people ask a lot of questions I couldn't answer. Questions like, Was Todd saved? Etc.

I knew that you can't give away something you don't have. I did not have a relationship with the Lord, so how could I tell Todd about something I knew nothing about?

It was odd, but one day I started thinking back to when we lived in a townhouse when Todd was around 5 or 6 years old. There was a motel close by that had an outdoor pool. The people who owned it had a little girl of Todd's age. They invited us to come and swim at the pool anytime.

One day, when I was watching Todd swim, the mother came over and asked if Todd could attend a "Good News Club" she was hosting. I had never heard of a Good News Club, but it sounded like a good idea to me. So of course, I said yes.

Then I thought about how I had shared quotes from Dr. Peale's books with Todd. I thought it was strange of me, but I always put "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" at the bottom of the pages.

I had an old Bible, and at one time. I told Todd to read 1 Corinthians 13. I thought that was nice. Maybe he read more.

Now, maybe Todd knew a lot more than I thought he did about the Lord.

I find it interesting that God waited until I put my complete trust in Him with Todd before these two things came to my mind.

I've learned a lot on my journey of triumph through tragedy. I have a long way to go, but I'm still moving forward.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2