FIGHTING THE TWINKIE TEMPTATION

Milton, here for Kristy:

Twinkies are tempting me again!

When I had my first staff meeting Thursday morning since returning to the church I pastor, I sat down at our conference table with my Bible in hand to share deep thoughts from God's Word.

Before we began, my secretary Lorraine said, "I have something for you." She stepped out for a moment and returned with a bag and low and behold there they were--more Twinkies. There was a week's supply to live on.

I won't starve.

I won't die.

I will have food. Are Twinkies food?

There were Twinkies for a least a week after my mom leaves and the cook is out the door.

How do you get rid of temptation? You yield to it, and it leaves. Once you eat those Twinkies, they are gone! Being the nice guy that I am, I shared some of them with my church staff. They are the best!

Lorraine, the lady at the end of the conference table, and her husband were at our wedding. Shirley, our bookkeeper sitting at the right of Lorraine, taught Kristy in our church when Kristy was a little girl. The church has a life-time connection with us. Losing Kristy has impacted all of them too.

***

How am I going to survive on Twinkies? I can't cook. This is a dilemma. 

I looked on the A/G website for cooking concubines. There aren't any listed. I plan on trying the Catholic Church website since their priests are single. They must have some help there.

Just kidding! Ha!

Kristy always said I would need to hire one of those, but I don't have any plans for that because Sam's pre-cooked meals would be cheaper. I have my wedding ring on, and I will wear it with honor and with tribute to my beloved Kristy.

Well, it is better to laugh than to cry about it. I told my church family Wednesday evening that I will cry and have lots of tears before I get better. But I am convinced that I will get better, and that I will make it by God's grace.

I miss my gorgeous gal. I miss her loving touch and busy, helpful hands. Life is different, and it will always be different.

***

Thursday night I went to a high school football game with my friend Don. As I sat there for the first two quarters, I met the older gentleman sitting next to me. Two years ago his wife passed. Amazingly, he knew me and told me he had been praying for Kristy and now me. He told me I would make it. He said he knew how I felt. I knew that he did know how I felt, and that he had genuine, sincere empathy for my place in life.

He told me that Romans 8:28 works. I said that verse was one of Kristy's favorite verses.

"And we know that all things work together for good...."

We talked about his wife and her passing, and I shared about my beloved Kristy. I left the game feeling better and knowing that God's grace is enough.

My friend's team won. It was a good evening.

God is good.