Where Love Abides. Susan Peabody

Transcription

1 Where Love Abides Susan Peabody

2 Copyright 2013, Susan Peabody Brighter Tomorrow Publishing San Pablo, California Susan Peabody Lori Jean Glass Karl McKnight Design by Camera Ready Copy Susan Peabody, CEO Printing, The Bookpatch ISBN-10: ISBN-13:

3 To Beloved The woman who survived it all. The woman I have become. The woman I love. The woman in the mirror.

4 Where Love Abides The scent of jasmine is in the air, And I think of my precious grandchild, Who lives in my heart forever, Whose memory blows over me at will, Like a warm summer s breeze. And I know not whence it comes Or whither it goes. But I suppose it goes Where love abides. Jasmyne Marie Snyder My first granddaughter June 16, June 29, 1994 Kathleen McKnight Snyder My daughter January 12, June 2, 2010

5 Contents Introduction, 9 Sorrow, 11 Illusion, 11 Lost, 13 The Way, 14 On My Own, 15 The Awakening, 16 The Garden, 17 Cleaning House, 18 The Brook, 20 Freeing the Prisoners, 21 A Breakthrough, 23 Passion, 23 With Child, 27 Raising Expectation and Comfort, 28 Separation, 29 The Storm, 31 The Rescue, 33 Another Setback, 33 Weariness, 35-5-

6 Anger, 36 Refreshed, 36 The Final Barrier, 37 And a Child Shall Lead the Way, 38 The Arrival, 39 The Sacrifice, 40 Knock and the Door Will Be Opened, 41 Angel Heaven, 42 The Other Heavens, 43 Angel School, 44 Standing in the Light, 45 Ready to Learn, 46 The Prince, 49 Beloved, 50 Anxiety, 51 Romance, 56 The Pool of Time, 62 Finding My Family, 62 Seeing Passion, 64 Seeing Expectation, 66 Seeing Comfort, 67 Faith, 70 The Dilemma, 72 The Land of Dreams, 74 Passing the Test, 77 Patience and the Nursery, 78 Going Home Again, 80-6-

7 The Jubilee, 83 Where Love Abides, 85 Epilogue, 88 Index, 89 Portrait, Susan, 91 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. Habakkuk 3:19-7-

8 Introduction This allegory was inspired by Hannah Hurdard s book Hinds Feet on High Places. I was so inspired by the courage of her heroine that I was moved to tears. I also identified with how long it took Much-Afraid to progress toward some mystical place where she could find peace. Little did she know that place was within. I have always loved to write, so naturally I decided to write about my own journey. Once I got started, it was hard to stop, and I think it only took about three hours to reach a place where Sorrow, transformed into Beloved, could -8-

9 rest and be at peace. I hope you enjoy my story. Its message is simple... p e r s e v e r e! Sorrow/Beloved -9-

10 Sorrow H ello, my name is Sorrow. When I was just a little girl my parents ran away from home. The first night they were gone I got terribly frightened and started to cry. I wandered all over the house looking for comfort. Finally, I ended up in the kitchen peering into the refrigerator. The food looked delicious, and I began to eat with a vengeance. My fear went away as long as my mouth was full. Illusion I got lonely after a few days as an orphan. One night I noticed a romantic novel on the nightstand by my mother s bed, and I sat down to read it. It -10-

11 made me cry, and suddenly I knew what was to happen to me. Someone was going to come to my aid to rescue me. That night I dreamed about who it might be. Unfortunately, no one came to rescue me right away, so I wandered out of the house and down the road. I kept walking until I arrived at a strange village. Very soon after arriving, I met a man. He said his name was Illusion. He was handsome and said he was here to rescue me. Great, I thought. Just the person I ve been looking for. Unfortunately, Illusion lied to me. He was really just a mischievous man who used me to satisfy his carnal desires. I was afraid and ashamed. Eventually, I ran away. -11-

12 Lost I had no idea where I was going, so I just wandered down the road. I was afraid, but I kept walking. I felt as if I were looking for something, but I didn t know what. The terrain was beautiful as I passed through the countryside. At night the stars were so bright that I sometimes wondered who had made them. I decided that God had made the world and then died in childbirth. Eventually, I found myself in another village by the sea. I was very thirsty, so I made my way to the first building I saw and asked for a drink. Someone gave me a glass of whiskey. It satisfied my thirst for awhile, but then I got thirsty again. After awhile I couldn t get enough. -12-

13 Eventually the whiskey made me drunk, and I fell into a ditch. I passed out, and when I woke up I was in a lot of pain. Suddenly I realized that I had broken my leg and couldn t get up, so I just lay there for a long time crying about my sad fate. What was to become of me? I thought.... continued -13-