February 6, 2013
Dear Saints in the making...
I am missing Marge from the “Chuck ‘n Marge” team and fellowship. Not only do I miss having her around within the sound of my voice but also within her loving fellowship and her embrace. I miss her wise counsel and as a “sounding board” to some of my foolish and farfetched ideas.
I was thinking the other day that as I took an overview of my life I see now where God in His maturation of my life on occasion has removed something/someone from my life I had to have to lean upon. When that happened it took some time to regain that comfortable balance in the “new norm of living.”
However, I have discovered those epoch times were times God used to grow me into a further likeness of Jesus even when those times were often painful and agonizing. So very often those were the defining moments God used Marge to help me as I entered that “new norm of living”. But when Marge was removed it was the most agonizing of all. I now have come to the awareness that I need her now more than I could ever have appreciated her before.
I remember some years before I was faced with the fact Marge was probably the most important counselor I had for many of the decisions I was facing. I invented a scenario in which I would be talking with, say, Billy Graham on the phone. I was facing a major decision and needed his wise counsel for this. He then proceeded to give me the counsel I needed. After the phone conversation with Billy Graham I would turn to Marge and (humbly?) tell her of his wise counsel. She would look at me and say, “Chuck, I’ve been trying to tell you the very same thing for the past few weeks and you would not even listen to me....if only....” I failed to realize the wisdom she could’ve shared with me if only I would respect her and the wisdom she had to give.
Another incident comes to mind when I was having a difficult time at a church I was pastoring. I decided (without Marge’s input) I should resign on a certain date. So, I brought my conclusion to Marge. When I approached within a week of that date I reminded Marge I would be tendering my resignation the following Sunday. She then sat me down at the table (I should have known!) and calmly looking at me she said her piece. She told me she didn’t agree with my decision. She reminded me I had done this before in another church to which she did not agree. She said we had not yet seen what God could do if we would remain. She also told me that it will be difficult but that she would be with me all the way. However, with grace, she said she would abide my decision. Right then and there I knew she was right and I responded by deciding we must make this decision together in oneness of spirit. I then discarded the selfish conclusion I thought I should follow. And guess what....God did His own awesome and miraculous thing following this decision we made together! But...that’s another story.
You know now why I miss her so. I found such encouragement from John 14:28 when Jesus told His disciples He was leaving them by saying, “If you loved Me you would be happy to know that I go to the Father for He is greater than I.” I received that announcement as coming from Marge. Though she is gone from me and the family yet God Who is greater is remaining with me! Hallelujah!! So, I’m learning, in another phase of my life, to lean heavily upon Jesus adjusting to this “new norm of living life” in the power of the Holy Spirit.
As we continued through the years learning to live in the Light with one another we together grew only by the grace of God. She was more than a wife to me, she was my sister in the Lord. That made the redeeming difference in our relationship.
chuck ‘n marge (Marge would have added her name to this)
Charles E. Higgins
clerhig1@cox.net
clerhig1@cox.net
