"Leave your orphans behind, I will keep them alive;And let your widows trust in Me." -Jeremiah 49:10-11
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." -James 1:27
This past semester I have been living with an elderly widow. She is quite capable, even to the point of insisting in her mowing her own yard--roughly three acres. When I moved in, the plan was for me to cook and provide my own food. She simply would not have that plan much longer after the week I moved in, insisting that she would provide some of my meals. She enjoys going to the Senior Center and other like places to hear some old country music live, and does not have a complete week without going to Sunday service at First Marion Baptist. Her nights are not complete without a call from her daughter and with utmost diligence going through her lengthy prayer list.
Lavene had tragedies plague her life in the past decade. A mother, husband, and two sons passed away. I am sure much more tragedy struck, but I do not know many details. She has been living alone in a small country town in Southern Indiana for some time. About this time last year, she agreed to let me stay with her while I commuted to Bible college in Louisville.
Her husband served and faught in WWII. He was a part of the Battle of the Bulge and Victory for Europe (VE) Day. He fell victim to some mental issues, but had indeed accepted Christ shortly before His death. Lavene's sons seem to be in the same boat as their father. One summer day, with tears in her deep, dark eyes, Lavene lamented that she should have done more to bring her family to Christ. That was not hardly it. She followed with one of the most touching things I have ever heard in my entire life:
"I always tell my friends that God gave us all talents, but I started to think I don't have any talents. But then I though, "Well I love people, so maybe loving people is my talent."
-Lavene Lemaster
