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Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

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I would go out <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> morn<strong>in</strong>gs and walk, and I would end upbump<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to her. Marion knew I was out early <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> morn<strong>in</strong>gs,and she would f<strong>in</strong>d me. I would go out to meet God, and wouldend up meet<strong>in</strong>g her. Marj knew I had always gone out for walks,but now my walks were a cover-up. More and more <strong>in</strong> my selfrighteousway, although partly because I felt condemned andhad lost <strong>the</strong> presence of God, I desired to break it off.One day as I returned home, I looked <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> w<strong>in</strong>dow of our littlehouse where I saw Marj play<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> organ. I could hear her s<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g,“Only Thee, only Thee….” Under a load of guilt, I went<strong>in</strong>side, sat down, and <strong>the</strong>n I broke down. “Will you forgive me?”I wept. “I feel so rotten and unfaithful.”For some weeks afterward, I avoided Marion <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> meet<strong>in</strong>gs. Ididn’t speak to her whenever I would bump <strong>in</strong>to her <strong>in</strong> town orat <strong>the</strong> library, but her presence still sorely tempted me. This wenton until, one day, Marj, without talk<strong>in</strong>g to me about it beforehand,<strong>in</strong>vited Marion to come to live with us. I couldn’t believeit.“Well,” Marj expla<strong>in</strong>ed, “I would ra<strong>the</strong>r know where you are <strong>in</strong>truth than to have you out <strong>the</strong>re <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> woods.”From <strong>the</strong> moment Marion came to live with us, God came <strong>in</strong>to<strong>the</strong> situation <strong>in</strong> an extraord<strong>in</strong>ary way. Nobody but we three knew<strong>the</strong> marvelous grace God was perform<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> our lives.Marion had begun her work at <strong>the</strong> local hospital as little morethan a scrubwoman. From <strong>the</strong> time that she came to live with us,God blessed her, and she was promoted aga<strong>in</strong> and aga<strong>in</strong>. Eachtime her pay was <strong>in</strong>creased, she poured it <strong>in</strong>to our home. Inhospitals, bed sheets are torn and discarded, and people leavecloth<strong>in</strong>g beh<strong>in</strong>d <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> laundry. After a time, <strong>the</strong> hospital disposesof <strong>the</strong>se items, and Marion brought all k<strong>in</strong>ds of th<strong>in</strong>gs home for<strong>the</strong> children and for us. This was an immense bless<strong>in</strong>g dur<strong>in</strong>gthose war years when we were struggl<strong>in</strong>g, try<strong>in</strong>g to raise ourlarge family.I had believed I would be <strong>the</strong> last man <strong>in</strong> all <strong>the</strong> world to get<strong>in</strong>volved with a girl who wasn’t my wife. As I look back, I amamazed at <strong>the</strong> grace of God. Like a cube of sugar that dissolves <strong>in</strong>a cup of hot tea, He f<strong>in</strong>ally dissolved <strong>the</strong> whole messy situation75

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