by Linda Muenchow
I grew up knowing that Jesus was real, but it took me a while to truly believe and understand that He loved me and that His gift was there for me. All I had to do was accept it. The events and blessings of my life make so much more sense to me as I view them through the lens of God's unconditional love for me and the knowledge that time on Earth is but a blink in the reality of eternity.
Reflecting on my life always seems to start at age 11. Events in my life as a preteen were some of my toughest and yet are the catalysts for some of the best things in my life. I broke my first hip at age 11 while ice skating. A year later I fell on an icy sidewalk and broke the other one. I now know several people who have broken a hip. At that age, I didn't know anyone who had.
I had missed the 2nd half of 6th grade and had only gone back to attending my school that August. I had been off crutches for less than a month when I fell and broke my 2nd hip. Seventh grade was in a building that was 3 stories with no elevators. Breaking my second hip resulted in 3 months in a wheelchair, then two additional, long years on crutches. Needless to say, I didn't attend the second half of 7th grade either.
Living in a small 2 story house in rural Wisconsin contributed to a feeling of isolation from everyone except my immediate family. At that point in my life, I was pretty angry at God and wasn't at all sure I believed in the concept of His unconditional love. Lucky for me, He loves us whether we believe it or not. I now realize the many prayers of family, friends, and others on my behalf were answered.
God's plan is so much better and encompasses a much bigger picture than anything I could imagine. My wish back then was to be just like everyone else. Little did I understand that no one is just like everyone else. So often we see personal flaws and shortcomings as giant things and we ignore all the blessings and gifts we've been given. God used my challenges to open doors and teach me lessons. Perseverance and the courage to do something different than the rest of my family became necessities.
The fact that I was being raised on a small dairy farm, near a very small community, while having limited mobility contributed to my feeling of isolation. My parents were not big believers in education and tried to convince me that the best future I could hope for was to get some type of local secretary job where I could sit all day (My apologies to all administrative professionals, but that was their mindset in the 70s.) God found ways to open doors for me that were way beyond my awareness. Because of my hip problems, some grant money became available making is possible to begin attending Community College of Barron County. That was an option that had never been considered or encouraged by my family. I went on from there to attend the University of Wisconsin - River Falls. Moving into an environment that was totally foreign to all in my family was scary and intimidating and just what I needed.
All the while, my dad pressured me to quit and find a local job where I could sit all day. One of the blessings of not having education encouraged by family is that there is no pressure to choose a major. One of God's big picture lessons for me was to follow my interests, abilities, and gifts and seize the opportunities that arise. It didn't matter that I really didn't have a clue how my choice would result in a job. God guided that and broadened my world and experiences. I was blessed with the opportunity to pursue science and work for a great company. I found myself in an environment where I fit in. The size and benefits of 3M were another blessing. They supported the mobility and pain improvements that come with multiple joint replacements accompanied by the security of a job to which to return. I was befriended by and worked with incredible people, many from very different backgrounds than mine. The world I got to experience grew exponentially. It was beyond anything I even knew existed.
Did I always realize at the time that it was God's hand at work? No, I didn't. In my faith journey as I have looked at my life, I know that God guides my steps through the amazing people He put in my life. He used my education and career and allowed me to experience so much more than I ever imagined. He put my husband Mike in my life. My life with Mike helped me recognize a human glimpse of unconditional love. I know my parents and siblings have always loved me unconditionally, but somehow before I let Jesus into my heart, I believed that my family had no choice but to love me. Mike chose to love me and he loves me unconditionally. When I recognized that, it finally helped me grasp the greater magnitude of Christ's gift of unconditional love and eternal life.
That unconditional love makes me feel compelled to share how real Christ is in my life. My prayer is that sharing my story helps others see and welcome Christ into their lives.
About Linda
I am living the dream and I know it. I’m a Florida retiree who grew up in Wisconsin and spent my working years in Minnesota. Early retirement allowed my husband, Mike, and me to retire to Florida and still spend the summer months back in Wisconsin and traveling. I know that I am as young, healthy, and able as I will ever be. With that in mind, if there are things I want to do, say or share in life, I know that if I don’t do them now, I will be even less likely to do them later. I enjoy putting my thoughts in writing. Writing things down often helps me sort through what’s going through my brain. I have occasionally shared those thoughts with others. Fred encouraged me to share some of them here. God has blessed my life in ways that are beyond anything I knew to ask for. These are some of the experiences that shape my life and my perspective.
