The Family Sue Always Wanted

For Mother's Day Susan got a beautiful pale peach rose bush from her daughter, Debbie, a bouquet of yellow daisies from Davy, her five year old, and household items from her son, Daniel. 

Then came the cards from "her sons" around the country.

The first one was one of those that you design on a computer.  It was from Russell, a 41 year old man serving a 7 year sentence in Lebanon, Ohio.  It brought tears to her eyes as she realized how much the very little she had done for this man meant to him.  The second was from Mark doing life at the horrible Mansfield prison.  "I'll never forget you" it said.  The third was from Modesto in New York doing four years for drug trafficking.  The fourth from "Jamaica" a 33 year old man from Jamaica currently serving time in New Jersey.  The fifth was from Josh right here at Medina County Jail.  He had drawn beautiful roses on his own paper for Susan -- cherished artwork just for her.  Susan has been collecting a set of sons and daughters in the past eight years because, well, three just wasn't enough. 

One of the inmates explained the whole thing to Larry.    "You see Larry," said this 35 year old  man with steely grey eyes that reflect years of pain, "it's like you are our Dad, Sue is our Mom, and Daniel is our brother...you guys are our family here."   

Just when we start feeling middle-aged and dowdy, it turns out God can use us for His purposes by using the fact that the whole family ministers at the jail.  (Debbie is the librarian there now and plays her keyboard so the men can sing choruses and hymns on Sundays and Davy helps out by capturing everyone's imaginations as we all regale them with his five-year old adventures.)   Another man, 44, must have felt the same way.  He called to tell his "mom and dad" that things were going well in his first three days home from jail.  Yes, it has become a family affair. 

Pray that we might point these men and women to a Perfect Heavenly Father who will never fail them.