TALK ON THE STREET
June 13, 2018
Joyce Hebert
June 13, 2018
We continue the lift story of Ronald Griffin, Sr. from last week.
Ronald’s financial situation improved over the years but same of his had habits stayed with him. He writes. “I kept being jealous and mean to my wonderful wife and my number one son, poor baby, I was so mean and jealous that I didn’t want my wife to go anywhere, not even to church. But she would go to church when I was at work for seven days. When one person tries to control another; it’s not lava If s slavery: True love can only exists when both parties are free.
One day, he had a visit from a mysterious nun whom nobody knew. She startled him because he was still in bed under his sheets with no clothes on. She placed a rosary in his hands made him promise that he would start gang to church. He went to church but he still had an empty feeling inside. He went to Conyers, GA, where Nancy Fowler claimed to have visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He has a religious experience there that changed his life
While he was there, an unknown priest came up to him and said. “I don’t know who you are. but keep up the good work.” He writes, “I was surprised, stunned and in disbelief of what just had happened. I have no idea what he saw in me to do what he did. I guess m never know until we meet again in heaven,
Ronald also made a Cursillo. a weekend retreat where participants understand the Christian life better. Ronald got wry involved in the Cursillo movement and often became a team member for future Cursillos. Once, a leader asked him to give a talk at a Cursillo. He was functionally illiterate, and went he talked, his nose made a funny noise.
One day he was talking to God about his nose problem and he says. “I felt my nose cradling with no pain of any kind I realized a miracle had happened. I looked in the mirror and noticed my nose was straight.” No more funny noises. Through the grace of God and help from a coach who told him he needed to have more self-confidence, he was able to give the talk at a Cursillo.
One day, Ronald heard a voice say. “Go to the Adoration Room.” He couldn’t go then because he was working but when he got home from work, he heard the voice telling him again. “Go to the Adoration Room.” This time he did He met an unmarried woman about 30 years old with a young child. She cried and poured out her heart to him. He doesn’t remember what he said but it had a positive effect in her life. He felt good about what he had accomplished.
A few days later a car drove up to their house audit was the young lady, her child and her mother. The young lady wanted to show her mother the man who helped her. Ronald asked his wife to fix coffee far the guests while he show the young lady his chapel in the barn. After they had coffee, the guests left.
Three months later, Ronald writes, “I was sitting outside when I heard a loud noise, like something falling in the house. I ran inside to see what was happening. To my surprise, my wife had turned over the kitchen table and scattered all the chairs throughout the house. She said, ‘Get away. You disgraced my table by bringing that whore in my house and sat at the table that was a souvenir from my dead Mother.'” She threw the tables and chairs out and later threw him out.
Ronald had a rough life. When he finally had some breakthroughs with the help of God, he neglected the most important person in his life, his wife Bertha. Even when we do God’s work, we should never neglect our family and friends. A balance life is key to happiness.
We can learn a lot from the hardships, trails, successes, failures, spirituality and devotion of others. I thank Ronald Griffin for sharing his story.
