Tiffany's Rough Year

Part 4

Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1996 12:06:09 -0600 (CST)

Last night, a man named Adrian Ortega, who works
out of town a lot, fell asleep at the wheel on
his way home and was killed.  No more details yet.
His wife & children were at home.  Yes, they go to
Round Rock Chapel.  We don't know them real well,
but Sharon has taught a couple of the boys some,
and we knew them a little bit.

This is starting to feel like a Kiss song. [1]
We (RRC) are having to fight fear, anger, despair,
and obviously a lot of pain.  Kay and the baby. [3]
Judy's mom.  Tiffany. [4]  Adrian.  In just a few
weeks time.  There's only about 250 people, including
children, at RRC.  Obviously the pastors and their
spice need a lot of extra strength, grace, love,
wisdom and everything else right now - esp. since
all the stuff with Tiffany has been going on.

Oh, and of course there's Charlie dying of liver
problems, and his wife's back on heroin (and we
had another ex-hippie brother die of liver problems
a few months back).

I'm not whining, or looking for sympathy, or anything.
Just asking that those of you who have time and feel
led will pray.  And if I sometimes seem to be weird
(for me 8^) then this may be part of it (feel free to
give me a reality slap!)  Also, I'd appreciate prayer
for RRC (and the whole body, of course) in terms of
God's reality.  This sort of thing can drive you to
your knees - or whacko.  It also brings all the odd
ideas and doctrines out of the cracks.  We're starting
to hear from a few people how this is all the result
of "word curses" [anything you say becomes reality,
so if someone says "don't fall asleep at the wheel"
it might curse you to do just that], and we just need
to break them.  So far I haven't heard anyone saying
these are a result of sin in Adrian's or Tiffany's or
Kay's life - which is a good thing, because if I do
hear that, and I don't clobber them, it will only be
the result of an angel staying my hand. [6]

I can honestly say I sense God's presence clearly
through all of this.  Otherwise, I'd definitely have
run screaming down the hall flapping my arms by now,
raving in Martian (not that I won't, anyway 8^).


[1] ...and another one down and another one down and
    another one bites the dust... [2]
[2] No, I'm not laughing, just weird.
[3] Donny is still in ICU in Dallas.
[4] Chemo and radiation treatment start[ed?] this week.
    The doctors told Dennis & Vicki the odds are "just
    go ahead and tell Tiffany to get ready to die." [5]
[5] As Darrell pointed out in church Sunday, "God just
    *loves* odds like this - because then it's really
    obvious when He intervenes", citing Elijah on Mt.
    Carmel.
[6] clobber them "in love and truth", of course.

Copyright 1996 Miles O'Neal, Austin, TX. All rights reserved.