We were divorced the first time(?) in February, of 1987, and the children stayed with her. I helped with them and paid my child support on time. She sold the house and moved back in with her mother, before the divorce was finalized. I carried the children to school each day and picked them up after school also. I did my best to keep them happy and keep the peace at the same time, because she had a real attitude. But, do not get me wrong, it takes two people for a divorce to happen, and she was angry about having to sell the house. I did not make her, but she felt as though she could not afford it, and maybe she was right. The VA helped me to obtain the first mortgage and I signed to allow her to sell it.

      My sister’s husband signed to help me get a mobile home and I got out of a rat trap I was living in. Galatians 6:7, "be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." I had a spot in a mobile home park and was working a flea market operation to make my bills. In May of 1988, we talked about going to the beach memorial day, and we did. After much thought, we decided to get back together in July of 1988, after she purchased 2 acres of land with our money. I let her put the deed in her name and moved the mobile home on the lot in July, 1988. We were both sincere in our belief that we could make this second marriage work. I guess some of you have already figured out what I am going to tell you now. She attended church every now and then, but I worked every Sunday, and still did not start back on a regular basis. (Bad mistake!) As you have probably guessed, the marriage came unglued again, this time the children wanted to stay with me.

      She sold the house on November 10th, 1991. I remember this because this is the Marine Corp birthday; they teach you that at Paris Island, S.C. She wanted the youngest son to live with her, but he wanted joint custody, which she said would not happen . I agreed, but her attorney said no, least that is what she says. I was awarded temporary custody, until a final hearing could be held. She threw everything at us, including the kitchen sink. I want you who are reading this to understand God did not abandon us, but we abandoned him and he still blessed us, being the merciful God that he is. We were divorced in September, 1993, after two delays and a lot of bickering. She had visitation with the boys and made support payments, which I had told her to quit, just to not have to deal with her. To say this was an ugly divorce is putting it mildly. There were no winners here, just losers, especially the children. They were just starting the 9th and 10th grades. We both should have been more caring of the children’s feelings during this mess. I have heard hindsight is clearer, but then it is to late. Had we put God first, there is no telling what we could have accomplished.

     The boys moved with me on November 10th, 1991, and God provided us with an almost new 1990 mobile home,that same day, which we still live in today, with a few additional rooms. We moved into the park it was located in the same day and stayed there until June 30th, 1995, at which time we had bought 4 acres of land, which is our present address. We did not speak to each other for over 7 years, but on Monday, October 12th, 1998, everything changed. I would be lying if I said I had not questioned God about what happened next, but by his grace, we all came together again.

     Baron and Brandon worked at the same welding shop, so when Baron did not show up at 7:00( he is never late), Brandon called at 7:08 and asked where his brother was. Baron and I had changed his back left driver’s side tire on Sunday evening, so I figured he must have had a flat; I went looking and was about 4 miles from the house, when I spotted the highway patrol car at a crossroads. Baron’s truck was on the left side, with the left side tire off in the woods, where I could see it. We had just changed this tire and I figured he must have had a flat and somebody had hit him when he was changing the tire. But, I drove by and a car with the front end mashed up bad was on the right side of the road. The person driving and two companions were standing on the left side at the stop sign they had just ran with their car. A mother, her son and his wife. The impact sheered Baron’s tire off the axle, and missed the gas tank by inches. Baron’s truck was flipped upside down and he was ejected from the vehicle, even though he had his seatbelt own. Although he was traveling in the right lane, his truck ended up facing the same direction, but in the opposite lane. He had just bought this truck new, in his name, with his credit, and was proud of it. He had just turned 19 in July, and this was an accomplishment for him. I remember what the patrolman said to me,”Mr. Hoffman, bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people.” I had been living long enough to know that, believe me!

     The officer had asked me to get the insurance information, which was in the glove box; I could not open the passenger door, and the driver’s side was jammed too, so I crawled in the drivers side, because the drivers window was laying in the middle of the road, shattered, along with tapes, a pen and other items. I had noticed something when I got in, but was concentrating on the retrieval of the registration and insurance information and decided I would look when I got out. I cut the lights and engine off and proceeded to get out of the truck. I walked up about 30 feet from the front of his truck and saw what had gotten my attention earlier. There was a pool of blood, about 14 inches in diameter and real thick on one side, where his head was laying on the asphalt. I picked up a small part of his scalp and hair, then realized he had to be hurt bad. I went straight to the bumper of my truck and prayed for God to take me and spare him. My prayer life up to that point was minimal, but I knew only God could save him now. I thanked God for any mercy he showed, and proceeded to take the officer the information.

     About 15 minutes later, I got a page from the hospital, telling me he was alive and we need to get there as soon as possible. I called his brother and we arrived at the hospital about 45 minutes later. We were allowed to see him in intensive care about an hour later. His mother and her family were notified by us and arrived about 3:00 pm. After I talked to him and thanked God he was still alive, I went to my sister’s house and started calling some organizations I support, and asked them to pray for Baron. The Billy Graham Evangelical Association, The Chosen People Ministries and The Charles Stanley Institute. I am sure Baron was on prayer lists in a lot of churches in just a little while. I told my sister what happened and went back to the hospital. He was stable enough to have limited visitation in ICU, was breathing on his own, and was talking to everyone he could. His t-8 vertebrae was crushed and his spinal cord was twisted, so they operated on him two days later, and once again he was given another chance at life. They had to install pins and remove bone fragments, from damage done when he was ejected from the truck. The area between t-7 and t-9 was rebuilt with pins and bone from his body. While in ICU, he started to turn blue, because he was not getting enough oxygen. A caring ICU nurse made a call on her on and started the wheels in motion to get the team together to suction his lungs out and clear them. He was in ICU 9 days and went into a rehabilitation program for 28 days. He was in an upper body cast for 3 months, while learning how to transfer in and out of bed and other things associated with a paraplegic.

     All I remember was being in a room and an EMS worker putting an Iv line in my left arm. I woke up Monday, with four pins in my ankle and a doctor who said he would not have operated had he known my blood sugar was off the scale. Dr. Spaun said I was a big time diabetic, and I had no idea. They were already treating me for that, but on Tuesday, I was going downhill, relatively fast. After putting dye in my system, they found 3 arteries 99%(?) blocked. I was put on the to do now list. Brandon was called from work and rushed over to the hospital, while I was being operated on. I woke up in ICU, and thanked God I was alive and kicking(with one foot). Now let’s recap: Patches tripped me, 24 hours latter I had a ten pound cast on my foot; 36 hours later I had a triple bypass, with all the trimmings. How’s that for a 72 hour ordeal/we ain’t done yet! God was by my side the whole time and only by his grace am I here. After nine days, I was released and returned to home sweet home, slightly slower than when I left. I went from no medicine to tons of medicine in a little over 9 days.

      Vicki helped me during this time by staying with Baron while I was in the hospital. She had been helping out since his accident and is helping me now also. I was on the way to recovery, when I had a slight stroke on my right arm, shoulder, and hand. Eight days later, here I was, back in the hospital to determine why. After a week, they said I needed to have my left side carotid artery operated on, because it was 85% blocked. I went home and 3 weeks later my family doctor made an appointment with Dr. Phillips, my heart surgeon. I was not in the mood for more surgery, but when I talked to Dr. Phillips, he sent me to McLeod outpatient, to sign in. The next morning I was operated on and stayed in the hospital 2 more days. When Dr. Phillips saw me for the first time after the bypass surgery, he had said I must have some work left to do. I found out he prays before each surgery and decided to have the carotid artery done. God allowed me to have a taste of a stroke because he knows how hard headed I am. Once again, God was there for me. I am on disability now and doing what I can to take care of myself. I never drank or smoked before but, I was overweight and had poor eating habits. I take insulin and aspirin on a regular basis now. I hope I have helped some of you to understand that God loves you and will stay with you always, even when we have abandoned Him. He is a Wonderful, Gracious , and Merciful God. Jesus never said it would be easy, but he stands beside you, trust me, I know! Stay close to God, pray, read his word and obey his commandments. Backsliding can and will make you one of the most miserable people, and you will never realize your potential.