So, let me tell you the story of a man named Vic and his lovely wife Abi. I need to preface this story by saying that I am a bit sketchy on some of the facts. So, I apologize if I have any facts incorrect or took liberties with details... Well, it all started in a school, in the Philippines … RIGHT about now you are wondering what “it” is? “It” is love… love between Victor Austria and Abigail Lapuz, but I am getting ahead of myself.
Let me back up and tell you what I know of Victor. I have known Victor for many years. He came to study the bible at WRIGHT College and we have been family ever since. I have only heard of a couple of stories of Victor as a child and this comes from his mom - he loved milk and would often drink one bottle RIGHT after the other. She would often wonder if there would be any milk LEFT for any of his siblings. Fast forward to Victor’s school days. Victor LEFT his home every day and joined his friends at school for sports especially basketball. He was very talented and was captured by Michael Jordan who could shoot from the LEFT side of the court, the center of the court and the RIGHT side of the court. So, day after day – for a whole week, Victor would practice shooting hoops from the LEFT side of the court. He LEFT no room for a missed shot when he and his friends would play their game. When he excelled on the LEFT side – he practiced on the RIGHT side. Day after day – one basket RIGHT after another. He loved to play and he loved that the girls watched him play! He might have thought that Michael Jordan captured his heart, but really it was God who captured his heart. Victor loves the Lord. He often spends time getting RIGHT with God - praising and worshiping His name through music. It is often said that he memorized many bible verses perfectly. He LEFT no room for errors and thus won the Holiness Award! In time the Austria family LEFT the Philippines and established roots in the Chicago land area. Over time Victor fit RIGHT in with the American culture. He went to college and graduated with not just a bachelor’s, but a master’s degree as well.
Life seemed alRIGHT with Victor except he was lonely. (Here’s where I take liberties with the story). As he looked back on his life he thought about his classmates and one image kept coming into his mind…a beautiful girl who would watch him play basketball every day. This girl was named Abigail – Abigail Lapuz. She is the oldest of 4 children and she understood the sacrifices families made early in life. To support her family – her dad LEFT the family to work abroad. So, Abi helped her mom out by shouldering some of the responsibilities of her siblings. She was LEFT to get their bottles ready, make sure the laundry was done RIGHT and to watch to make sure they didn’t wander LEFT or RIGHT when they went to school. There were two things Abi loved besides her family – the Lord and school. She loved to participate in worship service especially in singing. She sang RIGHT along with the choir praising God. She loved school too, learning and hanging out with her classmates. She especially loved to watch the guy who tried to be Michael Jordan - Victor Austria - wondering if he could be her Mr. RIGHT. But, then life changed, Victor LEFT and life wasn’t alRIGHT. They were now friends separated by an ocean and half a continent with no internet, skype or text messages. Both were LEFT to move forward in life.
Time passed and by the grace of God Victor decided to head RIGHT for the Philippines to visit family and friends. When Abi got word through mutual friends – she LEFT no room for Victor to leave without getting together. She jumped RIGHT on the challenge of securing some time with her Mr. RIGHT! Victor accepted the challenge and they met up before Victor LEFT to return home. We all know the story doesn’t end there – they talked, skyped, texted, and made plans. “It” was happening…..Love was in the air! Victor LEFT Chicago 5 months later and went RIGHT to the Lapuz home. He asked Mr. Lapuz for Abi’s hand in marriage and with dad’s approval, got down on one knee and placed a ring on Abi’s LEFT hand! Six months later – on a beautiful island in the Philippines Victor placed another ring on Abi’s LEFT hand and she in turn placed one on his LEFT hand – a symbol binding them together before God, their families and friends. A week after marrying, Abi and Victor LEFT the Philippines to begin a new chapter in their lives.
RIGHT from the start, Abi fit in with our church. She and Victor lead our worship every Sunday, by getting us to be RIGHT with God by warming up our hearts through singing. Watching Abi and Victor face the challenges of friendship and marriage has been a blessing. They have been hit with some hard blows by life. Blows that could have pushed them RIGHT out of their faith, but they never strayed LEFT or RIGHT, but instead believed that God Almighty is in control and they must praise Him in the times of storms as well as in the times of peace. They have grown together in their faith and want to pass that faith RIGHT on to their children beginning with the baby growing RIGHT in Abi’s womb.
So, as we celebrate God’s blessing on the Austria family, please make sure they are not LEFT out of your prayers. Pray that Abi may have good health to carry the baby to term and that baby “Thor” as he is called, makes his appearance at the RIGHT time next March. May “Thor” bring Abi and Victor twice as much joy as they have brought to their parents.
Let me back up and tell you what I know of Victor. I have known Victor for many years. He came to study the bible at WRIGHT College and we have been family ever since. I have only heard of a couple of stories of Victor as a child and this comes from his mom - he loved milk and would often drink one bottle RIGHT after the other. She would often wonder if there would be any milk LEFT for any of his siblings. Fast forward to Victor’s school days. Victor LEFT his home every day and joined his friends at school for sports especially basketball. He was very talented and was captured by Michael Jordan who could shoot from the LEFT side of the court, the center of the court and the RIGHT side of the court. So, day after day – for a whole week, Victor would practice shooting hoops from the LEFT side of the court. He LEFT no room for a missed shot when he and his friends would play their game. When he excelled on the LEFT side – he practiced on the RIGHT side. Day after day – one basket RIGHT after another. He loved to play and he loved that the girls watched him play! He might have thought that Michael Jordan captured his heart, but really it was God who captured his heart. Victor loves the Lord. He often spends time getting RIGHT with God - praising and worshiping His name through music. It is often said that he memorized many bible verses perfectly. He LEFT no room for errors and thus won the Holiness Award! In time the Austria family LEFT the Philippines and established roots in the Chicago land area. Over time Victor fit RIGHT in with the American culture. He went to college and graduated with not just a bachelor’s, but a master’s degree as well.
Life seemed alRIGHT with Victor except he was lonely. (Here’s where I take liberties with the story). As he looked back on his life he thought about his classmates and one image kept coming into his mind…a beautiful girl who would watch him play basketball every day. This girl was named Abigail – Abigail Lapuz. She is the oldest of 4 children and she understood the sacrifices families made early in life. To support her family – her dad LEFT the family to work abroad. So, Abi helped her mom out by shouldering some of the responsibilities of her siblings. She was LEFT to get their bottles ready, make sure the laundry was done RIGHT and to watch to make sure they didn’t wander LEFT or RIGHT when they went to school. There were two things Abi loved besides her family – the Lord and school. She loved to participate in worship service especially in singing. She sang RIGHT along with the choir praising God. She loved school too, learning and hanging out with her classmates. She especially loved to watch the guy who tried to be Michael Jordan - Victor Austria - wondering if he could be her Mr. RIGHT. But, then life changed, Victor LEFT and life wasn’t alRIGHT. They were now friends separated by an ocean and half a continent with no internet, skype or text messages. Both were LEFT to move forward in life.
Time passed and by the grace of God Victor decided to head RIGHT for the Philippines to visit family and friends. When Abi got word through mutual friends – she LEFT no room for Victor to leave without getting together. She jumped RIGHT on the challenge of securing some time with her Mr. RIGHT! Victor accepted the challenge and they met up before Victor LEFT to return home. We all know the story doesn’t end there – they talked, skyped, texted, and made plans. “It” was happening…..Love was in the air! Victor LEFT Chicago 5 months later and went RIGHT to the Lapuz home. He asked Mr. Lapuz for Abi’s hand in marriage and with dad’s approval, got down on one knee and placed a ring on Abi’s LEFT hand! Six months later – on a beautiful island in the Philippines Victor placed another ring on Abi’s LEFT hand and she in turn placed one on his LEFT hand – a symbol binding them together before God, their families and friends. A week after marrying, Abi and Victor LEFT the Philippines to begin a new chapter in their lives.
RIGHT from the start, Abi fit in with our church. She and Victor lead our worship every Sunday, by getting us to be RIGHT with God by warming up our hearts through singing. Watching Abi and Victor face the challenges of friendship and marriage has been a blessing. They have been hit with some hard blows by life. Blows that could have pushed them RIGHT out of their faith, but they never strayed LEFT or RIGHT, but instead believed that God Almighty is in control and they must praise Him in the times of storms as well as in the times of peace. They have grown together in their faith and want to pass that faith RIGHT on to their children beginning with the baby growing RIGHT in Abi’s womb.
So, as we celebrate God’s blessing on the Austria family, please make sure they are not LEFT out of your prayers. Pray that Abi may have good health to carry the baby to term and that baby “Thor” as he is called, makes his appearance at the RIGHT time next March. May “Thor” bring Abi and Victor twice as much joy as they have brought to their parents.
Written by Auntie D
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