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Thursday, Mar 28th

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You are here: Community Features ‘God’s Blessing’ – Part 3

‘God’s Blessing’ – Part 3

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Planning for the Future

PART THREE OF THREE

The story of Felicia (Guliford) and Eric Taylor is not yet complete, far from it. Now the future starts for both of them and for their children as well.

Decisions always have to be in the present or in the future. The past matters little except in knowing what you want, which in most come from experience.

In Felicia’s case, her experiences – good and bad – earned her some celebrity but also limited what she was able to do with her physical talents. The most serious diagnosis was osteopeonia of the spine, a precursor to osteoporosis, which put her dreams of a professional running career and even a shot at the Olympics completely on the back-burner for almost two years. The doctor described her as a “23-year old in a 53-year old body.”

That diagnosis led to a fortuitous side road where she and Eric met and developed their love for each other, and in the third year of Medical School Lake was born. His birth led to another diversion, and the sacrifice she personally made until she finished her course to become a doctor – it made her re-think her next step in her chosen career path.

“Eric and I had talked about having children,” she said. “I had wanted a very large family. But during my last year of school, when I often would only see Lake for two hours a day, if at all, my position changed. I visited about 10 hospitals in the ‘match process’ for residency requirements, but I did not like the thought of separation from my child. Others tried to advise me that sacrifices were necessary (over and above the sometimes 24-hour shifts) but I came to realize that family was not a sacrifice I was willing to make.”

Now pregnant with a second child – due in March with the only gender requirement being healthy – the decision has been delayed again, but must be made sooner rather than later. Felicia knows the longer she puts off residency, the less likely it might be for her to get the situation she wants, especially by limiting her choices to a four or five state area.

The other side of this decision is also important to her, that of family and the love of God that she and Eric share.

“How many kids to have?” she asks herself. “I don’t know right now. Working women have to learn how to protect our hearts, like it talks about in the Book of Titus, verses 4 and 5.”

With those Biblical words in mind, the decisions become even more important and narrower in focus.

“There is a need for doctors,” Felicia mused. “But there is an even greater need for mothers. My children may see different doctors, but I am the only mother they will have.”

There are readers out there who would say, “Show me the money,” but that suggestion does little for Felicia’s reasoning or for her own needs and the needs of her children, whether there are two or ten.

Her raw physical and academic talents have taken her on a long journey already, and with Eric’s support and love, her reasoning ability will supply the balance to her future. She is somewhat timid, maybe even fearful of these decisions, but she is also filled with the “Spirit of God” that promises to be with her always.

Tough decisions will be made, either way. For now she is mostly content. She helps Eric at Gallup Christian School, coaching a group of 12-18 year olds in cross-country, and goes to all of the Lady Lynx soccer games to assist him as well. The 52 students at Gallup Christian all like and admire the soon-to-be 31-year old with the pleasant, calm voice and the cute baby with a long Afro hair style.

Maybe her current life would not be comforting to most, but Felicia is not just run-of-the-mill in any sense of the word. She has higher aspirations for her life and for her family. And the firmest conviction in her faith.

There will always be a future for the Taylor family. Felicia and Eric share the duties and responsibilities in seeing that it is always bright, reverent, and caring. Just as they are!