Should I Just Curl Up and Dye?

By Glenna Ritenour

An insightful journey through the trials and triumphs of a hairstylist

The amazing provision of God through the many troubled times and life lessons are revealed in the author's personal stories of trial and triumph. Her strong testimony and insight will bring hope and encouragement to any reader.

• Language: English
• Publisher: RPJ & Company, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9781937770082

Glenna Ritenour

Born February 20, 1962, in Titusville, Florida, the Ritenours had plans of naming their baby girl Stacey Lynn. However, during her mother’s labor, her father was watching Colonel John H. Glenn Jr. blast off. Since Col. Glenn was the fi rst man to orbit the earth, they agreed to name her Glenna Michelle. As the news traveled of Glenna being the seventh child born to Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Ritenour and possibly the fi rst girl named after the famed astronaut, along came the Star Advocate News to interview the parents and write history more than 40 years ago! Glenna Ritenour is today mother of fi ve children and stepmom to a sixth. For over 20 years she has made a career as a hairstylist and salon owner. To Glenna this has been a personal ministry of sharing and teaching, though her “classroom” may be a salon chair. Owning her business is a blessing, she says, because she can share God’s love with her clients in no concern of response from an employer. Bradenton, Florida is home for Glenna, and nearby Anna Marie Island is where she treasures frequent refl ective alone times with God. Glenna takes pictures of things there that inspire her writing. Although not shown in this book, some are on her website: www.glennaritenour.webs.com. Glenna began writing many years ago, but only in more recent time have stories in this book been developed for sharing in print. As she feels led by the Lord, she plans to continue writing.

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Should I Just Curl Up and Dye?

An insightful journey through the trials and triumphs of a hairstylist

By Glenna Ritenour

SMASHWORDS EDITION

* * * * *

PUBLISHED BY:

RPJ Journey Books (an imprint of RPJ & Company) on Smashwords

This book is also available in print at: http://www.rpjandco1417.com

Copyright © 2011 by Glenna Ritenour

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The contents of this book are the expressed thoughts and opinions of the author and do not necessarily express the thoughts and opinions of the publisher and its agents.

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work

Dedication

To God my Father, Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit dwelling in me!

To each of my friends and family who have been an inspiration and encouragement to complete the work that God had begun many years ago.

To every reader who feels despair as if all hope is gone. God provides a way through every trial!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

AFFLICTION / FREEDOM

When God Removes the Pain

ANGER / HEALING

Shut Up!

Transformations

COURAGE

Pass the Salt, Please

DEFEAT / VICTORY

The Agony of Defeat and the Joy of Redemption

He Knows Your Name

DESPAIR / ENCOURAGEMENT

God Please...He’s My Brother

I’ll Stand

FEAR / PROVISION

Homeless—How Close Are You?

It’s Official—I’m Homeless

Lifeguard Not on Duty; Swim at Your Own Risk!

Standing in the Storm

Trapped or Protected?

LOSS

HELP! I Need Strength

The Gardener

PARENTING

Our Mother...Our Blessing

She’s Not a Cool Mom

Suffer Through It

REBELLION / SUBMISSION

The Road Ahead...Are We following the Right Directions?

The Vine Connection

REDEMPTION

As the Sun Sets Our Eyes Should Open

How Will He Find You?

The Master Colorist

Rough Waters

Wearing Out the Carpet

RESENTMENT / FORGIVENESS

Don’t Drink the Poison

SERVING

Excuse Me...Waiter!

STRIFE / LOVE

Confidence...Can we Have it?

He Loves Me...and Butterflies are a Real Sign

Imperfections

Love Is...Love is Not

True Love is Not Complicated

When We are Called to Love...Because He Loves

STUBBORNNESS / PERSEVERANCE

The Ant

SUFFERING / VICTORY

Even in My Darkest Hour...I Was Not Alone

Filling in the Gap

Grounded

Lord, I’m Exhausted! Please Take Control

The Waiting Room

You’re Someone Special!

TRUST

In Tough Times Trust

Not on Deaf Ears

Trust

Foreword

The first time I read one of Glenna’s stories, there was an unmistakable awareness that God was doing something very special. This needs to be shared with others. I wasn’t the first to tell her this. Soon thereafter, God orchestrated the publishing of this book in His power, timing, and to encourage and strengthen fellow travelers.

Glenna has a gift of being able to see the scenes of a life—good, bad or ordinary, as a window to how God relates to us. His Word really does become alive and living and sharper than a two-edged sword that cuts to the depth of our soul and spirit.

I couldn’t help being drawn in to travel along the journey with her in each of the 38 short stories. But this book is not a sentimental chicken soup for the soul. It’s more like beef stew in terms of her ability to also bring in some meat from God’s Word that is truly satisfying, and has the ring of being truly good for you.

Glenna’s easy, conversational style probably comes out of her years of holding conversations with countless customers in the shop. But her honesty and depth of spiritual maturity comes from one who has suffered as few do, and yet continues on pursuing God with a humble heart and a sincere faith.

This is a book for anyone trying to walk with God and would like to read a fellow travelers’ notes.

Thank you Glenna for being humble, obedient and faithful to share your journey with others, including us.

Banks and Lois Corl

Associate Pastor of Strategic Growth

Woodland the Community Church

Bradenton, Florida

Acknowledgments

Still amazed at how this book came about, below is a short list of people used by God to bring encouragement... and the reality of a published book!

A SPECIAL THANK YOU. . .

To my friends of twenty years—Richard and Nancy Bancs for allowing me to use their beautiful beach house to escape when I needed a place to get alone with God and write my stories. Also to Zip and Vicki Zipperer for allowing me the use of their beautiful place by the shore in Mexico Beach where so many of these stories came about.

To my friend Betty Efferson for encouraging me and letting me read her a story each morning. I’m grateful for her taking the trips with me, typing and printing my stories as I finished writing them on my Blackberry.

To my friend Brenda Ellison, for encouraging me to write this book over 14 years ago. I thank her for never giving up on me even though it took me a little longer than she wanted. She is a faithful friend.

To Cindy and Pastor Mike Landry for listening and encouraging me to share my writing with others so many years ago. When fear held me back, their words never left my ears and now is the time for my first book.

To Lois and Pastor Banks Corl, who took time to read each story and write the foreword for this book. Their words gave me courage and their prayers lifted me. I’m so grateful beyond words.

To my friend Erica Little for encouraging me to go forward with this book. She has been so supportive over the years and I’m thankful for our friendship.

To my friend Valerie Farral for reading a couple stories and encouraging me to use the gift God gave me. And for helping me to come up with a title for this book. Ultimately God confirmed Should I Just Curl Up and Dye?

To all my customers for allowing me to share the stories with them about my trials and triumphs during their visits to the salon. They are the best, and the most awesome encouragers in my life.

To my children for their love and support. Their faith in these short God-inspired stories for my healing, others’ healing and His glory will never be forgotten. I thank each of them for listening to me or reading them for themselves and sharing their thoughts with me.

To Sheryl for her encouragement and love for each story that is very special to me. She always came through when I needed her the most. To Jamie for her phone calls to me each morning which gave me strength to face each day. Always so understanding and giving me the time I needed without judgment. To Jackie for saying that people need these stories and there needs to be a book. To Chase for listening to each story, explained what message each one spoke to him and then responded with, now that’s my favorite. To Taylor for her wisdom beyond her years. She spent so many days encouraging me and giving me a different perspective on things. She kept me out of the quick sand. And for listening each day to a story and telling me that God was going to use them somehow, someday... I thank her!

To the best daughter-in-law ever, Kara, for pushing me, encouraging me to conquer my fears and continually checking in on my progress. To Jordan for his encouragement to trust God and stay focused on bringing this to completion. The many talks we had really did give me strength.

To my mother, Gladys Ritenour, for her love, encouragement and guidance in looking at all possibilities to bring about this book and others in the future.

To my brothers and sisters for believing in me through my journey and for loving me.

To Rosalind Eskew for her dedication in preparing things to send to the publisher and for her excitement and encouragement.

To Ms. Buelah Facey—a friend and prayer warrior, thank you. I’m so grateful for her support and prayers. My family and I have been so blessed to have her in our lives.

To Freddy and Pam Spry, for the many hours on the phone in prayer and receiving encouragement during those painful months in my life. It’s wonderful to have them both for friends.

To my counselor Christopher Curtler for helping me to work through all the years of fear and anxiety. He helped me to understand and deal with post traumatic stress disorder. Each week he listened to a new story and encouraged me to write this book. And most of all for creating a safe environment for healing and for the many prayers lifted up to God on behalf of me and my family.

To Kathleen Schubitz, my publisher, for walking up to me and asking me, Have you ever thought of writing a book? She has taught me so much and through the many hours together gathering each story from phones, computers, emails, and papers to name a few...she has done a wonderful job.

To everyone--whether friends, clients, or co-workers, I thank them for love and support, treasuring the many blessings each person has become in my life.

To my fiancé Bruce Eskew, last and most assuredly not least. Without him no one would be reading this book. I thank him for taking it out of the garbage when I threw it away. His love and support has surpassed anything I could ever imagine. He has been there through every emotion throughout this journey doing what he does best...giving unconditional love. I thank him... he is truly the best!

Introduction

Should I Just Curl Up and Dye? is a book of short stories on the trials and triumphs of my life. It is my prayer that the reader can see God’s providence in all things, and dare to trust Him to work all things out for good as He promises.

God so faithfully balances our losses and suffering with hope and victory...and His scale is overflowing with other abundant blessings to see us through the tough times. This is a book of encouragement; never give up and always trust God in His plan.

Read a story to relate to a present situation. Or just read them all cover to cover. My prayer is that either way you will be blessed, and that He will provide healing and joy to replace pain and sorrow. The prayer at the end of each story is shared for readers to use as their own in seeking God, or to give thanks and praise Him.

May each reader learn to trust Him, and rest with assurance of victory on the other side of the mountain. Know that He is climbing that mountain, too!

My friends, be showered with His love and peace, and be blessed.

In His love,

Glenna

AFFLICTION / FREEDOM

When God Removes the Pain

HOW MUCH MORE do I have to endure before You will remove my pain? I have asked God, How much longer?"

And I in turn have been asked, If He cares, why doesn’t He just fix it?

Have you ever asked God that question? Has anyone ever asked you, How much longer is God going to let you suffer before He heals your broken heart?

I’m sure many of us have had situations where we wonder, where is God in all of this? It can seem as if there is no end in sight when we are faced with trials in our lives. In James 1:2-3, we read, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

In the natural man, we can probably think of many ways to experience joy and we may wonder if there isn’t another way to bring about patience besides enduring trials that test our faith. Jesus went to the cross to take away all of our sins, pain, sickness and suffering. If He already did that, then why should we suffer now? How does our suffering glorify Him? The pain we suffer will never be enough to repay Jesus for what He did at the cross. He doesn’t expect us to be a living sacrifice nailed to a tree as He was, but He does say we will suffer persecution, for His name.

In our trials, we can honor Him by trusting Him as we’re going through them. He knows that we’re going to experience anguish as a result of being rejected. He knows that we don’t want to be sick. And He knows that we will struggle with why; however, we are still to count it all joy. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials…

I can relate to all of these since having a life-threatening illness come on very suddenly, going through a divorce and feeling the pain of rejection all in one day. Many sleepless nights and many tear-filled days were spent wondering how long I would suffer. Will I ever have a normal life? Will my faith in Jesus ever sustain me?

We read in Hebrews 11:1 (KJV), "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." In Hebrews 11:6 (KJV), "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."

Every day I had to seek Him, even when there was no evidence of change for my situation. Often I wondered if it pleased Him because I felt so much despair. I knew that the trying of my faith was taking place as I heard the words from my doctor when she stated, You will take this medicine for the rest of your life or you could die. I agreed to take the medication because I didn’t have a choice. However, I did try to negotiate because of denial. Then the words you could die rang loud and shut down my negotiating power. Please don’t misunderstand me, if you need medication