DRINK OF LIVING WATER

One day in July 2008...  A story true...

            Swimming in fresh sheets in the morning of a fresh new day, sleep never felt so good.  With sweet singing of birds in ear, my eyes awoke to swaying banana leaves outside the window.  And the light, so bright, much brighter than normal for an early morning work day... "Work day!  WORK DAY!! 7:40AM!  I've got to be there by eight!  It's a 30 plus minute drive!"  Fresh panic!

           How many times can a grown man put his leg in the wrong leg of a pair of pants?  And have you ever noticed how impossible it is to put on a sock when having one of those days?  Well I finally took one last stab at getting that sock straight.  The heel of the sock wound up on the side of the ankle.  Shoe got stuffed on anyway.  Grabbed a shirt and vainly trying to button up was running out the front door... when it hit me: I had not yet read a scripture nor prayed to start the day.

            Back in the bedroom , I started to open the Bible, hesitated, remembered to first ask in Jesus name for understanding, then opened The Word.  Psalm 42: 1-2 KJ, "As the deer panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.  2)My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?" His awesomeness swept over me.  I thanked Him in the name of Jesus.

            But the specter of work loomed. Late for work! Late for work! I now had less than 10 minutes to make a 30 plus minute trip. And as I again sped through that front door, still trying to button up that ornery shirt, and contemplating buying nothing but pull over shirts from now on... I was smiling... Something not usual for a grumpy old man... Who was now even later for work...

            So I ran to the car, actually it was more of a brisk walk (old man knees), and plunked my rear in the car seat... still smiling... actually happy... even though late for work...

            Driving along sunny Hwy 35, after praying those usual prayers one prays daily, Psalm 42:1-2 again flooded my mind, "As the deer panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: When shall I come and appear before God?" Immediately I began to dwell on another scripture, one in which Jesus reveals who he is to a certain Samaritan woman at Jacobs well: John 4:13-14 KJ, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14)But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

            And there I was in the car just past Markham on the road to Bay City when... a feeling of awesome  joy swept over me and into me, filled the car all around me and yet sat in the seat beside me. And the Lord began to give me a little song... My first thought, "Thank you Heavenly Father!"  My second thought, "I'll never remember the words." Frantically I fumbled for pen and paper and squeaked, "Wait Lord, please wait!" Then thought quite correctly, "You dummy, you don't tell God to wait! Please forgive me, Lord, and keep it coming." And faster and faster the words came.  Eyes glued to the road I wrote as fast as I could.  Scribbled word and line one on top of another all around the page... And then it happened... I began to chuckle... God was tickling his child... That'll teach me... Mr. Late For Work... Mr. Hurry Hurry Hurry, alias Late For Work... Like a Father tickles his child He had me laughing...

            Too soon the car entered work's parking lot, a parking lot curiously, very curiously dark. I was more than puzzled, even disoriented. I had left broad day light at home and traveled twenty two miles... there should have been more light, not less.

            And the employees parking lot should have been full, not empty save one other solitary car. "Where is everybody?" I thought, "I'm late. Is everyone else late too?"  I opened the back door of the building; entered cold utter darkness; flipped on the hall way light; entered restroom, and washed my face. But washing my face did not wash away the confusion, a whimsical confusion, but still confusion. And why was I smiling? Back in the hallway I opened the next door to the main room; more darkness except for one little desk light in the back. Delores was entering a backlog of had to be done yesterday data on her computer.

            I quietly sat down at my desk. Paused for a bit trying to make sense of what was happening. It took a while, a long while for the computer to warm up. Its light popped on. Lower right hand corner of screen said: 8:01 am... What  

            The Song:   DRINK OF LIVING WATER

                                Drink of living water
                                Fresh from the Lord above
                                Blessed by the breath of the dove
                                And filled with Jesus love

                                Drink of living water
                                Panteth like the deer
                                For streamlets cool and clear
                                The dancing waters hear

                                Drink of living water
                                Use me as you will
                                Lost hearts to tend and heal
                                You are my Father still

                                Drink of living water
                                Panteth like the deer
                                For streamlets cool and clear
                                The dancing waters hear

                                 Drink of living water
                                 Panteth like the deer
                                 For streamlets cool and clear
                                 The dancing waters hear

                                  Psalm 42:1&2
                                  Isaiah 38:7&8 



                                  pawpawcorner.blogspot.com
                      

         

                   

                               

SHOWDOWN AT THE BLESSING STORE

         
            Weathered board creaked under boot of old rancher as he stepped out on porch.  Crisp autumn morn greeted the steam of breath.  Red sunrise streamed through clouds of eastern sky.  The last of what once was many green and red throated humming birds flitted among the flowers.  The old rancher said a prayer of gratitude to the Lord.  Yet, as the rooster crowed, off the porch the old rancher stepped, his boot struck ground, his face hardened to flint, for it was time; time to head for town and the big showdown.

            So easily churned, so easily stirred still waters.  Old scars run deep, new wounds their promise to keep.  His mind for a time fought the flow; but the tempest swelled, the waves of sorrow did grow.  Like a miserable and pregnant momma cat, he pfffttted and weeooowed and clawed inner walls of his skull.  Every sad thing was dredged from the pit of his mind, filled the frown of his brow.  Neath the falling leaves of a hackberry tree, he yanked open the door of that old pickup truck, climbed aboard that one way ticket to town and the big showdown.

            Hacked off and ranting on down that road of self goad, the mange of his brain bled and bred the cult of self pity.  The fire flared, fed of the fuel from the well of hell.  What demons hackled; how they howled; what sea of glee did Satan see in his waves of sorrow; as that old cowboy headed for the end of town and the big showdown.

            Twas in front of the Blessing Store that truck tires stirred the sour dust of the lot.  While neath the brim of his hat that old cowboy still frowned, still drowned, sinking down deeper to dark thoughts keeper. And that devilish keeper leered, musing how well man has no problem, needs little to no prodding  to send his mind to pity filled hell.  And that old cowboy exited the truck and stared head long at the headline news from the rag in the box neath the wings of the Blessing Store.  Two quarters he put into the slot of bad news, pulled open the portal to gloom, the door to doom; took from it the newspaper, closed that bleak door, and neath his armpit that well of hell did store.  And the devil hopped in gleeful delight, that tomorrow's rag would tell the tale of what had happened at the end of town and the big showdown.

            Through swinging double door, dusty cowboy boots walked that there floor, and in them the feet of  him from whom acid did stem.  To the meat counter he went, bacon and bloody hamburger his bent.  Then away to to the line of waiting his boots he sent; and there in that line stood a man of Mexican descent.  To him that Mexican man said, "Good morning, preacher. How are you today?"

            And the lady behind the cash register with mile wide smile chimed in, "Good morning, preacher man!"

            Then what had been, he chalked up to sin; looked up to heaven, let forgiveness in.  And not from keeping up appearances, nor from inner embarrassment did the old cowboy plow; but from the root neath his brow, and from his heart escaped the blessed now, that this day held a journey of joy... Because in an instant, that old cowboy, that preacher boy, realized that he loved those precious Christian folk more than himself.  And so did Satan lose, that day at the Blessing Store... in Blessing town... at the big showdown...

            And the very next day that preacher boy, that old cowboy, did go back and thank them for what they had done... on that day of blessings... at the Blessing Store... in Blessing town... for with Jesus even the weak and broken heart... found triumph at the big showdown...

            Deuteronomy 28:8 KJ, "The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and all that thou settest thy hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

            If "Showdown at the Blessing Store" will be a blessing in the storehouse of any waiting at the check-out line of life; please add to their grocery cart.  And remind them with a gentle smile: We all got to pay-up sometime.
                                            
                                     

THE LEAST OF THESE

            The Lord is persistent.  For many days the Lord echoed the words ...the least of these... through my little pea brain. I began to make notes from the Bible and found more than a few passages concerning 'the least of these'. But Matthew 25 verse 40 captured my heart. I thought what a wonderful message for us all. However, time was limited for my beloved wife lay in an ICU bed at Memorial Herman Hospital.

            Praise the Lord God! Prayers answered! Wife got better. Well enough to hold hands while treading the beautiful historic section of the hospital built in 1925. And there in the architecture of old we beheld 'the main supporting pillar'. And embedded in that marble pillar a bronze plaque, where it is written founder George H. Herman's driving inspiration... and my minds echo... Matthew chapter 25 verse 40: "And the King shall answer and say to them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of 'the least of these' my bretheren, ye have done it unto me."

            On the main supporting pillar rests the whole building. God is love. So does God command us to be love... by loving even the least of these. Jesus tells us to #1 love God and #2 love our neighbor; and that these two commandments fulfill the ten commandments of the law of the prophets. On the main supporting pillar rests the whole building. Love God and love thy neighbor: the central pillar. The bronze plaque upon that pillar: love even the least of your neighbors and so do you love also the Son of Father God, the King Christ Jesus. (Matthew 22:37-40 & 5:17)

            The least of these... Jesus speaks in Matthew 25:34-40, "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35)For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36)Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37)Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered,  and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38)When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39)Or saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40)And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my bretheren, ye have done it unto me." The least of these...         (also in Isaiah 58:6-11)

            The least of these... By the grace of God that is Christ Jesus, those who serve in love with no thought for self, inherit the kingdom of heaven. Jesus has prepared a mansion there for each and every one, who shares his love even unto... the least of these...       (Mark 9:41; John 14:1-3)

            The least of these... the least of these: So do we honor our Father God with acts of mercy. Acts of mercy should be every day. Acts of mercy should become our very nature; love our very being; serving where ever service is needed. Make habit the serving of the least of these... For we reflect God's love and glorify Him by loving the least of these... When we hug even the least of these... So do we hug Jesus... What joy to hug our King... Can you imagine his joy in hugging you...

            Why are the least of these: the child, the poor, the wretched, the criminal, the sinner, you, me, the least of all society; why are even the least of these who are last; why do the least of these become first in the kingdom (Mt. 19:30). Why? Because the least of these, who is forgiven much, loves much (Luke 7:47).   Because for the least of these, God's grace is sufficient and His strength made perfect in weakness (2nd Cor. 12:9). Because Jesus came not to call the righteous, but sinners, you and me, the least of these to repentance (Mt. 9:13). When even the least of these truly determine to love Jesus... the power of God fills them... God's purpose to fulfill... So are the least of these the love of God...

            The most urgent problem many face is not knowing how much they are loved... Tell them... Hug them... Today... Be the arms of Jesus...

Sharon &Forrest love you. Please share...          

                                   

THE BALLAD OF KATHY & BUBBA & ME

            The voices of yesterday... The echoes of childhood...

            Now Kathy and Bubba were sister and brother.  Playmates they were of a certain none too bright young lad, we'll call 'Me'.  Now Me's mom made a mother hen feel inadequate when it came to taking care of her one and only Me. Me, who loved to be free, climb a too tall tree, swat an angry bee.  And Kathy and Bubba, oh Me, how they knew the real Me!  How they relished to see Me indulge in danger forbidden by Me's Mom.

            On that faithful backyard day, when the ball went too far into the reeds and inky bayou water, Me stood starring down at that ball in that dangerous place forbidden.  And borne upon the breeze the sultry southern drawl of fair haired Kathy breathed, "Go get it for me, Me."

            And her goofy brother Bubba burbled, "Git it."

            'Its right there, Me," Kathy urged.

            "Right there." Bubba parroted.

            "Your mom won't care," Kathy pleaded.

            "Won't care!" Bubba nodded.

            "She really didn't mean it, when she said don't go in there," Kathy's full lips smiled as she knew Me weakened.

            "Didn't mean it," Bubba shook his head of dirty plastered down hair.

            "She's in the house, Me.  She can't see you, Me.  She won't know... Me..." came Kathy's whisper floating on air.

            Only a giggle, only a snicker or two escaped the buck toothed grin of Bubba, as he stood, as if perched on leafless limb, wringing coarse hands and squinting through dark eyes at Me.

            Down to the edge of the bayou went Me. Over the shoulder Me made sure there was no Mom of Me.  From the reeds and inky waters the ball Me did free.

            "O' happiness, O' joy, I've got the ball," rejoiced Me, as he climbed the rise of that bayou ditch.  And as Me's head met the grassy horizon of backyard, Me saw first the feet of an angry Me's Mom.  And so stood Me.  Only a dirty filthy ball filled Me's hands.  And Me began to understand... Even more than Me's Mom saw... God sees it all...

            The whipping was brief... the tears and hugs many... Me was sorry... Me was forgiven...

            And after God's own heart... Me even forgave Kathy & Bubba... Even the Me in you...

            ...For after all there's a little Me in all of us...

            (Jeremiah 23:23-24; Matthew 6:9-15)

If "The Ballad of Kathy & Bubba & Me" will touch the lives of any you know, please share.