In another lifetime I imagine I might have been a Bohemian gypsy living in a tiny house pulled by a gallant steed, or a pioneer woman along the Oregon Trail. No! I am not one to start an adventure, but I can’t say, “No,” when presented with the opportunity. My husband finds a way to chase the sunset most everyday. It was the first thing that attracted me to him and is a huge part of our story. The plot only thickens as we get older.
Several weeks ago, Keith sold a motorcycle to a gentleman some distance away. This buyer asked to have the bike delivered and Keith jumped at traveling to south east Texas, meeting someone new and putting his toes in the gulf for a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. My plan was to stay home and nest, but the weekend weather report was tempestuous. Cold air and warm were going to fight for top billing between Keith and his destination, but he wasn’t going to cancel. I decided I’d rather ride through the storms than stay home and worry. Our weather alerts began going off at Texarkana and continued through Nacogdoches, but blue skies were waiting and we pressed on.
Along we went, merging weather apps with google maps. As a distraction, we began reminiscing about people who had traveled in and out of our lives and changed us for the better. Keith made use of his music app that connected his taste to the perfect tune at the push of a button. Old gospel music drew our attention away from the gloomy day and began bringing back glimpses in time of good things and great people. However, our two minds could only think of one line to a song an evangelist sang at church camp during our teen years and early adult lives. Like a bad jingle, we couldn’t turn loose of the song, but internet searches failed to reveal the title. Several evenings later, Keith google searched our evangelist friend, found a phone number and called. An hour’s long conversation of old times, reconnections and warmed hearts followed. The name of the song is, In the Midst of It All, and tells the story of Job standing, completely broken, but righteous, willing to accept God’s will no matter the pain. You need to know our friend evangelist, the Rev. Terry Jones, was stricken with ALS and we have only ever known him with a crippled body, but a heart sacrificed to anything God has prepared. His testimony of words and deeds were game changers for Keith and I as our lives were just beginning.
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all.
Ecclesiastes 9:11
There is a hero’s list of christian valor in my heart. These people showed up and lived to bring others the Gospel. There is the pastor who took a group of high school seniors aside and scripturally taught us the meaning of sanctification. We wanted to know and because he went to summer camp, our answers came and life decisions were made. And then there was the camp counselor who came every year. She brought a profoundly handicapped student with her. I learned the difference between pity and compassion and I made a life long friend. Christian leaders, activity sponsors, Sunday School teachers, Camp workers; these people didn’t sign up to raise me, send Christmas gifts or follow me through life. They simply gave of themselves so that others could live. It was a matter of eternal life or death and they were a huge part of me finding my way to the foot of the cross.
God, in His perfect knowledge and time, orchestrated a beautiful score for our lives, but the song is found in the His body, the community of believers.
Love,
Gretchen