Friday, February 24, 2017

Green is good.

...and California is greening up! The trucks, trains and planes that carry our vegetables, nuts and fruits to you are revving up. In a couple of weeks my giant oaks will be dressed in their chartreuse spring loveliness. The gophers will poke their heads out. The old and young bucks are locking horns. Soon the does will saunter by with their newborns.The bears will awaken from their long winter naps and the mountain lions will show up at the top of the mountain. Birds of all colors will stake out their territory in my trees and break forth singing their little hearts out.  Snows and rains over,  Bootsie and I will walk down my long driveway to the bench where we sit side by side. I talk to Jesus; I have no idea who Bootsie talks to. Come May, I will have some strong person carry my summer bed from the floor down below to my deck outside my living room, and Nights with the Creator will begin!

Clair Anderson, our neighbor who lived three miles down the road from our farm refused to install a telephone. If he had he would have had no excuse to drop by our house as Mother and Grandma dished up a heaping platter of fried chicken,  bowls of mashed potatoes and every vegetable God ever created. Dear Clair. He married Julie, daughter of a deaf, silent, and blind father.  Her mother was deaf and silent with very limited vision. A deaf, silent and blind aunt lived with them. Sometimes, on hot summer days I saddled up Patsy the Mare and struck out down the road to visit this family who taught me so much. Julie's mother would glimpse my shadow through the screen door and come shuffling toward me with arms wide open, making happy noises deep in her throat. She grabbed the slate and chalk and we wrote notes back and forth, smiling and hugging.

 I still walk down a dirt road and I still visit aged people.  A couple of weeks ago when I was in town I dropped by the home of a couple that I love. Patty threw her arms around me. It felt good. Her friend was there. We drank tea together. We laughed and hugged. We had such a good time. Sometimes I sit in Patty and Chick's living room with the Bible open and we read. Nearly every week I call one of my many older friends across the nation. We encourage each other, "and all the more as we see The Day approaching".   For years, dear Harriet in Santa Rosa, California downloaded my blog on Fridays. When it didn't arrive by noon she'd call to see if I was o.k.  Then for one, two, three weeks she didn't call.  I went online, and found her obituary. She had slipped away to Heaven in her sleep. At ninety- two. Yesterday I had a call from June's son, Jack. Two weeks ago his mother, at ninety-three went Home from Turlock, California to Heaven. Gordon and June, Ted and I arrived at Dallas Theological Seminary in 1952.  Friends forever after. I remember that first meeting at DTS so well. We were being introduced to Dr. Walvoord, President of the seminary, and his wife, Geraldine. Seven years later, Dr. Walvoord was sitting at our dining table in Palo Alto, California. "Ted and Jo, a grey-haired lady from Bakersfield,California came up to the pulpit at a Mt. Hermon conference this morning and asked if I knew of a couple that would be willing to come to a very small church in her town". That "town" was Bakersfield, California and that "church" was Fruitvale Community, now River Lakes Community that today covers a city block.  Many of you who read this blog are still in that church. Many of you from that church are scattered throughout the world, taking the Gospel to people who will be together forever with the Lord Jesus.  Some of you California, Oregon, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Georgia, Florida, France, Indonesia, Bolivia, Africa, and Guatemala dear ones continue to lead countless people to the Throne of Grace. Praise God!

If I slip quietly away in my sleep, which is my exit preference my blog won't arrive. Wait a week or two before checking because I just might not have thought of anything to say.  Not likely, but maybe.

WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN, WHAT A DAY OF REJOICING THAT WILL BE.
WHEN WE ALL SEE JESUS, WE'LL SING AND SHOUT THE VICTORY!

...and another comes to mind:  
BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES; BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES
WE SHALL COME REJOICING; BRINGING IN THE SHEAVES. 

Love,  Jo

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