Finding Jake

My An Arkie's Faith column from the June 29, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse. 

The weather outside was hot and muggy as I packed for my summer vacation. Bright and early the next morning, Daddy and I were driving to Dallas to catch a flight to Berlin, Germany. Earlier this year, Daddy had asked me if I would go on an overseas tour with him. He showed me a tour company brochure and told me to pick any tour I wanted. I chose a history tour of Germany. After months of waiting, it was finally time to go. When my suitcase was packed and I was sure that I had everything I needed, I was able to relax. 

Before I left, the plants and flowers needed to be watered. When I went outside to water, the dogs went with me; my two dogs, Maggie and Tucker along with my granddaughters’ dog, Jake. Jake is a large, hairy, white dog with a black head and lots of black spots. His size and bark are intimidating, but he is a lovable, goofy, gentle dog who considers himself a house pet and spends as little time as possible outside. If he thinks there is the smallest chance of a raindrop, he refuses to go out.

Jake was staying with us while his family vacationed in Colorado. In just a few hours they would be here to pick him up. As I started to water the plants, I could hear the rumbling of thunder in the distance. I said, “Jake isn’t going to like this.” Jake is extremely traumatized by storms and will find a place to hide when he hears thunder. A few raindrops began to fall, and I put my dogs in the house. But Jake wasn’t there. I walked around to the backyard looking for him, but he wasn’t there. I expected to find him at the back door wanting in the house. “Jake, here Jake, come on Jake,” I called. But he didn’t come. “Where can he be,” I wondered.

My wife and I looked through the house. Maybe he came back in the house. We looked in every room and in every closet and hiding place, but he was nowhere to be found. By this time the thunder was louder and there were streaks of lightning in the distance. I knew that Jake had a history of becoming frantic during storms and running from them. We knew that he wasn’t in the house and he wasn’t in our yard. I walked up and down the street calling for him, but he was nowhere to be found.

I started driving up and down the streets in our area. As I slowly drove past each house and looked in the yards, I wondered what people thought. I kept looking, slowly expanding the radius around our house, but there was no Jake. While I was driving the car and looking, my wife went to neighbors houses and was looking under decks and anyplace she imagined Jake could hide. When our neighbors learned that Jake was missing, they helped us look for him. Some were on foot and some were driving. The whole neighborhood was looking for Jake but with no success.

After searching for an hour, we took a few minutes to post on Facebook and ask for anyone who might have seen Jake to call us. There was one comment from someone who thought they might have seen him on Bethesda Road. I had searched that area several times, and I knew that the neighbors had looked there, but I drove back to look again. By now we had been searching for two hours and we began to give up hope. Where could Jake be? There continued to be occasional thunder and lightning, a now it was raining. A friend who lives a couple of mile from us saw our Facebook post and let me know that he was going to search the area between his house and Bethesda Road. We appreciated all the help that friends and neighbors were giving us, but it seemed we were no closer to finding Jake.

As night fell, we knew that it was pointless to continue the search. I continued to drive up and down each street between Hwy 71 and south Bethesda Road, but I didn’t see Jake. About the time I returned to the house with a heavy heart and a feeling of hopelessness, my friend who had been helping me search called and told me he had called the search on account of darkness. He held out hope by telling the story of a dog of his that was also afraid of thunderstorms. In a similar circumstance, his dog ran away during a storm and he couldn’t find her. When night fell and he had to give up the search, he turned on every light on his property. When the storm subsided, his dog found her way home. “Don’t give up hope,” he said.

That night when my granddaughters arrived, Jake was still missing. They and their Daddy searched for Jake, calling his name. But we had to call off the search and go to bed. When we got up in the morning, Jake still wasn’t home. We discussed options such as making fliers and notifying the police. There were sad faces and heavy hearts as we discussed what our options were. My wife was preparing breakfast when she let out a squeal as exclaimed, “it’s Jake!” There he was limping across the back yard. The back two thirds of his body was wet and dirty, and the pads of his feet were raw. When he walked into the house, Jake was immediately smothered with hugs of affection. The mood in the house changed in an instant.

Are you looking for the lost? Are you celebrating and rejoicing when they are found? In Luke 19:10 (NRSV) Jesus says that He “came to seek out and to save the lost.” And the same Jesus who came to seek out and save, tells us in John 20:21 (NIV), “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” The focus of too many Christians is pointing out the sin in others. Daniel Darling states, "we must not allow our protest against values with which we disagree to overshadow our responsibility to show Christ's love for the world. It may very well be the person who offends us the most whom God is in the process of saving. And our gracious response might be the bridge that the Spirit uses to usher him from death to life.”

Gentle Reader, do you have compassion on those who are lost? Many people who claim to love God don’t have genuine love for other people. But 1 John 4:8 (NKJV) tells us, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” I challenge you today to see the lost the way that Jesus sees them and to rejoice with Him whenever one of his lost sheep comes home!

Love at First Sight

My An Arkie's Faith column from the June 22, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a lonely boy. In that same land, there lived a girl with beautiful golden hair. One day as the lonely boy walked into history class, he looked across the room and saw the girl with beautiful golden hair. His heart jumped, and he knew this was love at first sight. He knew he had to get up the courage to talk to this vision of loveliness with the beautiful golden curls.

The lonely boy was too shy to talk to girls, so it was almost a year before the girl with the beautiful golden hair had any idea that the lonely boy was interested. The good Lord knew that the lonely boy needed all the help he could get, so the Lord made it so that the lonely boy and the girl with the beautiful golden hair crossed paths in several ways that year.

The history teacher selected five students to work together each week, producing learning packets for history class. The girl with the beautiful golden hair and the lonely boy were in the group meeting in the library each week to create the history learning packets. They both worked at the furniture factory. The lonely boy worked on the dresser jig, and the girl with the beautiful golden hair made drawers. The lonely boy would spend his break time with the drawer makers, but the girl with the beautiful golden hair still didn't catch on.

It came time for their high school graduation, and the lonely boy still had never gotten up the nerve to ask the girl with the beautiful golden hair out on a date. Finally, the lonely boy mustered up every ounce of courage he could find and asked the girl with the beautiful golden hair if she would march with him at the graduation. The girl with the beautiful golden hair told him that she would like to, but she had already told another boy that she would march with him. If the lonely boy talked to the other boy and it was okay with him, she would march with the lonely boy. Once again, the lonely boy summoned up every bit of courage he had and spoke to the other boy, who was very gracious and bowed out. The lonely boy was on cloud nine. The girl with the beautiful golden hair would be walking down the aisle beside him when they graduated.

This fairytale had a delightful ending. After a year of a long-distance relationship, with five hundred miles separating them, the lonely boy and the girl with the beautiful golden hair were finally in the same place at the same time. Then the lonely boy knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the girl with beautiful golden hair. On a wonderful June day, they were married in a fairytale wedding.

Most fairy tales are not true, but I can assure you this one is true. I was that lonely boy. If you ask me if I believe in love at first sight, I will tell you I do. I also know that God believes in love at first sight.

The Bible tells us that "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 (NKJV). And 1 John 4:19 (NCV) says, "We love because God first loved us."

God created you as an object of his love. David understood this when he wrote, "You made my whole being. You formed me in my mother's body." Psalms 139:13 (ICB) He made you so that He could love you and so you could love him. God's love for you is the reason you are alive.

God has loved you longer than you can even imagine. It wasn't love at first sight; it was love before you were even born. Ephesians 1:4 (NLV) says that "even before the world was made, God chose us for Himself because of His love." God tells us, "Before I formed you in your mother's body I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart to serve me." Jeremiah 1:5 (NIRV)

Just like a marriage relationship has its good and bad days, so does our relationship with God. Some days our hearts are full of love for God. Some days we are rebellious and angry with Him.

The story of Job is fascinating and complex. When he lost everything and everyone he loved, Job's anger is understandable. "I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer me; I stand before you, but you barely take notice." Job 30:20 (NCB) I don't believe that harboring blame and anger toward God is a good thing in itself. But our emotions don't scare God, and we must be honest about them. Despite his anger, Job rushes to God  – not away. He has a dialogue with God. 

The good news is that God loves you on your bad days as much as he loves you on your good days. He loves you when you are angry with him. He loves you when you can feel his love and when you aren't sure that He even exists. "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." Psalms 103:8 (NIV)

There is nothing you can do that will make God stop loving you. In Romans 8:38,39 (NCV), Paul wrote, "I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Gentle Reader, are you lonely and looking for love? God has already chosen you. He loved you before you were even born. If you love Him back, He has promised you a happily ever after. In John 14:2,3 (VOICE), Jesus tells us, "My Father's home is designed to accommodate all of you. If there were not room for everyone, I would have told you that. I am going to make arrangements for your arrival. I will be there to greet you personally and welcome you home, where we will be together." Don’t be lonely. Jesus wants you to be with him.

Celebrate Love

My An Arkie's Faith column from the June 15, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

This week marks our forty-seventh wedding anniversary. Because our anniversary falls in the middle of a hectic week, we celebrated our anniversary a few days early by going to Hot Springs. We have visited in the past, and I am intrigued by the history of Hot Springs. After a wonderful lunch at our favorite restaurant, La Hacienda, we toured the historic bathhouse row in Hot Springs National Park.

The first permanent settlers came to the Hot Springs area in 1807. They were quick to realize the area's potential as a health resort. By the 1830s, there were log cabins and a store to meet visitors' needs. By the 1880s, bathhouses were lining the streets of Hot Springs. The health resort industry led to Hot Springs becoming known as the "American Spa."

From the Roaring 20's until the end of World War II ten major casinos and numerous smaller houses operated in Hot Springs. Hot Springs became a haven for notorious criminals and mobsters, including Owen "Owney" Madden, Charles "Lucky" Luciano, and Al Capone. Word spread that Hot Springs was the perfect hideout for criminals running from police investigations. Al Capone and his bodyguards would rent out entire floors of hotels.

Visiting Hot Springs today, it's hard to imagine the city as a hotbed for organized crime, such as gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging. But from the late-1800s through the mid-1900s, Hot Springs was a popular hangout for mobsters. The safe, secluded scenic location of Hot Springs made it the ideal hideout. Hot Springs offered Las Vegas-style amenities before there was a Las Vegas. 

One of the most notable Hot Springs features is Bathhouse Row, which consists of a series of eight historic, architecturally unique bathhouses lining Central Avenue. We toured Fordyce Bathhouse. It's the largest and most ornate of all the bathhouses. It was built in 1915 and now serves as the Hot Springs National Park Visitor Center.

The day was hot and sultry as we walked down bathhouse row and then made our way up to the wide brick-lined promenade that stretches across the hillside above the bathhouses. Walking the promenade and looking out over the bustling city was a peaceful contrast to the chaos and cacophony below us. It might have been romantic if not for the heat and humidity that tried to suffocate us. But even with the heat, it was a lovely day, and we enjoyed our time together. 

Love is more than just romance. Many of history's greatest writers, poets, intellects, and philosophers have pondered the nature of love. American science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein wrote, "Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." I like that description.

What is love? Humans have been trying to describe that elusive, nebulous feeling since the beginning of the written word. It's been the subject of many books, movies, and songs. Yet, love is difficult to define. That makes it a challenge when you're trying to wish your partner a happy anniversary without seeming shallow and mundane. 

Instead of trying to explain my deepest feelings, I often fall back on humor and pestering. If I am annoying enough, I won't have to express the things I don't know how to say. I love this quote from Rita Rudner, and I think it fits me all too well. "It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life."

There are many flowery descriptions of love in literature. Elizabeth Barrett Browning's famous words on love are some of my favorites. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight, for the ends of being and ideal grace." 

The Bible also has many flowery descriptions of love. Song of Solomon 8:6,7 (VOICE) reads, "Love flares up like a blazing fire, a very ardent flame. No amount of water can quench love; a raging flood cannot drown it out."

Even though eloquent descriptions of love have their place, we all know that life in a relationship isn't always lofty prose and romantic ideals. One of my favorite, down-to-earth passages about love is found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (NIRV) "Two people are better than one. They can help each other in everything they do. Suppose either of them falls down. Then the one can help the other one up. But suppose a person falls down and doesn't have anyone to help them up. Then feel sorry for that person! Or suppose two people lie down together. Then they'll keep warm. But how can one person keep warm alone? One person could be overpowered. But two people can stand up for themselves."

This describes the long-term, everyday love that makes a relationship last. And that is what marriage anniversaries are celebrating. A marriage milestone means something. It is not just another day that comes and goes without recognition. It is a milestone on the path of life. As I try to put my feelings about love into words, I always come up short. I have no problem expressing myself on most topics, but my innermost feelings of love want to stay hidden.

Since I can't find my own words to express my feelings, I will use these words from Nicholas Sparks' book, The Notebook. "I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough."

Gentle Reader, whether you are in a brand new relationship or celebrating a milestone anniversary, it is something to applaud. King Soloman wrote, "Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth." Proverbs 5:18 (NKJV) and Paul wrote, "on top of all this you must put on love, which ties everything together and makes it complete." Colossians 3:14 (NTE) "Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything without weakening. Love never fails; never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end." 1 Corinthians 13:7,8 (AMPC) Every day is perfect for celebrating love!

Garden of the Gods

My An Arkie's Faith column from the June 8, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

Last month my wife and I went to Colorado to visit family. While there, I wandered the streets of Longmont, Colorado looking for the small two-room grade school I had attended for six years. When I turned off Hwy 287, I had missed the area by several blocks, but I eventually found it. The front of the building looked the same as it did fifty-plus years ago when I attended school there. But a large gymnasium had been added to the back of the building. It was no longer a school but now housed a church.

As I got out of the car to snap some photos, I remembered those years so long ago. Grades one through four were on the left side of the school, and grades five through eight were on the right. When I started the fifth grade and moved to the big room, I thought I had arrived. The back of each classroom was windows looking out over the playground and baseball diamond. I would sit in class and look out the windows, dreaming of baseball.

I was obsessed with baseball when I was in the fifth grade. The older boys loved baseball, and I wanted to be like them. I would beg my mom to get to school early because there was always a pickup baseball game before school started. As I sat in school and daydreamed, I was always a major league baseball player delivering a clutch hit in an important game.

Another fond memory of my grade school years was our field trips. Several times we made trips to the Colorado Springs area to visit the Air Force Academy, the Cave of the Winds, and the Garden of the Gods. I loved these trips, especially the grandeur of the Garden of the Gods.

While in Colorado, we attended the memorial service for a cousin in the Colorado Springs area. After the memorial, I suggested we go to the Garden of the Gods before returning to the Denver area. The weather was cold and rainy and visibility was poor as we drove to the park, but I knew that it was the only chance we would have to see the Garden of the Gods, so we continued. 

When we arrived, the massive three-hundred-foot-tall red rocks sticking straight out of the ground were easily visible through the misty, rainy, overcast skies. The magnificent sandstone rock formations were colored in rich oranges and reds, and the rain made the wet rocks even more beautiful than I had remembered. 

We stopped at the visitor center, and while I was there, I learned the origin story of the name Garden of the Gods. The area was first called Red Rock Corral, which seemed appropriate. But the name didn’t stick. In 1859, M. S. Beach and Rufus Cable, two railroad surveyors, were sent to set up and establish Colorado City. As they started surveying the area, Beach thought, “of all the places I have seen on the trip, this is one of the most beautiful.” 

“This is a capital place for a beer garden,” Beach remarked. The place wasn’t lush in the traditional sense of a garden but had a deep earthy feel. “Beer garden! Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble,” his partner, Rufus Cable, exclaimed. “We will call it the Garden of the Gods.” The area soon became a landmark in Colorado City and was known by the name the surveyors gave it, Garden of the Gods.

In 1879, railroad mogul Charles Elliot Perkins bought the portion of land containing many unusual formations. Perkins wanted the property to be open to the public for everyone to enjoy. After he died in 1907, Perkins’ family deeded the property to the City of Colorado Springs under several stipulations — one of which being that the park remain “forever free” and open to the public. To this day, there is no admission fee, even though the park became a National Monument in 1971 and is administered by the National Park Service.

We cut our visit short, wanting to return to Denver before the roads got bad from the snowstorm that was forecast. While I was admiring the view from the outdoor deck of the visitor center, large clumps of snowflakes began to fall. Though we didn’t get to spend as much time at the Garden of the Gods as we would have liked, the beauty of those deeply colored rain-soaked rocks will always be etched in my memory.

Spending time in nature has profoundly affected my spiritual life. Something about a towering tree, majestic rock formations, a colorful wildflower, tall mountain peaks, or a rushing waterfall reminds me that my God is incredible! I know Him better the more time I spend in God’s wonderful creation. In Psalms 19:1,2 (NLT), David wrote, “the heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.” Nature can show us God’s beauty, glory, power, presence, and creativity if we pay attention. In Romans 1:20 (NLT), the Bible tells us that “ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

Gentle Reader, I love being outside and awed by God’s creation. In our technologically advanced world, we often relegate God to an accessory that improves our lives. We’ve lost sight of God’s majesty. More than 50 years ago A.W. Tozer wrote, “With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence.” The next time you are out experiencing God’s majestic creation, whether here in the beautiful Ouachita Mountains, or some other place of natural beauty like the Garden of the Gods, wrap yourself in the feeling of God’s majesty and presence.

Con Men

My An Arkie's Faith column from the June 1, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

The well-dressed man walked into the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris. He made his way to a reception held in the ballroom and quickly began mingling with the guests. He looked like a movie star and possessed a hypnotic charm. He spoke five languages and made easy conversation with many wealthy and influential Parisian businessmen. 

The year was 1925, and Victor had recently arrived in Paris from the U.S. He was born in Austria-Hungary on January 4, 1890. Victor described his father and mother as the "poorest peasant people" who raised him in a grim house made from stone. As a teenager, he was a panhandler, pickpocket, burglar, and street hustler. 

When transatlantic travel resumed after the first world war, Victor frequently crossed the Atlantic on luxury liners, looking for marks among the first-class passengers. Dressed like a wealthy gentleman, he displayed impeccable manners and was smooth as silk. Victor made friends quickly and soon was on good terms with the voyage's most affluent passengers. During the 1920s, he lived in America with detectives from over forty cities looking for him.

On the trip to Paris in 1925, he planned a con that swindling experts call "the big store." With contacts he had made at Hôtel de Crillon, he became known in Parisian business circles. Victor printed official-looking stationary, identifying him as Deputy Director of the Ministre de Postes et Telegraphes. He then wrote to the top people in the French scrap metal industry, inviting them to the hotel for a secret meeting to discuss removing the landmark. Absolute secrecy was critical, he insisted, to avoid a public uproar.

"Because of engineering faults, costly repairs, and political problems I cannot discuss, the tearing down of the Eiffel Tower has become mandatory," Victor told them in a quiet hotel room. "The tower would be sold to the highest bidder." Built for the 1889 Paris Exposition, the Eiffel Tower was only intended to stand for twenty years and then be dismantled. In 1925, it was 36 years old and a rusting eyesore. Incredible as it sounds now, many Parisians wanted it gone.

After the secret meeting, offers started rolling in. One dealer was especially eager to win the contract. Andre Poisson asked to meet Victor alone. He explained he was new to Paris and didn't have the insider connections the other dealers did. Victor said that he understood. As a government bureaucrat, he didn't make much money and had trouble making ends meet. But he insisted that selling the Eiffel Tower was a big decision and wanted to get it right. Andre took the hint. He paid $20,000 as earnest money for purchasing the Eiffel Tower and another $50,000 to guarantee his bid would be the winner.

Victor was on a train out of Paris within the hour with $70,000 in cash. He had pulled off his biggest con. Victor spent his entire life as a con man. He traveled with a trunk of disguises and could transform quickly into a rabbi, a priest, a bellhop, or a porter. Dressed like a baggage man, Victor could escape any hotel in a pinch and take his luggage with him. He used 47 aliases and carried dozens of fake passports. He created a web of lies so thick that even today, his true identity remains shrouded in mystery. 

I'm sure that no one has tried to sell you the Eiffel Tower, but I'm also sure that someone has tried to scam you. It seems like scams are everywhere. The internet makes it even easier for con men to deceive you. I hope you have done better seeing through con men than I have.

Last year, Jeff bid to put a new roof on my house. We both signed a professionally printed contract form. I gave him money to buy the 50 squares of shingles needed to do the job. He had one pallet, six squares of shingles, delivered to my house, and told me that he would start the work in two days. Jeff called instead of beginning work and said he and the other roofer had contracted Covid. Many people in our community were sick with Covid, so I didn't see a red flag. After two weeks, I called Jeff to see how he was doing and when work would start on my roof. He would never answer the phone. I called the number of the other roofer, and he wouldn't answer either. 

When I took my contract and canceled checks to the police department, they immediately knew I had been conned. Jeff was well-known by the police, but not by the last name he gave me. I was not the first person in town to be scammed. This is a sinful world, and many people can't be trusted. Con men and women are out there, ready to lie to us and rip us off. 

Lying is popular today. That's because we have believed the devil's lie that truth doesn't matter. Satan has convinced many Christians that there is no such thing as absolute truth, so there can be no absolute lie. The end justifies the means, and there are no lies, just alternative facts. That's the big con, and it started in the Garden of Eden. "The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, "Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?" "Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden," the woman replied. "It's only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, 'You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.'" "You won't die!" the serpent replied to the woman. "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil." Genesis 3:1-5 (NLT)

Gentle Reader, con men are all around us. But the original con man is the devil. "He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44 (NLT) The Bible advises us to "be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 (AMP) Watch out for con men like Victor and Jeff. They want to separate you from your money. But even more, watch out for the original con man, Satan. He wants to separate you from God. 

Remembering Aunt Opal

My An Arkie's Faith column from the May 25, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces staged a surprise attack on the American naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Japanese planes sank or damaged 18 warships and destroyed 164 aircraft in a two-hour surprise attack. Over 2,400 servicemen and civilians lost their lives. The next day, the United States Congress declared war, and everyday life across the country changed.

Candy and sweets were in short supply. In early 1942, the U.S. government established a rationing program that set limits on the amount of gas, food, and clothing each person could purchase. Families were issued ration stamps that were used to buy their allotment of everything from meat, sugar, fat, butter, vegetables and fruit, to gas, tires, clothing, and fuel oil. Sugar became the first food item to be rationed. Wholesalers, retailers, bakeries, and industrial users of sugar were registered for sugar ration books in April 1942.

My Grandpa Lawry had a sweet tooth. Knowing him and his love for sweets, I can only imagine how hard sugar rationing was on him. But even with the wartime rationing, he would manage to bring home candy for his kids every paycheck. Oh, how they looked forward to the days when they knew there would be candy.

When my Grandpa would come home with his precious bag of candy, 13-year-old Opal was in charge of carefully dividing the spoils. The most common candy that Grandpa could purchase was Boston Baked Beans. Opal would conscientiously count out three equal piles, one piece at a time. Bobby and Delbert, aged 5 and 10, would quickly eat their small portion of the candy, but Opal would save hers for later. When she had candy left, and her brothers didn't, she would share her part with them. 

In February 2020, I attended my Aunt Opal's memorial service in Ooltewah, Tennessee. During the ceremony, my Daddy told the story of Opal sharing her candy. His voice cracked with emotion as he remembered her kindness and thoughtfulness. Person after person talked about Opal's concern for others and her selflessness. These things are expected at memorials, where people tend to embellish a person's better qualities. But in my Aunt Opal's case, there was no embellishment needed. She may be the sweetest, kindest, most loving person I have ever known. I can never remember her saying one bad thing about anyone in my entire life.

Life wasn't easy for Opal. She suffered many trials and difficulties. But she seemed to have the capability of handling life's pressures and disappointments with grace and dignity. She was able to follow the counsel of James. "Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4 (CSB) In life, we will have troubles. But instead of thinking that we should live a trouble-free life, it's much better to expect bumps in the road and yet learn how to find joy in them. There's a joy that comes from knowing that God is in control of every single situation in our lives.

Opal spent her life encouraging and inspiring others. She followed the counsel found in Hebrews 3:13 (NIV). "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called 'Today,' so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." It is easy to find something to bring people down, such as a discouraging word, a disapproving look, or disrespectful actions. Many Christians gossip about the problems of others. But you don't talk about someone to build them up; you do it to belittle them or cast doubt on their character. In Proverbs 12:18 (CEV), the Bible tells us, "Sharp words cut like a sword, but words of wisdom heal."

I'm sure that sometimes in her life, Opal said sharp words. None of us are perfect. But she strived to follow Paul's admonition found in Ephesians 4:29 (NOG), where he wrote, "Don't say anything that would hurt another person. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you." And in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV), "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up."

Opal always seemed content and happy no matter what her circumstances were. She grew up during the Great Depression with very few possessions. Life handed her some financial setbacks. But these words of Paul could have been written by Opal. "I have learned to be satisfied with what I have and with whatever happens. I know how to live when I am poor and when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing." Philippians 4:11,12 (ERV)

The secret to contentment is a simple one. It does not require displays of religious fervor. It is just the opposite. Christians who focus their lives on their works are never content. Contentment comes from a simple childlike response to life's ups and downs. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV)

Summing up my Aunt Opal's life is difficult because she lived such a full life. But I think the words of Jesus found in Matthew 22:37-39 (NLT) are very applicable. '"You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Anyone who knew Opal could see that she loved God with all her heart, and she loved her neighbor as herself.

Gentle Reader, I want to live my life so that when I am gone, I will be remembered for loving God and loving my neighbor. I want to be remembered as someone kind, thoughtful, and encouraging. I want to be recognized as someone content with whatever situation I was in because I trusted God. I want to be remembered as my Aunt Opal is remembered.

The Errant Sheet Music

My An Arkie's Faith column from the May 18, 2022, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

My granddaughters looked beautiful in their dresses as we made our way out the door and headed to the spring piano recital. They had been practicing their recital pieces, and it sounded great to me. I asked them if they were nervous, and they answered, "a little" and "not really." Seeing their confidence and composure reminded me of the years I took music lessons and was always terrified of recitals. But instead of being scared, they seemed excited.

We made our way inside the sanctuary when we arrived at the United Pentecostal Church of Ringgold. The piano students sat in the first two rows, and my granddaughters found their seats with the other students. When the recital began, the twitter of conversation died down, and the room became silent as everyone listened and hoped that each student would play their best. I sent up a silent prayer for each performer, remembering sweating through recital performances as a kid and hoping that no one would experience the panic that I always felt.

My granddaughter, Elisabeth, was second to play in the recital. As she stepped up to the piano and sat down, I slipped from my seat and made my way up the outer aisle to where I could film her. A few seconds after she started playing, the air conditioning came on in the sanctuary. As I filmed, I watched as the air from the air conditioning vent began to rustle the sheet music on the piano. The left side of the sheet music raised off the piano and looked like it might close. I watched the sheet music with a horrified fascination as it slowly waved back and forth. The page moved almost ninety degrees several times before drifting back down into place.

I feared that the distraction of the moving sheet music would cause Elisabeth to stumble as she played, but she handled the situation with a poise and maturity that amazed me. One time I saw a small expression of alarm on her face when it appeared that the sheet music might blow closed, but the page drifted back down as she played on. As the drama of the errant sheet music continued, I breathed a prayer, "please don't let this sheet music spoil her performance and cause her embarrassment." I let out a sigh of relief when Elisabeth finished the piece with no mistakes. Her following two pieces were played beautifully from memory, so there was no way that errant sheet music could spoil them.

After the recital, I talked to my granddaughters and told them I was proud of them. When I mentioned the errant sheet music, I found out that the audience was unaware of the drama. The way the piano was positioned, the errant sheet music could only be seen from where I was filming. No one listening to Elisabeth play had any idea of the difficulties she was experiencing. I thought about how often we see other people and think we know them well, but we cant see their struggles.

While I watched the errant sheet music and listened to the other piano students, I remembered growing up and taking music lessons. I played the trumpet and was in the band. I didn't mind practicing and could always learn to play my pieces correctly, but my nerves would get the best of me when it was a performance. I have terrible memories of botched performances. Once I was scheduled to play a trumpet solo for a church area youth conference. On the way to the meeting, we had car trouble, making us late in arriving. I was so unnerved that I could hardly make a sound with my trumpet. I wanted the ground to open and swallow me.

Have you ever found that something that you can do, have done, and have practiced many times, fails you when you are under pressure? For me, that was my trumpet. No matter how hard I practiced, I would make mistakes when playing for my music teacher or in front of an audience. In my junior year of high school, I transferred to a larger school and was too intimidated to try out for the band. I eventually stopped taking lessons, telling my parents that the pressure was too much. My trumpet sits forlornly in the garage. Now I can barely make a sound.

I recently heard a story that I'm sure never happened. But I liked the story and its application, so I will share it with you anyway. We will call it a parable.

A famous concert pianist was preparing for a show when a group of admirers came to the concert hall. A little boy was there with his mother. He wandered away from her and found himself on a stage with a grand piano. Suddenly the curtains parted, and a spotlight lit the grand piano. The mother looked around for her son and saw him sitting at the piano on stage. He started playing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." The concert pianist walked up to the boy, put his arms around him, and began playing a counter melody as he whispered, "keep playing; you're doing great." The audience was mesmerized as he played alongside the boy. When they finished, the audience rose in applause.

Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13 (NKJV), "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." What we do for God in our own strength is like playing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in a concert hall. For us to accomplish anything worthwhile, God will have to be by our side.

Gentle Reader, life is a lot like a piano recital. Whatever we do, people are watching us. While they see our actions, they may never see the errant sheet music that makes us panic. The best thing we can do is ask God to lead our lives. God will sit down beside us and turn our music into something beautiful. Jesus tells us in John 15:4 (NCV), "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. A branch cannot produce fruit alone but must remain in the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit alone but must remain in me."

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Watch Elisabeth and the errant sheet music