They Really Weren't Related

My mother's cousin, Arthur Calvin Smith, would have been 107 years old on his birthday on December 29th. When she discovered the almost-50-year-old letter recently,  I felt compelled to write this week's blog post.

My dad, Edmund Gates, Jr., always claimed “kin” to Bob Hopper. Dad waved at him each morning and evening as Bob drove by the farm picking up and delivering the Bend bus riders. Dad bought a lot of cattle feed from him, too.

I knew Calvin Callcayah Smith, my maternal grandfather, and Ruben Hopper, the father of Bob Hopper, had moved to Osage County from Hickory Grove in Delaware County in Eastern Oklahoma in the 1920s. Even though Grandpa was older than Mr. Hopper, I knew they were life-long friends. Yet my mother, Bernyce Gates, always disagreed with Dad’s statement about her familial relationship with the Hopper family.

My inquisitive nature as a kid began to delve into this incongruity in my parents’ assessment of who were relatives and who were not. Usually, my parents agreed on most things. However, since I knew my mother valued accuracy in what she said and did, I inquired about why Dad stated she and the Hoppers were related.

In her matter-a-fact tone, she downplayed Dad’s insistence on kinship. She reluctantly began what appeared an arduous explanation. Mother never valued repeating family history as frequently as Dad did.

John Datus and Martha Jones Smith from their 
granddaughter, Rayma Smith Redden's collection.
Interesting fact: Both J.D. and Martha were original 
Cherokee allottees on the Dawes Roll of 1907. 

Arthur Calvin  and Margorie Smith - from the 

  collection of Elizabeth Purcell Hammer, my
mother's cousin.

She said her father’s oldest brother, John Datus Smith, nine years older than my grandpa, married Martha Jones. Martha was the older sister (by 15 years) of Velma Jones Hopper. Mother was correct. She was not related to Bob Hopper and his siblings, but they shared the same first cousins, Arthur, Margie, and Colleen Smith.

There is a second way Mother shared relatives with Ruben and Velma Jones Hopper and their children. Mrs. Hopper’s uncle, Joe Jones, the brother of her father, married my grandpa’s sister, Susie Smith. Dad never mentioned this, but based on this Jones-Smith family connection, Mrs. Velma Hopper and my mother shared three cousins, too!

           This past month, Mother discovered a letter from Arthur Smith to my grandparents almost 50 years ago. At the age of three, I recall the only time I met Arthur - the day of his father’s funeral. As with all the Smith relatives, he had a nickname, Ott.

Many times, I heard Grandpa pray for Ott. My grandma had a reputation for being a “radical” Christian or a “fanatic” in her beliefs. As a preschooler, I learned those words as they were associated with Grandma’s strong commitment. Yet Ott’s letter addressed to both my grandparents seemed to be directed more to Grandpa.

The three-page letter indicated Arthur was battling illness. He chronicled briefly his quest for peace with the Lord, his yielding of his will to the Lord and his ultimate conversion. Even though, the letter was written almost a half century ago, it came alive as I read it for the first time. This quote jumped out at me.

Transcription of quote: Uncle Calvin I just want to be one of the
 humblest for Jesus and serve him the rest of my life. I ask him
every night to forgive me for any wrongs that I might of thought
 or said during that day and to help me through the next day. 

          Each of us can make a difference in lives of our loved ones and friends for eternity as we point them to Jesus. What surprise to see the signature was Arthur Calvin Smith! Grandpa had no son or grandson. I never knew he had a nephew named for him. But as I concluded the letter, I recalled verses written by the Apostle Paul to his spiritual protégé, Timothy. In the first letter Paul wrote to Timothy, he addressed it “To Timothy, a true son in the faith.” As I thought about Grandpa’s relationship with Arthur Calvin, this verse encapsulated Grandpa’s prayer for his nephew.

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 
2 Timothy 2:9

May our strength in 2019 be in the grace of Christ Jesus. A simplistic definition of grace is “getting something we are undeserving to receive.” This is an easy-to-recall acrostic for understanding grace.

God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense

When we realize what God has done for us in His mercy (not getting the consequences we deserve as sinners) by showing us His grace, our only response must be showing grace over and over each day. Showing kindness in the middle of chaos, offering forgiveness in your heart without receiving an apology, responding with patience in adversity,  retaining a pleasant attitude when surrounded by critics and choosing to react in each situation as God's Spirit instructs us. 

The Nightmare After Christmas Shopping

LAST MINUTE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING IN 1956

1956 had been a life-altering year for my mother. She had an uneventful pregnancy but a challenging delivery in early June when I was born. She and I were hospitalized for 10 days. 

When Christmas rolled around, her strength had not returned. The endless diapers to launder – disposable ones were not widely marketed in the mid-50s. I deducted that I slept fitfully making rest difficult for my mother. (When my younger sister was born and slept through the night, my parents breathed a prayer of relief.) To top everything, I battled asthma as a baby. Quick trips to the doctor were required to stabilize my breathing.

Mother liked to be “in the mood” to Christmas shop. Her perfectionism led to procrastination. Not feeling as strong as she had a year ago also contributed to the last-minute shopping excursion.

From my earliest memories, farm responsibilities, specifically poultry chores, took precedence over all else. Many times, Angie and I had to help get chickens – 200-500 hens with a sprinkling of roosters – into the chicken house if we were leaving and not returning until after darkness would fall.

The plan for the Christmas shopping trip to Ponca City targeted being home before dark. Of course, all December days are short on daylight. Grandma Gladys Rainey Smith was willing to keep me in the car while Mother shopped. The premier shopping occurred on Grand Avenue in downtown Ponca City in the mid-1950s.

Cuzalina’s Drug Store’s employees were promoting instant developing cameras that evening. They photographed each willing customer and promptly gave them the print that developed on the spot. Anytime Mother looked at the photo below she lamented the awful scene they found upon arriving at the farm that fateful night. (Another Christmas blog that involved Cuzalina’s Drug can be accessed at: https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2016/12/some-extravagant-gifts-of-1940s-at.html )

Edmund Gates, Jr., Bernyce Smith Gates, and Calvin Callcayah Smith 
Mother noted wearing hair rolled or in pin curls in public  was not a taboo then.

            Trying to cram all Christmas shopping into one day resulted in arriving home after dark. My grandpa, Calvin Callcayah Smith, alighted from the car and walked briskly to shut up the chickens in the chicken house to the west of the house on the Jefferson place leased by my family.

As he neared the chicken house, he smelled the strong odor of a skunk. Upon entering the henhouse, to Grandpa’s horror, decapitated chickens lay around with the destructive predator still killing. (My mother always seeks to be accurate in her recollections. She does not recall whether Grandpa or Dad took out the perpetrator. With laser precision, she can unequivocally state NO leniency was extended to the killer skunk.)

My grandmother, Gladys Rainey Smith, assessed quickly that some badly injured hens could be salvaged and slaughtered for food and lessen the economic damage. Dressing or plucking feathers and processing the hens required the tired shoppers work into the wee hours of the morning to recoup some gain from a great loss.

What a blow to a family poultry operation! My parents and grandparents depended on the laying hen operation to buy the groceries throughout the year. As laughable as it appears now, the egg money was kept in a recycled cigar box from somewhere. (Angie as a preschooler loved to count money. The egg money box was off-limits. To ensure she stayed out of the box a realistic-looking plastic spider was strategically placed on top of the egg money. Angie’s dislike of arachnids kept her out of the egg money box.) Who knows where that cigar box originated since, during my lifetime, no one in the family used tobacco in any form? Nevertheless, the family recovered from the chicken killing perpetrated by the skunk and celebrated Christmas.

Almost every Christmas, some family experiences loss, injury, death or devastation, much worse than my parents and grandparents had in 1956. Yet Christmas observance is not about a season of perfection.

When we reflect on the first Christmas, a manger was not Mary’s first choice for her precious Baby’s crib. She remembered vividly Gabriel’s words Son of the Most High. A manger with dried animal slobbers seemed all wrong for a baby of divine distinction.

There may have been a feeling of measured panic as Joseph sought a suitable spot for the birth of the Son of God. He knew Isaiah prophesied of the coming of  Emmanuel – God With Us. Gabriel had told him explicitly in a dream that this baby was He who would save His people from their sins.
The overreaching government of Rome invaded lives in Galilee where Joseph and Mary lived. The powerful iron fist of Rome demanded the couple travel to Bethlehem in Judea for a census. A forceful military presence and Roman tax collectors occupying the region would be sure taxes were not evaded. The leader of their region could be described as a paranoid politician determined to retain his power no matter the cost in human life. Surely this was not the right timing or place for the tiny Son of God to enter the world. (To access another blog written about Herod the Great, the ruler at the time of the birth of Jesus, click on: https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2017/01/on-path-of-humility-for-success-in-new.html)
Oh no, this was God’s plan down to the last detail. He specialized and still does in the unlikely, the impossible, and the unthinkable. For this cause, many people miss God at work in their day-to-day chaos. Often, what they see or experience doesn’t fit their plans or their wishes. But God reminds us His ways are higher than our ways.
Lord Jesus, may we see Your peace in our chaos, Your joy in our disappointments, Your salvation in our sinful state, and Your presence in our loneliness. Emmanuel, God with Us, grant our prayer this Christmas.

An Airman's Christmas in England in 1943

Airmen from the 482nd Bomb Group, 813th
 Squadron.  Standing - Harold Armstrong, Tom
Kon (KIA), Edmund Gates, Jr.
Kneeling - Edward Frierserger (KIA)
and William H. Wescott (POW)

             Seventy-five years ago, my father, a Tech Sergeant serving as an upper turret gunner and flight engineer on a B-17 flying Fortress, flew combat missions on a B-17 Flying Fortress crew. Each of his missions originated in England. During 1943, the 482nd bomb group, the only bomb group activated outside the United States, was formed specifically to designate crews trained to use Pathfinder, the latest technology to bomb through the overcast. As a Pathfinder crew, Dad's crew always led the squadron during his final seven missions.

Christmas Card to Dad from Mother

           The following excerpts from the chapter entitled 1943 from Dad’s World War II memoirs, Okie Over Europe, provide insight to a Christmas celebration on the Alconbury Air Base located in the shire of Cambridge, 67 miles from London. This marked the third Christmas in succession Dad had spent away from his family in the Big Bend. The primary sources for his memoirs were Dad’s memories and Dad’s v-mails written to my mother, Bernyce Smith Gates, a 19-year-old Bender, and preserved by her. All of his v-mails were censored before being sent to my mother so nothing about his missions was ever mentioned.

Postcard from Lt. Marion Roberts, Dad's

 brother-in-law, serving in the Pacific Theater

Gift from Home

Edmund wrote in his v-mail to Bernyce of December 19, 1943, of receiving a two-pound box of pecans. He told her the other boys on the crew had already eaten them. He wrote, “Nuts are very scarce in England.” Incidentally, pecans are indigenous only to certain parts of the United States. Edmund had received a “swell” Christmas greeting from the Belford Sunday School where Bernyce and her family attended weekly.

A Gift from the Belford Sunday School

A small Pictorial Gospel of John was another piece of memorabilia in Edmund’s tattered, old World War II keepsake box. The Belford Sunday School had sent this to him. Bernyce’s mother had written the inscription to Edmund inside the front cover of this little missal. All young servicemen from the Big Bend community had been mailed one of these miniature booklets of scripture. This small gesture shown by a loving, but tiny congregation exemplified the level of support ordinary citizens gave to all servicemen deployed. More importantly, all over the nation, congregations were fervently praying for the safety of the troops and the preservation of freedom and liberty for the country.

Planning for Christmas

On December 22, 1943, when writing his v-mail to Bernyce, he described the night as “quiet” because his crew was sitting around reading, writing, and listening to the radio. They had just gotten back from being in London on a three-day pass. His comment to her was: “We don’t get three days very often.” He also told her that they were hosting a party for the war orphans. The ages of the children were from five to nine years of age. He said they were going to each escort one child. He also gleefully related that he and the other soldiers had lots of candy and gum saved up for the children. He said they “sure will enjoy it.”

 December 25, 1943

Most of the children were evacuees from London. Christmas of 1943 was a time for Edmund to make others happy. The entire squadron “adopted” English children for the day. He celebrated with two little English girls who had been displaced due to the blitzkrieg. Edmund visited with them and then watched them open gifts that brought so much delight to the three of them. Nothing like the analogous difficulty of displacement from the comfort and security of their loving homes and families could provide such common ground for these three souls to bask in a few moments of happiness during that holiday celebration.

Writing My Mother about His Christmas Day

Edmund penned a v-mail the day after Christmas to Bernyce describing his Christmas dinner as “swell.” They had turkey, cranberries, and everything to go with it. Ice cream was a treat for dessert. In the afternoon, they had a party for the children from nearby towns, approximately two hundred in all. The holiday events consisted of a “kiddie” show and a trip out “on the airdrome” to see a bomber. He told her they also had given out toys, gifts, and all the ice cream and candy the children could eat. Edmund reported that the children had the time of their lives. Edmund and the two little nine-year-old girls he entertained shared one afternoon that transcended the horrors of war and the painful separations that it dictated, enabling them to revel in the joy that so intrinsically defines Christmas the world over.

Afterthought  - As I researched this blog post, I stumbled onto the photograph to the left on the site,  http://www.482nd.org/history . The photograph was taken of the midnight mass at Alconbury Air Base in England in 1943.
My father was not a Christian when he flew the combat missions in Europe. He indicated when talking of his military experiences that he went in "with the Catholic boys" before his missions.

Throughout my life, I heard Dad often say, "A person needs to know Jesus." After returning to the States his relationship with the Lord began when he received Jesus - much as so many of us will receive joyfully a precious gift from a loved one this Christmas season. Dad nurtured the relationship on a daily basis. He talked or prayed to the Lord with simple, but trusting statements like this in his prayers- Lord, We know You control the weather. 
May each of us celebrate the birth of Christ this Christmas season but continue to foster daily our relationship with Him, filled with trust, all throughout the year.

A Strong Foundation of the Bend

A 46-Year-Old Get-Well Card

                Mother treasures cards, letters, and notes. She views them as extensions of the writer or sender. This week she discovered a get-well card dating back to December 10, 1972, addressed to my grandmother, Gladys Rainey Smith.

                Upon seeing the signatures, remembrances flooded my memory. The sender was not an individual or a family but the Big Bend Women’s Bible Study. I realized only one of the card signers still lives in the Bend – Ruth Ann Hightower.

                Only Ruth Ann still lives in the Bend. Those who have moved retain ties to the Bend. Most of the women who signed the card to cheer Grandma but are deceased have progeny with ties to the Bend or their descendants are 21^st century Bend residents.

                The cherished friend of my paternal grandma, Mamie Tripp Gates, was Fern Anson. Grandma and Fern visited on the phone every day. Usually on Friday, Fern picked up Grandma for a trip into town for buying groceries, going to the doctor, paying bills, or anything else that needed to be done. They ended the trip with a burger for lunch. Her son, Travis, and his wife, Barbara, live on the Anson home place.

                Lucille Rice Goad and Ann Christenson Goad, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, both have descendants living in the Bend. Ann’s two sons, Carl and Greg Goad have raised their families in the peninsula of the Arkansas River, known as the Bend. We worship each week with as many as a dozen of Lucille’s descendants. Soon fifteen from this family will be calling the Bend their home.

                Julia Myers came to the Bend in the 1920s as a school marm, married Harve Myers, and raised a houseful of children. She loved to study her Bible. Many of her descendants embrace her strong faith, making her faith their own, and serve as pastors, Bible teachers, and musicians in their churches. Her daughter-in-law, Pat Chance Myers, attends church with Mother and me each week.

                Mildred Holman Brock moved to the Bend in the 1970s. Her son, Lou continues to keep touch with Benders and serves as organist playing the historic organ at the Osage Baptist Church in Fairfax, Oklahoma.

                Karen Gardner Myers moved to the Bend as a newlywed. She and her grandmother-in-law, Julia Myers shared a love of the study of God’s Word. Karen continues her service in God’s kingdom at the Burbank Baptist Church with her music and teaching.

                Carol Welker Evatt settled in the Bend when newly married. Her five children were impacted by her faith. Her older son, Ward and his wife, Gretchen have moved back to the Bend. Every time I see Carol in Ponca City, where she now lives, we end up sharing precious memories from the Bend.

                Vera Goad and her husband retired to the Bend. As a seeker, she began studying with the ladies on a weekly basis primarily for getting to know women in the community. Her attendance was fueled by how comfortable the others made her feel. As a result of her study, she saw Jesus as the only way of salvation from her sins. She became assured of her home in heaven because of her trust in Him.

                Ruth Ann Hightower, the only Big Bend Bible study member who still lives in the Bend, serves the Lord as one of its older residents. One of the more memorable times this year was this summer. Ruth Ann pulled up to Vacation Bible School with about a half-dozen of her great grandkids several evenings! Her faith in the Lord still propels and provides strength for daily living.

Ruth Ann Hightower and Debbie Ballinger, her
daughter, at my parents' 60th wedding anniversary
photograph by Catherine Marie Photography

                Biblical principles lived out daily and the thoughtful treatment of neighbors remain strong in the Bend. In many homes, the truths of God’s Word and study of the Bible endure as the foundation. The continuance of this philosophy of life guarantees the area in the extreme southwestern part of Osage County will remain a sought-after place to live, raise a family, and build long-lasting friendships.

In the Old Testament as the Lord led the Israeli people in developing a thriving community, He gave guidelines for successful living, repeatedly saying, “I am the Lord” clearly saying as your Creator I know what is best for you. If His one command printed below would be enacted in all communities of our nation, the fear, the uncertainty, the grief and heartache prevalent in so many parts of our country would immediately lessen.

Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:18

The Big Bend Women’s Bible Study knew how to keep their community a desirable place to live. We pray daily for the community to retain the standard of the Big Bend Women’s Bible Study of yesteryear.

The Warmth of Nearness

The Power of Two (or More)

                Wild Tabby could have been characterized as a kitten manufacturing machine. She was a cat that just appeared here at the farm. After living here for about five years, she disappeared. To my horror, she left us with two little kittens. Unfortunately, none of our mother cats expressed compassion to care for those orphan kittens. Surprisingly, the two tiny ones wormed their way in to eat with the older kittens and cats. Like their mother, the skittish kittens resisted being held but would tolerate being petted gently while eating.

                As autumn brought a chill to the mornings and evenings, a sight warmed my heart on several occasions. The first time I viewed this, I was returning from checking the cattle. To my delight, the tiny tabby kitten was cuddled close to one of the older cats. Its head was resting on the neck of the older feline. Finally, I decided to chronicle compassion and togetherness in the cat kingdom when I saw three older cats keeping the littlest kitten living on the farm warm. 

Older cats warmed the little
orphan kitten by "sandwiching" it 
between the two of them.

                Often, we are reminded in the scripture to observe animals and their behavior. As I snapped these photos of the cats, I thought of Solomon’s passage in Ecclesiastes about the importance of comradery, encouragement, and helping one another. The King of Israel who ruled during the Golden Age pitied anyone who was alone in difficulty or even in work. Then the verse from the passage in Ecclesiates came to mind when I glimpsed the orphan kitten resting cozily between two of our older cats. Ecclesiastes 4:11 reads Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? King Solomon concluded with this phrase, …a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

                In sincerity, may we eagerly support the weak, befriend those alone, lift up the fallen, and come to the aid of the defenseless. As we enter the cold season, in a tangible way we can provide warmth to the one in need of  home heating fuel. 

               Shivering bodies and red, chapped hands should be cocooned in warmth provided by coats and gloves. James 2:15-16 says If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," and you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

              A word of encouragement can warm a heart. A scripture passage shines the glowing light of the awareness of the never-changing Father of lights into a heart frozen by incessant rejection and hurt. The epitome of successfully comforting, encouraging, and extending warmth shows in the restful peace visible in the countenance of the one so alone and so in need.

What a picture of peace on the face of the little orphan kitten as it rested between
Oreo Cookie Cat and Scaredy Cat!

The Stately Cottonwood in Autumn

Even though winter arrived before its scheduled appearance on the calendar and the featured cottonwood is devoid of leaves, I chose to post this autumnal offering this week. 

                Several times this autumn season, Mother and I viewed a gorgeous gold tree appearing to illuminate each trip between Ralston and the Bend. Our neighbors, Greg and Vonda Goad, mentioned glimpsing it quite a distance east of its location as they traveled back to their home in the Bend. Its stunning, stately brilliance stood silently but its seasonal message resounded loudly.

The stately cottonwood on the
Hightower place in Pawnee
County

                Striking colors of autumn signal the slow, gradual approach of the cold, brown winter. As with many others, I have drained and stored the garden hose and its cart. I made sure the brush and weeds around the stock tank are down even though Mother advised to “let Jack get it.” Thankfully, we have more hay than we have ever had on my watch. Dave Goad processed our hay. Caleb and Rick Rice helped on the hay front, too. A few inconsequential tasks remain unchecked on my “Prepare for Winter” mental list.

                God reminds us gently of the impending weather change. In the same way, Jesus warns his disciples to read the trees. In three of the four gospels, Jesus’s parable of the fig tree is recorded. He predicts the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurs in 70 A.D. when Titus, the Roman general who later ruled as emperor for a couple of years, decimates the revered city of the Israeli people. Jesus says as the fig tree leafing out indicates summer approaching, so the signs of which Jesus speaks alert the world to His second coming.

As Jesus spoke of the leaves of the fig tree, may
our autumn leaves encourage us to more obedience.

                Matthew 24:35, Mark 14:31, and Luke 21:33 record this quote from Jesus Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Jesus concludes His teaching to His disciples admonishing faithfulness and watchfulness.

                Mother enabled me to commit this verse to memory in my younger days by her oft quoting of it. James 4:17 stated Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. James, the half-brother of Jesus, ironically only believed Jesus was the Son of God and Savior of the world after the death and resurrection of Jesus. James reminded the early church that human lives are temporal and uncertain. For this reason, our goal should aim for faithfulness to His Word and anticipation of  His return.

                As the golden cottonwood shimmers in the glistening fall sunlight, may our lives of integrity exalt the Savior we worship. Then may we inspire those around us to faithfully follow His principles for a strong society, closely-knit families, and individual lives that stand stalwart no matter the season.

A Little Sadness at the First Freeze

As I post this, I mused about the summer of 2011 when the drought interfered with the productivity of  Dad's garden. I insisted in dragging the hose down the rows determined to keep the withering tomato plants on life support. More than once Dad called from his chair, "Let 'em go! They're dead!" My ultra-sensitivity caused me to persist well past fruitfulness!

Sadness over an Interruption in Fruitfulness

                As the meteorologist began predicting frost and freeze dates for our location, I mourned a bit. I told Mother a few weeks ago how prolific the perky, tiny yellow blooms were on a couple of the tomato plants. The mention of frost and freeze saddened me. Several of the hearty tomato plants would soon have their fruitfulness terminated abruptly.

One of the hearty tomato plants late in the season.

                The words of Jesus came to mind as I looked at those doomed plants. Jesus answered his disciples with these words recorded in John 9:4 -

I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

Jesus indicated there was a time of productivity in His ministry on earth. In the same way, there are timely windows of opportunities for us. Paul uses the phrase “redeeming the time.” My grandpa, Calvin Callcayah Smith, loved to read the Phillips translation of the New Testament. This is how Ephesians 5:15-17 is rendered:

Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days. Don’t be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of God.

                When I have been questioned about knowing the will of God, I start with the words of Jesus from John 6:40 when He succinctly answered that question-

“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Our starting point in knowing and doing the will of God begins with a belief in Jesus, the Son of God. This belief indicates a reliance on Him much as a child has complete dependence on the parent for all that is needed for that little one to exist. Some people confuse Biblical belief in Jesus with a mental assent or acknowledgement that someone such as George Washington lived. Agreeing that George Washington lived doesn’t alter our daily lives. Even if we add to our belief that Washington was an American Revolutionary War hero, the first United States president, and an influential founding father, our day-to-day existence remains unaffected. But Biblical belief in Jesus involves embracing His perfection. Only the perfect Son of God could die for our sins. The believer is assured of everlasting life because of the promise of Jesus to raise up that person that believes.

                One certainty of this life is that change will take place. Opportunities to do the will of God may disappear never to be presented again. I am keenly aware of how quickly occasions for ministry can disappear. Over my life, I have become painfully aware of limited chances to share the good news of Jesus and impact lives for good. I seek to heed the words and actions of Jesus and utilize the present time and opportunities.

                My mother celebrated her 94^th birthday last month. She commented to me how rapidly time seems to fly by. Her statement typified why intentional living in the present is essential to fruitfulness. Remorse over the past and worry about the future rob us of precious time and interrupt living fully in the present moment.

                One of the most important aspects of living in the present involves encouraging those God brings across our path. Our encouragement should reach the young who are beginning their walk with the Lord. Others need uplifting as they struggle with recovery from perceived failure. Fatigued and weary people we encounter benefit from our urging them to continue doing what is good and right, resisting the impulse to quit. In return, we receive profit from each person we encourage! This type of living ensures fruitfulness year-round in our lives and in those we encounter daily - no matter how cold it gets. Frost and freezing will not interfere with this fruitful productivity. 

                Finally, one of my favorite verse prayers in the Bible is in the Apostle John’s third epistle. What a beautiful prayer for someone in whom you see or desire to see fruitfulness! Nothing could bring more joy than prosperity of the soul of a loved one. 

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

III John 2

              Our Thanksgiving observances this week will likely afford an opportunity to encourage fruitfulness in at least one cherished family member. May this action make this a memorable Thanksgiving with far-reaching effects.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Veterans Day 2013 - Revisited After Five Years

With Veterans Day falling on Sunday, the day I post my weekly blog, it seemed appropriate to republish the first Veterans Day post I wrote. Change has occurred since Veterans Day 2013- Dad's death, both Belle and Little Vet are no longer on the farm. But as long as Old Glory waves over our nation, we must always have a heart full of gratitude that we express to the veterans we encounter not just on Veterans Day but every day of the year. This attitude of appreciation must never change. Respect and gratitude must be fostered in the youngest of our citizens. To readers who have served our country in peacetime or wartime, "Thank you for giving up those years of your lives to preserve the freedom we enjoy today."

Pretty Good Gift for the 94-Year-Old Veteran 

Veterans Day has changed so much for Dad. Prior to his stroke, he was always gearing up for a parade, a Woodland School Veterans Day observance, or even on occasion, a classroom presentation about his tour of duty in the European Theater in World War II. Now that day is punctuated primarily with me saying throughout the day, “Happy Veterans Day, Dad!”  and my sister Angie sharing heartfelt responses of gratitude from friends and relatives to her Facebook posting of a Veterans Day tribute  to him.

Dad with Raymond Renfro as Raymond drives
them in the Fairfax Veterans Day parade in 2011

Dad served his country in World War II flying combat missions over German-occupied territory as an upper turret gunner and flight engineer on a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. Upon returning from his military stint, his father gave him some cows and Dad resumed raising cattle. He always had cattle even when he was working eight-hour days constructing custom-built homes for neighbors and friends. So I was not surprised when just a few years ago I asked what he enjoyed doing most and he replied, "I like raising cattle best."

My Dad, Edmund Gates, Jr., and me
 following the Fairfax
Veterans Day parade in 2010

Veterans Day 2013 turned out a little more exciting and rewarding than we could have ever planned or engineered it to be. Late in the afternoon, I headed down to feed pellets to the cows. I had been on baby calf watch with Belle.  What joy when, lo and behold, there came Belle and a tiny white bull calf!  By the time I arrived at the house after feeding, I had decided to name Belle’s baby, Veteran, and could hardly wait to tell Dad what a wonderful blessing God had given him on this special day. My sister has dubbed him “Little Vet" which seems to have stuck.

Belle and Little Vet on Veterans Day of 2013

Of course, Dad didn’t attend the parades or observances. No classroom presentations were made, but I truly believe God gave this courageous veteran who risked his life for his country one of the best gifts a cattleman, by choice, could want –  an indication of God’s blessing on the future of his herd – a new little calf. Maybe Little Vet is an unusual Veterans Day gift, but I think he is a pretty good gift for my dad , the decorated World War II veteran and still an Oklahoma cowman at heart.

A Perfect Addendum to Veterans Day 2013

Dad with his certificate from Woodland School

A large envelope addressed to Dad arrived in the mail on Friday. It had a note of gratitude from our district’s elementary principal, Claudette Mashburn, accompanied by a personalized certificate of appreciation and honor presented at the Veterans Day School Observance on Monday. It made his day!

Gardening, Symbiosis, and Relationships

Marigolds and Tomatoes – a Symbiotic Relationship

                 Early each spring, Dad and Mother ordered specific miniature marigold seeds to plant in rows along side his rows of vegetables as pest-preventatives. They selected zinnia seeds based upon the large flowers they would produce. These seed packets were ordered in a timely manner from Henry Field’s Seed Catalog. Their seed order included Kandy Korn sweet corn, Kentucky Wonder green beans, Black Magic zucchini, Clemson spineless okra, and Miss Pickler hybrid pickling cucumber.

                Since moving to the farm, I have only attempted growing tomatoes. Yet I recognized the need for the little marigolds and zinnias. Not being as forward-thinking in my garden plan, I had to grab the only seeds I could find for a fraction of the price. As I read the seed packets once I got them home, the description revealed I had indeed purchased marigold and zinnia seeds but quite different from the ones ordered by my parents in previous years. 

One of the little zinnias blooming on November 1.

                I didn't purchase my marigold seeds as carefully as my parents had so I did not have miniatures. Neither did I plant them in the distinct rows as Dad did. I just broadcasted the seeds. I shouldn't have been surprised as they grew in what appeared to be mounds.  

Mound of Marigolds

                As autumn wound down, the marigold bushes still looked gorgeous. The few ripe tomatoes were on plants close to the vibrant reddish-tinged orange marigold flowers. The last ripe tomato was on the tomato plant next to the zinnias.

                As I looked at withering tomato plants, dwindling zinnias, and robust, thriving marigolds, the term – symbiotic – came to mind. Symbiotic relationships in nature often indicate two species, quite different but frequently a helpful influence on one another. In the case of the beneficial little flowering plants, the tomatoes seem to reap the most advantages from the insects and pests being kept away from them by the pungent posies.

                Relationships of human beings can be categorized as symbiotic. Symbiotic relationships usually are characterized as positive. Scripture bears this to be true in I Peter 2:12 –

Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors.

Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior,

And they will believe and give honor to God when He comes to judge the world. (NLT)

                As believers, how we live affects those around us, just as the marigolds affect the health of the tomato plants. Our daily living should influence those near us. They should see God in our words, attitudes, and decisions. Those around us may never become believers, but our commitment to live godly lives in accordance with His commands will enrich their lives.

Marigolds on November 1, 2018

                Unfortunately, just as the tomato hornworm negatively impacts the tomato plants, (To read a blog post about the tomato hornworm, go to this link - https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-puffy-pest.html) so symbiotic relationships can be likewise. The Bible records multiple warnings of harmful symbiotic relationships. The corrosive impact of these adverse associations are documented in the life of King Solomon, with these foreboding words – ...His wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God… (I Kings 11:4)

                Paul mentioned the trouble-making coppersmith named Alexander who sought to personally harm him. He reminded Timothy in II Timothy 4: 14-15 to be wary of Alexander. A relationship with this man would prove destructive to Timothy's ministry.

                May our relationships have positive symbiotic results. Even if people around us disagree with our beliefs, may they see our authenticity, ethically upright decisions, and graciousness even in our dissent with them.
…Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope, that is in you, with meekness and fear; Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, Those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.    I Peter 3:15-16

The Window Opening Mysteriously

          

           The cool, damp fall morning found me motoring into town. My once-a-week trip from the farm into town had an exhaustive list of errands to do. As I sang along with “Fear Not Tomorrow,” suddenly I felt air coming from the back-left window behind me almost simultaneously with hitting one of the many chug holes. I began to fear today! Without taking my eyes off the road, I moved my left hand to close the back-left window. Instantly, no more unwanted air blew onto me. I had hardly gone a quarter of a mile, hit a smaller bump, and sensed the same window was down. Instinctively, I reached to raise the window but unsuccessfully. Thoughts began emitting from my mind like fireworks exploding on fourth of July. Some of the thoughts blasting around me - The last time you had window problems was in the summer. It’s cold today. You went straight to the dealership. It was a pricey repair. Today you have responsibilities you NEED to fulfill. This is probably the end for your old car. You haven’t researched for car buying. Plus you have those two bags of trash. Lord, this wasn’t how I wanted today to go. FINALLY, Please stop me. Give me wisdom.

The Mysterious Open Window

By this time, I had pulled my car to a stop in a safe place. Hopping out, I opened the back door with the mysterious window. I breathed a prayer of relief upon instantly realizing the trash bag was the culprit rolling down the back window. As I re-positioned the trash bag to avoid a chilly ride the rest of the way into town, I said, “Thank you, Lord.”

Getting back into the car, I pulled onto the road. My mind rolled back to the years we cared for Dad. Many days found us in territory new to us. Moving from being a seasoned educator teaching third graders for over 30 years to an on-the-job crash course in caring for a stroke recovery patient. Even greater trepidation surrounded my transition from teaching little third graders to caring for large animals.. Novice provided the most accurate description when I assumed full responsibility for day-to-day cattle care. Suddenly being faced with “calling the shots” led to periods of anxiety and fear.

Mother kept many television programs on to build us up spiritually during those years. Reading, a hobby I loved, took second place to Dad’s care. I didn’t stop reading. I just read considerably less. During our care for Dad, I learned an acrostic from Zig Zigler, a motivational speaker. It impacted me so much that I posted a it on the refrigerator in large print.

  False

         Evidence

           Appearing
      Real

Acrostic attributed to Zig  Ziglar

Over the last several years, numerous times I recalled this powerful acrostic. The mysterious opening of the car window illustrated clearly the explanation given by the acrostic. The false evidence was the unexplained rolling down of the window. There was no person or animal in the back seat of my car. The only real evidence was the chilly breeze invading the car through an open car window. The only real explanation for me as I drove appeared to be a malfunction, but it proved to be false.

My little incident of the bag of trash opening the car window proved humorous to retell, but how many times do we allow our initial fear to dominate and propel us into ungodly or wrong thinking? Our perceived fear catapults us into worry, bypassing prayer that would affirm our trust in the Almighty God. Instead of reacting with faith in His control, we resort to weakening fear.
Ironically, I felt I had the opened window mystery solved when I pressed the window control on my car door. As if to remind me of how little control I have, the inanimate bag of trash opened the window again and kept me from shutting the cool air out of the car, no matter how diligently I tried to close it.

I thought I had control when I hit this!

Regardless of how knowledgeable, astute, and solution-savvy 21st century people may consider themselves, how humbling for me to realize a lowly sack destined for a landfill outsmarted me momentarily. 

Frequently, I find false evidence appearing real in my life. You may, too. As we include the Lord in our responses to the unexpected, may these verses encourage us this week when cold air blows suddenly into our lives.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, 
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:11

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Psalm 56:3