Bedlam Bend Connections

          Most people in the Bend are probably siding with either the Sooners or the Cowboys as Bedlam rolls around.  But there is a little one with Bend ties who knows a Bedlam coach. As Dad would say, “If that little man walked in the room, Mike Gundy would recognize him.”

          Here’s how the grandson of our neighbors, Greg and Vonda Goad, developed a friendship with Mike Gundy. Harrison, their grandson, attended most of the Stillwater High School’s home football games. His uncle, Tucker Barnard, coaches the varsity football team of Stillwater High School. Gunnar Gundy leads the charge for Coach Barnard’s Stillwater Pioneers. Gunnar Gundy is the one of the sons of Mike Gundy, the head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Coach Gundy and Harrison

Recently, Greg let Harrison
open the gate when checking
cattle. Harrison waited until
his grandpa drove through
and promptly shut the gate.
As he climbed into the pickup,
he turned to Greg and spoke
with utmost sincerity, "Baboo,
Thank you for letting me open
the gate."  
 Oh that we would respond with
such gratitude to the tasks God
gives us to do!
(Baboo or Babu is a term of 
respect from the Hindi 
language.)

          Harrison, his little sister and his parents, Suni and Mark Carter enjoyed preferred seating with his maternal grandma, Denta Carter and his aunt, McKale Carter Barnard. Harrison’s outgoing personality compelled him to greet the man sporting the mullet. As a result of his first meeting, Harrison made a friend. During some home games, Harrison and Mike Gundy spent a little time visiting.

          Harrison’s actions during high school football season stands as an example of what Jesus meant when He said, “Become as children.” Children have a trusting nature. Harrison didn’t have to “size-up” Coach Gundy before deciding to talk with him.

Young children are seldom respecters of persons. Harrison had no idea the resume of Coach Gundy. He just wanted to be friendly. Proverbs 18:24 says “A man who has friends must himself be friendly…”

Jesus included in one of his prayers recorded in the New Testament the need for adults to be like children in order to understand and enter into a relationship with God.

“Father, You are Lord of heaven and earth. I thank You because You have hidden these things from people who are wise and know many things. But You have shown them to people who are like children.” Matthew 11:25

Jesus continued thanking His Father for revealing God’s multi-faceted nature to the world through Christ’s life. He then issued one of the most compelling invitations in scripture.

“Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

In the next couple of verses, Jesus requested tenderly for those who “come” to Him to “yoke up” with Him in service and in turn, “find rest for your souls.”

A few years ago, another young one with Big Bend connections illustrated the request of Jesus to “yoke up” with Him. The little-four-year-old anticipated with great joy every Big Bend visit to his “Grand Pere” as he referred to Hubert Hutchens, his great-grandfather. He loved laboring alongside his much-loved “Grand Pere.” Charlotte, Hube’s wife, said their little great-grandson, Damien, insisted on shadowing Hubert one entire late summer weekend. The little guy stayed right beside Hube as he fed the animals and even gathered prickly okra from the garden with him. Being in Hubert’s presence and working right next to him was this young one’s only desire.

Imitation of these children is necessary if we truly follow Jesus. As we recall the actions of these precious little ones with Bend ties, may we remember the words of Jesus immediately after He had taken little children in His arms and blessed them.  

“Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” Mark 10:15

Notes

• Tucker Barnard descends from J.I. and Nora Womack who lived in the Bend in the 1930s and 1940s.
• Suni (Goad) Carter descends from Otis and Lucille (Rice) Goad, lifelong Benders.
• Denta Wayman Carter and her children mentioned in this post, McKale (Carter) Barnard and Mark Carter descend from Sidney and Laura Armstrong, who lived in the Bend during the 1930s and 1940s

Thankfulness Prompted by Using a Frost-Free Hydrant

                Have you ever looked at an object only to have a name or a face come into your mind? This happens to me almost every day.

                Each morning, I turn on the hydrant nearest the house for fresh water for our cats. Sometimes I remember the cold winter day a couple of years ago when I flipped up the faucet only to have no water come out. I walked to the old north chicken yard and ran water from the hydrant installed by my cousin, Tim, for Dad several years earlier. After several bitterly cold mornings, I decided I needed to lobby for a new one near the house to replace the old, worn-out one.

                Mother readily agreed we should replace it, so I called Jim Hutchison, our plumber. Soon Jim and his plumbing apprentice, Shawn Brandenburg, arrived and replaced the old hydrant with a new one that worked just fine.

The Hydrant That Causes
Thankfulness

                So many mornings, I have been thankful for how promptly Jim responded to a call from Mother or me. He would turn his schedule on its head to accommodate Mother. Mother had been the Sunday School teacher for his sister, Nelda, when they lived in the Masham community in the late 1950s. Then his mother, Mrs. Wilson, enjoyed Mother’s adult women’s class at the Ralston church.

                For several years, we worshipped with Jim and Diana, his wife, in our congregation at Ralston. Jim exuded a pleasant countenance and a willing spirit. Jim valued prayer and almost every time we spoke, he gave an update on prayer requests for which we were praying.

                Jim never operated in a frenzied pace. He seemed to deescalate a difficult situation, even a ticklish plumbing issue. I recall on a church workday that Jim chose to do a tedious carpet cleaning task that many avoided. 

Jim's Photograph from his
funeral service folio. Mother
comments frequently, "I liked
Jim."

                His death was so shocking to his children, his family, his employees, and our congregation. Diana, his wife, while in the throes of grief, received a call from his oncologist. He told her that Jim would have faced intense, excruciating pain had he lived the few months that were speculated he may have been able to survive. Diana responded, “So you are saying his sudden death was a blessing.” To which the doctor replied, “No, it was the grace of God.”

                As Diana walks this road of grief, she trusts the Lord, finds daily comfort in His word, and continues to serve the Lord in our congregation. She can attest that God gives "grace to trust Him more."
                This month of Thanksgiving will provide us opportunities each day to spy an object that reminds us of a person who blessed our lives. It may be a person still living who has expressed kindness in small or large ways to us. Express your thanks to that person. Don’t shrug off or ignore reminders of those who blessed our lives but are deceased. Let their family members know how their loved one impacted your life. What a comfort that can provide to them on their journey of sorrow!

The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. Proverbs 10:7

                Finally, let's give God thanks not just during this month, but every day of the year, for those people who have enriched our lives. The act of expressing thanks to the Lord will lift us up as we go through our days.

Jelly Fungus

                A couple of months ago, as I gathered limbs before mowing, I noticed twigs with curious-looking appendages on them. I snapped some photos and then began researching. 

Twig with jelly fungi on it and Black Panther, our
black tom cat, barely got his legs in the photo

               I knew it was a type of fungus. My searching revealed this “jelly” fungus could be found on living and dead trees.
This unusual example of fungi is sought out for its medicinal purposes in other parts of the world. Patients find it beneficial in treating cancer. Others extol it as a blood thinner. Even though Western medicine has not embraced it, other cultures look to the Auricularia auricula-judae for its properties useful in lowering cholesterol.

                The common name of this peculiar fungus is Judas’s ear. This stems from the tradition that Judas Iscariot hanged himself on an elder tree, but his body fell to the ground. Tradition also proports the elder tree sports the only remains of the betrayer, Judas Iscariot – his ear. The elder tree characteristically hosts jelly fungi more than other trees.

Close-up of the Jelly Fungi, that was named
Judas" ear

                Steering away from tradition, let’s look at scripture. Jesus chose Judas Iscariot, along with the other eleven disciples, to experience life with Him, learning daily from the words and observing the actions of the Son of God. We know Judas Iscariot appeared to be the most trusted by the twelve since he served as their treasurer.  John succinctly noted this in John 12:6 with this phrase, “having charge of the moneybag.”

                Each time Judas Iscariot is mentioned an underlying theme of greed rears up in his words and actions. Almost every situation recorded about Judas centers around money. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, “…You cannot serve God and money.” Money is much like water and fire. It can be used for tremendous good. Yet money controlling a person is as destructive as the uncontrolled water of a raging flood or rampant flames of a wildfire.

Judas Iscariot criticizes Mary of Bethany harshly when she anointed Jesus lavishly with expensive perfume just days before His crucifixion. He suggests piously this indulgent woman should have sold the exorbitantly priced oil and donated the proceeds to the poor. John comments on Judas Iscariot calling him a thief who cared nothing for the poor but in my vernacular “dipped frequently into the till.” Jesus reprimands Judas for his criticism of Mary saying, “Leave her alone…”

                Immediately following Judas Iscariot’s censure of Mary of Bethany, the Gospel writers, Matthew and Mark, record Judas Iscariot’s negotiation with the chief priests for his betrayal of Jesus. These words from Matthew 26:16 put Judas on a doomed trajectory against the Son of God and Savior of the World. The one who would forever have his name linked to the ultimate act of betrayal had chosen as his final mission in life the betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. (Some say the amount was equivalent to around a half-year's wage.)

                All four Gospels describe the shadowy, nighttime moment of betrayal in the garden. Only Matthew and Luke, the writer of Acts, mention the remorse of Judas Iscariot resulting in his suicide by hanging. The unforgivable sin of Judas was not his suicide but having a remorseful heart instead of repentant one. Remorse according to Merriam-Webster is a gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt. But repentance is the action of turning from one’s sin to Jesus. Remorse involves only one’s emotions. Whereas, repentance is an act of one’s will that redirect his life.

                I’m not sure how often you see jelly fungus but maybe a future sighting of it will serve as a reminder of Judas Iscariot, what he loved, and his end. In our own lives, let’s embrace remorse momentarily then immediately repent knowing only it will bring forgiveness and peace.

The Power of Boundaries

Boundaries

            The freeze brought a marathon mowing season to an end. The rains of the spring and summer of 2019 were welcomed but ramped up my mowing schedule considerably.

            Over and over this summer, I have been thankful for Rick Rice locating a used, well-cared-for John Deere lawn mower. This upgrade made my mowing job easier.

            Good boundaries can limit weed eating. Each of my mowing sessions began with a slow, methodical creation of a perimeter boundary. The John Deere clipped a clean, close edge each time. After mowing a well-defined border of the lawn, as Dad would say, I could go a scootin’ as I finished the weekly mowing task. 

The dependable new-to-me
John Deere mower
established  an outer
 boundary.

            As I steered the trusty mower through the final round, I mused on the importance of boundaries in our lives. From toddlers to those advanced in years, parameters are needed for safety and well-being.

            Our speech, relationships, commitment to quality scripture study, and family foundations are just a few areas where boundaries are essential. Here are some passages that give guidelines.

Speech

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3

Relationships

Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go. Proverbs 22:24

Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” I Corinthians 15:33

Bible Study

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Foundation for Raising a Family

[Spoken by Joshua near the end of his life] “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

            Other boundaries, such as thankfulness and compassion, act as buffers against Satan. He plots to erode our borders of protection. Jesus said the wicked one comes to "steal, kill, and destroy." In the same verse in John 10:10, after exposing Satan's sinister plan for humans,  Jesus contrasts His mission to give "abundant life."
            On their final missionary journey, Paul and Silas ministered in Berea. Luke, the writer of Acts, extolled the commitment of the Berean Christians to study:

The people here were more open-minded that those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were true. Acts 17:11

If we are like the Bereans, we check what is taught with our gold standard – God’s Word. When it rings true to the scripture, we can embrace what we've learned wholeheartedly. Setting up scriptural principles as our boundaries in all areas of our lives ensure peace and contentment.

Lord, give us a discerning heart endowed with Your wisdom in establishing boundaries for living a life that honors You. When tempted to defy our principles, give us courage and decisiveness to stay within the boundaries wherein we have committed to live. May our days, months, and years continuing in Your boundaries bring glory to Your Name.