Pretty Sorry-Looking

         Just before the rainy evening began a week ago, after I had hurriedly rigged a makeshift shelter for the mama cat with four kittens, I looked out the window and commented to Mother, "That's a sorry-looking shelter but maybe it will keep them safe during this rainy night."

             The cat with a racoon-looking tail had kittens. She diligently cared for them by moving them into the garage attic from the floor of the garage. Then she tried a front flower bed as a nursery but finally settled on a soon-to-be tomato bed near the back door.

The  original bad weather box
made of discarded materials for
the cats.

             Rain was forecasted with cooler temperatures. I retrieved the large box I covered for the subfreezing weeks in February. The cats had refused to use it.

I let the mama cat explore the box and positioned it in the bed to prevent it from being flooded during the upcoming rain. I found an old porch chair’s liner and placed it on the top of the box as a loose door for the box front. Finally, I duct-taped large trash bags to repel the rain.

Now the true test. Racoon-tail Mama cat hung around and investigated its interior. I took a big risk by putting the kittens inside on the old feed bag liner. What a surprise when the mama cat joined her tiny kittens for the night! She agreed to try the sorry-looking shelter for her little kittens.

How many times do we find ourselves in a sorry-looking place? We don’t like the difficulties, inconveniences, and downright tribulations that seem determined to derail us.

The Bible has numerous examples of people seeking to honor their commitment to the Lord. Yet frequently, they find themselves in a “sorry-looking” place.

The hastily modified cat shelter
with its garbage bag-covered
door flap.

Joseph, an obedient son, found himself sold by his own brothers. After serving as a diligent, trustworthy slave, he was unfairly imprisoned, not at all where an obedient person expected to be.

David, a faithful young shepherd, sought refuge in caves while he was hunted down by jealous men. Why had his dependence on God put him in these undesirable places?

Paul, nearing the end of his life, found himself in a dank Roman dungeon with only Doctor Luke by his side. Paul had evangelized, discipled, encouraged, and prayed for innumerable believers and churches. He may have wondered at low times why his last few days were spent in such a despicable, “sorry” place.

Just as the sorry-looking box covered with old feed bags protected and shielded the kittens and their mother, so God provides for us in the middle of trying settings. God seldom removes us from our challenging circumstances. Instead, He provides strength, courage, peace and direction for doing His will in the middle of our calamities.

Safe and Sound in their Sorry-Looking Shelter

    The psalmist, David, expressed God's faithfulness in the middle of our difficulties when he wrote in Psalm 138:7: Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.

 Lord, give me faith to see Your work in my trials and troubles. Make me aware of Your daily work in my life as I see Your ever-abiding presence in Your Word even when the situation seems "sorry."

Note: After last week's rain, the mama cat relocated her kittens. Just hours before our recent rain, she had put her kittens in two different spots. I had placed the "sorry-looking" box in a spot in the old garage to discard it. She didn't know it, but Mama Cat needed it because of the rainy night ahead. As she ate, I placed the tiny ones on a "new" feed sack in the "sorry-looking" box. Then I showed them to her. She promptly returned to eating. However, as of this being posted, they are still in the "sorry-looking" box. May we express gratitude when God cares for us graciously even in "sorry-looking" times.

The Free Concert in the Bend

                Making music and listening to music have been important to Benders. In the 1930s, as they battled the drought, the dust devils, and the economic destruction of the Great Depression, they gathered in homes as my mother’s family did. To read about their singing with the Woods family, go to https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2016/07/softball-singing-and-skin-tests.html

                In the little, wooden churches or schoolhouses, the faithful met as many as three times a week. Sometimes they met nightly for two weeks for revival services. Every service found those quaint structures reverberating with the saints singing their hearts out – usually in four-part harmony.

                During that time, my maternal grandparents, Calvin Callcayah and Gladys Rainey Smith, made friends with Oscar and Celestine DeNoya Swanson. Celestine of Osage ancestry married Oscar, a down-to-earth cowboy. Even though Oscar and Celestine earned revenue from quarterly headrights, they fostered friendships with their neighbors.

                Mrs. Swanson’s original allotment of land was located just a few miles from the centennial Gates farm on the banks of the Arkansas River. My paternal grandfather, Edmund Gates, Sr., toiled relentlessly during the 1930s just to feed his large family from the less-than-100 acre farm. The Swansons showed lavish generosity and unimaginable kindness to my grandparents in the 1940s.

The Swansons and Mother’s family shared a love of southern gospel music. One of Mother’s little black diary entries chronicled attending a concert at Perry. Although Mother only gave bare-bones details, she recalled her family always rode with the Swansons. His car was always new and kept impeccable. For this reason, if he wanted to smoke, Mr. Swanson pulled the car to the side of the road and stepped out of the car for his smoke break. As a early teen, his driving speed seemed inordinately slow to my mother.

                Mr. Swanson so enjoyed the four-part harmony of quartets. He decided to host the Stamps Quartet, one of the premier men’s quartets in the southern gospel genre. He wanted to treat the Bend community, where he and Celestine had the ranch acquired through her allotment in the early 1900s, to a spectacular evening of the music he loved. 

Stamps Quartet  - standing: Alton Floyd, tenor,
Roy Wheeler, lead, Lawrence Ivey, pianist
seated: Wilkin Bacon, baritone and Frank
Stamps, bass

                He paid the quartet based in Texas the amount of $60. According to www.saving.org, that amount would exceed $1000 in the late 1930s. Every Bender could attend free of charge and enjoy an evening of close harmonies singing praise to the Lord. (Dad often said, "In those days, a man would work for a dollar a day, but nobody had a dollar.)

                My grandparents lived on the Jefferson place south of Mother’s home where she now lives. They agreed with the Swansons to host the quartet for a meal prior to the concert. My grandma thought Mrs. Swanson’s Salisbury steak recipe stood out above all others she had sampled so Celestine prepared the main dish. Grandma fixed the rest of the meal. Mother recalled helping do the dishes.

                Mother and her friends, Betty Jo and Lora Jean Woods could hardly believe one of their favorite quartets would be performing in their local school building. One of the men, Wilkin Bacon, the baritone, with his easy-going mannerism, quiet demeanor, good looks, and Choctaw heritage made him a favorite of Lora Jean, Betty Jo, and Mother.

                Isn’t this what makes a community good? People following Biblical principles, working together, with each person doing what they can for the betterment of the community. Paul wrote to the Roman believers this admonition in Romans 12:16 - 

Be sensitive to each other’s needs – don’t think yourselves better than others but make humble people your friends. Don’t be conceited.

Oh that every community, whether rural or urban, lived out this verse! It is hard to imagine what our nation’s communities would be like. It would be worth a try because God’s ways are always right.

The Semi's Low Tire

This appeared originally as an online devotional about three years ago. Its message continues to be relevant and vital in a growing Christian's life.

Reuniting with a former student brightened my day.

A semi-tractor trailer stopped as I returned from feeding cattle. The driver had been in my classroom during his third-grade year. He provided an update on his family and his tight schedule of hauling soybeans harvested from our rural area. We chatted about one low tire on the trailer. No big deal—even though it was fully loaded. He told me he knew the other tires could carry the load. 

That semi-tractor trailer bore a strong comparison with the church. Recently, I heard remarks that supported this comparison. I heard a person tell how her friends lifted her family up in prayer during a difficult time. Another person related how food was brought to their family’s home by fellow church members during a time of need. Several individuals expressed how a note of encouragement arrived exactly on the day it was most needed.

Scripture refers to the church as a body. When a body part suffers injury, the rest of the body seems to respond to ensure the body’s functions continue as normal as possible. A body remains sturdy and stalwart only as each individual part is strong and supports the other weaker body parts.

With compassionate actions, Christians should support those in their flock who are hurting. When we sense a sister or brother in Christ is struggling, they should know we are praying for them. Fellow believers should be uplifted by our sharing of Scripture and words of hope. Those who are mourning must feel the comfort of the Lord flowing from His heart through us.

Ask God to use you to raise up those who feel flattened by the circumstances of life. 

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 

Easter Sunrise at Pixley Cemetery

Standing : Clark and William Gates 
Seated: Cathy, Steve, and Barbara Gates.
Taken at the 2001 Gates Reunion (My only
regret is that Joni Gates is not in the photo.

                 March 27, 2005 found a small group from the Ralston Baptist Church gathered in the cold predawn of Easter Sunday. A turkey gobbling pierced the murky early morning fog hovering over the cemetery. It had been a little over a year since the death of Steve and Barbara Gates’ older son, Clark, and his burial in the Pixley Cemetery overlooking the Arkansas River in the Big Bend community. Link to Clark's burial site  at Pixley Cemetery  at findagrave.com    https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22464606/steven-clark-gates  

Kelly and Mike Ridgway in 2008 at my parents' 
60th Wedding Anniversary.

               Steve had visited with our pastor at Ralston Baptist Church, Michael Ridgway. Brother Michael sought ways to encourage and uplift his congregation. He planned the sunrise service at the Pixley Cemetery.

He and his wife, Kelly, arrived early to welcome each early morning worshipper. My mother recalled the three Ridgway children, Chris, Joshua, and Arizona, huddled together for warmth on the cold morning. Our eyes strained to discern the sun peeking over the eastern horizon.

The Three Ridgway Children
Front- Arizona Back - Chris and Joshua taken at
the 60th Wedding Anniversary of my Parents

                As I pondered writing about that Easter sunrise service, I contacted Barbara Clark Gates Clovis, the mother of Clark. (I admire how she thinks like a writer, cherishing details.) I was so glad I asked for her remembrances.

                One of Barbara’s most poignant memories from that morning sixteen years ago fit in perfectly with the atmosphere of that early, fog-encased dawn. That morning as she gazed into the fogginess, Barbara’s heart skipped a beat as a tall figure began emerging. Being in such proximity to Clark’s gravesite, Clark immediately came into her mind. (Those who have buried one of their children know the thought of that deceased child is never far away.) How blessed she was to recognize Aaron Cheves, a dear friend of her boys, striding to the little group of worshippers! Seeing Aaron, who had recently become a Christian, with Bible in hand, thrilled Barbara’s heart as he approached to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. (To see the third grade group picture of Aaron Cheves and William Gates, his friend and the brother of Clark, access this blog posting at: https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2020/04/remembering-spring-of-1995.html )

Is there a more appropriate place to observe Easter morning than in a cemetery? The Resurrection of Jesus occurred in a garden of tombs, the final resting places of the residents of Jerusalem in that era. Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb sorrowing, only to be devastated to find the body of her Lord gone. In her tearful distraught state, she glimpsed a man who she thought must be the gardener. He inquired why she was weeping and who she was seeking. She answered neither question but asked if He knew the whereabouts of the body of Jesus so she could take (care for) Him. Jesus spoke her name, and she instantly knew He was alive. He had arisen as He said He would. Then He entrusted Mary Magdalene to be the first witness of the history-altering news of His resurrection.

                Just as Barbara found the highlight of her morning seeing that young man to whom her life and words had witnessed of the power, love, and faithfulness of Jesus, may one of the greatest joys of our life be testifying as a witness of a risen Savior to those we encounter.

                Let us pray for a heart of gratitude like Mary Magdalene from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons. Her heartfelt thankfulness propelled her to obey Jesus when He commanded her to go tell His disciples. The scripture in Mark 16:11 recorded And when they heard that He was alive, and had been seen by her, they did not believe.” Their rejection of her good news delivered from the very mouth of the Savior of the World that He was alive, did not diminish her love and devotion to Him.

A Verse for Meditation on this Easter Sunday

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.  Philippians 3:10

Lord, on this Easter Sunday, may our love and gratitude for Your gift of eternal life pervade our words and our actions not just today but every day of our lives.

We want Your sacrificial death and glorious resurrection to permeate our lives so that we can always be faithful, obedient witnesses like Mary Magdalene.

Most of all, when our testimony of who You are and what You have done in lives is rebuffed, scoffed at, or ridiculed, may we rejoice that we can share in a tiny way Your sufferings.

In the name of the only Powerful Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.