People are People

 

My daddy was a long-haul truck driver. He traveled all over the continental states, a little into Mexico, and a little into Canada. This was mostly during the 1990's and early 2000's. He was born in the 1940's. 

As a child, I asked him what the people in other places were like. I lived in a small town. 

I still remember his answer. People are people. Some are good. Some are bad. It doesn't matter where you go, you will find people that are nice and people that are mean. Skin color doesn't matter either. People are people. 

The Boat Ride

 

Many years ago, it rained for about 1 month. My grandfather (Marcus) was just a boy. He was the youngest of his siblings. He lived in a 2-room house with his parents (Berry and Pearlie Mae) and his 3 sisters. Yes, I said 2-room house. There was a kitchen and a living room. They cooked and ate in the kitchen. They lived and slept in the living room. The bathroom was in the outhouse behind the house. 

During this month of rain, they all went stir crazy. The only excitement was counting the chickens through the floorboards. They didn't own a television. 

On the day that the sun finally came out, Berry suggested that they go on a boat ride. Pearlie Mae agreed. She fixed a picnic Lunch. They all quickly got ready. Now they didn't own a vehicle, so they got the small boat and the picnic basket and started to the flooded Pearl River. 

They put the boat into the river. They put the basket into the boat. Pearlie Mae gets into the boat. The 4 children get into the boat. Lastly Berry gets into the boat. The boat is barely above the water. They row around on the river for about 2 hrs. While on the river, they eat lunch. Water keeps splashing into the boat. 

Finally, the come back to shore. A man runs up to them. He is so relieved. He had been there since they had gotten into the boat. He explained that he had not taken his eyes off of them so he could tell rescuers where the boat went down. He had been so afraid that the boat, which was barely above water, would sink from the weight of the 6 people and 1 large picnic basket. 

My grandfather, Marcus, told this story many times. He said that God takes care of children and crazy people. 

It still amazes me that 6 people could even fit into a boat that size. The boat was only about 5 or 6 foot long and about 2 foot wide. 

Friday Night Church Service

 

My great-grandmother was a youth leader and a Sunday School teacher for many years. She finally had to stop teaching because of age related health problems. A few years before she passed away, the church was talking about not having church services on Friday night anymore. They thought that having church services on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night would be enough. 

My great-grandmother did not agree. She said that if you quit having church on Friday nights you might as well close down the church because the youth needed something to do on Friday nights other than get into trouble. If the youth didn't come to church on Friday night, they would eventually stop coming to church. She was very vocal about this. Everyone knew her position and thoughts on the matter. 

The church still voted to stop having Friday night youth services. This was in the early 2000's. Has anyone noticed the current state of the churches here in the United States? Here is a link to an article about youth and church attendance. Church Attendance Dropped Among Young People, Singles, Liberals - Christianity Today The youth has now mostly left many of the churches. 

Maybe my great-grandmother was right. 

Locked Church

 

My great-grandparents helped to clear the land for the brush arbor that then grew into a church. As the church grew, they helped to build the church building. They were very active in the church. My great-grandmother was a youth leader and a Sunday school teacher. My great-grandfather was an ordained minister and a deacon of the church. They put many things in the church such as a fellowship hall with kitchen, a nursey, the pews, and classrooms. The one thing that no one had ever installed was a lock. The people of this church believed that the church should always be open. This was for several reasons. 

• What if someone was caught in a rainstorm? They could use an unlocked church for shelter.
• What if someone needed to pray? According to Jesus, the church is a house of prayer. 
• What if someone was passing through and needed a place to rest? 
• What if the women wanted a place to meet?
• What if the men wanted a place to meet?

They had the church unlocked for all of these reasons and possibly a few more. This went on for many years. This church was founded in 1940. That is until about the late 1980's or early 1990's. A new preacher came in. The preacher asked for the keys to the church. The deacons explained that there were no keys because there were no locks on the doors. 

The new preacher was from the city where locks were everywhere. He insisted on locking the church because of the valuable equipment (speakers, microphones, etc.) The preacher insisted so much that he, without anyone else knowing, installed the locks. 

The next Sunday the preacher was surprised to see an angry crowed waiting for him. They complained that they had been waiting for the last hour. They complained that the church had never in all their days been locked. Some complained that breakfast was now very late, and the children were hungry. This preacher had thought he was arriving 1 hr. early. He did not realize that this group of people normally came 2hrs earlier than the service for fellowship that including breakfast and prayer. 

The dispute was settled by giving a key to every member household. 

The Sea Shell

My grandparents loved to go to the coast. This was in the mid 60’s. They went to the coast about every two weeks during the summer and fall. Grandma liked to look for shells, and Grandpa liked to fish. While Grandpa fished, Grandma would walk up and down the shore looking for special shells. One day she was blessed and very happy. She found a lovely big shell. This shell was not broken. It is about 10 inches long and about 5 inches in diameter.

She took the shell home and placed it beside the heater in the living room. At night, she would use it to keep the bedroom door open. Everyone who saw the shell wanted to it. Many people offered her money. She would not sell it. I saw it many times and loved it.

Years later, I had a daughter. When she saw it, she also loved it. I had always told my grandma, “When you die, I want the shell.” After my Grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary, my daughter, Janie, and I were visiting them. She asked, “Janie, do you want the shell?” Janie said, “Yes, I do.” Grandma said, “Go get and old towel and wrap the shell up. Then take it home with you. Promise me that you will pass it down to you children. Always keep the shell in the family.”

Janie loves the shell and is taking care of it. She plans to see which one of her children to pass it on to.

Written by Karen

The Snakes who terrorized a young girl in Mississippi

My family lived in a Ranch style house that was in the middle of a bid field.  On the ranch were many ponds to water the horses and cattle. There was a large pond in front of our house. We had a long cement porch that reached around the whole house. The bad part about this house was there were three large rooms, but you had to go outside to get to the next room. I am 6 or 7 years old.

One day my mother, my 10-year-old brother, and I were in the living room. I wanted something to drink.  I had to go outside and down towards the pond to get to the kitchen. Right there on the porch was a 5 or 6-foot diamondback rattler. The snake was hissing at me. I started yelling. My mother and brother run out to see what was wrong. They see that the snake is way to close to me and it seemed to be charming me. My mother comes up behind me and Paul, my brother, goes around to the other side of the snake. My mother pulls me back while Paul hits the snake with a hoe many times. This causes the snake to lose its head. When my daddy comes home from work, I tell him, “The snake lost his head.” Daddy was glad that we were not hurt and that the snake lost his head.

It seemed to me like at least one time a week I found a snake on the porch. I found diamondbacks and water moccasins. All of the snakes were deadly. Thank God, none of the snakes ever bit me. All of them lost their heads. However, I became scared to go outside by myself. Finally, I refused to go outside by myself. One day, mother checked the porch for snakes. Since there were no snakes, I came outside onto the porch. I started praying. It came to me to ask my mother and daddy to pray with me. We went to church about 4 times a week. That night when daddy got home he asked, “Did any snakes lose their heads today?” I said, “no, but I know how to keep them away.” Daddy then said, “I want to hear this.” I replied, “Help me ask God to please keep the snakes away.  Even though my daddy was studying to be a preacher, everyone including him, laughed at me. This made me feel very bad.

The next day I went outside by myself to talk with God. I walked the porch and all around the yard.  I told God, “Please help me. Show them you will keep the snakes away from me, the house, and the yard.” My family lived there for another 4 years. No one found another snake in the yard. However, many snakes were found on the other side of the fence and in the pond. The owner of the land finally had to get a group together to go kill the snakes that were in and around the pond that the cows drank from.

Daddy told the owner that I had been finding a lot of snakes in the yard, but lately none had been seen. The owner of the house and land said, “I wonder why?” I spoke up, “I know why. I talked to God and asked him to keep the snakes away from me and my play yard.” This time no one made fun of me.

Written by Karen

Just Vaccinate Me

When I was about 2 or 3 years old, my daddy, Marcus, worked for a seismograph company. He was the head leader. Therefore, his job was to cut the trail. We went to church 4 times a week because daddy was in training to be a preacher. While cutting the trail, Marcus would come across many bad things. He had a machete that helped. Daddy wore long sleeves, long pants, and boots. All of this helped to protect him. Marcus had a wife and two babies at home. He needed to work, and this job paid top dollar at this time. However, Marcus was allergic to poison ivy and poison oak. The trails were covered with both. Marcus would come home covered in a rash. Only his eyes did not get any poison ivy or poison oak in them. Marcus would go to church. While there, he would be prayed for. He always prayed for God to clear the rash up. The next time Marcus cut the trail the poison ivy and poison oak rash would return. Marcus was badly tongue-tied. This made it very difficult for people to understand him. This night was a church night. As usual, Marcus was covered in a bad rash. Therefore, he went down to be prayed for. However, he was feed up with being healed and then getting it again. Therefore, Marcus said to the church and the pastor, “Ju-st Vac-cin-ate me!” The church prayed again. God cleared up the rash. The next day Marcus went back to work. He cut a trail that was full of poison ivy and poison oak. However, he did not get a rash. Marcus lived over 40 years from that night and never got poison ivy or poison oak again. My mother, my brother, nor I ever got poison oak or poison ivy. God saved us from that bad stuff and vaccinated daddy for the rest of his life.

Written by Karen 

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Child-like Faith

Real faith always has a child-like aspect to it. The follow story tells about my mother's child-like faith during before, during and after Hurricane Camille. Like most five-year olds, she did not know theology. She simple trusted in Jesus. My mother told me this story a few years ago. It illustrates what Jesus was talking about in Mark 10:13-16, “…Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” Every one that comes to Jesus must come as a child. God the Father is our heavenly Father. When we come to him through Jesus, we are adopted into his family.

Because she had been listening to the word of God, she had some faith. According to the word of God, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Do babies and young children have enough knowledge to have faith in God? Read the story below. I think that you will come to the same conclusion that I have. This is why I try to tell my son about Jesus daily. I am also working to instill the idea of praying to God every day. This story is written from the viewpoint of my mother


I, Karen, started going to church when I was about 6 months old. My daddy, Marcus, worked but he was also a Preacher.

When I an about 5 years old, my parents start going to a Bible school at night. They did not have any money for a babysitter. Therefore, my brother, Paul, and I go with them. We are given crayons and paper to play with. Paul colors, but I just sat and listen as the Bible is taught.

I begin to understand some of the Bible. Everyone said, “God writes your name in heaven”. Every time I ask, “Where is heaven?” I am given the same answer. They would always point to the sky.

At this time, we live out in the country in a ranch style house. It has a porch that goes across the front of the house. At the end of the porch was where I would go to alone to talk to God. I picked a spot in the sky to be my spot where my name was written.

We did not have a television or radio at this time. One day I went to talk to God at my spot. Looking up at my spot, I saw that it was very dark. This greatly disturbed me because it was so dark. I thought that God must be very angry with me for blotting out my name. I told God that I was very sorry for everything that I had ever done wrong. Nothing happened. My spot was still very dark.

I started crying and saying, “Please God, what have I done so bad? You have always cleared my spot before. Please God, don’t be mad at me!” With tears still rolling down my face, I asked, “Why?” I then said, “Fix it, please!” The whole sky was dark, but my spot cleared. I thanked God. He loved me. I was now happy.

Later that day, daddy came home from work. He said, “Hurricane Camille is coming. It is going to hit the Gulf Coast. This is going to cause very strong winds and rain.” I did not get upset or scared, because I had talked to God early and he had cleared my spot.


Later that same night, we loaded our car and left because of the storm. The storm hit our house. It took off the roof and porch. Most of the windowpanes were blown out. Everything in the house got soaked. The American Red Cross came. They gave us new beds and a new sofa. People came from far away to help fix the roof and windows. The man that we rented from paid for the materials. People that I did not even know was there helping and giving to us. God had heard me! He cleared my spot.

I continued talking to God for many months looking up into the sky. Later, we moved to a new location. By that time, I knew that I could talk to God anywhere. At the darkest times of my life, I go alone and talk to God. He always clears the way for me.


My mother told this story to me. This is a true story. It illustrates a very important principle. Babies and young children can understand in their own way. They can talk to God. However, it is often in a child-like way with child-like understanding. This child-like “Talking to God” helped Karen to know that everything would be o.k. God cleared the spot. He heard Karen.

Is not this kind of child-like faith we should all have faith. Jesus said, ““…Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” (Mark 10:14-16).

Coke Truck

It was a very hot summer day. Berry, Pearlie Mae and their 4 children had been picking cotton. They decided to take a water break. They went to the house to get the water. Berry had a small amount of money. He asked if anyone wanted a coke. Of Course everyone did. He told them to rest, and he would walk to the store. The store was about 2 miles one way.

Berry took off walking to the store. Pearlie Mae told the children to do their housework, while she cooked lunch and supper. She knew all the work needed to be done and they would have to go back to the fields and pick cotton until dark.

Berry had to walk all the way to the store. Back in those days, there were very few cars. He did not see any cars on the way to the store. When he got to the store, the coke truck was there to refill the drinks in the store. Berry was very outspoken. He told the coke man that he had just walked 2 miles for a coke for him and his family. The coke man asked, “Where do you live?” Berry told him. The coke man then said, “If you wait until I fill the drink boxes then I will give you a ride home. I am going to pass your house on the way to my next stop.” Not only did Berry wait, but he also helped the coke man fill the drink boxes.

The Coke man drove and Berry rode on the side of the truck. The coke man drove slowly on the rough dirt road. Berry was very happy not to have to walk home toting the drinks. When they got close to his house, Berry jumped off the truck. Berry then ran ahead of the truck to show the way to his house.

Pearlie Mae and the children heard the truck coming and then saw Berry running in front pointing the way to the house. They started laughing. The coke truck stopped, and Berry got a case of bottle cokes. Pearlie then asks, “I know that you went after a coke, but are you buying the whole truck load?” She had never seen the coke truck deliver cokes to a house before.  Berry replied, “No, just a case.’

This story has been passed down through the generations in my family.

Demons and the Fight

Jesus always answers prayers when you pray with faith. However, you need to be careful while you are waiting for the answer. I recently learned this the hard way. This is especially true if your prayer is for the removal of evil spirits. Around the middle of May 2010, I started feeling a strong evil presence in the apartment that my husband and I rented. Living with us was my husband’s brother-n-law (Mario), a nephew, and three other men. The men and Mario liked to drink. My husband and I did not approve. I started praying every day that Jesus would remove the evil spirits from the apartment. I explained many times to Jesus that my baby was due to be born June 27^th and that I did not want him to live where evil spirits were. I felt like Jesus was not listening to me because the evil presence seemed to just get stronger. I even started seeing a black shadow of a man. Every time that that I saw this shadow, I would scream, “Get out of here in the Name of Jesus”. The shadow would leave for a couple of days and then come back. The men continued to drink outside in the parking lot. I would ask Concho, my husband, to go and talk to them every time that they drank. He did but they never listened.

I will always remember the last time that they drank in the parking lot. It was Saturday June 19^th. My brother-n-law asked to borrow the truck to go to Winn-Dixie. At this time, he was not drinking, and he wanted to send some money to his wife. Therefore, we agreed. My brother-n-law and his nephew, Samuel, went to the store. Sometime later Samuel came back in, but Mario did not. Samuel said that Mario was drinking outside with Robert. I was concerned about my truck, so I went outside to make sure they were not in my truck. They were in Hector’s vehicle. Hector had given Robert the key so they could listen to music while drinking. About 10 p.m., my husband went outside to talk to them. Again, they did not listen. About 15 minutes later, he came back inside. My husband and I tried to go to sleep, but neither of us could sleep. I had a bad feeling that something was going to happen to Mario, Robert, and Hector. At first, I thought that they might try to use my truck to go somewhere, so I asked my husband if he had the key. Thankfully, he did. I again tried to sleep but could not. Therefore, I prayed that Jesus would remove the evil spirits from the apartment. The phone rang at 12 am on Sunday morning. Beto called and said that Mario and Robert were fighting. My husband answered, “It is not my problem”. About 2 minutes later Beto came and beat on the door to our room. My husband opened the door and Beto said, “They are crazy. They are fighting with knives.” My husband got his clothes on, got the machete, and went outside. I started praying for the safely of my husband and tried to explain to Jesus that I asked for the evil spirits to leave, not for everyone to start trying to kill each other. I felt like Jesus had misunderstood me. About 5 min later, my husband came in with blood covering both arms from his elbows to the tips of his fingers. He told me to get up and he grabbed a towel. I got up and ran after him. He went upstairs and got Hector because Robert is Hector’s cousin. I am so scared that my husband is very badly hurt. He tells me that I he all right, but Mario is hurt. No one will let me see Mario. Beto and Concho are outside trying to stop the bleeding. Hector looks for Robert in the parking lot and then comes back. He then tries to fight Beto. I do not understand why. Concho is able to stop the fight. He then tells Hector to leave. Thankfully, Hector leaves. The bleeding does not stop. They ask me how to stop the bleeding. I reply, “If it does not stop by applying pressure, then he must go to the hospital. The bleeding from Mario’s head does not stop. We take him to the hospital. At the hospital, they put staples in his head and sew up the gash in his arm. Now Hector, Robert, Mario, and Samuel all live somewhere else.

Next time that I pray for the removal of evil spirits, I will remember what it says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-8). If I ever need to pray for the removal of evil spirits, I am going to have more communication with Concho and others. In addition, when you start praying with faith Jesus starts working but the devil also fights back. Therefore, you need to be ready and strong in faith. Mario could have died. Yes, all of the evil spirits are now gone from the apartment. However, I now realize that every time the black shadow came back the demons that lived in those men were stronger. My husband took Mario to South Caroline and Robert went to Texas. However, the anger is still with both men. Mario still would like to kill Robert and Hector. I hope that one day, Mario will be set free from his demons and that Jesus moves in. I have recently learned that this was not his first fight, but it could have been his last.