Sweet Sounds From Heaven

Mama and daddy had just returned from a trip to Virginia. Unfortunately, they had wrecked the van and traveled home in a rental. Bummer! Thank God, at least no one was hurt, the van can be replaced or restored.

A couple of weeks later, the van was ready and daddy, feeling antsy, made a run back to Virginia to retrieve it and turn in the rental. This time he left mama at home. The trip was just too much for her. She was, after all 85 years young. Daddy was a spry 79. He took a church buddy with him, so we were OK with his decision.

Mama called and asked if I would spend the day with her. “Sure, I told her, what do you want to do?” “I want to go pick persimmons.” “O.K., great, where do we find persimmons?” “There’s a persimmon grove down 301; I know how to get there.” “Sounds like a great time, we’ll do it.”

Mama had recently started making a persimmon cake. Man, they are the best! We both wanted more persimmons for the holidays. Mama was such a good cook, and her baking abilities were unbeatable. I’m certain she could cook dirt, and we’d all be licking our chops and want seconds. What a gift! Wish she had tossed that gift to me, but she didn’t. I did, however, get that cake recipe.

Bright and early Monday morning, daddy left for Virginia. I left for mama‘s. We had great anticipation for the day. We were traveling in my trusty Honda. Kind of difficult for mama to get in and out of, but we managed. Traveling down 301 towards Ocala when intuitively, I just suddenly and out loud read a road sign, “Island Grove.” This is all new territory for me. Mama said, “that’s the road to the grove.” With little notice, and plenty of Angels, we made the exit. Certainly was thankful no policeman was around to witness what surely would have been considered reckless driving.

After checking for my passenger and finding her still with me. I sighed a sigh of relief. I’m sure glad mama knows the way, huh!!! We’re still on hard top for a short while, when mama said, “there’s the road to the grove.” I glanced to my left to see what looked like a cattle path. Oh Great! We haven’t seen anything yet.!!!

This was turning out to be quite the adventure. Sure could have used a 4 wheel drive. My little Honda had it’s work cut out for it. I’m praying we don’t get bogged down. Seemed like we were totally ill equipped, wheeling through a Mud Bog, only it was sand. No cell phone, no muscle on board, no brains (working knowledge), no wonder God gave us Angels.

Mama just had her mind on those persimmons. “Dear Lord, Please help us maneuver and not get stuck. We’re way out in the middle of nowhere.” God was faithful! We came upon a clearing. Wah lah!, lots and lots of trees, bare, fruitless trees. Looked like Jesus had already been here and cursed everyone of them and told them to bear fruit no more.

Mama sure looked disappointed. Actually, there were a few persimmons way up in the top of a couple of trees. After surveying the situation, there was clearly only one solution. I hadn’t climbed trees in decades, “Lord Jesus, please help me.” We pulled the Honda up real close to a tree, I climbed up on the car, giving mama my best monkey impersonations and started climbing. Mama was easy to entertain. I’d practiced on her for years.

Mama opened her door and was out of the car. Now, I did not expect her to do that and suddenly I was really scared !! She’s 85 years old, feeble in her feet, wears special shoes, on uneven terrain and she’s ready to catch me, should I fall. I’m certain Our Heavenly Father had Angels all around us. He sure knew we needed ‘em. Admittedly, she had never seen her 59 year old climbing trees either.

She’s standing there with her hands up. I’m thinking she praising the Lord, then I remembered she’s Baptist. I said, “mama, what are you going to do, catch me?” She said, “yeah, if you fall.” Bless her heart! Real touching, not convincing, but touching. She was worried. I assured her I would not fall.

“Here, mama, watch where these persimmons fall, so when I get down I can find ‘em.” That worked. Took her eyes off me. I’m up a tree and can’t hold on to her. I don’t want her to fall and she don’t want me to fall. What a pair of clowns!!! To accomplish what we did without Heavenly Help, I might as well have been trying to ride a unicycle, juggling persimmons; mama might as well have been trying to walk on stilts.

If this had been on video, we could have been instantly rich. If daddy had known what we were doing, he would have wrecked another van. We had a pretty good haul, as it turned out; 46 persimmons and only sore muscles in the bargain. Not bad, considering what could have been. We headed home with happy faces. I can just taste that persimmon cake. What an adventure with mama. She went to Heaven the next year in the same month.

When reflecting on that day, with mama on such uneven terrain, and with me up a tree, I could not help but be so thankful that JESUS IS OUR ROCK, A SURE AND FIRM FOUNDATION. No shifting sands in our pathway. No place where we could stumble. He catches us every time. He keeps his eye on us, we are never out in the middle of nowhere. He is always with us. He is where our help comes from. If we need a legion of Angels, so be it. They are at our beck and call. Now, that’s Good to Know. I like this Kingdom Living!!!

Psalm 91: 9-12: Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 15: he shall call upon ME and I will answer him; I will be with him in TROUBLE; I will DELIVER him and honor him. 16:With long life will I satisfy him and show him MY SALVATION.

She was awakened by the telephone. “Hello.” “Hey, Sandra, Bucky has been real sick and you need to go lay hands on him.” Cloudy headed, she’s thinking, it’s late and I’m in bed trying to sleep. She said, “you’re a believer, you have hands, you can go and lay hands on him.” “No, no, you need to go and lay hands on him.” Now admittedly, today this girl would probably have stuck to her guns and gone back to sleep. However, she agreed to get up and get dressed and venture out in the night to lay hands on Bucky.

She had been to their home on several occasions, and had heard that Bucky, the youngest boy of five children was sick. His parents took him to the doctor and Bucky would get better, but before long, he was sick again. This had happened several times. This girl knew in her heart that they needed Heavenly intervention.

The parents of these 5 children were not believers, however, they had agreed to allow her to pick up the kids and take them to church. She had been doing that for some time now. They had lots of dogs and without fail, at least one of the children would step in dog poop and we didn’t know until half way down the road. Oh well! Sometimes, preaching the gospel can get messy. She’s trying to walk in Jesus’ footsteps; at least, we have shoes.

She grabbed her little blue Bible and headed out the door. When she arrived, she was greeted and welcomed. She knew she needed to get the parents permission to pray for Bucky. She opened her Bible to James 5:14,15 Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

After reading that scripture out loud to his parents and all the children, she turned to the father and said, “Do you believe that?” He said, “I’d rather not say,” which is the same thing as, “No, not really.” She said, “Well, that’s O.K., because I do. Do you mind if I pray for Bucky and lay hands on him and Jesus will heal him?” He said, “No, I don’t mind.”

She explained to all listening that Jesus is the Healer, and that God was eager to heal their 6 year old son. She further explained II Corinthians 10:3-5, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imagination, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. She explained that the sickness was exalting itself and could not stand against God’s Word.

After expounding on the Word of God, she retrieved oil from her purse, put a dab on Bucky’s forehead and prayed the prayer of faith, James 5:14,15. She commanded the spirit of infirmity to leave Bucky and never to return again. She told them to expect Bucky to recover immediately and completely, and never again to be bothered with that sickness. She thanked everyone for their time of fellowship around God’s word, went home and went back to sleep.

Bucky did recover immediately and completely, and never again was plagued with that sickness. That got his parents attention. They started coming to church. The whole family got saved, and is still serving God today.

Recently, this girl was invited to a Mission Fund Raiser at their church and saw lots of her ‘ol friends again. She could not help but reflect on those earlier days when disturbed sleep, venturing out in the dark, dealing with dog poop and unbelief could not stop her from doing what she knew in her heart God wanted her to do.

Today those kids have kids of their own and it won’t be long before grandkids will be on the scene. God’s Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, Heb. 4:12. That entire generation has a new lease on life because of God’s Word. When we believe His Word, His Word will work mightily in us. She is thankful that the Word of God is the antidote to sickness. She is also grateful that she just believes what The Word says, and the Word does the work. Thank You Jesus for being So Faithful to even the faithless; and Thank you Jesus for being So True to Yours Truly.

Today she spoke with Bucky’s mother, who also remembers that night very well. Vicky said that Bucky had been coughing all night long. After prayer, his coughing completely ceased. He did not cough ONE MORE TIME. Everyone had a good night’s sleep. God had their complete attention. Healing the sick is truly God’s Dinner Bell. Timmy, Bucky’s father, put down his beer and picked up his Bible. What a swap! Ain’t God Good!!!