Postcards from the Fast Lane

Mama Dooley smoothed her apron and sat down at the kitchen table. “I remember when Papa took the family all the way to San Antonio to watch him race.”

All us kids clamored to the table to hear the first hand story. “Tell us Mama…tell us all about it!”

“It was early on in 1940…Seabiscuit had victoriously defeated War Admiral two years earlier…this was the third race of his comeback after his and Red Pollock’s injuries. It was a thrilling race.”

“Tell us about Seabiscuit…what did he look like?”

Mama laughed. “Well, to tell you the truth, he sure didn’t look like much. He was undersized, knobby-kneed and I understand that he was given to sleeping and eating for long periods of time. Not the picture of your typical racehorse. But he proved that looks aren’t everything; his greatest quality, you couldn’t even see, his heart. Because of Seabiscuit’s warrior’s heart, he had a way of healing the hearts of others. He was the ‘comeback story’ and the under-dog that so closely paralleled everyone’s life during the Great Depression.”

Mother passed around warm cookies and cold milk to all us kids. “There’s also a story that Tom Smith, Seabiscuit’s trainer, told Charles Howard, his owner, ‘You don’t throw a whole life away just ‘cause he’s banged up a little.’ Tom was referring to an injured horse that was about to be put down.”

“The story goes that Charles reminded Tom of that same quote when it was discovered that Red Pollard was blind in one eye… ‘You don’t throw a whole life away just ‘cause he’s banged up a little.’”

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Dear Readers, aren’t we blessed that God doesn’t
“throw a whole life away just ‘cause he’s banged up a little?

Job 39:19-24 Have you given the horse his might? Have you clothed his neck with quivering and a shaking mane? Was it you who made him to leap like a locust? The majesty of his snorting nostrils is terrible. He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength; he goes on to meet the weapons of the armed men. He mocks at fear and is not dismayed or terrified; neither does he turn back in battle from the sword. The quiver rattles upon him, as do the glittering spear and the lance of his rider. He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage; neither can he stand still at the sound of the war trumpet.

Aunt Jewel laughed as she fit several pieces of the puzzle in place. “This is like a walk in the park!”

“Easy for you to say!” scoffed all us kids as we tried unsuccessfully to find even one piece to the very complicated jigsaw puzzle spread before us.

Later that evening after supper Mother, remembering Aunt Jewel’s comment, ‘a walk in the park,’ asked, “Do any of you remember where in the Bible that God took a walk?”

None of us had the correct answer…even though we all had lots of guesses. “Enoch?”

Mother shook her head. “Enoch walked with God…spiritually. But Genesis 3:8 tells us… And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the Presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. God had a routine of walking and talking with Adam and Eve in the garden but this time it was different because they had eaten the forbidden fruit and hid from God.”

Suddenly Aunt Trudie began to sing…

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.

He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

And He walks with me and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.

****

Dear Reader, do you take walks with God…
in your garden?

Thomas Kinkade Painting

Mother wiped tears from her eyes. “I remember Mama and Papa talking about it. Mama said she remembered the day she heard the news like it was yesterday…she said that Papa walked in the parlor with a newspaper folded under his arm and she knew that something dreadful had happened by the look on his face.”

My grandmother was referring to the sinking of the Titanic in April of 1912. It was now in the late 1980s and the family was in route to see an exhibition of actual relics recovered from the watery Titanic grave over two miles beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.

“I wish Mama and Papa Dooley had lived long enough to see this.”

Mother turned to look at us kids in the back seat. “I’m not sure they could have endured such pain.”

The tour was humbling. They gave each of us a replica ticket with the name of an actual passenger or crew member who, decades earlier had embarked on the trip of a lifetime on the ‘ship of dreams.’ We took great interest in the recovered menus, clothes, jewelry, bottles of wine, and even letters from the passengers on the Titanic.

Then the tour took an unforgettable twist…A large board listed the names of all the passengers, including their status…first class, second class, crew. We all began to search for the names on our tickets.

Then we noticed a bold line drawn to separate the names into two groups regardless of their status. Above the line were the names of those who were “saved” and below the line all those who were “lost.”

Back in the car, Mother immediately paralleled our life here on earth to the significance of the bold line drawn to separate the saved from the lost.

“It really doesn’t make any difference how the world ranks your status. The only thing that ultimately matters is a matter of the heart…‘saved’ or ‘lost.’”

****

Dear Readers, are any of your fellow passengers listed
below the line? Are you?

Daddy came in the backdoor singing, “You load sixteen tons, what do you get…another day older and deeper in debt…Saint Peter don’t you call me ‘cause I can’t go…I owe my soul to the company store.”

It was the mid-1950s. Tennessee Ernie Ford had just recorded the song, Sixteen Tons, which had climbed to the top of the charts in record time. (excuse the pun)

“What does that mean, ‘owe my soul to the company store?’” asked Douglas.

Daddy wiped the sweat from his brow with an already grimy handkerchief. “Well, Doug, coal miners often lived in company-owned houses and were paid in ‘scrip’ coupons valid only at the company-owned store. They felt trapped and unable to change their situation no matter how hard they worked…even if summoned to heaven, the miner said, ‘he couldn’t go because he owed his soul to the company store.’”

Mother traded Daddy’s grimy handkerchief for a fresh clean one. “That same kind of ‘hopelessness’ oppressed the Hebrew people during their four hundred years of bondage in Egypt. Even when Moses told them of God’s promise to release them from slavery, they were so far down they couldn’t look up.”

Daddy finished his glass of ice tea. “That’s the hopeless state the world was in before Jesus paid our ransom…as low as mankind could get…powerless to help ourselves. Praise God, Christ intervened! He died for sinful man and was resurrected so we would never owe our soul to the company store.”

****

Dear Reader, does the company store own your soul?

“Mother, can we go to Cynthia’s to watch Tom Terrific?”

It was mid-1950 when television sets were a rarity…especially in our neck of the woods. Our closest neighbors, the Haney’s had the first television set in our county. It was on their set that we were first introduced to the cartoon character, Tom Terrific. Tom appeared on Captain Kangaroo’s show along with his faithful sidekick, Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog and his archenemy, Crabby Appleton who was described as “rotten to the core.” In spite of Crabby Appleton’s villainous nature, Tom Terrific was about the only television Mother allowed us kids to watch…due in part because good always triumphed over evil.

Sensing her hesitation, Douglas said, “We promise not to let Crabby Appleton influence us.”

Mother smiled at Doug. “The fact is that all of us share Crabby Appleton’s primary problem… apart from Christ, we’re all ‘rotten to the core.’ The apostle Paul described us this way in Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. None of us are capable of living up to God’s perfect standard of holiness. That’s why He sent His Son Jesus so we can be justified freely by His grace through faith in Jesus.”

“Mother…are you saying we’re like Crabby Appleton…‘rotten to the core?’” asked Doug.

“I’m saying that Jesus Christ has come to people ‘rotten to the core,’ and makes us ‘a new creation’ by faith in Him according to 2 Corinthians 5:17. In His goodness, He has fixed our problem completely…all the way down to our core.”

****

Dear Reader, do you need fixing…
all the way down to your core?
Ask Jesus!

Gladys raised her hand. “What exactly does ‘birthright’ mean?”

Mrs. Hammond, the Sunday school teacher replied, “Good question, Gladys. In the Old Testament, the firstborn son was given the honor of inheriting the birthright, which meant he received a double portion of the wealth when his father died while all the other sons received only a single portion each. The birthright also guaranteed power…power to become judge over his younger brothers…a position that his father held until his death. And finally, they believed that special favor from God was included in the birthright blessing.”

Wesley scoffed, “You mean to tell me that Esau traded all of that for a little bowl of stew?”

“Wesley, why don’t you read Genesis 25:30-34 to the class again.”

“And Esau said to Jacob, ‘I beg of you, let me have some of that stew to eat, for I am faint and famished!’ Jacob answered, ‘Then sell me today your birthright…the rights of a firstborn.’ Esau said, ‘See here, I am at the point of death; what good can this birthright do me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me today that you are selling it to me.’  Esau swore to Jacob and sold him his birthright. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and a bowl of stew and Esau ate and drink and rose up and went his way. Thus Esau scorned his birthright as beneath his notice.”

“A very foolish trade… But that’s what happens when the enemy distorts God-created healthy appetites such as the aspiration to succeed, normal sexual relations in a marriage, or a moderate diet of sustaining foods into something totally out of control…never fully satisfied. These insatiable appetites constantly whisper, ‘NOW!’…as in the case of Esau. And if not checked, a normal appetite to succeed turns into greed. A normal sexual relationship in a marriage becomes illicit lust. And a moderate diet of sustaining foods turns into obsessive overeating.”

****

Dear Reader, what is your ‘bowl of stew?’

“What happened next?” came the cry from the small captive audience.

“Shush…just listen and you’ll find out,” fussed Margaret.

The radio was tuned to the weekly episode of The Green Hornet …one of the favorites of all the kids in America during the 1940’s. In case any of you greenhorns out there are not familiar with the Green Hornet, here’s a quick run down…

Britt Reid (aka the Green Hornet) is the son of a wealthy newspaper editor Daniel Reid, publisher of Chicago’s newspaper The Sentinel. Britt is also the descendant of the Wild West hero known as the Lone Ranger. Reid excelled in athletics and academics in school which made him an instant hit with all parents and teachers.

Before following in his father’s footsteps, Reid decided to travel the world and do some good. His travels showed him the horrible truths of the world.

Britt found himself in China. It was here that he saved a man’s life from the Japanese. This man was Kato who offered himself to Britt as a servant and protector for saving his life. The men became good friends and after they returned to Chicago, Britt became the Green Hornet in his fight against the city’s organized crime while working as The Sentinel’s editor. Kato was by his side always.

Back to the radio broadcast…

After the villains were heroically triumphed over, a cry of victory erupted from the adoring audience.

Mother looked mysterious as she asked, “Did you know that the Lord used hornets to subdue the enemy?”

Taking the bite, we all cried, “How? Where? When?”

Mother opened her Bible and read, “Exodus 23:28 And I will send hornets before you which shall drive out the Hivite, Canaanite, and the Hittites from before you. Deuteronomy 7:20 Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornets among them until those who are left and hide themselves from you are destroyed. Joshua 24:12 And I sent the hornet before you that drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites but not with thy sword nor with thy bow.”

“Were they actual hornets, Mother?”

“Good question, Doug. We have the choice of taking it literally or symbolically… meaning that the Lord sent terror of some kind before the Israelites to subdue their enemies.”

It was unanimous in the Green Hornet camp…the hornets in these Old Testament stories were actually hornets.

****

Dear Readers, Jesus will send hornets
to drive your enemies out too.

Douglas called the entire family to the kitchen. Looking very authoritative, he instructed, “Sit down everybody and listen to a Life Principle the Lord just gave me.”

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon with a cool breeze circulating throughout the house. Mother’s starched kitchen curtains made a faint scratching noise each time they brushed up against a white vase of daisies setting on the windowsill.

Daddy sat down and opened his Bible. “Does this Life Principle have something to do with tomorrow’s Sunday school lesson you’re supposed to be studying?”

“Well…sort of,” came Doug’s reply.

Mother set a plate of peanut butter cookies down in the middle of the kitchen table and handed each of us a glass of lemonade. “Now what’s this all about?”

Doug stood and raised his glass of lemonade. “I would like to make a toast to Mother and Daddy…‘Thank you both for setting an example to all us kids by living a righteous life and being righteous parents.’”

“Hear! Hear!” we all shouted.

Daddy chuckled. “Thank you Doug…now why don’t you tell your Mother where the Life Principle comes in.”

Doug nodded. “Proverbs 112:2 talks about the righteous. Listen to this…His offspring shall be mighty upon the earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed.”

Taking a deep breath and smiling a ‘toothy’ smile, my brother filled in the blanks. “As long as our parents stay righteous…all us kids will be blessed…and I sure don’t want to miss out on any blessings…”

****

Dear Readers, are your kids missing out on any blessings?

The preacher barely got the “Amen” out before all the kids in the church bolted for the back door. Mother hurriedly trailed after us. “Girls! I need you…come here please!”

“Ohh! Mother!” my sister and I grumbled as we turned and shuffled our way back to the entrance of the small white frame church.

“Did you forget about Mrs. Johnson’s niece visiting from St. Louis?”

Margaret and I looked at each other questioningly. “Darnell is blind…she can’t come outside and play with the rest of the kids.”

“That’s where you’re wrong…she just needs a little help.”

Surprised, Margaret and I went back inside the church to find Darnell looking downcast as she sat all alone in the front pew waiting for her aunt. “Darnell! Come outside and play with us…”

Her face immediately brightened as she looked in the direction of the sound of our voices. “May I really?”

****

That brief encounter with Darnell on the church playground prompted one of Mother’s Life Principles as we made our way home after the church picnic. “You know,” Mother began, “Darnell may be blind of sight but she isn’t blind where it matters most.”

Mother had a way of arousing our interest just like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey…now that’s not to say that we ever behaved like donkeys. Naw…

“What do you mean Mother?” asked Doug. Then after a pause, he continued, “Not being able to see…being blind…would be the worst…ever!”

From the front seat, Mother opened her Bible. “Ephesians 4:18 says Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. Being ‘heart blind’ is far worse than having sight blindness. Heart blindness means separation from God that leads to eternal damnation.”

****

Dear Readers, are any of your friends
or family suffering from heart blindness?
There’s only One Cure…
The Light of Jesus Christ!

“Mother, tell us the story of the She-Bears…please,” begged all us kids.

Mother shook her head but laughed. “I can’t imagine why you’re so fascinated with that story.”

Meanwhile, Margaret had turned to bears in the Bible Encyclopedia. “Listen to this, ‘Bears are large mammals with thick fur and powerful teeth and claws. Despite their somewhat clumsy appearance, they can run much faster than a human, and most are very good tree climbers. The Syrian Brown Bear, Ursus Syriacus, which could reach a standing height of six feet or more and weighs at least five hundred pounds, is the bear referred to in the Bible.’”

“Ohhh!” shuddered all us kids.

Doug stood. “How did King David kill something that ferocious when he was just a boy…no taller than me?”

Mother smiled. “Because David killed the bear in the strength of the Lord…not in his own strength or he would have surely perished.”

“What about our story of the she-bears?” interrupted Sissy.

Doug sat back down while Mother opened her Bible. “Here’s the background leading up to the story of the she-bears. The Prophet Elisha had recently inherited Elijah’s mantle when Elijah was taken up to Heaven in a chariot of fire. Elisha first used the mantle to part the Jordan River so he could cross and then he healed the water at Jericho. After that, he set out for Bethel.”

“Here’s where it gets good!” exclaimed Linda.

Mother turned to II Kings 2:23-24 and read, “From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some youths came out of the town and jeered at him. ‘Go on up, you baldhead!’ They yelled. ‘Go on up, you baldhead!’ He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.”

Mother closed her Bible. “Now listen to this. The word youths in the Bible most often refers to people in their late teens. And if you think about it, over forty-two riotous young men made quite a dangerous mob who were determined to do Elisha much harm. Their mockery showed their contempt for God and His laws and their insults targeted not just Elisha’s baldness but also the God whom he represented. Elisha did not take personal revenge but called on the Lord, who seems to have used the she-bears to warn a corrupt generation that blasphemy against God would be met with swift consequences.”

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Dear Readers, could there be a message for the youth of today?