The Book of Joe

August 29, 2021

Joe thought of himself as pretty average.

He was anything but.

Joe could dress up in his finest and hob knob with the Rockefellers (and look mighty good doing it). He was equally as comfortable in overalls and work boots, stamping death dates onto tombstones, clearing debris from creek waters, or kicking a path through the woods. Joe could wear a pair of button fly Levi’s, checkered shirt and fancy cowboy boots and auction off anything you might try to sell. He’d dress up, spray on his “smell-em-good”, and pull out my chair for me at The Angus Barn. He’d dress down, kick the mud off his boots and discuss world affairs at Jackie’s grill in Seven Springs. He could talk politics, religion, philosophy and current hog prices (often in the same conversation). He was about as well-read as any human I have ever known. He couldn’t remember a birthday to save his life, but he could trace your ancestry back at least 1,000 years right off the top of his head. He was a Boy Scout, a true southern gentleman, a singer, a comedian, a teacher, a preacher and more.

He was extraordinary, but at his core, Joe wanted to be known as a common man….as just your average Joe. This week, his lesson is about the way Jesus interacted with the world as a common man, when he was anything but.

He wrote:

Common Man

We loaded up Thursday night and went to the Paramount Theater to see one of my favorite singers—Mr. John Conlee.  He had several hits, such as “Rose Colored Glasses”;“Lady Lay Down”; “The Backside of Thirty” ; “Friday Night Blues”; “Ms. Emily’s Picture”;“Common Man”…and the list goes on and on.  

The song “Common Man” is what I’d like to talk about this morning.  John’s voice was good, but not perfect—it has been described as melancholy. He is not particularly good looking. As a matter of fact, he is really very short.  

He is average, which is probably why he appealed to the common man.  He talked about working, raising a family, simple things, etc. That’s why folks like me like folks like John Conlee.

There is another man who came here to appeal to the common working man. In describing this man, the Bible says, “ The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” in John 1:14. I read the analogy that if Jesus had worn a shirt, it would have had a blue collar.

He continually ruffled the feathers of the elite. He healed a man and a woman on the Sabbath. He criticized the community leaders interpretation of the law, and often refused to debate these leaders or give them straight answers. Being a follower of Jesus didn’t require any special credentials or education, and you didn’t have to be wealthy or important.  What He said and what He did appealed to common, ordinary folks.  

Out of the 132 contacts He had with people, four were in a synagogue, six were in a temple and 122 were out in public.  He wanted to be with common folks.  He used simple, everyday language and spoke the truth; therefore, the common people gladly heard him.  Mark 12:37 says, “…The large crowd listened to him with delight.”  

He reached out to a woman possessed by a demon, a man infected with leprosy, a woman who had committed adultery, etc.  When told not to bother with children, He chastised the people and continued to focus on the young.  He grew up in the home of a carpenter, in a town of no great renown.  He could have had everything and He chose to be poor.  At the end of His life, those He knew and those who knew Him were the very ones who turned their backs on Him. He was treated as if he was just a common man, when He was actually anything but.

Jesus was sent by his father for you and for me and anyone we come in contact with that will welcome Him into their heart and receive His salvation.  So, as we go out into the world this week, let’s walk in His example of humility and meekness as we love each other with a servant’s heart.

-JMP

On March 13, 2020, our school’s Bible Club (known as Rally) met for the last time before Covid shut down the world. I had no idea when I watched those students file out of the building that we would not reunite as a group again for almost 18 months.

Thankfully, though, this past Friday we were FINALLY able to meet again! It was WONDERFUL to see so many teenagers gathered together in the name of Jesus. Grace, one of our student leaders, spoke to the group about what it looks like to be a Christian at school. Most of the group agreed that high school is not always the easiest place to be a witness for Jesus. However, they also agreed that sitting in a classroom club meeting at the end of the day on Friday wasn’t exactly being a witness, either. Being a Christian at school means letting people see Jesus where THEY are…in the hallways, on the bus, in the cafeteria and in the classroom.

Being a teacher is sometimes like being a Christian witness. Most anyone can teach the “good” kids. The students who come to school with full tummies from happy homes where they have been taught morals and values are typically pretty easy to educate. Sometimes, the parents have done the hardest part for the teacher. But the teacher who can reach the “other” kids…the ones who walk in with ALL kinds of baggage, who don’t trust adults because they have been hurt or abused by them, the ones who are hungry or mean or both, the ones who don’t have a strong academic or emotional foundation, the ones who struggle for whatever reason…well, those teachers are the GOOD ones, in my opinion.

But just like you can’t teach a kid if you don’t meet them where they are, you can’t show people Jesus if you don’t meet them where they are, either. And while I firmly believe that Jesus is to be found within the confines of the church walls, I also know that we spend many more hours a day out in the world than we do inside the church.

He reached out to a woman possessed by a demon, a man infected with leprosy, a woman who had committed adultery, etc.  When told not to bother with children, He chastised the people and continued to focus on the young.  He grew up in the home of a carpenter, in a town of no great renown.  He could have had everything and He chose to be poor. 

One of Joe’s most endearing qualities was his ability to interact with all types of people. In his role as a funeral director, he typically interacted with people when they were far from their “best”. Yet, he was the calm, assured voice of reason in a time of true need, and above all else, he interacted with them in a manner that brought them comfort and in a way that maintained their sense of dignity. It was much more than a job to Joe. It was an opportunity to serve others and love on them in a true time of need.

I don’t think Joe realized, at the time, that he was the hands and feet of Jesus in his daily work. But he was. From the care he provided to the families, to the tender, meticulous attention given to the preparation of a body before a funeral service, Joe showed love, kindness and compassion. He met people where they were…even when it wasn’t a very pretty place.

I don’t think we realize the power we hold to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our daily lives. All day every day, we encounter people who need the love of Jesus. And while we should show love to EVERYONE, maybe showing love to those who make it difficult might be a more effective way to witness? I know, I know…it is so hard to love those who seem unlovable. I also know that, in the past nine months, the strangers I encountered on a daily basis had absolutely no idea how hard I was trying to hold it together. Maybe I was rude. Maybe I was angry. Maybe I was unlovable. I was also broken in a way that could be fixed only by the sweet love of Jesus. And people loved on me when I wasn’t very lovable. It was that love that made me know that Jesus would be the way I made it through those hard days and every day since.

I guess the bottom line is that you just don’t ever know why somebody behaves the way they do…and it’s not your job to understand it. It is simply your job to be the hands and feet of Jesus and let Him handle the rest.

Jesus was sent by his father for you and for me and anyone we come in contact with that will welcome Him into their heart and receive His salvation.  So, as we go out into the world this week, let’s walk in His example of humility and meekness as we love each other with a servant’s heart.

The night Joe went to be with Jesus was one of the most bittersweet moments of my life. Joe’s work as a faithful servant came full circle when his dear friends, Lynn Taylor and Thomas Rouse of Rouse Funeral Home arrived at my home to provide the service Joe had provided for so many others. They were the calm, assured voice of reason in my most desperate time of need. They closed the door to the room where Joe’s precious body laid, and with the tenderness and compassion that is found in the hands of true friends and Jesus, they prepared Joe to go through our back door one last time. It took them a long time. I later learned that it was because of the great care they took to clean Joe up and give him the dignified exit he would have given to them, had the situation been reversed.

Sometimes, death isn’t very pretty. Sometimes, life ain’t so pretty either. But thank God for the people on this earth who are willing to meet us where we are, to be the hands and feet of Jesus until we meet Him face to face. Who are those people? My sweet friend, it’s me. My sweet friend, it’s you, too. Just like Lynn and Thomas, we have the precious responsibility to love on the people around us, to show them the love of Jesus with humble heart of a servant.

When you love on people with the love of Jesus, you find out that there’s really no such thing as “just your average Joe”. My Joe was anything but average. He was extraordinary. Both to me and to Jesus. And sweet, sweet friend, so are you. ❤️

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

August 22, 2021

There’s a hard-headed, stubborn human in this picture. Care to guess which one?

Truthfully, it’s both of us.

But Joe was worse. 😂

For example…several years ago, Joe had a little health scare. He endured several rounds of testing before it was determined that he simply needed to have his gallbladder removed. No biggie.

His only post surgical instructions were to rest/avoid heavy lifting for the next few days and then return in 10 days to have his staples removed.

Simple, right?

Wrong.

Bless his heart, the man could not sit still, despite the fact that he had an excellent nurse by his side. 😜 He alluded to the fact that he went back to work early because he felt that the public education system might falter without me in my classroom, but y’all know how Joe is, so…

On about day seven, Joe’s abdomen began to aggravate him. I told him not to mess with those staples himself…I knew good and well what he was thinking!! Rather than call his doctor, Joe took matters into his own hands. Literally. He took a deep breath and a set of wire snips and went to work removing staples. Oh, yes he did.

And in about five days, he had a festering wound, and both a wife and a doctor shaking their heads in disbelief at this hard headed man.

Joe was humbled by one tiny staple that caused BIG problems. And I TRIED to tell him…but he never did listen to me much. 😜

This week, Joe’s lesson is about being humble and being humbled.

He wrote:

Humility

Every Christian has a choice between being humble and being humbled.

Who in here this morning likes to be told what to do? This notion starts with most of us about the time we turn two years old.  It is in our nature to want to make our own decisions and to have things our own way.  It is not in our nature to want to stop and ask for permission or guidance.

But as we get a little older and maybe a little wiser, we may start to admit that we do, in fact, need a little direction.

We all have to grow up.  We have to stop stomping our feet and demanding that things be our way. We need to start bending our knees and saying, “Your way, Lord.”

There is a word for assuming this new posture in life.  It is called humbleness.  Nothing pleases our Heavenly Father more than a humble heart.  He delights in our humbleness as much as He opposes our pride.  

Psalm 25:9 states: “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”

God wants us to know His will, and He wants us to make decisions according to His teachings.  But, He will not force us to come to Him for guidance. If we want to do things our way, most of the time He will let us.  He will stand back and let us learn the hard way.  God is so wise that He will allow our circumstances to humble us if we will not humble ourselves. 

CS Lewis said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and of course, as long as you are looking down you can’t see all that is above you.” 

So, let us humble ourselves before God and admit that we need His guidance, rather than doing it our way and failing.  We will be better off with the Lord guiding our steps, rather than asking Him to correct our mistakes.   

-JMP

If you all will bear with me a moment, I’ll be over here nursing my sore toes. Joe and Jesus just stepped on them.

“I’ve got this. Let me handle it.”

I’ve said it to Joe. I’ve said it to Jesus. I’ve said it to pretty much anyone who has ever tried to help me. You’d think I’d learn my lesson eventually., but I said it someone close to me just this week. And the real irony is that I said it AFTER an especially humbling experience. I’ll explain…

But, first, let me make a pretty raw admission.

The months after Joe went to Heaven were pretty dark for me. That is no big secret. I made a vow to live my days in a way that honored Joe and Jesus, and I honestly believed I was doing just that. However, there was another part of me that was so ready to be with Joe again. It wasn’t that I wanted to die right then, and certainly not that I wanted to end my life, but I just didn’t want to do anything that might prolong the days between the present and when I would see my sweet Joe once more.

That was MY way. That was not GOD’S way.

We all have to grow up.  We have to stop stomping our feet and demanding that things be our way. We need to start bending our knees and saying, “Your way, Lord.”

Time is a great healer; therefore, my days are not as dark as they were right after Joe went to Heaven. I haven’t really had those “dark day” thoughts in a while. Still, it didn’t change the force in which the irony hit me when, a few weeks ago, my doctor found a suspicious lump. I went straight to the building next door to have an ultrasound, where I did not get the answer for which I had hoped. It was not one spot, but two. A biopsy was scheduled.

And suddenly, I wanted to take back those thoughts I had in December and January. Suddenly, I wanted to live.

God wants us to know His will, and He wants us to make decisions according to His teachings.  But, He will not force us to come to Him for guidance. If we want to do things our way, most of the time He will let us.  He will stand back and let us learn the hard way.  God is so wise that He will allow our circumstances to humble us if we will not humble ourselves. 

I felt pretty humbled when Joe passed away. I spent (and still spend) so much time with the Lord, asking for His guidance. But I also know that I never brought to Him these feelings I had about not wanting to prolong my life. I held onto them stubbornly, like a child hides a toe with a splinter wedged in it, despite the pain it causes.

So, God didn’t hold me down and yank out the splinter. He let it fester (maybe like a staple?). He stood back, because He knew one day I’d begin to see the light again. He also knew that would be about the same time I’d have the biopsy. God is so very wise. And I am so very stubborn.

We will be better off with the Lord guiding our steps, rather than asking Him to correct our mistakes.   

I had many conversations with Jesus during the two weeks between the ultrasound and the biopsy. I didn’t beg for a second chance. But I did beg for forgiveness. I asked forgiveness for thinking that my ways were better than His…for thinking that I knew, better than God knows, how many days I should spend between this life and the next….for not allowing Him to hold all the pieces of my broken heart, especially the ones that kept cutting my hands over and over because I held them so tightly.

I stayed on my knees–where I should have stayed to begin with.

And in return, Jesus gave to me a peace. I cannot explain it any other way. It was not a peace that made me feel like the biopsy results would show nothing. Rather, it was a peace that made me know that everything would be ok regardless of the outcome.

Sweet friend, I know you think you’ve got this (whatever “this” may be), but let me tell you that you do not. You never did. And isn’t that relieving that you don’t have to carry that weight on your shoulders? Whatever it is that you are holding so tightly in your grip is probably cutting you all to pieces. My hands are a scarred up mess, but yours don’t have to be. It is so much easier to be humble and ask the Lord for guidance than to be humbled and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Trust me. I learned the hard way.

I was sitting in the Food Lion parking lot waiting for my online grocery order (you are not living your best life if you are not taking advantage of grocery pick up, by the way), when I received my biopsy results. The prettiest word I’ve heard in a while: BENIGN. 🙌

And then I heard something else. It was a gentle whisper in my ear, but the voice was unmistakable. Sweet and strong, He said, “Now go LIVE.”

And that is what I am going to do, my friend. I am going to live. And I’m going to lean, humbly holding the Hand of the One who guides me every step. But, y’all, I do have a favor to ask. If you EVER see me nursing a wound while holding a pair of wire snips, I want you to slap them right out of my hand.

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

August 15, 2021

Mama, if you read this…I’m sorry.

When we were teenagers, I snuck out of the house to meet Joe. More than once.

He’d wait for me on Carmack Rd, a dirt road close to my house. I’d jump in his truck and we would ride at least half a mile with the headlights off, just to be safe. Sometimes we would pick up one of his buddies and one of mine (I won’t name his friend, but I will absolutely tell you that mine was my best friend Jeanenne…I mean, if my mama is going to be mad, I want hers to be mad, too!) Sometimes, it was just Joe and me. Always, though, we’d end up at the cemetery at the “church on the hill” in Seven Springs. I know…I know…the funeral business was in his blood, even then! 😂

We didn’t do anything incredibly illegal in the moonlit cemetery on those summer nights, and while I won’t share all the details, I will say this: I’m pretty sure we played hide and go seek in the very spot where Joe is buried! 😂

I don’t know whose heart raced more in those moments right after I jumped in his truck or when he brought me home–mine or Joe’s. We were both terrified that my daddy would be waiting for us on the front porch with a shotgun!

And Mama, if you are reading this, I guess I should clarify…I am sorry that I am spilling the beans about my teenage indiscretions here in the blog. However, I am not sorry that I bent the rules all those years ago. Those are some of my favorite Joe memories!

Sometimes. you have to be willing to take the risk!

This week, Joe’s lesson is about taking risks, and allowing our faith to be stronger than our fear.

He wrote:

Don’t Be Afraid

2 Timothy 1:7 reads: “For God hath not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of sound mind.”

The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please God.”  We should use our faith in all that we do.  Once we start using faith to overcome problems, we begin to gain momentum.  The issue is keeping that momentum going. Newton’s law states that objects at rest tend to stay at rest.  Objects in motion tend to stay in motion.  And if you don’t grow in your faith, your faith will wither…if you don’t use it, you lose it.  

The Bible tells us of Jesus taking  His disciples out on a boat during a storm.  His reasoning for doing so was to develop their faith in Him. Today I am here to tell you that if you have Jesus on board your ship, you can get through absolutely anything.  

We are absolutely not promised an easy life.  God exposes us to different situations because He knows it is how we are able to grow our faith in Him.  

A well known preacher in the 1800’s, Reverend Phillip Brooks, wrote the following: “Do not pray for tasks equal to your power. Pray for power equal to your tasks.”  God wants us to be challenged, and He assures us in His Word that He is there with us during those times. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

All progress involves risk.  A baseball player knows he cannot steal  second base with his foot on first.  In my own business ventures, I have struggled with that very fear, but I know that in order to make progress, I have to overcome my fear. 

One day, David the shepherd was tending his sheep and as it says in 1 Samuel, there came a lion.  But, in God’s strength, he defeated it. Then came a bear. And then Goliath. If David had run from that lion he would have missed the opportunity to be King of Israel.  

So when that lion comes along, use it not as an excuse to be afraid or intimidated. Use it as an opportunity to exercise your faith in God and conquer it.  

Heavenly Father, help us to rise above what it is we think we can do. Lord, help us to see what You know we can do through You.  

Amen

-JMP

CS Lewis wrote, ” No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.”

I probably read that quote 100 times before Joe died, and never really gave it much thought. Now, however, I understand.

I’ve been afraid of pretty much everything for the past several months. Afraid for my future. Afraid of my feelings. Afraid for my family. Afraid I’d forget. Afraid I wouldn’t forget. Afraid of tackling the tasks that Joe always handled. Afraid of everything.

This week, that fear hit me in the gut again. I let the dogs out when I woke up on Wednesday. Daisy soon returned, but Chief did not. I called and called, walked the path, but he was nowhere to be found. Finally, I just sat down on the back steps and prayed. In just a few minutes, I saw that big, beautiful head peep around the corner of the house, and Chief ambled up beside me like nothing in the world was wrong. I buried my face in his fur and had myself a complete come apart right there.

I realized that, in my mind, Chief is the last living, breathing daily connection to Joe that I have in my life. Joe loved that dog with all his heart, and Chief loved Joe just that much in return. So, even though he drives me absolutely crazy sometimes, I have clung to that sweet old dog like a lifeline since December. I didn’t have Joe, but I wasn’t completely alone.

And while Chief is such a blessing to me, that incident made me ponder why we cling to emotions like grief, even when they hurt. I think the answer is fear. Grief is awful. It is physically painful. I have said over and over that I just want to feel better. And I do. However, now that time has passed and I feel the sting of grief abating to some degree, I also find myself afraid of letting go of it, because well…that’s where Joe lives. Grief is love turned inside out. All my love for Joe lives in my grief. So, yes, I am afraid of letting go of it completely, because that might mean I’m letting go of Joe. Right?

Wrong.

The devil would like nothing more than for me to stay trapped in this spot forever. He would like for me to believe that my security is tied to a dog and that my love for Joe is tied to this feeling of sadness. That is just not true.

My security is tied to the One who guides me every step. My love for Joe is forever tethered to the hope I have in Jesus, not to the sadness I feel here on earth.

So, maybe it’s time to step forward in faith. Maybe it’s time to let go of the past, and know that learning to move forward is never going to mean letting go of Joe–it is simply using the love we shared for each other and for Jesus to make the most of the life that is laid before me.

But moving forward is a pretty scary thing. I am walking out of one storm. I really don’t care to walk into another.

The Bible tells us of Jesus taking  His disciples out on a boat during a storm.  His reasoning for doing so was to develop their faith in Him. Today I am here to tell you that if you have Jesus on board your ship, you can get through absolutely anything.  

And that really is the truth. It is in the storm that our faith is born. That faith fosters the courage to take the steps that lead you into the sun again. And while that doesn’t mean you’ll never face another storm, it does mean that the same God who walked you through the first one will walk you through the last.

One day, David the shepherd was tending his sheep and as it says in 1 Samuel, there came a lion.  But, in God’s strength, he defeated it. Then came a bear. And then Goliath. If David had run from that lion he would have missed the opportunity to be King of Israel.  

Sweet friend, you can mind your business and live your life and still, one day, there will come a lion. Maybe you can’t defeat a lion on your own. My friend…you never were supposed to. God will give you the power in the face of fear. But you’ll never see that if you turn around and run.

So when that lion comes along, use it as an opportunity to exercise your faith in God and conquer it.

In the words of a cherished friend… “Sometimes you must beard that lion right there in his den”. Whatever it is that keeps you from moving forward, my friend, face it head on today. Let your faith be bigger than your fear.

My God didn’t bring us this far just to bring us this far. Step out in faith, even though your heart is racing. The greatest blessings of this life…well…they are simply worth the risk. ❤️

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

August 8, 2021

Ronda to Joe: “Babe, you missed your calling.” {Spoken with true sincerity}

Joe to Ronda: “Babe, you missed your calling.” {Spoken like a true smarty pants}

Joe and I both had pretty clear callings in life. I was called to be a teacher. I love everything about school–the smell of books and glue sticks, the sight of freshly waxed floors…I even love the craziness of teenagers. It seems that I am forever seeking one degree or another, taking a class, reading an article, etc. I would express my enthusiasm for school and Joe would shake his head and reply, “You are a sick woman.” He did not share my love for it. Not one bit. Nevertheless, education is my calling, without a doubt.

Joe’s callings were equally distinct. He was called to be a funeral director. Just this week someone shared their experience working with Joe during the loss of a loved one, and commented on his kindness, compassion and ability to make the process as easy on the family as possible. It was this same demeanor that served him well as the owner of Southern Monument. Walking people through the various processes of grief and loss was Joe’s calling for sure.

Another calling of Joe’s was one of the culinary variety. Everything he prepared was deliciously perfect, and he could prepare just about anything. When Joe outdid himself in the kitchen (which was often), I’d close my eyes and say (with complete sincerity), “Babe, you missed your calling.”

However, this was not a shared calling between us. Therefore, my most earnest culinary intentions frequently resulted in something burnt (or at least blackened) or inedible. I tried! I really tried! But I tend to cook like I do most everything else–full speed ahead, high heat, in a hurry, doing ten other things at the time…so when he closed his eyes and murmured, “Babe, you missed your calling.”….he meant we would undoubtedly be calling to order takeout that night! Poor Joe! Poor, hungry Joe! 🙂

This week, Joe’s lesson is about God’s purpose for each of us, and how we should respond to His call.

He wrote:

Our Purpose

God has a purpose for each of us. More importantly, we each have a calling to participate in the ministry of Jesus.  

Jeremiah 1:4-10 recounts the calling of Jeremiah to be a prophet: 

“The word of the Lord came to me, saying,“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 

“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

When God called Jeremiah to be a prophet, He assured him that he was born to do this.  Whatever it is that God has called you to do, you were born for that very purpose.  So do not worry—God will make sure that you have everything you need to fulfill your purpose.  

Sometimes it is easy to lose focus by dwelling on our shortcomings.  Instead of dwelling on the self part, I think we should instead shift our focus to the One who created us. He has no shortcomings and will empower us to work beyond our own.

In the last verses, we see that God was reassuring Jeremiah after he became nervous.  God reminded him that his age and experience did not matter.  God promised Jeremiah that He would equip him with whatever he needed to fulfill His purpose. 

God is giving Jeremiah his commission to be a prophet to the nations and to stand up to those who were not yielding to God’s will.  But, God waited until He knew Jeremiah was ready to fulfill the calling.  God knew Jeremiah was ready, even if Jeremiah didn’t realize it himself.  

We often tend to rely on what we can see. It is difficult to see outside of our own comfort zone, especially when we are guided by fear.  Even more difficult for us is taking a risk. Yet, sometimes risk is necessary, especially in serving the Lord.  

So, this week, I encourage you to think about God’s calling in your own life. If your feet feel unsteady, remember that you were created on purpose to fulfill God’s purpose, and He will equip you for the journey.

-JMP

Joe could pray a prettier prayer than anyone I knew. He had a servant’s heart, an amazing command of Biblical knowledge and the ability to translate what he read into layman’s terms. He loved the Lord and he loved on people.

I always believed that Joe was also called to be a preacher. I shared this with Joe. He laughed. Yet, I could see the wheels turning inside his sweet, precious head. He entertained the thought, but always dismissed it.

Joe never could see what I saw. All he could see were his own shortcomings, much like Jeremiah.

Still, when I prayed over our marriage, I always asked that the Lord would be glorified in us and through us, and that we be used according to His purpose. And, to some degree, I felt we were doing just that. Joe served as Sunday School Superintendent. I taught a Sunday School Class. We sang in church, we organized and produced the Grand New Opry Benefit, etc. If our purpose was to serve the Lord in this way, I believed we had accepted His call.

Then Joe passed away.

I had a really difficult time with the concept of my purpose in general, much less my purpose as it related to the ministry of Jesus. There was no song in my heart anymore. Without Joe, there was no Grand New Opry. Without Joe, there was no Sunday School Superintendent. Without Joe, I just didn’t see much purpose at all.

But God…

We often tend to rely on what we can see. It is difficult to see outside of our own comfort zone, especially when we are guided by fear.  It was on Christmas Eve, just 19 days after Joe went to Heaven, that his black leather notebook full of sermons literally fell into my lap. I was in our home office attempting to wrap presents, but ended up just wandering around the room looking at Joe’s collection of various things. All I could see was what had been lost.

Yet, even in that very moment, God was bringing to light another calling for Joe and for me. I was being equipped with what I thought (at that time) was just a comfort, but was actually the gift of ministry contained within the pages of an old leather notebook. What I could see was small, but what God was orchestrating was much larger.

I started writing the blog on a Sunday afternoon, simply because I had to find a way to fill the hours that were most difficult for me to face. And although I felt led to share it, I was terrified. What if people thought I was crazy? Neither Joe nor myself had any real theological training…did anyone really care to read his lessons and my own personal musings?

Even more difficult for us is taking a risk. Yet, sometimes risk is necessary, especially in serving the Lord.  I published the first entry in The Book of Joe. I am not really sure that I saw it as serving the Lord at that time, but I certainly saw it as taking a risk. A few people asked about the other sermons in the book. So, the following Sunday, I published another.

And that’s how I have spent each Sunday for the past eight months. Writing. Grieving. Healing.

Finally, I am beginning to see some purpose. Joe’s purpose. Maybe even my own.

Joe never did listen to me much, but I sure did call it when I said he was bound to be a preacher! 😂. He might say the blog doesn’t count, but I think it does. I think this format is part of Joe’s fulfillment of God’s purpose. I doubt if Jesus reads my blog, but just in case…Jesus, if you’re reading this, would you just nudge him a little and tell him I said, “TOLD YA!!”

Just as God promised Jeremiah that he would equip him, God equipped Joe to share the truths found in His Word. Joe thought he was simply writing a five minute lesson, yet he was writing so much more. But, God waited until He knew Jeremiah was ready to fulfill the calling. God knew Jeremiah was ready, even if Jeremiah didn’t realize it himself. God knew Joe was ready, even when Joe did not. And who, but GOD could further someone’s calling after death?

As for me, I think maybe part of my purpose is to simply be the vessel through which God’s word is shared in The Book of Joe. Maybe part of my purpose is to bring hope to another grieving soul, to be the reminder that Jesus walked with me through the darkest days of the darkest journey, and that even now, He guides me daily toward the light. And if He will do it for me, oh friend…He will do it for you.

What I know with all my heart is that my purpose was determined by God before I was born. How incredible is that to ponder?!? So, as I prayed over my marriage to Joe, that purpose was being fulfilled in ways I could not see. And now, as I pray over this life without Joe, I know that God’s greater purpose is being created in me and through me, and that His plans for me are good.

Sweet friend, His plans for you are good as well. You have been called. You have a purpose. Even when that purpose seems small, even when you don’t understand, or you don’t think you can…look at Joe and me and KNOW this: You haven’t missed your calling. You can glorify God and His purpose in good times and in bad, in times of grief, in times of hurt, in times of hope. You may not think you are ready, but you are. Don’t you think for one minute that God is finished with you. Sometimes what looks like the end is just the beginning. Your tears may fall into the dust today. But the dust and teardrops turn to clay. And clay is something beautiful waiting to happen. Trust me on that one. I know the Potter.

So, I guess Joe, in his sweet way, even now is fulfilling his earliest call. He was called to soothe hurting souls, to bring comfort and peace in times of loss, to make the process of grieving a bit easier to bear. He did that in life, and is somehow able to accomplish that same feat in death. Ain’t that just like Joe? Ain’t that just like God? ❤️

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

July 25, 2021

A few weeks ago, we gathered for supper to celebrate Sarah’s birthday. Jackie Beth said the blessing. She no longer repeats a memorized prayer, but delivers her own personal words of thanks. It is so precious!

Anyway, as she drew her very sweet little prayer to a close, she said, “…and in the name of Jesus PRICE we pray. Amen.”

Y’all.

Jesus Price. ❤️

Somewhere on The Other Side, I feel pretty certain that Joe and Jesus heard her. And I just feel like Joe gently nudged Jesus with his elbow and whispered, “You know, I always had a feeling you were a Price.” 😇

This week, Joe’s lesson is about how we pray, why we pray, and how prayer changes the world around us.

He wrote:

Prayer

“Prayer does not condition God. Prayer conditions us. Prayer does not win God to our view—it reveals God’s view to us.”-Leo Ravenhill

I don’t think prayer comes naturally to all of us. I have heard that a person’s life will suffer if he or she doesn’t pray. I am not sure how I feel about that. What I do believe is that if a person does not pray, the part of Jesus that lives inside them will suffer.

When a person is born again, they take a part of Jesus into their heart. Then, they can either feed that part or starve it.  Prayer is the way we feed our faith. Now, we can look at prayer as a way to get things done, but I think the real purpose in prayer is to get to know God better.

The Bible tells us in John 16:24 to “ask and ye shall receive.”  We complain to God in prayer about what is not right, we apologize for what we have done wrong, but we ask for just a few things.  And we also wait until we have reached rock bottom to ask for help. As long as we think we can handle things, we might not think we need to call on God.

So, maybe we should ask more. I think sometimes we worry about sounding like a child wanting this, that and the other. But, the book of Matthew says that “unless we be as little children…”. Maybe we should simply ask with childlike faith, and then give God room to work. 

I’ll leave you with this thought: I’ve heard that prayer changes things, and I think that is true. But what prayer really changes is ME.

-JMP

Joe could simply open his mouth and a beautiful, eloquent prayer would fall out of it. On command. I was always envious of that.

However, when he was really troubled about something, Joe would ask me to pray about it. I’d always say, “Ok, but you are praying about it, too, right?”

He’d reply, “Yes, but I think He hears you better.” Bless Joe’s heart.

In Joe’s lesson this week, he said, ” I think sometimes we worry about sounding like a child wanting this, that and the other. In late January/early February of this year, I struggled with this concept in the reverse. Joe’s death was still so raw. I moved my oldest son, Caegan, into an apartment in Wilmington. My youngest son, Cameron, was now a junior in high school, driving himself around and suddenly very independent. NOBODY NEEDED ME. I suddenly saw the irony of how we, as parents, spend all those years teaching our children to be strong, self-sufficient humans..to spread their wings, so to speak. Yet, when they begin to fly…well, for me it was bittersweet to say the least. I didn’t want them to be so independent that they didn’t ever need their mama. I still need mine and I am 46 older than my boys. 😜

I wonder if God feels that way about us when we don’t come to Him in prayer? After all, we are His children, too.

Maybe part of our hesitation comes from our misguided assumption that our prayers have to fit some reverent, grammatically correct mold. And while it is my most sincere hope that your every thought overflows with beautiful sentence structure and perfect punctuation 🤷‍♀️, I don’t think God is holding any of us to that standard.

Think about the wonder of when a toddler is learning to express himself or herself. They feel every emotion in a BIG way, and are quick to share it with their grown ups. Toddlers don’t look at us and say, “Thank you for gifting me with something unexpected, Dear Grown Up.” Instead, they SQUEAL with delight. They clap their chubby little hands together, maybe do a little happy dance, and often wrap themselves around us as an expression of thanks. And in that moment, how do we respond? WE squeal with delight. WE clap our hands too. WE do a little happy dance. WE soak up the joy of a big bear hug and squeeze them right back.

When little ones are in want of something, they point. They may utter word or two like “mine” or “please” or “help me”. If they lose patience with us, they may try to get our attention by stomping around a little…huffing and puffing…and maybe even throw a full on fit. However, if we can give them what they desire, we typically do it. Sometimes grown ups make them wait. Sometimes grown ups say no. But the “not yet” or the “no” is never a result of the eloquence of the request. It is simply because the grown ups can see, better than the little one, the difference between what their children want and what they need.

Sometimes toddlers don’t know what they want. They are tired or hungry or frustrated or confused (or some of all of it) and they simply lift up their hands toward their grown up. And what do we do? We reach down and we pick them up. We rock them gently, we whisper words of comfort into their hair, we let them rest in the safety and comfort of our arms for a while. That’s a mighty sweet moment for a little one. It’s a mighty sweet moment for the grown up, too.

Of course, our earliest method of communication might be the most effective of all. Our cries usher us into this world as newborn babies. Grown Ups hold their breath waiting to hear it for the first time, and spend the rest of their lives responding to it. A grown up can differentiate between the cries of anger, hunger, sadness, injury, illness, drama (my poor mama especially on the drama one), exhaustion, etc. long before a child is able to articulate a single thought. Honestly, we were probably better communicators as babies than we are as full grown adults. Words can be misleading, but teardrops generally tell the tale.

But, the book of Matthew says that “unless we be as little children…”. Maybe we should simply ask with childlike faith, and then give God room to work. Goodness, perhaps we had our prayer life figured out as little ones and didn’t even know it. Is a squeal of delight a prayer? I think so. And so is clapping your hands, or doing a happy dance.

Is a one word request a prayer? I can tell you from experience that the answer is yes. I’ve uttered “please” and “help me” more in the last several months than I have in my entire life. God never once came back with “You must submit your work in complete sentences”. Not once. But He has countered with a “no” and a “not yet”. And even when His response causes me to have a full blown fit and fall in it, I trust that He sees, better than me, the difference between what I think I want and what He knows I need.

Is lifting up your hands as if to say, “Will you pick me up?” a prayer? Oh my goodness, yes. I think God delights in the moments when He can scoop you up and rock you gently, whispering “Rest in Me a while.” But just a warning…when He holds you in His hands, you’ll probably see me there as well. I find myself there an awful lot these days. No worries…I’ll scoot over. There’s more than enough room for all of us.

My sweet, precious friend…can you pray through your teardrops? This one I know for sure. God is, indeed, close to the brokenhearted. In the moments when I have felt His unmistakable presence, and on the few occasions when I have audibly heard His voice, there was one common denominator. Each event occured when I cried out to the Lord, when my despair trickled down my cheeks in a slow, steady stream.

Perhaps heartbreak opens our lines of communication because our Lord himself can relate. After all, God had a boy once. A boy that He loved so very much. He knew His boy would die. And, near the end, that boy asked His Father wasn’t there any other way? And His Father had to tell him no. Don’t you know that broke His heart? So, I know without a doubt that God heard my cries the night I lost Joe and all the nights since. Because he knows what it’s like to love the sweetest boy, to want so much for him to live, to watch him die so young.

About a week ago, I stood in the kitchen having a conversation with Cameron, my 17 year old almost grown boy. As he asked me a question, he slipped up and called me Mommy. Did I love it?? Oh, yes I did. 😊 I also realized that even though my children think they are grown, deep inside they will probably always need their mama just a little.

Prayer does not win God to our view—it reveals God’s view to us. For me, God’s view is this: We are forever safe in the arms of our Father. He delights in our childlike faith, and He hears our prayers even in their most basic form. From our first newborn cry to our last, God’s heartstrings are tethered to our own…simply because we are His children. We are His children, even when we think we’re grown. And we will forever need our Grown Up. 💗

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

July 18, 2021

Joe was typically patient with me. And I was typically…well…let’s just say the man stored up treasures in Heaven during our marriage. 😜

HOWEVER….

There was one circumstance in which he expected something impossible of me and just could not be patient about it. It happened every time he put the dang vehicle in park and switched off the ignition.

Joe required a lot of equipment. He always had a pen/pencil, a pocket knife, an assortment of tiny tools and/or hardware, a cell phone, a handkerchief, a wallet…oh…and a pack of cigarettes and lighter. Always. But bless his heart, he also possessed the ability to attach each of those things to his person before he left home. He used every pocket, clip, belt, strap, bungee cord, etc. available to him, so when he threw that thing in park he was ready to jump right on out of the vehicle.

I require a little equipment myself, which I typically keep contained in one of the five million bags I haul around all the time. I have a hand bag, a teaching bag, a lunch bag, a gym bag, a bag of jellybeans…you understand, right? So, once Joe turned off the ignition, I still needed to decide which bag was appropriate, place my phone in it, do a quick booger check in the mirror, reapply lipstick, collect all my belongings and vacate the vehicle.

And Joe would come completely unglued while he waited.

Every Single. Time.

I believe if I had hopped out of the truck while it was still rolling, Joe still would have sighed and given me the look. No worries…the truck was always in park and the rubber on the tires completely cooled before I made my dramatic exit from the vehicle.

Could I have moved a little faster? Probably. Did I intentionally move slowly because I ALWAYS had to wait for Joe to smoke a cigarette before we went somewhere, when we got home, before we ate supper, after we ate supper, before we went to bed, before and after we did pretty much anything? Possibly. 😇

This week Joe’s lesson is about waiting, and what God wants us to learn while we do it.

He wrote:

Why We Should Wait

Lamentations 3: 25-26: “ The Lord is good to them that wait for Him; to the soul that seeks Him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.”

The Bible makes it plain that we go through different seasons in our lives, and one of those seasons God tells us about over and over again is the season of waiting. 

But I would like to assure you this morning that while we are waiting, God is working.  

We are going to spend a lot of time waiting, and if we  don’t figure out how to trust God while we do that, well, we are going to spend right much time not trusting God. 

God has no reason to be in a hurry, because He is forever.  But don’t think for one minute that He is not watching and working.  He is watching for your trust in Him.  As we are saying, “When, Lord?”, He is asking us to have faith that He can handle our needs. 

We are naturally impatient.  We want things done now. In Ecclesiastes 3:1 we find, “ To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven.”  Think about what you are waiting for this morning.  Are you frustrated with how slowly things are happening? We find a promise in Isaiah 60: 22 that not only is God working, but it also tells us how He is working: “ The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the LORD; in its time I will do this swiftly.”

God waited thousands of years to send Jesus the first time, and we have been waiting more than 2,000 years for His return. 

So, as we move into the coming week, remember that delay is not denial.  When you think God is saying no, He might just be saying, “Not yet. Will you trust Me?”

I will leave you with a verse from Micah 7. Verse 7 states: “Therefore, I will look unto the Lord and I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.”

-JMP

Two Fun Facts About Ronda… 1) I love a good story. 2) I do not like to wait.

It was during one particularly difficult season of waiting that the Lord gave me “my verse”. It is the scripture I go back to time and time again. Psalm 27:14 reads, “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” Well, I don’t like to wait, so I really thought maybe God seemed to make me do it repeatedly so that I would “learn my lesson”. However, I think maybe I missed the mark. Perhaps it’s not so much about waiting, but more about waiting well–maybe the true lesson comes, not at the end of our wait, but in the time between the plea and the payoff.

We are all waiting for something it seems. Waiting for healing. Waiting for the job. Waiting for the new home. Waiting for the prodigal son/daughter/husband/wife to return. In my current season, I am waiting for several things. I am waiting for healing. Waiting for relief. Waiting to feel happy. Waiting for normal. Waiting for Heaven. And we do all this waiting knowing full well that God has the power to bless us with every desire of our heart at anytime. So, why does He hold out on us? I think it is because of the role that waiting plays in our own story, as well as in God’s story.

Joe’s lesson this week made me think about story of Lazarus…more specifically, about the wait between his death and resurrection.

When Lazarus was sick and dying, his sisters, Martha and Mary, reached out to Jesus, not only as their only hope, but also as their personal friend. They knew He loved Lazarus and they knew He had the power to heal him. But Jesus did not come. He waited. He prolonged their agony.

I reached out to Jesus the night Joe passed away. I, too, knew He loved Joe, and that He had the power to heal him. But Jesus did not give me my heart’s desire that night. He waited. He prolonged my agony.

Lazarus died.

Joe did, too.

Mary and Martha entered a time of darkness and suffering. Their hearts were broken. They might have even been a little bit resentful. They questioned the goodness of Jesus.

Me too, sisters. Me too.

Then, Jesus showed up. Martha went out to meet Him. But she didn’t greet Him with warm fuzzies. She questioned him. “Why, Lord? You could have saved him, but you didn’t. Why??” However, she followed up with, “But even now I believe in you as the Son of God.” At her sister’s urging, Mary went to meet Jesus as well. Her pleas were much the same. If Jesus had been there, her brother would still be alive. And as she plead, Mary fell right down at His feet.

Goodness, friends…that expresses my heart better than anything I can tell you. I went to meet Jesus the morning after Joe passed away–right at my kitchen table where I’d met Him so many times before (and after). My exchanges with Jesus are still a daily mix of “Why didn’t you save him?” and “I will praise you in the storm.” I fall to my knees with my hands held up in praise one minute, and I fall to my knees in weakness the next.

But then, in the story of Lazarus, Jesus did the thing. Jesus did the thing that blows my mind and breaks my heart and gives me hope all at once.

Jesus wept.

Y’all, Jesus knew when he walked into town that day that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. He saw the bigger picture, even when his friends and the disciples could not. But still, in that moment, his heart was broken. Jesus wept tears of compassion–he did not take lightly the suffering his delay caused. He wept tears of anger–the wage of sin is death–and Jesus had seen a lot of it. Death had taken so many, and now Lazarus, and soon it would take Him. And He knew it. He wept tears of distress. Jesus was just days away from his own crucifixion at this point. Can you even imagine the anxiety? Jesus was about to resurrect Lazarus, giving him the gift of life, both earthly and eternal. But, for Jesus, that gift was going to come with an unbearable price tag–Ultimately, this gift would be purchased with His very own life. Even though what lay on the other side of the death of Jesus was wonderfully unimaginable, He was going to have to walk a horrifically painful road to get there. So, Jesus cried.

In the moments before Joe’s death, when I held his head in my lap and begged God to save him, I cried, too. I only remember that detail because at first I thought the tears belonged to Joe. I looked down and saw them running down his cheek. I wiped them away, confused, until I felt one drip off my own cheek onto his and realized that the tears were mine. However, I wonder if maybe one of those tears belonged to Jesus? Even though He could see the bigger picture, even though He knew the paradise that awaited my sweet Joe, maybe His heart broke a little bit to see mine breaking?

But then, four days after he passed away, Jesus raised Lazareth from the dead. Yes, Jesus had the power to heal his friend in sickness. BUT HE WAITED. This wait allowed the glory of God to be shown in its fullest. What Martha and Mary asked for was good. What Jesus gave to them was better.

In the moment Joe’s season of suffering ended, my season of suffering began. So, now I wait, trusting that somehow, the glory of God is being displayed. I asked the Lord to save Joe. In my mind, that was good. In my heart I know that what Jesus gave to Joe is better…so much better.

So now, in this wait, I’m learning. In this wait, I’m leaning.

Sure, I say, “When, Lord??” an awful lot. When is my heart going to mend? When will the waves of grief subside? When will it not hurt so much? …remember that delay is not denial.  When you think God is saying no, He might just be saying, “Not yet. Will you trust Me? And so, I trust Him. I trust Him to give me the strength I need for this day, to get through the waves that this day brings, to provide the healing for this day. The weaker I feel, the harder I lean. The harder I lean, the stronger He makes me.

I’m also seeing the sweetness in the dark. In those moments when my heart still aches, when I feel like I might be swallowed up by darkness, I feel the unmistakable presence of God’s love. And that feeling is just a foretaste of the love we will feel when we reach The Other Side. How precious to feel it for just a moment now, in choosing to walk by faith, not sight. Had it not been for this season of suffering, I may have missed it.

I do love a good story. I guess that’s why I write this blog each week–I want to tell Joe and Ronda’s story. But, more than that, I want our story to tell God’s story. So much of our story is about waiting…we waited almost twenty years to find each other again. But it is also about redemption, healing, trust and true love. My favorite part of our story is the path, because it led us home, and it was worth the wait.

My friend, it is my hope that you are forever blessed with your heart’s desire. But, until that day, I hope you will learn with me to wait well. If, by chance, you feel like you are always waiting for something, but never truly satisfied, I hope you see that the true blessing is found not in the gift, but in the Giver. One sweet day, there will be no doubt what you and I were waiting for…it was Jesus. All along…it was Jesus.

That, my friend, will be the best part in God’s story. We, too, walk the path that leads us Home.

❤️ It will be worth the wait. ❤️

-Words of Wisdom from the Book of Joe

July 11, 2021

Several years ago, I sought Joe’s advice on where I should hide something to keep the boys from finding it (it was probably jelly beans 😂). His reply was that the best method was to hide it in plain sight.

Joe had proven the effectiveness of this strategy on the day he proposed to me. Joe and his good friend Taylor had to call an auction sale that morning, and at the last minute, I ended up driving Joe’s truck to take Cameron over to my mama’s house. Now, I had suspicioned that there had been a possible ring purchase, but my efforts to look in every hiding place I could fathom had been fruitless thus far. I guess it was because the ring was not hidden at all…it was sitting in the center console of his truck. I probably rested my arm on it on the way back from my mama’s house that morning. I later learned that, as we pulled down the path toward the auction, Taylor (sitting in the back seat) spotted the ring box and did his best to get Joe’s attention in the rear view mirror to let him know it was out in plain sight. But Joe didn’t see Taylor, and I didn’t see the ring until later that afternoon. We were back in the woods behind the barn, building an imaginary house up on a hill, like we had done a thousand times before. I pointed and dreamed, saying we’d put this here and that there, when he interrupted me to ask if I really thought I could live with him for the rest of our lives. I turned around to find him, one knee on the dusty path, holding the prettiest ring I’d ever seen. Ya’ll know my answer…and if you know me well, you know that I screamed and cried and did a little happy dance because it’s just who I am.

And that’s the story of the best day of Joe’s sweet life. 😂

This week Joe’s lesson is about the ways that Jesus gives us eyes to plainly see the goodness of His work in our lives.

He wrote:

The Glory of God

When I think about the highlights of the ministry of Jesus, the story of how He healed the blind man is near the top of my list.  You are probably familiar with the story—it starts out with Jesus and His disciples coming across a blind man while they are walking through the temple. 

John 9: 1-3: “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

I thought for a long time that the “works” Jesus talked about meant healing the man’s sight.  That is the main action  in the story. I thought Jesus was performing the miracle to show that He was the Son of God.  Well, now I see that the real point is something a little different. 

Further in the chapter we find in verse 30 how the man responded when questioned by the Pharisees.  “The man answered, ‘Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.  Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’

To this they replied, ‘You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!’ And they threw him out.”

If Jesus had wanted to be known for His power, he would have ridden into Jerusalem on a white horse with a sword and an army behind him. But that is not how He chose to come. He arrived quietly, touching the lives of the lost and forgotten. He didn’t just heal broken bodies. He healed hearts and souls, too. Like, in this story, He gave the blind man his physical sight, but He also gave him the ability to see the truth, while the Pharisees became blind to it.  We should make sure that we, both as Christians and as the church, do not become blind to all that Jesus does for us each and every day. 

So, as we go forward this week, let us not get so wrapped up in what happens in the world around us that we fail to see the work that God is doing here on earth every minute.  Ask the Lord to give you eyes that see His goodness in every situation.

-JMP

One of the perks of being an early bird living on a pond is that I am privy to a spectacular sunrise nearly every morning. I purposely seat myself at the kitchen table while I read my devotion so that I can see the sun just as it peeks over the tops of the trees and spills over onto the surface of the water. Ya’ll, sometimes it truly looks as if God is scattering golden nuggets and brilliant diamonds across the pond. I know it’s crazy, but I always feel like that is God’s special gift for me (my prize for getting up with the chickens!!). That perfect moment where the sky flips the switch from rainbow sherbet to glittering sunlight is brief, so if you’re not paying attention you’ll miss it, but it is worth taking a few moments each morning to just stop and soak up the sweetness of a fresh new day. The glory of God shows off for us first thing each morning.

I distinctly remember sitting at my kitchen table the morning after Joe went to Heaven. Honestly, I remember very little about those days (which is probably a blessing), but I can recall seeing the sunrise that day. Actually, what I remember is missing the sunrise. I caught the light reflecting off the pond from the corner of my eye. That morning, I needed a closer look, so I moved from the table to the glass door for a better view. But, in the moments it took me to get up and walk across the kitchen, the light on the pond disappeared, and all I could see was the bright, blinding sun over the trees. The irony of that magic moment slipping through my fingers was not lost on me that day.

On Tuesday of this week, I started my day like any other. I watched the sunrise from my kitchen table and went about my day. However, I could feel that uneasiness of impending grief creeping around the outer edges of my heart. While I am thankfully better able to control my reaction to bouts of grief, I also understand that sometimes the only way to find peace is to run away for just a bit. So, I threw some clothes in a bag and decided to disappear. It made no sense to head to the coast in the late afternoon when a tropical storm was in the forecast, but I have learned that my peace is almost always restored by the sight of blue water and smell of salt air, so I pointed Joe’s truck in that direction. Pointed is not exactly accurate. I honestly felt pulled toward the ocean. I had no idea what I was looking for, but I knew in my heart where I would find it.

When I arrived, I didn’t even take the time to throw my bag inside. I jumped straight out of the vehicle and walked down to the end of the dock. I perched on a wooden bench, closed my eyes, and soaked in the smell and the sounds. It was almost instant relief. Then, I opened my eyes to see the sun making its slow descent into the water. I caught it just in time to see those same glittering jewels dance across the water. Once again, the glory of God spread itself across the sky just for me.

But Joe’s lesson makes me realize that, like his own admission that maybe he’d originally missed the point, maybe I have as well. Maybe the grand display of majesty at dusk and dawn each day isn’t about those fleeting moments where the light dances across the water. Beautiful as they are, they are indeed fleeting. But when they disappear, the sun remains. Steadfast, over and over again, the sun remains. Could that have been the message I missed on the morning after Joe passed away? That no matter what this life gives us or what this life takes away from us, we are never removed from the light of the Son?

He arrived quietly, touching the lives of the lost and forgotten. Jesus isn’t about the blaze of glory. I think that part is just an after effect of His presence. Jesus is about loving and serving and healing.

He didn’t just heal broken bodies. In the moments before Joe’s sweet soul left his body, I held his head in my lap and prayed–I begged–-the Lord to heal him. Although my eyes were blind to it then, now I can see that Jesus did heal Joe–right there in my arms–his broken body was made whole again as he left my arms for the arms of Jesus. Oh, that is a precious, precious thought!

He healed hearts and souls, too. The reality is, healing Joe’s heart meant mine had to break. But Jesus isn’t in the business of only healing hearts passing through the gates of Heaven. So, He shows up every single day…as constant as the sun…and continues the process of putting my heart back together again.

We should make sure that we do not become blind to all that Jesus does for us each and every day. Sometimes Jesus brings me healing through His word. Sometimes it comes in the form of people placed in my path who help me navigate through the darkness. Sometimes healing comes through the words you are reading now. And sometimes, healing comes from the sun. Always, though, healing comes from the Son.

So, as we go forward this week, let us not get so wrapped up in what happens in the world around us that we fail to see the work that God is doing here on earth every minute. Lamentations 3: 22-23 says, ” Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” I see this verse in living color every morning as the sun peeps at me from above the treeline.

And then, the day happens. Life happens. There are some mighty sweet moments. There are some moments that hurt. But there is no moment of the day where you are without the Son.

And the sunset? The Lord used it to open my eyes in two ways this week. For just a moment, as the light stretched out far across the water, I felt as if God gave me just a tiny sneak peak of the golden streets of Heaven. Crazy as that sounds, it brought peace to my heart to think of Joe just on the other side, and made me consider that maybe Heaven isn’t so far away after all. Then, as the sun began to sink, the colors in the sky transformed before my very eyes into a gorgeous palette of orange and pink and purple. As beautiful as the sun had been on top of the water, it was just as breathtaking as it nestled down beneath it. That’s when I think I really understood the message that no matter what happens during the course of a day, a week, a year, or a life, the glory of the Son gives us hope for a beautifully painted ending.

So, my sweet friend, my prayer for you today is that you will have eyes that can see the good. There is so much good. God’s goodness and glory are all around you, from the sunrise to the sunset and everywhere in between. It isn’t hiding from you in some dark, faraway corner, my friend. I can tell you from experience that the best things, the greatest blessings of this life, are all around you–hiding in plain sight.

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

July 4, 2021

There once was a man traveling to the top of a mountain. A snake approached and begged the man to let him rest in his pocket on the way up. The snake promised not to bite him, so he agreed. When they reached the top, the snake bit the man. His last words were, “How could you? You promised not to bite me!” To which the serpent replied, “You knew I was a snake when you put me in your pocket.”

When Joe was feeling mean or mischievous, he said his ankles were itching. They itched often.

I am incredibly ticklish, especially on the bottoms of my feet. I have to engage in a very serious discussion before I get a pedicure or massage. I just can’t take it! 🤦‍♀️ Knowing this, Joe did his very best to torture me in this manner. One evening, I stretched my legs across his lap while we were sitting on the couch. I thought he was too engrossed in a tv show to bother me. I was mistaken. Before I knew it, he had my legs in a vice grip and held me there while he tickled my feet. I screamed, I gasped, I begged, but he chose this moment to seek retribution for all the tricks I’d ever played on him. Finally, I told him I was about to pee on myself, knowing that would make him stop. But he didn’t stop, thinking I had cried wolf. I was a wolf with a tiny, fragile bladder…and, well…I peed in my pants right there on the couch.

I was FURIOUS. I asked him if he had anything to say to me, fully expecting a profuse, sincere apology. His reply was as follows: “You knew I was a snake when you put me in your pocket.”

He was my sweet Joe with a mean streak a mile wide. 😂

This week, Joe’s lesson is about good and evil, and how we are all a little bit of both.

He wrote:

Good and Evil

It is only natural for us to wonder why the Lord allows good and evil to exist side by side.  I would think that we all wonder and ask ourselves, “Wouldn’t the world be a better place if the Lord would just destroy everything evil and allow only good to exist?”

To me, that is an easy conclusion (or maybe solution) to the problems we see in society—but then we have to consider that maybe our idea of what is good doesn’t line up with what God’s standard is for good. This idea of doing away with evil is great in theory, but then I ask myself where I might fall in the division of good and bad? I’ll let you ponder on that for yourself, but personally, I know that I fall short of the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior. I know that I am sinful by nature, and according to the Bible, a sin is a sin, and sin is evil.

In Matthew 13: 24-30, Jesus tells a parable about weeds: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.²⁷ “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’²⁹ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

The Lord allows good and evil to exist side by side because He loves us.  Instead of dealing with us right away, swiftly and justly, He provides grace, and only through grace can we come to know Jesus and His gift of forgiveness.

He wants all of us to know Him, and He knows that in knowing Him, each of us will require grace. 1 Timothy 2: 3-4 states: “³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

But I am here to tell you this morning that there will come a day when His grace will end—He is going to separate the wheat from the weeds, and we must be ready! The weeds will be bundled and burned, but the wheat will go into the barn. I don’t know about you, but I know that I want to end up in the barn.

So, when we consider good and evil, let it remind us that the only way we can overcome our own evil is through the love and grace and mercy of Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness, and for giving us grace to be prepared for the day you bring in your harvest.

-JMP

I spent several years working in school administration. My first year as a principal, I periodically sent Mr. D, who was the principal of the high school where I taught for many years, an email containing two simple words: I’m sorry.

He knew what I meant.

I was sorry because I know I worried that poor man to death when I was a teacher. Joe often referred to me as bossy, and said my personality was a bit intense. Well, Joe exaggerates, but I do own a shirt that says, “I’m not bossy. I’m aggressively helpful”. 😜 So, I kept Mr. D’s office chair warm. If he assigned a student to In School Suspension and I knew he/she had something going on at home, I’d make a plea on their behalf. If, bless his heart, I sent him a student for disciplinary action and he didn’t put them in ISS, I’d question his decision🤦‍♀️(I know. I know.). If he made a schedule change that didn’t suit the English department, I’d gently suggest a better way. He always listened quietly and patiently. Sometimes he did what I asked. I thought he was so smart on those occasions. Sometimes he did what he thought was best, regardless of my opinion. Thus, sometimes I’d pout for a day or two. It never swayed him. 😂

When I became a principal, I realized that I was so caught up in my little world as a teacher, that all I could see was the small picture. Meanwhile, Mr. D was tasked with keeping all the plates spinning at once. He made decisions based on the big picture. I also realized that Mr. D was really good at his job, and because he never made me feel like I was getting on his last nerve (when I know good and well that I was), he was also pretty much a saint. 😇

Mr. D gave me a piece of advice I have used over and over again. He said if I’d make every decision based on what is best for students, I might not win every battle, or be everyone’s favorite person all the time, but I would ultimately win the war.

So, Joe’s lesson made me consider the fact that I probably owe Jesus Christ a two word email as well. And I’m not calling you out, friend, but I am leaving some space on the signature line just in case you need to send one, too. 😊

How often do we approach God with our lists, in hopes that He will do it our way? How often do we make a plea on someone’s behalf (or our own) when God’s actions don’t seem fair? How often do we question His decisions? Gently(or not so gently) suggest a better way? And when He doesn’t change it…doesn’t fix it…when it seems that good continues to suffer and when it seems that evil might prevail, how often do we retreat in a far away corner instead of running into His arms? Maybe it’s just me. But maybe it’s you, too?

I might never understand why God doesn’t serve up swift justice for all of the evil in this world. But what I do understand is if He gave us exactly what we each deserve for all of our sins, well….I’m afraid we’d find ourselves in a heap of trouble. So, I’m trying to focus on the way my cup is forever overflowing with God’s sweet mercy and grace, and I am trusting in Him as He keeps all the plates spinning. He hasn’t dropped one yet.

Mr. D is pretty intimidating before you get to know him. Yet, in reality, he has a heart as big as the ocean, and bottom line—he does his job better than anyone I’ve ever known. I believe God is much the same. Just like like Mr. D taught me to do what is best for students, our Lord is out there, every single day, doing what is best for us. So, while it may look as if He isn’t winning every battle, while His decisions may not always be popular, this I know for sure. Sweet friend….God will win the war. Joe said, “The weeds will be bundled and burned, but the wheat will go into the barn. I don’t know about you, but I know that I want to end up in the barn.”

Dear friend, if I don’t see you again before, I’ll meet you at the barn. ❤️

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

June 27, 2021

Mama Eula loved everybody. I know everyone believes they have the sweetest grandma in the world, but I’m telling you…she was about as sweet as they come. I NEVER heard her say an unkind thing about anyone. I never even heard her raise her voice (and I promise you we all gave her many reasons to yell). She cooked the best fried chicken, made homemade Play Doh, let us eat butter beans with toothpicks til we were grown, and could turn an old scrap of fabric into a beautiful evening gown. She was everybody’s grandma. At her funeral, the preacher never once referred to her as “Ms. Eula”. She was Mama Eula to him, too.

She was just a quiet, sweet, patient soul….oh, and she was incredibly independent. Joe and I learned this first hand several years ago.

In the hours before a predicted ice storm, Joe and I went to town to pick up some last minute supplies. Before we left Mount Olive, we stopped by Mama Eula’s house to see if she needed us to do anything for her(and maybe talk her into NOT staying home by herself). She declined our offers for assistance and assured us she’d be just fine. Of course I could not leave well enough alone, so I might have asked her more than once if she was sure she didn’t need us to do anything or take her anywhere.

You could have heard a pin drop when she looked at me and said, “I’ll tell you what you can do for me, Ronda. You can go somewhere and get still.”

Her eyes were as blue as Joe’s, and she shot me a look that told me she was not messing around! So, I got my behind in the truck and got still. Joe Price laughed at me all the way home and used her line on me at least a thousand times when I tried to tend to somebody else’s business. 😂

He loved that line so much that he made it the title of this week’s lesson. I’m pretty sure he told that story to the ENTIRE congregation that morning, too.

He wrote:

Get Somewhere and Get Still

Hustle and bustle. Stress. Feelings of anxiety and being overwhelmed.

Sometimes we just need to get somewhere and get still.

How many of you take a few minutes each day to just rest and be alone with God? I personally have a hard time doing that. If we are going to spend time in communion with the Lord, we are going to have to put forth the effort, because if we aren’t dedicated to it, the world will put more obstacles in our way than we can shake a stick at.

Jesus understood the importance of getting off by Himself and spending time in prayer. He was a mighty busy man, walking for miles at the time, preaching, healing, teaching, etc., but still He made time to rest and spend time with His Father.

Luke 5:16 says, “And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.”

Jesus taught the disciples to take time for themselves. After He had sent them out to preach and heal, when they all bunched back up, the disciples wanted to tell Jesus about all the things they had done.  So, He listened to them and then we find in Mark 6:31 that Jesus instructed them to “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

In Psalm 131, we find King David as a very busy ruler. He had a lot going on and I’m sure he had a lot on his mind, but in verses 1 and 2  he said , “I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk…”. David understood the importance of intentionally quieting our minds. Instead of getting all worked up, he settled himself by putting his faith and hope in the Lord.

So, as we go about our daily lives this week, let’s try to set aside some time each day to pause and rest in presence of God. If you find yourself spinning in circles, you might just need to get somewhere and get still.

-JMP

I have heard the voice of the Lord twice in my life.

The first time was that summer years ago, before we were married, when Joe lost his mind for a little bit 😜 and we spent a few months apart. Just as clear as day, I heard God say to me, “He’s coming back.” By the end of that summer, I finally realized that Jesus had kept His word. Joe did come back, but it didn’t happen overnight. I had a hard lesson to learn. Actually, I had two lessons to learn, but it wasn’t until recently that I understood the second one. (We’ll get to that later…). I had to get to the point that I loved Joe, but I loved Jesus more.

Finally, and most importantly, I had to get still. At the end of the day, I had a promise from God. Part of my job became resting in God’s presence, trusting that, even when the world said otherwise, He was working on my behalf. I had to let God be God. One day, I finally realized that I wanted Joe, but I needed Jesus. While I firmly believed God would keep His promise, I also knew I would survive if He didn’t. But oh my goodness I am so thankful that He made good on it!! Joe came back and we lived a wonderful, wonderful life.

The second time I heard God’s voice, I was, once again, in a very dark place. And once again, I was without my sweet Joe, but this time he wasn’t coming back. This admission is a very personal one, and it is not pretty AT ALL, but it is honestly where I was in the months after Joe’s death. Please know it is not where I am today.

Sickness and death just kept coming in the early part of this year. Every time I turned around, someone I loved either passed away, became ill, was diagnosed with a terminal illness, or faced extreme suffering. Part of me shook my fist at God, so angry that things just kept getting worse and worse. I remember thinking, “Lord, are you going to take away everyone I love?Are you going to make everyone I love suffer?” But there was another part of me, as people either entered the gates of Heaven or prepared to do so, that was a little bit jealous. I write that hoping you understand my perspective. It wasn’t that I wanted to end my life, but just that I missed Joe Price so much, and I longed to be where ever he was…so when it seemed that so many people were able to get there before me, I might have looked up and whispered, “Why not me, Lord?” I might have whispered it more than once.

That’s when I heard His voice again. My head was in my hands, my tears in a puddle on the floor,when I heard God say these words: “Because you can’t want to go to Heaven for Joe. You have to want to go to Heaven for Me.“

I have turned those words over and over in my head. I didn’t really understand them until this week at the beach. I guess I just needed to get somewhere and get still.

When I think about that cold night at Mama Eula’s house, or that summer I spent without Joe all those years ago, or where I’ve been over the past few months, I see a common thread. I will absolutely wear myself out trying to control things that are quite simply, out of my hands. So, once in a while, somebody will put me in my place. Someone will direct me to go somewhere and get still. Mama Eula did it. Jesus did it, too. And I think both of them were coming from a place of love. Both of them knew, better than me, who was really in control.

I wish I wasn’t so stubborn that God had to make my world stop spinning in order to get me to pause and rest in Him, but that has been the case so far. I’m working on that part. I really am. Nevertheless, when I finally drop to the floor, exhausted by carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, He whispers in my ear.

He reminds me that He is a keeper of promises. He reminds me that it was the truth I found buried in His Word that got me through those dark, uncertain days. He reminds me that, even when the world says otherwise, He is working on my behalf. He reminds me that His Word holds another promise, that although we do not understand what He is doing, one day we will. He reminds me that He carried the weight of this world on His shoulders, and because of that, it is not my weight to bear.

My second lesson in that long ago summer was learning to live without Joe. I’m glad I didn’t realize it then, but now I can see it for what it is–the merciful hand of God preparing me for the road ahead.

Just this morning, I cracked open the devotional that I go back to day after day and year and after year—Jesus Calling. Today’s devotion is entitled “Rest in Me a While”. I love it when the words of my Joe and my Jesus line up like that! ❤️ Below is an excerpt:

If Mama Eula could make a ball gown from a flour sack, there’s no telling what Jesus can make out of you and me. But we have to jump off the hamster wheel for a moment. We are all running on empty, and we are all looking for ways to fill our cup. You can’t fill it with things. You can’t even fill it with people. Trust me…I’ve tried to do both. Your cup is designed to be filled with the sweet love of Jesus. Let Him fill your cup, sweet friend, and watch it overflow.

“Set aside some time to pause and rest in presence of God. If you find yourself spinning in circles, you might just need to get somewhere and get still.“

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe