The Book of Joe

April 11, 2021

Yesterday, I read Joe’s lesson and wondered how in the world I would find a picture that related to smell. This morning, my Facebook memories delivered with two images I can still smell, along with a reminder of why Joe worried about me in our kitchen!

I present to you “A Melted Bag of Bread”:

Y’all, this stunk up my kitchen for many days after I laid the poor toaster oven to rest. Joe reminded me of this event OFTEN. 🙂

My Facebook memories also provided this image (one of my favorites):

We were just about to board a train, headed to New York City. I was so very excited about the trip, but Mr. Price was so very excited about the train! He didn’t wear cologne all that often, but Joe always smelled good to me. It was typically a mixture of smoke, dust and Jackie’s grill, but it worked!! {Fun fact: The man did not own a stick of deodorant because he neither perspired nor smelled funky under his arms.} Anyway, he DID wear cologne the morning of this train trip. I remember this distinctly because, when I commented on how good he smelled, his reply was that he was hoping we’d have a good looking lady train conductor. 🙂 Joe had jokes, y’all. ALL the time.

This week, Joe’s lesson is about smell. He discusses how we should smell to others as followers of Jesus.

He wrote:

Do You Smell Like a Christian?

I want to talk to you a few minutes this morning about “smell”.

The way things smell can be complex. Something can have a pleasing smell, but too much of it can make you feel a little bit sick. Without scent we cannot taste. It is also said that the sense of smell is capable of triggering more memories than any other human sense.

How do we smell as Christians? Scripture talks about smells, both good and bad.

In Exodus 5:21 , it says: “May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”

Isaiah 3:24 states “ And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well-set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.”

2 Corinthians 2: 15-17: “ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.”

Sometimes we want to be around people because they make us feel good. Those people might smell good, too, which never hurts, but we are truly drawn to their personality. Jesus was that way. No one could come around him without feeling an almost irresistible attraction. It was not cologne that drew people to him. It was his goodness and holiness.

You have that same effect on other people. Like Paul said in 2 Corinthians, we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved. So, my question is, do you smell like life or do you smell like death?

Try to put yourself in the shoes of the folks you are around every day—your family, your co- workers, your church, folks in the neighborhood, or just people you run into at the store. What do you smell like to them? Would you be drawn to Christ because of knowing you? Or would you be pushed away?

The best smells come from good things. But you can’t cover up a bad smell by putting a good smell on top of it. You can’t live a life that “stinks”, then recite a few Bible verses or just call yourself a Christian and expect other people to want to smell your fragrance.

The best fragrance of life comes from someone who has been transformed by God’s grace. You can have that fragrance as a Christian by coming to God continuously, reading His word and loving people the way Jesus instructed. Ask Christ to fill your heart, and as He does, you will smell less like the world and more like Jesus.

This week let’s do our best to smell good as a Christian to everyone we encounter, especially the folks right here at home.

-JMP

Early on, someone told me that smell would likely be one of my strongest grief triggers. I honestly doubted this, because I was so drawn to things that smelled like Joe. I’d just sit in his truck and breathe deeply because I could smell him in it. I am embarrassed to tell you how long it was before I could bring myself to wash his pillowcase. I’d crawl into bed every night and bury my face in it, trying to soak him up any way I could. However, I soon learned that this person was right….

Joe wore cologne the night before he passed away. We went out for supper and had such a good time that evening! I can tell you so many details about that night, but did not remember that Joe was wearing his “smell em good” (as my mama says) until a few weeks after his death.

While I was away from home for a few hours, a bottle of Joe’s cologne was accidentally spilled near the back door. The mess was completely cleaned up before I arrived home, but when I opened the door, I was immediately met by that smell–HIS smell. For a split second, I thought he was there…that maybe it had all been a bad dream. Yet, in the next second, I remembered the last time I had smelled that scent–the last night we were together–and I sat right down on the floor in the hallway, grocery bags and all, and had myself a full blown come apart.

I had a similar episode about a month ago in Target when a gentleman passed by me (twice) and I caught a whiff of that same cologne. I shook it off the first time, but when it happened again, tears rolled down my face and a sob leapt out of my throat before I could stop it. That poor man must have thought I had an emotional attachment to the jelly beans on the shelf in front of me (and I mean…I do love a good jelly bean).

Smell is kind of a big deal.

Joe said, “Sometimes we want to be around people because they make us feel good. Those people might smell good, too, which never hurts, but we are truly drawn to their personality.” I realize I am biased, but I do think people were drawn to Joe in this way. I believe it was part of the reason he was good at his job at Rouse Funeral Home years ago. Joe’s quiet, easy going demeanor, along with his soft, deep voice were sources of comfort. He could look at you with those pretty blue eyes, put that strong hand on your back and you just knew he would make sure things turned out ok.

Joe treated everybody like they were “somebody”…because he believed they were. I never saw him treat a single person with anything but kindness and respect, and he was as conscious of maintaining a person’s dignity as anyone I’ve ever known. You might live in a cardboard box and dig your supper out of a trash can, but you were “ma’am” or “sir” if you had an encounter with Joe.

Joe was a helper. Acts of service were truly his love language. He was hands on, shirtsleeves rolled up, ready to do what was needed. He was also a giver, but usually a very quiet one. He was generous and typically anonymous, wanting to give, but not needing to be recognized.

Joe smelled like life. He still does.

I want to smell like that, too.

Sometimes I worry that the words I use depict Joe as some unflawed, larger than life creature. Admittedly, he was pretty perfect to me, but he was far from perfect…and although I would never admit this to Joe, I am not even close to perfect myself.

But here’s the thing…you don’t have to be.

Joe said it best when he said, “The best fragrance of life comes from someone who has been transformed by God’s grace.” Well, that’s me, friend. And you know what else? It’s you, too.

Put your hand to your chest. Every beat of your heart is proof of God’s grace in your life. When I look back on my past, there were times I did not smell like life. I smelled more like a goat’s rear end. Maybe you’ve smelled a little funky, too.

It’s a pretty easy fix, according to Mr. Price: You can have that fragrance as a Christian by coming to God continuously, reading His word and loving people the way Jesus instructed.

Talk to God. Lean on Him. Listen to Him. Read His word…it’s all the truth you’ll ever need. And then…love on people…ALL the people….even the stinky ones. I’m willing to bet that someone loved on you when you weren’t smelling so fresh. I know Jesus did.

Sweet friend, take a sniff of yourself. If you are smelling like a rose, keep doing what you are doing. If you catch a whiff that’s not so fresh, ask Jesus to fill your heart with His love and his truth. Ask Him to help you love like He loves. Heck, ask Him anything. Ask Him to help you take the next step, the next breath, whatever it is that you need. And then ask Him to show you the way…His way.

And then sniff again…I’m pretty sure you’ll find that you smell less like the world and more like Jesus.

You might even find you don’t need deodorant (you do you, but personally, I am not taking a chance on that one!!). 😉

We’re on this train called life together. It will be so much more enjoyable for everyone if we all smell good. Just ask the Conductor. ❤

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

April 4, 2021

A picture’s worth a thousand words, right? I am SO THANKFUL to have photos of Joe, but getting those pictures of him was sometimes a chore. More than once I’ve run across a picture I wanted to use in this blog, but could not because Joe’s sneaky self had crossed his eyes or was surreptitiously giving me the one finger salute. When he was being mischievous like that, he said his “ankles were itching”. Let me tell you…his ankles itched A LOT.

Exhibit A (and proof that his ankles started itching early on):

Never a dull moment….but I digress. 🙂

The picture below represents happiness to me:

Disney is one of my happy places, and I was there with some of my most favorite people. There we stood, in front of The Tree of Life, happy as clams. This trip was great at this point, and just got better and better. However, both the Price and Roberts families had to endure some hardships before we could stand and smile in front of that tree. Poor Joe was diagnosed with the worst case of gout I’ve ever seen just before we left. He was in such pain and hobbled around for the first day or so. As most of you know, Joe loved a cigarette almost as much as he loved me. Apparently, Disney frowns upon the use of tobacco products, therefore smoking areas were few and far between. So we had ourselves a man (who did not exactly share my enthusiasm for Mickey Mouse) with a really sore foot and nowhere to light one up. Couple that with a horrific train ride to Florida for the Roberts, who arrived late due to train delays, mechanical failures, etc. There was also an incident on the train ride home, but that is a story for another day. Bottom Line: It. Was. A. Time.

This week, Joe’s lesson is about a symbol of Christianity and how its meaning evolved from the time of Jesus until now.

He wrote:

The Necessity of the Cross

What does the cross mean to you? Throughout the world, the cross is a symbol of Christianity. But what did the cross represent when Christ was alive? I certainly wouldn’t think that in Christ’s day anyone wore a cross as a piece of jewelry or displayed one in a place of worship.

The cross was used as a way to torture or execute criminals.  I would think that in Christ’s day, the thought or image of a cross caused folks to be uncomfortable or afraid.

But Christians have chosen the cross as a symbol of our faith. If not for the cross, there would be no Christianity.

Colossians 2: 13-15 says, “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.”

The thought of death, torture and sacrifice has become unpopular in many Christian churches because people don’t like to hear about or even think about unpleasant things. People would rather hear about mercy, grace and love—but without the suffering of Christ, we could not be saved. There would be no mercy, grace and love as we know it today.

Can anyone here this morning tell me how we could be saved without Christ being crucified? As terrible as it was, Jesus paid the price for our sins so that all we have to do to be saved is to ask for it.

Hebrews 9:22 states, “ In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Christ paid our debt with His own blood—with His own life.

When you look at the cross, remember that it hasn’t always been a proud symbol of Christianity. It was once a symbol of torment and death. Through His suffering, Christ made the cross a symbol of triumph over death and eternal life for all who know Him as their Savior.

-JMP

Have you ever heard of Six Word Memoirs? I use this activity with my students each year. Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was challenged by a fellow writer to compose a story using only six words. This writer told Hemingway that it simply could not be done. Hemingway accepted the challenge and wrote: “For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn”.

I guess he showed him, didn’t he?

I use this example as a jumping off point to prove to my students that you can say much in few words.

There are six words often associated with the cross. I guess you could say they tell the story. Those words are:

It is finished. He is risen.

Truthfully, I usually tend to block out of my mind the graphic horror of what Jesus actually endured. When Joe said that “people would rather hear about mercy, grace and love“, he was talking about me. I’d much rather park my thoughts on the “He is risen” feelings than the “It is finished” ones. But, this year, I’ve paid more attention to the story. This year, I can’t look away from the suffering part, or from the darkness that followed it.

Jesus was a man. A son. Mary was a mama. The night before his crucifixion, he prayed with such anguish that “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44), and even asked God if it were possible to “take this cup from me” (Luke 22:42). He had another very human moment when He called out from the cross, “My God, why hath thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). He knew what had to be, but it is difficult to imagine the physical pain he endured to get there. And his mama…his sweet mama…had to witness it. As a fellow human being who feels pain, feels anxiety and fear, and as a mama–well, it is just about more than I can stand to think about it.

But, we couldn’t have the “He is Risen” part without “It is finished”.

This year, however, it’s the part in the middle that captures my attention.

Those hours between Friday afternoon and Sunday morning. You see, that’s the part I truly understand. Those dark hours of shock and grief are still fresh in my mind. Those hours are like a foggy mist, except they are comprised of tiny shards of glass. I think I’ve come out of the fog, but the glass is so embedded in my skin that it surfaces to the top intermittently. I know I’ve got to let each tiny fragment make its way out, but I dread the pain as each one breaks through the skin. I would imagine that Mary, the disciples, the followers of Jesus all walked through a similar fog that weekend.

The story of Cleopas on the road to Emmaus on that Sunday morning provides the three words that might make up “the rest of the story”. Jesus had left the tomb and walked the road beside of Cleopas and another traveler, but they did not know it was Him. Cleopas is sad, disappointed and frustrated as he cries “…we had hoped“(Luke 24:21). I’m sure he felt that the death he had just witnessed was the undoing of so many bright dreams for the future. Me too, Cleopas. Me too.

I could make a list a mile long of all the things “I had hoped” for that simply faded away on December 5, 2020. Honestly, I’ve camped in and around the “I had hope” list for many hours since that day. I’ve questioned. Oh, how I’ve questioned. At times, I have even asked “Where is God in all of this?”.

Here’s the answer:

While my head is down, while I am like Cleopas, lost in the “we had hoped”, Jesus is walking right beside me. And I am so caught up in my despair that I don’t even see Him. When Cleopas traveled that dusty road, lost in grief and disappointment, Jesus had already risen.

Because of that, it’s not really “we had hoped”…It’s “we have hope”. And we have that hope simply because Jesus endured unimaginable suffering on that cross long before it was a symbol.

Joe said, “without the suffering of Christ, we could not be saved. There would be no mercy, grace and love as we know it today.” We are all working our way toward our Happy Place, longing to take our spot in front of The Tree of Life. We are all going to have to endure hardship and suffering to get there. But that place of suffering is a place well known to Jesus. Perhaps it is in that moment of suffering that He is closest to us, because He suffered, too.

Are you walking through a fog? It’s ok. Sometimes, so am I. But look…there’s a hand extended at the edge of it,stretched out for you and for me to hold tightly. Can you see it? Look closely….do you see His palm? Do you see the scar? That scar means that is is NOT finished, after all. That scar means we HAVE hope. That scar means that we WILL trade our earthly sorrows for life everlasting. That scar means our story is not over, and that one sweet day I won’t have to look at pictures of my sweet Joe anymore, because I will be by his side again.

IT’S NOT FINISHED! HE IS RISEN!

And one day we will all live HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

March 28, 2021

Two of my favorite things are in this picture: The boy and the path.

“On the path” was our code for home. If I called Joe to see what time he wanted supper, he would respond with something like, “I”ll be on the path by seven.” Or, if he needed me to do something for him at the house or the barn he might say, “If you are on the path before me, would you please…”

Do you remember the postman’s motto that went something like, “Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds”? Well, it was with that same determined regularity that Joe Price would complete a particular ritual as he turned his truck off of the paved road and ambled down the dusty path. Without fail or regard for temperature, he would immediately roll down his window and draw in a deep, contented breath because, as he often said, “The air is fresher on the path.”

If you needed Joe anytime after church on Sunday, you could almost always find him rambling around somewhere “on the path”. If you needed him just after he had enjoyed one of his sweet mama’s delicious Sunday lunches, there’s a good chance you’d find him in this position:

This week, Joe’s lesson is about following a different path. He discusses recognizing and following the path laid out before us by God.

He wrote:

On the Right Path

Psalm 27:11”Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path.”

I believe the main reason we don’t know what God’s will is in our life is because we do not ask.

James 4:2 states: “You have not because you ask not”. God knows better than we know ourselves, so if we want to know what His will is, it makes sense that we should just ask. I don’t think there is anything wrong with asking for specifics. He will guide you.

We also have a guidebook in the Bible—we can even talk to the author. As Christians, God is always with us. He knows us inside and out, and He is with us every step of our journey. He knows where we have been, where we are going, and He knows the best path to travel to get us there.

If we will study His Word for direction, He will remind us of what it says when we are unsure of which road to take.

I think another way that God guides and directs us is through what he impresses upon our minds. He gave us a mind and he wants us to use it. He wants to guide us, not through control (for we have free will), but through ideas. He may give us an idea or impress a thought into our minds and then wait for us to respond. When we do, He will begin to fill in the details.

I ran across this quote while preparing for this morning’s message: “When God gives you an idea, it is called inspiration. When the devil gives you an idea, it is called temptation”. So, how in the world do you tell the difference? The answer is found in Psalm 27:11: ”Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path.” All you have to do is ask.

So, if you find yourself looking for direction this week, use your most trusted resources. Let the Bible be your guidebook and let the Lord be your guide.

-JMP

The path I’m on sure looks a lot different these days. I mean that literally and figuratively. Literally, the landscape of the path toward home has changed. Trees have been cleared, homes have been added, gravel crunches under tires where khaki colored sand used to fly. The people who lived in the houses that line the path have grown older, grown up, moved on…or gone to be with Jesus.

There are also some scars on the path. Hurricane waters dug a deep, jagged trench through the middle of a field. Trees have fallen, sometimes blocking our way to and/or from home. Over time, running water has slowly nibbled at the path’s edges in spots. If you are not careful, you’ll lose your footing and find yourself ankle deep in muck before you know what’s happened. For the most part, however, the path is pretty scenic.

Honestly, I don’t like change very much. I enjoy the security of tradition and routine. Yet, one of my favorite parts of the path is a change- an addition made in later years by Joe’s dad, Mr. Tim, not too long before he passed away. It is a sweet little covered bridge nestled alongside of a creek, honoring the passage of many a tiny foot, horse hoof and golf cart tire that have crossed this section of path over the years.

When I really take the time to think about it, my personal path isn’t really much different than the one at the end of my driveway. It doesn’t look like it did just a few short years ago. What once felt cool and smooth under my feet now feels sharp and jagged. My footing feels unsure. Do I have deep scars running right through my middle? Oh my goodness…I surely do. I feel like trees are constantly falling across my path. Some days I can shove them aside with little effort, while other days I am just so exhausted I decide to rest on them a while. There is a literal fork on the path where I live. I’ve made that slight turn left to get home so many times I can do it in my sleep. But in my personal path, the fork feels different. I stand there and I don’t know which way to go. I feel like I’ve been stalled out in the fork lately.

Joe said in his lesson that we have not because we ask not. So, I’ve asked God several questions this week. But they all pretty much amounted to, “So, since You have put me in this place, what would You have me do now?” Full disclosure, I did not exactly ask this question from a place of humble submission. It came more from a place of weary, angry frustration.

Joe also said, “If we will study His Word for direction, He will remind us of what it says when we are unsure of which road to take.” Well, I do study. Lots. Although I didn’t see it at the time, my devotional study all of this week has been leading me to the answer I think God wanted me to see. I found it this morning. God may not be in a hurry, but he ain’t ever late, either. Right on time…

Today is Palm Sunday. Jesus started down a path of his own this week. Like me (and like you, I’m sure), his path looked much different at the start than it did farther down the road. On Palm Sunday, people lined the path, shouting praises. But Jesus knew where this road would lead. It would lead to his crucifixion. And he kept going. He kept moving forward. For me. For you, too. But perhaps even Jesus took pause at the fork in the road. Maybe even Jesus needed a little reminder that moving forward is the only way Home.

This is a picture of the path where I live. This is the way I get home. I can stand at the fork forever, and I won’t really know which way to go. But if I will just look up….just look beyond the thicket of trees…oh, the wonders that are on the Other Side. All this time I thought I was waiting for God to tell me to go left or go right. And all this time he was saying , “Look up.”

I think I am finally beginning to see that even though the path looks different, it can still be beautiful. Sometimes you have to look a little farther to see it, but the beauty is there.

Maybe you are like me. A little unsure? Maybe the ground underneath your feet doesn’t feel as steady as it once did. Well, here is the advice I am giving you and I’m giving it to me, too.

STOP LOOKING AT YOUR FEET. Lord help us…if we keep looking down or behind us, we will surely fall on our faces. LOOK UP.

We aren’t on this path by accident. Jesus knew we would be here long before we knew it. But He didn’t drop us off and leave us to find our way alone. He put the guidebook in our hands and parked himself right by our side.

There have been some mighty sweet moments on my path. There are sweet moments left to come. I believe that now. Storms may blow in and dig deep trenches through the middle. That’s just how it goes. But, time has a way of healing things, so maybe those places won’t feel so deep forever. And God, in His loving mercy, gives us pretty covered bridges on our path, to remind us of those we’ve loved who traveled along beside us for a little while. Leave it to Mr. Tim and Jesus to build a little bridge like that.

If the path you’re on right now is pretty, look beside you. You’ll see Jesus. If the path you’re on is a little bit scary, look beside you. Hold your hand out. You’ll see Jesus. If you’ve come to the fork, and you aren’t quite sure which way to go, look beside you. You’ll see Jesus. He’s the guidebook and the guide all wrapped up in one.

No matter where you are right now, your journey is not yet complete. So, just take a moment to slow down a tiny bit. Roll your window down. Close your eyes. Breathe in the sweet, fresh air of Jesus for a while. Let it fill you up, my friend (Joe was right…the air really is fresher on the path). Then move forward. Just one step. One foot in front of the other. It doesn’t matter how fast or slow you go, but I think you’ll enjoy it more if you’ll take the time to look around. From what I’ve seen, it’s a pretty scenic route. And the best part is, with the Bible as your guidebook and Jesus as your guide, you will always be on the right path.

It’s the path that leads you Home…

There’s No Place Like Home, sweet friend. There’s No Place Like Home.❤️

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

March 21,2021

Every Sunday, Joe either made us almost late or just plain late to church. Cross my heart, I was always ready before him (and the poor fella is not here to deny this statement…which he absolutely would!). I KNEW I would change clothes ten times before I decided on my outfit for church, so I planned accordingly and woke up with the chickens. He did not. So, just about every Sunday my heels would click impatiently across his bathroom floor, where I would find him, standing in front of the mirror. He would either be patting that hair or straightening that tie. Without fail, he’d admire himself in the mirror, wink at me and say, “Mrs. Price, you are so lucky.” And I would laugh…he knew I would…then we would slide in the church parking lot on two wheels.

He also liked to position himself directly between his sister, Sarah, and me, and proclaim that he was ” a rose among thorns” (he typically made this proclamation in a British accent, like he was asking someone to pass the Grey Poupon or something, which made it even funnier). When I tell you Joe Price was full of it…

But he wasn’t wrong about the first part. Mrs. Price was mighty lucky, indeed.

This week, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Joe’s lesson is about how God used difficult circumstances for His good in the life of Saint Patrick, and how He will do the same for us.

He wrote:

SAINT PATRICK

I want to talk about St. Patrick this morning.

When he was just sixteen years old, he was kidnapped from his home in Britain, taken to Ireland and sold into slavery. While a slave, he worked as a shepherd for six years until God provided a way for him to escape. History tells us that it was during this very difficult time as a slave that St. Patrick became close to God.

But that was not the end of the story…God turned this tragic part of  St. Patrick’s life into something good.

After St. Patrick was returned home and had some time to recuperate, he felt the calling to return to Ireland to spread the gospel and tell the good news of Jesus Christ to the people there.

You see, during his time as a slave, he became familiar with the folks in Ireland, learning their customs and their language. Yet even though he was familiar with the land and the ways of the people, it must have been difficult to return to the place where he was enslaved. Still, he returned to share the love of Jesus with the people of Ireland.

It is believed that Patrick led over 100,000 of the Irish people to Christ through his teaching and preaching…and that was the catalyst that resulted in the great revival that broke out among the pagan Irish.

Even though God is not the author of evil in our lives, he is aware of it. He is able to take the bad things and use them for our good. He has a purpose for us is everything.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

The story of St. Patrick reminds me a lot of the life of Joseph in the Old Testament. They were both sold into slavery, held captive and later set free for the purpose of saving many lives and to bring glory to God.

When we find ourselves in dark circumstances, isn’t it wonderful to have the promise from God that he will never leave us? Even though we are not able to see into our future to see how things will turn out, God is there leading us through whatever comes our way.

Even better is knowing that His plan for us is good, and He gives us hope and a purpose in every circumstance. It is through that hope and purpose that we can use our experience to help others and lead them to Christ.

So, today, let’s thank God for turning our struggles into good, and for the assurance that, if we will allow it, He will use us to show others His mighty love.

-JMP

When Joe attended auctioneer school in Missouri, he had to learn a long, complex tongue twister. I cannot remember the saying in its entirety, but I know it began with “Betty Botter bought a bit of butter, but she said, ‘This butter’s bitter. If I put it in my batter it will make by batter bitter. But a bit of better butter will make my batter better”…you get my drift. Because he was a mighty sweet boy, every year when I began my poetry unit at school, Joe indulged me by allowing me to put him on speaker phone so he could recite this rhyme for my students. In case you are wondering (I know you’re not, but let me be an English teacher for just a sec), this rhyme is an example of alliteration, consonance and assonance. You’re welcome.

He would then proceed to give them a brief example of the auctioneer’s chant, by auctioning a pretend baked good made by me (that’s a joke in itself) to the highest bidder. He always started the bidding too low, therefore my item always sold WAY below its value, and I never really got over that. But I digress…

I recently read something that reminded me of the auctioneer’s rhyme. It said, “Life happens. You can let it make you BITTER, or you can let it make you BETTER.” That will preach right there, in my opinion.

I think St. Patrick had every reason to be a little bitter toward Ireland. Bad things happened to him there. I get it. Who is to say that he wasn’t just a little bit bitter? I mean, he was human, after all. However, he made what must have been a very conscious choice to take a difficult situation and use it for GOOD….use it for GOD.

My favorite part of Joe’s lesson is this: But that was not the end of the story…God turned this tragic part of  St. Patrick’s life into something good.

Shortly after Joe’s death, I found myself feeling just a little bitter. You may not have seen it, because I tried SO HARD to push those feelings away from me. But they were there. However, in God’s perfect timing, a sweet forever friend reached out to me and wrote the words that truly changed my heart.

She wrote, “Your love story is not finished“.

Honestly, it felt pretty finished to me up until that moment. But I was wrong. I was so very wrong. It was so not the end of the story. God doesn’t work that way. He just doesn’t.

And so, I had a very conscious choice to make. Oh, it would be so easy to dive right into that pool of petty bitterness and do some synchronized swimming. I certainly would not be alone. That pool is full of folks calling out, “Come on in! The water’s fine…”. Misery certainly does love company. But at some point, the lifeguard is going to blow the whistle to clear the pool. And do you know what you’ll be when you climb out? Cold, angry and shriveled up like a prune! I ain’t about that life! Are you??

I’m choosing BETTER. Our love story is not finished until JESUS lays down the pen. Jesus was writing when we were teenagers. He was writing the day we were married. He was writing on December 5th when Joe rested his sweet head in my lap, took his last breath on this earth, and his first one in Heaven. I like to imagine that Jesus slipped that pen in His pocket long enough to wrap His arms around Joseph Morgan and squeeze him tight, but He picked it right back up again. And He is writing, even today.

I might not reach 100,000 people the way St. Patrick did, but I am going to share my love story just the same. It is so very precious to me that I get to tell the story of Ronda and Joe. But hear me when I say…the real love story is about Ronda and Jesus.

There is no doubt in my mind that Joe Price loved me with all of his heart. But Jesus loves me even more. So much that He gave me hope and a purpose when I felt as I would never have either of those things again. He even gave me a book. Actually, He gave me two…and He told me to share them with you.

So, when I give you The Book of Joe, I am really giving you The Book of Life–The Book of Jesus. It is my hope that you cling to the sweet promises in the Bible just as I have. Let Joe’s words be the path that leads you to the pot of gold on the Other Side of that Rainbow.

Because you know what? Life is going to happen. Sometimes it is so very beautiful and sometimes it breaks your heart. But God makes us this promise in Romans 8:28:“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Your story is not over and neither is mine. We can take the situations we face and we can let them make us bitter or we can let them make us better. CHOOSE BETTER.

I’m taking a journey and I want more than anything for you to be with me. There will come a day when we will reach the other side of that rainbow. We will stand face to face with Jesus. Oh, friend…can you even imagine?? He will have that pen in His hand, even then. But He won’t write ‘THE END”. I think He will slip it into His pocket once again, wrap His arms around us, squeeze us tight and whisper in our ear, “My Child…this is just the beginning.”

And surely, Joe will be somewhere close by. He’ll wink at me and say, “Mrs. Price, you are so lucky”. And once again, he will be exactly right.

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

“You’re holding up pretty well for an older woman.” -Joseph M. Price

It was at a funeral that Joe and I reconnected almost twenty years after our teenage courtship. I mean, where else, right? We exchanged pleasantries and a brief hug after the service. I was standing in the frozen foods section of Walmart that evening when my phone buzzed, letting me know that I had received a Facebook message. From Joe.

It read: You’re holding up pretty well for an older woman.

We like to think of it as the pick up line that will forever live in infamy. 🙂 But…it worked.

He loved to pick on me for being a TEENSY bit older, but if ever there was an old man, it was Joe Price!  His “old soul” was one of the things I loved about him most. Even though he had the spirit of an old man, his mind was sharp as a tack. Walking through the woods, he could (and would) tell you the name of EVERY tree he saw. He knew the names of my own ancestors (and probably yours, too) better than I knew them and could rattle off a list of names at the drop of a hat. He could NOT remember a birthday to save his life, but…I digress.

One of the ways I knew his age was beginning to catch up with him a little was that he had begun to repeat himself. He would tell me a story, then tell it again just a few days later. I never corrected him. I fondly remember the voice of my sweet Granny  saying, “If I’ve told you this already, just listen again. It’s worth hearing twice!”

Speaking of hearing something twice—if you have followed the blog since the beginning, you may remember that the first lesson I posted was actually dated March 15, 2020. It was the last sermon Joe delivered to our congregation before Covid ended life as we knew it. Joe wrote these lessons for several years, so I considered using one for this week that he wrote in March two or three years back. Yet, I just kept returning to this one. It was relevant last March. It was relevant on Christmas Eve. Oddly enough, it is even more relevant today.

Trust me. As Granny said, it is worth hearing twice.

He wrote:

March 15 2020

A SEASON FOR EVERYTHING

I really enjoy fall and winter. Each year I look forward to the cooler temperatures after our hot and humid Eastern North Carolina summer. I look forward to hunting season, Thanksgiving and Christmas. But, by the time we get through the cold, short days of January and February, I’ll admit that I am ready to see some signs of spring.

Winter helps to prepare the ground for the next season. Without each season playing its part, our environment here on earth would surely collapse.

Sometimes, as Christians, we may think that if we follow God’s commands and do like we are supposed to, we won’t (or we shouldn’t have to) endure hardships or hurt. However, life, like nature, moves in seasons.

Ecclesiastes 3 states that “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under Heaven. A time to be born. A time to die. A time to plant. A time to pluck what is planted. A time to kill. A time to heal. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance.”

We are part of a sinful world, and we ourselves are not without sin. Sometimes being part of that world means that we have to go through our own painful experiences or seasons.

Yet, God will take our hard times and trials and use them for good and for His glory. He will take our season of suffering and use it to open our eyes to the hard times others are going through. He will use seasons of death to remind us of the beauty of life. He will use our seasons of sorrow to draw us ever closer to Him.

Whatever season of life you find yourself in right now, I want you to remember that God uses everything for the good of those who love Him.

Take some time to examine the seasons of your life. Remember how God spoke to you and as you go out into the world this week, look for others who need your encouragement.

I’ll leave you with Ecclesiastes 3:11: “He hath made everything beautiful in His time”.

-JMP

I. Hate. Pollen.

I mean, I get it. Scientifically, pollen is necessary. If I wish to enjoy the goodness of warmer weather, I must endure the days when pollen falls in sheets, my head pounds and my eyelids are pretty much swelled shut. Despite the fact that the lush green of late spring is quite a sight to behold, this particular season is physically painful for me.

So, between my pollen induced sneezing (have you sneezed snot into your mask yet, friends?? Good times….), a streak of mild temperatures, and the time change, the seasons have been on my mind this week. As usual, Joe’s words are right on time.

If nothing else, grief has made me empathetic to the suffering around me. Joe’s message, along with another devotion I read this week, caused me to reflect upon how seasonal changes might affect other creations. What must the change be like…for the tree?

I have a recurring epiphany toward the end of every spring. Flowers bloom, the azaleas really show off, and grass is lush and bright again. But there’s always one day when it seems as if overnight the barren tree branches of winter have come alive with vibrant green fullness. The sight of it takes my breath every single year. It is such a happy sight.

But what did that transformation feel like for the tree?

In early summer, the tree is green, healthy and strong. Birds rest on branches, children squeal with delight as they climb and swing, adults find rest under its shade. Trees are needed. Trees are loved. Trees are admired. In summer, the tree is living its best life!

Then fall comes. Sure, the leaves stiffen a little and begin to lose color, but with that comes the delicious breath of cooler air. Older and wiser, the tree understands that even though life was good when its leaves were green, the days were hot and tiresome. This season is a bit slower, the noise a little softer, and the tree is still a sight to behold. It understands that there is beauty and wisdom that comes with age.

Even though winter comes each and every year, it is always a shock to the tree when it happens. One day the sun is warm and bright, and the next day the bitter winds come and strip the last of the leaves away, leaving the tree shocked and exposed. While humans layer up and huddle beneath warm covers, the tree finds itself with no layer of warmth or protection against icy winds that cause the branches to snap and break. The birds are gone. The children kept inside. And although it thinks it cannot bear another broken branch, sometimes the pruner comes. More branches are snapped away, leaving open wounds that are painfully slow to mend and callous over.

And finally, the breath of spring arrives. Humans see the buds, the first glimpses of new life. But the tree? The tree looks down and sees the wounds. The scars. The holes left behind when the winter and the pruner chipped away at what the tree had believed made it whole…The tree sees the buds and feels the buds as they push their way through. Even that process is painful. You see, the tree liked who it was before. The old branches were strong and trusted. The old branches were safe. To the humans, the fresh new greenness is full of beauty and hope. But to the tree, this newness is frightening and foreign. Perhaps the tree does not even recognize itself.

And so, in the early morning dusk when trees look black against a sherbert colored sky, its limbs are heavy and hanging low. Gently and sweetly, God whispers. Quietly, the leaves rustle as they lift themselves upward to listen.

“In just a few hours, ” He tells the tree, ” she will see you as she does on this day every year. But this time, she will see you through different eyes. As always, she will be struck by the sheer beauty of your vibrant leaves, but her eyes will fill with tears. This year, she understands. When you were living your golden days of summer, so was she. As you eased into fall, as your leaves faded and stiffened, she noticed herself aging as well. Just as you relished in this season, she relished in her own golden age of contentment. I think you both would have been satisfied to stay that way forever. But, that is not how seasons work. Winter took you both by surprise. Your branches broke and cracked, as did her heart. Sometimes being the Pruner is a most difficult job. This season, it was especially so. This year, it seems that the Heavens cried longer, rained down on the earth for days on end. Yet, while other trees in the forest toppled down under the bitter winds and relentless rain, you stood. I know you wanted to fall over, too. It seemed a kinder fate, I’m sure. Yet, this year, you learned to lean in. She learned to do that, too.

When she sees you today, she will think to herself that your leaves have never been as vibrant as they are this year. And she will be correct. As painful as that season was, with all of its pruning and bitter wind and rain, it was the only way to grow you. I know that doesn’t make sense to you now, but one day it will.

So, today, I need you to lift yourself up and dance in the beautiful breath of spring. I know it doesn’t feel the same. I know you miss what used to be. But, don’t look back. Don’t look down. Look Up. Look at Me and I will whisper gentle winds of hope all through your branches. She needs to see you dance.

She will look at you in this new season and appreciate what you endured to get here. She may even run her hand across your wounds, and gently touch her own chest where her deepest wounds are kept. I hope you’ll let her touch your hurt places so that she will know in time, her own hurt places will heal. Like yours, her scars will remain, but they will become a testimony of all that was and all that will ever be. Through her tears, she will look at you and understand that it was in the very season that almost broke you that I created the strongest, most beautiful tree she has ever seen. You will remind her that although My ways are not her ways, I make everything beautiful again…in its time.”

Sweet friend, I don’t know much, but this I know for sure. Winter was tough, but we didn’t topple over. As long as we are still standing, there is more to our story. It’s ok to take a moment to run your fingers over your scars. Those raised up places represent the healing power of Jesus. In every inch, you’ll find His mercies. But you must also open wide your heart to the gifts of new life He gives you in this season. Before long, this earth will explode with gorgeous, bright, new spring life. You might miss it if you look down at your scars too long. Look up. Lift your limbs high and let Him whisper gentle words of hope all through your branches. He wants to see you dance.

(image source: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/320248223486351996/)

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the picture of my own contentment…

This was our wedding. This is my absolute favorite picture of us. I was perfectly content in that moment–the joy on my face reflects the peace in my heart.

Now, here’s the rest of the story…as much as I love that day, it was FAR from perfect. The reason this picture is black and white is because we were both drenched with sweat (you can see that our clothes are stuck to us in the color version). We were drenched with sweat because it was still hovering near the 90 degree mark, well after sunset that evening. Just after we finished setting up the tables and chairs for our OUTDOOR wedding, the skies opened up and it rained buckets. However, the sun came back out, the tables dried, and apparently that is the moment when Mother Nature’s thermostat choked out. The cool breeze associated with early summer sunset never arrived. I am not exaggerating when I say it was the hottest, most humid June night I have ever experienced. It was a time, y’all!

My dress was stuck to my rear end, my hair was stuck to my head, my Maybelline had melted off my face…but I would live that evening 100 times over again if I could. I was perfectly content.

This week, Joe’s lesson is about being content, regardless of your circumstances.

He wrote:

Contentment

I believe most of us think that contentment is a hard thing to come by. Maybe that is because being happy or being at peace kind of comes and goes. But is that really the reason it is hard for us to be content? Or are we just really used to being comfortable?

Many times, it is easy for us to be satisfied when we are comfortable. That is not the contentment I am talking about this morning. Paul challenges the idea of only being content when things are good in Philippians 4:11 when he says, “ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.“

Contentment isn’t something that comes naturally to us. I believe that we have to learn to be content. What kind of classroom do you think God would use to teach us contentment? It probably isn’t the lap of luxury that teaches us to be thankful. Truthfully, the hard times we experience are better at teaching us to be grateful for the blessings our Heavenly Father provides for us.

Paul had plenty of hard times to learn from. 2 Corinthians 11 tells us that he was “put in prison, whipped more times than can be numbered, faced death again and again, was stoned, beaten with rods, shipwrecked, robbed, overworked, cold and many times went without food”. I’d say Paul had every reason to complain. Yet, in his letter to the Philippians, he did not blame anyone or complain. Instead, he rejoiced in Christ because that is where his focus, attention and devotion remained.

Paul tells us in Philippians 1:12 “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.” Not only did he find contentment, but he also understood that any trial he endured personally was used by God to further His Word.

Paul was confident that his circumstances were under God’s complete control. He understood and believed that God had a plan for him, and that as long as he kept his focus on Him, the result would be contentment, regardless of the situation.

As we go out into the world this week, let’s try to be more like Paul. If you are in a season of troubling times, be content in knowing that God is in control. Fix your eyes on Christ and know that God will turn your mess into a message if you’ll let Him.

-JMP

I love all things Wizard of Oz. You’ll find Oz memorabilia in my home, all over my classroom, etc. I used to tell Joe that I wanted be placed in my casket with my feet showing, rather than my head, wearing a pair of ruby red sequin slippers. I also requested having someone sing the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”….to which he always replied, “I think ‘Ding Dong The Witch is Dead’ would be a more appropriate choice!” 😁

Just like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, to me, there is no place like home. When Joe and I moved back to Seven Springs to live “on the pond”, we were both finally home again and I was at peace. We were close to our parents, worshipping at our home church, and I was teaching in the county where I had been a student from kindergarten through 12th grade. We had both endured some difficult times to get back to this point, but everything had finally fallen into place. We were home. We both loved to be there.

I have always loved a Friday afternoon, but especially so when I was with Joe. After a long, stressful busy week, the idea of coming home to him made me excited and relieved all at the same time. I loved the prospect of the time ahead of us where we could relax and let the worries of the week fade away. I didn’t always know what we were doing on the weekend, but it didn’t really matter much.

**Warning** I am about to get mushy…if you can’t handle it, you may exit now…

As I was saying, what we were doing didn’t matter much. Once I found myself safe in his arms, looking into those beautiful blue eyes (if you didn’t know him…whew, chile…those eyes were something else!!), I believed had everything I would ever need.

I had it bad for that boy. I still do. ❤️

So, of course, I was perfectly content. I was happy. I was comfortable. It was easy to be content in those circumstances. On December 4th (the day before Joe passed away) I wrote the following words in my journal: “Cam is going to the mountains. Caegan is going to a State game. Date night with Joe tonight. All is well in my little world.” And then it wasn’t well. At all.

As Joe said, I was about to learn a lesson in the biggest, most difficult way…and it would be the classroom of my saddest day where God would begin to teach me. Since that day, I have learned many things, including the fact that I am a pretty stubborn student. I ask the same questions over and over. But God, in his ever patient way, is helping me mold my question into a statement.

Why? Why, God? Why did this have to happen to me? How can you love me and watch me hurt this way?

Isaiah 54:10 states ” ‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion for you.’ “

Something about this verse touches my heart in a way that helps me mold my question into a statement of what I know to be true: God loves me and has compassion for me. He will walk me through this valley and He will use it for good.

When I think about our wedding day, I realize that the circumstances surrounding it were a little bit miserable…actually more than just a little bit. But look at my face…do you think that mattered to me? Not one bit, because my eyes were focused on Joe and my heart was full.

My friend, I don’t know where you are….what your circumstances might be. I hope all is well for you. I pray that for you every single day. But if, by chance, that is not the case, I want you to read that last paragraph again. This time, I want you to replace the word Joe with the word Jesus.

You can “why” yourself until you are sick, and you won’t be any closer to changing your circumstances. TRUST ME. I’ve tried. What you can do is adjust your focus.

Fix your eyes on Jesus. Trust and believe with all of your heart that if He brought you to it, He will bring you through it. One step at a time, He will get you through.

I have said, “something good has just GOT to come from this” many times since Joe’s death. Maybe this blog…Joe’s words…are part of that. I don’t know if reading his words help a single soul, but I know how it helps me. I am amazed every single week at how timely Joe’s message is for what is going on in my life. If I am being really honest, Sunday is the toughest day of my week. It was Joe’s favorite time at home and there is not an inch of space on the pond that doesn’t make me miss him so much I can feel my heart breaking all over again. I see him everywhere I look. And that is hard…so very hard.

So, I look down and then up. Down at his notebook. Up to Jesus. I pour myself into The Book of Joe on Sunday afternoons because it is the only way I know to get through the hours of a day that seem to encompass Joe in every way. I give you his words and I pray fervently that God will use them to reach someone. If just one person needs to hear Joe’s words…if just one hurting soul finds some glimmer of hope…then something good has come of this. And something good has just GOT to come from this.

They say home is where your heart is. My heart will always be with Joe. But my home is with Jesus, yesterday today and forever. So, let the rain fall. Let my dress stick to my back and let my makeup slide right off my face. I’ve got my eyes locked in on the eyes of Jesus. He will make my heart full. He is my home.

There’s no place like home. ❤️

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

Did you know Joe was a pilot? Did you know he was a poet? An excellent cook? A fantastic guitarist and singer? A handyman? A good dancer? A fireman? An avid reader?

Did you know my mouth was hanging open in this picture because he pinched my behind? In addition to all of the things listed above, Joe was also a prankster. 🙂

He was even a pretty good driver. I was always in the passenger seat (if you knew me way back when, you remember my checkered driving record…not much has changed). So, technically it didn’t take much skill, but he was also better at driving than me.

Joe seemed to know a little something about most everything, and in my eyes, there just wasn’t much he could not do. There was such a feeling of comfort and safety with Joe. As long as he was close by, I knew everything would be ok.

This week, Joe’s lesson is about the comfort and safety found in Jesus, and the power He holds in each of our lives.

He wrote:

What You CAN Do

Have you ever heard the saying, “Can’t never could”?

I am not going to talk to you this morning about what you can’t do. I am going to talk to you about what you can do. Not through your own power, but through the power of Christ.

The apostle Paul was a proclaimer of the victory of Christ that created our freedom. That is why he used the phrase “all things” in his letters to the church–Philippians, Colossians, Corinthians, Romans. Thessalonians Acts and Ephesians.

With the words “all things”, Paul tells us just how much authority has been given to Jesus. He goes to explain how Jesus has authority over our lives, if only we will let him have control.

Consider how powerful Christ can be in our lives if we follow him. By giving up our own power and allowing Jesus to be our compass, we actually gain more strength than we could ever have on our own.

Through Him, we have to the power to:

• Endure: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” -Philippians 4:3

• Become an Example: “I have become all things to all men so that I may save some.” -1 Corinthians 9:22

• Believe:  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” -Romans 8:28

• Love: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” -1 Corinthians 13:7

• Trust: “For by Him all things were created both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things and in Him all things are held together.”-Colossians 1:16-17

• Let go: “That no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger in all things.” -1 Thessalonians 4:6

• Profit through surrender: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” – 1 Corinthians 6:12

• Grow truly wealthy: “As sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet making many rich; as having nothing yet possessing all things.” -2 Corinthians 6:10

All we have to do is let go and truly make Him the Lord of our lives. We must give Jesus control of “all things”.

By giving Jesus the steering wheel, we will have the ability to go far beyond what we can do in our power alone.

-JMP

Several years ago, I found myself in a period of waiting…as a person with little patience who often feels the need to be in control, this was not a fun time! Yet, it seemed that the story of David popped up in EVERYTHING I read, in Sunday sermons, even in random conversations. Looking back, I see how relevant David’s story was to my life at that time. David was an imperfect person with many lessons to be learned during seasons of waiting. God planted those stories everywhere at a time when I really needed to read them. God is good like that, isn’t he? 🙂

About a month before Joe passed away, suddenly the apostle Paul was EVERYWHERE in my devotions, just as David had been. I distinctly remember reading about having joy in times of sorrow, having peace in times of suffering, and wondering why God kept putting those thoughts in my daily reading. It was also during that time that I started a new journal. During my time of devotion, I write down thoughts that stand out to me, verses that really resonate, recurring themes, etc. I probably have twenty or so notebooks full of my daily musings. Y’all…I am an English teacher. It is just what I do.

However, for some reason, when I started this new journal, I added the following to the top of my page each morning:

I think maybe I saw a post on Facebook about taking time to write down things for which we are thankful, and things we need to lift up in prayer. It was November…the season of gratitude…so I hopped on board.

Little did I know that I was developing a habit that would serve as an anchor in just a few short weeks. Little did I know that there would soon come a day in which my praise would be the very thing that broke my heart. The picture below is my journal entry the morning after Joe went to Heaven.

It was truly the hardest praise to write.

I am learning to surrender control. It took the shattering of my heart to do it, but I promise you that each day, as I ” ‘endure…become an example…believe…love…trust…let go…surrender…and grow truly wealthy’ ” it is not through any power I have on my own. It is 100% the power of Jesus every single minute of every single day.

Do I understand why? Absolutely not, and I don’t think I will on this side of Heaven. Do I praise God anyway?

I do, friend. I do.

A broken hallelujah is a hallelujah just the same.

So, of course, Joe’s lesson is about Paul this week. Of course, exactly one year ago, God knew that the words Joe spoke in our church sanctuary would be the words you read in this blog today…the words I needed and maybe the words you needed as well?

God knew I needed David. God knew I needed Paul. God knew I needed to get myself in the habit of counting my blessings each morning so that in the dark days ahead, I would remember that God is still good and worthy of praise. God knows what you need, too–even before you know you need it.

Don’t give Him some of the things. Give Him ALL THINGS. I know it is not easy. Sometimes it even hurts. But from the driver’s seat, He sees far beyond what you can see (and that is a blessing in itself). He wants to make a way for you. Let Him drive. He’s better at it than you. I promise. 💜

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

Pizza and jelly beans are my love language.

Well, actually my love language is “words of affirmation” (If you haven’t read about the five love languages, you need to Google it…it’s pretty accurate!), but Joe knew he could dig himself out of a pretty deep hole with a sweet little note, a trip to Pizza Village or a bag of Sweet Tart Jelly Beans! He was smart enough to speak my love language when it really mattered. 🙂

Joe’s love language was “acts of service”. He showed love by doing what needed to be done. One of my favorite ways he did this was through his talents as an auctioneer. In the fall of the year, Harvest Sale Season was a very busy time at our house. I remember one particular Saturday in which he called three different sales for area churches in the same day! If you have attended a benefit or fundraiser in our local area, there is a good chance Joe served as one of the auctioneers. Not only did he donate his time and talent, he also quietly purchased MANY items over the years to help a community, church or family in need.

Joe was a helper, plain and simple. If he saw something that needed to be done, he just did it…usually anonymously and without much fanfare. Doing good deeds came pretty naturally to him, so it is no great surprise that he chose to talk about such in this week’s lesson. However, his focus is not so much on the deed, but on the reason behind it.

He wrote:

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

How many of you have heard the proverb, “No good deed goes unpunished”? What does it mean? It could mean that a kind action might not be properly appreciated. Or it might mean that a kind action could lead to more expected actions or demands for help or benefits. The idea is that in the end many people might not appreciate the effort behind our kindness, or that it might end up causing us more grief than anything. I guess it is a twist on the original idea that good deeds (or at least being good) get rewarded…which is not always the case.

In 1 Peter 2:20 it states: “But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”

John 10: 32 states “but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

We all know that Scripture gives us examples of good works, such as the story of the Good Samaritan, and how he helped a man that in those times others would have been unconcerned with. I think we can all agree that we should look for good deeds that should be done. Hebrews 13:16 instructs us to ” not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time being pleased at the thought of having to suffer for showing a kindness or as Jesus said being stoned for doing good works. However, those thoughts are centered around man, not around God. We are not really doing good deeds for people, are we? We are doing them for Christ himself.

Colossians 3: 23-24 states “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,  since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

So, this morning, I want to encourage you to do good deeds and to do the right thing, even when it feels unappreciated or like it might even backfire or cause you some hardship. Our Heavenly Father sees it all. He sees our efforts, as well as the efforts and actions of others. But it is not our job to worry about anything but doing good deeds in the name of Jesus. He is keeping tabs for us all.

-JMP

If I am being honest, the last paragraph of Joe’s sermon ticks me off.

Not the part about good deeds. I love an act of kindness better than just about anyone. As a matter of fact, last week was “Random Act of Kindness” Week at school…one of my most favorite activities all year long! It warms my heart to see how our students and staff find ways to show love and kindness for others, not just during this week, but all the time. I celebrate good deeds in my classroom. One of my favorite shirts bears the phrase “BE KIND” in large letters across the front. It’s a big deal to me.

However, there’s this other part of me that seriously struggles with the other side of kindness…when people disappoint me or cause hurt to others by not doing the right thing. So, when Joe says that it is not my job to worry about anything but doing good deeds, I may or may not have rolled my eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

Joe often said two things about my emotional response to less than ideal situations.

1. Ronda is a bulldozer
2. Ronda tends to hit back harder than she was hit.

I am not particularly proud of those, but he was not entirely incorrect. I do tend to plow into an issue full force, full of passion [anger/frustration]…which is a sharp contrast to Joe’s “slow and steady” personality. And then there’s that mouth. Y’all, it has gotten me in trouble my whole life (my mama and daddy can verify as they have both popped my sassy mouth more than once!).

So, when the actions of other people are hurtful to me or to those around me, I am pretty much a curly headed piece of heavy machinery with enough brain power to think of a thousand vengeful actions or insults, but not always enough willpower to keep my mouth shut. I repeat…I am not proud of this. I have literal “come to Jesus” meetings with the Lord about it on the regular. Seriously.

This week, I stood at the crossroads of good deeds and not so good people. When I tell you that I have reached the point lately where I honestly don’t know if I can take one more thing, I mean it…and then one more thing showed up. I wanted to bulldoze. Honestly, I still do just a little.

But deep in my spirit, “WWJD” planted itself in my soul and stayed there. Most of you remember this acronym as “What Would Jesus Do?”. We’ve seen it on shirts, bracelets, mugs and bumper stickers for years. However, since his death, I have mashed it together with Joe’s name several times. What would Joe do? What would Jesus do? The answer is in the last paragraph of Joe’s lesson.

So, this morning, I want to encourage you to do good deeds and to do the right thing, even when it feels unappreciated or like it might even backfire or cause you some hardship. Our Heavenly Father sees it all. He sees our efforts, as well as the efforts and actions of others. But it is not our job to worry about anything but doing good deeds in the name of Jesus. He is keeping tabs for us all.

Joe and Jesus would do the right thing. Joe and Jesus would show kindness, even in the face of suffering and strife. Joe and Jesus would not keep a record of wrongs, but would show grace and mercy. Joe and Jesus would love.

Just do the right thing, sweet friend. Jesus will do the rest.

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe

vvvdfsd

Out of the mouths of babes…

As one of my classes filed out of my room this week, a sweet student said, “I hope you get something nice for Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Price!”

Another student stopped right in his tracks in my doorway and said, “Dude! Don’t say that! She’s a widow. They don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day.”

Y’all. You can laugh…it was funny!

It did cause me to ponder a bit about Valentine’s Day. Truthfully, Joe and I didn’t really make a big deal of it. The day falls smack dab between his birthday and mine. Sometimes I would make him a homemade gift because I tend to be a little bit “extra”.

But we were typically both content with cards. He always gave me two of them–one sweet and one funny–he could be a tiny bit extra, too. 🙂

This week, Joe writes about a gift we are given that represents more love than any Valentine’s Day card could ever hold: The Word of God.

He Writes:

Are We Using Our Gifts?

I’m a little bit “anti-technology”.

I keep our weekly payroll by hand. I grumble about people always being on their phones-rubbing, rubbing all the time. I came across an article recently about a person from the 1950’s appearing before us today. What would be the most difficult aspect of modern life for them? The answer was smart phones.

Speaking of smart phones…I possess a device in my pocket that is capable of accessing the entirety of information known to man. All that information at my fingertips, and I use it to look at other people’s pictures or get into arguments over politics. I mostly use that device to read the news or watch videos—pretty trivial tasks for a machine capable of accessing all of the world’s knowledge!

My question for you this morning is this: Are we wasting God’s Word the same way we waste what is available to us through our smart phones?

1 Peter 1:25 states: “But the word of the Lord endures forever, and this is the word by which the Gospel is preached to you!”

Here in my hand is the Bible—a book that recounts the days when the immortal, eternal Lord of all that was and ever will be walked here on the earth as a man and lived among us. How do we use the gift of His story? We might have used God’s Word to suit our own purposes, or maybe we have just ignored His word completely. People have used the Bible to justify their politics, or to tell people from checkered backgrounds that they are not good enough for God. It has been used to justify why we don’t need to help the broken and the needy…and the list goes on and on.

Aside from Christ, I believe that the Bible is the most valuable gift that the Lord gives to the world. We should never take it lightly, use it frivolously or bend it to suit our own purposes. We should go to it even more often than we go to our phones for the answers to our questions.

So, the next time you sit down for a time of devotion or just to look up a verse, take a minute to consider what you hold in your hands. You have much more than printed paper. What you have is a record of God’s love for you, His desire to be part of your life, and most importantly, a set of instructions to guide you through every step you take during your time on this earth.

As we go out into the world this week, let’s try to see the Word of God for the gift that it really is, and do our best to apply it to our lives each day.

-JMP

Joe was a thoughtful gift giver.He worked mighty hard to give me everything I needed, and found joy in giving me much of what I wanted. Early in our relationship, Joe found a “bucket list” of things I wanted to do or see during my lifetime, and he worked hard to cross as many things off that list as possible. He planned a train trip to NYC, where we stayed at the Waldorf and sat front and center for the Broadway production of Wicked (the train was for him, but the rest was 100% for me). I came across that list a few weeks after Joe passed away…there are only two things that we didn’t mark off during our time together!

I moved into a new house before we were married. My first day there, I looked out the window, and admired an old oak tree in the front yard. I said to Joe, “All it needs is a wooden swing, like the one in To Kill a Mockingbird.” I arrived at home the next afternoon to find a beautiful homemade wooden swing blowing in the breeze. I often refer to him as “my sweet Joe”. He knocked the sweetness out of the park with that one! 🙂

My most cherished gift, though,came after his death…the black leather notebook…The Book of Joe. I think that somehow, in his sweet and practical way, Joe found a way to leave me with a set of instructions that would guide me through the days when I would no longer see his face or hear his voice.

My friend…read that last part again…didn’t Jesus do the same?

Maybe your book isn’t black leather (or maybe it is). Maybe yours is not read, but rubbed as Joe said, on your smart phone. It doesn’t matter. What matters is, when you hold a Bible in your hand, you are holding the answer to every question you’ll ever ask.

Jesus knew there would come a day when He would no longer walk this earth with us. And so, he left us a book…

As much as I cherish The Book of Joe, it is the Book of Jesus that holds the very promises I cling to with all my heart and soul. Promises to bind up my wounds, give me hope for the future, make something beautiful from these ashes, and the sweet assurance of a great reunion in Heaven.

If you and I were together right now, I’d take your face in my hands and look straight into your eyes, because if you remember nothing else, I want it to be this next part:

God isn’t standing at the Pearly Gates handing out copies of his best selling book, The Holy Bible. He left it HERE. He left it for me and He left it for you. There is not a sin so great, a heart so hurt or a question so big that it cannot be answered within the pages of that book.

My heart is shattered. It just is. But deep inside, bit by bit,the edges are mending…and they are being glued together by the promises found in God’s Word. I’ve tried to fix my heart with every salve this earth has to offer.. NOTHING but His Truth will do. All God wants is to lead me to the place where I will look into His eyes and He will take my heart and make it whole again. All God wants is do that very thing for you.

He even gave us the instruction manual. That, my friend, is the greatest gift of all.

-Words of wisdom from The Book of Joe

“So Pretty,” he said.

Joe smiled as he looked into Ronda’s eyes and whispered those words, gently brushing back the curl that fell in front of her face….AND THAT IS HOW THE ARGUMENT STARTED. 🙂

Not really…but those were fighting words at our house! You see, what started as a playful competition in which one of us would say, “I am the smart one. You are the pretty one,” morphed into one of us saying, “so pretty” when the other said or did something that was not really smart.

Now I am not saying which of us is actually which, but I will include this picture…Joe is mighty pretty in it!

It pains me to admit that Joe said, “So pretty” to me more often than I said it to him. If I ever had a blonde moment or just could not wrap my brain around a concept, it seemed as though Joe was always there to witness it. Bless my heart!

This week, Joe’s message is about a different lack of understanding. He writes about times when we do not understand the circumstances of this life, and how we might find peace in our lack of understanding.

He wrote:

Who is the Smart One?

We think we are so smart! We think we can come up with an answer for everything, but really what we don’t know outweighs what we do know. We watch the news, read the paper, peruse the internet and think about how silly other people are behaving, when we really don’t know why others do the things they do. We might even think those things about folks right here in the neighborhood. But the bottom line is that we just don’t understand.

Contrary to popular belief, peace doesn’t really come from our understanding. In fact, God never once said we will understand everything. 

Isaiah 55: 8-9 states: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways’, says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.’”

We have to accept the fact that we don’t understand everything. Scripture says that we are not supposed to–and that, in itself ,should be a relief to us. We may not understand why, but God does. While His ways may cause us to question sometimes, one thing He will never do is abandon us, even as we ask why things have to be the way they are.

In Proverbs 3: 5-6 it states: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths”.

There is a promise right there in those verses that if we surrender our lives to Him, he will make our paths straight. He will lead, guide and direct us. 

We don’t have to have it all figured out. We don’t have to have all the answers. We can trust God to take care of the things that just don’t make sense to us. 

To me, one of the most wonderful things about being a Christian is that we don’t have to worry about being the smart one, because God himself is the smartest. 

There will come a day when we will understand everything clearly because God will show us. Until then, though, it is our responsibility to let God do his job and handle things. 

So, if there is something going on in your life right now that you just do not understand, or something that frightens you or causes you pain, I want you to think about the promises God makes in Proverbs 3. If you will believe Him and if you will place your trust in Him, He will direct your path. He really is the smartest one.

-JMP

Joe LOVED to tell the joke that when we got married he threw away his existing set of encyclopedias because he married someone who knew everything. I mean…he wasn’t wrong. 🙂

I don’t know everything, but I do love to try to find out when I don’t know.

Google changed my life! Perhaps it is the teacher in me…or perhaps I am just nosey….but I need to know the answers. I need to know the reason why. I cannot tell you how many times I “google it” during a day’s time. When my students ask me something and I don’t have the answer, I look it up. My search history reveals some pretty random topics. If I want to know, I do the research!

Eight weeks ago, however, I realized in a big way that sometimes there are no answers. For a person who has made a career out of questions and answers, that has been a tough pill to swallow.

As I continue to navigate the waves of grief, I find that there is no pattern. I have good days and bad days. Just when I think that maybe the worst is over, I find myself under a fresh wave, choking and sputtering out the question that is never far from my lips…WHY? However, as waves typically do, I am eventually tossed back onto the sand, where I catch my breath and try again.

This week marked two months since Joe left this earth and also his first birthday spent in Heaven. In all honesty, I have spent many hours lately underwater.

Then, just as he has done so many times, Joe delivers THIS message. The one that speaks directly to my heart, and hopefully to yours as well. And so I breathe it in, because (as usual) Joe is exactly right.

There are sweet, sweet promises in Proverbs 3: 5-6. We do not have to have the answers. We only have to trust in the One who does. When we let ourselves lean on God, He will take us by the hand and lead us in the right direction. I don’t know where you are or what you are facing. Maybe you are like me and feel the need to know the answers. Listen to me, sweet friend…this I know for sure. Ask away…the answer is always Jesus.

Joe said that there will come a day when we will understand. Oh, friend, how I long for that day, when all will be made new, when upside down will finally be right side up. Like Joe said, though, until then, we have to let God do his job and handle things. God is good at being God. Even when we don’t understand.

So, let’s keep putting one foot in front of the other. Let’s trust Him to guide our paths, both when they are smooth and when they are not. I’ll gladly hold your hand when you stumble. But better than that, Jesus has your hand right how and He will never let it go.

Even when I don’t understand, I am going to do my job and let God do His, knowing that by making that choice, one day I will look into the eyes of my Joe and my Jesus…and that will indeed be SO, SO PRETTY.

-Words of Wisdom from The Book of Joe