Thursday, December 1, 2011

=20 Git-er-Done-For-Jesus!


The phone rang probably 6 times before Noah got his aching bones moving to answer it. April, the nursing home activities director happily said, “Noah – I mean Gramps. This is April Castmon, the nursing home's activities director. Well, I called to get permission from you, for something. We'd like to make a dozen copies of the word search puzzle sample you left with us. Yesterday I talked with 5 or 6 residents about the puzzles and showed them your sample. It was about all I could do to hold them off till I got permission from you.”

In an excited tone, April said, “Monte told me he wanted to share a puzzle with Barb Deets. What thrills me, is that Monte was a circuit riding preacher for forty-seven years, and wants real bad to be the hands for Barb in working your puzzle. Barb has Arthritis in her hands so bad they're both curled up into permanent fists. Well, Monte got that old determined preacher look in his eyes and told the others that he and Barb mean to be the first puzzle team to complete the thing. He had that real 'git-er-done-for-Jesus' sparkle in his eyes.

April continued. “What's almost comical is that Nancy Fanes doesn't get along with hardly anyone except the aid that feeds her her meals. Well, she told Monte and the others, she aimed to find someone to be her partner and they'd beat the socks off the Monte and Barb team.”

It must have been twenty times, at least, that Mannie had to explain to other residents, what the puzzle contest excitement was all about. Margaret was a little lady that had few happy memories, and was always moving her rings around on her fingers, like she was a jewelry model. Mannie described the puzzles and the searching it took to solve the puzzle. Margaret fingered her dime-store engagement ring with its glass diamond inset. She interrupted Mannie in saying, “Mannie, if you have to dig for these key words, and since they're really important, maybe you could call the puzzles 'Diamonds', or 'Heaven's Diamonds', or something.”

As Gramps listened to April explain these exciting discussions at the nursing home, it was like God had uncovered a diamond; a real gem of an idea. The little imaginary business was beginning it's own market research with more than positive results. April said, “Gramps. When do you and your teen team get together? I'm going to have Mannie Toth, my helper-in-training, here about 10 am this Saturday, to go over some new regulations we now have. She's just bustin' with some super puzzle ideas for you, I know you and your team will want to hear about, and give serious thought to.”

The phone call ended on an excited note. “Thank ya, Jesus. Thank ya, Jesus,” Gramps repeated countless times, as he tried to busy himself around his house, so empty since his precious Nenee passed away. But he knew what he had to do, and without further delay. Gramps stood the broom in the utility closet, closed the closet door and headed straight for the front porch.

Almost like it was made of fragile paper, Noah (that's Gramps), sat himself in the front porch rocker that had been Nenee's favorite. He couldn't count the number of times he'd hear her through the screen door, always with her open Bible on her lap. She'd be telling some teen girl, of God's peace, power, and promises that were there for the accepting, by faith.

Oh how Noah missed his sweetheart. But there was some kind of connection with those past memories, to be had, as he let himself relax in the rocker and watch the nearby tall forest trees sway in the afternoon breeze. In some odd way, he imagined the trees were all swaying in unison like robed choir singers, praising God through song. Noah imagined the message of the song must be something like, “God's up to something. He surely is. Trust Him today, in every way, 'cuz there are diamonds just waiting for you.”