The dew of heaven…
Filed in NHL |Journal,
Not much went on yesterday so I let things slip by without talking to you. Went to Cabrini for some blood work. We stopped back by Martin’s Meat Market to pick? up? cracklins. I’ve been desiring some cracklins for the past week. You have to get them in the morning to? get the pickings. Man, do I ever love cracklins. Pretty much in the same category as buttermilk.
CJ and I went to the church office this morning. I needed to? start sorting through things that needed to come to my new office at the parsonage.? Had a lot? of personal items along with a number of my books? to be packed.? Nathan will? move into? my? office at Christian Challenge.? I’ll? be able to do my work from home. But as usual, I tried doing what I didn’t need to be doing.
Anyway, was? CJ ever? at home. He went straight to an easy chair in the corner? and plopped himself down. That had been? his spot from the very beginning.? No debate between he and I. He always got the chair.? 
Problem began as I overexerted myself. I could feel myself getting? faint.? Anyway, CJ and I decided to? head back to the house. Had to take off my shirt and undershirt. They were soaked. I didn’t realize how much I had sweated because of a navy p-coat that I had on.
But now I must tell you about the dew of heaven. In the Bible the term dew is often used for things that belong to heaven, that is, things that come to us as blessings from the Lord. For example Moses said, “Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb.” (Deu32:2 nasb)
Another is when Isaac blessed his son Jacob, and said, “Now may God give? you the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth , and of the abundance of grain and new wine.” (Gen 27:28 nasb.)
But my favorite reference to ‘dew’ has to do with God’s children. David gave a prophecy concerning the Messiah, saying, “Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; in holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew.” (Psalm 110:3)
The reason I draw attention to what David said about God’s youth, is because I saw the dew of heaven in our young people today. Our youth pastor, Jon Martinez, rallied up a call to our youth to help move my office things from Christian Challenge to the parsonage. And rally they did.
Besides Jon, we had David Stellwagon and this three sons, Joshua, Daniel and Andy. (David was our missionary to Japan for 12 years. His three sons were born there.) Then we also had D. J. Barlett, Andy Barton, Joy Martin, Christina Murphy, and Tasha Murphy. These kids worked so hard. As I looked at these volunteers hard at work,? what David said came to my mind. “Your youth to You area as the dew.”
These young people are so caring. They were instructed not to get? close to me, but you could see the questions in their eyes. Tasha looked at me in my mask,? and asked? how long would I have to be as I was. Her concern was so obvious. Yes indeed. God’s holy children are like the dew of heaven. Just give them a chance and you’ll see what they are made up. These kids all love Jesus.
Course that is not the end of things. Nathan? worked all afternoon getting my computer set up. He wants me to speak to the congregation via a web cam this Sunday. Hmmmm. I’m not so sure about that. I look like someone had hit me with an ugly stick.
Think I’m kidding? Here’s what happened. This morning after CJ and I? made it back to the parsonage, I went to change my shirt and undershirt. Then I ran a comb through my hair, and guess what. My hair was coming out. That’s what they said would happen and it happened to the day.? I look at the comb. It was filled with a spattering of dark brown hair, and an abundance of? grey hair.
Mom gets the word to Shana. “Please bring your clippers over this afternoon. Daddy wants his head cropped to the scalp.” And sure enough, that is what happened. But I wanted my little buddie, Jared to see grandpa get scalped. So Jared became party to the moment. Wouldn’t you know it. Nathan was there with a camera to document the ritual. Poor CJ. He didn’t know what was going on. He kept trying to get in my lap. I guess to protect me. You would think that dog was human.
Anyway, now you know why I look like I’ve been smacked with an ugly stick. Boy am I ugly. My ears stick out from my head.? My eyes look like a chicken hawk who has just spied his prey. But Betty just kisses me on top of my head and tells me how handsome I really am. Says that I look like the young man she married. Boy, that girl must have really needed some better glasses when we met.?
What else? Let’s see. Andre and Judy are in South Texas, doing some deer hunting. They’ll be back tomorrow or Saturday. Betty talked with our brother-in-law, Reza this afternoon. She wanted to encourage him concerning his open-heart surgery tomorrow, and let him know of our prayers.? When you pray, please ask the Lord to help? Karen and? Reza through all this. They need some special blessings from heaven. ?
Guess that’s about it for? now.? But I really am excited. Tomorrow I begin my work in my new parsonage office. Nathan has done a bang up job. I think Betty is taking? grandkids to a movie tomorrow to celebrate Hunter’s birthday.
Ok, rambling time is over.
Love all of you more than life can tell.
Buddy
Daddy, You are so wrong! You do NOT look like you’ve been hit with an ugly stick. Your new haircut makes you look years younger and VERY handsome and UPDATED. I know that it’s hard adjusting to such a drastic change after having your hair for one way for so long, but believe Nathan, mom, and me when we say that your new haircut looks really nice. IT DOES! I hope that when these treatments are all over and your hair comes back in, you’ll decide to keep it short.
You are the most HANDSOME Daddy in the world! I love you so much! I hope you’re feeling better today. Don’t overdo it! Time is on your side.
Love your adoring daughter,
Shana
Hi sweet love,
You have always been daddy’s angel.
Shana, I thought about it real careful like. Since you and mama and Nathan all agree on my handsomeness, I’ll just go with the najority vote. But I did sense a prophetic heavenly witness on a particular statementyou made:
‘You are the most HANDSOME Daddy in the world.’
Yup. Now that we have that settled.
Ok love. I learned my lesson yesterday about overdoing things.
By the way, CJ sends his love. (Renenber how agitated he got when you were cutting my hair?)
Love you baby girl,
Daddy
WOW !!! Now you are amongst the ranks of the “great and glorious furniture”, Buddy. My son, Jeff, has little to no hair on the top of his head (just like his handsome daddy did) and was always a bit self-conscious of that until his Grandmother told him that they did not put marble tops on the great and glorious furniture …. he now shaves his complete head to highlight that fact.
Oh, you blessed one with the marble top ….
go like the wind …. and thanks for all the scriptures …. the bible has never been so sweet as it is when it comes from you.
Bless you, Buddie,
Your yankee cousin, Twy
Oh, and I forgot to comment … CRACKLINS’
Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhh !!!!
Now, eating that, or even thinking about it, puts me into a cold sweat and a state of light-headedness …. but I’d be right there to calm that down with MMMMmmmmmm sweet buttermilk. You have a comrade in that department.
Twy
Hi Twy,
It is always a special treat when you write. Now that I know you and Ross upfront and personal, I see your face with each writing.
Love what Jeff’s grandnother said. I agree fully. (Fer now.) : )
Now about em cracklins. Sis, chances are you’ve never had the kind of cracklins we make in Louisiana. They’ll fill up every nerve in your body with excitement.
Come on down here. I want you to see what good eating is all about. Chances are you’ll began to stray from Oregon on a regular basis. Besides that, you really do have some Louisiana blood in you. That is what makes you act a bit strange at times. I bet Ross can attest to this. : )
Just a stranger on the road to glory. (Thank you for your comment on my use of the Scriptures.)
Love you little sister,
Buddy
Now, just how can a Martin get hit with an ugly stick? You’ve always shared with us how good looking y’all are!
I am almost afraid to ask what cracklins are…must be something hot…
Excellent entry. I see you have indeed joined the ranks of the few so glorious (and humble) that the Lord had to see the tops of our heads all day long!
Glad to see you already enjoying the office down there! The kids were very happy to be of service! I have completely caught up on reading all of your journal entrys and look forward to each new one! They are so much fun to read!
till next time!
jon
Dear sweet yankee girl Lois,
You have so much to learn about our southern ways. Cracklins are pig skins. (Not the kind you buy in those pototo-chip kind of bags. We only have the real hoit-off-the-grill kind. They still have the squeal in them.)
Boy, I can hardly talk about them without my mouth watering.
Now you are another one that needs to make a journey to Pineville. Want to teach you all about good Cajun eating. : )
Well, I’ve been corrected on the ugly stick thing. Glad I didn’t offer my other idiom about being ugly. We have a saying down south that someone can be uglier than home-made soap. Course I’ve never seen anyone that ugly.
Blessings,
Buddy
Jon,
You are a hoot! Yes, I am thrilled to have a partin in the ‘few so glorious that the Lord sees he top of our head all day long.’ : )
Thanks again for getting the kids together. They are so filled with freshness. Makes you feel young just to be around them.
Happy to see you enjoying my journal. No put on there. What you read is who I am. Just a simple country boy who knows about swinging on vines, riding pine trees over like a horse, and getting together with my cousins to break out the guitars and fiddles.
Love you brother. You are such a fine young man. We are more than happy to have you as our youth pastor. And our youth dearly love you, bald head and all.
Only thing left — You and Jessica really do need a great dane when you get married. : )
Blessings,
Buddy