Getting the wind knocked out of your sails…
Filed in NHL |Hi Journal,
Seems we have? folk reading the blog who don’t know me personally. What an honor.
Before I get into my day, I’d like to introduce a bit of my family heritage. This will help folk get a better fix on Buddy Martin.
The Louisiana Purchase was in 1803. Billy Martin a Revolutionary soldier, and his Indian wife Elizabeth, came to the Anacoco area in 1804. (Thomas Jefferson encouraged the pioneer men to marry Indian women. He wanted to create a new American.)
Anacoco was in the Sabine Territory. Look at a map of the Louisiana Purchase and you’ll see an area of what is now Central to Southwest Louisiana, which was not in the purchase. This area had a number of names,? Sabine Territory, Neutral? Strip, No Man’s Land, and Sabine Free State.
This is where a lot of the pioneer families settled. And here is where my Louisiana Martins have their origin. (Not sure where Billy was from, supposedly North Carolina or Virginia.)
My Martins? are true West-Central Louisianians. I was born in Pineville. That was because of Charity Hospital. My family was actually from Sharp.
Perhaps it goes without saying that I love Louisiana with all my heart. (Though my formative years were in Virginia and California.)
Billy’s nine children spread out largely in what is now West Rapides Parish, South Natchitoches Parish, and all of Vernon Parish. You’ll find my Martin kin buried in most cemeteries in those locations.
In fact in Campbell Creek Cemetery in Sharp, you’ll find my parents, my grandparents and my great-grandparents. Also our son David Lynn. (Plus plenty of other kin.) That’s where I’ll be laid to rest in the Lord’s time.
The Martins were largely dirt farmers. Just simple country folk. However, there is one curiosity about my Martin family. We have produced more than our share of preachers. Seems we get very excited when it comes to talking about Jesus.? 
May I add just a thought about where I now live?? I love Pineville. It is the finest little city on the Red River. (In my opinion.)
Pineville is a clean, family-oriented city. And our Mayor Clarence Ray, and his wife Rosa Fields? are? the most charming and honest-hearted people you will ever meet. I love them with a passion. They are good friends to the Martin family.
Ok — Nuff about my heritage.
9 a.m. Got sort of a late start this morning. General Claudius Josephus and I went for the paper. Too cold to walk about much.
First let me tell you where my title for this blog came from, that is, ‘Getting the wind knocked out of your sails.’
My cousins and I use to love to ride pine trees. Never heard of it? Well, the tree can’t be too large or too small. With the right size tree, you could climb up it, bend it over, and have the greatest time riding like the wind. Course it wasn’t always good for the tree. Some of then stayed bent over.
Anyway, one of my childhood buddies and I went up the hill behind my house. Spied us a pine tree that was a bit larger than the ones we usually rode. Figured it was the right size tree for the two of us.
Kind of dumb. When we got to the top and tried to bend the tree over, the top broke out with the two of us. Thud, we hid the ground. It knocked the wind clean out of us.
Then we began to hear this yelling. Come to find out it was us. Did we ever learn a lesson. (No broken bones. Just a bit of damaged pride. Thank the Lord no one saw us.)? ?
I think that pine tree was sending us a message about messing with his brothers and sisters.
Here some of my thoughts from my? morning devotion.? Been? reflecting on the? Law of Moses —
The Law of Moses was and is a wonderful law. It was especially designed for those times when men’s hearts needed to be cornered. Of course the new covenant in Christ is all about cornering men’s hearts.
However, I do have a bone to pick. One thing that has always bothered me is when I see certain? groups use the Law to beat people over the head.? In some cases the women get beat up over ‘wearing the wrong apparel.’
The problem is that these? women-beaters never seem to care much for the? Law when it speaks of? having a heart of compassion, of? caring for your poor brother, or how to treat your animals, etc.?
Ok. Got that off my chest. ? ? ?
So what did Jesus say the major sign of the Christian would be?? He said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 nasb.)
I think this is why as Christians mature, they find their love for their brother maturing. But I also think that as the Christian matures, the more he will find himself identifying with and caring for the Jewish people and for Israel itself.
Does this sound strange? It shouldn’t. What the Bible teaches is that one-day? the Hebrew people and the Christians are going to become one people.
How can we not love those whom God loves? This is not a justification for any ill that Jewish people have brought about. Nor do I believe that any person can be saved aside from personal faith in Jesus Christ. (Just wanted to leave some thoughts.)
11:15 a.m. Call from Lane Fletcher. I find myself treasuring calls from this brother. Actually I am mentoring him as a disciple. Lane has such a tender heart. He? has such a God-centered zeal to reach the lost. Guess this is where our hearts mesh so much. He is my first-cousin’s son. (His dad passed away a few years ago.)
11:45 a.m. CJ and I made our second constitutional-walk. Decided to walk up to Christian Challenge to check in with Nathan and Jon. Didn’t stay too long. Still very cold outside. CJ dearly loves these outings. I do to.
Know what? I was sharing with Betty yesterday how my physical strength is rebounding. The walks are part of the recouping. But I also think my body has decided to take? up the battle. Good boy, body.
Me thinks me body is buddying up with my chemo treatments against a common enemy.
By the way? Betty tried to pick a fight with me last evening. We were in bed and she started poking me. Can you imagine one’s wife picking on her poor old husband??
It was all in fun. Betty is so concerned for me. And when she heard me talk about my renewed strength, it was a major good-news message for her.
Betty? is the jewel of my life. There is no one even remotely like her. I guess the Lord must have loved me extra special to give me Betty as a gift. (I can prove from the Bible that a prudent wife is a gift from the Lord.)?
12:35 p.m. Think I’ll check out the kitchen to see what my prudent wife has in mind. Guess what she’s listening to on? a CD? Bless that wonderful name of Jesus. No other name I know. Nothing like good gospel music to set your heart in tune with heaven.
Let me think? Not much else to share. Got to close this for the day.
One other thing I might mention about my heritage. Someone may wonder if I have anything handed down to me from my forbearers. Yes I do.
I have an 1886 double-barreled Baldwin,? 16 guage rabbit eared shotgun. It belonged to my grandfather and came to me by way of my dad. That shotgun use to keep our table supplied with wild game. I’ll pass it on to my kids.
The one thing I well remember about the old shotgun — It had a kick like a mule. I remember shooting it as a young teenager. It knocked me flat on my butt.
Its just a treasure to be admired now.? I wouldn’t let anyone try to shoot it.
Well, its 3:25 p.m. Time to close out for the day. I’m really looking forward to the service this evening.
Love all of you,
Buddy
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Hello again! You sure got your family tree all figured out. Thats so neat that it’s all the way back to 1803. We worked on ours a while back and found out some pretty interesting things. It’s time consuming but fun putting the puzzle together.
Of course Mr. Jefferson wanted them to marry Indian women. They’re gorgeous and they knew the kids would come out looking close to perfection!
Thats the Young-blood in me talking.
I was telling Jon the other day that i think its sweet how you’re so expressive with the way you cherish Sis. Betty. It’s very heart warming. You both are adorable.
Thanks Jess,
As for adoring my sweet Betty, there must be a better word. She simply lights up my life. And, boy, does that woman love me!
Good thing about being from Georgia is the abundance of pine trees. My cousins and I wore out many a pine sapling in the pulp-wood forests in my home town. Since they were going to be cut soon and replanted anyway, the damage was negligible. Whenever I see a pine tree bowed over with the tip touching the ground, I hope it wasn’t a result of an ice storm last winter, but rather that some kid had a good ride.