A Vet and Buelah Land

My husband and I went downtown this past beautiful Saturday afternoon and met Jack.  He's a 64 year old, Vietnam Veteran. My husband and I shook his hand.  We always try to shake the hands of veterans and military people when we meet them. He was quite the talker and I enjoyed listening to him. I wondered if many ever stopped long enough to listen.

I asked him where he was from and he replied with, 'Oh, you won't have heard where I'm from, I'm from Checotah, Oklahoma.  I laughed saying I was an Oklahoma girl, of course I had heard of Checotah, Oklahoma! 

He told us he was sober for 40 years. I wasn't so sure about that, he didn't appear to have been sober all those years because of the rough exterior showing a hard life that had been lived, but it wasn't important in this moment. Without asking, he began to talk about his salvation experience years ago, talked about his church, which we knew of, and people that we knew from different places in town.  He shared about the bible and kept talking about the Lord and prayer and how nothing else was as important as He.  I shared something personal with him about my family and he teared up and said he would pray.  I believed him. 

Some people ask if I believe everything people down there tell me.  I am not naive. But I have decided to believe what I'm told until it is proved otherwise.  And if I am told something that is not true, I have come to the realization that the Lord has put me out there to share His love however He directs me, and if that is to just listen to someone talk, then that is what I need and want to do.  There is much love shown in keeping the mouth shut and the ears open.  Many down there need that.  I did manage to get some words of my own out though here and there.  We talked about the Lord together, shared prayer requests, and a handshake.  It was a lovely day! If Jack was touched in just one small way by our visit, if he felt the love of Christ through touch, listening, being smiled at, then I decided at the end of the day, it is worth it, even if everything he said may not be true.

Jack is not homeless but he lives in poverty. He told me this day he believes He is rich though. He said our riches are not here on earth but with Him in Heaven and he was ready when it was his time. Oh the things we miss when we pass by ones who sit lonely on those park benches. He sang for us the song Beulah Land. It touched my heart to be standing in front of this man, knowing he didn't have much but yet he said he has everything because he has the Lord. Again, he could've been pulling my leg, but I choose to go on and listen. I'm getting stronger as I meet people downtown. I did shed some quiet tears this day with him and for him. I would have bawled like a baby several years ago. 

Imagine this older gentleman in his frail voice singing. . .(he knew every word!)

Buelah Land

I'm kind of homesick for a country
To which I've never been before.
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken
for time won't matter anymore.

Chorus:
Beulah Land, I'm longing for you
and some day on thee I'll stand.
There my home shall be eternal.
Beulah Land -- Sweet Beulah Land

Verse 2
I'm looking now across the river
where my faith will end in sight.
There's just a few more days to labor.
Then I will take my heavenly flight.

Oh the lands that we walk on this earth, may we share our love of our Lord and may God's grace, the costly grace, spill over onto us and others, may the doors of closed hearts open up to the One and only Savior, may closed eyes open up and see and may cloudy minds become clear. . . and may we walk the floors of Beulah Land together one day.


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