Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Boilerplate

I’m Harold Dykstra.  I’m retired, but I go to food bank distributions all over Tracy and talk to people that need someone who will listen to their story.  My time is well spent.  A police lieutenant suggested that I write down the conversations that I had with an angel.  I did not know she was an angel at the time.  The angel, for a little over a year, indwelled a life-sized posable action figure my children bought me, so that I would not be perceived as travelling alone.  And in a way, she was training me for what I do while talking to the needy.  She probed my heart to find out what I believed and how I express love for others.  She changed my life.

In her leaving, she said someone would come.  I had thought that was Jesus, in His second coming, but a new Babs, a little older, the model for the posable action figure arrived.  While I had no desire to start over with romance, Morrie helped her move in, thinking she was the other Babs who had returned.

This Week’s Question

Last week, Babs mused about our legacy.  She asked if we would be remembered.

This week Babs seemed to have her mind on something far away.

I said, “As I have said before, your thoughts are worth more than a penny.  You seem a hundred miles away.”

Babs said, “I doubt if Maddie will call, but things have not gone so well with her first storm chase.  She was only invited along to be Mike Kildare’s arm candy.  They are freshmen in high school, and they just met to be in our wedding party.  I don’t want something to traumatize her that was meant to be a special award for doing well in school and having good connections.  She could find other boyfriends, but Sadie said she just wanted to come home yesterday.  It is near the end of the day and no word.  And they won’t be back until early tomorrow morning.  I am so worried.”

I sighed, “Jesus has the answer, but human nature is to do the opposite.  ‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own’ (Matthew 6:33-34).  Tomorrow afternoon, she will be back.  She will tell you all about her adventure.  And if it was traumatic, she does not have to do it again.  She does not claim Mike as her boyfriend except on social media.  I don’t think Morrie would have agreed to this adventure if it were not for the strong adult presence.  Dr. Ellie, Dr. Kildare and his wife Mags.  Even Jemima and Easter Yeggs are adults.  What has Matt been doing?”

Babs smiled.  “Harold, Matt has been studying Mercy Kildare about as much as he has been studying the weather.  Matt wants to get a degree in business of some kind.  Mercy is leaning toward either nursing or therapy.  They are not serious about each other unless they are pulling the wool over our eyes. I think they simply enjoy each other’s company.”

I laughed, “Okay Babs, but why are you here?  Isn’t enjoying each other’s company, having a few laughs together, getting to know each other a big part of courtship?”

She said, “Maybe.”

I shrugged, “But Matt had a bad role model.  Morrie is a believer now, but Matt saw both sides.  He saw how Morrie got away with his philandering, but he saw the damage that it caused.  He seems to be a good kid.  Not much of a kid.  He will graduate in a couple of months.  But I do not want you to be anxious, Babs.”

Babs sighed, “Yeah, yeah. ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 4:6-7).  So easy to memorize.  So easy to say.  So hard to do.”

I said, “Babs, we need to trust in the Lord. ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.’ (Proverbs 3:5-6).  But besides the praying that you mentioned, Solomon gives us something one chapter earlier in Proverbs.  ‘For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.’ (Proverbs 2:6-10).  And we do that right here.  We look at whatever issues there are in our lives and we look at God’s Word for the answers.  What a great Joy it will be when one of our grandchildren returns from some adventure, and they tell of how a Bible verse brought them comfort or comfort for someone else?”

Babs sighed, “Yes, that is my hope.  ‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ (Jeremiah 29:11).  Who else but God delivers on their promises?”

I shrugged, “We all should do that, but we fail at times.  ‘It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it’ (Ecclesiastes 5:5).”

Babs leaned in and kissed me.  “But Sweetie, it has only been a month since the two of us made a vow to love each other until death do we part.”

I said, “Babs, I have noticed that you do not like true crime television or novels. So, when you start watching how women were caught after killing their husbands, I might start worrying.”

Babs gasped, “Harold, but what good do those shows do when they only show the story when the woman got caught?”

I suggested, “You learn what mistakes she made and if you are smart, you figure out how to not make those mistakes.”

Babs huffed, “But I thought those vows were about getting old together.”

I said, “Babs, I am going to set up a doctor appointment for you.  You need your eyes checked.  I am old.”

Babs said in a sexy, breathy voice, “Harold, my Sweets.  I think you are a lot younger than you think.  Besides, God can renew us.  ‘Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Psalm 103:2-5).  And speaking of eagle’s… ‘Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’ (Isaiah 40:30-31).  And Paul said, ‘Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.’ (2 Corinthians 4:16).”

I laughed, “And to my young wife, ‘You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.’ (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10).”

Babs smiled, “I am older than most people think I am.”

Babs leaned in close, but then she pulled away.  She called Sadie and Willie.  They set up a little welcome home party for the storm chasers.  Babs was putting some of what we discussed into effect.  We got busy to celebrate God’s provisions rather than worrying whether God would deliver on the provisions.  These phone calls also assured us that we would be undisturbed for the rest of the night.  We had one food bank distribution the next morning, and we could go by the Lily the Pink Bakery for a cake.  But then, Sadie said they were spending the night at Lily the Pink since they were coming home in the early morning.  Even better yet.  We would get the cake and Morrie’s children and meet everyone at the Standish Pharmacy with cake, ice cream sundaes, and whatever they wanted to drink from the soda fountain.

I waited for the arrangements to be made, and then I asked, “What are you planning, Babs?”

Babs sighed, “I have been doing a lot of needless worrying, Harold.  And what eases my stressed-out muscles is a good back rub.  I have taken the liberty of putting some towels on the bed, so we don’t get the linens oily.”

I shrugged, “And what happens if I get bored while massaging your back?”

Babs said, “Oh, but, Harold, if I rolled over, I would have to go to the refrigerator and get the whipped cream and the fresh fruit.  And no matter how many towels, that makes a mess.”

I sighed, “Babs, you have established the parameters of the conditions for the eventuality of you rolling over.  The least I can do is to agree to doing an extra load of clothing before we go to bed.”

Babs said, “I thought marrying an engineer would be boring, but I love that planning quality in your thinking.  But, Harold, we will already be in bed!”

I shrugged, “At some point, we will need to take a shower.  I can get the clothing into the washer and then I can join you in the shower.”

Babs purred, “But that might give us even more ideas.”

I said, “I am willing to take that chance, if I am up to the challenge.”

Babs looked confused, “Harold, that sounded so naughty, but since we are married, I guess it’s not naughty at all.”

I nodded, “A little naughty.  With all that whipped cream and fruit, I might gain a couple of pounds.”

Credits

All these conversations remind me of my conversations with my wife.  We would talk about anything and everything.  And most of the time, it sounded like a discussion in a Sunday school class.

The conversation about my wife’s love of true crimes, both in books and television programming was almost exactly what I wrote into this story.  I think she was joking.

My wife and I did not grow old gracefully.  It seemed to be overnight.  But we did have fun at times.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.