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
One day last week, Babs had “the Talk” with Maddie and Mike.
This week Babs and I were taking a two-day trip to see the foliage.
Babs asked, “Harold, these trees are gorgeous. I really liked the aspens. What colors are in the Bible?”
I smiled, “Babs, I thought you would enjoy the diversion. I want you to write this on the calendar. We have gotten out of Tracy this month. We have gotten out of the state this month. And as a noteworthy film once said, ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore.’”
Babs shrugged, “Were we in Kansas at all this trip?”
I sighed, “No, but I am talking about the terrain. We got well into the Rockies to look at the Aspens. But I have neglected to answer your question. ‘Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.’ (Ezekiel 1:28).”
Babs replied, “Harold, be serious.”
I snickered, “Then how about this? ‘Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.’ (Revelation 10:1).”
Babs sighed, “I asked for a color, and you give me two references to God in His Glory as seen by Ezekiel and John. A rainbow is a lot of colors.”
I laughed, “I know. Roy G Biv. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. You cannot get more colorful than that. Well, maybe we will have new words in Heaven for colors that our eyes cannot see. But if Ezekiel or John saw those colors, they would not have a name for them anyway.”
Babs growled, “Harold, I could shoot you right now. I am being serious and you are playing. But since you are driving, I will wait for us to stop before shooting you.”
I let out a deep breath, slowly, “I have been saved as long as we have gas in the tank and I keep the foot on the gas pedal, which sadly uses up the gas that we have left. Even if we had a hybrid, I would use the gas up eventually.”
Babs replied, “Harold, you are still not taking this seriously. I will start. ‘They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.’ (Exodus 10:15). You have two colors there. The locusts covered the ground until the ground looked black, and when the locusts left, there was nothing green. Green is kind of the color for growth and life.”
I suggested, “But what kind of growth, Babs? ‘if the affected area in the fabric, the leather, the woven or knitted material, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is a defiling mold and must be shown to the priest.’ (Leviticus 13:49). And then a chapter later, ‘He is to examine the mold on the walls, and if it has greenish or reddish depressions that appear to be deeper than the surface of the wall,’ (Leviticus 14:37). Odd how the thing they are deathly afraid of these days is black mold.”
Babs groaned, “You are not helping your cause for survival with these latest suggestions. I am looking at these gorgeous trees, and you bring up defiling mold on a tent flap.”
I sighed, “It could be anywhere in the tent, Babs.”
Babs groaned, “You know what I meant. Let’s move on to yellow. ‘The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.’ (Revelation 9:17). That has three colors” red, blue, and yellow. So, the Bible talks about yellow.”
I laughed, “Sure, ‘the priest is to examine the sore, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease on the head or chin.’ (Leviticus 13:30). What is the color of your hair, Babs?”
Babs moaned, “Are you saying because I go to Hannah Bandana and get my hair colored yellow, that my head is one defiling skin disease? Measure your answer very carefully.”
I sighed, “No, I think your hair is lovely. You used to be a brunette. What did Dolly Parton say about a joke involving dumb blondes? She thought they were funny, and besides, she isn’t one. You are not either. But please, I like the blonde hair. You make me feel younger.”
Babs sighed, “Okay. Let’s go the other way. We started with green and went to yellow. What about blue? Please, Harold, zip your pie hole shut if you know any verses about defiling anything that is blue. ‘“For the entrance to the courtyard, provide a curtain twenty cubits long, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer—with four posts and four bases.’ (Exodus 27:16). Okay! Three colors: blue, purple, and scarlet. They used the same threads in the tabernacle. Ephod, breastplate, and priestly garments.”
I sighed, “That is twice you have talked about breastplates. I like it when you wear a nice lacey lingerie. I am not going to come at you with a knife, so you do not need armor plating.”
Babs giggled, “You may need armor plating by the time we are done. Remember, you are in the doghouse, fella.”
I retorted, “I told you last week that I cannot fit in Sugar’s dog run. I can get in the entrance to fix the feed and water distribution, but I cannot turn the corner to go in the house on one side or the run on the other. I may be in trouble, but not in the doghouse. I might be able to do that, but I would never get back out.”
Babs nodded, “Moving on, blue cloth covered everything when being moved. ‘“They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it. Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.’ (Numbers 4:9-10). And then they were to have blue tassels. “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.” (Numbers 15:38-39). Many think that the woman who was cured of an issue of blood touched the tassels on Jesus’ garment.”
I said, “Wow! You have really done your homework.”
Babs purred, “I know how to use the same Bible apps that you use, Big Fella.”
I sighed, “Babs, I sometimes come up with a verse off the top of my head.”
Babs mused, “Well, I did not find indigo or violet, but purple is mentioned. ‘The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.’ (Esther 1:6). And then when Mordecai was honored… ‘When Mordecai left the king’s presence, he was wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration.’ (Esther 8:15).”
I smiled, “You see, Babs, you don’t need me.”
Babs scrunched her nose, “Harold, I can look things up, but you can tell me what this stuff means. The purple is easy. It was a royal color since purple dye was hard to come by. I looked for orange and I found nothing, but red is all over the place. ‘And the Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt.’ (Exodus 10:19). But since that is a place instead of a color… ‘Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.’ (Exodus 35:4-9).”
I added, “But I like one verse that talks about two types of red. ‘“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’ (Isaiah 1:18). It is interesting how the red blood of Jesus washes away the scarlet and crimson stains of sin and makes them white again.”
I asked, “But Babs what happens to these rich sellers of purple and scarlet?”
Babs smiled, “That’s in Revelation 18. ‘and cry out: “‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!’ (Revelation 18:16). That is where Babylon is destroyed forever, but more importantly, the sin in this world.
I sighed, “And let’s remember these leaves you have been admiring. ‘The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”’ (Isaiah 40:8).”
Babs scrunched her nose, “Sure, they wither and fall, but we can come back next year.”
I snickered, “So, am I forgiven for bringing up defiling things?”
Babs giggled, “As always, Sweetie.”
I added, “And thank you for this. We had a chance to say things like I want to shoot you and not really be mad at each other. We are starting to feel out each other.”
Babs huffed, “You want to feel me out? Harold, I will have you know that I am wearing my strongest breastplate.”
I added, “But what I was saying is that those barriers come down when we realize that we both love each other. And I need to make sure that point is made. I am about out of gas, and my bladder will not last much longer.”
Babs leaned over and kissed me on my shoulder. “That’s alright. I left my pea shooter at home anyway.”
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.
My wife and I made a fall foliage trek into New Hampshire and Maine when I was stationed near Boston, MA, in what had been the Watertown Arsenal. There was a lot of color along the trip, but nothing that took your breath away. But the tree that was diagonally across from our apartment, our apartment having been the hayloft of the Arsenal’s Stable… That tree was breathtakingly beautiful, and it did not require driving all day.
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Leave a Reply