Today I was blessed to have a call from my first Pastor & Friend Thurmon Harris. What a blessing. And we always include the Lord & His word in our conversations... and our conversations are exciting!! And that praying man, Prays..
During our conversation I got on to some of my favorite people who have since gone on to be with the Lord. Oh how I miss them.
BUT... in *sharing* my love and appreciation of them.. and the many things that came to mind jumped right into what Pastor has been preaching on. "The Fruit of the Spirit" Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance.
Qualities that God wants to see develop in each of us.
In cousin Bill & Joanne Futrell, I observed these qualities, more and more in their lives and just wanted to be around them more often than most anyone else. As I would say.. it's been awhile "I need my Futrell Fix."
Simple folks, simple lives, in house with a revolving door!
It was bought with the purpose of using it for God's Glory.. I'm sure. And such Openness about their Love of the Lord. Their love for Him & relationship with Him was Open to all, talking with Him anywhere and even aloud... Like Bill doing some things on the roof and carrying on a conversation outloud with the Lord. The people passing by he said must have thought he was crazy, but he didn't care. "That's how me & the Lord do it."
Everyone was welcome in their home & lives.. the kids in trouble, missionarys on leave, family, friends, anyone that passed their way. Come sit awhile, stay the night, or maybe a few weeks. And my goodness you *must feed everyone too... "You're probably hungry aren't you?" "Let me fix you something." Every person no matter age, gender, station in life, relative or not, was WONDERFUL..
"Aren't the just wonderful!!" They are special, they are beautiful, some just need a little help right now. Bill & Jo would just want to be with people, they loved people.
Their Bibles were close, they journaled a lot. They loved their church. Were involved! I hardly heard, if ever, an unkind remark about anyone from any walk of life.. how could I when in their eyes "everyone" was wonderful!? :-)
In their end days... no complaining.. God was good. They each had health issues.. her heart problems, him cancer fighting for over 10 years and all the treatments and issues from that.. Yet still helping others, and enjoy the company of others. Yes we would go see them and I would be lifted high as instead.. They ministered to me.
I remember the last days of Joanne in a hospital bed with a quick fast moving unexpected bout with cancer. Someone had a new baby... She insisted on seeing the baby and when we came in the room there she was holding that child and singing "Jesus Loves Me" She hardly had breath & it hurt her to be touched BUT!! This baby must hear that Jesus loves them.
Their caregivers were touched.. I was touched.. and I would not be able to count the people that were touched through their lives.. What a legacy! And their children carry on.
Their FRUIT of
Love for ALL, Joy in the Lord, Peace with God & man, much Patience/Longsuffering, Kindness/Gentleness to all, FAITH/Faithfulness in/to God, his church & people, Temperance/Self-control, It showed them to be real Followers of Christ and what it means to be a Sanctuary to those in need.
Thinking about the song "Make Me a Sanctuary"
Were they perfect people, most probably not, since none of us are, that's why we need Jesus! BUT they were...
Fruit Bearing Christians of the highest kind. Christ evident in their lives & love of people.
How's OUR Fruit? is it Fresh? is some Moldy? am I Making a difference or Leaving a legacy? in someone's life? drawing them nearer to the heart of Jesus?
Thank You Holy Spirit, for your nudging this morning, through a longstanding dear friend about the qualities Father God desires to see in my life, and to do some Fruit Inspection.
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