Field Notes One. DHudSmith

After a quick tour of the grounds, I was left in the room with a most fascinating OP. She is 94, I believe, and can no longer see well. So, I read to her.

First, I read through a list of books on cassette that she was interested in buying from. Most of the titles sounded worthless. She did find one, however, that was of interest to her--a book about small-town life in America. I wonder why this particularly appeals to her. After reading through the advertisement, I read her an article from the local newspaper. The article spoke about the national education standards and how South Carolina, though having relatively low test scores, maintains high test standards. She seemed to know a good deal about the subject and had several strong opinions concerning the matter. We also read a section in the paper entitled "Dr. Gott". When she still lived at her home, this OP had an herb garden. Dr. Gott often talks about natural medicine and the use of herbs in medicine, so OP1 likes to read him. The paper finished, she asked me if I would read a passage of scripture for her. She had recently listened to two conflicting sermons over Luke 16 and needed resolution. So, I read the passage to her, and we discussed both sides of the argument. It gives me great joy to discuss my God with someone of so many years who has such a hunger for truth.

The reading of Luke 16 brought to her mind a particularly funny story. Luke 16: 21 "And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores." Years ago, when she had lived on a farm out in Iva, South Carolina, she knew a colored family living near by. She was over talking to the family when one of the members started calling out, "Moreover! Moreover!". She asked, "why are you calling out 'moreover'?"
"The dog. you know from Luke 16. "moreover the dogs".

Well. I thought it was funny, funnier still being a true story.

And so our dialog continued. Mostly we talked about her life. Her years spent teaching in Egypt, her life on a farm, her husbands many professions, and anything that was of importance to her. I learned a great deal. I learned, at least second hand, what it is really like to live in that generation. Fascinating. Also, convicting. I truly do not know material hardship. I do not know discomfort.

Looking at and listening to her, I can believe that everything in life--the joys, the losses, the pain, the passion--has a purpose. For she has seen all (mostly anyway) of life and sees every moment of it as one picture with one purpose, and that purpose God's. The seeming vanity does indeed have purpose.