Folk’s, have I told you about having a General Store? This was long years ago. Husband spent a few years traveling in evangelism for the church. Now, that was not too lucrative since it happened mostly in the spring and fall. Then when he was home, he was busy building us a little retirement house. Yes, building it himself.

Remember, it was built on the same spot where my great, great grandad built the very first house. It was right there at the edge of this small settlement. As a matter of fact, we still have the deed. He bought the acreage from a Choctaw Indian Chief, for thirteen dollars. This was shortly after statehood.

The house he built was lived in by four generations. And, I was born in the south bedroom of that house. In time, he gave some of his land for a community cemetery. There are many of my people there, and I will be someday. There alongside my husband, my parents, three grandmothers, two grandads, aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family.

By, the time we returned, the once larger downtown had shrunk to a general store with gasoline pumps, the post office and barber shop. Ok, so I would have to drive into the county seat of Durant, which was twenty miles. You know what that husband did? He went with my brother- in-law down to the store one afternoon for a cold soda. Came back and told me he found me a job! Really? What? He told me he bought me the general store, from my cousin Jimmy. I was overjoyed. I loved getting reacquainted with all the folks from other days, as well as their children.

You see, I had been away, living all over, pastoring churches for thirty plus years. Must confess to you, those old gas pumps were antiques. They would go on stubborn streaks, at times. I prayed for those old pumps, more than for the worst sinner in town. One time, praying was not getting the job done. Changed my prayer to, please send me someone to fix this not-working gas pump!

This is the absolute truth. Up drove the town’s self-declared atheist. I said to him how grateful I was that he drove up and he was an answer to my prayers. He grunted and went to work on that old ill-tempered gas pump. Presto! Fixed! He bought his gas and drove on down the road. Well, Folks, I’ve done it again. On and on with my yammering’s and still more to tell. This will have to be another, to be continued.

Heard this. A woman, returning home from church one Sunday, come face-to-face with a burglar in her house. “Acts 2:38! She yelled. “Turn from your sin!” The burglar froze, and the woman called the police, who came immediately. As the burglar was being handcuffed, the woman told the officer that she had stopped him by citing a bible verse. “A bible verse!” protested the burglar. “Heck no! She told me she had an ax and two-38’s!”