|
Chapter Two "Big Fancy Church…Here I come!"
They got into town and Jeb was mighty thankful for the ride. Big Ben couldn’t help but feel excited, as well as, a little bit sorry for Jeb and told him, “Why don’t you jist stay with me an tha Miz’ Jeb?” The next day was Sunday and he knew Jeb needed a hot meal, and a good nights rest. There was only one place in town that rented out rooms, and everybody knew Ole Man Walker would see a man sleep out in the cold, before he’d give him credit for a night or two. Besides all that, Big Ben would enjoy Jeb’s company. Jeb figured he’d take him up on he’s offer, but made it clear; he'd work for the room and board. Big Ben knew all too well Jeb was a man of integrity, and he also knew he'd feel bad if he couldn’t pay his way. So Big Ben offered to let him help out at the lumberyard the rest of the day. Closing time rolled around and he gave Jeb a hand full a change and a five dollar bill. Ol’ Jeb didn’t want any money. He was working for a bed to sleep in and a full stomach. Besides all that, he considered Ben to be a friend and he’d help him out anytime he needed him too, just to be neighborly. Now Big Ben was a bit bull headed himself and wouldn’t have it any other way, and made him take that money. He said, “Now Jeb, you did as much work as two or three men today. You deserve this here money, and tha room 'n board!" Well, that made Jeb feel a little bit better, so he accepted his pay... After all, you just never know when a fellow might just want to buy a soda pop, and it’s just awful to not have a penny in your pocket. So once he thought about it; guess he was happy he got a little pocket change for that couple of hours he helped out at the lumberyard. Jeb told Big Ben to go on home and he'd be there drectly. He hadn't been to town in so long, he just wanted to walk around, and maybe, he’d run into some of the folks he knew- when him and the Miz’ lived in town. ‘Everyone’ remembered when Jeb’s Miz’ passed on. He sold all he had to give her a proper buryin'. He also had to pay the notes off at the feed store, and Ole Man Rogers Mercantile. He figured he’d butcher his last two cows and a pig, at least that would get him through the winter. The way Jeb saw it; he didn’t need much now. Without the Miz’ he didn’t much care about anything when it came to himself. Guess that’s why preaching had once again become so important to him. He figured maybe the good Lord could use him for something. That’s when he moved out to the community of Little Junction. He was walking down the street and noticed Miz Betty still had her second hand store. He walked up to the door and turned the knob, but it was locked. She'd had just closed up for the night. Just as Jeb was turning to leave, Miz Betty spotted somebody at the door. She peaked through the curtain and swung open the door. When she saw it was Jeb, she let out a holler that could of’ been heard all over town! She said, "Jeb, git yursef in here and let me take a look atcha!” You see, Miz Betty was a dear friend of Jeb's Miz’ so, she was tickled to death to see him! She gave him a cup of coffee and they sat and talked a good while. Miz Betty was a good Christian woman, and she was just beside herself that Jeb wanted to go preach at that church. Why, that just happened to be her church! It was a Non-Denominational church, so most everyone that went to church attended there. Didn’t really matter what their preference was. If anyone just wanted to hear the word of God taught directly from the bible, that was the place to be. The services were very laid back but reverent. The preacher was mighty strict on making folks feel welcome regardless of their backgrounds. Miz Betty looked at Jeb and said, "We gotta fix you up fer tomorra. You cain't go in there lookin' like that now Jeb.” She rustled around there and went through everything she had, until she came to a plaid jacket and a pair of britches to match. The britches were a little bit big, so she hunted some more and ran across a pair of 'spenders. She even found a pair of shoes the banker had donated to her, and they were a perfect fit. He was feeling mighty spiffy’ as he looked at himself in that long mirror on the wall. But, he still didn’t look quite right. Then it hit him! His hair was just a mess! He’d done slicked it down ever’ which way he could. Miz Betty thought she'd done a good job of fixing him up! Then she looked at him and noticed, “Jeb yur lookin’ a bit down in tha dumps. Why, I did tha best I cul’d fer ya!” “I know’d that Miz Betty but look at my head! Folks won’t hardly notice my nice clothes you fixed up fer me. All there gonna see is this wild lookin’ stuff on tha top of my head.” “Oh now Jeb, I can fix you up, so quit yur frettin’. Set on down here an’ let me take a look at whut I’ma dealin’ with.” Well before she knew it Ol’ Jeb looked like a different man! Miz Betty seemed to be just a ‘tiny bit’ proud of herself! She wasn’t an expert on haircuts but, by-golly maybe she just became one! Jeb thanked her and dug down in his pocket and pulled out that change and that five-dollar bill- that Big Ben had paid him that day. He said, "Miz Betty this is all I got, but I sure do hope it'll cover tha cost of these here clothes you fixed up fer me, an’ of course, this mighty fine haircut.” Miz Betty looked sternly at Jeb, and she said, “Put that money back in yur pocket. I ain’t about ta take a penny fer helpin' a man that’s tryin’ he’s hardest to please tha Lord!” Jeb thanked her again, and figured he'd best be heading on over to Big Bens place. He didn't want Ben's Miz’ getting upset with him, especially if he was late for supper. My what a meal! Pot roast with taters 'n gravy, fresh greens from her garden and a big fluffy lemon pie. Jeb hadn't had a meal like that since ‘his’ Miz’ had passed away. Now Jeb didn’t want anybody to misunderstand him, those women at The Junction were mighty fine cooks. But there just wasn’t anybody that could bake a lemon pie like his Caroline. From the looks of things... Caroline and Big Ben’s wife might have the same recipe, because ‘hers’- sure did look mighty good! My… Oh… My…! A full stomach, hot bath, and a ‘real bed’ to sleep in! Jeb was in hog heaven! Morning sure did come early! Jeb got dressed up in he’s duds (thanks to Miz Betty) and he was off to church. He'd only seen the inside of it through a winda’ one time. He walked and he walked until finally he was at the front door of that big fancy church. He adjusted his clothes, wiped the dust off he’s shoes and headed inside.
“The Sermon”
When he opened the door all he could say was: "Woooh… Doggies!! " This was much more than he'd expected. He knew it would be beautiful, but to him it was just breathtaking! He found a place to sit, and anxiously waited for the service to start. He sang, he clapped his hands and had the time of his life. He had paid very close attention all morning, therefore, he could actually recall ‘everything’ that preacher said. As he recalled, “I sure did enjoy that message. That preacher wuz a talkin’ ‘bout bein’ judgmental toward our brothers an’ sisters. From tha look on a lot of these church members faces; he hit tha nail right on tha head!” Jeb was on cloud nine and could never imagine that he would be allowed to speak from a pulpit such as that. Why that pulpit was so fancy... he'd be afraid to touch it for fear of smudging it up. After the service several of his old friends shook his hand or gave him a big ole hug. As the crowd thinned, the man that had asked him to come and speak at the church spotted him. You see, the man that had invited him to speak was a deacon in the church and knew Jeb well. He had spent a lot of time with him and Caroline when they lived on the outskirts of town. Jeb was just as happy to see the deacon, as the deacon was to see him. He spoke the words that Jeb had waited for all his life…. "Will you speak at the service tonight Jeb?" Jeb's heart was skipping beats, and he didn't hesitate to say, " ‘YES SIR’, why I'd be honored.” Jeb went back to Big Ben’s place and told him all about the service. Ben seemed happy for him and offered Jeb the use of his study for the afternoon, should he need a quite place to prepare his sermon? Jeb was grateful for the wonderful hospitality and went right on in there and made himself comfortable. He spent the entire afternoon praying and preparing his message. Before he knew it, it was time to go! “He just couldn’t help feeling a few butterflies!” He thought, “After all this preparin’ wul’d tha folk's laugh at me, or maybe even hiss at me?” Now we know people don't hiss or act like that toward the preacher, now don’t we (?) Nevertheless, Jeb was a little nervous and had all sorts of things going through his head. He knew deep down in his heart he’d be just fine. He’d just do like he always did, listen to the Lord and everything would be just fine. Once again Ol’ Jeb started to walk to the church when he heard Big Ben call out to him, "Hold on now Jeb! I'm goin' with ya this time. I know’d I might not seem like a godly man, but I do pray now 'n then, an’ I think it's time I git to know a little bit more about this ‘Jesus’ you keep talkin' about." They talked a little bit on the way to the church, and Ol’ Jeb was just tickled to death that Big Ben was going with him! He couldn't recollect a time that Big Ben had ever been to church, not even his little make shift church at Little Junction. He just knew that this would be a night he'd never forget! As they entered the church, Big Ben had the same awe-struck feeling Jeb had experienced that morning. He never knew a church could be so pretty. They found a place to sit and after the singing the preacher made his announcement…. "Folks, it gives me great pleasure, to invite our neighbor, an’ our friend Jeb up here to tha platform, ta brang ya’ll the word tonight." As Jeb made his way to the platform, people snickered and pointed at him, as if he was somebody they didn't even know. Jeb started to feel as if maybe he just didn’t belong, after all. He already felt like he wasn’t good enough. He didn't have on a fancy suit and drive a fancy car, but he knew he had a calling on his life. God had trusted him to speak to folks and if God trusted him, then really that’s all that was important! So what (?) if all he had was an’ ole shack and a couple of coon dogs! He had the Lord and nothing could replace that! Nonetheless, Jeb was a determined man, and he’d made up his mind! He would not let anything or anybody ruin this night. They could laugh and snicker all they wanted to. He was there to preach the word of God, and that was that! He walked up on that platform and thanked the pastor for his kindness and took his place behind the pulpit. He stood tall and proud and began telling them a little story about the community of "Little." He knew he didn't have a lot of time, and he opened his Bible to 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, and began to teach on: the meaning of love. After speaking for a few minutes he noticed that ‘no one’ was snickering. They were actually listening to him. By the end of his message, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Jeb gave an invitation and ask if anyone needed prayer, and people began making their way to the front. Just about the whole church went down to the altar that night, and they wanted to ask Jeb to forgive them; for the way they had treated him. Some told him that was the best message they had ever heard. Jeb's eyes filled with tears as he looked through the crowd, and there was Big Ben with his hands folded in prayer. Jeb knew he was asking ‘Jesus’ to come into his heart. At that moment, all the insults and the snickering were all worth it! You see, Jeb had a burden for the lost, and he would take the punches, because that meant somebody was going to let Jesus be their friend. The service came to a close and Jeb had never recalled so many folks giving him a hug and shaking his hand before. ‘He’ truly felt more blessed than anyone else. To see someone accept the Lord as they're Savior meant everything to Jeb. Big Ben seemed like a different person, as they went back to the house that night. He was joking with Jeb, and that ugly demeanor Ben carried around with him most of the time, was gone! "What a night for Ol' Jeb 'and' Big Ben"
God
Bless You All...
Site Developed and Maintained
by |
