Where there is Love

Chapter 36

Christmas Gift

A sad passing leads to duty and discovery -- Carol Parker and Pastor Harris -- 1985

His head was bent in sorrow,

green scales fell like rain

Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane

Without his lifelong friend,

Puff could not be brave --

- Peter Yarrow Leonard Lipton -- Puff the Magic Dragon Peter Paul and Mary The Very Best of Peter Paul and Mary

Where there is Love

“Thank you, Carol, for coming in and playing at our bible school”

“Who can turn down Ruth, and my boys love that I’m here. My playing and singing songs have become one of our home activities they seem to love.”

"You are a great addition to our VBS."

“You’ve been the minister here a long time. JB said you did his grandmother’s funeral and I know you were here when my grandfather died.”

“I have, especially for a United Methodist pastor, but we joined into a larger charge. I have an assistant who does the other smaller church and we are team in the larger congregation. I arranged to be in Franklin; I love these people.”

“I know I haven’t been very active, but they always make me feel welcome.”

“I have a favor to ask. I am conducting a small graveside service. I hoped you might bring your guitar and add some music to a rather somber service.”

“I’ve mostly been playing Puff the Magic Dragon and Jesus Loves Me.”

“I love Puff the Magic Dragon, but I suppose not for this. Do you think Amazing Grace and Jesus Loves Me are possible?”

“Yes, I could do those. When is it?”

“Thursday at 12:30 in Willow Bend Cemetery. Do you know where it is?”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“It’s not too far from your house, but it is not used much. Why don’t I stop and pick you up. It isn’t actually on the road there is a quarter mile lane. I’ll come by about 11:30”

“OK whose funeral is it?”

“Everyone called him Coon Parker, I have learned his actual name was Robert James Parker. He’s a 25th cousin if he’s any relation to you. A minister refused because it is a suicide. He’d lived as a hermit for thirty years. He was avoiding being a burden and invalid, I believe.”

“A sad and lonely occasion.”

“Yes, sometimes here in Franklin the funeral of a church member is sad, but it becomes a family reunion a great celebration of a life. This will be a service filled with melancholy.”

“See you then, should I wear something funeral like?”

“No just as you are”

-

“We come to remember a man who lived a quiet life. A man who stayed out of people’s way. Some of us find joy in people, but Mr. Parker found them best kept at a distance. He did live a long life, he must have found joy in his woods, God’s woods. His joy came from God’s creation and shouldn’t we all more appreciate God’s creation. The delight of a bird of a butterfly, watching the winter come and the Spring renew. He watched the birth of fawns listened to the loud croaking of the bullfrogs, a life full of wonder and insight. We should acknowledge a long life, a full life, Robert Parker’s life, Coon Parker’s life. This beautiful quiet place is very appropriate final spot for a man of a quiet life. Please join Carol as she sings, then I will close in another prayer.”

-

“Reverend a fine service,  thank you. I know it is hard when someone ends like this. Would you come down to his place.  You will understand Coon better. I’m taking his nephew who came back and never been here.”

“I’m curious. I always try to learn about the lives of the people I am asked to serve in rites and passages. Would you mind Carol?”

“No, I am curious, as well.”

When they pulled into the clearing Carrol saw where the small cabin was sitting. It was surrounded by large trees, bird songs, a nice place to be.

“Well Coon weren’t a hermit all his life. He was married and had a kid. His wife drove cross a railroad in front of a train. They were all dead and Coon ended up here. He got along. I dropped in and we’d go back and fish in the crick. Sometimes he’d find me there and set a spell. He almost died from shingles, really never got over it. Coon wouldn’t leave, wouldn’t see a doctor. His old hound was in as bad a state as him, and I suppose he felt it was best for both of them. I followed the warsh looking and found them down by the crick. It’s a nice place to sit and look at the water ripple. I liked talking to Coon, we lived neighbors when I grew up. I still come back to drop in once and a while.”

“Thank you for the service, I’m John Driscoll. I have learned I was a nephew. My mother left here before the war and never came back. We were in California and she didn’t talk much about being here or about any family. I was surprised when I was called. Are you a relative Mrs. Parker?”

“I’ve learned we had a common ancestor back in the 1800’s when the Parker family first settled here. I guess yes and no.”

“I’m going to sell and go back home. The realtor says it’s rough mostly suited for hunting and being a hermit. No power, it would cost to bring it in. Most folks like running water. “

Carol pulled out a little card, “Why not come by and talk to me about selling. I find this place has a certain feeling. I know someone who would love it. We can work it out and I’ll send you home with a check.”

“I got a good idea of its value and might as well save time and a realtor’s fee. "

“Thank you for getting us to come down here, I hope I’m not stepping between you and Mr. Driscoll in buying this place.”

“Ron Johnson has got more needs than trying to hold on to this place. I got kids and a mortgage. I couldn’t take on this piece. Do you see apples here?”

“No not now, I still have many more areas on the old Hayes place to add orchards. I have an employee who will make use of it. I will keep it in the family so to speak.”

Pastor Harris and Carol returned to his car. “I thought I was conducting a man’s soul to eternal rest. I didn’t know I was enabling a real estate deal.”

“It had just a right feel. I can buy it for ten thousand less than fifteen.”

“Would this employee be Lizzie?”

“Yes, Pastor Harris, her husband would love it and I have come to need her in the business. Why did that other minister refuse. Someone told me he knew him?”

“Some men let their rules, rule them and not love. I do not think that is how to follow Jesus, but I try to love them anyway.”

“I remember bible school when I was a kid staying at Grandma Parker’s and now my boys are going. I don’t know what I believe about some of the stories. I always liked going playing games and the great cookies.”

“Stories like Noah’s Ark?’

“Yes, it seems implausible.”

“It likely is impossible. I have been to seminary, studied theology, and I respect faith, but I am not a literal truth person. The Bible has an oral tradition eventually written down. It has been translated from many languages and there are no original documents. When we have the oldest known document it is usually a fragment. There are often variations in the translations. Not everything about the Bible is meant to be taken as literally true. "

"It is taught as true."

"Yes, but look at the literal words of the Bible. The resurrection is the key belief of any Christian, but it is not the same narrative in the different Gospels. This is understandable knowing the Gospels were written well after the resurrection, maybe forty, sixty, or seventy years later. Witness stories must have been at odds by then. Bible colleges do not trust more academic seminaries, because too many scholar theologians contest their fundamentalist beliefs. I think skepticism is the key to any knowledge, science or religion. The thumpers, bible thumpers, as I call them want to keep it simple. They do not seriously want to engage in aligning faith with the world around us. They say their eyes are fixed on heaven, but their hands and feet seem very rooted in the worldly not the Spiritual realm. If questioning troubles them, they condemn it as people being the devil’s advocates, literally. I have experienced the power of Spirit when people connect in prayer, in worship, and in presence. There is more to the universe than what we see, there is a special Spirit that people can connect to that heals souls. It is important to come together as a congregation a church family.”

“I have never studied theology. I guess I don’t trust church people, at least some of them.”

“I warn people it is human to question. All study brings knowledge and more questions. We do fail generation after generation by teaching children simple truths. As they grow in experience and schooling, we then build no place to examine belief in a critical but non-judgmental way. Our churches demand a leap of faith when bridges do exist. There is no need for pretend beliefs. I realize we all understand very little of the world seen or unseen”

“Ruth seems to have a faith unshaken, well just faith.”

“Ruth is a wonder. She like many who are living in the Spirit become the Spirit, no one has greater love for people than Ruth.”

“Ruth draws you in with her overflowing energy and love which has me helping at bible school.”

“Many of the fundamentalists want to scare the hell out of people. Scared people live in fear that is hell. People like Ruth live in love, live life abundantly, they are pathfinders to Heaven. Here we are I will let you get back to the business world, you can leave behind the abstract realm for a while. Whatever you believe and no matter how you participate in our church in Franklin, Ruth and I and all those like us will always love you. Love is all we have to offer. I cannot layout ten simple rules to faith. It does work in mysterious ways. I was ready to say no to this service. A small service, a sad end, and no one had any connection to our church. The congregation pays me to help their families. Instead I said yes, and it has led to opportunities for each of us. I have learned to humble my pride and the self-importance of my time. I have learned to respond as love leads, it is always a more rewarding path. Thank you once again.”

“I too would have said no too easily, but it was very meaningful. Standing there by that cabin afterwards I had a sense I should help see that it would stay like it was for someone who needed that peace. I thank you for this day”

When she entered the house her boys, that now always included JB and Ruth’s son, gave big hugs with flour covered hands. Ann was baking bread and the boys were using the flour covered kitchen table as a chalk board. Ann was a teenager, another of Ruth’s endless cousins, who lived with her and watched the boys as she worked. “You’re getting your Momma all covered in dirt, be more careful.”

“Alright Ann, I’m changing to go work in the real dirt. I believe this flour dusting is just being covered with love. “





Photo by James Keefe