Stories from Heaven's Library - Vol. 5

For Young and Old

Featuring:
         Amaris: Chapters 6 & 7 (page number)
         Joe's Sad Discovery (page number)
         Duke & the Dogs (page number)

-- AMARIS --
The story so far
         Princess Amaris is the adopted daughter of an eastern king, who bought her from slave traders when she was six years old. Twelve years later, having made a promise to God that at the appointed time he would return to Him this gift of love, King Merchal sends Amaris on a journey to find her destiny.
         Traveling with her trusted manservant, Jordan, they head to the home of Father Michael, an Englishman who was once a tutor to Amaris. Father Michael informs Amaris that after a long search, he has found her English father, from whom she was separated as a young child.
         Amaris and Jordan then set out to find him. Amaris, faced with the prospect of coming face to face with her distant past, is completely absorbed in thought. She cannot help but think that this is but a small part of a much bigger plan for her life

VII - To Face the Past
         Amaris felt very small as they approached the large city gates. They had made good time, and arrived well ahead of when they had expected. Under Jordan's tutelage, Amaris discerned from the skies that it was nearing six o'clock. She was very pleased with her new skill.
         "I feel so strange," she said to Jordan, as he passed the gatekeepers with a nod. "It's unusual for me to be coming into a city like this. I usually just get a glimpse from behind the curtains of my litter. I like it though," she smiled. "It's so much richer, like I'm actually partaking of life instead of merely observing it from a distance."
         "I would say that the carried life has its advantages too," Jordan remarked with a grin, "speaking strictly from an observational standpoint, of course."
         "Of course," Amaris laughed. "I can't see you in a litter, Jordan. You're much too rugged!"
         "Should I take that as a compliment, my lady?"
         "By all means, noble sir--for of course you know that you are noble to me," she replied.
         "What do you mean by that?" Jordan liked the direction the conversation was heading, and hoped to prod it along further. But Amaris caught on and just shook her head and laughed, dancing ahead of him a few steps.
         "Is this the crossing that Father Michael mentioned time and again?" she asked suddenly.
         Jordan nodded, and mentally replayed the instructions that had been imbedded into his consciousness. "We go left here," he said. And they did.
         After they had continued on a ways, Amaris was suddenly struck with a panicky thought. "Have you thought about what I'm going to do when I get there?"
         "Have I?" Jordan echoed. "To that I can honestly say that I have not. Although," he added hastily, noting that she was not speaking in jest but was earnestly terrified, "I could certainly do so in a hurry if it would be of help."
         Amaris looked deeply into his eyes, waiting in earnest expectation.
         "Let's see, what will you do when you get there Hmmm Ah!" He clapped his hands together as the answer struck him. "Of course! That's it!"
         "What? What?" she opened her eyes wide.
         "Why, at the time appointed, it will be revealed to you," he said, smiling with satisfaction. "God will put the words in your mouth when you get there."
         "Oh, Jordan!" Amaris wailed. "Don't keep saying that! It's so easy to say, but I want to prepare, rehearse, and coerce my wits to respond in the situation, lest I find myself face to face with a man I used to know and be struck dumb!"
         "Peace, little girl!" Jordan grabbed her by the waist, halting her walk. He swung her around to face him, and--surprised by the boldness that came over him--held her face in his two large hands. Too shocked to resist--and, if the truth were known, slightly pleased as well--Amaris let him.
         "Peace!" he continued. "My father always said, 'Rambling never saved anyone from dying of thirst in the desert,' though I don't know why that comes to me at a moment when I should have deep words to say instead! Just give faith to the good words that have been spoken before to you, which you have recounted to me--those by His Majesty, and those inscribed by the dear old man we just took our leave from. As surely as we have been led along step by step thus far, Almighty God will complete our journey and reveal to us what our next step should be. And " he took a deep breath, "I am glad to see that you agree with me, for we have arrived!"
         Amaris' knees nearly buckled under her. She had counted on a couple more hours, at least, to work on her wits. But the surprise arrival succeeded in scaring away her fears--caught off guard as she was. Before she knew it, Jordan had gently pushed her inside a narrow doorway, which opened to reveal a flight of steps.
         "Father Michael said you should go up the flight of stairs and, at the top, knock on the door on the left. I will wait here for you."
         Amaris nervously turned around. "You're not coming up with me, Jordan?"
         "I think I had better wait here," he said. And so she began up the stairs on her own.
         Never had a flight of steps seemed so long, yet before she was ready, the climb was over! Then she wished that it had been longer. The door loomed large in front of her, with dark shadows all around it. She fancied it as the large mouth of a wild beast, which she must pass through before she would know exactly for what purpose she had journeyed this long way.
         She cast one last look down the stairs towards the entrance, but Jordan was not visible from where she stood. For a moment she contemplated running down the stairs and not stopping until she was back in the royal gardens. But she knew that then she would just be running away from the fears that she knew she must face. The only solution was to go forward! Mustering up all her courage, she gave a loud knock on the old wooden door.
* * *
         Several eternities passed in Amaris' mind, and she was now slowly starting back down the flight of stairs, wistfully figuring that no one was home anyway, when a low voice from within said, "Come in." It was a voice she knew--a voice she had known a lifetime ago.
         Amaris felt like she was going to be sick. She opened the door and stepped inside. The door opened into a narrow hallway that curved around towards the right. Several doors were shut along the hallway, but towards the end of the hall she could see a partially opened door and a dim light shining inside.
         "Pamela?" the voice called. "Are you there?"
         "No," Amaris answered, "it's not Pamela." She followed the voice towards the lighted room. She paused at the threshold, when unexpectedly, a wave of confidence swept over her. She felt as if she had stepped out of a raging tornado into a quiet garden. Peace and tranquillity swept over her. The peace that passes understanding! she thought to herself in amazement. What a relief to feel it at such a time as this!
         She pushed the door open the rest of the way, and, pulling her veil from off of her face, she stepped inside the room. A narrow bed stood in the far corner of the room, underneath a large shuttered window. The room was strewn with clothes and other assorted items. A small nightstand stood by the bed, with a flickering lamp on it, from whence came the only light in the room.
         In the bed lay a gaunt figure of a man, paled by the mixture of lamplight and shadows, who now struggled to lift his head and peer at his visitor.
         "Who is it?" he asked.
         Amaris did not reply, but before she knew it, she was kneeling at the side of the bed. She reached for the man's hand. Then his eyes met hers, and he stared at her, as if he was seeing a ghost. "Sarah?" he whispered incredulously. "Could that be my Sarah?"
         "Yes!" She wrapped both of her hands around his. She could not believe how peaceful she felt. By this time she should have been crying, or at least teary-eyed. But all she felt was a wonderful sense of peace and joy. She was on the path that had been carefully prepared for her, and she knew that all was going to work out perfectly.
         But Edward Norman was crying. "I knew it!" he whispered. "I knew He would return you to me. I knew that I would live to see this day!"
         Amaris reached forward and threw both of her arms around his thin frame. "Oh father!" she said. "I never dreamed this would actually come to pass! God has been so good to us!"
         Edward looked startled, and then the tears began to roll hot down his cheeks once again. "The promises!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in awe. There was a long pause as they both looked at each other, transfixed in a timeless world.
         Finally Edward broke the sacred silence. "How has your life been?"
         "It has been wonderful in every way, my father," Amaris responded, looking deep into his eyes, as if seeking to draw out hidden mysteries of the past concealed within.
         "That is what Jesus told me! His very Words! When your mother and I were beside ourselves with grief, lying on our faces before Him, begging Him to reveal to us what we could do to return you to our sides, fearing that you had been killed, or worse then He spoke. You might think this foolish " Edward looked up, rather surprised at how quickly the conversation had progressed, and how comfortable he felt with someone whom he scarcely knew.
         But Amaris shook her head gently, "Oh, no," she smiled, "believe me! That type of celestial dialogue seems to be the common practice these days." She laughed softly, and her father continued.
         "Your mother and I had always loved Jesus. We felt Him close in our hearts, and His voice guided our paths. But this experience was unusual. It was almost as if it was an audible voice, and we both heard it. Afterwards we repeated to each other the Words that we had heard, and they were the same. On that day, He told us that you were a part of His great plan, and that you had been sent to succor another needy soul. He asked us to bring three petitions that we would want for you, and that He would fulfill them.
         "We agreed together, and told Him our petitions. First, that you would grow up in the same love and nurture of our God as we had tried to give you from your birth. Second, that your life would be pleasant and " he paused and shook his head in amazement, " and 'wonderful in every way'--those very words." He clasped his daughter's hand more tightly.
         "And our third request--well, it was mine, actually. Your mother--bless her loving heart--said she would be happy with just the others. I think she must have had a premonition that she would not see you on Earth again. But my third request was that someday I would see you again, before I would be rejoined with Him Whom I love. Help me sit up, dear girl, and let me look at you!"
         Amaris helped Edward into a sitting position, propping a pillow behind his back. He looked her up and down, and smiled with satisfaction.
         "Oh, you're every bit of your mother, you are!" he smiled. "She lives in you, little girl! I think that when her time came to go, she knew that she could do you more good from over There, than she could here. I see her spirit shining through your eyes." A deep cough echoed through Edward's entire body, and Amaris reached forward to hold onto him.
         "It's going to be all right," she said. "I'm here now, and I'll take care of you. I want to hear all about what's happened to you and to mother during this time that I've been gone."
         "Oh, yes! Lord, I've got a lot to tell you! Ha! Won't that be fun!" It seemed that every minute that passed saw Edward looking younger and healthier. He had not only been reunited with his beloved lost child, but his faith had also been re-strengthened as he saw the literal fulfillment of what had been promised so many years earlier. "Yes," he continued, "well, where to start?"
         A loud knock on the door startled them both, and Edward called out, "Come in!" Then to Amaris, he said, "It must be Pamela!"
         Seconds later, a familiar voice called out, "Amaris?"
         "Jordan!" She turned around to see Jordan enter the dimly lit room.
         "Amaris?" Edward raised an eyebrow questioningly, and only Jordan's intensive training enabled him to smother a huge laugh when he saw that familiar expression of his mistress reflected in the haggard* face before him.
         "Oh!" Amaris laughed. "Oh, yes! I guess I have a story of my own to tell, don't I?"
         Then an entirely new voice broke through the slim moment of silence when the two newly reunited ones considered who would be first to deliver their tale of recollection.
         "Father?" It was a young voice, and Amaris' eyes widened as she was struck with an entirely new thought.
         "Why, Father, did you ? Do I ?" Amaris was almost afraid to turn around and look.
         Edward smiled and said nothing. Then he held out his hand towards the newest arrival, who stood in the doorway, looking very perplexed.
         Amaris held her breath as she watched a copper-headed ten-year-old sidle* her way over to stand at the end of Edward's bed. In what was obviously a family mannerism, Pamela raised an eyebrow and asked rather fiercely, "Who are these people?"
         "Now that," Jordan ventured--figuring that it was his turn to say the now-familiar words--"is a very long story!"
         At that, everyone burst out in a hearty laugh--even the reluctant newcomer, who was very curious as to what was going on.
         "Well, well," Edward said, grabbing Pamela's hand and pulling it towards Amaris', "we do have a lot to talk about. And there will be plenty of time for all of that. But first things first. Pamela, this is your long-lost sister--Sarah."
         Pamela grasped Amaris' hand awkwardly, and mumbled, "How do you do?"
         But Amaris stepped forward and threw her arms around the uncertain little girl, "Oh, I do love you!" she burst out. Then Pamela hugged her with all her might.
         Amaris then turned to her father. "Yes, my name is Amaris now," she said.
         "Amaris? I've never heard of such a name before."
         "Well, neither had I," she replied. "But--well, to make a long story short--I have been living in King Merchal's palace all this time. He named me Amaris because it means 'promised by God,' and that's what I was to him. He's been like a father to me."
         "A princess!" Edward's mind was somewhere else. "How perfectly astonishing! Why, our God is a God of marvels, isn't He? That's what your name--that is, Sarah--means a princess! It was your mother who took a special fancy to that name. 'Darling,' she told me, when you were just weeks in the womb, 'we must name her Sarah. I have a feeling about this child, that she is very special.' I knew when she got that look in her eyes that she knew what she was talking about, and so Sarah you were. And now what was that name again?"
         "Amaris," Pamela piped up. She had not taken her eyes off her newly found sister since she had entered the room.
         "Amaris!" Edward said, running the sound of it over and over in his mind.
         "Amaris," echoed Jordan, only because he didn't know what else to say, and he felt he should say something at this point or he would lose his reason for being in the room.
         Three pairs of eyes turned abruptly to look at him. Both Edward and Pamela echoed in unison, "And who are you?"
         Jordan hadn't expected such a response, and immediately forgot who he was and what he was doing there. "I--uh--I I--I'm a nice fellow, really I am!"
         "Oh, don't worry!" Amaris rose from her father's bed and put her slender arm around Jordan's muscular waist. "He comes with me." She smiled, and the other two raised their eyebrows at each other, with a "what have we here" look.
         "Well," Edward said, seeing that no more information concerning this handsome stranger was going to be offered just yet, "how about we all have something to eat, and then we can swap life stories? I'm sure we have a lot to talk about!"
         "Yes," Amaris said, and then added quietly, "and plans to make."
        
VIII - The Vision
         It had been a long day, and despite her desires to the contrary, sleep was weighing heavily on Amaris' eyelids. They had been talking busily for nearly two hours; by popular demand Amaris had been the first to recount her life story. She was desperately curious to hear from her father, but she knew that she had had about all that one day could take.
         Edward noticed her drooping lashes, and figured that he would need to be the one to call an end to the gathering. "I suppose we had better close for the night. You two look like you could use some recuperation time."
         "Yes," said Jordan, rather wearily. "We have walked a long ways, and have met with much excitement as well."
         They were all piled on or around Edward's bed, as it was obviously not easy for him to move around without difficulty. Pamela had graciously fixed them all some food, which they ate hungrily, yet hastily for all the excitement. But now that same excitement was taking its toll, and tiredness was overcoming them all.
         Amaris was soon settled on a cot in Pamela's room, and Jordan retired to the front room. A deep sleep sank upon them all.
* * *
         As dawn broke over the distant mountains, Amaris sat up in her bed. Something was troubling her, and she felt that she would do best to have some time alone before she continued on with the excitement that the day was sure to bring.
         She dressed quickly, covering herself in the common wrap of the country and finishing with her thick veil. As she passed through the front room on her way to the door, Jordan stirred and opened one eye sleepily. Seeing Amaris up and dressed, he sat up straight.
         "What is the matter, my lady?" he asked, in his grogginess forgetting her previous entreaty to address her as an equal.
         "Don't trouble yourself, Jordan," she whispered, hoping to not wake up the others. "I am just going outside to clear my mind and get some air. I need to do some thinking. I'll be back before the sun is fully up."
         She had scarcely finished her sentence before Jordan was out of bed, still fully dressed from the previous night. He took his work seriously, and felt the personal responsibility to always be ready to go at a moment's notice. When he was out of the palace and guarding his lady, he felt himself responsible to be on duty every moment. Undressing would leave him vulnerable, a luxury that he did not care to indulge in.
         "Allow me to accompany you, Amaris," he said. And seeing the refusal rise to her lips, quickly added, "I will keep my distance, well out of earshot, and I promise I won't watch you--just cast an eye over every now and then to make sure you are all right. Your father--that is, His Majesty--has entrusted you into my care, and what should I tell him if something were to happen to you? This is not the palace, and one can only guess the type of rogues who could be wandering the streets at this hour."
         Amaris realized the wisdom of his words. Recalling only too well the types of rogues and vagabonds that did fill the streets, even at a much more decent hour of the day, she nodded her assent. She left her leather purse in plain view, so that if the others should wake up, they would know that she and Jordan had only left for a short while, and would return presently.
* * *
         "Where do you wish to go?" Jordan asked, as they stepped out into the quiet streets.
         Amaris' eyes were fixed on the ground before her. She shrugged her shoulders, then lifted her head and looked around. "I just want to be out in nature somewhere. Do you think there's any of that around here?"
         "I think the east gate of the city is not more than twenty minutes in this direction," he replied, leading her down a small road. "There will be plenty of greenery beyond there."
         "Thanks for coming, Jordan," Amaris replied. "I do appreciate it. I just feel like I need to get away and do some thinking, you know?"
         "I understand," he said. "And I am sure that you do have a lot to think about."
         "Jordan," Amaris broke the silence again after a few minutes' walk, "what do you think about the meaning of life?"
         Jordan choked on a laugh he only half-succeeded in suppressing. "The meaning of life? My lady is indeed reflective today!"
         "Truly, what do you think about it? What is life to you?"
         Jordan thought a minute, then tilted his head up towards the sky. Taking a few long strides, he stepped in front of Amaris and turned around to face her, spreading his arms out wide in a gesture of inadequacy. She stopped and looked at him intently.
         "Life I don't know. I suppose to me, life is following the path I was created to walk, and fulfilling the plan that God intended for me." He faced the road again, and they continued walking.
         "So you really believe that God orders our lives, and we must but follow?"
         "Well, yes, I suppose I do. But not in the sense that He is making us do things that we wouldn't want to do. I expect that He has His particular design for us, and once we truly find what that is, we will feel it and it will feel right--that it's leading somewhere. And eventually we will be able to look back and see that it was a good path."
         "The path of destiny," Amaris said pensively. She reached inside her cloak and pulled out her medallion. "That's what this journey was really all about for me, you know. It was all about discovering what path I have been on all this time, and how I have been led. I think that is what my royal father was hoping I would discover. Well, I don't know that he knew all the details himself, but he had the general idea. But it wouldn't have been enough to tell me for himself; he knew that I had to be shown it in God's time."
         Amaris smiled. "Funny, but I seem to have grown so much closer to God during this time. I guess I am seeing sides of Him that I never knew existed before. I had no idea He had such a hand in planning my life."
         Jordan grinned, and looked sidelong at the pretty girl walking beside him. "Well, I always knew He had a hand in mine!" he said.
         Amaris stopped in her tracks and put her hands on her hips, "Now that's enough!" she said. "Jordan, you keep giving me these little insinuations and sidelong flirtations. Do you have something that you want to tell me? Are you trying to tell me something?"
         Jordan was caught entirely by surprise, and his tanned skin flushed slightly. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'll refrain from making such comments in the future."
         As they walked on, Amaris bit her lip. That wasn't at all what she was trying to say, but she still felt rather confused and didn't know how to react to Jordan's obvious interest in her. In a way--well, in a great way--she felt very flattered and surprisingly agreeable to it. But on the other hand, how could it ever work?
         Suddenly a cool breeze flushed over them both, carrying her thoughts away. They had reached the bottom of a green hillside, and Jordan motioned that he would wait at the bottom while she made her way up further.
         She climbed for five minutes or so, then fell to her knees in the dewy grass. "My God, my God!" she cried softly. "Help me! I feel so unclear, so confused in my thinking. This should be the happiest day of my life, and yet I feel so very lost and uncertain."
         There she was, in the seclusion of her mind again, seeing her familiar retreat--her pit in which she had found comfort and had sorted out many a despondent thought in years past. The same wooden chair sat there, at the bottom of the hole, and Amaris could picture all the agony of soul she had experienced, trying to make sense out of her problems and find answers to them all. Most of the time she had climbed back up that ladder little more enlightened than when she had come down it.
         So there she sat, alone in the innermost chambers of her mind, when all of a sudden, something changed. She stood up and heard the chair clatter down on the stones behind her. A light was flooding down the ladder--an incredibly bright, warm, almost tangible light. She reached out her hand and felt it as it drew nearer. She felt as if she was putting her hand inside a soft glove of finest woven flax.
         She suddenly saw the ladder being transformed into a flight of golden steps. She could see no person or other form inside the light, but somehow she knew that everything--the light, the warmth, the stairs, all of it--was Him: The Most High One.
         Then He spoke, His voice reverberating through her mind like a thousand orchestras all blending in harmony: "Ask!"
         "Ask what, my Lord?" she trembled, and pressed her back against the wall of her rugged abode.
         "Ask what you will, My child, and I will answer you." The Voice, so majestic, was so incredibly loving, so patient, full of tenderness and inexplicable longing.
         Amaris broke down, and tears began streaming down her cheeks. "I do not understand!" she burst out. "What am I supposed to feel now about His Majesty? I have always regarded him as my real father, but now I have my natural father, so where does he fit in? And what am I supposed to feel towards my natural father? And what about Jordan?--He's my servant, but I feel strangely towards him, not like I would towards a regular servant. And what about You?--I want to give my life to You, but I don't know how " she trailed off tearfully, and buried her face in her hands.
         The Voice did not begin again until her sobs had quieted, and she had lifted her head again towards the light. "Do you see these steps?" the Lord queried. Amaris nodded. "There are many levels of love in My Kingdom. You are yet young, but I want you to see that there are many types of love, and each one has its place. I have begun to reveal unto you the mysteries of love, but in order to understand them, you must be willing to put aside your natural mind, and your carnal reasoning.
         "And I say--for your expectation and delight--that you have not yet begun to touch the mysteries of love in the Kingdom of Heaven. For so many and so varied are the magical tiers of love, that you would not be able to count them with your earthly mind. Even as these stairs, which go up "
         Suddenly it seemed to Amaris that she could see the stairs as they continued on up past the mountains, past the skyline, past the clouds and off endlessly into space.
         She put her feet on the first step, and the Voice continued, "When you were a child, you learned the love of parents." She moved forward a step. "Then you learned to know and begin to understand some of My love for you." Again she went to the next step. "Then difficulty came your way, and you learned of the love that can be found in Me to overcome such hardship-- love that is shown by faith and perseverance." Forward again.
         "Another step of love: to accept the love of one who needed you desperately, and to learn to return that love.--And here I wish to say to you, child, that this gift of parents who truly love without the obligation, this is love that is not inborn, but it is true love. And yes, more than true love--it is My love. For children of natural parents can expect that the love is there unconditionally. I have made it so. But for those who have taken in and raised another's child as their own, in the spirit this child truly becomes their own, for they have paid the highest price to obtain this child--their love, given of a free will.
         "This is where you are at now, My little one, but do you see the many steps that are before you? Learn to reconcile these types of love one with another. Give each their place, and learn to love beyond appearances. That is very important."
         Turning around, Amaris found that the golden stairs had carried her out of her hole. As she cast a look down into the gloomy depths, she knew that she would never return there again.
To be continued

JOE'S SAD DISCOVERY
Where sarcasm can lead!
         Words are pretty interesting. Did you ever think about that? Too bad though, some folks just don't realize how much their own words can do. Stop and think about it, the way the human race communicates with words--spoken words, written words, languages, the things we do, how we affect each other. It's an interesting subject and provides a good deal of food for thought. I never really paid much attention to it before, but now I know how real the words we say to each other are.
         Words are real things. Man, do I know that now! They can make a person or break a person, believe it or not--what you say and what you do. Yeah, take it from me. I oughtta know! Words--who'd ever think they were so important? The vast majority of folks don't think their words are all that important. If they did, they would think twice before they opened their mouths. I didn't, that's for sure, but I do now.
         My name is Joe. You don't know me, but I've met a few of your Family members up Here in Heaven. I've spent some time with some of the girls, the ones you call the "Austin girls"--Joy, Christina and the others. They sure are cool, and I've been able to learn a lot from them. I've had the opportunity to spend time with some others too: Liz Grey, what a sweet honey.--And Dad of course, I had the blessing of meeting Dad. Boy, now there's a guy who knows the real meaning of words.
         Well, on to my story: I was always the joker when I was younger, always wanted to have a laugh, and boy, was I good at it. I was quick--quick-witted, quick with my tongue, quick with my actions. Ha! Yeah, it got me a lot of attention everywhere I went--in school, at parties with my friends, or just hangin' out.
         I was what they call the "life of the party." I was smart. My teachers usually liked me, 'cause I was sharp. I studied and made good grades; so even though I always had a comment about everything, they put up with me. I was slick, a good student, good-looking, a good athlete. I was what y'all would call a real cool dude.
         I joked a lot, but I had a likable personality at the same time, so I got away with a lot. People looked up to me and the fact that they did only made my bad habit all the worse. I had influence, and the things I said and the things I did greatly influenced others. Thing is, we all have influence, more than we realize.
         School days.--Those were days of great fun. You know how kids are, always lookin' for a good time, a laugh, a joke. I just couldn't control my mouth. I was smart and quick, not only with my mind, but also with my tongue. I always had something to say about anybody or anything, you name it; I always had a comment to make--always givin' someone the razz. It just seemed to roll off my tongue and spill out my mouth.
         You know that line, "Oh man, can't ya take a joke?" I was the master of jokes, quips, smart comments, comebacks, remarks, everything; and if anyone ever showed their dislike for my jesting, that line was always my reply. Little did I know that often the victims of my quick tongue were hurting inside and in fact couldn't "take the joke" I had so thoughtlessly dished out to them.
         I thought folks looked up to me for my gift of wit, as I liked to consider it. After all, it sure got the laughs. It was the thing to do, and a guy's gotta do something to keep up in the world, to be cool and impress others, or so I thought. That was usually my motivation behind it all--to impress others, to be cool and accepted. I was this way all the time, everywhere I went, with everybody and anybody, and I never really stopped to think about it at all.
         The sad, sad part of what I have to tell you is that I went through my whole life, an entire lifetime, without realizing what my bad habit was doing to others, what effect it had on others. I never really stopped to think about it until the day I died, until the day I watched my whole life pass before me. That's when I began to see.
         When I arrived Here in Heaven, I had a lot to learn. You may wonder how I made it to Heaven in the first place. Well, my parents were Christians, not really active as far as the Family is in terms of witnessing, but nevertheless Christians. I prayed to receive Jesus into my heart as a young child. I had always believed in Christ, but I certainly didn't live for Him. When I arrived Here in Heaven, I was like a retarded child, or like a baby in diapers, compared to others Here who had done more for the Lord while on Earth. But Jesus, in His great love, was merciful to me and very patient in helping me to see the error of some of the worldly ways that I had been so accustomed to during my life on Earth.
         As I reviewed my own life, I began to see how my sarcasm, the words I spoke and the things I did, had affected the lives of others. As I watched my life flash before me, I stood in a state of shock at what I saw. It was a rude awakening. Everything was so familiar, yet I was seeing it from a completely different perspective than when I had lived through it on Earth. You know how it is sometimes when you look at a picture of yourself and you get a little surprise?--Somehow you just look different than what you thought? Well, that's somewhat how it was for me. I started to get these funny vibes and I didn't like what I saw.
         As the story unfolded, an almost frightening, shocking and very shameful sensation filled my heart. I was so very, very ashamed; horrified better describes how I felt. I was deeply sorry. Jesus, in His mercy, showed me the lives of others who had been the subjects of my witty and cunning quips and wisecracks. He showed me the effects that my quick tongue had had on the lives of others and I became aware of the shocking truth.
         I had affected the lives of so many, and was responsible for causing literally hundreds of folks during my lifetime to be discouraged, degraded, beaten down and belittled, all because of my loose tongue and thoughtless manner. I cannot describe the feeling I had when finally seeing the long-lasting results of what I thought was "only a joke" or a "harmless comment." The tears flowed down in a steady stream from my eyes for the longest time. Wonderful Jesus wiped my tears away, but I am still having to learn and grow and be healed and unlearn the bad habits of the sarcasm, which I had grown so accustomed to during my lifetime. It's been a long, slow and sometimes laborious process.
         Take it from me, it's much easier to acquire good habits from the beginning than to have to unlearn a bad habit. This is the advantage that you, dear Family, have on Earth. You have so much truth, light and guidance. You have the Words of life to follow. You have a head start on others. You're a privileged breed, so take advantage of it and follow the light you have. Even my parents never seriously taught me any differently; sarcasm was just an accepted way of life, believe it or not!
         Time and space would fail me to tell you of each life I was allowed to view as it passed before me--each life that was scorched by my unloving tongue. But I would like to tell you about the most devastating case of all, in hopes that it will serve as a warning to you of just how far a streak of sarcasm can go.
         As I sat Here in the Heavenlies, the life of Mary Ellen played before me. Mary Ellen Willis was my age. She was the awkward girl on my block and was in my class from grade school on up through senior high. (Crying:) Sorry, it's still a little painful for me to talk about this, even though I know that Mary Ellen has forgiven me, and Jesus has forgiven me. I'm only thankful that now I can learn and make progress in this area.
         Anyhow, Mary Ellen was different than me. She was shy, quiet, and kept to herself. Because of this, I dubbed her what we called a "square" in those days. Through grade school I hardly even noticed her, but in junior high, poor Mary Ellen regularly became the brunt of my sour jokes. We had all kinds of names for her, and I'm sorry to admit most of them originated with yours truly--you got it, that's me; and whatever sarcastic comments about her the other kids made up were prompted by my sample in the first place.
         We called her "Bucky," for one, because her teeth were anything but straight, and they stuck out in front. Mary Ellen was a bright student; she studied all the time, was on the honor roll and always knew the right answers in class. She was a "brain." Of course, most of the teachers liked her, thus I devised scores of supposedly "harmless" jokes about her, revolving around the "Miss Goody Two-Shoes" image, which I so unlovingly promoted in regard to dear Mary Ellen.
         Boy, was I sick!--Whatever the opportunity to make a sarcastic remark or joke regarding Mary Ellen, you name it, I was Mr. Johnny-on-the-spot, with comments and remarks, and I thought nothin' of it. After all, it didn't seem to bother Mary Ellen. She did nothing about it. She never shot back any comments to me. She seemed to take it all in stride.
         No harm done, I thought. It's just a joke--we're havin' a laugh! Of course, poor shy Mary Ellen was not about to stand up to a cool dude like me, yet all the while I was oblivious to this. I continued on my jolly way, teasing, jabbing and making sarcastic digs whenever I felt like it. It came naturally to me.
         Poor Mary Ellen! She tried so hard to not let it bother her, and God bless her, she really was a saint to have survived high school. She never really had any friends.--How could she when the "in" crowd was always cuttin' up on her?! We talked about how she walked and how she talked, what a mouse she was, how she wore her hair, how studious she was, and how funny her glasses looked. We talked about her frumpy clothes and the shape of her body, all the while ignoring and failing to see the sweetness within and the brilliance of her heart. It was bad.
         But through all this, she never stooped down to my level. She never shot back one sarcastic remark. Little did I know that my sick, unloving comments and jokes were causing her pain. I looked at it as the thing to do, as fun, as harmless, and just figured she liked to be alone anyhow, so what the heck! I never realized how my sarcasm was affecting her life forever. She held it all in. Naturally, she felt defenseless against me and those who followed my sick sample--after all, what could she do?
         Well, do you know what my jokes and comments did? They ate away at Mary Ellen. They wore grooves in her heart and mind, and she didn't know what to do about it. Even when she would try to brush it aside and bury herself in her studies, it ate away at her slowly. She was a quiet girl, and I never realized at the time that she didn't even talk to her folks much either.
         Mary Ellen's parents both worked hard at running the family business, which kept her father on the road most of the time, while her mother kept the business running on the home front. Consequently, they spent little time together as a family. I never realized just how much she hid behind her studies. She never had any friends to speak of and her parents were busy with work, so she was alone much of the time.
         Little did I know that she was scared. She didn't know how to take that first step to make a friend. She needed help, and being the subject of my jokes and remarks didn't help matters much. Mary Ellen was lonely and desperately wanting a friend, just someone to talk to.
         Only up Here, as the rest of the story played out before me, was I made aware of just how much my joking and sarcasm deepened her sadness and caused her to think negatively about herself. I might as well have taken a shotgun and shot holes into Mary Ellen, like one of those dummies on a firing range; that would have been about the same as what I was doing to her with my words, because in spirit that's exactly what it was like. That's what I was doing to her. I was shooting holes in her spirit with each word.
         With each supposed joke, the wounds grew deeper. They wore grooves in poor Mary Ellen's mind and heart that haunted her. My sour comments and unloving ways stuck with her. Even though she would try to brush them aside, they were there, wearing and tearing her down. They caused her many painful moments and sleepless nights as she would lie on her bed crying herself to sleep. Her tender heart was wounded; it ached and pained; it was lonely and forlorn.
         As a result, Mary Ellen began to actually believe the things that the kids at school would say about her--all due to my starting the ball rolling with my quick tongue. She began to believe that she was undesirable, that she was odd, that she was ugly and awkward, and worst of all, because of all this, she began to believe that nobody loved her. Deep fears grew within her as she pondered on and believed all these lies.
         I went on to university after high school, then on to med school, and I later became a surgeon. I didn't return to my hometown for many years, but when I eventually did, some years later, I heard what had become of Mary Ellen. She had graduated from college with flying colors because of her good grades and went into the field of science. It was said that she had hoped to dedicate her life to research--until one day a car accident took her life. She was driving alone, and the car went out of control on the old interstate.--Nobody really knew what happened, but they said it had something to do with faulty mechanics. Mary Ellen had never married, she never really had a boyfriend, and she was only 27 years old at the time of the crash.
         Poor kid, I remember thinking when I heard the news. By this time, being involved in the field of medicine myself, and sobered by life as compared to my high school days, I remember thinking to myself, Gee, too bad! I'm sure Mary Ellen's contributions to scientific research will be missed. That's the last time I remember ever thinking much about Mary Ellen while I was on Earth.
         But my story doesn't end there. As I continued watching my life, I saw what my actions had done in the life of Mary Ellen. I learned the naked truth of just how far sarcasm and unloving remarks can go.
         God's Word has a lot to say about words and the tongue. Words either bless or they curse. They lift up or they put down. Did you know that by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned? A word fitly spoken will bring health and life, joy and comfort to those who hear it; and a word out of place will bring sorrow and pain, suffering, condemnation, discouragement and despair. Little did I know that this pain and suffering was to be the result of my ugly words spoken about Mary Ellen all those years.
         My sarcastic comments that had torn her down all those years were the main contributing cause to her losing her self-esteem. They caused her hurt and pain as she herself began to believe the ugly comments that I had made. Although she was a brilliant girl and very talented, she lacked confidence, having been beaten down for so long by us "cool kids," as you would say today. She was unable to shake the hurt and pain of the criticism we so freely spouted off. It threw her so deeply into despair and hopelessness that she didn't care anymore about life itself. She never could believe that anybody really loved her.
         That day, as Jesus allowed me to view the lives of those I had affected so greatly with my words and actions, I learned the real cause of Mary Ellen's death. It wasn't a mechanical failure that caused the car to go out of control. She was so discouraged that in her state of despair she simply let the car go on its own. She had been the brunt of criticism for so long that she simply grew tired and gave up on life itself. After all, she thought, what do I have to live for?
         And so her life was prematurely ended. They might as well have put on her tombstone: "Cause of death: cruel sarcasm."
         Mary Ellen's parents were not religious folks, and because she was so introverted and shy, she hardly went anywhere or talked to anyone. She never really heard much about the true love of Jesus until she arrived over Here on this side.
         Although it was not right for her to take her own life, Jesus had mercy on her and she gladly received His true, never-ending, never-failing love Here in Heaven.
         So, there's my sad, sad story of what not to do. Things could have been very different if it wasn't for my cruel tongue. So many things would not have been hindered and retarded. Setbacks in many people's lives could have been avoided.
         Awhile after viewing this naked truth, I was able to meet Mary Ellen, Here in Heaven--where I've since been able to ask for her forgiveness, which she graciously granted me. The supernatural forgiveness of God through others is a divine miracle of which I feel so undeserving.
         I'll leave you with one last thought: Watch your words, they're real things. They'll make or break a person, according to how you choose them. Will you fill your words with the deadly poison of sarcasm, or with kind words that give life? Will they be Jesus' soft loving Words of love and wisdom and life, or the Devil's own words of destruction, discouragement and despair? The choice is up to you.
         Nowadays--in the '90s--you've gotta work extra hard at it, even more so than when I was in school back in the '40s. The world today has gone haywire! Sarcasm and the unkind deeds that go along with it are running wild in this day when the love of many is waxing cold. As the world grows colder, it's even more of a fight to not fall into the ways of the world.
         The Devil has orchestrated an all-out campaign to tear people down with words.--It's everywhere: in the music, in the movies, in advertising, on TV, on the news, in the papers. The propaganda is everywhere, and harsh speech and sarcasm have become the norm, the accepted, a way of life, the "in thing," more than ever before. This madness in the world today is so twisted that even among friends it's cool to talk bad about each other! Who needs friends like that? It's Satan's design, his effort to tear down, discourage and destroy, and he's made it so subtle that it's accepted by the status quo.
         There's gonna be a mighty rude awakening for many folks when they get over Here and see that things are different, 'cause it's not God's way, I tell ya. Take it from me, when you get over Here, you're gonna give account for every idle word you say, and not only for every idle word, but for every unkind word too. Having to see and face up to the results of what every unkind word you ever spoke did in the life of someone else well, I hope this will be enough to help you think about it.
         Think about it a while. Are you happy with your words? Will you look forward to a review of not only your life, but also the lives of those whom you influenced with your words and your actions? Think about it, then decide what you want to give: kind words or words that sting with sarcasm? Which will you choose?
* * *
         (Dad speaking:) Oh Jesus, please help the Family learn this lesson. I just wanted to add a P.S. here to Joe's story. Beloved, scenarios like this one ought never to be the case within our ranks. Some of the things I've seen and heard among our members (crying). Someday you're gonna be sorry for those harsh words you said today. Someday you're gonna cry and regret those moments when you jabbed and made fun of someone else. The tears are gonna flow then, believe me.
         My God, we make enough mistakes we can't help without making the ones we can do something about. If there are unloving actions like this within our Homes, you'd better do something about it. Is this the fruit of too many videos and too much System influence creeping into our Homes? Maybe so, maybe not, but you'd better check your hearts.
         You'll always have a slip of the tongue here and there, but out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and if this is happening often and is widespread, you need to do something about it. Christians are supposed to be manifesting the fruits of the Spirit, and that includes a kind word, a kind tongue and loving actions to go along with it. Fill up your heart and mind with God's Word and you won't have any trouble knowing what to do or what to say.
         And if you do slip occasionally, do something about it.--Say you're sorry, put your arm around the one you hurt, kiss and hug and make up and go on loving. But for God's sake, for your sake, and for the sake of others, put a watch over your mouth and don't go out of your way to hurt others.
         Dear Joe, what a story he had to tell! I hope this personal account of his will hit home with some of our people and show the seriousness of this problem of teasing and sarcastic remarks and unkind deeds. Brethren, these things ought not so to be! God help you!
         Read the Word and put it into action. Pray and ask Jesus to help you and deliver you from sarcasm, and unkind words and actions. We're supposed to be the Family of love, so love! Amen?
        
DUKE AND THE DOGS
         Hi! This is Duke, Grandpa's dog! I'm up in Heaven, with Grandpa. Maybe you find it surprising to hear from a dog! Maybe it is even shocking to you! But did you know that God made all creatures, great and small?--Yes, God made us all!
         In the beginning, when God created the world, we animals lived together with Adam and Eve in the Garden, and were able to communicate with one another. And it still is this way in Heaven.
         Would you like to hear about some of the things I do in Heaven? It's quite exciting and I think you'll find it interesting. God's system of organization is really incredible to see in action. He takes care of everything, down to the smallest detail. You could call us pets a small detail, compared to all that goes into the running of this wonderful place. But such little things are great things in the eyes of God!
         Just like there are departed saints who oversee certain areas of the Heavenly City, we have departed saints who oversee the animals and pets here, to make the residents that abide within these beautiful walls happy.
         I'm sure you have pets on Earth that have brought you great joy. Do you know that in the world there are many people whose only comfort and encouragement and happiness comes from their pets? They live all alone, and the greatest joy some have is when they come back from work to find their trusty dog, friendly kitty cat or singing bird, there waiting for them.
         In some ways it is a little bit sad that there aren't other humans that give them the love and friendship they need. But Jesus, in His mercy, sends them pets to be messengers of His love. Isn't that sweet that Jesus would use the animals to show His children in the world how much He loves and cares for them?
         Now, do you want to hear a little more specifically about what I get to do Here in Heaven? Well, I'm not called "Duke" for nothing, ha! Can you guess? I oversee that's right!--Other dogs!
         My supervisor is a departed saint, who, as you can probably imagine, is quite the dog lover!
         We have all kinds of different people up Here in Heaven, and we've got many different orders to fill for those who like to have pets. One of the most popular requests we get is for puppies for the little children!
         Since God made so many different species, there is quite a variety up Here to choose from!
         Of course, there are not just orders for puppies, but for all kinds of pets: kitty cats, parrots, goldfish--you name it! And because Jesus loves to delight all of His children, and give them the desires of their hearts, I'm kept pretty busy!
         Do you ever wonder how animals communicate with the departed saints and spirits Here in Heaven? Well, I'm a dog, and you know that dogs bark. Our bark is the sound that God gave us to make. So, you may wonder, "When you talk, do you bark too? How does that work?"
         Maybe you're thinking, "Hey, Duke, how can you be telling us all this? I mean, are you barking in somebody's ear about all these different things that are going on in Heaven?" That would be a funny picture, wouldn't it? You've heard of "listening to the whispers" and listening to the prophets and departed saints, but a dog barking in your ear, and telling you what's happening in Heaven? That's far-out! Well, it's not quite like that!
         God in His infinite* wisdom doesn't have us communicate through our mouths. He made our mouths to bark. When us dogs communicate with our human supervisors, it's well, I guess you on Earth would call "mental telepathy*." There are no words spoken, but we understand each other. Isn't that amazing? Aren't God's ways truly far out? It's pretty awesome!
         Jesus loves for you all to hear about the fun and exciting things in the spirit world. He takes a lowly little creature like myself, and I communicate with my overseer who is a departed saint. So if you ask and seek and want to know things about your pets, we can communicate with our caretaker, and he passes on our messages to you. Isn't that amazing?
         Okay kids, this was just a little glimpse into Heaven; a few more details about the life of God's lowly little creatures Here. And if some of you have lost any of your pets, rest assured that God is taking care of them, and that they are safe and happy here in Heaven.
         When you get Here, you can have any kind of pet you want! God's got it all covered, and He is more than happy to make you happy and delight you, by giving you the desires of your heart!
         God bless all of you children for being faithful stewards over the pets that you have been given to take care of there on Earth. God wants us to love all of His creatures, great and small. And don't think that faithfully caring for your little pets is a small thing! The Lord is up Here watching His children to see how faithful they are with the responsibilities that He gives them down there on Earth.
         I'll be signing off now. Lots of love to all you sweet children from
         Duke and the Dogs followed by two dog prints.

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Definitions included throughout booklet:

Page 4:
         *haggard: worn and exhausted
         *sidle: to coyly move forward sideways

Page 16:
         *infinite: having no limits; without beginning or end
         *mental telepathy: the sending of thoughts from one person's mind to another

[End]


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