Do you recall when I asked for some of you to submit stories to be published here? I wasn't kidding. Even if you "think" you can't write,send them to me. I will not change them. What follows is a story from a friend. This was written back in February. I am currently involved in trying to get this person to write their life story. It is SOOO different from mine, this person has reffered to me as a "big brother" at times. Now read, and experience LIFE!
TEARS OF JOY..
Please forgive me for rambling but I feel that we have gotten to know each other quite well. I have just witnessed God's work in a 72 year old man. He had 5 children, 17 grandchildren and 14 great grand-grandchildren. In the beginning he raised his family as a pool hustler. Worked in the downtown pool room for many years. He wasn't a gambler to him shooting pool was a business; a way to support his family. The other side of this man was an artist. I don't know when he started painting but I do know he was self taught. Up the street from the pool hall, around the corner was our local art museum and he would go there and study the old masters. Most of the Savings & Loans Companies and Banks had several of his paintings as well law offices. One time the Charlotte TV station came to Hickory to interview him and it started out with the balls bursting on the table and later they walked up the street and around the corner where some of his paintings hung.
Over the years he allowed alcohol to take control of his life and he lost not only his first family but his second. The years were not good to him. He continued to smoke and drink and began to loose his health. But as I understand it about 2 years ago he told this pastor that he had been drinking and heard an explosion and God speak "I am who I am". and from that moment own he never touched a drink again. One year ago he went to this pastor and told him God was changing him. You see this man had always painted landscapes in heavy oils. He handed the pastor an abstract in watercolor of his interpretation of The King and he told the pastor he wanted to be baptized again. The pastor said as he looked at this old wrinkled man that he knew he was witnessing God at work. The love that he gave to his children and grandchildren over these past few years are a real blessing to them.
On Jan. 3rd this man was diagnosed with lung cancer and died Feb.1st. less than 30 days and yes I was told he smoked up until the last.
You see I just returned home from the funeral of a man I was married to years ago. I saw around his casket 5 of the most beautiful paintings I had ever seen of one man's interpretation of the Cross and Life as God sees us. I didn't know this man in his later years but I came away knowing that we should never give up on anyone or ourselves.
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