The year was 1972. Nixon was president, the Vietnam war was raging, and the evening television news was all about student unrest. It seemed like rebelling against all manner of authority was in the air. Some did it through music and strange wardrobe choices. Others rebelled through drug use and the rejection of moral norms. My parents were quite strict, so I had lots of limits on expressing personal rebellion. Dad was a World War 2 vet. Rebellion against authority wasn’t something that went down smoothly in the Sims home. But, alas, I found a way to do it. I did it, primarily, by running my mouth.
Monthly Archives: September 2016
THE AMAZING AUNT BAPPY
Bessie J. Wiggins and her twin brother, Jesse B. Wiggins, were born in 1899 in rural South Carolina. Bess and Jess, they called them, but Jess preferred to call his sister, “Bappy”– and it stuck. Before long everyone just called her “Bappy.” She hovers near the top of my list of “most unforgettable characters.” My wife, Peggy, had told me about Aunt Bappy even before we married. “I’ve never met anyone like her!” she remarked. “And no one has ever heard her say anything bad about anyone. She is the most kind, positive , and truly uplifting person I’ve ever met.”
We planned a trip to South Carolina for our first Thanksgiving together to attend a huge family reunion. Peggy was so excited for me to meet the family– especially the amazing Aunt Bappy. I looked forward to it, but prepared myself to not get my hopes up too high. Nobody is that nice. Her reputation, I assumed, was as much legend as fact.
THE HOUNDS OF HEAVEN
The Hound of Heaven was a famous poem written by English poet Francis Thompson. The name of the poem is strange, but the truth behind it is unmistakable. “As the hound follows the hare, never ceasing in its running, ever drawing nearer in the chase, with a steady and sure pace, so does God follow a fleeing soul by His Divine grace.” I’ve often heard people say that while in a backslidden or unbelieving state, the “Hound of Heaven”– the Holy Spirit– pursued and chased them until they finally surrendered to the chase. It’s a beautiful picture of God’s love and grace.
But in today’s post, I want to go to a different place with the “hound” imagery. In this case, I will go with a more literal interpretation of the hound of heaven, with a twist of the miraculous. You’ll like it, so keep reading.
JOY AND GLADNESS
“Let me hear joy and gladness, let the bones you have crushed rejoice.” Psalm 51:8
I just saw a report that the majority of Americans feel sadness more often than gladness. That’s a sobering stat, but I understand why. The majority of people in this country do not have a living relationship with Jesus. Those who know Christ intimately do not live life as the rest of the world. Christians DO live the same environment, face the same challenges, and hear the same depressing news reports on a daily basis. But believers can possess something the world cannot give– Joy and Gladness.
