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| Joan in Port Aransas Texas November 2007 |
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| First Trip to the Beach |
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| Bill, Penny and Zach - November 2007 |
Hello Loves,
Here it is, almost time to say “Happy Birthday Jesus”. Bells
will ring, people will sing, and right now the whole world is busy buying gifts for the ones they love. Of
all days, it is the MOST SPECIAL. So Bill, Ken, Penny, Zach, and I join in by wishing you a Blessed Christmas.
Let us focus on the One who brought joy to the world. Let us let bygones be bygones, and let us look to our Beloved
with expectancy, as the Holy Spirit is already preparing to pour out Love, Peace, and lots of wonderful surprises upon our
lives. How Thrilling!
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Christmas time always brings memories.
There is one Christmas I will never forget. I was in South Africa and scheduled to fly home to Texas in
November, when out of the blue I felt a great urgency to spend Christmas in South Africa. Thora was very
ill with cancer, and I was not sure if I would see her again. Not only was it Christmas, but Christmas
Eve was Thora’s Birthday. Dad was in his 90’s and I couldn’t even remember when we had
Christmas together, probably in the late 1940’s. So we had a large family Christmas dinner together
at Peacehaven, Thora’s home.
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On New Years Day, Thora, Elaine, and I
were invited to have dinner at Dad’s place. He was in a Senior Citizen Care Facility. As we got closer
to his room, we saw him sitting there reading with tears running down his face. Then he saw us, handed
me a book and said, “Read this, it’s not long”. I think it was a Guide Post.
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The story was about two little boys looking through the window into a store that was
selling Ice Skates. They were obviously poor, in ragged clothing and in the freezing weather; they kept standing there, longingly
looking at the skates. One of them suggested going in and asking the price of a pair, their size.
“What’s the point?” said the other, “we don’t have any money”. But
the other was insistent. “Come on – it won’t hurt just to ask”.
The man behind the counter had to stand on his
toes to see the little tykes. His heart went out to them, after all, it was Christmas Eve and he felt benevolent.
They asked about the skates. “I’m so sorry – we don’t have any skates’
small enough for you”. Their hearts plummeted. Then a strange look came
over the man’s face. “Just a moment” he said as he reached up to the top of a shelf, behind him. “Let’s
see what we’ve got here” he said, opening a large box. Inside were two pairs of skates fitted
to two pairs of new shoes. “Try them on; they look like your size”. And
they were. What excitement. Then they asked about the price.
“Oh, there’s
no price. You see a man came in and gave me this box to keep”. “Someone will be coming to pick
them up”, he told me. “When?” I asked. “You’ll know” he replied; and left. “So there
you are, they were left here for you”. The boys and the salesman were happy, they could hardly contain themselves.
“I wonder who brought them for us?” The children asked, but the salesman had no answer.
We looked at my Dad – still teary eyed, “it was Jesus –
wasn’t it?” he said. With which we looked at one another and agreed. There didn’t seem
to be any other explanation. I know God is always up to something for our good. After all “He is
the giver of all Good Gifts.” A
heart full of thanks to all of you for your gifts, love, and prayers. You keep Joan Wakeford Ministries afloat, so I can still
do what he wants me to do and go where he wants me to go.
My special thanks go to Ken who does all the computer work and does it
so well. As for Bill, what can I say to someone who has seen me through these past two years. He has helped every way possible
- my administrator, Treasurer, Schedule Maker, and my Chauffer. God is about to pour out his blessings
upon Bill and Ken and all of you, who have sustained me.
Thank you. God Bless You. Have a Blessed Christmas.
I love
you, Joan
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