Such a simple conversation for one to greet another whom they have never met before...
Though it has been years since we have been anywhere where folks greet us this way as we approach the door of their place of business or even their church.
On the contrary today most places are furnished with "Door Blockers" instead of greeters and if you shop at Bohnings Grocery Supermarket on East Pine Street in
Ponchatoula, Louisiana you will find an unusual mixture of experiences...
From customers entering with thunder bolt fierce rush barreling down their neighbors with their carriages...
To a conscientious manager named Scott who cares enough to hear me tell him of the employee dropping plastic bottles of milk directly onto the dirty mat on the floor before placing properly on the shelf.
When I noticed the bottle of Shur Fine Whole Milk in my carriage was dented....he took it back there to exchange for me.
As he also said he would talk to the milk delivery man.
Yes, I am just not creative enough to make up such characters...
Who when writing fiction which is absolutely impossible for me...
Who writes fiction such that no one would choose to read their entire novel...
But put it down in disgust....
"This writer can't make up his or her mind which character they want to be the valiant hero and who to make the crooked fool."
I just do not have a sharp enough mind to start making something up and remember all the phony baloney stuff I wrote ten pages prior such that I not contradict myself...
Even though....even if everyone knows they are reading fiction when they pick up certain kinds of novels whether mysteries or passionate love story romance.
I would confuse my own made up characters before I could complete a second page...and no reader could read such writings..
So here in Ponchatoula where we had hoped to make our permanent home....
We have been sought after...sort of...
That is in such a small city where everyone knows everyone else's names...
May not know each other well enough to call a sister brother or friend...
But no different than the bar room CHEERS on television out of Hollywood California....or New York Islands or even Chicago...
Does not matter where they film... it is all just a show...
But sadly monkeys do what monkeys say and hear
Everyone either knows everyone's names or at least hangs around to learn the latest scoop or gossip about each new comer whether just passing through...
Or trying to join in and live side by side without crying.
Most small cities certainly this one has organized groups focused on city growth.
They have construction of their first WalMart with a Ponchatoula Louisiana address under way...even writing about the new water tower they are building on the WalMart grounds too in the Ponchatoula Times.
But anyone looking to not merely spend money here but wanting to make Ponchatoula home....Watch out and be weary...
You may find that you like we have been....pressed back...and made aware...that you like us will never be a true member of The Ponchatoula Family crowd.
New Comers be aware...you may want to just visit and spend money here...if you purchase a home in a small city as this....you might not be able to sell it....
And the local politics too tough for the average loving soul to penetrate.
Greeting each new face with your bright Sonshiney smiling heart...saying: Hallo God Bless you...will turn many heads...
But even Jesus when HE sent the apostles out two by two saying carry no money bag, no second tunic..Bless the house of the first person you meet and if there is receive your blessing it will remain with and upon them forever.
All people have a choice to be a receiver of kindness and blessing...or to raise walls of cold harsh hardness.
In most smaller towns and cities we have found that the majority rules to the point that even the few who would like to choose to receive a new friend...to receive their joy and enthusiasm...to have their every day hum drum life spiced up with jazzy flair...of a new friend who genuinely cares and embraces their heart with love.
But even those who are in this number which is few...
These fear being seen with such an exuberant kind new comer...
That they sacrifice the new friendship which they themselves might have even in their hearts prayed us from our last place of bondage to themselves here and now...
They recognized us as answer to their prayers but willing to let us go so as not to be scrutinized by those in their town whose flesh hurt in our presence.
When God moves us on to the next place from each place we are rejected and or abused...ostracized, black balled as my husband was by the retired female family court judge a member of our Saint Joseph Catholic of Ponchatoula....
After she despised us having slept in our van...after her neighbor parked arrogantly and in a threatening way pinned us in.... once black balled by Katherine Yearagain no one would hire my William...
As God has moved us on from each place HE called us to bring HIS joy...once thoroughly rejected in each place as the Lord Jesus was rejected too...HIS wrath has always fallen...with floods and fires...burning down entire streets named for those who instigated communal abuse of us in Concord...
Other places too...
we long to be in a place where most choose to receive the joy, the blessings which HIS anointing on our lives offers...
Sadly I know that when He completes HIS promise to us...moving us away from these hardened hearts..
For those who reject us...reject HIM who sent us...they do not even realize how their lives actually mock HIM.
For if they really knew God Almighty and HIS Son Jesus Christ...
They would not only see HIM in us...but receive us into their hearts and joyfully be further blessed.
But because they only know about HIM... HE they have never spent enough time with to know...
In our presence they feel threatened...
HIS better & best part which is Himself...they may never receive nor intimately get to know
Amen Amen Amen and Alleluia!
Mr & Mrs William Gustavson
PO BOX 1175
Madisonville, LA 70447
USA
