JOSH & ASHLEY FRANKS - A NOTE FROM JOSH
As many of you know, I
love stories. Here is one that I love dearly. I thought this would fit
christmas well.....
The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the
finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never
missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun
of him, like so many others had done before.
"Leave me alone," he growled. To his amazement, the woman
continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in
dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "No," he
answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president.
Now go away."
The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a
gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man
asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone. Just then a policeman came
up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked. "No problem
here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this
man to his feet. Will you help me?" The officer scratched his head.
"That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of
years. What do you want with him?"
"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm
going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for
awhile." "Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted.
"I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his
other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do
anything.""This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer
answered. "Don't blow it." Finally, and with some difficulty, the
woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a
table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the
breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived.
The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's
going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this. Is this man
in trouble?"
"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the
policeman answered. "Not in here!" the manager replied angrily.
"Having a person like that here is bad for business." Old Jack
smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let
me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place." The woman turned
to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy
and Associates, the banking firm down the street?" "Of course I
am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly
meetings in one of my banquet rooms."
"And do you make a goodly
amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?" "What
business is that of yours?""I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president
and CEO of the company." "Oh."The woman smiled again. "I
thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was
busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee
and a meal, officer?" "No thanks, ma'am," the officer
replied. "I'm on duty." "Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to
go?""Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."The cafeteria
manager turned on his heel "I'll get your coffee for you right away,
officer." The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put
him in his place," he said. "That was not my intent. Believe it or
not, I have a reason for all this."
She sat down at the table across
from her amazed dinner guest She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you
remember me?" Old Jack searched her face with his old , rheumy eyes
"I think so -- I mean you do look familiar." "I'm a little
older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in
my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door,
cold and hungry."
"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't
believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been
hungry. "I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had
come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I
was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I
walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly
starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get
something to eat." Jack lit up with a smile.
"Now I remember," he said. "I was
behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for
something to eat. I said that it was against company policy." "I
know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast
beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to
go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into
trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the
cash register I knew then that everything would be all right." "So
you started your own business?" Old Jack said.
"I got a job that very
afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business, that,
with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a
business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit
to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to
him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the
office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give
you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to
live until you get on your feet. If you ever need anything, my door is
always opened to you."
There were tears in the old man's
eyes. "How can I ever thank you? " he said. "Don't thank
me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus. He
led me to you." Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused
at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all
your help, officer," she said. "On the contrary, Ms. Eddy,"
he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will
never forget. And...And thank you for the coffee."
If you have missed knowing me,
you have missed nothing...If you have missed some of my concerts, you might
have missed a laugh, cry, or a good time. But, if you have missed knowing my
LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, you have missed everything in the world.
Be a miracle in someone life this Christmas
season and do as Christ would do, for it is all about him - CHRIST! The
bible tells us, its better to give than to receive. You give this season to
someone and it shall be given back to you, press down, shaking together, and
running over.