Carl

[Guest guest]

I thank God for every day I wake!

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely

in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways,

chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming

" WOO HOO what a ride! "

               

 

 

 

 

 

CARL

 Carl was a

quiet man. He didn't talk much. He would always greet you with a big smile

and a firm handshake.  

Even after

living in our neighborhood for over 50 years, no one could really say they

knew him very well..  

 

Before his

retirement, he took the bus to work each morning. The lone sight of him

walking down the street often worried us.  

He had a slight

limp from a bullet wound received in WWII.  

 Watching him,

we worried that although he had survived WWII, he may not make it through

our changing uptown neighborhood with its ever-increasing random violence,

gangs, and drug activity.  

When he saw the

flyer at our local church asking for volunteers for caring for the gardens

behind the minister's residence, he responded in his characteristically

unassuming manner. Without fanfare, he just signed up.  

He was well

into his 87th year when the very thing we had always feared finally

happened.  

He was just

finishing his watering for the day when three gang members approached him.

Ignoring their attempt to intimidate him, he simply asked, " Would you like

a drink from the hose? "   

The tallest and

toughest-looking of the three said, " Yeah, sure, " with a malevolent little

smile.  

As Carl offered

the hose to him, the other two grabbed Carl's arm, throwing him down. As

the hose snaked crazily over the ground, dousing everything in its way,

Carl's assailants stole his retirement watch and his wallet, and then

fled.  

Carl tried to

get himself up, but he had been thrown down on his bad leg. He lay there

trying to gather himself as the minister came running to help him.  

  Although the

minister had witnessed the attack from his window, he couldn't get there

fast enough to stop it..  

" Carl, are you

okay? Are you hurt? " the minister kept asking as he helped Carl to his

feet.  

Carl just

passed a hand over his brow and sighed, shaking his head. " Just some punk

kids. I hope they'll wise-up someday. "   

His wet clothes

clung to his slight frame as he bent to pick up the hose. He adjusted the

nozzl e again and started to water.  

Confused and a

little concerned, the minister asked, " Carl, what are you doing? " " I've

got to finish my watering. It's been very dry lately, " came the calm reply. 

Satisfying

himself that Carl really was all right, the minister could only marvel.

Carl was a man from a different time and place. 

A few weeks

later the three returned. Just as before their threat was unchallenged.

Carl again offered them a drink from his

hose. 

This time they

didn't rob him.. They wrenched the hose from his hand and drenched him head

to foot in the icy water.  

When they had

finished their humiliation of him, they sauntered off down the street,

throwing catcalls and curses, falling over one another laughing at the

hilarity of what they had just done.  

Carl just

watched them. Then he turned toward the warmth giving sun, picked up his

hose, and went on with his watering.  

The summer was

quickly fading into fall Carl was doing some tilling when he was startled

by the sudden approach of someone behind him. He stumbled and fell into

some evergreen branches.  

As he struggled

to regain his footing, he turned to see the tall leader of his summer

tormentors reaching down for him. He braced himself for the expected attack.  

" Don't worry

old man, I'm not gonna hurt you this time. "  

The young man

spoke softly, still offering the tattooed and scarred hand to Carl. As he

helped Carl get up, the man pulled a crumpled bag from his pocket and

handed it to Carl.  

" What's this? "

Carl asked. " It's your stuff, " the man explained. " It's your stuff back.

Even the money in your wallet. " " I don't understand, " Carl said. " Why

would you help me now? "  

 The man shifted

his feet, seeming embarrassed and ill at ease. " I learned something from

you, " he said. " I ran with that gang and hurt people like you we picked

you because you were old and we knew we could do it But every time we came

and did something to you, instead of yelling and fighting back, you tried

to give us a drink. You didn't hate us for hating you. You kept showing

love against our hate. "   

He stopped for

a moment. " I couldn't sleep after we stole your stuff, so here it is back. "  

He paused for

another awkward moment, not knowing what more there was to say. " That

bag's my way of saying thanks for straightening me out, I guess. " And with

that, he walked off down the street.  

Carl looked

down at the sack in his hands and gingerly opened it. He took out his

retirement watch and put it back on his wrist. Opening his wallet, he

checked for his wedding photo. He gazed for a moment at the young bride

that still smiled back at him from all those years ago.

He died one

cold day after Christmas that winter. Many people attended his funeral in

spite of the weather. 

In particular

the minister noticed a tall young man that he didn't know sitting quietly

in a distant corner of the church.. 

The minister

spoke of Carl's garden as a lesson in life. 

In a voice made

thick with unshed tears, he said, " Do your best and make your garden as

beautiful as you can. We will never forget Carl and his garden. "  

The following

spring another flyer went up. It read: " Person needed to care for Carl's

garden. "   

 The flyer went

unnoticed by the busy parishioners until one day when a knock was heard at

the minister's office door.  

Opening the

door, the minister saw a pair of scarred and tattooed hands holding the

flyer. " I believe this is my job, if you'll have me, " the young man said. 

The minister

recognized him as the same young man who had returned the stolen watch and

wallet to Carl.  

He knew that

Carl's kindness had turned this man's life around. As the minister handed

him the keys to the garden shed, he said, " Yes, go take care of Carl's

garden and honor him. "   

 The man went to

work and, over the next several years, he tended the flowers and

vegetables just as Carl had done.. 

During that

time, he went to college, got married, and became a prominent member of

the community. But he never forgot his promise to Carl's memory and kept

the garden as beautiful as he thought Carl would have kept it.  

One day he

approached the new minister and told him that he couldn't care for the

garden any longer. He explained with a shy and happy smile, " My wife just

had a baby boy last night, and she's bringing him home on Saturday. "   

" Well,

congratulations! " said the minister, as he was handed the garden shed

keys. " That's wonderful! What's the baby's name? "  

" Carl, " he replied. 

That's the

whole gospel message simply stated.

Take 60 seconds

give this a shot! Let's just see if Satan stops this one. 

All you do

is:  

1. Simply say a

small prayer for the person who sent you this. 

Father, God

bless this person in whatever it is that You know he or she may be

needing this day!? 

2. Then send it

on to five other people. Within hours five people have prayed for you, and

you caused a multitude of people to pray to God for other people.  

 Then sit back

and watch the power of God work in your life for doing the thing that you

know He loves.  

GOOD FRIENDS

ARE LIKE ANGELS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEE THEM TO KNOW THEY ARE THERE