Keeping a Promise
On Veterans Day in 2014, our dear friend Miss Joy performed “The Ragged Old Flag” as she had so many times before. She was less than one month shy of her 100th birthday.
As I enjoyed the program that day, I snapped this picture of the veteran in front of me. I’ll call him Mr. Charles.
I have known Mr. Charles casually for several years now. I think our first encounter was when he portrayed Moses Fisk in a local history walk. Moses Fisk was a pioneer educator in our area. Since then, I’ve gotten to know Mr. Charles as the special friend of an elderly lady I know and love. I’ll call her Miss Eleanor. Mr. Charles is a widower and Miss Eleanor is a widow. They have been keeping company for several years. They are very good friends and do lots of social things together.
Miss Eleanor hasn’t been doing very well lately, and a friend of Ray’s and mine were discussing her situation the other night. He asked me if I knew their story. I did not, but when I heard it, I knew I need to tell it to you.
Mr. Charles was a good friend of Miss Eleanor’s husband. In her husband’s last days, he asked Mr. Charles to take care of Miss Eleanor for him. Mr. Charles has been doing that year in and year out for many years; and from the looks of things, he has been enjoying it very much. His service to his friend has become a blessing to him. Lots of serving is like that.
. . . there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24