I heard a “story” once about two men hiking in a dense northern forest. Their backpacks were heavy and the small trail was rugged. Eventually they came to a tree that would be easy to climb, so one of the men took off his pack, climbed the tree to check the trail ahead and their surroundings. Suddenly, the man came crashing down from the tree as fast as he could, started taking off his hiking boots and putting on his running shoes. The man who had been waiting on the ground looked at him and said, “what are you doing?” He looked up and said, “There’s a grizzly bear coming down this trail.” The other man said, “do you really think you can out-run a grizzly bear?” He replied, “No, I just have to out-run you!”
When you were a kid playing, did you ever run so fast that it almost seemed like it has to be a new world speed record? That happened to me several times when I went to my cousin John’s house to play. John always wanted to “play” Daniel Boone or Davey Crockett and whichever one we were playing, I was always his sidekick “Jonesy”. I don’t know where he ever came up with that name for me, but that’s who I always was!
Whether it was Daniel or Davey, John had a coonskin cap, and he would always wear it when we started playing. John was unlike anyone else I ever played with, because he would “go into character” and not come out of it until we finished! If I called out “hey John”…I would hear silence. If I called out “hey Daniel or Davey”…he’d say, “what do you want Jonesy?”
Sometimes John would make things seems so real that I would actually get scared! One time when we were playing Davey Crockett, he said, “you wait here Jonesy, I’m gonna scout up ahead and see if I can spot those two bandits.” Within minutes he came running full speed down the old, abandoned railroad bed yelling, “run Jonesy, it’s not just two, they’ve got a gang of at least 25 coming this way on horseback and they’ve all got guns-RUN JONESY, RUN!”
One time when we were older, John was living at home and taking some college courses and I was working in my father’s store. Over about a two week period, the two of us painted the entire interior of the store at night. By interior I’m referring mostly to the shelves, since almost all the walls were floor to ceiling shelves. John would come in and get started before the store closed, removing product from the shelves and we would wash and dry the sections then paint as many as possible each night. Next, it was my job to come early in the morning and put product back on the shelves before opening at 8 am. Fans blowing on the shelves all night helped with the drying, but a few times a section had to wait a few more hours. We had lots of fun talking and listening to music during that painting job! Most nights we didn’t leave until after 11pm because we had to have brushes etc cleaned and put away and everything ready for me in the morning to put product back IN THE RIGHT PLACES!
The following summer, John made the decision to go to LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas to complete his education. But since we’d had such a good time deer hunting together the previous November, John said he would be back to hunt with me during his break.
I was working in the store the day John stopped to say goodbye to his father back in the Post Office. John’s car was all packed and he was ready to leave. As he opened the front door to go, I smiled and said, “see ya” and he smiled and said, “see ya in November” and then smiled through the front windows at me as he walked to his car. I remember thinking that it will only be about three months until he’s back to go deer hunting with me…
John made it safely to LeTourneau University in Texas, but he never started classes. The reason? The day before classes were to begin, he was swimming with two other guys in a small lake there at the school and John drowned. The other guys tried to help him and save him, but they couldn’t. I had a hard time understanding it because John was a good swimmer. Even though we knew John was now with his Lord and Savior, the shock was very hard for our whole family.
In my mind, I kept seeing him pause at the front door of the store as he was leaving and all I said was “see ya”. (And I will) “I thank my God everytime I remember you.” Philippians 1:3 NIV
Every year when we get close to Labor Day I think of cousin John. This year marked 49 years since John’s passing. 1 Corinthians 13:12b says that “but then shall I know even as also I am known.” That means in heaven we will know what and who we knew here, plus way more! Soo…When I walk into heaven, if I hear a voice call out “hey Jonesy” I already know who that will be!
Till Next Time…..
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