Higher Ground

By Jeff Becraft

 

Years ago, at a camp called SOTO out in the Ozarks of Arkansas, our kids and I were part of that week’s camp and we were staying with a boys’ ranch and children’s home from Oklahoma. We were there several days early to help with firewood duty. (I have talked about this before in other emails).

Most years, the trees to be cut and split were on fairly level ground. But not this year. For this particular year, it was on very steep ground in the woods and off an uphill, rocky, dirt road. We nicknamed the road Oklahoma Hill.

Firewood duty is very demanding. But that year, it was even more taxing being on such a steep grade.

The leader of the pack was a guy we called Mr. Larry. His nickname was The Machine… because he never took breaks. When Mr. Larry had to stop to sharpen his chainsaw, the rest of us would be overjoyed.

One day, Mr. Larry got his chainsaw stuck in a tree. Now, if someone like me got a chainsaw stuck in a tree, that would not be that big of a deal. People might even expect it.  But for someone raised in Arkansas and now living in Oklahoma and their nickname is The Machine, well… that is humiliating for him.

Mr. Larry got someone else’s chainsaw and tried to cut his chainsaw out. And that chainsaw got stuck. Mr. Larry was not happy.

Mr. Larry turned and started walking towards the rest of us and he said these words: “It’s time to move to better ground.”

About 2:00 p.m. this afternoon, my Dad moved on to Higher Ground.

I am sure that there will be many Friday emails that will deal with his legacy and the depth of his character. When you read the list – love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – those are the qualities that describe my Dad. That is because they are the fruit of God’s Spirit.

Now, I treat all people with love and respect regardless of what they believe and so did my Dad (who is exactly who I learned it from). But what made my Dad the man he was is because earlier in his life he had invited Jesus to come into his life. And Dad lived his life filled with the love of God and poured that love out into other people’s lives. You can ask anyone who ever met him.

Here are some of the lyrics of a song that describe my Dad now. He is more alive than he has ever been in his life:

   “If you could see me now,

          I’m walking streets of gold.

    If you could see me now,

          I’m standing tall and whole.

    If you could see me now,

          You would know I’ve seen His face.

    If you could see me now,

          You would know the pain’s erased.”

Better Ground indeed.