Tag Archives: Vietnam

Packages (Part 3)

May 26, 2024 robuck4@aol.com 2 Comments

The following morning, it took considerably longer for me to hear Him. Honestly, it felt as though I’d been resting on the packages for hours. As before, they stretched out beyond my vision. In the distance, I could make out a lake or sea. I wondered if I was in a different location or if it was there all along and I hadn’t noticed it. The vibrant hues of dawn appeared to persist longer than usual.

The previous night, Jill had asked, “How will we pay our bills?”

I had no good answer for that, other than going into our savings. Because I was being calm, she wondered if I was in shock.

Then I heard, “Worthy.”

“Sir?”

“In this place there is grace, along with the kindness you learned about yesterday. And there’s so much more. Rest awhile longer. Another adventure awaits you.”

As I rested, I thought about being marinated in kindness and grace.

Having the day off, I enjoyed spending extra time with Jill before she left for work. Concerning her morning package, I heard “Explain why your meeting with Sammy made such an impression on you.”

There was no need to push the agenda. As I sat down at the breakfast table, Jill asked, “What made your encounter with the disabled veteran so impactful? You talked more about that than how you’ve been wrongly accused and suspended without pay.”

I was still grappling with the question myself, but as I began to speak, I hoped an answer would emerge. “What transpired at work troubled me deeply, I had to be alone. After getting my coffee, I saw Sammy as I was headed to the park. I felt directed to try and help him.

“While I was with him, the work problems fell off my radar, especially because he was so appreciative. As I got to know him, love and joy overshadowed my feelings of being falsely accused and rejected. Does that make any sense?”

Jill nodded, absorbing everything. “Listen,” she said after a pause, “I can pick up some extra hours at work until we sort this out. Meanwhile, you can treat today like a snow day without the snow—an unexpected, unplanned day off.”

I smiled. That sounded great.

I had a lunch meeting scheduled with my friend Fred. Meanwhile, I brewed some coffee and savored the sights and sounds of a cool spring morning on our deck.

After some time, I heard the sound of gentle weeping. It was coming from next door where Alice lived. She is an elderly woman whose husband, Ray, passed away just a few months ago. They’d become like family to us.

I walked around to the front and saw her rocking gently, hands over her face.

“What’s wrong Alice?”

As she caught sight of me, the floodgates opened, and tears streamed down her face. I sat down beside her, and heard, “Listen. Offer grace.”

“I feel so alone,” she gasped, wiping away her tears. “This is my first birthday without Ray, and our children forgot about it; they didn’t even call.”

One of her children had called me about a surprise birthday party they were throwing for her on Saturday, which, to my understanding, was her birthday.

“Isn’t your birthday Saturday? I asked.

“It was yesterday,” she replied sadly.

I knew enough of Alice’s growing dementia not to try and set her straight. I figured she’d enjoy the surprise all the more on Saturday.

“I feel rejected, and unloved,” she continued. “Worthless.”

Worthless! The opposite of the word worthy I heard while I was resting on the packages earlier.

“What makes you feel worthless?” I asked.

“If the closest people in your life reject you, doesn’t that make you worthless?”

“If you measure your worth by who people say you are, then I see what you mean,” I replied. “You love your kids. And I know they love you too. You’ll understand what I mean soon enough. But how people treat us doesn’t determine our value. If it did, we’d all be worthless. Sooner or later, people we love break our hearts.”

As I talked, I thought about how our oldest child had disowned us years ago.

“However, if our worth is based on what God thinks of us, through His Son Jesus Christ, we are never worthless,” I continued. I was surprised at my words. I needed to hear them as much or more than she did.

We went on to talk about the grace that saves our souls when we stop trying to “save” ourselves.

Alice became more and more in touch with what I was saying as we talked. She’s a church goer, but I got the impression she didn’t really understand salvation in Christ alone, apart from our works.

Eventually, she realized her birthday was Saturday and we had a good laugh.

As I drove to meet Fred for lunch, the word ‘worthless’ lingered in my mind. I had often sought validation from the world as well. It struck me how fragile a foundation it is to base one’s identity on the opinions of others, on achievements, or on striving to be righteous in our own strength.

Fred was already seated when I walked into Bill and Fran’s restaurant. “Hey bud,” he greeted me, as I took my place in the booth next to him. Fred was the only person I had journeyed with from kindergarten all the way through college.

About halfway through our meal, after we’d caught up on our families and activities, I noticed his package beside me. Then I heard, “Trust me.” I’d find out later this was more for my benefit than Fred’s.

“I have pancreatic cancer,” Fred said.

Seeing the shock on my face, he paused before continuing. “I don’t have long Bobby.”

Fred went on to explain that the tumor had grown before they found it. He’d been given months to live, even with treatment.

I was in total shock and couldn’t get Fred and his family out of my mind as I drove home. Why Fred? I felt confused and angry.

As I pulled into the driveway, my phone vibrated with a text message. It was from Mike, my boss, requesting to meet me the following day at two o’clock.

“He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, ⁶to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace ⁸which He lavished on us (Ephesians 1:5-8a NASB).

To Be Continued

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Novels by the Author:

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time

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Kindness

Packages (Part 2)

May 17, 2024 robuck4@aol.com Leave a comment

Part 1 (Slightly updated since posted)

I found myself seated among the packages again at dawn the next day. Was this part of a long dream? It felt so real. And what were these packages anyway?

Trying to rest was challenging. I was worried. I felt sure the upcoming meeting with the vice president was connected to Harrison.

Then I remembered what He had said before my lunch: “Avoid defensiveness and remain true to your identity.”

I had avoided defensiveness. This was hard, especially since I knew Harrison’s accusations were wrong. I had to suppress the impulse to proclaim my innocence. It was a sudden surge of control I doubted I could repeat. Knowing He was with me made all the difference—it was as if He provided the strength.

What identity was He referring to?

“The identity you experience while you’re here,” the voice said.

As before, the voice caught me by surprise. Had I said that out loud?

“Sir?”

“These boxes you’re resting on. Any idea what they are?”

“Not sure. I’ve never seen one opened.”

“There’s no need to open the package to understand them; it’s all about the delivery.”

Thinking of the deliveries, I said, “They all seem to be delivered with some aspect of kindness, per your instruction.”

“You’re beginning to understand,” He said. “Kindness is certainly a part of it. Imagine if, during these eternal moments before your day begins, you’re resting on boxes of kindness. How might that influence your sense of personal value?”

“If each one of these boxes contained kindness from another,” I responded, as I waved my arm across the sea of brown. “And I lay among them for even a few minutes every day, it seems like the kindness would soak into me.”

“Even enough to counteract what happened with Harrison?”

I nodded, finally understanding what he meant.

Subsequently, I found myself walking across the parking lot at work. In the elevator, I punched the 10th floor and asked for package delivery instructions for my boss, Mike, and for John.

“Maintain high integrity,” I was instructed. “Answer each question truthfully, with composure and no defensiveness. John doesn’t know you and has associated you with others he thinks you’re like. Do your part. The impact will not be instantly noticeable.”

As I entered the conference room, Mike and John, already in conversation, ceased talking abruptly. I noticed an Anti-Discrimination Policies document on the table.

“We’re facing a lawsuit,” John began as I sat down. “Harrison, a former employee of yours, is alleging you discriminated against him based on his religious beliefs. He says you overlooked him for a promotion because you disapproved of his religious beliefs.”

I glanced at Mike, anticipating he would inform John that it was his decision not to promote Harrison. But he remained focused on John with no comment.

“Did you ever discuss religion with him?” John asked sternly.

Before responding, I noticed Mike and John’s packages on the seat next to me.

“A few months before his resignation, Harrison asked to meet with me. He disclosed that he and his wife were having marriage problems, mainly because of finances. He told me he’d applied for the new position. He was looking for my assurance he’d get the promotion. Naturally, I wasn’t able to provide such a guarantee, even if the decision had been mine to make.

“He also shared some medical challenges his son was facing, so I offered to pray for his family. He accepted my invitation and seemed appreciative. So, I prayed with him.”

“So, you never asked Harrison anything about his religion?” John asked.

“No, sir.”

“I’m afraid your account conflicts with what Harrison’s attorney has claimed,” John said. “Seems you’re not one to hesitate in expressing your religious beliefs.”

“Only when asked,” I interrupted, instantly regretting it.

“Our policy strictly prohibits any form of discrimination, including religious. We’re putting you on leave until we can sort this out. We’ll call you when we need you to come back in.”

Afterwards, I lingered in my car, uncertain of what to do next. How could I possibly break the news to Jill, my wife? I was shocked, angry, and felt betrayed by both Mike and Harrison. What had I ever done to them?

I didn’t want to talk to anyone.

I decided to grab a coffee and head to the park to be alone. As I pulled away from the shop, coffee in hand, I noticed an elderly gentleman wearing a Vietnam cap. He was stepping out of his old pickup truck near the exit to the main road, steam billowing from beneath the hood.

Glancing to my side, I noticed a package addressed to the Vietnam veteran. Strickly out of obligation, I grabbed the package and headed toward him, feeling a bit frustrated. As I approached, I saw that he had no right leg.

“Tell him you appreciate his service and listen to what he has to say. He feels unappreciated and alone. Help him.”

The veteran seemed a bit timid as I walked up, unsure of what I might do. I introduced myself, thanked him for his service to our country, and asked if he needed any assistance.

“My name’s Sammy,” he revealed. “Folks like you typically ignore me. I appreciate the offer, but once the engine cools, I’ll add some water and be on my way.”

“How long has it been leaking?”

“A few months.”

“What if we fix it permanently?”

He agreed, looking stunned. We fetched pitchers of water from the coffee shop, and he followed me to my regular mechanic on the next street.

As his car was being worked on, I listened to his story. He’d survived the injustices of racial prejudices during the sixties, even getting arrested during a courthouse “sit-in.” In Vietnam, he’d lost his leg while saving his wounded buddy. Like most veterans of that war, he returned home to hostility, not honor. He and his wife, Milly, had four children (one of whom had passed away), eight grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren.

When I paid his bill, he teared up. As we parted ways, we exchanged phone numbers.

Back home, Jill looked up from her desk and asked, “How was your day?”

I smiled. “A Vietnam vet turned my day completely around.”

“What do you mean?”

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ³²Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT)