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"I Put My Hand to The Plow..."

A poem and story honoring Dr. Joe Gettys

Recently, I crossed the path of Dr. Joe Gettys, who a theologian, author, and extraordinary individual...I had known of him in my past; however, I did not know him well...Many years have passed, and I saw him as I mentioned...At the time I saw him, I mentioned that I had known of him in my past...He was very gracious and kind in the conversation...I asked him how old he was, and he told me that he is now 101...He still drives and is very independent...

It so happens that I wrote a poem about him and took it to him...The title of the poem is "I Put My Hand to The Plow"...When I started to read one of his books which he gave to me Remembering 100 Years of Change,I became aware of his upbringing on a farm...When I took him a signed copy of the poem, he told me about his life...I was amazed to say the least...

Today, I had the golden opportunity to speak to The Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Ware Shoals Junior High School in Ware Shoals, S.C. 

I had the blessing of being able to tell about Dr. Gettys and to speak of "A Life Lived Well" as this is how I see him...

I think it is important that young people learn about productive people who continue to serve even into their later years...For me, just to spend time in his presence and to hear him speak of diverse things blessed me more than I can say...He continues to pray for and share with the residents of the home where he now resides, and anyone who knows him will tell you how awesome he truly is...

  I Put My Hand to the Plow

The Story of A Servant’s Heart

With loving thoughts

At ninety-eight

I put my hand to the plow  --

I brushed the earth with ease  --

I put my hand to the plow

As with my every effort

God I worked to please…

I put my hand to the plow

And prepared the land for harvest  --

I put my hand to the plow

And surrendered my human efforts

As I was mightily blessed…

I put my hand to the plow

And prepared a place

For the seeds to grow  --

I put my hand to the plow

For God promised His harvest

And by faith this I too know…

I put my hand to the plow  --

I knew the harvest would come  --

I put my hand to the plow

And watched the harvest

Multiply with sprinkling rain

And tender rays of the sun…

I know my earthly years

Tell the world that I may be old

But in my spirit I am still young

And live each day with expectancy

As I follow His precepts

And watch my life unfold…

I put my hand to the plow  --

I waited for the fruit of the harvest

He tenderly prepared  --

I put my hand to the plow

And forever I will tell how much

God for me and everyone

Lovingly and deeply cared…

I know it is by His grace

That I put my hand to the plow

And it too is by His grace

That I enjoyed yesterday

And even enjoy the now…©

By

Juanita Pittman-Brown

September 26, 2008

 THE DANCE...

As I mature, I see with different eyes.  I see with eyes that encompass all and perceive everyone with compassion and empathy.  Would it be that as the years continue to evolve that I will see with even greater vision.  I have learned that everyone is important as God’s child, and He makes no difference between any of children.  I am often amazed at how He pulls together everything for everyone and shares His love in everything.  We are the ones who do not reach forth our hands to our loving heavenly Father who loves us beyond our human capacity to love.

I was reminded of this love recently in my family.  Years ago my youngest son was married; and approximately two years after he was married, his wife decided that she no longer wanted to be married.  At that time, she left my son.  He then had to deal with issues that I was saddened to see him face.  I could not judge in any way or offer advice in any way.  If my son asked me what I thought, I would share as best I could.  If he did not ask me for my thoughts, I kept them to myself.  I made no judgments since this was not my issue.  My only concern was my son’s happiness.

As years have gone by, my son has grown and has become very successful in his own right.  I have watched as he has achieved much more than I could ever dreamed.  He too met a young woman around four years ago.  His relationship with this lovely young woman has since blossomed into a great love.  Recently, I was richly blessed to share in their wedding in Key West, Florida.  I was reminded in this how God had brought this blessed event into being.  He carried everyone there in cars, airplanes, etc.  He held the night to be clear and the day as well.  He brought the event with food, dancing, clear skies, soft breeze, friends, accommodations,  the wedding setting, the pastor who performed the ceremony, the joy of a grandchild who was present, wholeness of old relationships, and blessings beyond anything I could have asked.

At my son’s first wedding, I had missed being able to dance with my son because an old love of mine an my oldest son were having a confrontation.  At the time my name was called to dance with my son, I missed the announcement.  I was heart-broken over this, and I had not forgiven myself for missing the dance with my son.

Prior to the first wedding, there was an event that follows along the life-line of my son and mine that has impacted my heart-thoughts as well.  When my son was graduating from high school, he was considered for a scholarship.  At this point, I was a divorced mother sitting in the audience.  At the time the announcement was made, I was hoping that he would receive the scholarship.  However, he did not receive the scholarship.  Instead a lovely young man who was a friend of my son’s won the scholarship.  Unfortunately, this young man during the upcoming summer was diagnosed with leukemia.  After that time, he had a bone-marrow transplant with a poor outcome.  He eventually succumbed to the disease and passed.   At his memorial service, they played his favorite song, “The Dance” by Garth Brooks.  I had no idea what this would mean along my son’s and my life.  I had no way of knowing that I would have The Dance, and I would know the abundant blessings of God as He blessed the wedding of my son.  The song to which my son and I danced was “Blessed” by Elton John.  My son picked the song.  What is so beautiful is that my son said to me prior to The Dance that they would call my name and for me to be listening because he wanted to dance with me.  How blessed I was and am.

How blessed I was to have The Dance and to share it with my son eighteen years after the time of the scholarship and all that transpired then. Too, my son graduated from college Cum Laude.   I have had eighteen more years with my son and the joy of seeing him marry in love and blessing.  I am reminded that he could have received some money to help him go to college, but more important is the fact that he is alive and well, is embarking on his newly married life, and he has his health.  Not only is he happily married now, he has paid off any school loans that he had acquired; but he is a very successful pharmaceutical salesman.  He at this time has just married, is building a new home, is selling his present home on which he renovated much of it himself, and he has taken a new sales job with another pharmaceutical company.

I was reminded throughout the entire event.  From the plan of the wedding, the flight, the accommodations, the guests and family, the dining, the fellowship, the beauty of Key West, the wonderful weather, The Dance, the love of my son and his wife, the timeless joy abundantly poured out to all by God, the words my son and I shared during The Dance.  I could never give God thanks enough for the blessings He has poured out on me and everyone.  He knows our hearts, our needs, our goals, our abilities, and His plans for our lives.  Only God could provide blessing for all.©

May 3, 2008

Juanita Pittman-Brown

  Born April 5, 1967

MY CHILD'S FACE... 

When I look into my patient’s face

Would I be reminded of God’s holy grace  --

Would I cry tears in my heart

For the struggle I see  --

Would I dream with them

And imagine what tomorrow will be  --

Would I feed them as though

They were my very own  --

Would I show to them the love

Of God they may have never known  --

Would I listen to their heart

And truly hear their pain  --

Would I be sure to remember

That we all have loss and gain  --

Would I view them as I would

Want others to view my child

And provide everything I can

Until they have overcome the weary mile  --

Most of all would I remember

That it is by God’s grace

That I could be looking into my child’s face…©

April 5, 2008

Blessings always

This poem led to an opportunity for Juantia to share with Nursing Graduates of PiedmontTechnicalCollege in Greenwood, S C, on May 7, 2008 at the invitation of

Lisa B. Speach, RN, MSN, FP

You may access this poem from Juanita's Links Page on http://faithwriters.com/member-profile.php?id=4335

The article is entitled Naitonal Nurses Week

 WHITE ROSES

IN

THE SNOW