�?/SPAN>The Carpenters Lap�?lt;o:p></o:p>

                                              <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Of all the story’s I love, the accounts of my life and times I cherish the most this one, I hold above all. I have spoken of it to my children and the grandchildren after them over and again all these years. <o:p></o:p>

Indeed, this one is perhaps the dearest to my heart.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

When I was just a child, daily Mother, old Job and I would make the journey to the well. It sat just out side of our little community down in a small valley surrounded buy olive groves. Everyday we made the trip for the water. Mother would carry one clay water jar and old Job had four more strapped to his back. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Long before I was born my Papa had come upon old Job, He had the misfortune of being stuck in a muddy bog, thick clay muck up passed his belly. Buy the time Papa found him he had grown very thin and frail, weary of the struggle. Papa supposed he had been there for sometime and He carefully worked eventually pulling old Job free. It was as if he knew Papa would come along eventually and helped him. As if he waited for Papa to happen along, ol patent long-suffering Job. <o:p></o:p>

So that’s what we called him, he was just a dusty lazy ol donkey but he was a part of our family for so long. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

 As usual I trailed behind mother leading old Job buy a rope woven of reed.<o:p></o:p>

More often than not Mother and I would get to the well early, just as the sun was coming up over the hills in the cool of the morning. There, mother and I waited for the other women along with their children to arrive. Soon the other lady’s of our village would start arriving; they would trudge down the same path as we.  A track well worn, and its direction a sure one that lead to the well of water. <o:p></o:p>

Most of ladies had small children trailing closely behind and I waited for Corra, she was my age and my very best friend; she with her mother and her newborn brother soon arrived. She and I played among the tall sweet green grass and wild flowers that grew glistening in the morning sun. Often she and I helped the ladies looking after the smaller children, as our mother’s traded gossip and exchanged hearsay.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

On this morning all the women had gathered around the stone rim of the well, it seemed all were of one heart. And that, the words being spoken of the new teacher in Judea, such things no one had seen or heard of men since the prophets of old.  <o:p></o:p>

He and His disciples would gather in the mornings just above us in the olive grove aside the hill. For many days they had been watching these men sit among the trees of the garden and talk. We had all herd of the wonderful things this Jesus of Nazareth had done throughout <st1:place>Judea</st1:place> and the <st1:place>Galilee</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Before Cora and I new what was happening the lady’s had gathered up their children. Leaving their water pots behind and they all started up the path toward olive grove. There was talk of having the Teacher touch and bless the children. Cora and I excitedly ran ahead of the rest easily racing up the slop. Half way up the mount a broad-shouldered burly man emerged from the grove and hastened toward us down the path. As he reached Cora and I, Mother and the others had caught up as well. He was waving his hands and with a booming voice urging that we return to the well, <o:p></o:p>

“The teacher is weary; He is in need of rest.�?<o:p></o:p>

However mother, never one to be easily swayed; once she had set her mind to do something. She insistently yet politely demanded that they all be allowed to go up to see Jesus. Mother had recognized this man, a fisherman the one they called Simon Peter.<o:p></o:p>

 â€œWoman! please you must return�?He franticly urged us motioning back up the hill and continued to politely convince the women to go. Simon Peter stood directly in the path, as I struggled to look around him it was then we all saw the teacher come out from under the trees and start down the hill, the other men followed after Him. Simon Peter looked back up the path to see Jesus comeing. He then turned toward us with a bet of dread in his expression, “It is the Master!�?he whispered glancing into the sky. As I remember it, he shown as a man whose long-suffering were wearing thin and growing increasingly impatient upon seeing Jesus hastily comeing toward them. <o:p></o:p>

It would have seemed that he was expecting Jesus to be troubled with our little troop seeking an audience with Him. Before we knew it the Teacher was there, in the midst of us and began to confront Peter. <o:p></o:p>

Surprisingly Jesus turned to me and Cora smiled then stooped down sweeping me up in His arms as He took Cora buy he hand and we began up the path. It were as if a soft breeze had taken me away completely caught up in His embrace so engulfed buy His being so near.<o:p></o:p>

Once we were among the olive tree’s He sat down on a stump that branched out from the base of the tree. I had no desire to be loosed from His embrace as He settled down sitting comfortably upon the stump. The others, the twelve that followed Him, His Disciples and what I would guess to have been forty men women and children all seated on the grass around the teacher. <o:p></o:p>

He began to speak at first looking directly at Simon Peter then allowing his gaze to lovingly fall on everyone.<o:p></o:p>

“Do not forbid the little children to come to me do not block there way for of such is the <st1:place><st1:PlaceType>kingdom</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName>God</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>.�?His powerful arms held me close, a sweet aroma such as I had never known engulfed my scenes my only desire was to draw closer.  I felt as thou I wanted nothing more then to simply surrendered. My head snuggly pressed against His chest and the soft linen robe He wore as He spoke I heard His heart beat constant and sure as His voice the Words He spoke reverberated with in.   He paused for a moment and placed His hand on Cora’s head and continued. <o:p></o:p>

�?I Am telling you all clearly, who ever does not receive the <st1:place><st1:PlaceType>kingdom</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName>God</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> as a little child, he will not enter in.�?lt;o:p></o:p>

I began to feel heavy-eyed wanting noting more then to simply surrender and rest here forever in His embrace. Yet , keenly aware of His words that echoed from within. They were as a lullaby a sweet song comforting me erasing every care. Each time I attempted to open my eyes and look about His hair as a whisper fluttered across my face tickling my nose.<o:p></o:p>

What He was speaking to the other now seemed so distant so far away as I sank deeper and deeper into His rest, as if it, His rest cried out to me “come�?<o:p></o:p>

“Whoever receives one of these little ones in My name receives Me�?lt;o:p></o:p>

 My senses whirled as He drew me closer His love embracing me.  I felt His powerful arms hold me, nothing could shake me from this place. Once more His voice flowed out to the others scattered about, of whom I had grown unaware of even being there, it was just Jesus and I alone in this place, a place of complete rest and safety.  “And whoever receives Me, receive not Me but Him who sent Me.�?lt;o:p></o:p>

As if awaken from a deep sleep Jesus lifted me off His lap and kissed my forehead then set me on the ground next to Cora.<o:p></o:p>

After that day in the garden Mother and not just a few of the other ladies followed after Jesus and it was a time I will treasure into Eternity. Our Nation is in turmoil now and my Lord has long ago gone to be with the Father. Yet I know He is here with me even now and every moment then and even to this day. Each generation I have seen come since I have planted this hope among them. Hold to Jesus allow, Him to embrace you totally, breathe deep His life His rest the aroma, the absolute complete saving grace of Jesus the Christ.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

inChrist.myk<o:p></o:p>