WILLIAM -- A BLESSING

I posted about this a few months ago.  We have remained friends, emailing, but somehow, after leaving the NW, I lost his phone number, and, except for a short call in the NW to tell me he had to head out and couldn't meet me there, we have never talked on the phone.  Well, today I found his phone number through Zabasearch, and hoped it was a present-day one.  It was.  We talked for about a half-hour.

He's going through some really tough things.  The dog described in the story, died.  His brother died a few weeks ago.  His dad is in serious condition.  William's legs are more and more painful and weak.  He's doing what he can, when he can.  But, physically, struggling. 

However, he is serving the Lord any way he possibly can, whenever he feels called.  That is his goal of life.

We both rejoice that the Lord so miraculously put us together when I/we were driving to the NW in October.  Haven't seen each other since, but we truly are friends.

Couldn't NOT share about him again.  [Oh, and he's reading my book, "The Annie Project" and really likes it.  How cool is that?]

This is what I called it last time:

 WILLIAM, JOSIE WALES, AND GOD

I'm probably never going to be able to tell you all the wonderful... and sometimes scary ... events that occurred.  But I can't NOT tell this one.  God's sense of humor just makes me grin and grin again.

I'll begin with the ending.  How's that?  Won't be so boring or confusing.

I was stopping at rest areas rather often, because I could take pictures of the tall hills, beautiful trees, rivers, rainbows, and history info.  I was driving towards a western portion of Montana, and a rest area didn't seem to have a lot of surrounding nature.  Decided to skip it.  Then, at the last sign is said, "History".  I thought, "Gotta do it."  So I pulled in.

I was the only person.  I took a couple photos of the sign and its info.

Then a pickup truck pulled in and a man got out and said, "It's you AGAIN!"

When I looked at him, saw the dog, I laughed and said, "It's a God thing."

We then talked for a few minutes, both laughing, and sharing about our lives and our plans.

So, THIS is the beginning and here are the photos.

William and Josie Wales

NOW, this is the explanation of how it happened.

I had left Dickinson, ND, on Friday morning.  Had a lovely evening visiting our friends we knew at the orphanage in Uganda.  They were a treat!

My first stop was at the Badlands scenic view at a rest area.

[see the buffalo?]

 

While I was there I ended up talking to a man and noticed his dog had a red bandana around its neck.  The man said he was going to Portland and Vancouver to see his son and daughter and we both indicated the trip would go well.

I hit the road.

I stopped at a rest area about a hundred miles later.  The reason I stopped?  One of the most amazing rainbows I had ever seen.  SO WIDE!  [Photo didn't come out well, compared to the scene, but couldn't not stop and try.]

As I was driving away through it's long circle, I saw a dog running in the grass section and it had a red bandana.  I looked at the man nearby, hit the horn and waved.

That night I stayed just near Butte, MT.  I left earlier than I planned, didn't stop for breakfast.  Just hit the road.

A few rest areas later, I pulled into that empty one and that's when the man and dog showed up and the laughing began.

Then, as we talked, and shared where we lived and where we are going, both to and from.  He lives in northern Wisconsin, small town.   Then we began to discover what we believe in the Lord, churches we attend, how we rely upon Him and His way of leading us to help others.  We took photos of each other, prayed, and blessed each other as we were leaving.  He took a photo of my license plate, too, because he liked the message on it.

He was so excited about telling his son what had happened.  I called my husband immediately.

This covered about 500 miles with piles and piles of stops and rest areas and road issues.  William is now a friend and we are convinced the Lord wants to use us separately and together to serve Him in whatever bit and pieces are dropped in.

Is this too long?  Possibly.  Could it be shorter?  Don't think so.

I grinned and smiled and rejoiced for a long time.  Now it's in your hearts, too. 

FRED'S LEAVING PRISON...SOOOON!!

I posted this a couple months ago after I'd heard he was being released during May-ish.  WELL, it's May 1st.  He'll be arriving in Fairbanks at 10:30.  My sister and his sons and their wives or girlfriends, and maybe grandkids, will be waiting for him.  He and the family will be together that day.  Then, for a couple days, he and Kristan will be having some alone time.  Next weekend, his church will be having a party for him.  I so would love to be there, but, oh, well.  [One funny thing:  Kristan told me in our very short talk this weekend was that she was very busy getting ready and some of it is because Fred wanted new bedsheets ... been 20 months with nothing comfortable or clean or decent.  THIS is a whole new side of Fred in terms of what he wants now; wasn't very picky before prison.]

I'm also adding one paragraph from the original story back in July 29, 2010.  Just thought it would be a blessing re: Kristan and I and our immediate, urgent prayer-together time.  OH, and I'm the shortest of my sisters, even though I ain't short, so when I grabbed her, that should tell you a bit more.

=======================

On July 28, 2010, while in Tacoma for my mother's 90th birthday, I saw  my sister, Kristan, from Fairbanks, AK, for the first time in 10 years.  We had a nice walk for about 1/2 hour.  Kristan had returned to the Lord several years earlier and I hadn't seen her since then.  It was a real blessing to be together.

As soon as we returned to the house where mom's party was taking place, Kristan received a call from one of her sons saying that her husband, Fred, had been in an accident and someone had been killed.

One blessing was that I was in the right place at that very moment, able to wrap my arms around her very firmly and strongly and pray loudly and overwhelmingly so she could hear me over her trembling and sobbing, and even though most of my family in that house at the time is not Jesus-focused, it didn't make a difference; I didn't hold back at all.

What finally came out a while later is that he was not paying enough attention, partly because he was so used to the highway,  he hit a cross-walk where a light had just changed to red, and he struck a 14-year-old girl, Kirsten, who was killed instantly.  [And for my sister/his wife, to be Kristan, and the young girl killed was Kirsten ... that has flooded many of our hearts.]

After a struggle re: lawyers, courts, judges, and on and on, he finally was sent to prison.  He entered in September, 2011, and will be released in early May, '13.

Fred had been a less-than-nice guy much of his life and was heavily involved in alcoholism and other addictions.  Back in early 1991, Fred and the family were vising out here.  And, NO, we weren't sorry that he left!  And we haven't seen him since then, and didn't miss him for several years.  We do now.
 

Fred came to the Lord about 12 years ago.  It was through his brother drawing him to the Lord and Fred seeking forgiveness from my sister, that she returned to the Lord, too.  WOW! We're so looking forward to seeing them.  The four of us together can rejoice, believe me.

NOW... while in prison, Fred has led men to the Lord, has helped them grow, already has some plans for ministering with youth at his church and others when he is released. He has dealt with some personal issues that he, while behind bars, couldn't run away from or hide from, so his emotions have healed more. He also went in with a high amount of extra weight ... and has been exercising and has lost piles and piles of it. Physically, he is feeling better.  Emotionally, being healed.  Spiritually, he is growing.  Good things.

Well, this is the group letter I received from him today... and it made me rejoice.  I usually don't share these, but I felt it was the right thing to do this time.  [I also didn't change anything ...  spelling, grammar, etc. ... just typed it same as he did.]

-- Oh, and the prison is about an 8-hour drive on curvy roads across mountains, etc., for Kristan to get there.  As a full-time worker in North Pole, it's a real challenge for her to be able to see him in a reasonable schedule.  Not similar to a pop-down from Omaha-to-Lincoln situation we would have here.--

==============

Holy smoke! 71 days left of my incarceration.  And I'm in a daze!  I can't think straight, or hold a thought to completion.  I am getting very emotional; anything happy or sad, I see or hear gets the water works going.  (I wonder what my cell mates think of this nut job.)  But God is so Great.  His hand was there to, protected and comforted me, give an opportunity to grow in Him.  To trust and obey as the Holy Spirit guided and taught me.  I'm shaking as I write this letter as if I drank 3 shots of espresso, because of my excitement in the fact that I will be able to hold, hug, and kiss those I love without being threatened with going to the Hole or losing my visitation privileges.  I dream now about getting into a car and going somewhere, anywhere!  To go to church, share a cup of weak coffee, be greeted with an "I'm so glad to see you smile, and warm hands shake!"  Even though you may have never met before.  The joyful and angelic faces playing and sing praises to our Lord, the special smile at the pulpit, the kind that lets you know he has something wonderful to share, and all you have to do is listen and watch.  It's exciting and wonderful to share this time together in Christ.  The demonstration of love to each other without a word, love that over flows to everyone around.  I pray that I am able to personally spend time with everyone who has carried me through this season of fear, torment, anxiety, shame, and surrender through prayers and visits, plus all the letters I have received in this soon to be 608 days of incarceration.  I know men who have not received 1 letter, card, or visit, period.  And I have had close to 50, or more visits, plus I believe more than 700 letters.  I know, even today I still average more than 1 a day.  In a way, I really don't know what it's like to be a prisoner, because so few prisoners have a family who cares as much as you do.

Love Fred.

.... Kristan said you fell down.  Me too!  And we got up. Ya!  Keep up the good fight Sis.