Be Prepared!

It was August, 1945, and the war was over. I knew Curtis would be coming home... sometime... and hopefully soon! We had written letters back and forth for almost three long years. We had pledged our love and plans for our future in those letters. But I didn't know when to expect him. Would he come back for me as we planned? Would we marry as soon as he returned? Could I really love someone that I only knew in letters, in pictures, on paper?? Was it right for me to get things ready for a wedding?

And then one day it came! A telegram with only two words..... "Be Prepared"!!! My beloved was coming home, and he was coming for me! I still did not know when, but I knew to be prepared for his coming. 

He did come, and we were married in my parent's home. We then left on our honeymoon to his family's home in Comanche, Texas, to celebrate his homecoming and our marriage.

I have thought about that telegram many times through the years and how it is an analogy of our watching and waiting for the Lord Jesus to return and take himself a "bride", the church, home to be with him. We don't know when He is coming, whether it be in our individual "home-goings" or at the last trumpet call, but the message is the same.... "Be Prepared!!!"

......................................................................................................................................................................

*Questions about how to be prepared? Here's a site with a simple explanation of how to trust Christ: "How to find peace with God"

Next entry: "Still Waiting"

Early Marriage
Click here to read about my life, starting with my first blog post.

My Valentine - 1943

In 1943, Curtis was in WWII stationed in Santa Ana, California. I received this Valentine from him before he went off to war in Italy.

He had given me his portrait before he left, that was autographed, "Love Forever, Curtis Wayne".

For two more years all I had of him was his picture, his cards and letters, and promise of a love for a lifetime. I penciled this poem on a scrap of paper. I'm not sure if I ever sent it to him, but it's how I felt as I looked at this picture.

Love Forever

It's love forever that's written there,

It's love forever in your eyes, in your smile, everywhere

And I know that it's true

For it's written by you

In your eyes, in your smile that I love.

It says love forever

And I know it was never

Meant to die

For it's there in face, in smile, in eye

It's not only a picture, 

It's you.

To look at you means memories,

Those hours together, just two care-frees.

It was oh so much fun

Just to hold you, sweet one

In my arms and to kiss your sweet lips.

It says love forever.

Did you mean it could never

Leave our hearts?

For my dear if you do

It sure means I love you

And it's true, darling you

Just you.

by Gertrude Short

1943

Copy of penciled poem

Our love did turn out to be true. We had 59 years of sweet marriage before Curtis went to be with the Lord. I still love him so. Happy Valentine's Day!

Next entry: "Clueless"

To read about our how we met, click here.

Read about our early marriage here.

"A Rainy Fourth" - A Poem - by Gertrude Short - 1942

A Rainy Fourth

A Poem, By Gertrude Short

Another holiday has been ruined by rain once more;

A picnic lunch and a party had been planned for four.

But the clouds are still gathering and the rain still falls,

And the thunder is roaring loudly and lightning coming in fiery balls.

Faint in the distance I hear a train roaring down the track,

And the sound of a car engine grinding away -- wheels mud-packed.

The traveling is very bad;

But to think this thought I'm glad:

That our boys are not tramping in the rain

Fighting and dying for victory in vain.

One hundred and sixty-six years ago today

Our forefathers were down on their knees to pray.

That day a very sacred document was signed

Which ended a fear that cannot be defined.

Today the people of Europe hold that same fear,

But we're safe in a home with our loved ones so dear.

Let's not think of this day as spoiled by the rain,

But sing out our thanks in a joyous refrain!

This poem was published in my hometown newspaper, the Friona Star, in 1942.

Next entry: "Undelivered Letters" click here

The Word of God in My Life

As a little girl my mother took me to church and I was taught Bible stories and the gospel message. I accepted Christ by faith and it was accounted to me as righteousness when I was 12 years old. As a teen and young adult I went to church but didn't grow much spiritually. However, I worked at a department store in town with a Christian lady, Melba Miller, and she would sometimes take me home with her and her husband, Ralph. They had a loving Christian home where the Bible was read and prayers were offered. I knew that this was the kind of home I wanted when I married.

However, when Curtis and I married we didn't go to church. We moved to Colorado, and while we lived there I realized how far I had strayed from the Lord. One morning I fell on my knees and re-dedicated my life to Him. [For the full account of that experience, click HERE] I went to the little church there and began to help in the children's classes. I found that I loved teaching the Bible stories. Also, I became so hungry to grow spiritually. I went to the pastor's wife and asked her if she would help and teach me the Bible. She turned up her nose and said, "No, I don't have time for that." I asked another lady, and she turned me down, too. I was on my own.

We moved back to Friona, Texas, after about a year. We faithfully went to church and sat under very good Bible-teaching pastors. I also discovered good teaching on radio programs like "Back to the Bible Broadcast" with Theodore H. Epp, and "Thru the Bible Radio Network" by Dr. J. Vernon McGee, who took me systematically through the Bible. I learned so much.

But then something happened that changed the way I read the Word. In the 1970s, one day I was burdened for a lady in my Sunday School class. I was kneeling by my bed praying for her, and I was totally immersed in a "fountain of love".  It was coming from the Lord, and it was so much that I couldn't contain it. I had to cry out to the Lord to stop it. It was an experience that filled me up to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. In a few days some trouble came into my life - an attack on me. I was accused of something I didn't do. I didn't understand what was happening! I didn't know where to turn except to the Word. I opened my Bible (and I had never had this happen before) and it opened to Luke 22:31. My eyes fell on "Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you..." My spirit quickened and it seemed that the Lord was saying this directly to ME. Sure enough, the sifting began as the rumor mills ground me down. The Lord allowed this trial so that I would run to Him.

I literally hid in the Word of God. I had never read the Psalms until then, and I began to pray David's prayers as my own prayers. I developed such a appetite for the Word that I could read and pray for hours. My hunger to read the Bible was like having chocolate cake sitting there, and I nibbled on it a piece at a time. I would be doing housework and walk by the Bible and long to open it to see what it said-- to ME!

From that time (1974 or 1975) I have had the sweetest times reading the Bible. The Living Bible came out about then and I devoured it. In the 1980s I discovered Precept Bible Studies by Kay Arthur. She taught me to inductively study and dig into the Word as never before. She encouraged us to get a New American Standard Bible, and I loved it because throughout, the pronouns referring to God or Jesus were capitalized - making it so clear. Now that I've read and understood the Bible, I've gone back to my King James Bible and it is understandable to me.

So I have experienced God's Word in two ways. I've studied and dug into the scripture for its literal, cultural and historical meaning, but my favorite experience in His Word is when I read and the Lord quickens that Word in my spirit and makes it mine. "That's for me!" my spirit says, and I claim it!

Praise God for His glorious Word! Sometimes I think He wrote it just for me!

Psalm 119:97 & 102-103
(New American Standard)

"Oh how I love Your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

......

I have not turned aside from Your ordinances,

For You Yourself have taught me.

How sweet are Your words to my taste!

Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

Next entry - "I Will Never Leave You Nor Forsake You"
To start at the beginning of my journey with the Lord, Click HERE- "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep"

World War II - "Waiting"

When the United States entered WWII, Curtis' draft number was one of the first drawn. I wrote this poem to him before he left.

Waiting

Before you leave dear, I want you to know

That I'll be with you wherever you go.

I'll watch by the window and pray every night

That God will be with you as you go to flight.

I'll pray that he'll keep you safe from all harm

And bring you back quickly to stay in my arms.

Go out my dear loved one, be brave in your strife

To help bring the victory for peace, love and life.

We've dreams for the future that must not be broken,

But until you return our love is the token.

There'll be nights of waiting and watching in vain

For a word that you're safe will be a joyous refrain.

So darling remember while you're far away

I'm with you at heart and I pray every day.

Our dreams will unfold as the days pass along.

We'll be happy together and make a new song.

That home that we've planned, and the kids, one or two,

Will all come to pass and we'll never be blue.

We'll have a fireplace with flames burning bright

To help spread our happiness far out in the night.

These are the dreams you'll be fighting for right here.

Good luck, and God bless you, I love you my dear---

Gertrude Short

10/26/43

To read accounts of my early marriage click HERE and HERE.

Link to a follow-up poem, "Still Waiting" - click HERE

My Prayer Life - Part 7 - "The Lord Provides"

Part 7:

My Daddy was saved about a month before he died, and it was an answer to my prayer from the first day I trusted Jesus when I was 12 years old. I went home and told him I had accepted Jesus as my Savior and I wished he would too. He said he was glad and that he would someday. That day didn't come for about another dozen years.

Me and my Daddy

After his death we moved back to Texas to take over his dairy and be with my mother. We were so  broke by then we didn't know where the next meal was coming from. Our second son was born and we didn't even have a penny to pay the doctor and hospital bill. The Lord knew our needs, though, and the day I was to come home from the hospital, a man came wanting to buy a plow that we wanted to sell. It brought just enough (no more) to pay for our baby. We have laughed many times and said we should have named him "Graham Hoeme" after the name of that plow! But we knew Who sent that man that day.

Graham Hoeme - AKA- Harold Joe

Danny Wayne & Harold Joe

Another time we had a note for $300 coming due the next week at the bank and we didn't know how we were going to pay it. A man, who has helped us in many ways, came out one day and asked Curtis if he could plow some land for him with our equipment. The amount was $300...no more...no less. But we had asked the Lord about this and we were so humbly grateful when He answered.

Through this experience we became convicted about our need to tithe. The Lord had answered so many prayers for us and we were not giving Him anything in return. Oh, true, we put some offering in the plate each Sunday so we could check the "Offering Giving" on our 6 point record system envelope, but we weren't giving systematically. We had quite a struggle with this, because when the Lord starts dealing with your pocketbook, He gets next to your heart! Our pastor was so good in giving us the promises of God and told how many times they had given their last penny....not knowing where groceries would come from the next week....only to find a $10 or $20 bill that someone placed in his hand or pocket. Many told us their blessings of giving the Lord His part, and we became convinced it was the thing to do.

One day we had a Layman's Program at church and Curtis was given a part on the program. It scared us both to death because we were so young in the Lord. What could he say? That speech was another turning point of our lives as he chose the scripture in Joshua 24:15-16, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

This scripture was taken literally by my husband that day and is underlined in dark ink in his Bible today. He decided to be the spiritual leader of our home. He began to read the Bible to us each morning at the breakfast table and all four of us would pray. Our boys were about 2 and 5 then. He began to tithe and then bring an offering above. The Lord was good to us and gave us many physical blessings and many spiritual blessings.


Read the next entry in my prayer journey - "The Faith of a Child"

My Prayer Life - Part 6 - "Afraid I Would Die"

Part 6:

There were many things the Lord used while we lived in Colorado almost two years to start us growing in the Lord. I was expecting my second child and we were making frequent trips to Texas to see our parents. For some reason, I became afraid I was going to die. Each time we started on these trips I would die a thousand deaths thinking perhaps this trip we would probably have a wreck and I would be killed. A lady I knew, who was expecting her baby a few months before me died after giving birth to her baby and I began to be afraid of delivering my baby. I do not know why it took me so long this time to go to the Lord with this problem, but I suffered through many a trip just knowing, "This will probably be the time."

One day as I could stand it no longer, I fell on my knees before the Lord and said, "Lord, I know that You are my Savior. I know You will take me to heaven when I die, and I know when it is time for You to come for me, You will. I can do nothing about it. I am ready any time you call. Help me not to be afraid." Well, that same peace came to my soul that came the day I came back to the Lord. I got up rejoicing and singing, and I was never afraid of those trips or of my baby being born. Even several years later when I had emergency surgery, I could look back to that experience and remember the calm and peace that came over me that day and not be afraid.

That didn't keep us from asking the Lord each time we went on a trip to watch over us and to give us a safe journey and to thank Him when we did get back safely. I don't think that is a sign of fear, but that we are ever conscious that "today" is the only day the Lord has promised us. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come, so rejoice in today and be glad and know that it is God who gives life and Christ who gives it more abundantly.


Read the next entry in my prayer journey - "The Lord Provides"

My Prayer Life - Part 5 - "Saying Grace"

Part 5:

By this time we had about lived our bank balance up trying to farm and buy equipment. My husband had taken a job with an Implement store. He was sent to Denver to a week's school to learn the parts department, so we went and stayed with my oldest brother who was a preacher.

My brother, Lawrence and his daughters

This too, we saw later, was the leadership of the Holy Spirit, because each morning my brother's family sat down to breakfast and each of them prayed. We listened as they talked to Jesus as easily as if He was there at the table. My brother could make love to Jesus in a way that it made you love them both. We joined in this time with them each morning "awkwardly." I remember because we had not brought Christ out in the open at our house. When we got home again, we felt ashamed as we sat down at the table that had not been accustomed to prayer. My husband said, (and I was so thrilled it was his decision), "We are going to start offering our thanks at the table." This pleased our little son as much as it did me and he never let us forget. At first we didn't know if we should give thanks for just a snack, and we would sometimes start without bowing, but our boys would remind us. Even our oldest, 3 years old and our second son, big enough to sit in his high chair would close his eyes and jabber something. One of the first words he learned was "Amen."

I began to teach my boys to kneel and pray and they would add their own, "God bless Grandma and Granddaddy...." and many, many more names. One night our oldest stopped in his prayer and asked, "Mama, God bwess Wussel, too?" Russel was an uncle who didn't go to church, and we loved him very much. I said, "Yes, honey, God bless Russel, too!" Russel was saved not many years after that and God has blessed Russel, too!!

Sweet Uncle Russel

Read the next entry in my prayer journey - "Afraid I Would Die"

My Prayer Life - Part 4 - "Colorado Prayers"

Part 4:

After our first son was born we moved to Colorado to farm. We had made a good crop that first year in Texas so we thought we'd strike out on our own. We had $5,000 in the bank, an old car and a beautiful little son. What more could anyone ask for? The world was ours, and so out into the world we went.

We moved out on the farm and attended church a time or two, but as I've heard many times since, "They were not friendly," so we didn't go back. We went hunting on Sunday afternoons with friends who were not Christian, and we usually ended up going to the show that night.

I used to love to listen on the radio to Don McNeil on the "Breakfast Club" each morning as I washed dishes. If you've ever listened to this you know that at one time during his program he paused for silent prayer. "Each in his own words, each in his own way, bow your heads and let us pray." Then soft music played for about a minute. Now it had been an awful long time since I had prayed....Things had been going smoothly...no problems....plenty of money...a good husband and a fine son....What was there to pray about? I found myself at these moments in his program finding something to do in the other part of the house. I soon became so uncomfortable at the time I almost wanted to turn it off, but I loved the rest of the program, so it would be over in a little while.

I remember one morning as I was in the middle of the dish pan and this time of prayer came on, and I stopped and broke into tears and said, "Oh, Lord, forgive me!" That was about all I could get out that day, but in days to come I would stop and close my eyes and pour out my heart a little at a time. One day my little boy tugged at my dress an said, "Mommy, you pray?" and I gathered him in my arms and said, "Yes, darling, I pray."

Danny Wayne

Danny & Me

I had quite a prayer experience with the Lord that week as my empty soul came back to life and I said, "Lord, if You will but let me live until Sunday, I will go to church, publicly rededicate my life to You, and try to serve You. I could hardly wait until Sunday. I was afraid I'd loose my nerve, I guess, but I didn't tell my husband a thing about this because he might not understand. Then at church, when the invitation was given, I found myself down at the front telling the Lord and the preacher I was coming back and I wanted to serve Him from that day forward. Do you know what those "unfriendly" people of that church did? The came down and loved me and rejoiced with me! One fine Christian lady said, "Would you help me with the Primary? We need you so much." Happy!! I have never felt such a burden lifted and as I drove the ten miles home to share my happiness with my husband, I sang, "My Jesus I Love You" and many more songs of praise with a heart of joy I could never forget. I'm sure that was one of the first of many times that "my cup ran over!"

When I got home, these friends* were there for lunch. They had hardly heard the name of Christ, except in vain, so they didn't understand what I told them. I told them of my promise to serve the Lord and that from here on I was going to quit going to the show on Sunday night and instead go to church. They didn't understand "salvation" much less "re-dedication" so the devil began his work. We ate lunch and got in their car and went hunting, and then drove to town for a hamburger, and then, by the force of habit, went right over to the show. "Hadn't they heard what I had said? Didn't Curtis understand what had happened to me? Were we deliberately going to the show after I told them my promise to the Lord??" But the devil said, "Don't say anything. You might make them mad or hurt their feelings." So I went in. Oh, I felt so terrible just deliberately doing what I had just promised my Lord I wouldn't do! I sat down and looked up at "Ma Kettle" in her dirty dress and sloppy clothes and I felt just like that in my soul. I picked my little boy up and got out of there as fast as I could. We got in the car and rode 'round and 'round the church and I cried, but I didn't go in. I went back and parked in front of the show and waited until it was over. When my  husband came out he knew I had meant business with the Lord and he ever asked me to go to the show on Sunday night again. He began to go to church with me and grow along with me. I have never seen "Ma Kettle - Marjorie Main" that it doesn't bring back this experience to me.

It made me realize that in the moment we are having our greatest victory with the Lord, the devil stands ready to jump between and try with his might to come between you and the Lord. He can succeed many times if you do not "pray without ceasing." Prayer changes things. Yes it does!! From that time forward I began to work with Primary boys and girls. I began to learn Bible stories and found the the Lord could tell those stories through me so exciting. I learned more teaching the boys and girls than they did!

*I witnessed many times to these friends about Jesus, but they were never saved. They were killed in a plane crash later and I was so sad.


Read the next entry in my prayer journey - "Saying Grace"

My Prayer Life - Part 3 - "Early Marriage"

Part 3:

After I was married we went through a trying time of adjustment. It had been nearly three years since we had seen each other, (Curtis was gone overseas for WWII) and we had both gone with other people while he was gone by mutual consent.

After we married he got some letters from a girl and she didn't know he was married. He let me read them. Oh, I became so insanely jealous I was sick. I didn't let him know I was, but it ate at me constantly. I could not relax in his arms at night wondering if he might be wishing it were her. Finally, I got in such a state of mind I had nowhere to turn. I couldn't dare talk to anyone about it for my pride's sake. One day I fell down before the Lord and poured out my heart. You see, after God had answered my prayers and brought this man home safely to me, I had forgotten about God. I had forgotten the many times I had trusted him and He had never let me down. I said, "Lord, I do not know if Curtis loves this other girl or not. I have imagined all sorts of things and I am sick with jealousy. I know that is a sin and it is ruining my life. Take this terrible disease from me and help me to be the kind of loving wife that he needs." I cried before the Lord a long time. That night when we went to bed I opened my heart to my husband and told him my fears--my sin of jealousy and asked him to help me. He had not realized what was wrong with me and he laughed and took me in his arms and assured me of his love for me---and, oh, the burden was gone, and joy and happiness came rushing in. It was the beginning of our "good marriage" because we told each other we should always talk these things out instead of keeping them to ourselves where they grow bigger by the day.

Read my next entry - "Colorado Prayers"

My Prayer Life - Part 1 - "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep"

The following is a lengthy account of my most memorable, life-changing prayers, from the 1930s to the 1970s. I will publish it in several parts.

Part 1:

My first recollection of learning to pray was when I was a very small child. When my mother put me to bed she had me kneel and taught me to say, "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take."
                                                                                     

                                              

Gertie - age 4 - 1928

     

I have mixed emotions about this prayer. It taught me to pray---it placed in my heart and mind the knowledge that we are in God's hands for keeping---but it gave me a disturbed feeling that I carried through my teen years. I was afraid to go to sleep at night without first asking my heavenly Father to watch over me and keep me through the night. 

                     

Gertie - age 5 - about 1929

As I grew older I branched out on this simple prayer and told God many things and asked many things before I closed my eyes in sleep--feeling much relieved and secure after having talked with the Lord. I remember in those "pillow prayers," (as I soon gave up the kneeling by my bed except for special prayers when I felt the Lord so close), I remember praying, asking God to guide me to the right person for my husband. I said, "Lord, help me to know the one you have for me and then help us to have a happy home." That must have been when I was about 15 years old because by the time I was 16 the Lord had answered that prayer. One Sunday morning as I was singing in the choir I noticed this dark, handsome stranger on the back seat. My heart did a little extra beat, but I didn't think too much about it. I kept seeing him there for several Sundays, but I had never mentioned him to anyone. I had not even asked who he was. One night as I was with another boy whom I had been dating a lot, he asked me if I would "go steady" with him. Immediately this stranger came into my mind and I knew if I ever met him and he asked me to go with him I could not refuse, so I told my friend that I was not ready to go steady. "Is there someone else?" he asked. And I truthfully said, "No."

Age 15 - 1939

The next Sunday as I saw him come in dressed in a new tailor made suit, I could wait no longer. I punched the girl next to me and said, "Who is that new boy on the back seat?" She said, "He is my cousin and he wants to meet you." Oh--my heart just sang as we sang that day. After church we bashfully were introduced and that afternoon he asked me to go for a ride with him and some other young people. I knew from the first meeting we both knew that we had found our future, even though it was several years before we became serious enough to make plans. And only then, when the war came in 1941, Dec. 7th, we heard the news on the car radio, and he began to sing "Good-bye Little Darling, I'm Leaving...."

Sure enough, his was the first number drawn for the draft and he was off. My memory is very clear on my prayer life again as I feared now to go to sleep without asking God to keep not only me, but most of all Curtis and Doug, my brother. Only as I prayed and then in my simple faith I left them in God's care for a whole 24 hours and didn't worry.

My dear Curtis - 1942-1945

God answered those prayers and brought back to my parents their son and future son-in-law. We had to wait three whole days before we could be married to live happily ever after.

August 30, 1945

To read a poem I wrote to Curtis before he left for the war click here.
Next entry of my prayer journey - "Praying with Mama"