Traveling the Rock Road

It was over 40 years ago when one of the most important people in my life had their earthly walk end suddenly and tragically. My beloved Great Aunt Pearl passed away from a car accident. Not only myself, but the entire family was devastated. Pearl was one of those dear souls that everybody loved to be around. Her ways and spirit made you feel good; made you feel special just to be around her.

After the accident, her will was found and it was discovered she left her whole estate to my mother. You see Pearly Mae never had children of her own, and when her sister passed away Ma was raised by her and her husband. Because my mom’s mental, physical, and emotional issues kept her somewhat childlike all her life, Pearl spent all her life taking care of Ma in one way or another. So, I figure she knew she wouldn’t be around forever and thus left everything to her in hopes it would take care of her needs. It took a while but all assets were eventually transferred. Except for one matter, Pearl had purchased four grave sites down in Princeton WV. One for her husband, Price. One for herself. And one each for Ma and myself. Years later when we spoke of this she would chuckle. “You know it never occurred to me that little Johnny would one day grow up and be laid to rest with his wife.” That was okay with me. Just another of her ways of trying to care for the needs of others.

Unfortunately, the deeds to the two unused grave sites could not be found. We searched everywhere; all through the house, at the bank, with other family members to no avail. Talking to the people that ran the cemetery, they didn’t have them either and they couldn’t transfer ownership without those documents. My thought was it really wasn’t that important of an issue anyway. Pearl had taken care of Ma with what she left her, so if the deeds are never to be found, no harm, no foul. Still, whenever I was down that way I’d visit Pearl’s grave, and then stop by the office just to see if anything had been found. Nothing.  As mentioned, I didn’t see it as that important if we never found them. Yet there was a question in the back of my mind asking God if there’s something I should be learning or doing in this whole scenario? And, lo and behold, there was something I needed to learn. Timing. Not mine but God’s.

Some five years ago I was in Princeton and I dropped by the cemetery. Something peaceful comes over me there and I looked down where my Pearl lay, and then I’d look out across the valley to the beautiful view of the mountains that she loved so dearly. On this occasion, I climbed back in my car was getting ready to leave, when this feeling came over me that I should once again stop by the office. I don’t know why that thought came; I hadn’t inquired of them for many years now. I pulled up to the building and went in to find a charming young lady sitting behind a desk. I told her my business and she quickly went to her computer to do a search. “Why yes, we have the deeds. They were turned into us by someone ten years prior.” Oh, my goodness! Now what? I told her the entire story of Pearl and Ma and how both were deceased and I had paperwork to show I was now the sole heir. Now there was a new problem. I love my birth state, but I had no intentions of being buried there. “Well,” said the young lady. “We can sell them for you but it won’t happen right away, and frankly you won’t receive that much money anyway.”

I stood there silent for what seemed like an eternity, and then an idea came to me. “Let me ask you something, Dear; do you ever have a situation where someone needs a plot but can’t afford to buy one?” Now she was staring at me silently with this look on her face that whispered I can’t believe you said that. “Right before you walked in, I had been on the phone with an individual seeing if we could help. This elderly couple had been married for years and today the husband died. They don’t have money for a funeral, so some family friends were seeing what kind of help they could get for them. Now I was smiling. “Young Lady,” I do believe we just found what to do with those grave sites.” As she was working to put together a quick deed to give to the wife, she kept saying, “I can’t believe this! This is amazing”!! “No, Dear One,” I answered. “This is God.”

Lamentations 3:25 “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

1 Peter 5:6-7 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

What man cannot see; God can. I’m sure I’ll get an argument from some, but I believe the Lord knew not only the situation with Pearl’s passing and Ma inheriting her estate, he also knew of this dear old couple and what their needs were. He tucked away this gem for when it would be needed. That’s God’s timing. That love of the Father.

I left the cemetery that day with a peace in my heart as I pondered all that happened. Then it occurred me. All her life my Beloved Great Aunt took care of others; and I’ll be whipped if she still wasn’t!

You may have completed “Traveling the Rock Road,” Pearl. But your goodness in Christ and your legacy continues to live on. Love you so much Pearly Mae!

See ya next time.