aka The Northwoods Good Samaritan of 2001. ​This is a story near and dear to my heart that I like to share most every December.  

Back in the December of 2001 on the roads of ice and snow near Hayward Wisconsin  a young mom with her preschool children loaded in the family car was heading home to the nearby town of Drummond when along the road she spots an older man with the hood up on his car.

This was a typical bitter cold December day, but though she has her young children with her she is impressed to stop and see if she can help. 

As she pulls over the old man approaches her car. She cautiously locks her doors and rolls down her window slightly to ask if she can help. The old man does not speak, tries to open the door, then reaches inside his coat.. making her all the more uneasy. 

The old man pulls out a small keyboard from his jacket and plays a pretyped short message explaining he has ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) so he can not speak. He then types needs a ride into town. The young woman opens her car to the old man she does not know and drives him home.

This old man was my father Walter Larson, and the young woman was Jen Herricks, and Jen was the the Good Samaritan of Northern Wisconsin 2001. I wonder how many cars drove by before Jen stopped to help. How many macho northwoods guys in their 4x4 trucks drove by too busy to help an old man stranded on a bitter cold winter day? Maybe none, but maybe too many. But no matter, my dad was cared for by someone with a family car, and a kind heart.

I have shared this tale before, but just like any Clint Eastwood Western ie. The Good the Bad and the Ugly, or The Unforgiven.. this story of Justice with 6 shooters blazing begs to be retold.

A while back I watched a TV docudrama on the history of the American West. It was a time when Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid, and Jesse James with guns a blazing shared the headlines of lawman versus Lawbreaker.

This brought my mind back to over 50 years ago in the (MID)western frontier of Cable Wi (population 280-maybe) when I served as an 8 year old lawman working with my deputee and 6 year old friend David Larson.  It was a time of lawlessness where big talk and big guns (cap & pop alike) were a way of life.

Bad blood had been brewing since Sunday School the previous Sunday when Dastardly Dick Ludzack and BadNews Bryan Anderson AGAIN refused to sing Jesus loves me (truth is neither could sing a tune to save their lives) and this type of brash defiance of our Lord would not be tolerated.  So just a few days later September 14, 1965 (right after school) Deputy Dave and myself traveled to the Ludzack Farm on the east side of town to bring these brazen lawbreakers to justice. If justice came at the end of a rope or my smokin' guns..  So be it.  ​

But after High School, I moved out on my own and out of ear shot of my parent's 'you ALWAYS or YOU nevers'.  I was now living in the land of grown ups, working a grown up job, and married a  wonderful 'grown up' Christian woman. I made no time for any weak you ALWAYS or you NEVER accusations.. UNTIL my marriage introduced a new 'strain' in the form of the dreaded Honey-Do-List.  And though my wife is very patient with me, it is fair to say Jeff ALWAYS need to be reminded to work on 'the list', and Jeff will NEVER finish it. 

But to fair, a honey-do-list has no real end.  

Now while this all makes good fodder for my smirking blog as I reminisce on my lifetime of you ALWAYS & you NEVER moments, the truth is.. it is simply not good practice. It implies a basic hopeless scenario, and no one wants to hear the you ALWAYS & you NEVER scolding.. this certainly is NOT the Gospel message of Grace.
​ 
So I pray each of you have a great day knowing God ALWAYS keeps his promises (Deuteronomy 7:9), and He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

AND.. no matter your big or small prodigal son/daughter moments, your failures, your down moments, your rebellions,  your SINS. are ALWAYS forgiven as our Heavenly Father rejoices in our return and forgets he NEVER gives up on you. (read the Prodigal Son Luke 15:11-32)

Jeff

ps. While my Honey Do list is as endless as the universe itself, this morning I replaced a bad electrical outlet, hung a flag pole outside, put down a first coat of paint in our downstairs family room/office, and worked in the yard transplanting ferns and trimming branches.  I am finishing this blog while my bride is away browsing neighborhood Garage Sales..Fortunately, she does not read my blogs so this will be our secret.
​

I feel kind of bad, but most of the 9-5 jobs in my life have not provided me much satisfaction, but I am thankful they helped pay the bills.  My good friend Bryan Anderson has been a college professor at Bethel University since graduating from college and loves it.  I am envious of that and happy for him and others like Bryan, but that has not been my story. But that'a neither here nor there.. now.  I am almost 62, in good  health,  and look forward to waking up without an alarm clock, then drinking coffee at a leisurely pace, 

I have a good life! Wonderful wife of almost 35 years. Our three grown up 'kids' and 4 grandkids all live close by. We attend a wonderful Bible preaching church Grace Church Roseville, where we have made good friends.  And, we have a loving God with has plans for us.. even in retirement. Just hope it is like Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

and not what God said to Abram in Genesis 12:1-4. ​

Most every year around this  time I like to share the story of the birth of our first born. The birth of each of our children have their own special story, but my son Curtis just had a birthday on February 13th so it is his turn to be remembered in this birth blog.

Thirty three years ago my wife and I were anxious parents-2-be expecting our first. We had already made a few typical false alarm trips to the hospital (aka Braxton Hicks practice contractions), but on February 13th, 1986 it was the real deal and life would NEVER be the same.

Life Flashing before my eyes.. Larson Style.  In the last 7 short days I have experienced highs and lows, laughter and tears, life and death.  I know most of all of us  have weeks like this, but  last  week was  my turn.

On Tuesday August 9th my Aunt Marie passed away unexpexectedly at the age of 87. She was loved and will  be missed of course by family and friends.  We all grieve and are sad for our loss, but celebrate her arrival to Heaven where she is  reunited with family,  friends, and  most importantly JESUS.  This  is the paradox of the Christian experience where the lines between death and life (the eternal type) are experienced  by those who love the Lord.

Thirty two years ago my wife and I were anxious parents-2-be expecting our first. We had already made a few typical false alarm trips to the hospital (aka Braxton Hicks practice contractions), but on February 13th, 1986 it was the real deal and life would NEVER be the same.
     
READY SET GO.. At 12:30 a.m. on February 13th 1986 my wife and I had just headed off to bed for a long winter’s nap. About midnight I arrived home from working the evening shift at my job and was off to bed with my fully 9 months pregnant wife Mary. Before I could even fade into sleep Mary exclaims “My water broke, or I just peed the bed.” So off to the races we headed for the birth of our child #1. 

FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN: Finally around 10:00 a.m. a child is born and they shall call his name .. Curtis Walter Larson. He is healthy, a bit cone headed but a keeper. After the usual initial checks and I get to cut the cord from 'mothership' Mary we head back to our private room where the three of us mom, dad, and new baby Curt.. all lying in the same bed. And around 12:30 early that afternoon, baby Curt is asleep, I am asleep (and snoring) while Mary lies wide awake with the adrenaline rush of her life. 
NOTE TO SELF: I don't know what Mary thinks BUT.. this giving birth thingy is exhausting!

So there you have it, BIRTH FROM ONE MAN’S PERSPECTIVE. Now 32 years later we have a son Curtis Walter Larson who has given us both our share of joys and exasperation. 
NOTE TO SELF: God is good, Mary is wonderful, and Curtis is a son to be proud of.

Jeff

aka The Northwoods Good Samaritan of 2001. ​This is a story near and dear to my heart that I like to share most every December.  note: Cartoons included may reference Minnesota but think Wisconsin when you view them :) 

Back in the December of 2001 on the roads of ice and snow near Hayward Wisconsin  a young mom with her preschool children loaded in the family car was heading home to the nearby town of Drummond when along the road she spots an older man with the hood up on his car.

This was a typical bitter cold December day, but though she has her young children with her she is impressed to stop and see if she can help. 

As she pulls over the old man approaches her car. She cautiously locks her doors and rolls down her window slightly to ask if she can help. The old man does not speak, tries to open the door, then reaches inside his coat.. making her all the more uneasy. 

The old man pulls out a small keyboard from his jacket and plays a pretyped short message explaining he has ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) so he can not speak. He then types needs a ride into town. The young woman opens her car to the old man she does not know and drives him home.

This old man was my father Walter Larson, and the young woman was Jen Herricks, and Jen was the the Good Samaritan of Northern Wisconsin 2001. I wonder how many cars drove by before Jen stopped to help. How many macho northwoods guys in their 4x4 trucks drove by too busy to help an old man stranded on a bitter cold winter day? Maybe none, but maybe too many. But no matter, my dad was cared for by someone with a family car, and a kind heart.

Jen later explained to my mom that she thought my dad was an angel. There are a few explanations for this observation but no one before this had described my dad as an angel. A good guy for sure, but an angel? .. hmmm. No so much.

Maybe there was an angel standing alongside my dad that cold December day, or the the peace dad demonstrated just months before passing on to Heaven. Either way today this was certainly a divine appointment with an angel named Jen. 

I love the gospel passage Mt 25:35-40ish “You fed me when I was hungry, you clothed me when I was naked.” Well if the gospels were written today they would also say “you gave me a ride when I was an old man when my car broke down on a winter road in Wisconsin. For when you do these things for the least of my people, you do it for me.”

So Jen gives my dad a ride home. He offers her money, she refuses, and they go their separate ways.  NICE STORY, BUT IT IS NOT OVER!. 

A few weeks later my folks receive a Christmas card from Jen wishing and praying the best for them. This was nice touch too, but...  THE STORY IS NOT OVER!

My dad passed away from his battle with ALS just a couple short months after their December encounter. The funeral was a celebration of the good man my dad was, and his reward in Heaven. 'Irony' or providence has it Jen and her family began attending my mom & dad's church in Cable Wisconsin still not realizing the connection. 

After a short period of time it became clear to Jen that my mom attends this same church.. and so Jen contacts my mom. This began a friendship that continued until my mom passed away in December 2016.. 15 YEARS later. This friendship continued after Jen's family moving 70 miles away, and my mom later moved 150 miles to the Twin Cities. I mean, c'mon this took this good Samaritan thing too far.. they must have actually become close friends.  Correction they were the best of friends.

When Jen came to visit my mom it is with hugs and kisses that are reserved normally for family. Her kids called her Grandma Nell, and many of the trips included sleep overs in my mom's little apartment  This friendship God has provided Jen those 15 years my mom as a ‘seasoned’ Christian woman to talk and confide in. 

My mom as I mentioned passed away in December 2016, but you can not take away the blessing of that God orchestrated ride 15 years ago for my dad, or the wonderful friendship over the next 15 for my mom and for Jen.  God is good even through the tough times.

Thank you Jen.

So as Christmas approaches, please take time to slow down and notice the angel appointments in your life. 

Blessings

Jeff

The Good Wife is a popular TV show that my good wife and I got hooked on.  Each week white lies, big lies, corruption, infedelities, indescretions, scandals, deceipt and other naughtiness found in politics, marriage, and in the court of law are crammed into one 60 minute Sunday night broadcast.  
The Good Wife is just a TV show weaving together much of what is wrong with society for our entertainment value (not to mention they all drink A LOT A LOT) and not a model for a happy society.  In contrast my wife is the Truly Good Wife! 

A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.  Proverbs 31:10