The ranch has had snow on the ground for 3 weeks now........lot's of snow, which is why I had to go out this morning, and shovel out the back of the pick-up truck so I could drive it to the junk yard.
This particular junk yard is East of Snowflake. It starts on the side of the county highway and meanders back on acreage. Mike owns it, he and his wife. Mike makes treasures out of others junk, and it's always worth stopping to take a look around.
After wandering around for awhile (in mud I might add), I found a piece I liked. Unfortunately, no one was home. I walked over to the Country store next door, asked to use the phone, and called Mike on his cell. He was ecstatic that someone was at the junk yard inquiring about one of his pieces. He was almost to town with his wife, but he said he'd turn around and scoot back to meet up with me. He did so promptly I might add.
We settled on a price and shook hands. Something I have always done when a deal has been struck or when conducting business with people. Mike took off somewhere in the junk yard to locate a dolly to load this "piece" in my pick-up truck. I wandered around a bit longer looking at things. Out of no where a young man walked up to Mike's wife, he told her he'd run out of gas down the road, he wondered if she had a used gas can he could borrow. She located one for him, loaned it to him, and off he went to the country store to fill it with gas. A few minutes later, he took off on foot to fill his tank. Another older gentleman pulled up in his dilapidated truck, got out with a big ol' grin and said "hi" to both of us. Mike's wife obviously knew him. They chit-chatted while I continued to wander.
While I wandered around, I couldn't help but tune into their conversation...................the man was having problems locating and obtaining parts for his old truck. He evidently lived many miles off the highway on a county road. Without blinking an eye, Mike's wife told him she would get the parts he needed while she was down in Payson this week, not to worry. Mike then walked out from the back with his dolly and noticed their friend. He smiled and shook his hand, it was then that Mike told their friend that he and his wife would be feeding people again at Christmas this year. Mike told him it would be similar to the meal they hosted at Thanksgiving......anybody and everybody could show up for food, companionship, warmth. Mike said he didn't want anybody to go without at Christmas. His friend told him he wouldn't miss it for the world, cuz the meal they made everyone at Thanksgiving was wonderful!
After Mike loaded my piece, he walked over to the store to make change for me, but before he did, he asked me if I was thirsty, would I like something to drink? I declined but thanked him anyway. While Mike was off getting my change, his wife and the man came over with a rope and tied my "piece" down in the truck, although I think it would have been fine without the tie down, it was a very kind gesture. It was something they didn't even think twice about doing for me.
After saying my good-byes, and slowly pulling out of the mud hole of a parking lot onto the county road, I reflected on those few precious moments. In fact, I was so moved by these three people, that tears welled in my eyes. To look at these three people, a person could/would certainly assume they were very poor, lacking the basic material goods we all take for granted. Yet the spirit with which these three people moved in, in their daily lives, was so much richer and gentler than anything I have ever witnessed. The compassion, concern, and care they showed to perfect strangers was almost surreal.
And it wasn't because of the "holiday" spirit. No, this is something much bigger, I feel it in my gut...........these people move in this gentle spirit daily. This is who they are!
This experience will stay with me for along time, this was a wonderful gift I received.
Proverbs 22:9 "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor."
