Chapter 3   Do You Hear Your Heart?

Whorley and Cowboy

Snapshot (Talk with Mac again to fill in story)

Jackson, NC

Moonshine at 9

Father farmed rented land from Grandfather, drank from Friday evening til Sunday night. Dry during the week as he farmed, died in the 1950’s, Mac was 12 years old, Mac is now 58 and he and his wife Clora have been caring for children in their homes for 25 years or so.

Mac has been dry since 1981 when Jesus came into his life.  Drank a little beer from time to time shortly thereafter, but away from the big stuff since ’81.  New Bethel Christian Church off of Old Poole Road is their church home.

Whorley was a North Carolina Highway Patrolman.  That was his life.  Worley was in a wreck and ended up in a wheel chair for 7-8 years.  Then back on the force.  Mac is still puzzled why Worley went back on the road.  Surely he had all the money he needed. Worley loved the adrenaline rush of the chase.  Maybe that was the real reason Worley began again.  He was good at it and loved to do it alone.  One night when he stopped a van, he was shot dead by the passengers inside who were heavily armed.  Whorley made the choice.  Worley rides no more.

Cowboy was a short little policeman on the Jackson police force.  He may have been the only one.  Jackson is a small town with staples only in that town; food, hardware, stuff like that.  Cowboy would keep an eye out for the repeat offenders like a hawk.  He knew who you were, what car or truck you drove and when and where you liked to hang out.  When you left the joint, Cowboy would grab you every time.  He had your number.  You didn’t escape his hawk-like eyes.  There’s more to cowboy than meets the eye.  More on that later after I talk with Mac again.

Mac was telling me about the Neck.  You didn’t want to get caught on the Occoneechee Neck between Jackson and Weldon and need help.  Jackson was 15 miles away, and Weldon was 10 miles in other direction.  If the call went to Jackson, the EMS ambulance had to come the 15 miles and then take you to the hospital in Weldon as no care facility was in Jackson.  You could die before treatment.  Mac remembers walking drunk in the moonlight on the Neck as a young  man.  Mac also remembers that when the moon wasn’t shining, it was so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.  More on that choice later when we talk with Mac again.

You know, beginning to drink moonshine at 9, Mac was well on his way to a habit.  Drinking at 9?  How could that be?  Well, you recall that Mac’s dad drank a bit on the weekend.  What was really going on was that his dad and other men would bet on ball games like the NY Yankees and pour moonshine in this big old pickle jar, you know the big ones like they had in the country store where you’d pay a quarter back in the ‘50’s and get your pickle.  Well this jar could hold gallons of moonshine.  When the game was over whoever won got the pickle jar of moonshine.  Mac’s dad often won and there was always moonshine around.  You guessed it, Mac began to take a sip or two at 9 and this continued on until Mac’s dad passed away when Mac was 12.  Mac kept on drinkin and didn’t let up for many years to come.  Continually giving in with every choice he made.

Mac worked on construction jobs for many years.  But when the Lord got hold of him, his life changed for the better.  Mac’s been dry since then and his wife Clora could not be happier with Mac.  Both Mac and Clora came from large families and they keep the family tradition going with children in their homes every day.

There’s more to the story as you might guess.  Ask Mac to tell you more as he continues to trim his hedges with the chainsaw like trimmer that he uses this very day on those long beautiful hedges along their property lines.  Mac, like you and I has a story to tell.  The story of choices he’s made and will continue to make to live a life of abundance and glory sharing his life at each turn of the road.

We have choices and we own the results just like Mac.  Should we blame circumstances?  Remember it’s our choice.  We may start in one direction but we have new beginnings at every cross road.  Do we see Mac’s road in our own lives?  Are we making the changes needed to be filled with glory, sharing our lives and encouraging others at each bend in the road?  Isn’t it our choice?  Just like Mac, we can make the real life changes in prosperity and bountiful living.

Did you hear the silent questions that changed Mac forever?  Remember, life change is so very often preceded by the question for change.   Mac’s questions in real life were not silent at all!  How about for you; questions, choices and change?  Even tragedy is more often preceded by the question to do, the choice that is made and the lives that are changed forever! Yes, there are always exceptions.  Like the locomotive coming toward you?  But the question, Why were you on the track anyway? Well now, do you think Mac hears his heart now?

Would you like to share your choices you’ve already made leading you to a fuller life?  A life with purpose?  Let’s take that walk together as you write your thoughts here on your landing page.

What’s my Life Purpose? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are the questions that will to lead me to choices to fulfill my life purpose?

What are my core Values? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What am I passionate about? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are the choices I’ll make leading me to fulfill my life purpose? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Other thoughts – Remember in the eBook you can just keep on writing.  This truly is your book.  It’s your choice.

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