Beloved husband
Of one wife
Beloved father
Grand and great grand
Beloved friend
To all in his orbit
Stillness now covers
The frenetic pace
Time is run out here
And begun elsewhere
Rounded third base
And now safe at home
Beyond the hurley burley
Beyond our view
Under restful skies
By the side of the Eternal
Father and Husband
And Friend.
RWOz2
We buried my father yesterday. I wrote these thoughts as a tribute to him.
Love you, Dad.
The Purser took us into their commodious tent where we shared a meal, then turned in for the night.
First thing in the morning he and Elijah went off to a meeting with the many leaders of the settlement, while I stayed with Mary and the children. I caught them up on our adventures and they filled me in on theirs.
Only a couple of days after our parting they had met and joined a large party from the north. This group rejoiced greatly over the message her husband shared with them, and made him their leader upon learning its source was Elijah.
Retha proudly informed me that her brother is famous among them for his prowess with the sling.
Enoch writes:
We are on our way.
Much earlier than planned, as we no longer believe that Elijah will be returning to the country home with the Purser.
The children are helpful, eager in fact, to shoulder their small portion of our belongings.
Mary looks back at the burning sky behind us and worries. I assure her in the strongest terms that her husband and Elijah are safe and most likely at sea. I can feel it in my bones.
I stayed awake to count the stars in the sky last night. Hence, I was a witness to a light that briefly appeared on one side of the lake ahead of us.
It was the first area we searched. And as there were fewer homes on that side of the lake we quickly found the only one occupied, and the source of the light.
The occupants are indeed the wife of the Purser and his children. She has set the light nightly in hopes that it would lead her husband to them. Though disappointed that “we” were not him, they are overjoyed to hear he is well.
She desires that he come join them in their flight from the city.
We spent a quiet night at the Purser’s home.
The silence continued into the next day. We took our time searching the house. Here and there we found evidence of their attachment to Hamashiach.
It was Elijah who picked up a scrap of paper that had fallen behind a desk and turned it over to find a note from the Purser’s wife. In it she wrote to her husband that they had left to his mother’s place in the country. I knew from my conversations with him the general direction. And that it was further away than the Captain would allow.
We debated whether or not to return to the ship to inform the Purser.
We decided to press on.
Some people who were behind us left. None from in front.
The whole situation bothers Lyle. He says that nothing is like it should be.
The widow and her son settled in to rest. From what I’ve learned, when her husband was alive, they took care of Lyle at a needy period in his life. It explains my companion’s actions of late.
Come morning the line grew again as people returned to take their places. What they had to say was not encouraging. Many have been out all week and have yet to be called up to the gate.
The morning went swiftly, but the afternoon dragged on.
I have the feeling that we will be spending the night again.
Watch This Space 