(March 4, 1909)
It was barely daylight when Will’s mother asked him to deliver a fresh loaf of her pumpkin bread to Mr. and Mrs. Wrinkles.
“Here, take this bread to Mr. and Mrs. Wrinkles, and I will milk the cow for you. Hurry along while it’s still warm!”
The elderly couple had moved in just a half-mile south to the old Simm’s farm. Will’s mother had prepared the bread as a “welcoming” gift for the new parson and his wife.
Arriving at the front porch of the Wrinkles’ home, Will could hear the faint sound of singing coming from inside. It sounded very nice, and although it drew him – not wanting to disturb, he turned to go back home when suddenly the singing stopped and the front door opened. It was Mr. Wrinkles.
“Here now! If it isn’t young Mr. Miller come to visit! Come inside and join us!”
Will took his hat off as he entered the home; turning, he then held out the pumpkin bread to Mrs. Wrinkles who was standing nearby.
“Mother sent this to you all. It’s pumpkin bread with walnuts.”
Mrs. Wrinkles replied with a smile, “Well, how nice! Please, tell your mother we said thank you.”
Will nodded in response, saying, “The pumpkin came from Mr. Mullaney, and the walnuts from us. We have a whole passel of walnut trees in the backyard. Grandpa says, if we don’t pick the walnuts up after they fall, he is apt to forget they are there and skate down over the hill! He says he doesn’t bounce like he used to!”
Mr. and Mrs. Wrinkles chuckled, and then Mr. Wrinkles spoke: “The Mrs. is getting ready to fix breakfast, you will stay and eat with us. Of course you will!”
And with that Mr. Wrinkles opened the lid to the cook stove and placed three corn cobs on the fire, exclaiming “A good woman can cook breakfast on three corn cobs, just see if she isn’t!”
Mrs. Wrinkles responded, “Now, Mr. Wrinkles!”
He winked at Will and then scooted his big feet into the living room as she began breakfast.
When he and Will were seated, Will spoke, “I couldn’t help but hear your singing, sir.”
Mr. Wrinkles smiled and said, “Why, yes. The Mrs. and I, sing a couple of hymns together every morning.”
Will thoughtfully responded, “Mr. Parmenter said that heavenly song is for the people of the cross.”
Mr. Wrinkles got a solemn look on his face. “Ah, yes, wonderful Mr. Parmenter. I understand that the two of you were good friends.”
Will nodded, and then Mr. Wrinkles continued. “Well, he was correct. Christian folk should begin every morning with heavenly song, I call it rehearsal.”
Will looked puzzled, and in a questioning voice replied, “Rehearsal, sir?”
Mr. Wrinkles reached for his Bible, and said, “Why, yes, let me show you. It says right here in Psalm 143, “Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down unto the pit. Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust.”
Mr. Wrinkles then leaned forward in his chair and pointed at the passage with his long index finger.
“Now, Will, I don’t want to make this complicated, but this passage is not speaking of the morning as just any ole’ morning. But, more specifically, the Lord’s return, and the resurrection of the dead. That is why the writer says, ‘Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning.’ It’s the trumpet blast the apostle Paul spoke of, announcing The Day of the Lord, and the writer, trusting in the Lord, wants to be sure that he hears it, so that he awakes to life everlasting! Peter speaks of this also.”
Mr. Wrinkles turned the pages in his Bible to 2 Peter 1:19 “Right here it is – We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts…”
Mr. Wrinkles then asked Will, “So, when does the day dawn?”
Will responded cautiously, “The morning?”
Mr. Wrinkles smiled and said “Yes, Will, in the morning! You see, the word ‘morning’ in Scripture is often referring to a particular event. It’s a code word, if you will, referring to the beginning of The Day of the Lord. And those that are in Christ will arise singing praises to God! Therefore, we should begin every morning as a rehearsal if you will for ‘The Morning’!”
Mr. Wrinkles continued, “There is so much more to what I am saying; and it is all right here in the Bible. That is why every morning should begin with prayer, study, and yes, singing praises to the One who redeemed us. Then we will declare with David, “But I will sing of thy power, yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning…” (Psalm 59:16)
Will perked up and responded, “Not just every morning, but in The Morning!”
Mr. Wrinkles clapped his hands together as he answered, “You are correct my son! Now, let’s go eat a bite of breakfast! Say, do you use black pepper with your fried eggs?”
Will replied, “I never tried, sir.”
“What? Never tried pepper with your eggs? Well, come in here and let’s see if I can gain a convert!”
As they entered the kitchen, Will paused and looked upon the scene with a full heart.With her kind and gentle face, Mrs. Wrinkles was setting a pan of biscuits on the table; she was humming an old hymn. The coffee pot, steaming hot, was making a slow gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, and the old cuckoo clock, with it’s painted songbird announced it was seven o’clock.
There was peace and purity in the little home, and Will understood the elderly couple were a special kind of people.
Taking their seats, the three joined hands to ask a blessing over the meal, and the young farm boy silently thanked His friend above. Yes, the Lord had sent new neighbors! What a wonderful morning it was!
“There’s a light upon the mountains, And The Day is at it’s spring,
When our eyes shall see the beauty, And the glory of the King,
Weary was our heart with waiting, And the night watch seemed so long,
But His triumph day is breaking, And we shall hail it with a song.”
– Henry Burton 1840-1930.
Lord willing, until next time.