1923 ROCKAWAY
Okay- there are lots of good
stories to tell on this trip- but I’m trying to keep them short.
Let’s do the NYC trip today
[do=tell].
The other day I took a trip to
the city with Patrick—an old friend I met about 12 years ago- he was my ‘tour
guide’.
I haven’t been to the city in
many years- and I have no idea what buses/trains to take.
Pat knows all the routes.
So we took this nice route that lets
you see all the famous areas- from the top of the rail road tracks.
We got off at the last [and
final! For you Pat] stop on the A train- Rockaway.
This is the Queens section of the
city- Howard Beach- Gotti’s club- you know- the ‘famous’ spots.
As we walked to Pats brothers’
house- he told me the story of his family.
Pat grew up in somewhat of a dysfunctional
home- like most of us have.
His parents died early on- and he
had this older brother that he never really knew- 20 years his senior.
So- one year Pat made an attempt
to find him- he looked him up in the phone book and tracked the house.
As Pats brother came home- Pat
was on the steps- blocking his way- he said ‘can you move- you’re in my way’- and
that was the reunion.
Pat told me that his brother was an
addict for many years as well- he used to see him sleeping on the subway stop-
he would give him a few dollars if he had it.
After many years- his brother finally
got clean- and married a great Christian lady- Veronica.
I met them both on the trip this
day.
We hung out most of the day at
Pat’s brothers place- we had a good time- we were helping Veronica hook up to
Facebook and stuff.
She has a nice computer- but needed
help getting everything working- you know- most people are not experts like
myself [okay- maybe not- this trip was the first time I ‘texted’].
It was funny- after I helped her
hook up to Facebook- and Pat was helping her get the phone hooked in as well.
I said ‘that’s it Veronica- you’re
in- now all that happens is you get a bill for 50 each month’.
At that point she looked at me-
yeah- you could tell she’s a real New Yorker [of course I was kidding].
On the way back to Manhattan- I
took a few more pics from the rail- and me and Pat had some good time
fellowshipping.
Pat now sponsors a couple of guys
thru the NA [narcotics anonymous].
He got a call from one of the guys
while we were waiting for the train to leave.
It was a learning experience- to
see how the group works along biblical lines.
The last time I saw Pat was about
8 years back- Pat was hooked and you could tell.
Pat overdosed real bad a few
years ago- I got a call and they told me he might have died- he was in the
hospital and I put him on the web site and asked for prayer.
Pat pulled thru- but he messed up
his leg real bad- he walks with a very bad limp- but he never complains.
This week I have been reading
John 17- it’s the famous prayer of Jesus [besides the Our father]
Jesus says ‘for their sakes I
sanctify myself- that they too might be sanctified thru the truth’.
Sanctify means separate.
Jesus was saying he set himself
apart to do God’s will- he did this so others too might be free.
The example from my friend Pat-
and his brother- and a few other people I have met on this trip- is one where people
got to the end of the road [last AND final stop].
They lived many years in bondage to
things- Jesus said ‘whoever commits sin becomes the slave of sin’.
These have learned what that
means.
And they got to a point where they
had enough- they have now ‘separated themselves so others too could be free’.
Yeah- my Rockaway trip was a real
learning experience- in more ways than one.
Note- Do me a favor, those who
read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read
them on. Thanks- John. Don’t forget to scroll down on the timeline [Facebook] -
I have posted lots.
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