Modern Day Prophet

I had reason to reminisce last night. I came home from my usual 12 1/2 hours of work - no pity please I only work like, every other day- I was in a bit of a hurry because I had to meet someone in a few minutes to go over some very important business dealings. My wife informed me I had a message so I made a call. After I finished my phone call I finished getting cleaned up and changed and left for my meeting. I was a few minutes late but arrived all of thirty seconds before the other guy. The Lord was with me as He helped me keep a clear head with an over-tired mind. The Meeting went well and I came home. ( I know this is dragging out but bear with me...) I had another phone call to make, watched a little tv, then went to bed.
As I lay in bed I spent some time thinking. I wasn't thinking about my day at work or the big meeting I had or even what I watched on tv. I was remembering this little house on the south side of Tallahassee. Definitely not the "good" side of town. It was a great house for the people that were living there - at that time. What a Find! It had a fence that went all the way around the house. Most of the yard was really driveway. There was this big garage in the back perfect for working on cars. Danny Hayes, Joel Hayes and myself lived there. There were others who lived there for a time and some who you couldn't say for sure if they lived there or not. At the age of the "Men" that lived there, it was in fact, the perfect house. Not so nice that you had to be so careful that you were uncomfortable. It was in a neighborhood that was just bad enough to feel like you were living dangerously but could still sleep at night...if there wasn't a large and loud party going on at the time that is. It was definitely a "guys house" There was nothing girlie about it at all. (This would be where you would insert a Tim Allen "Grunt!" Arrgh Arrgh Arrgh.)
One of the most colorful people to grace that "Pad" with his presence was this modern day Prophet by the name of Joe Foss. I am the one that calls him that I don't know if anyone else has or not, but rest assured its a complement. Joe just had this look about him that made me think that. When we used to hang out together, He had this look that said He was passionate about whatever he was saying or Doing. He was passionate about His God. He was Passionate about his cars and He was passionate about his guns. I don't think I ever saw anything that scared him...much.
Joe didn't mince his words or waste time wondering if he might hurt your feelings. He expected you to be grown up enough to understand that he was speaking the truth. When he did, there was nothing hidden behind it. There was no subterfuge and no hidden agenda. He was Joe Foss. He spoke the truth as he saw it, now get over it.
We used to have a great time together. We used to go to this little unofficial dump back in the woods for "target practice". You just haven't lived till you squeeze the trigger on a 45 revolver and had the satisfaction of watching a jar half full of putrid mayonnaise splatter ten feet in all directions. You don't ever forget anything like that and you tell that story over and over to all the same people for as long as they'll let you. Joe Foss was also into "black powder" weaponry. I won't ever forget the sensation of squeezing the trigger on a black powder pistol and being able to feel the ever so slight pause before it actually fired or more vivid still the stark raving terror I felt, as I held that pistol aloft for what felt like hours but was only a full minute or two as I waited to make sure that the "misfire" didn't just go off a little bit late. It's all part of the sport and it was (if you will please pardon the pun) a "blast".
I don't get to do a lot of hunting, I just don't have the time or energy. But I don't squeeze the trigger on any type of rifle or pistol without thinking about Joe. He taught me most of what I know and more importantly he spent the time and effort to allow me to practice. Perhaps even more important he allowed me to use his guns. I ask you, as a guy, how so very cool is that?
Of course it wasn't all about guns, like I said Joe had this amazing fire in his eyes that was so intense that he actually enjoyed getting people to think he'd gone "mad". What he was though, was simply passionate. He could be just as passionate about his anger as he could about his humor. Ultimately as things go in this world Joe developed a new passion. That passion became his wife. With Joe's new priorities we eventually saw less and less of him. The wife and children putting his life into a whole new perspective.
Joe is one of those people that you say to yourself "the next time I get near, I Have Got To Look Him Up!" and then you never really do. It's like people who live in N.Y. who have never been to the Statue of Liberty. Or people who live in Florida who have never been to Disney. You think it will always be there so you can get to it later. Then you never do.
You know this is coming. The message I received as I came home from work, the first phone call I made was to let me know that Joe had gone on vacation with his wife to celebrate their anniversary. On the morning of their anniversary Joe Foss had a massive heart attack and died. He was 48 I believe, and I can't stand it that I don't know for sure; not because I can't find out, but simply because- I. Should. Know.
I haven't even talked to him in years and I can't stand that either.
My Love and prayers for His wife and family. I ask that you pray too. Thank You.

Deanna was born on her parents 4th anniversary. Today is Friday, her 41st birthday is tomorrow (I asked her permission to tell you that). She has to work tomorrow so I plan on spending as much time today with her, doing what she wants, as I can. I took a small time out to write this for Joe, his family, and You.
I realize that Dea and I have entered a time where we are going to get more and more of those phone calls. I try to be pragmatic. I accept it, but I also don't mind letting the whole world know that quite frankly, I don't like it one single bit. Tonight when I go to bed, I think I'm going to spend some more time reminiscing and updating my mental list of all of the other people that "I have got to look up!" and see about really doing just that.
Numbers 6:24
Will