Love has a heartbeat; hope has a hand, Grace has a face….

Last night I finished reading Judy Paling’s new book, “Living Proof”.

I had the chance to meet Judy a couple of years ago in Ontario. She is related to Terry’s mum and found me on Facebook. 

I was a little nervous to meet someone in person that I didn’t really know so I asked my mum to accompany me for the drive out into the county that May day. 

We met at the Dairy Freeze in Essex  which is iconic for all who are from the area or surrounding towns. We went there many many times as children to get the best soft serve ice cream around and back then I think they had “carhops” who would roller skate up to your car to take your order and then deliver it when it was prepared. Judy worked there as a teen and was very good friends with the owners so she asked to meet there as it was also close to her home.

Dairy Freeze looked like it hadn’t changed a bit except for the expansion of the rolling property to provide more tables and a few indoor tables in a screened in area. This is where we sat for lunch.

When Judy Paling walks into a room it is not a silent experience...ha ha. She is larger than life and she wore clothing that reflected her formidable personality(giant, colourful butterfly printed shirt that day).

After a huge hug we sat down and were drawn into the whirlwind of conversation and knuckle knocking table exclamations that accompanied every ‘hallelujah’ . Judy is amazing to be around. She spoke so quickly and with so much information that I didn’t have to be worried about lulls in the conversation. You couldn’t possibly guess that this person who is so full of love and ‘light’ has been through so much suffering.

So I had a preview of some of the stories that she recorded in her book, Living Proof. 

Judy and I actually have a lot in common from joint replacements to working on the theatrical stage to being both women of strong faith. (Her favourite role onstage was as Mother Superior in Nunsense.) 

Do you think that God has abandoned us in this time of Covid?  Do you think miracles are a thing of the past?  Do you even believe in miracles? Well, Judy’s story has miracles aplenty and her stories are incredible and uplifting. 

The book is quite slim and an ‘easy read’ but is packed with powerful stories to give one hope . I really really enjoyed it. You can find it on Amazon.

One of my favourite parts was a poem she included from Sr. Pastor, Craig F.Pitts, who had a dream and was so moved by it that he spent the rest of the night writing down the dream...entirely in rhyme. 

Here it is for you to enjoy as well…..

                                                Eternal Ink 

I dreamed I was in heaven, where an angel kept God’s book, he was writing so intently I just had to take a look.

It was not, at first his writing that made me stop and think, But the fluid in the bottle was marked, “Eternal Ink”.

This “ink” was most amazing, dark black upon his blotter, But as it touched the parchment, it became as clear as water. The angel kept on writing, but as quickly as a wink, The words were disappearing with that strange “Eternal Ink”.

The angel took no notice but kept writing on and on, He turned each page and filled it til all its space was gone. I thought he wrote to no avail as his efforts were so vain. For he wrote a thousand pages that he’d never read again.

Yet as I watched and wondered that this awesome sight was mine, I actually saw a word stay black as it dried upon the line. The angel wrote, and I thought I saw a look of satisfaction, A last, he had some print to show for all his earnest action.

A line or two dried dark and stayed as black as black can be, But strangely, the next paragraph became invisible to see. The book was getting fuller, the angel’s record true, But most of it was blank, with just a few words coming through.

I knew there was some reason, but as hard as I could think, I couldn’t grasp the significance of that “Eternal Ink”. Ther mystery burned within me, and I finally dared to ask, The angel to explain to me his amazing task.

And what I heard was frightful as the angel turned his head, He looked directly at me, and this is what he said.. “ I know you stand and wonder at what my writing’s worth, But God has told me to record the lives of those on earth.

The book that I am filling is an accurate account, Of every word and action and to what they do amount. And since you have been watching I must tell what is true; The details of my journal are the strict accounts of YOU! 

The Lord asked me to watch you as each day you worked and played. I saw you as you went to church. I saw you as you prayed. But I was told to document your life through all the week, I wrote when you were proud and bold; I wrote when you were meek. 

I recorded all  your attitudes, whether they were good or bad, I was sorry that I had to write the things that made God sad. So now I’ll tell you the wonder of this Eternal Ink, For the reason for its mystery should make you stop and think. 

This ink that God created to help me keep my journal, Will only keep a record of things that are eternal. So much of life is wasted on things that matter not, So instead of me erasing, smudging ink and ugly blot..

I just keep writing faithfully and let the ink do all the rest, For it is able to decide what’s useless and what’s best. And God ordained that as I write of all you do and say, Your deeds that count for nothing will just disappear away.

When books are opened someday, as sure as heaven is true; The Lord’s Eternal Ink will tell what mattered most to you. If you just lived to please yourself the pages will be bare, And God will issue no reward for you when you get there. 

In fact, you’ll be embarrassed; you will hang your head in shame, Because you did not give yourself in love to Jesus’ Name. Yet maybe there will be a few recorded lines that stayed, That showed the times you truly cared, sincerely loved and prayed.

But you will always wonder as you enter heaven’s door, How much more glad you would have been if only you’d done more. For I record as God sees, I don’t stop to even think, Because the truth is written in God’s Eternal Ink.

When I heard the angel’s story, I fell down and wept and cried, For as yet I still was dreaming I hadn’t really died. And I said : O angel tell the Lord that soon as I awake, I’ll live my life for Jesus -- I’ll do all for His dear sake! 

I’ll give in full surrender; I’ll do all He wants me to; I’ll turn my back on self and sin and whatever isn’t true. And though the way seems long and rough , I promise to endure, I’m determined to pursue the things that are holy, clean, and pure.

With Jesus as my helper, I will bring lost souls to Thee, For I know that they will live with Christ for all eternity. And that’s what really matters when my life on earth is gone, That I will stand before the Lord and hear Him say, “Well Done.”

For is it really worth it as my life lies at the brink, And I realize that God keeps books with His “eternal ink” Should all my life be focused on things that turn to dust? From this point on, I’ll serve the Lord’ I can, I will, I must! 

I will NOT send blank pages up to God’s majestic throne, For where that record’s going now is my eternal home. I’m giving all to Jesus, I now have seen the link, For I dreamed an angel wrote my life with God’s “Eternal Ink”.

This poem really affected me and renewed my hope after reading about the many miracles that happened in connection with Judy’s strong faith and trust in God. 

I’ll never forget my meet up with Judy Paling at the Dairy Freeze and her book will be counted among my very favourites now. She truly went from “wounded to warrior”.