Family trip full of miracles

I have been staying with my son in Fort Worth. I want to thank you for the many prayers you have prayed. Lance is getting better. He is able to laugh and love.

He still has a long battle of fighting cancer ahead of him, but with your prayers he will get there. Thank you so much! Please keep praying. He is my miracle and I’m holding on to it.

My youngest son, Lane, and his wife were bringing me back home from Fort Worth when we stopped at Clarendon for ice cream. As we placed our order, we noticed quite a few framed photos of local antique and historic homes hanging on a wall as part of the store’s décor. They were beautiful.

One had gables, porches and wooded beautiful trees. As I looked at them, one of them caught my eye. I looked first and then I screamed! I knew that one house was my great grandmother’s. We asked and found the location of the house, and when we drove to it, I instantly knew we had found Granny Lowe’s house. There was a Texas and National Historic place sign in the front that described Granny Lowe’s house. The sign told the history of her house. It was one of the Texas homes in 1904. It is still standing and it is still beautiful.

The current owner, a very sweet lady, took us on a guided tour and showed us how she and her mother had painstakingly renovated the old Queen Anne Victorian Home.

I began to cry when I saw the massive hand-carved steps winding their way down from upstairs. I was just a little girl then, but I still remember Granny’s Lowe’s golden wedding anniversary. Her 11 children had made everything just right for the celebration. As Granny Lowe came down the stairs with her bouquet, Granddaddy Lowe waited and took her in his arms.

I went back in time and just stood there. The furniture came back to me as a child. The doors came together. The floor looked as if it had never been touched. I almost saw in the mirrors Great Granddaddy and Great Granny Lowe. The porch went all around the house. Two huge trees were in the back and they looked as if they had been there just waiting for me.

Six generations. That’s what they are. Six generations to love Jesus. Six generations to bring up people to obey commandments and six generations to help others.

Granny Lowe began a young wife’s life journey long ago. “Will it be a long journey?” “Yes.” The answer came, “but it will not be a lonely journey for I will always be with you and before your traveling days are ended you will be quite a different person than you are now. You will learn many lessons in loving and living. These lessons will be worth more than silver and gold.”

So the young wife, so much in love with her husband, lived and loved each day and there was joy in the morning.

Children blessed the home and she loved and laughed with her children. She thought, “Who could be happier than me?”… and joy came in the morning.

Storms came as storms do. They fell upon her roof and beat against her window panes. Yet love held her house together and that brought joy in the morning.

She became a grandmother. The same love she had for her children now covered the grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Time passed quickly and at eventide, the young wife, who had now covered her family with great joy, crossed the other side and awakened in Heaven. Loved ones ran to meet her while angels rejoiced in the eternal joy of love.

What a great blessing to have experienced these two miracles in one weekend trip.

I witnessed Lance’s love and faith. I also relived precious childhood memories of my great grandmother’s legacy ... a house filled with faith, hope and love.

Portales resident Joan Clayton is a retired teacher and published author. Her e-mail address is:

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