Divine Appointment ~River Walk, San Antonio

© 2012 by Danna

            I made two wonderful friends in Japan . . . Dot (now living in Florida) and Hope (now in Texas). Having not seen one another for a few years, we made plans for Dot to meet me in Mississippi and then she and I drove to San Antonio (May 2004) to stay with Hope. We were going to have a girl’s weekend to catch up on our lives.

            Our first plan was to spend the day together sightseeing on the River Walk. As we were walking from the parking lot downtown, a lady fell in step behind us and asked if we knew which way to the river. We told her we were going in that direction and asked her to join us. Her name was Kathy.

            We all enjoyed the boat ride through the River Walk of shops and offices under the shade of beautiful trees, flowers, and vegetation. Everything we wanted to do was within walking distance so our next stop, which was lunch at the famous Fuddruckers, where attendants serve grilled burgers made from freshly ground beef, turkey, salmon, and even ostrich! Lunch was taken up with conversation about what God had been doing in our lives since we had last been together in Japan. It was obvious that the subject was a little foreign to Kathy. She was quiet but interested as we drew her in with our get-acquainted questions and reminiscences of our wonderful friendship.

            We left lunch fat and totally happy and walked down the block and around the corner toward The Alamo. It was smaller than I had imagined and unusually cool inside considering the heat of the San Antonio summer.  There was a lot of history and artifacts to peruse but what impressed me most was the rifle, “Old Betsy,” that Fess Parker had used in his portrayal of Davy Crockett. He had just donated it to The Alamo a few years earlier. I grew up watching “Davy Crockett” and “Daniel Boone” and I loved Fess Parker.

            The last stop of the day was a Mexican souvenir market. Since I am no shopper, (I can only do about one hour and then I’m done), Kathy and I sat down to rest inside the entrance. Dot and Hope continued to walk the path of small shops looking for bargains. Kathy told me she was Catholic and asked many questions about heaven. I answered what I could as I didn’t have a Catholic background. Just as I was beginning to come to the end of my knowledge, Hope (a former Catholic herself) appeared beside me. I motioned for her to take my place on the bench and said, “You’re up!” While I made my rounds through the marketplace, Hope gave Kathy “the rest of the story.”

            Totally exhausted, we all left the market and made our way back to the parking lot. Kathy said she had a few more places she wished to see.  Before we parted, we were able to pray with her and assured her that the day was no accident but had been orchestrated by God for her benefit. I planted, Hope watered, but it is God who gives the increase. This is as it should be, God is in control . . . but we must not ignore His divine appointments!

“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters,

but God who gives the increase.”  (1 Corinthians 3:7)

Sidenote:

Old Betsy - In American history, "Old Betsy" was the nickname of Davy Crockett's frontier rifle. On an early WALT DISNEY PRESENTS episode "Davy Crockett Goes to Congress" (1/26/55) Fess Parker as Davy Crockett received a rifle from the City of Brotherly Love. Davy thanked the citizens of Philadelphia with the following speech:  "This here's the most beautiful

rifle gun I ever hope to see. I like a good gun for it makes a man feel independent and prepared for peace of war. I just don’t know how to thank you enough. Such a pretty little lady I think I'll give her a name. Betsy, suit you folks?"  I'll always treasure this here testimony of your friendship. With a gun like this a man could put a rifle ball to the moon. First chance I get I'm gonna try."

            Davy later died fighting with Betsy at the Alamo on the episode "Davy Crockett at the Alamo" (2/23/55). The song "Old Betsy" (about Davy's rifle) was recorded by Fess Parker and the Sons of the Pioneers for RCA Children's Bluebird Records.

  

The Ballad of Davy Crockett

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee

            Greenest state in the Land of the Free
Raised in the woods so he knew ev’ry tree
Kilt him a b'ar when he was only three.
Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!
Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!

Off through the woods he's a marchin’ along
Makin’ up yarns an’ a singin’ a song
Itchin’ for fightin’ an’ rightin’ a wrong
Grizzley as a b’ar an twice as strong.
Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!
Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!

His land is biggest an’ his land is best
From grassy plains to the mountain crest
He’s ahead of us all meetin’ the test
Followin’ his legend into the West.
Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!
Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!
Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!

Tom Blackburn and George Bruns

(The Bill Hayes hit version had 20 verses.)