When I looked through the door, I couldn’t believe my eyes.  There, seated at a long wooden library table was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.  Casual sweater, pleated skirt and leather slip-ons with her feet crossed at the ankles, she was registering for classes in her senior year.  Her golden hair flipped up precisely as it touched her shoulders and when she looked up all I saw were those azure colored eyes.  I was stricken!  Moments later she stood up and just kept getting up!  I couldn’t believe she was so beautiful and so tall.  I had to know if she was taller than me.  With my room-mate’s help we devised a plan to measure heights as she exited the room.  Without ever averting her gaze she glided from the room with me standing at my tallest in the doorway.  “You’ve got her by about that much” my roomy said, holding his thumb and index finger apart by two inches. 

With the height concern assuaged I began planning how to meet and actually talk to this beautiful woman that was living on the same planet as me.  To my great delight I discovered that she was in two of the same classes that I was taking.  Physics and English Literature had never had such an appeal, as now.  I arrived early for both to position myself appropriately for that all important casual yet coincidental meeting.  To my chagrin she had perfected the “straight ahead gaze” and I never had a chance to say a word.  Short of tripping her, I had run out of strategies to gain an inch in my quest.

Having spent considerable time and attention on my appearance thinking any day would be the day when I would actually meet this lady, I was appalled the afternoon of the touch football game in front of the boy’s dorm.  Fully lathered with sweat and grass-stained to the max I looked across the park to see her walking in the warm autumn sun.  She was a picture.  To my surprise, Donny, a new friend and wide receiver, called out to her and she responded with a delicate wave.  “You know her?” I blurted.  “Sure, that’s Charlote Shotwell.”  “Wow,” I mumbled.  “Wanna meet her?”  Donny continued. 

Before I could answer he had waved her to us and she was coming.   I would have paid big money for a shower, deodorant and mouth wash, but it was too late.  She was coming.  It was “D” day.  Now or never, big boy.  First impressions and all that seemed to just go out the window.  I just stood there all numb and nervous.  In my numbness I stumbled through an invitation to a dinner at another college and to my absolute amazement she said, “Yes.”  Later, I learned the free dinner and escape from cafeteria food was her real motivation. 

Within months I was sure that this was the woman I wanted to spend my life with.  One night I deliberately sat across from her and said, “I love you!”  She looked at me and responded, “Thank you.”  It wasn’t what I expected or wanted to hear.  Had I opened and held a door so that she could enter a building, then “thank you” would be polite to say the least.  But, after, “I love you!”  I expected something more.  It didn’t happen.  Just, “Thank you.”

What I have learned since is the fact that Charlote is not influenced by pressure or circumstances.  She is a woman of integrity and will only say what she knows is true.  Her word is gold.  When she says it, you can believe it.  It is one of the sterling qualities of who she is.  It is another reason that she is as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. 

It seemed like forever, but it finally happened.  One day, when I least expected it, she took me by the hand and looked into my eyes and said, “You told me once that you loved me.  I want you to know that I love you, too!”  I don’t think my feet touched the ground for a month or so after that and all I could say was, “Hey! Hey! Hey!”

Since those days, many days and years have passed.  We have been blessed with a beautiful daughter and handsome son-in-law and two of the most outstanding grandsons in the history of the world.  Life has been filled with wins and losses, sunshine and rain, laughter and tears, health and sickness; and lots of good coffee, fast cars and super friends.  On this the eve of our 37^th Wedding Anniversary, let me say with all my heart…”I LOVE YOU BABE!  THANK YOU FOR THE GREATEST YEARS OF MY LIFE!”  And, thanks for saying, “Yes,” to that sweaty, numb and nervous guy many years ago! 

This is a book report on, Black Elk Speaks.  It was recommended to me and I approached the book from a neutral posture.  Since reading it and forming my opinions I have talked to another friend who is an Oglala and was raised on the Pine Ridge reservation.  He is a born-again Christian and concurs with my observations.

First of all the book does provide excellent historical perspective of the Oglala tribe and the Pine Ridge.  It does show the intricate connection between the Native religion and the culture.  It’s impossible to separate one from the other.  It also gives great insight into Native American thinking and ways.  There are many pages that describe the heart-ache, blood-shed, hunger and sickness that the Oglala suffered.  There is an under-current of how the Native Americans are very spiritual people and are aware of supernatural events and spirits.  To understand Native Americans you must understand their quest for spiritual life.  

When you super-impose the Word of God on this book you can see clearly the distinction between the spirits of the world and the Holy Spirit of God.  Black Elk was a medicine man and came from a long line of medicine men.  The practices of these men are obviously in the mystical and demonic realm.   
The results of their practices are often supernatural because demon powers can accomplish supernatural results. 

When Black Elk relates his experience as a young boy and his vision seeing geese becoming people and men becoming bison etc. it is not of God’s Holy Spirit at all.  It falls in the realm of witchcraft, sorcery and demonic activity.  Additionally, Black Elk speaks of the sweat lodge and purification and ridding himself of evil.  Interestingly, people whether Native or any other culture have an innate awareness of evil, wrong or sin.  And they do all manner of things to rid themselves of wrong-doing.   Any anthropological study of world cultures will show various methods used.  For Black Elk and Native Americans the sweat lodge was the means to rid themselves of all evil. 

However, the truth is that none of us can save ourselves or rid ourselves of evil no matter what our penance may be.  There is only one way to be forgiven of all sin and that is by the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son.  He is the One who has paid the price and satisfied the legal requirement of the penalty of sin.  Calvary is the proof that Jesus shed His blood and whoever believes on Him will not perish but have Eternal life.  The old hymn says it well: “What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus!” 

Remember too, that the enemy will always use the counterfeit to deceive and confuse.  His deceptions are often accepted by people who are really seeking to know truth.  As sincere as they are, they are sincerely wrong because the deceiver has in fact tricked them with a lie.  Sounds like Adam & Eve all over again, doesn’t it? 

The conclusion for us should be a new resolve to reach and help Native Americans with the Good News of God’s love acceptance and forgiveness.    The Apostle Paul said:  “If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation.  Old things have passed away and behold all things have become new.” II Corinthians 5:17  

Let’s continue to tell the story and help Native American people everywhere.