"God's Love Is Free!" Insight Into the Heart of a Woman Who Desired to Bless Civil War Reenactors

    The following is a transcription of a devotional that my wife, Vicki Rowe gave to a woman’s group about her heart in reenacting the U.S. Christian Commission at Old Mahoning Baptist Church, Home, PA shortly after we had started reenacting -- probably about 1995 or 96.  She is sharing with the women of that church, none of whom were reenactors, what we as a family were doing and why.   I found her hand written notes of her testimony while going through old papers.  Those of you who have been blessed by her at the tent will indeed see that she loved you guys and wanted to bless you in many ways.  (Vicki went home to Heaven on March 3, 2016):

    We all cherish photographs because they remind us of special people or events.  Our heart also carries pictures of God’s faithful training in our lives.  I asked God which snapshot from this past year to share with you.
    Have you ever told God that you wanted to serve Him – that you were willing to do whatever He asked?  When God answered and gave you a job to do, maybe the job was less than fun, maybe even something you were not good at – but He was asking you to depend on Him.  Deep down inside, we all hope God will use our strong points, instead of exposing our weaknesses to other people.
    To be painfully honest, I am afraid of grasshoppers – terrified of bees – dislike making buttonholes – feel sick at the smell of smoke – not good at avoiding stepping in the cow patties -- and my least favorite subject in school was history.  Do you understand my sinking feeling when God chose to give my family a hobby of Civil War reenacting?  When I married my husband 20+ years ago, I had no idea that we would eventually develop a hobby that include so many things I was afraid of.
    I smiled at God’s sense of humor, and decided to keep my promise to serve Him in trying to be God’s hands, feet, and voice to this group of people.  Last year was our first full year, and we chose 6-8 events to be involved in.  We planned various acts of kindness that included baking food to share with the troops, helping cook over the open fire, sewing pouches with buttonholes, crocheting scrubbies, handing out samples of stamps/envelopes, and carrying many bucketfulls of water.  We would come home both sore and tired – but God has been faithful to teach us many lessons.
    This year the Mesopotamia [Ohio] event was one we worked hardest preparing for. Probably about 1500+ reenactors. We decided to take a week’s vacation so we could be there for the full 3 days.  We spent a month doing without sleep so we could get everything done that God had laid on our hearts to do.
    Saturday came – we actually made it there in one piece with projects just finished, wool outfits pressed and on the proper person, and did fairly well in being there on time in the morning.  The kids and I worked on getting ready to carry the boxes in while my husband went to find our unit’s location.  And could you believe it – it started pouring.  Everything was soaked including the sewing projects we brought to share, our clothes, shoes.  You cannot build a fire in pouring rain.  I started telling God how discouraged I was – how I feared that the children would get sick from being cold and soaked.  I felt God had neglected His duty to bless my obedience and smooth the way.  After all, if we are doing God’s work, doesn’t He smooth the way and give good results?
    But as I thought about why we were there – to show acts of kindness to the reenactors in hopes that God will soften their hearts to Him and draw some of them closer to Himself, what better way to show God’s love then to do it when things are difficult.  Jesus did not come to earth, taking on human limitation, to offer Himself as sacrifice for our sins because it was easy to do.  Jesus showed His kindness and love on the cross at Calvary under the harshest of circumstances.
    Maybe God has asked you to serve Him in something that is fun to do – or maybe He has asked you to do a job that leaves you feeling bedraggled.  Either way, He still asks the same question.  “Who is the servant – Me or thee?”  Are we going to allow God to use us even doing things that we are not good at?  He is asking us to depend on Him.
    That weekend at Mesopotamia through the rain and mud we offered God’s love to the reenactors – “God’s love is free! So is this soldier!”  Through the grasshoppers and bees, amidst the cow patties, in spite of the rain we watched God use what little we could do to point reenactors to Him and His free love for them.  Only God knows the results.  Let God use you in all you do, the things you are good at and the things that you struggle to do, to point others to Him.   Pass along the grace God’s given you to others so that they too may find God’s free grace. 

Some of my reflections on her commitment to passing along God’s love to other through reenacting:

    When I first expressed interest in doing Civil War reenacting, Vicki asked if we could do it as a family.  I said yes, the unit is family friendly.  So, she said she wanted to be involved.  Of course, she fed our unit with goodies at the early events we attended.  Then when we learned about the U.S Christian Commission, I remember her saying that we should portray them because it would allow us to offer food and drink to others beyond our unit.  Feed the unit or feed the whole reenactment? OK why not.
    She also sewed things like small pouches & housewives kits, drawstring bags we filled with things like packets of salt & sugar & matches, and handkerchiefs to put out on the gift table at our tent along with the stationery kits & tracts I would put out.
    As we reenacted over the years, she actually came to enjoy history.
    At the event that she cites, I do remember that among the large assortment of cookies and baked goods were six banana boxes full of pumpkin bread loaves.  At that time, we didn’t have a tent, so we used our unit’s storage tent to keep things, and would throughout the day fill up trays with goodies and walk around among the encampment along with lemonade in porcelain pots saying “US Christian Commission. God’s love is free and so is this”.
    So, in the above talk which Vicki is sharing with the ladies at the church about why she is working so hard at a challenging opportunity the Lord has asked her to do -- what is her motivation? It is not fame or fortune.  It is to be a small part in pointing others to Jesus.  It is to bless others in Jesus’ name.  Serving Him is our way of saying “Thank you Jesus for doing on the cross what we could never do ourselves – atone for our sin.” God’s love is free!  God’s love is not for sale!  It is not “church” or “rituals” or “money” or “good deeds” which saves us from judgement for our sins.  It is believing in our hearts that we are forgiven by grace – undeserved love – that Jesus showed on the cross.  Do not be a Pharisees who pridefully thinks that by keeping the laws then God will then owe you forgiveness & heaven.  Come as the thief on the cross who admits "I really do deserve punishment" yet cry out to Jesus for mercy “remember me Lord”.

    Vicki wants to welcome you at the tent in Heaven with a hug and some special delicious goodies saying “God’s love is free! Welcome Home! Come on in!”  Put your faith in Jesus alone.

 
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

God bless,
Glenn Rowe

In Honor of my Beloved Wife Vicki Lynn Rowe

An Observation about "Hair Strands" -- Reminders of love

    Hair strands can bug you at times.  Guys, you know, that strand of hair in the lunch she packed or the cake she baked, that strand of hair randomly appearing on the shirt just put on.  Vicki would always apologize for the hair strands as she picked them off my shirt or coat.  I would sometimes "pick on her" about finding "evidence" she had been there.  Other times I would just laugh and say "see, it says you love me".

     Guys, value those hair strands you find.  Treasure them as evidence that God has given you a woman who loves you, puts up with you, works with you, and blesses you with her sharing her life with you.  I am still finding hair strands around the house.  Reminders that God blessed me for over 41 years with a woman who made me a better person than I would have ever been on my own.  Guys, if you still have that woman in your life, thank her for the reminders she leaves around you.  And always remember, she is God's gift to you -- on loan -- treasure her.  (written March 11, 2016)

     Vicki went home to be with her Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ, March 3, 2016.  She let the love of Jesus flow through her life to others as she served and fed them.  Our involvement in reenacting

Vicki Lynn Kammeyer Rowe
Born:  Sept.8, 1953
Went Home:  March 3, 2016

the United States Christian Commission came from her heart that she could feed the reenactors as we shared with them the history of the USCC and showed them the love of Jesus.  Her servant's heart changed our involvement in reenacting from an enjoyable interest in exploring history into a gentle ministry of love and encouragement for Jesus' honor.
     She was always concerned if we would have enough food to give away, and if it would taste good enough for the men coming to our tent.  "Some how" we always had plenty to share and it always tasted good.  The soldiers would come in under the tent fly and always find enjoyable variety to go along with a tin can of refreshing lemonade or mint tea.  For lunch we would put out slices of cheese, pepperoni & crackers -- a simple lunch for many a soldier who came by because Vicki did not want any of the guys to go hungry for lunch.
     The sign we hang on the tent reads "Free Food for the Soldier.  God bless You" and we mean it.  If any reenactor hesitates or asks "how much?" our answer always is "God's love is free, so is this soldier! Come on in!  Want something to eat?  Some lemonade or mint tea?"
     Vicki would spend days before an event baking and preparing.  Some things could be baked ahead a few days.  Other items had to be baked the day before to "taste just right".  She would often stay up late baking.  Or sewing on projects to be put out on the gift table for the men -- like draw string comfort bags or pocket handkerchiefs.
     Set up was directed by her doing and giving directions at the same time.  She was always thinking about how to do things efficiently while having room for the kids -- then grand kids -- in the tent and still be organized to feed the troops.  She would periodically upgrade the coverings we would use to cover the serving tables, hay bales, food tables to get them to fit better/ look better.  She enjoyed the challenge of being creative with sewing.  But all that she did was for the goal of better serving those who would come to our tent;  that they would feel welcome, that they would enjoy coming; that we would represent well the USCC delegates who served the soldiers during the Civil War.
     Our children grew up learning to serve others at reenactments as well as in the churches we served in.  They learned a lot from their mother's example.  Vicki was an example to all who came to our tent of what the original Christian Commission Delegates were to the Civil War soldiers -- servants of others as they served Jesus Christ.
     Through Vicki's love and compassion reenacting the USCC has been for us a positive family experience of serving others while exploring history.  She has fed thousands of strangers over the years on many a battlefield.  As I said at the Reenactor Memorial Service:  "Vicki loves you guys, and Jesus loves you even more."

What Christ Means to Me

a poem written by Vicki in High School

What Jesus Christ means to me,

I would like to share with thee.

Remember how he lived to die,

To serve each one -- you and I.

He created the heavens and earth,

Including the pearls beyond all worth.

How could I help but love him so,

He left heaven for a world of woe.

Now he wants me to serve Him always,

He's promised to give me the right words to say.

With the pierced ear of service,

I serve him always.

I've told you in brief what He means to me.

Now tell me sir;  What's He to thee?

She loved me enough to marry me August 24, 1974.  She is not here today for me to tell her I love her and thank her for her gift of love to me.  So I write this as a way of honoring her and her love for Jesus and her love for me.  I look forward to the day I get to see her again in heaven, not because of what I've done, but because of what Jesus did for me on the cross -- dying in my place so I could be forgiven of my sins.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Pocket Handkerchief Challenge From the United States Christian Commission

Challenging others to pass along encouragement.

     Vicki got into a sewing mood this spring.  She bought an assortment of cloth and began making what we call "Pocket Handkerchiefs", when sewn the squares of cloth measure about 12" x 12" or a little bigger. Over the years I've always found it helpful to have one in my pocket especially on hot days to wipe away the sweat.  From time to time she would invest the material & time in making up some that we would give away.  Sometimes we'd hand them out to a particular unit we knew, or we'd put them out at the tent on the gift table we always set up.

     In the early years I'd always carry one or two in my haversack when we'd go on the march or into battle and give them away at random.  I still smile at one time I offered the gift to a soldier.  It was a hot July day at a Gettysburg reenactment.  Our brigade was in reserve and we were soaking in the sun, sweat pouring off us, waiting to go in.  As I walked the line, I saw one gray haired soldier wiping the sweat from his brow as it literally ran off his face.  I reached into my haversack and pulled out a pocket handkerchief and said "Here soldier, use this, it's yours to keep."  He looked at me with a suspicious frown and mumbled "don't want it".  Before I could say something to assure him it really was an honest offer, one of the guys from my unit spoke up and said "It's OK.  He's the Christian Commission and they give stuff away for free.  Really, he does stuff like this all the time."  With that endorsement, the soldier accepted the gift with a smile and found some relief from the heat.

     Every time Vicki starts sewing the pocket handkerchiefs to give away, I think back to that suspicious soldier and his smile as he found relief from the heat.  Truly Vicki's work of searching for affordable deals on cloth, on cutting and sewing the gifts has blessed many a hot tired heart long after they walked away from our tent.

     This year I've decided to make a challenge to the troops as they pickup the handkerchiefs on the gift table.  I've pinned to each handkerchief a small note which says:  If this pocket handkerchief blesses you, then remember our Lord's words and pass along a blessing of your own to a fellow soldier who needs encouragement:  "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  Matt.25:40  The U.S. Christian Commission

     What each man or woman chooses to do in response to the challenge is up to them.  But I just want them to pause and think about how they could in turn pass along a blessing of encouragement to someone they know.  That would be a true "thank you" to Vicki for her labor of kindness.

     Handkerchief size?  We've been told various sizes.  One person insisted that the accurate size was 20"x20" or 24"x24" for bandanna types.  Ours are not based on an actual example we have.  To be honest, the size varies a bit depending on how many Vicki can best cut out of the width of the cloth and not waste material.  She also folds over the edges a couple of times and sews them, so a little width is lost there.  She mainly came up with the 12x12/ 14x14 finished size; small enough to fit in a pocket, economical enough to have enough to give away to as many soldiers as we can.  Somehow I don't think a Civil War soldier back in the 1860s would have said "hey, this isn't the right size ya'know" if someone was handing how the type Vicki makes at a hospital or encampment.
     Cloth resource suggestion:  This year, Vicki has been visiting the Good Will/ Salvation Army stores near us and looking for cloth to use for handkerchiefs, comfort bags, aprons etc.  She has found some good quality sheets made of cotton, both regular and a few fleece-type that are usable for the handkerchiefs.  So in the spirit of the USCC, she buys them, washes them and cuts them up to be used in her sewing projects to supplement the cloth she buys at the fabric store.

Honorable Women Among Us

A Mother's Day Tribute to Reenacting Women

    The first large reenactment we went to as spectators was to Cedar Creek.  I remember the infantry, the artillery, the cavalry, the sutlers, the battle, and oh yes, there were women there in hoop skirts.  But to be honest, I don't have a memory of the women in camp dresses.  I know they were there.  But as a first time spectator, a male interested in military history, what women I noticed were nice but not needing great attention.  I do remember one woman in black mourning clothes.  But my focus was on what the men were wearing and doing. 



Lemonade Conference



     After many years of reenacting I now realize how much the women, especially those in camp dresses contribute to the hobby.  Now for the record I am not against women who wear hoop skirts.  They have their place of adding to the perspective of the encampment for the spectators.  They are the "celebrities" the spectators see.  But my experience has been that it is the camp dress women who are the oil in the reenacting machinery.  I've seen this in the units we have reenacted with over the years. These women bring the food, tend the fires, clean up after, patch up the outfits, manage the kids, find the canteens or the socks or the haversack or whatever else "was just here honey".

     Yes, I know that the women can wear both hoop skirts and camp dresses.  And some actually do both roles well and with balance.  But I think we will all have to admit that there are certain personalities that do better at being the served than serving, and so the dress often does distinguish the heart.

     On this mother's day weekend, I want to pay tribute to my wife who has been a camp dress lady.  She has worked hard prior to each reenactment getting us all ready, preparing food for sharing, often baking for the entire week before hand what we would offer at the tent.  Early on she did try wearing a few hoops under her skirt but gave up because "there is just too much work to get done to be bothered trying to maneuver around in it".  I think of the many other women who I've known who came along with their husband's odd hobby out of love and loyalty to him, and have contributed so much to making the hobby great and gotten so little recognition.  If you have such a woman who comes along with you, you need to say a heartfelt thanks many times throughout the year to them.  If there are women in your unit who serve your unit you need to show them respect and honor.

     The women will notice they are honored even if they don't say so.  Let me give two examples.

     One time we did an event in Columbus, OH. (Vicki is from that area).  We didn't know people at the event.  We just showed up, set up and began to do our Christian Commission thing.  We were odd birds to them I know.  After the weekend on the drive home, Vicki remarked how that at first the men didn't say much to her as she went about camp offering the lemonade and food.  But as the weekend went by and they got to know us, they became friendly and respectful, even offering to help her carry whatever she was walking through camp with.  And it made her feel a part of the event.

     Contrast that to this example.  Last year at a reenactment a women stopped by the tent for a lemonade.  I know her to be a hard working woman who cooks food for the men of her unit.  Being single, she does it out of a love of history and the enjoyment of reenacting.  She has adopted the unit she serves and adds a lot to their having a good weekend event.  (By the way, she usually wears a camp dress, but also at times wears a nice hoop skirt for the dance and such, showing a woman can do both.)  Anyway, back to the point of the story.  She came to our tent with her tin can for a refill of lemonade to eat with the meal she had just finished cooking.  And I caught that she was a bit exasperated.  Evidently the guys had all just come down to the tent for refills to go with the food and though her can was on the table, no one had thought to bring it and get her a lemonade.  And she noticed that she went "unnoticed".

     The women will notice they are honored even if they don't say so. 

     Vicki didn't come to the reenactment to be a celebrity.  She didn't come out of a deep love for history.  She came because her husband wanted to do this crazy hobby, and we were going to do it as a family, and she would find ways to make things go smoothly.  If God's given you such a woman as a wife, thank her often for being so gracious and loving.  If God's placed one or more caring women in your unit, thank them often by words and respectful actions.  Don't be like the spectators who don't know what it really takes to make a reenactment go well.