AS JOYCE KILMER WROTE: ‘ONLY GOD CAN MAKE A TREE’
MIDWAY
Bill Johnson has heard the news stories about people seeing sacred images in unusual objects, such as potato chips, toast or grilled-cheese sandwiches.
He didn’t pay much attention to them, not seeing the images himself.
Which is why Johnson is somewhat bewildered at his discovery of what he says is an image of Jesus on a tree limb that fell in his front yard in Midway.
He said the lichen-covered log bears what appears to be a robed image of Jesus with an outstretched hand. The head is near the center of the limb where the rings of the tree are lighter, giving an almost halo appearance.
Johnson has been interviewed by local newspapers, and the story was also picked up for TV news. He is reacting to all the attention with good cheer.
“It surprises me,” he said. “But am I nuts or not, I don’t know.”
It all started about 10 days ago, Johnson said. A large limb had fallen from a cherry tree in his front yard. The landlord came and cut the broken limb into smaller pieces, stacking the limbs by a bench next to the tree.
Johnson said he first saw the image when he was out walking his dog, Pogo.
“I happened to look down there and I said, ‘That looks like Jesus,’” he said. “It just amazed me.”
He showed the limb to his wife. Mary, without telling her what he thought the image was. She said the same thing.
Mary Johnson also pointed out something Bill Johnson had not noticed — the other end of the limb bears an image that looks somewhat like a swaddled baby in a crib. The head of that image is also in the center, so there’s a halo around that one as well.
Johnson sprayed polyurethane on the limb to help preserve the image.
Johnson grew up in Winston-Salem. He graduated from Hanes High School and enlisted in the Navy soon after, just before the outbreak of World War II. He spent the next 20 years in the Navy before returning to the Winston-Salem area. He has lived in his home in Midway for 33 years.
People have encouraged him to sell the limb, Johnson said, but he has a different idea.
“I’m going to keep it.”
pgarber@wsjournal.com
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