12/22/2018

What a wonderful dinner we enjoyed last evening with Steve, Kelly and our grown-up grandson, Benjamin (Ben) from Germany. Barb again did a superb meal and an array of cookies to be enjoyed afterward. The evening was short, but we enjoyed the time. We’ll spend more time with Ben while he’s here.

I had an interesting experience yesterday I’d like to share with you and I hope you understand it. A few days ago, I had talked with a middle-aged man about performing a marriage ceremony for him and his intended. We settled on next Wednesday, at 6PM. But, yesterday he stopped in the store where I was working and asked if they could come by this evening (yesterday) and we could do it then. I said, well, I don’t have a ceremony with me here. He said, well, do we need a ceremony for it to be legal? I said, no, we don’t. He said we want to get this done and get on with our lives. 

So, I said sure, come by at closing time. (Short, informal ceremonies take about 4-5 minutes and I practically know it by heart. And for my bible, I had my computer.) I was very busy (it was like Christmas eve for our store), but I looked up through the other customers at about 4:30 (an hour and half early) and they came walking through the door! I said have a seat, they did at the small round table in the corner of the store.

When those customers were gone, I said, “You’re early.” They laughed and said, “Just work us in between customers.” I laughed and said OK. So, until 5:50 (an hour, 20 minutes) we talked a few minutes, I’d wait on a customer, we’d talk some more, more customers, then more talk, more customers, etc. They were married and I had signed the “certificate of marriage” by 6PM. They started their “honeymoon” by her going back to work, he went home, I locked the store and came home for my great dinner with my family. How’s that for a unique wedding?

I’ve had some pretty unique marriages to perform, but this one might just be at the top of the list! Top of the list till now has probably been one back in Mobile about 1983. A beautiful young couple came to see me about their wedding and I found them to be very delightful in conversation about the Lord and the sanctity of marriage, etc. We set the date, it was to be a small family gathering one Friday evening at the home of her parents. Informal, but solemn and, if weather permitted, on the patio. 

The evening came and I had told a friend who was going somewhere with me to meet me at a certain restaurant after I was finished with the wedding. It probably wouldn’t be more than 45 minutes total, I told him. (My friend was a big man, close to 500lbs, which, among other things meant he ate a lot.)

I get to the home at about 2 minutes to 7 and ring the doorbell. The groom answered and in a not so happy voice said, Stand over in front of the fireplace mantle and we’ll be right with you. I said, “Oh, I thought with this beautiful day the patio would be lovely.” He stepped close to me, almost whispering said, “my parents are arguing with her parents and Sherie and I have to get out of here, make it fast.” and turned and went into another room. By the time I took a deep breath and opened my bible, the 6 of them were in the living room seated. I read the ceremony, the Scripture, they said their I Do, and I was out of that house at 7:09! At the door, he slipped a $20 bill in my coat pocket and said “we’ll be in touch.” I left and have not seen them since! 

The rest of the story is about my friend the big man: I drive over to the restaurant to wait and he was already inside eating. I looked at all that food he had in front of him and stared at him.”You said 45 minutes, Jerry, grab some food and wait, I’ll be done by then!” Never, ever have I ever seen anyone eat like that man.

Another side note about that man: he was our taxman and once brought me some papers to sign while I was down at the gym shooting hoops. He walked out on the floor, said “gimme a shot,” I threw him a basketball, he stepped to the free throw line and with perfect form, shot and made 15 in a row! My mouth hung open the whole time! I said, “you’ve played some ball before?” He said, “I was the leading scorer on my high school championship team and turned down an athletic scholarship to continue my singing career!” Astounding! and at 45, weighed 500lbs. ain’t people amazing?!

Just so you know, “Here Comes Santa Claus” was not the SIMH this morning. Didn’t really have a song today.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

12/21/2018

Forget griping about the rain, it isn’t going away. We’ve lived through two floods and watched from a near distance two others. Perhaps those experiences cause some of the angst about the many days of rain here. But this is a mountain top! We can’t flood here, can we? Pretty sure we’re alright up here. 

I’d like to explain something I see in a verse of Scripture which I believe is being misused. When reading, if in your mind you change a pronoun, you alter the intent of the writer to a great or lesser extent. That might be alright in conversational narratives like this one or if it is an obvious error. The King James Bible, however, should not be thought of as less than perfect narrative or a pronoun being used incorrectly. The verse is this: Phi. 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” When this verse is quoted what seems to happen is the quoter wants to be sure to give the Lord Jesus Christ the credit for one’s ability to “do all things,” and that is correct and admirable. However, the context begs the more perfect quotation. 

What gets changed most often is “which” becomes “who” to the detriment of the verse. I know from several passages that Paul was always dependent on Christ for his strength, that isn’t the question. From verse 10  through verse 18 in this chapter, however, Paul is describing the reason he can get through the ills and the sufferings foisted upon him is that the knowledge that he can do all things through Christ is giving him strength. Of course! his strength comes from Christ, but it “strengtheneth” him because he knows it! Hence, the pronoun “which.”  I hope I’ve made myself clear. In the past, some have thought I was trying to say his strength doesn’t come from the Lord. Not at all, I am acknowledging a greater truth brought about by the doctrinal position of Paul’s reliance on Christ. See the previous chapter, look at the phrasing of his hope in ch.3:8, “the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,” and verse 10, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

I’m willing to discuss this further, but I will not change the word in the verse. (I’m just an old hardhead when it comes to my King James Bible and my reliance on it.)

One morning I’m going to be awake enough to write about why the King James Bible instead of any other. (Unless I start correctly that subject can get long.) There are really good books written by men much more adept than me which all defend the KJB as the word of God for English speaking people. Over the years, I’ve read and enjoyed many of them. If they write 200,300,400 pages to define the reasons for believing the KJB, how can I write an explanation in a two page blog? It will be simple, and when done, it should drive you to seek some fuller understanding of this most important topic and doctrine for yourself.

Oh, hey! I tell you what, let’s start it: Let’s just take one verse and look at it through as many translations of the bible as you can find in your house. Everyone get your shelf of bibles down and turn them all to Mark 1. Here’s what you’ll see: every version you look at will say in verse 2, some phrase that makes you see he’s quoting Isaiah, the prophet. Well, he does quote Isaiah. But, you see, he quotes two Old Testament verses back to back and Isaiah only wrote one of them. Now, if you were going to go study the context of the quotes, how long would it take you to find the non-Isaiah verse? You would get discouraged, say you can’t trust these words to always be correct, put aside bible study till later, or something like that. Now, look at the King James Bible—surely you have one somewhere—in Mark 1:2, Mark plainly wrote, “As it is written in the prophets…prophets!

The Holy Spirit inspired bible doesn’t make the Isaiah-thing mistake! 

Incidently, any of the new versions which have notations and footnotes will say that Malachi said one of the verses. So, here’s the much worse mistake: why did the translators write the verse so that it looks as if Isaiah said both prophecies if they knew it was in error to do so?I’ll tell you why: because they were sold a bill of goods about the Greek version from which they were translating, they were told it was the best manuscripts. Well, not so in Mark 1:2, not so. More to come on why they “bought into” that manuscript.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

12/20/2018

It was an early morning again, we are dog-sitting with Ollie. Ollie is a special dog. She came to our house about 3 years ago and decided to sit on the front porch till Sarah and Barbara decided to help her out. so they gave her food and water, then put her in the car and went neighborhood shopping to see if they could find the owner. They couldn’t. The options were not so good from then on. They, along with Sarah’s daughter Greer adopted her and after a few days of debate, named her Miss Olive Longbottom of Fischer-Lookout! Ollie. She doesn’t live with us, but she likes us, so we’re the dog sitter. Ollie let her discomfort known this morning at 3AM. Naturally, being Triple A rated as a sitting service meant that I must hop out of bed, care for her cries and fail to go back to sleep.

But now it is late enough to let you in on all this frivolity going on in our house for the next 5 days. I’m betting it’ll be hilarious! 

Our grandson from Germany arrived safely last night, so glad for his safe travels. We’ll see him later today, and until his holiday is over. Should be a glad reunion.

SIMH this morning was a seasonal offering, I think from a play, which makes me wonder why it’s in my head: “Toyland” —From Babes in Toyland. But, the song was first sung by Doris Day. Mixes me up about the timing of it, though I guess I don’t need to keep this information handy. (Why would that get into my head, I don’t go to toy lands, I don’t buy toys, not even big-guy toys?)

Oh, by the way, the rain is back for a few days. The sun shone for 3 days and that’s all we get, I suppose. Maybe again soon. I really shouldn’t ever gripe about the weather. Not only can nothing be done about it, every year it’s the same. Mark Twain was first to say, “everybody gripes about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” He was first in a lot of things, a great American and a great American writer. I’m not sure why his books are in such a discredited atmosphere today. I never saw anything objectionable in any of them. He wasn’t an ideologue or politician or religionist, just a writer of humorous stories with a touch of the fanciful. We live in a really strange time. 

Working more toward getting the Gadsden store open this morning for just a little while. The owner had a minor illness to overcome this week and it slowed us down. But, we’ll get ‘er done soon! It’s a great looking little store with good access and an easy front door for every one who comes for water. 

Sorry this is a short note on here, but I’m going to be late if I don’t get going. Hope everyone does what they’re supposed to do today! 

Thanks for reading, the Elder

12/19/2018

Our grandson, Benjamin, is on his way to see us and his Dad, our son. We haven’t seen Benny in several years as he lives in Germany. He grew up there with his mother and as he entered the adult world, things like lack of time, his forming a career, several other factors has kept him from being able to come here or us to go there. We are really looking forward to this visit, already wishing it could be longer. But, it will be a great week, anyway. Who knows, young Ben may fuel more blog stories!!

A conversation last evening caused us to reflect on how much we’ve done this year in the Blue Jug business. Not so much, as the world would count achievements, but considering what we had when we started, the mistakes which forced necessary changes, the maneuvering because we couldn’t simply throw money after a problem and expect it to work its way to perfection, all these things, and all the “fits and starts” of a new company. Recounting all this made me very thankful for the few people involved and for their patience and endurance. It makes me to be very sure we can proceed through the challenges of the next year with good results, results that will further insure long term success. Will keep you posted.

The Monday night online Bible Class has gone very well this year. We will not have class the last two Mondays, the 24th and the 31st. Most everyone is involved with other things, for us mainly time spent with family. So, we’ve finished the year for Monday night, and like the ending of every year since I began preaching (about 1975), we didn’t finish, there is much more Bible to learn. I am convinced to the nth degree that we shall never finish the Bible study in this life, but the moment we step into the presence of the Lord, we shall know all things! A great peace is mine just by writing that down.

This past Monday night (which I wrote about yesterday) was not the completion of a subject or topic: it was just a Bible class about very important doctrines which will continue on Jan. 7, 2019, if the Lord is willing for me to continue. As long as I have the wit and breath, as long as the vast majority of people who call themselves “christian” still do not know about dispensational truth in the Bible, as long as people still write and ask questions or attempt to dispute (or catch me in an error), I will continue. And if there is ever any reason to say “Thank you, I learned something,” be sure you follow that line with, “praise the Lord.” Yes, you should thank the teacher who teaches you, but the glory and praise goes to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

It has been my privilege all these years to tell people about taking a stand for the word of God without an organized religion backing me. It is the Lord, and His infinite wisdom which makes us to individually stand and make a mark in this sin-cursed world. Truth hasn’t completely fallen in the streets if we continue to stand for it. Does it really seem that there are fewer of us every year. Perhaps; or perhaps just here, or wherever you are. The Lord is not being surprised. Always remember that.

SIMH today is “How Glad I am!” —Nancy Wilson, 1964. However, I was hearing Brook Benton’s voice. When I looked up Brook Benton, I couldn’t find his recording it. But, I sure did enjoy hearing Nancy Wilson sing it and also The Greyboys Allstars—never heard of them, but it also was great early morning music.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

12,18,2018

Morning, mountain! Wow, another beautiful day. This is such a relief to me from the last month or so, much better weather. The older I get the less I like too hot or too cold—I want it just right! Hope you’re not suffering from this malady and you get along fine with where you live.

Ever have one of those ideas which would formulate into a plan and you really think it will work? I had a good one yesterday. Not gonna talk about it till there’s more details and definitions worked out. But, I awoke this morning with a clearer picture on some of it, and some things it will take, though “clearer” will be difficult to bring to the finish line. It’s all about the Water with Alkalinity business, so it’ll not be interesting to all of you. I’ll try not to be boring about it as it progresses, if I mention it at all. 

The second time I awoke this morning the SIMH was “All About That Bass, No Treble,” —Meghan Trainor wrote and recorded it, as well as others. Not such a pure song, but great music, sticks in one’s mind. this was remarkably popular a few years back. Probably made her and her co-writer have a great year.

Yesterday evening I was fairly frustrated at my ineptness during the day and was not sure what the outcome of the bible class would be. Of course, I still don’t know if it was edifying or a good evangelistic plea, but I really never do anyway. But, I want to thank the Lord for His grace in seeing me through it. He alone brought me to the finish of it. 

There have been many such times over the last 42 years when I didn’t feel like it or thought I wan’t prepared or couldn’t seem to get the message framework enough to go on. But, if I remember to say to the Lord, “It’s yours and not mine. I’m willing, but my flesh is in the way,” then I can honestly say, I’ve experienced His hand in mine. If I am willing, He will provide for me in the message. I hope you understand how I’m saying that. He doesn’t speak to me audibly, I don’t actually “feel” Him near me: it’s more like beginning a sentence with words which He corrects as I go. (Actually, that’s too mystical, it’s more spiritual than that.)

The words are worth nothing if they are not from His word, the KJB. But, when they are words from the bible, and they do fit the subject matter, and it can be supported by actually reading the verses, that’s when I know His Spirit showed me that, I wasn’t memorizing anything, didn’t have notes to read, mostly because I didn’t really want to be there.) I hope I’ve explained it. and let me say this: In my spiritual life I have always wanted to be right there, speaking what God wanted me to say to whomever He has brought my way. The fleshly side of me has always gotten me distracted from the greater purpose —sometimes it doesn’t take much interference. I understand why Paul wrote, “O, wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ!”

The other operative verse for a preacher to always see in himself, especially when it’s a time like last night, is this: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” And, I gotta tell ya, it took me years to ever be able to verbalize how much that verse means to me. Sometimes, still, I would love to quote Gal.6:14, but my emotions stop me. It is that close to me.

I’m thinking how’s the new year going to unfold for bible conferences? I know we’ll have at least one less than last year because of the combining of the Winter Gathering with the Gatlinburg conference (they not only are geographically close together, they were scheduled close together, so it makes good sense for the Gatlinburg Gathering to be one conference, first weekend in March), so I’m wondering if there’ll be another new one, or any more decisions to not have one. Since I don’t host one, as they say, “pay attention, others will decide.” Who is Will and how come he gets to decide? My friend John Sanford said he would always look around during invitation services, because the preacher kept asking for Will Others to come forward. Who’s Will Others??

Thanks for reading, the Elder

12/17/2018

This Monday morning seems like a day for new stuff. I don’t know what kind of new stuff, maybe new foodstuff. Or maybe new products to sell in the Blue Jug Market, or new ways to help build Blue Jug Markets. I don’t know. Just feels like a day for new stuff. After all, it isn’t raining! Seems like we had enough rain for December. Don’t get me wrong, at least it wasn’t snow! If it had been, we’d be under about 2 feet of it by now.

Yesterday was a fun day. We went to Alexandria and heard their new young preacher who did a really great job of teaching in the first part of Romans and still kept the main thing, the main thing. Then, there was a food get together for everyone at the home of some dear friends. It was a Christmas party (I can’t remember anyone saying “Merry Christmas.”) Afterward, we drove up to the Mentone Library for their annual open house, letting the community in on how much they’ve accomplished in the year—a meet and greet with a purpose, I guess. The day was enjoyable on all fronts.

There was a song very clearly going off in my head earlier this morning, but other music interrupted it and now nothing comes to mind. So, you lucked out today—no song history lesson. There have been short pieces of 3 songs, but it wouldn’t be fair to the SIMH tradition of being the one in my head when I awoke. There was one, but it faded.

This week will be the last “normal” week of 2018. We’ll start the holiday break when we close the Blue Jug door Friday evening at 6, then, not open till Wednesday. So, that makes next week odd, only 3 days. Following that, New Year’s Eve is a short work day, then the holiday again and 2019 will start with a short week. How can we make a business normal if all we do is wrap it up around holidays! Bah! Humbug! (Just kidding, folks, I like days off!)

Ol’ Buddy is sitting outside on the deck looking in at me and whining that he should be inside. I turned to him and loudly explained he’s better off outside. He whined back that it didn’t seem that way to him. I said, “Look, Bud, it is a gorgeous morning! The sun is shining, The air is warming, already warmer than the inside of the back porch, you need the day outside, and the porch needs aired out —Buddy “air” has to get cleared out of the porch!” He whined, huffed, went to the gate, pulled it open and stomped out! He’s such a baby!

He’s really doing great after earlier in the Fall when we thought he was very ill. Structured Silver worked—it cleared up whatever was wrong with him (remember, the Vets thought it was bone cancer.) He has no limp, less stiffness and has gained back all his weight loss and put on more. He’s a   minor miracle dog. Now, if he could just figure out how to pay his own way, you know pull his own weight, bring home some bacon! Wait, no,  he’d eat the bacon before he got home with it! Aw, heck, Buddy, that’s alright, just stay a dog!

This may be the week we finally get the Blue Jug of Gadsden open. Just a couple more hoops to jump through and store setup. Seems easy enough. I’ll probably get to work there some today, really looking forward to it! I know there are some people in Gadsden that have been driving by watching the progress, so maybe they’ll have a need for the best water in the world and a place to get it this week. I’ll try to keep everyone aware of the opening date. Oh, by the way, we learned a few days ago, the Lake Charles, LA store is not going to open till mid-January. The hoops to jump through there seem to be bigger. But, it’ll get there!

Hope you are as optimistic this Monday morning as I am. Keep looking up!

Thanks for reading, the Elder

12/16/2018

Yesterday, I wrote about a couple of things I wish to mention again: the first is about the SIMH. Each day, when I wake up, within seconds there is a song in my head. I don’t have to consciously think where’s my song, but if it is a song repeating itself from a previous day or days, I can shake that out of my mind and it gets replaced. This morning it’s almost laughable, I had in my mind The Tender Trap, shook it away and what came to mind next was “Just a Dream. Just a Dream”—Jimmy Clanton, 1958. He was one of the few white R & B singers in the 50s. From Baton Rouge, LA, had several hits (top 40) and resides now somewhere in Pennsylvania. He was amongst some big names back then; Fats Domino, The Platters, Jerry Lee Lewis, on and on. Isn’t it amazing what comes to mind?

The other thing I wrote about which I wanted to bring up again was my frustration. (Scroll to the last couple of paragraphs on yesterday’s blog if you didn’t read it.) If that sounded judgmental that’s because it was. I’m not really apologizing for being judgmental, that part isn’t wrong. What’s wrong with my rant in the judgment is airing it. I know this audience isn’t huge, but I may have caused someone to allow a person or persons to enter their mind to think that is who I was referring to. I apologize for that. 

Judging others isn’t wrong. We do that every day. We decide with whom we spend time, we decide whether to continue in conversation or change the subject. We decide on the basis of our own desire or the desire of others who we want to please. But, our judgments get moved over into a larger realm of possibilities, also. For instance, as I write, some of you are deciding to go or not go to a certain church or bible class on the basis of how you are practicing judgment. (“I don’t want to go hear him because he…” or “the last time we went their he picked on Rev. so-and-so..”—judgments.) You are not wrong to have them. You do and you should make them. 

What needs to be examined is the core value which drives your personal  judgments. When the Lord said, “Judge not, lest you be judged,” He went on to tell you what to expect would come your way if you judged. Well, it is coming your way. Expect it. Therefore we ought to embrace our privilege and our personal calling to judge for ourselves. the same Lord also says in John 7 for us to “..judge righteous judgment.” What’s that mean? Use righteous standards to make sure your decisions have merit, the kind of merit which will stand at that day when you will be judged! How are we to find this righteous standard? Look around until you do. If you set standards for your decisions based on what other mankind has written or taught you at some point in your past, upon what basis were they so authoritative that you should acquiesce to their words? Where, then, shall any of us find words to describe the right or the wrong of anything? 

May I suggest the Bible has a formula for this and it doesn’t take very long to understand the “how to,” but it will take years of study for the quiz and even then, you and I are naturally bent toward the wrong, not the right, and we’ll still have need of correction. 

This is a great place to interject a grace thought: Jeremiah said, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed!” We stand in a time of God’s grace. He is not, today, going to judge what we do or say. We are at liberty, but it is for this purpose: God has called us to be “conformed to the image of his Son that He might be among many brethren.” 

So, God gave us a book of explanation of His righteousness, telling us how to find it in His Son!—not in ourselves. But, if you will “examine yourself” as you are instructed, you will either find yourself in need of a Savior (and Christ died for your sins, was buried , and was raised again for your justification—believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you’ll be saved), or if you know you are saved you are to use God’s word as the method of examination by this method: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” That’s the basis for judgment. Simple, but it’ll take a while.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

12/15/2018 

Since starting this blog and referring to the “song in my head” most

mornings I’m beginning to experience an odd thing: There is a song in my head each morning, but the frequency of a song I’ve already written about being the SIMH is greater. If I skip a day, have no song, it is likely because it was a recent song about which I’ve already written. That being said, today’s song is another Sinatra song (for a singer I was never a real fan of, he certainly gets into my head.) Today it is “Tender Trap” —which was the theme song of a movie by the same name. It was composed by Jimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. It was written for the 1955 film. Debbie Reynolds and “ol’ Blue Eyes” starred in it. 

The “tender trap” is supposedly love in the movie & song dialogue. So, maybe there’s something redeemable about that. The bible says “love worth no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”—Rom.13:10. That being the case, the application of love is simple, yet it may be a difficult thing to accomplish. The Apostle Paul went on to say we should, “by love, serve one another” and “walk in love, even as Christ also hath loved us..” using the attitude of Christ’s trip to the cross for us(see Phi.2:5-8). Bringing this last passage into play to understand our being obedient to the admonition really brings to light how difficult this truly is.

As Paul described his own “wretched” flesh condition, it isn’t the idea of understanding how to obey, but more the very hard work it takes to get the wretched flesh put down and out of the way of loving as Christ loved. Just as sure as we conquer the flesh for a moment of truly loving in the perfect manner, the next instant we’ll decide how “we’ve” got it all under control, we’re doing it just right now! …and then another nemesis to us appears, and we have to start the same work over again. Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Amen.

There is a church in need of a pastor which is about 3 miles North of Plattville, AL, in case anyone knows of a grace-believing preacher looking for a church to pastor. Just get in touch with me. 

What makes one man be a driving force to get from start to finish and another man goes to the next task without enough chutzpah to even muster up the desire to finish? Mankind seems to be diverse in the strangest of ways. In the greater scheme of things, I don’t suppose any of this makes any difference, but it stirs me to frustration to watch someone use excuses to get out of doing something which he is the main one who will benefit the most by doing it! I’ve noticed the rather odd use of the word “reluctant” to be applicable to such as this. Is it a reluctance to be tried? Reluctance to chance failure? Reluctance to face a criticism about the process or the result? Maybe reluctance is the right word, after all. Most prevalent in this delay tactic for whatever reason is the other people who are affected. There is always a disruption for others; whether one, a team or a company. I guess then, the person putting off the task is better described as selfish rather than reluctant. What do you think?

The real driver, the force to be reckoned with is the one who says “we can do this and be finished by____!” Those guys may miss the mark by a little, but they will finish! The task, the project, the great big endeavor, or the nominal, success is realization of the goal. “The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul.”— Look that up.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

12/14/2018

Somewhere around the turn of the last century, Annie Flint wrote several beautiful hymns and one of them “He Giveth More Grace” —is the SIMH today. Now this is a great song to wake up singing! Read and digest the words of the 1st and 2nd verses; beautiful poetry, precious promises of God our Father:

1. When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
   When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
   When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
   Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
2. Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
   Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
   Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
   The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

..and following the thought to completion with this chorus:

1. His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
   His power no boundary known unto men;
   For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
   He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

We do have a wonderful Father in Heaven and a very rich and rewarding

Savior in the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

I recommend you look up and watch a two minute video by Ravi Zacharias

about this most remarkable woman and her love for the Lord. If you don’t

cry, you have no soul; if you don’t like it, something’s missing in your spirit.

And if you don’t feel empowered to live in grace as he described her life, we’d

better check your heart-rate.

After being saved in 1964, I was compelled by my upbringing to “join a

church.” Partly because in my religious background people always did and

partly because I wanted to do so. After joining and feeling comfortable in our surroundings there, we joined the choir. We could both carry a tune and we really enjoyed the participation. Our choir master was a man of some years, I think about 77-78 when we began singing. He was a truly nice man who had just lost his wife to a cancer battle. He understood the grace of God better than the previous older men I had been around and readily spoke about it. So we sang about the grace of God a lot.

“Babe” (that’s what everyone called him) was also the Sunday School teacher of one of the adult classes which we attended. One Sunday, at the close of his lesson, he had us all turn to a certain verse in our bibles and we read along with him. Then, he said, “do any of you know what this means?” No one knew. So, someone asked, “Babe, what does this mean?” He said he didn’t know and it troubled him that he couldn’t figure out what the Lord meant in that verse. Here’s the verse: And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob

Babe said to us, “How can that first part be true? all Israel?” We all just sat there as dumbfounded as he was. About 13 years later I was back in that town after learning some things about “rightly dividing the word of truth” and I saw Babe in a restaurant one day. We hugged a great “longtime no see” hug and after greetings, I said I think I can explain that verse now. He laughed and said, “well, maybe, but I doubt it.” I never saw Babe again. I wish now I had pressed the point. But, how much pressing the point should one do when talking to a 90 year old saint of God? (He had a wonderful testimony story, the details of which I cannot do justice.)

Babe told me once when he was probably 80 or older, that he no longer felt any bitterness toward anyone or anything that had come his way in his entire life. (The first 30 or so years of which were fraught with rough, on the road, vaudeville involvement and the making of several enemies, he once told me.) When he said he had “no guile” I must have looked quizzical, then he answered the Lord’s grace takes that all away, if we let it.

I know that grace. I’ll speak more about it as time goes on, but I can honestly tell you there isn’t anyone I feel angry toward or bitterness against. Some of you might think differently about me on the basis of partial information. But there is no place in my life, i.e., the rest of my days, for anything of the sort.

This doesn’t mean that I just looove everybody and wish to be around them. No, there are several people I will always choose to not be around. But, that is very Scriptural. I don’t hate or cast bitterness at their lives, though. Recently, I prayed for one of these people because of his illness. He got well, and the very first thing he said after returning to his normal routine was so far off what the Lord’s will is, it almost made me wish I hadn’t prayed for him!! Obviously, just kidding, he didn’t get well because I was the one praying, anyway. More to come.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

12/13/2018

Good morning! I think it’s going to be a great day. Sure, there is Winter going on here and there, but it is still a great day to do or go or say or be the right thing! So, “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in (Christ)” He’s the “One with whom we have to do.” The SIMH today was actually on my mind yesterday evening. Not sure what prompted it, I came out from changing clothes to sit and rest, read, watch..whatever, and I began to sing, “Sing them over again to me, Wonderful Words of Life”; “Words of life and beauty, Teach me faith and duty. Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.” Philip Bliss wrote this song 144 years ago. Marvelous inspiration.

Ever want to do something for someone because it looks like they have run out of initiating thoughts? I have — I do. Getting them started again after a momentary setback is difficult. How do we help those who cannot seem to restart their momentum? How do we prompt in another the planning, establishing, stabilizing, work load needed, not just for success, but for their very survival? Perhaps, we cannot. But, it is right in front of us to do something for them, so we must “be there for them.” 

Positive thinking rallies, seminars, recordings, are often helpful on a broad brush base. That is, it’s a way to change one’s thought patterns and thereby squelch negativity. In most cases, however, it still will not prompt what I’m calling “initiating thoughts.” IT isn’t just Information Technology, as the 21st Century understands the term. IT is also Initiating Thought. That is, thoughts which begin as one, and exponentially burgeon into massive plans. Let’s take the life of a doldrum (did you know doldrum cannot be singular, according to your dictionary.) A doldrum is one who is in the doldrums of life. So I’m pondering, how does one stop being a doldrum? answer: spirit. (Doldrums are areas at sea which have no wind.)

Often it helps to rearrange thought patterns. For instance, let’s think like a farmer! If a farmer decides in December or January that come Spring they will plant corn and cotton, when will they start work on the plan? Spring? No, that’s a little late. To plant cotton or corn, the work must start way before Spring. Every farmer knows first things first and to plant in Spring takes planning before to get seeds, sharpened plow points, a tune up for the equipment, repairs made from last year’s wear and tear, etc., right down to air in the tires! And when warm weather settles the frostline into soil temperature rising (cold falls, heat rises), he knows to tend to the soil’s needs first. That’s when he cleans out his barn stalls: yes, he shovels and pitchforks the manure of the Winter. From the phrase above “work must start” nothing has produced anything and it hasn’t been cheap! There is still no seed in the ground. 

See the thought pattern?—IT, Initiating Thought.

To get out of the doldrums then, takes considerable planning. Oh, it isn’t going to happen without IT? No, it isn’t. Initiating Thought must be brought to one’s mind early in the year for their to be a harvest! This is biblical, it is in every success rally you’ll ever pay for, but it is in the bible for free. Set the mind to the pattern of thinking found in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and the success in the world is yours. Though the Lord Jesus put proper perspective on this world’s worth when he said, “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesses,” He later, from heaven, inspired the Apostle Paul to write, “that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.” And so get on with it. Get your King James Bible down off the shelf, dust it off, open it up to Eccle.1 and start reading. After you finish Eccles, then go to Prov. 1 and get a good grip on the answer to this question: “what is wisdom?” (And remember, the smallest of creatures is used to describe the greatest of this sort of thought: the ant.) You’ll probably be amazed at the Initiating Thoughts which come to you: a pattern will set in, they should all be written down, studied, shortened or lengthened into a strong activity, and the doldrums will not be worrisome, they will have to go somewhere else.

Afraid to take this seriously? Stay in the doldrums. It isn’t my life you are living and I cannot remove you from the lack of IT. No one else can instill IT into you except you. You’re welcome.

Thanks for reading, the Elder