My dad was a foreman for a paper company. He had a company truck and wore a white hard hat with his thick white hair crushed under it. My uncle worked for the same company and, from the back, looked exactly like my father.

I would work a part-time job one day a week in the mill yard, operating a crane and slasher to supplement my income. After my dad’s death in ’84, I hated to see my uncle drive through the yard because it would bring tears to my eyes and interfere with my concentration. You can’t bury memories because there is always something that digs them up. However, that is OK because there are those we should never forget.

Proverbs 10:7

The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.

Keep the good memories even if they make you cry.

Think about it.

Gary

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”

                                                                  ― Elbert Hubbard

Proverbs 17:17

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

3 John 1:15

Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.

They are the steel inside the cement. They are the fabric that holds the garment together. They made the early church and by the grace of God hold it together till the present time.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Don’t interrupt someone working intently on a puzzle. Chances are, you’ll hear some cross words.

Does the Bible address this kind of outburst? Glad you asked.

Ephesians 4:25–27

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

Proverbs 29:11

A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
but a wise man quietly holds it back.

Give it some thought. Defuse the bomb.

Gary

We had taken the teens to a ranch where you could ride horses. Once assigned a horse, Paula and her mount were placed in the back of the line. The man in charge made a mistake in the lineup because that horse had a history of being first. When the line began to move forward, her horse started galloping to the head of the line. Paula was definitely uncomfortable and tried to find the brakes on that thing. Sometime later someone asked me what I thought when I saw her passing everyone else. I stated, “I wondered how many sick days she had left.”

You never know what a day may bring forth. There are so many variables in the game of life. As much as possible, be prepared for the unexpected. When life gets out of control, just hang on till the situation comes to a stop.

Isaiah 41:10 

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

John 14:27 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Give it some thought and hang on, because it will be over soon.

Gary

Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again. Peter told the early believers that as newborn babes they needed to desire the sincere milk of the Word. The trouble with many new Christians is that they want to be theologians before they are potty trained

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

1 Peter 2:2

as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

Don’t be a baby about Christianity. Grow in grace.

2 Peter 3:18

but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Give it some thought and allow yourself to be pampered for a while.

Gary

Dean Martin could really belt it out, “I’m praying for the rain in California so the grapes can grow, and they can make more wine.” If that was this year, you could be led to believe Dean had access to God. However, even though Dean sang that song, we have no record of his praying.

This is what happens when you are in the will of God and you pray.

James 5:17-18

 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.  Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

God doesn’t just arbitrarily answer prayer, but when we pray according to His will, get out the umbrella.

Give it some thought.

Gary

Genesis 4 is the account of two groups of people, i.e., those who call upon God and those who don’t, individuals who make God an integral part of their lives and those who don’t.  Notice you can leave God out and still become successful in life. However, God acknowledges those who call.

Genesis 4:26

To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

Like the advertisement states, “Make that call.”

Give it some thought.

Gary