Mercy is His gift. You shine with His divine light every time you are merciful and forgive someone.
From Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”
Martha Williamson is a television producer, who is best known for her contributions as the head writer and executive producer of the award-winning television series, “Touched by an Angel.”
Grandparents Jim and Marge experienced a love story that began in their teenage years. Little did they know where life planned to take them in the years to come.
In 1911, Jim was born in the tiny town of Marmarth, North Dakota. The small community of about 800 was founded as a railroad town along the Milwaukee Road line. The transcontinental railroad traveled from Chicago, Illinois to Seattle, Washington.
When Jim was an infant, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio. He excelled academically and athletically during his school years.
Born in 1912, Marge already lived in Ohio when Jim moved there. Eventually their lives intersected during junior high school. Her father was a Cleveland native while her mother was born in Belfast, Ireland.
With their love blossoming, Jim and Marge were married in 1928. Jim pursued his career goal of becoming an engineer with his studies at the University of Akron.
Sadly, the arrival of the Great Depression crushed Jim’s pursuit of a college degree. With money very tight, Jim needed to pursue a different career.
In 1936, Jim, Marge, and their first-born son traveled to Billings, Montana. Jim had been hired to work for a wholesale and produce grocer. Working for the Gamble-Robinson Company for 40 years, Jim eventually became the general manager of its Billings office.
When World War II arrived, Jim accepted his responsibility and served with distinction in the U.S. Army until being honorably discharged at the war’s end. Meanwhile his young family endured without him being at home.
Marge and her three young children managed to make life as pleasant as possible during Jim’s wartime absence. Unable to drive a car, Marge used other means for transportation. Rationing of vital commodities during the war made for useful transactions because Marge traded her gasoline ration cards for other ones.
Billings was growing, but it still had the feel of a smaller, close-knit community. Neighbors helped out each other. Church was a center of worship and fellowship for the young family as well.
When Jim returned home, the family continued to live in Billings at the same home. As childhood sweethearts, Jim and Marge experienced quite a life journey, which took them from their former homes in Ohio to a lasting one in Montana.
This story recalled the start of my mother’s family. Being the middle child and only daughter (born in 1938), Martha started a family of her own with the birth of her first child in 1956 (Richard). Eventually the family would number five sons and one daughter.
Previously, the story of my paternal grandparents was published. In case you missed it, here is a link: Grandparents Love Story (Episode One).
This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing. You are invited to participate with the opening question.
A knight wants to marry a princess and she wants to marry him. However, the king demands that the knight draw one of two slips of paper from a box. The king says one will say “Death” and the other “Marriage.” The princess whispers to her suitor that both slips say “Death.” What could the knight do to wed the princess?
(answer found at the end of this post)
One of the most curious of all insects is the praying mantis. It’s distinctive shape and color may sometimes be difficult to find because these predatory creatures are experts at ambushing their prey.
Some characteristics about the praying mantis include:
Many know that its name comes from its “prayer-like” stance. Mantis means “prophet.” Its name is mistakenly spelled as “preying” mantis because it fiercely preys upon other insects. Yes, the mantis is a “good” bug to have around.
If one ever has a chance to watch this stealth predator at work, pay close attention. Staying perfectly motionless and blending in with the green foliage, the praying mantis will suddenly strike and grab its victim.
Images courtesy of Pinterest.
Before a crowd of witnesses, the knight could choose a paper, look at it, proclaim that it says “Marriage,” and promptly swallow it. As proof, he would ask the king to reveal the remaining paper, which would say “Death.” All would presume that the swallowed paper indeed must have said “Marriage”–thus beating the king at his own game.
Life is always in motion, so you cannot be stuck.
Look around less, imagine more.
Esther Hicks (born 1948) is an American inspirational speaker and author.
Darkness
Evil’s persuasion
Walking sinful path
Absent faith, ignoring God
Judgment
Following
God’s way
Accepting His law
Reaping fruits of faith
Righteousness
Faith
Growing deeper
Rooted in Scripture
Nourished with Living Bread
Thriving
To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees.
Prayer is the vital breath of the Christian; not the thing that makes him alive, but the evidence that he is alive.
From Psalm 4:1: “Answer me when I call, O God of my right! You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.”
Youth teaches lessons
Time adding insight
Hours keep adding up
Answers feel just right
Journey never ends
One more mountain quest
Filled with adventure
Ready for each test
Years seem to shorten
Days grow longer
Stories warming heart
Now feeling stronger
Tomorrow teaching
Mature moments shine
Gray matter adds up
Life tastes like fine wine
Scrapbook completed
Clock waits, now reflect
Life filled, no regrets
Legacy connects
Contentment is the only real wealth.
A heart can no more be forced to love than a stomach can be forced to digest food by persuasion.
Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) was a Swedish chemist, engineer, and philanthropist. While he was known as the inventor of dynamite and blasting caps, his influence has been felt for generations due to his generosity. He bequeathed his personal fortune to fund the Nobel Prize.
From Lamentations 5:7: “Our ancestors sinned; they are no more, and we bear their iniquities.”
Life’s actions turning left
Mindless thoughts moving right
Endless, fruitless efforts
Waiting in depths of night
Tarnished hours filled with sin
Darkness sails for Hell’s fire
Tumult of restless seas
Facing evil’s crossfire
Righteousness marks new life
Son of God offers grace
Selfish aims fall away
Walking without disgrace
Always looking forward
Salvation’s cost, high-priced
Blood on Calvary’s cross
Looking to face of Christ
Mercy removes blindness
Empty tomb raises hope
Old ways crumble to dust
Clutching redemption’s rope
From Romans 3:23-24: “Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
Saddest of all God’s creatures in the world is the religious person who has disciplined himself to outward obedience, but who has no inward love to God.
From John 14:23-24: “Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words, and the word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.'”
Walter J. Chantry (born 1938) served for 39 years as pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He has also been a prolific Christian writer and editor.
Big Sky Buckeye 