He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot love.
From Job 1:20-22: “Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’ In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.”
This is the second post of a relatively new feature here at Big Sky Buckeye. Every couple of months or so different snapshots about the Buckeye State of Ohio will be featured.
The month of October brings images of bountiful harvests and the pumpkin patch as found in the memorable comic strip “Peanuts.” In central Ohio, the month also means the annual Circleville Pumpkin Show is approaching.
The Pride of Pickaway County is billed as the “Greatest Free Show on Earth.” Sadly, this year’s celebration has been cancelled because of Covid-19, but let’s still check out this festive event.
“The Pumpkin Show” was first held in October, 1903. From its humble beginnings, it started out primarily with displays of corn fodder as well as pumpkins cut out as Jack-o-Lanterns. Now the show has grown into the sixth largest festival in the United States.
Yearly features include traditional favorites:
Over four days and nights, nearly 400,000 people attend, with free admission. Circleville, with a population of about 14,000, really pulls together to make this event the success which it has become. The annual celebration has been continuously held every year except for three years during World War II.
Numerous contests are organized every year around a harvest theme as well as the star of the show . . . pumpkins!
The show begins on the third Wednesday of October and runs through Sunday. Local community groups and charities provide food vendors as a way to raise funds for their causes. If a person wants something uniquely made with pumpkin, he or she has come to the right place.
Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President.
Presidents come and go, but the Supreme Court goes on forever.
Special Note: Taft is the only person to serve as President as well as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Leading precious sheep
Rod and staff always comfort
Caring tenderly
Call upon the Lord
His love fills with righteousness—
Accepting His Grace
Our Father is near
Safeguarding our hearts and minds—
Rejoice in His peace
For the creation of a masterwork of literature two powers must concur, the power of the man and the power of the moment, and the man is not enough without the moment.
Poetry is simply the most beautiful, impressive, and widely effective mode of saying things.
An elderly man steadily works in his backyard, raking up some of autumn’s harvest of red maple leaves. The quiet, afternoon air is punctuated by angry and upset mumbling coming from the neighbor’s yard.
Walking over to the fence, the former teacher listens while a much younger man unsuccessfully tries to start up his lawn mower. The neighbor, in his late twenties, has been facing extra pressure and longer hours at the small business he operates.
Pausing and then sending some words of encouragement over the fence, the quiet man offers some advice, “Does the mower need a new spark plug?”
A quick reply comes back, “I never thought of that.”
The conversation continues back and forth for a few minutes. The young man confesses his frustration at work has brought a heavy burden on him as well as his family. He is married with a young daughter.
The wise neighbor adds some gems of wisdom before they both go back to their separate chores, “Hang in there. God’s using these difficult days to prepare you for a more successful tomorrow. He’s equipping you with tools which will help you to bear fruit.”
The young man replies back, “Thanks. I appreciate your advice as well as your testament from the Lord.”
With the rake in his hand, the elderly man prepares to step away from the fence, but he returns and offers a prayer for the young man, “God, grant Tim the serenity to accept the things he cannot change, the courage to change the things he can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Both men say their final words, and return to their respective yard work.
As the retired teacher continues to rake more of the stubborn leaves into a series of small piles, he hears the lawn mower start up with a roar. Obviously, the young man has changed the mower’s spark plug, and it is now running as it should.
At the same time, Tim feels the spark of God’s Word bringing him patience and encouragement for today as well as for tomorrow.
From 2 Peter 1:5-7: “For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.”
Salvation is an unfathomable treasure for which we will spend eternity praising, thanking, and worshipping God.
From 1 Peter 1:3-5: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
From James 5:11: “Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Totally unexpected, overwhelming
Lingering cracks appearing along life’s road
Tripping, stumbling, and finally crashing down
Shattering confidence, from life’s heavy load
Floundering, drowning . . . caught in river’s rapids
Endlessly swimming, lost at pool’s deepest end
Feet never finding firm ground, dour fear arrives
Replacing life’s daylight with night at each bend
Life’s turbulence teaches us lasting patience
With the Lord, with ourselves, and with life’s curve balls
Fumbling life’s slippery game ball once again
God’s love sends patience after every fall
Endurance of Job, life’s journey shall require
Living with patience, frees us from each briar
From Galatians 5:22-25: “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”
Discipline is one of the most hated terms in our times. If you want to put a stop to mediocrity, replace excuses with fresh determination . . . you need discipline.
From Colossians 1:10-12: So that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from His glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.”
Daily walk of faith
One step after another—
Following Jesus
Love be genuine
Feed enemy with goodness—
Overcome with good
Lost in wilderness
God’s GPS brings us home—
Walk never alone
