S.S.

Hey Team:

 

A couple of "housekeeping" matters and then I want to share a story from Chuck Swindoll (kind of long) which I hope you will read:

 

1.  Don't forget our church picnic this Sunday at Jefferson Davis State Park from 2:00 p.m. (???) through the evening meal (If I am not there at 2:00 p.m., please go ahead without me and I'll catch up later);

2.  The "Trunk or Treat" on October 31 is going to be big -- so we need more candy.  May I suggest the "golden rule" principle applies here:  "Give (they type of candy) unto others that you would have others give unto you."

3.  Please continue to pray for Dr. Travis and Sue as they deal with various health issues and other important matters.

 

In his book about Elijah, Churck Swindoll tells this story:

 

"Many years ago I called on a man in the Veterans's Hospital.  He had suffered a series of heart attacks and had undergone major surgery.  During his rehabilitation, he stayed at the dismal Veteran's Hospital. 

 

The day I arrived to visit, I saw a touching scene.  This man had a young son, and during his confienemnt in the hospital, he had made a little wooden truck for his boy.  Since the boy was not allowed to go into the ward and visit his father, an orderly had brought the gift down to the child, who was waiting in front of the hospital with his mother.  The father was looking out a fifth-floor window, watching his son unwrap the gift.

 

The little boy opened the package and his eyes got wide when he saw that wonderful little truck.  He hugged it close to his chest.

 

Meanwhile, the father was walking back and forth waving his arms behind the windowpane, trying to get his son's attention.

 

The little boy put the truck down and reached up and hugged the orderly and thanked him for the truck.  And all the while the frustrated father was going through these dramatic gestures, trying to say, 'It's me, son.  I made that truck for you.  I gave that to you.  Look up here!'  I could almost read his lips.

 

Finally, the mother and the orderly turned the boy's attention up to that fifth-floor window.  It was then the boy cried, 'Daddy!  Oh, thank you!  I miss you, Daddy!  Come home, Daddy.  Thank you for my truck.'

 

And the father stood in the window with tears pouring down his cheeks.

 

How much like that child we are.  We are shut away in our cave of loneliness and discouragement, and then God brings along the gifts of rest and refreshment, wise counsel, and close, personal friends.  And we fall in love with the gifts, rather than the Giver!

 

He gives us a verse of Scripture, and we worship the Bible rather than the One who gave it.  He gives us a loving wife or husband or friend, and we fall more in love with the person than the One who gave us that important individual.  He gives us a good job, and we love the job more than we love Him.  And all the while He stands at the window and says, 'Look up here.  I gave that to you.'  He longs to have us look up and say, 'Oh, thank You, Father!  I miss You.  I want to be with You.'"

 

While going through life, as we pause to count our blessings, remember to "look up."

 

Press on.

 

Andrew

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