Uh-Oh

Posted on by Gary Fultz

Uh-oh, was the name of our handicapped daughters first doll. Poor dolly had a lot of those moments, so the expression stuck. Ironically, that was the same expression uttered by the attending doctor when our middle daughter was born. He quickly noticed the purplish bulb on her back containing the unfinished spinal column.

I uttered uh-oh 3 days ago while sawing firewood with the chain saw as I lost control of my legs and fell forward towards the running saw. My back had suddenly gone out of place and my limbs instantly quit working. Thankfully my thumb was by the shut off and the saw quit immediately.

After 3 days, I am finally able to walk with help. Actually, I call it the four-inch-sideways shuffle. My wife thinks we are dancing. This uh-oh is painful and slow healing. I am hoping to be able to get in a car and ride to a chiropractor this next week, which will be painful. I tell myself it’s a good pain. I tell myself I will go back to doing what I have been doing. Soon. Maybe. Have a look at some pictures of my doings in semi-retirement. Click to enlarge. I wish the fish got bigger that way…

My year has been filled with able bodied tasks, till now. Cutting and splitting firewood, cutting out wood plaques, making a covered home for the snowblower attachment to the skid steer, ice fishing, cleaning up the woods from dead standing and fallen trees, grilling, making jerky and planning more wilderness canoe treks. The list goes on. Those plans are on hold, if and until I get my body back to being able. I think I have been taking the able body thing for granted more than I thought. An accident-prone person ought to know better.

Meanwhile, I am getting claustrophobic in a body that can’t do anything or go anywhere, yet I am really good and content inside. My wife loves me, possibly too much for her own good (I chose well, we have grown well together). I’m accepting of the possibility that my life’s plans and even passions may take a back seat to reality. My wife and I talk of how many hard things have happened to us and also how much of our lives have been enriched and blessed in spite of the hard things. I see these tensions that seem to combat one another, how good they are and understand that all the contentment comes from many years of having a right relationship with God. No other explanation exists. I’m overwhelmed and good inside. I sometimes struggle with the right words or word pictures, but it’s important. How many people can get to be content inside themselves with this crazy upside-down world? I say we all could.

Everyone has a pail full of faith. Everyone’s pail seems to be a different size. Some have filled their pail with themself. Their opinions, learnings, education, perceived facts and experiences and whoever they may listen to in doing life. They may be labeled atheist, agnostic, or whatever, but they live by faith. Religious people live by faith. Some have a bucket full of beliefs, rules, people they follow and a perceived way to live like God wants them to believe and live. Much of the world is a combination of both. I would also dare to guess that many do not know what’s in their faith bucket, and some don’t care. We sit in a chair believing it will hold us up. In money some trust (if I could just go viral,,,) and life would go well.

The object of our faith is important. I know that I am not enough. I don’t belong in my faith bucket. Right now, I can’t walk across the room without help. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me.” He addressed the what’s in your faith bucket. Millions of books are written on why and how Jesus needs to fill our faith bucket while so many people stuff their faith bucket full of books and a bible that talks about it (ugh, there are so many ways to try to be God).

A part of eternity is lived here, day by day. Someday when we are gone from here, there will be a moment when we make eye contact with the king of kings. The one who died for our sins so we could be declared perfect to God. Will this king have that tinge of recognition in his eyes, or will we be seen as a stranger? He will only invite those he knows inside forever. It will be beyond important then, which makes it important now.

I still do not enjoy uh-oh’s, but in the context of life and where I’m sitting, I’m really doing well. My pail of faith may be way less than the size of a mustard seed, but I want only Jesus in it. Whether I live in pain or die in luxury, I am really alive because of Jesus.

Her middle name is Joy.

37 surgeries at this time,

some life flights, lots of pain.

A radiant smile. coincidence? I think not.

Gary

Some of you have a great Bible verse or passage, so post in comments.

Finding The Source

Posted on by Gary Fultz

“I want what you and M have.”

He poked at the campfire ashes, revealing the live coals under layers of ash. “How symbolic” I thought.

“You guys are Christian. I’ve been thinking of converting to Christianity, but I don’t want church like my relatives. I don’t want to be like them. I want what you got.”

“What do we have?” I asked. “I don’t know, but I want it. I have to find it because that’s what I am missing. I know that it has to do with God and I know that you and M have it.”

A long talk ensued about the difference between having a relationship with God and being religious. One is becoming like God while the other is full of rhetoric and just believes strongly. One knows inner peace in the midst of chaos, a deep joy in the midst of sorrow as well as laughter, Love for more than those who are close (even one’s enemy), patience that grows with time, hope in and beyond this life, thankfulness and a heart for mankind and generations to come. Things that are not natural to our nature

God knows everything about us, down to the heart’s deepest motives, but He cannot have a relationship with us unless we have a relationship with Him. It takes two.

How can we explain, much less understand, a God who would become human to die in our place out of his immense love for restoring his creation into deep relationship again.

The opposite is often the truth. This world is a place where the deceiver would make honest liars of us all. Where good is bad, lovers are called haters and opinions trump reality.

He poked the stick at the ashes mounding over the glowing coals. He was done for now. “How symbolic” I thought.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

Street sign obscured by snow…Yes, how symbolic!

Gary

Final Resolve

Posted on by Gary Fultz

A message for Jesus followers.

I often remember a conversation between Todd and me. It was the last time I saw him 42 years ago. “Todd, will you ever have a relationship with Jesus?” Todd “No Gary. Even if God sends me to hell, I have learned that there is always a way out of everything.” Me “that’s not how it works.” Todd: “I don’t believe the bibles take on how I should live my life or what’s after that”

I woke up again last night just before I would have to die in my re-occurring nightmare (for many years now). The only resolve is to wake up, get up and stay up. Going back to bed will only allow it to return. It’s my solution… a resolve. I can then move on with my day.

Everything about life is a type of resolve. In fact, there is always a resolve in the here and now. Hungry? eat. Thirsty? drink. Need money? get a job, a better job or hold up a “help me” sign. Tired? sleep. Music? full of resolves; usually each measure. Movies? always resolved unless there is sequel(s) to resolve. War? fight or escape. Terminal cancer? die. In this life we hope and look for resolve without thinking about it. Resolve or the hope of resolve is always there and always possible, somehow. Miracles do happen in this life; we experience them or at least hear about them. No matter what, we all die and some die twice…ask Lazarous.

I cannot imagine being trapped in my nightmare forever conscious with no escape, no waking up, no getting up, no time frame, no resolve or the relief of death. I cannot go there even for a few seconds as it’s too real, yet knowing hell would be worse than any nightmare I could have as I wake in my present existence. Hell has no resolve. None. No one will know you exist but you.

Eternity. The final resolve. I choose Jesus. I desperately want others to choose Jesus. If there were a stronger word than desperately, I would use it. In the context of my worst nightmare, I read Romans 8. It’s so good. It’s such a wonderful resolve for me. But, what about those who are born into and will be trapped in the little box of existence forever living out a worst nightmare as a final resolve? I cannot wish my worst nightmare on them much less what will happen to them without Jesus “knowing” them (referencing “I never knew you”).

I know how incapable I am of helping someone waking from their worst forever nightmare. All I ask is we pray for God to move us, work through us and allow God’s love and light to shine brightly through us. This means we are becoming lambs without spot or blemish. Time may be short, Final resolve near.

Meanwhile for us, this is ok in light of the alternative and much of the worlds sense of altered reality….”As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered,” (Romans 8:36) Trust me, this is much better than my worst re-occurring nightmare.

Gary

Fixing My Eyes

Posted on by Gary Fultz

“Another crossroads Buddy” I murmured to the little dog as we turned around and headed home. Life is full of them. I don’t live in regret but if I had do-overs I would choose the “other path” on a few of them. There is one path that has been my best choice ever. Following Jesus has brought me the greatest spouse and marriage one could have as well as someone infinitely bigger than me guiding through life. Years ago I put it to music. My musical crossroads, do I keep it in the basement or share. I’ll share. It’s not everyone’s style but that’s Ok.

Song of Hebrews 12:1-2 Personalized. I have put it to music, demo quality. I thought it was time to share.

Click here and hit the little arrow.

Lyrics

Fixing My Eyes

(Hebrews 12:1-2)

  1.   Alone I stood before the crowd.

 Afraid, I said a prayer aloud,

Lord I can’t run the race before me.

So I’m staring down some winding trails.

I must run where others have failed

Follow the Son, He’s gone before me.

        Chorus:

 I’m fixing my eyes on Jesus. Never look back, straight ahead.

Fixing my eyes on Jesus, don’t want to lose sight of my guide.

       I hear the ones who have gone on before…

       Never Give up, don’t look around, straight ahead.

       Never Give up, don’t look around, straight ahead

  •   Sometimes I’m lost, sometimes turned around

And it seems that my Lord’s no-where to be found

I feel all alone on a dead end trail.

That’s when I look for the Son, I call for my guide

Fall on my knees and give up my pride.

Then I hear a voice say “Follow Me”

        Chorus:

 I’m fixing my eyes on Jesus. Never look back, straight ahead.

Fixing my eyes on Jesus, don’t want to lose sight of my guide.

               I hear the ones who have gone on before…

              Never Give up, don’t look around, straight ahead

              Never Give up, don’t look around, straight ahead.

  • Alone I stood before the throne. I fall before the awesome king. What he thinks of me is all I am.

I see two roads of eternity, the crowd is hushed and I hear him say “well done, come live with me”

Words and music by Gary Fultz

I’m older but I still play keyboards and write music, usually when no one is around. A bit like the song bird in the woods.

Gary

Account Settled

Posted on by Gary Fultz

I leaned against the counter in the local building center as the salesman, a friend, said “I have a story for you.” He rang up my bill as I said “put it on my wife’s account.” He chuckled “Ok, it looks like she has a credit on her account so that’s a good deal. It’s already paid!”

“The story?” I asked? (In the salesman’s words)”Yes. I just played piano for a funeral of one of your distant relatives. He would have been your mothers cousin. He had heart problems, surgery and then was doing really well but died suddenly. A couple days before he died, his son was visiting and asked his dad if he had ever settled his accounts with God. He said no I don’t think so. His son then told him about sin separating us from God, an unpayable debt. Jesus dying and paying the price with his life for our sin and offering everyone a restored relationship with God, he just had to receive that gift God offers us, a restored relationship with him now and forever. Yep, when he realized God had already paid for his account to be settled, he believed and wanted to pray and ask Jesus into his life…just like that. He died a couple days later. Peaceful, his son said”

I pondered the story of my distant relatives son, about my age, finally sharing the gospel with his dad, as I was excited to share my latest pictures with friends and siblings. Knowing God, just the possibility of his guidance and knowing that kind of love in my life is the most exciting thing one can ever know. Ironically, coincidence? I think not, my pictures fit the story here. take a look at pictures and explanations.

These are the last ermine tracks made before the ermine was raptered (ya, play on word for some of you). He was hopping along and an owl carried him away. The final side slots in the snow, coming towards us, is wing tips pushing up. He’s gone.

Guess who took over the ermine tunnels in the snow? This red squirrel wasted no time. If he stays there, well, the owl is watching.
Nearby in the woods: the final resting place for an old white tail buck. A stop-over resting place for birds like this downy woodpecker. The old weeds have died but their seeds will replant in the spring.

I took these pictures at the warmest part of the day (-9F) with a bitter cold wind chill of -30F. The squirrel held his paws as if cold and would not leave his warm tunnel under the snow. As it got colder through the day, 6 deer came and laid in the snow by our garden shed in the sun out of the wind. They just hope to survive the winter.

Today, I was reminded that so many people just go through life with an unclaimed gift they forget about. A gift better than the biggest winning lottery ticket ever. A now and forever gift.

So today I ask you if you have accepted God’s offer of a relationship with him. Now and forever. I’m asking about a relationship that God sought with us through Jesus. Here’s a start for looking further

Gary

I think often of you Kim. So sorry. You asked me why I was so happy and I blew it. I could have taken the time to share

There’s More

Posted on by Gary Fultz

This, after reading Cindy’s post realchristianwomen.blog/2023/01/06/fridays-verse-1-6-23/
   

I had clicked on Cindy’s post and notice she used a picture I had taken from a boat by the Apostle Islands in lake Superior. When I read the bible verse she had posted I got excited. Not only did the verse fit the picture really well, but there was so much more to what she was posting. More than Cindy could know and more than the reader could know. Take a look and read the verse.

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 NIV

Here is what no one else knew. The rock in the picture is one of the outermost apostle Islands. The area is dangerous for big ships in the dark or any weather with low visibility. I also took a picture of what is on top of the rock.

In matters of God and faith, there’s more. Only because God is so much beyond our wildest imaginations is there more when we completely trust him. Those who have walked in that kind of faith have stories of God’s leading, guidance and provision. Someday they may find out how much more there was to their stories. God leads us into so much more when we follow him.

I remember telling someone who had fallen on some very desperate times “don’t worry, trust me when I tell you that God is working behind the scenes” They did not know several of us had already raised the money to take care of the issue. I could say with 100% certainty that God was taking care of them because I was in on the solution. Jesus said a lot of things to his disciples with 100% certainty. God’s promises come from 100% certainty for those who will know him, follow him and live by faith.

Now you know why I got excited. I knew about the lighthouse. In matters of life, faith and God, there is so much more. I’m 100% sure.

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man. The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

Check out Cindy’s blog here

Gary

Let it snow…um…you can quit now

Posted on by Gary Fultz

This week I have watched the wonder and beauty of a snow storm. I took pictures until they all looked the same. Snow looks like snow. Always wonderful, bright and dazzling, alarmingly deadly at some point. I will plow out our drive this morning for the third time.

One snowflake at a time, millions perhaps, until a bough breaks or a tree snaps. Oh the weight of carrying all those snow flakes. How can a few snowflakes be responsible for breaking a tree?

One sweet bite at a time, an ounce on the lips, a pound on the hips. What??? Mirror mirror on the wall, a look of appall.

One word at a time, nibbling at the spirit of a spouse, until something breaks inside. Oh the damage of nibbling words. How can a few words be responsible for a broken marriage?

One tiny slip at a time, a stray thought, a loose word, actions and reactions change gradually. Sin is like that. Why is my spirit heavy? The weight of life is a season I guess. I drift as the winds blow. I once was blind and now again. Some say I don’t know it. I say I’m OK.

This long winded storm alone is a book of insights and parallels to life. I was just reminded of various progressions that seem to flirt with us, dazzle the mind, fleeting beauty, weigh down, break the weak in nature and overstay it’s welcome.

Our deck Christmas trees are still standing.

I love snow. The pure white blanket is mesmerizing. A little snow is good for the soul but not for the road (like a bit of wine?). It’s fun to look out the windows from a warm house and see the beauty. The little dog Buddy thinks it’s fun to be thrown in the snow and disappear as long as he is rescued quickly (the leash helps find him).

I’ll post some of these pictures on unsplash for free down load (just look up unsplash@garyfultz) they will be larger format. I have found using the “gallery” feature in word press is friendlier to cell phones as well as computer screens. I don’t know why but when using a slide show feature, every click counts as a view in your stats which in my view tells a wrong story but that’s how it works. Click on any picture to enlarge and use the slide show buttons. The captions give context.

I decided to rescue some trees from their weight of snow, especially the ones who were bent over so far they could break. Isn’t that the Christmas story? God becoming human starting out as a baby to experience everything human except the breaking weight of sin. I can just kick a tree to relive the weight of snow (at some cost). Jesus died (really big cost) to pay for and remove our weight of sin should we accept that invitation.

I did put my hood up to kick the second tree…fast learner here.

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. … Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest Matthew 11:28 (Jesus).

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…The End

Posted on by Gary Fultz

What comes to mind when I say just one word and then you get a glimpse of what I watched for a couple hours.

“Someday“

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:12-13

My response: Someday…It’s autumn stage in my life, so…Yes, it matters how I live. It matters that I know my creator. “Someday” is coming kind of fast.

Gary

A beautiful Ugly Tree I See

Posted on by Gary Fultz

It’s my favorite tree in the fall of the year. I step out the front door and a splash of multi-color maple leaves against a backdrop of green oak leaves framing the maple. All framed by the sky and whatever the weather is doing at the time. A photogenic maple, in the fall only. Take a peek.

See what I mean? It’s just started to change color and it does it in sections. Reds, yellows and greens here

Each day I seem to enjoy a little more red or a little more yellow.

I must admit, I am partial to the reds in this maple. What a splash compared to all the other fall colors.

There is one glitch though. I find this tree hard to capture in a photograph. The look I want is hard to get. I have to frame sections of this spread out tree so I take many different pictures, framing them just so and cropping parts out I don’t want. take a peek at a few different angles of the tree.

Still pretty but losing it’s glory

Now on to the ugly part of the tree (in comparison). Right now the tree stands almost empty of leaves. So far I have refused to take a side view picture of the tree. It’s an old maple, leans and the body of the tree is crooked and unbalanced. It only looks good from the front. I have framed the tree in pictures to make it fit my purposes.

I was setting up my camera on a tripod with a big lens for a close up photo and a not so comfortable insight tapped me on the head, right through my thick stocking cap (and yes my thick skull). I do that with God. My perspective of God changes with the seasons and with the circumstances all too often. Somehow, when my perspective changes, I think God is the one who has changed.

When life is going really well, God is a good and beneficial God. God is with me at all times and is answering all kinds of prayer. When we were life flighting my daughter, God didn’t seem to want to be hear our pleas or even get on the plane (from where I sat). God is a God of little miracles. He will help a relative find their Contac lens in a miraculous way. God has saved our daughters life so many times but not healed her of the cause in her crippled body. God let a saw blade fly off a machine and cut both my arms to the bone, and then he saved my life. And, so, I frame God from my perspective. As a young boy trying to get my fingers to work after all the nerves in my arms were cut off. It seemed (to me ) that “normal” people could trust God wholeheartedly because they only saw the front view of God. Yet, God was an old leaning tree to me at the time.

Our perspective means everything and we trust our perspective. If we think our perspective has not been framed by any one or any thing but us, we are very wrong. The game in politics is to raise the most money for “framing” one’s great “colors” while discoloring the opponent. Advertising is a trillion dollar framing business in “brand recognition”. I have the best looking maple tree every fall and I frame pictures to prove it. Jesus just comes along and says “follow me”. We (God and I) have had some very lopsided conversations on how he has framed my life. His answer is the same “follow me. I did and I have.

My wife and I had a rare glimpse of God’s framing when Our daughter was three. She went into septic shock. Her last words as we were going out the door to Emergency “mommy the lights went out”, then she went unconscious. No blood pressure, not enough blood to brain, c-scan ordered, The mobile unit c-scan came (his choice as he didn’t have to). Mobile unit guy thought the little girl would die in his unit so he made a bargain with God. “God if she lives, I will take my family to church in the morning”. She lived, the four of them went to church (of all places our church and they were praying for our daughter). They heard the gospel and turned over their lives to God, all four of them. Those in on the story being lived out by us, took a peak of life from God’s perspective. Sometimes that looking glass is quite foggy. Sometimes, more like most of the time, that view is beyond our eyesight. Jesus still offers the best framing from an eternal perspective and says “follow me”

When the back side of life is ugly and we cannot frame nice colors anymore, when beautiful people are finding Contac lenses in miraculous ways while our loved ones are losing their memory, or in chronic pain or fighting to stay alive; remember the one who framed our sin on a cross. Follow Jesus and let him frame life’s circumstances, events, issues and relationships. Know him through his word (the bible) and know him personally through his life in you. A living breathing relationship with our creator. The same one who made those red leaves and put them there. He then gave me the artistic desire and ability to frame so carefully and think I’m good.

This old guy can still dress up nice but I don’t stand as straight and I lean to the left and am not as balanced as before…”Good one” God.

Gary

Green Rivers

Posted on by Gary Fultz

cropped-arizona-skyline.jpgSeveral years ago I had asked my oldest daughter to write about a very special adventure. This is often how God works in this world today. He works through us when we say “yes”. Notice the dynamics and add your good thoughts and insights.

Green Rivers

                                                                By Tracy DeMarse

Do you ever look back and notice crazy threads that somehow seem to keep showing up in your life? Like knowing a different couple named “Mike and Julie” in all five cities you’ve lived in so far?  Or no matter how many job changes you have you always seem to have a boss named “Mitch”?  For me it usually involves “Green River.”

The first Green River was a small town in Utah.  Wikipedia tells me its population is around 973. It is miles away from any other large town and surrounded by cattle and desert. It is also where the alien planet scenes from Galaxy Quest were filmed. My husband and I had been married for about a year and were headed to LA for his summer internship when our truck broke down there.  Actually, it didn’t just break down; the engine overheated and then melted back together in a big useless metal lump.  The local mechanic said he could get to it in a week or so. We checked into a hotel, called our parents to tell them our situation and then just sat back to try to figure out a game plan. Twenty minutes later the local church pastor was at our door inviting us to dinner with his family.

Talk about word getting around fast in a small town. Actually, my Dad had gotten out his invaluable little black book and started making a few calls.  Who would have guessed that a girl from Northern Minnesota could find a connection in Green River, UT? But, truth being stranger than fiction somehow the dots had connected.  It turned out my great-aunt had a cousin who knew a guy… Yeah, seven degrees of Gary Fultz had provided the pastor of the only Christian church in town. He turned out to be a very gracious host with a lovely wife and three kids that all helped to make what did end up being a week-long stay an actually memorable and even pleasant experience.

At the time my young self just sort of floated through the week and said that was fun and went on with life. Learn something? Was I supposed to? Recalling now all that they did for us I am so amazed at the kindness of strangers.  They helped us get a used engine from a town on the Colorado border to save quite a bit off the mechanic’s bid and put us up in a house the church owned in exchange for mowing and cleaning.  I got to lead praise and worship music with their small congregation; another new experience. We didn’t have to cover many of our meals because we were invited over for dinner by multiple members of the church. We even spent Mother’s Day with the entire extended family of a local cattle rancher.  Everyone got their own very large and very fresh stake right off the grill.  Yum!

It wasn’t all fun and games, it did come with quite a price tag to fix up our truck and we arrived a week late for the internship. But, those are the things that now seem inconsequential.  When I think of that week, I have fond memories.  Family games, bike rides with the pastor’s kids, long walks with my husband, and being welcomed and showered with hospitality when we could offer virtually nothing in return.

I can’t help but wonder had the tables been turned if I would have gone to such lengths for the young stranded couple in my town?  I was shown a wonderful example of individuals willing to be the hands and feet of Christ.  I got to experience being on the receiving end of that in a time of need.  How would that week have felt without their willingness to serve?

The end of the same summer found us breaking down yet again in Green River.  This one was a town in Wyoming. It was the middle of the night and nothing was open until morning.  We spent the night on the side of a highway in a cold, cramped truck that shook every time traffic blew by us.  By morning we were stiff, sore and exhausted.  However, we were pretty close to the nearest town and the mechanic was helpful and friendly.  It was just the water pump and he could fit us in right away.  He called over to a local hotel that let us crash there and sleep while for just a few dollars. A second Green River experience had been another small example of people making the load a little lighter. Coincidence? Is there such a thing?

Fast forward a decade or so and our young family of four is moving to a small Kentucky town located on, yes, the Green River.  Once more finding ourselves miles from home and trying to navigate new surroundings.  Once more being taken under the wings of some wonderful Christian women and loved, nurtured and upheld as I got my bearings.  I thank God once again for the willingness of those women to be his hands and feet and show me around town and lead me along while I adjusted to a new place and new roles. James tells us that “Faith without works is dead.” Does that mean that works are tied to salvation?  No.  Read the rest of the book, salvation itself is in no way tied to anything we could ever do, but the ever practical James is telling us like it is, that actions speak louder than words and true faith will show itself.  As I reflect I am challenged. This thread is not new.  Jesus himself demonstrated time and again what it should look like. This is my Green River,  the servant thread being woven into my life.  I need to be open and willing to be those hands and feet and to show my faith in those practical ways; to serve.  I’m still here by the Green River, so God must have a few things planned for me.  Maybe I can be His hands and feet in someone else’s “Green River”.  Do you have a crazy thread?  What is being woven into your life?

Tracy

Now Gary’s notes:

Here’s the “Dad” side of the story. Tracy called and told me their predicament. I called an uncle who pulled trailers to deliver all over the United States to ask him if he had any contacts in Green River Utah. He said no but his wife had an uncle who was a missionary, then pastored a couple years with the church there. I was able to get ahold of my aunts uncles’ number and called. The uncle didn’t know anyone as the pastor was new but had the church parsonage number. I called and the pastor’s wife was in so I told her our daughters plight and their names and that they were at the hotel going for a swim in the pool to figure things out. She said “We will take it from here” She called her husband and asked him to pick up a young couple in room 8 at the hotel and invite them to supper. So the famous “knock on the door” with a pastor asking a young couple over for supper began an adventure for our kids as well as the church. And, Yes, all those numbers went into my little black book of connections I get teased about by family. They never did figure out the trail of the true tale I just told, and that’s ok.

I have recently been able to say to several people going through very hard times “Be encouraged, God is working behind the scenes” I can say that with 100% conviction because God was using myself and some others to correct a problem. We were a part of Gods solution. An old couple (both crippled but still home) down the road will soon hear these words as their roof is so bad it’s caving in. No money, no firewood for winter and the list goes on. Their adult kids do not care but a small group of us are planning how to take care of the problem. They do not know it yet. God has tapped us on the shoulder and we have said “Yes“.

Jesus said a lot of things like that. He knows what’s happening behind the scenes to the end of the age and also to the end of our lives. We should believe him. If someone says to you “be encouraged, God is working behind the scenes”, you should believe them. I hope you get to say that to somebody very soon, because you have inside information. God has tapped you on the shoulder and you have already said “Yes“

Thank you for reading. For at least 3 of you…rereading.

Gary