Jennifer, Julia and I were once leaders in a summer camp called Sugar Creek Camp. Just the name sounds good, doesn’t it!
Sugar Creek Camp was held at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Conference Center near Marshall, Indiana, not far from a state park named Turkey Run State Park. Often, we would take the children to the state park for horse rides, games, water fun, and hiking.
Hiking was especially fun because Turkey Run State Park is full of deep, dark ravines (deep, narrow valleys with steep sides) and trickling streams of cold water. The Park Rangers had marked the trails well. There were easy trails and hard trails, and trails not so hard or easy.
One day it was my job to help a group of about 15 children that had special things about them that made it difficult for them to keep up with other children. Some of them couldn’t walk as well, others couldn’t see as well, and others just couldn’t figure out how to stay on a trail. So, another adult counselor, a teen helper, and I decided we would take them on a short, easy trail.[1]
We started out happily, and everything was going well until I noticed that the trail wasn’t so easy anymore. And then, my helpers noticed that we were lost. I agreed, thinking that I wasn’t sure where we were, or how we got there, or how we were going get back. The children weren’t unhappy because they trusted us as leaders and were glad for the adventure. But it was getting more and more difficult to walk the trail.
We guessed that we should go down a ravine that had 40-foot-high cliffs on either side but seemed to have smooth walking on the bottom, hoping that we would run across a trail we recognized.
As we started down the ravine a young man and a small black dog walked by, going in the direction from which we had come. We said “hello!” And he smiled at us and said “hi” to us too.
For about 10 minutes, we kept walking down the ravine, when all of a sudden, there was that young man and his dog coming to meet us again. We were so surprised because there didn’t seem to be any way he could have done that. When we first saw him, he wasn’t walking in the same direction we were. And besides, there were those 40-foot-high cliffs!
You know what he said to us? He said, “Don’t go any further up this ravine.” “Why?” we asked. He said, “There is water running over the rocks and the children won’t be able to get across. Besides, it won’t take you to a trail that will lead you out.” I said, “How did you know we were lost?” He said with a smile, “It’s kind of obvious.”
About this time, I noticed that the children were playing with his black dog, so I asked him, “What’s your dog’s name?” He said, “Skunk.” “What?” I asked, surprised. “Yeah, he’s black like a skunk, so I named him skunk,” he explained. We all laughed.
The young man then gave us instructions. He said, “Turn around and go back the way you came, when you come back to where you first saw me, turn right, and that path will lead you to the trail out of these ravines.” We did what he said, and because we were traveling much slower, he walked on ahead and disappeared out of our sight.
When we were on the trail that we knew, we grew concerned again. We knew we were coming to a place that you had to go down two 8-foot ladders – from one rock ledge to another. We didn’t know how we were going to that, because the children we had with us normally weren’t able to do that kind of thing, especially without getting very fearful. Plus, we had too many children and not enough helpers. What were we going to do?
When we got to the edge of the rocks and looked over the edge of the ladders, who do you suppose we saw? That’s right! The man with the dog named Skunk!
That young man knew we were afraid to take the children down the ladders, but he said he would help. So, he stood at the bottom of one of the ladders and I stood at the bottom of the other, and soon we had the children all down those ladders. Not one of them became afraid, and besides as they waited their turn, they had that wonderful little dog to play with.
As we walked back to the parking lot, we began to praise the Lord Jesus.
First, because He had sent a helper to help us (we thought maybe even an angel [2]), and secondly, because He loved and cared for each of these children with some physical or mental difficulty that He would even send a little dog to give them happiness on their long adventure.
God loves each of us so much, surprising us with good, joy-filled moments even when we feel frightened or discouraged. Moreover, God treats each of us fairly, and He wants us to do the same. He doesn’t want us to treat others that don’t have as much as we do, or can’t give as much as we can, as any less special than the person who can do the most or give the most.
David Ewert
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” Matthew 25:34-40 (ESV)
[1] 
Trail #6 -This moderate 0.5-mile trail is a short hike where the turkeys once roosted on the ledges. It forms a loop, starting at the Turkey Run Inn, going around Lieber Cabin, along Turkey Run Hollow, and around Overlook Cabin and the Inn Cabins, ending at the road to the Inn.
[2] “Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.” Hebrews 1:14 (NLT)
The September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City rattled the entire country. The question for Oregon was how we could help, and the response was nearly 9,000 volunteers traveling to New York, many if not most under the auspices of the Red Cross Disaster Relief national effort.
The answer God sent was immediate, beautiful, and in itself a deep invigorating answer to our great need for realignment of our perspective on life and restoration of what was being broken within us.
Sunday, June 9, 2019
This dear couple had decided to pay off a large amount still owing on the car from the estate, amplifying the magnitude of the gift. And with mileage under 17,000, the fully equipped 2016 Honda CRV is like new and still carries a large resale value.
“The Hug”
But it does have miles left on it and we discovered that especially with our grandson Tobiah’s excellent detailing of the car, it is still worth approximately $1000-1,200. We wondered if we should try to sell the car, but then God began to impress on our hearts that we should simply give the car away if there was a need for it. Julia and I agreed that we could easily do that – especially considering The Hug. 
What surprised me as we prayerfully considered giving the van away was how often stories from the Gospels came to me about showing mercy, especially the stories found in 
Friday evening, we were privileged to have our grandsons for pizza and a movie. Afterward, we took them home to share some gifts we had collected on our vacation, traveling in The Hug through the Finger Lakes region. As we were leaving Dirk mentioned that we should think about Randy and Candice Strattman as a possibility for our van.
What a blessing to witness the same joy on their faces over the van that we have experienced over the last couple of months regarding the Honda. We drew great pleasure from watching their son Jackson romp around inside the van, and to hear how they could all go together as a family in one vehicle to the outdoor movie theater. Randy used the same words I had used regarding The Hug when he said, “I don’t know how to say thanks.” Candice added on Facebook: “Words can’t even begin to express how grateful and blessed we are. These amazing wonderful people, after being blessed themselves, decided to pay it forward and GAVE us a van!!!!! No more taking two cars everywhere when we have the girls!”
I suppose the Spirit’s voice in this matter started during March Madness when I noticed commentators frequently saying something to the effect, “They’
“Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.'”
My lot, my assigned portion, my cup to drink – this is what I’ve been led to consider lately in breathing by grace.
The ancient scriptures predicted that Jesus Christ would be like a lamb led to slaughter and a sheep standing dumb before the shearer (Isaiah 53:7). As one of his closest disciples testified, when Jesus was reviled, he didn’t revile in return. While suffering he uttered no threats, but instead entrusted himself to the Righteous Judge of all the earth, God himself. (1 Peter 2:23-25)
The 1984 NIV of Psalm 16:5 reads, “Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup, and have made my lot secure.” If that translation were accurate, it would be enough for a quiet heart. But revisions of Psalm 16 since 1984 have deepened the spiritual power to be found in those words. Now, the NIV reads, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.” This is far more fitting for what follows in verses 6-8, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
The Psalmist’s testimony is mine and so my prayer today is “Jesus, you are my portion and my cup. My lot in life is secure only and always because you’re here with me in everything that happens. The interruptions and course corrections are no surprise to you. I can be quiet, Gracious Master, because of you.”
Today we are celebrating our sister Linda who arrived in heaven yesterday and found the answer to her lifelong prayer, “Be Thou My Vision.” We’re certain our Savior gathered her into his loving embrace and invited her to work and play in His Gardens of Glory.
At that point two leading men of the church, Michael Stubblefield and Linda’s husband John, brought in two large rough timbers and laid them on the floor of the church – in the shape of a cross. Our “brokenness” was poured out on that cross to represent what happened to Jesus Himself when He died for us and opened the doorway to God’s redemption of our lives. Afterward, Linda graciously took the timbers and the broken pieces of glass and pottery and promised to create something that would represent how we find life in the death of Christ.
Linda’s inquiring mind helps us to never be satisfied with simplistic answers…
It was not uncommon for us to be studying to preach or teach and ask the question of what we were preparing, “Would this make sense to Linda?” We still wonder as we teach, “What question will Linda ask of what we have to say?” 0h, for more like her that push us to search for the truth in everything! Oh, for more like Linda who invite us to live unafraid of questions.
When there was a problem, a need, or even just a task to accomplish, Linda was first in line to help. She helped paint several rooms in our house, even though she felt pain as she worked. Our dining room table often held sewing projects where she helped work out patterns as well as helping with the final results. Our front yard contains rocks she painted, intricate rock animals peeking out from under our porch.
The people of our church benefited from her green thumb as she shared her plants and extra produce. She read of the First Fruits offerings in the Old Testament and faithfully dropped off the first of the harvest of her garden and orchard at our home each year. She spent countless hours setting up for special events at church, for sharing her beautiful yard for a women’s tea or entertaining friends.
How she loved her family and how she enjoyed her grandchildren! Julia was privileged to be part of outings for tea parties or shopping trips to Eugene with she and her granddaughters. She was always thinking of ways to influence them toward Jesus and encourage them in using their gifts and talents in creative ways.
With all our love and many prayers,
“High King of heaven / When vict’ry is won / May I reach heaven’s joys / O bright heaven’s Sun / Heart of my own heart / Whatever befall / Still be my vision / O Ruler of all”
It’s at those times when the Caleb’s victory at 80 years of age is truly inspiring. Joshua 14:14 says that he was given Hebron in the hill country of the Promised Land because “he followed the LORD God of Israel fully.” What inspires me is that he was 80 years old when he led the conquest of God’s spiritual enemies – fighting uphill! Any soldier knows that’s not easy. Any old soldier thinks that’s just crazy!
O Lord, as I and the other gray hairs enter the spiritual battles before us today, we pray with the Psalmist that You will “Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.” We remember that WITH You “we will gain the victory,” and that YOU “will trample down our enemies.” (Psalm 60:11-12)
We’ve had Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Now it’s time for Forgiveness Eve.
Forgiveness is a dynamic way of life that takes us ever closer to bearing the image of Christ with love and transparency to all those He brings into our circle. It is not a 7-steps-and-we’re-done kind of deal.
I’m leaning on your prayers this Forgiveness Eve.
Thank you, Lord!
This assignment is one of the most difficult of my life and I beg for your prayers.
Your brother,
Should’ves & could’ves have threatened my heart world again lately. I know they are the language of regret. I know they are in the background of grief over losses. I know the pictures they present to my mind appear so brilliant because they act on after-the-fact information. But I also know they are dangerous to soul health and can be used by our spiritual enemy to steal away joy, crush hope, and hinder faith.
The snowfall last night and into this morning left a foot of heavy, wet snow. After an hour of shoveling a walk to our cars, the weakness in my back and legs showed up big time and I had to come in and head for the Ibuprofen bottle. Grief over lost ability to work threatened to undue my snow-cheered attitude and once again I had to put the remembrance of youthful vigor in proper perspective – with God’s help. And now, after coming back in and resting, making breakfast for Julia and me, and doing the dishes, I think I’m ready to return.
My neighbor just showed up with his snow blower. Yeah John!
