Horatio's lucky penny page 6

Horatio's lucky penny page 6 by ric gustafson.


Horatio was sitting at a small table in his study and was eating his usual breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast and juice. He always watched the stock market channel on TV as he ate to see how his Johnson Financial Group stock was doing. As he ate, he noticed that already the numbers for his stock were in the red and the price was going down.
He dialed the number for his stock advisor on his cell phone. " Mark, what's going on with the stock numbers?".
" Horatio, I heard that there might be a major shakeup as far as Johnson Financial Group" his friend replied in a tired voice. " There is talk of an accounting scandal which right now is driving down the price". " I will keep you informed as the day goes on".
As the day went on, the stock price for Johnson Financial Group went lower and lower.
Horatio's cell phone rang.
" Horatio, this is Mark" he said in a scared tone of voice. " You need to sell part of your stock before it's too late".
Horatio stared at the lucky penny plaque on the wall. " My lucky penny has convinced me to keep all my stock and not sell".
" Horatio, you are making a huge mistake" his friend exclaimed as he pleaded. " All your stock is in one fund portfolio and you will lose everything".
As the afternoon wound down, Johnson Financial Group fell to an all time low. Horatio keot staring at his lucky penny plaque for hope and comfort.
His cell phone rang.
" I'm sorry Horatio" his friend said quietly as Horatio stared out a window. " I tried to get you to sell in time but you lost everything".
In disgust, he slammed shut his cell phone, picked up the lucky penny plaque and smashed it into a million pieces.
December of that year,
An employee of Dominick's walked out the back door into the frigid night and walked over to the green trash dumpster. As he threw in two sacks of garbage, he noticed a man standing over the grate trying to stay warm.
With a sad look on his face, Horatio spread his arms over the grate and tried to warm his cold tired bones.


The End- dedicated to Tom E.



To those who read my writing in 2011, Thank you and Happy New Year. Love Ric

Horatio's lucky penny page 5

Horatio's lucky penny page 5 by ric gustafson


" Horatio, I became a christian when I came to the homeless shelter" John said as he held up a small green bible he had brought with him. " This completely changed my life".
" Oh!".
" I study his Word all the time now".
" Every word that is in it".
" I believe with all my heart everything that is in it".
" I don't believe in God" Horatio said with a long sigh. " Just my lucky penny".
" You still believe in only that coin for everything in your life".
" Of course" he replied as he took a sip of lemonade. " What's happened to me bears it out".
" I'm sorry my friend but God is in charge of my life and no one else".
" I'm happy with my life" Horatio replied. " My lucky penny has given me everything I need".
" Ok Horatio" John replied as he got up from the table, shook his friend's hand and then began to walk toward the patio stairs. " God bless and I will pray for you".
Horatio walked back into his study and stared at his lucky penny plaque. " Who needs God when we have each other".



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Horatio's lucky penny page 4

Horatio's lucky penny page 4 by ric gustafson.


Horatio poured some lemonade from a large glass pitcher into a glass and took a sip. " Would you like some John?". The day butler set a plate of sandwiches, fruit and potato chips in front of them.
" Sure". His friend bit into a roast beef sandwich. " Thank you for lunch".
" My pleasure" Horatio said as he poured his friend a glass. " I miss the guys from the tent colony".
" So tell me my friend what happened that now you have all this".
Horatio thought for a moment. " After I found my lucky penny near Dominick's that day, I was walking back to the tent colony when a miracle happened".
" What happened?".
" I saw something green in the snow and it turned out to be a wet $100 dollar bill".
" What did you do with it?".
" I took it to somebody at the shelter who knew about investing in the stock market". " He invested it for me and now I'm making a fortune just off the interest".
" And you think that everything that has happened to you is because of the penny you found in the snow".
" That's right" Horatio exclaimed with a grin as he took a sip of his lemonade. " It's the only explanation I can think of".



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Horatio's lucky penny page 3

Horatio's lucky penny page 3 by ric gustafson


Horatio kept staring at John. " I'm sorry to stare at you but you look familiar". " Have we met before?".
" No, I don't think so" he replied as he scratched his scraggily beard. " I was born and raised in Montana and was homeless for six years".
" Montana John" Horatio exclaimed as he hugged his old friend. " Remember me Horatio from the tent colony".
" You mean Horatio who used to bring back containers of food from restaurant dumpsters" was the reply as he hugged his old friend. " You disappeared and I thought that something bad had happened to you".
" This" Horatio exclaimed loudly as he walked over to a huge plaque on one of the walls. " This is what happened to me".
John walked over to the plaque and studied it carefully. " A penny?".
" That's right" was the reply as Horatio walked over and looked at it as if it were a shrine. " This lucky penny completely changed my life".
" How is that?".
" The day I found that penny outside Dominick's, my life completely changed" he said with a broad smile. " The only explanation I can come up with is this lucky penny".
" So what exactly happened that you went from being in our tent colony to living in this fancy house?".
" Have lunch with me and I will explain everything".




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Horatio's lucky penny page 2

Horatio's lucky penny page 2 by ric gustafson.


Horatio was studying his stock portfolio at his large oak top desk when the intercom rang. He got up from the desk and walked over to the intercom on the wall. " Yes Evelyn".
" John Ellis from the Elkington Homeless Shelter has an appointment at 10:00 to see you".
" Oh that's right" was the reply as he looked at his Rolex watch. " Send him in".
Evelyn led a young man into the spacious office and study. Horatio noticed he was probably about the same age and also looked slightly familiar.
" Hi, I'm Horatio Longley" he said as he pointed toward a nearby couch. " Please have a seat".
" Thank you" the young man replied as he settled into a comfy blue couch and pillows. " I'm John Ellis and I represent the Elkington Homeless Shelter".
" What can I do for you Mr Ellis?".
" Mr Longley, as you know the city has cut our funding in half" he said nervously as he played with his necktie. " And our expenses have skyrocketed because of more young mothers and families coming in".
" Yes, I know about the struggles the shelter has been going through".
" Mr Longley, we appreciate what you've graciously given in the past" he said as he smiled. " But now we could really use your help".
" Mr Ellis, I'm a very generous man" Horatio replied quietly as he stared at the young man. " I was homeless myself for a long time so I know what it's like to be hungry and have no place to go".
" I will help the shelter".




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Ismay page 4

Ismay page 4 by ric gustafson.


" What happened then Sir?".
" On the main staircase, Chief Engineer Bell told me that he hoped that the pumps would control the water for a while".
" Did you go back to your room?".
" Yes and then I went back to the bridge".
" What happened next?".
" I heard Captain Smith give the order for lifeboats to be prepared and for women and children to go first".
" Did you help with the launching of the boats?".
" Yes, it was 12:05 and I helped with the boats that were on the starboard side of the ship".
" Which specific lifeboats did you help with?".
" Lifeboats 3,5,7,9 and Collapsible C".
" And which boat did you enter Sir?".
" I got into Collapsible C".



research help: ' the sinking of J Bruce Ismay' by Frances Wilson



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Horatio's lucky penny page 1

Horatio's lucky penny page 1 by ric gustafson.


Marsha Schuster started to write some numbers on a white easel. The people who were sitting around a small wooden conference table looked on. " This last quarter was not very good financially for the shelter".
" Why?" asked Dede Benson who was the shelter's youth director.
Marsha gave a slight frown. " First, the city has cut our funding in half and our private contributions have gone down also".
Richard Conklin's hand shot up. " Marsha, what can we do to help?".
" Until the city raises our support, we need to ask our private contributors for more help". " John".
" Yes Marsha" replied the newest member of the shelter's team.
" I would like you to talk to Mr Horatio Longley" she said with a nervous smile. " He is the largest private contributor to this shelter".
" Sure".



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Horatio's lucky penny prelude

Horatio's lucky penny prelude by ric gustafson


Horatio slowly walked through the deep snow toward his favorite place, the warm grate by Dominick's Restaurant. It was Christmas Eve and the restaurant was quiet. He was cold and shivering and no matter how many layers of clothing he had on, he was always cold. The Italian restaurant was Horatio's favorite place to come not only because of the warm grate but also for the amount of food that they always put in the dumpster.
Horatio's hands finally warmed up as he stood over the grate. He stomped his boots which were too small for his feet and then slowly the circulation came back. He walked over to the green dumpster and peered inside. He took out some styrofoam containers that had leftover pizza, pasta and garlic bread.
Horatio closed the dumpster lid and was going to walk back with the containers, when the back door of the restaurant opened. He ducked behind the dumpster and then noticed something shiny on the cold snowy ground. After the restaurant door closed, Horatio stooped down to pick up the shiny object. He noticed that it was a brand new shiny penny. A worn smile came to Horatio's face. " This must be my lucky day". He put the shiny penny into a pocket of his threadbare pants, picked up the styrofoam containers and then started walking back toward the tent colony.



Everyone take care. Love Ric

the grand opening of the A to Z page 2

the grand opening of the A to Z page 2 by ric gustafson


Christopher saw a small sign at the start of the main aisle. It read ' his salvation is forever". He started to wander through the aisles and was amazed at how many items there were in the store. As he looked for the toasters, he began to wonder why nothing looked new. He smiled as he finally found the aisle where the toasters were. He frowned as he noticed that all the toasters he was looking at looked as old as could be.
" How will a store stay open if they sell nothing new" he muttered to himself as he walked up to the first sales associate he saw. " Nothing in this store is new" he said in frustration as he stared at the employee.
The sales associate looked at Christopher with a smile. " Jesus's salvation stays the same, we do not need anything new to take it's place".
Christopher walked out scratching his head. He got back into his car and drove off intending to go somewhere and buy a new toaster.


The End- dedicated to Tom E



research help: ' Together with Jesus' by Richard E Lauersdorf



Everyone take care. Love Ric

the grand opening of the A to Z page 1

the grand opening of the A to Z page 1 by ric gustafson.


Christopher Atkins was reading the want ads to look for a job. He put a slice of bread into the toaster and tried to put down the handle. The handle would not go down.
" Come on" he said loudly in frustration as he banged his fist on the countertop. " Boy I could use a new toaster" he exclaimed as he kept trying to put the handle down and was getting madder by the minute. He picked up the newspaper and opened it to page 2. On the page was a large ad for a new store opening. The ad was for a store opening called the A to Z. The ad advertised that they sold toasters so Christopher figured why not go and check out the new store.
He drove his blue Saturn into the immense parking lot and noticed quite a few cars. He got out and walked into the cart area. He got one and walked toward the entrance. Over the entrance of the store was a large banner saying ' welcome to the grand opening of the A to Z'. With the wheels of his steel cart wobbling. he walked into the store.



research help: ' Together with Jesus' by Richard E Lauersdorf




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

today is my birthday page 4

today is my birthday page 4 by ric gustafson

" I would like to go back to my room Harlan".
" Ok". He slowly wheeled her back down the hallway and then into her room. He helped her into her easy chair.
" Harlan, can you hand me that photo album?".
He handed her a white album from a nearby table.
She opened it and thumbed through it. She stopped at a certain page. " Harlan, here are pictures of your father and I when we went on a trip to Mexico".
" You and Dad were able to go on a lot of trips together".
" We brought home so many souvenirs including something that looked like an old genie lamp that we had no place to put them all".
" I miss Irwin".
" I miss Dad too".
After a while, he noticed that his mother was getting tired. " Mother, I should go".
" Thanks for coming to my birthday today".
" Mother, today is not your birthday".
" Harlan" she exclaimed as she smiled at her son. " Everyday with God is a birthday".
Harlan kissed his mother goodbye and then walked out to the car. As he sat behind the wheel, he pondered what his mother had said.


The End- dedicated to Tom E


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the gift return window

the gift return window by ric gustafson.


Max Allan walked carefully toward the gift return window. He was holding a big red box with a green bow on it. ' This was not the gift I wanted' he thought with a frustrated look on his face.
" May I help you?".
" Yes Shelly" he said as he stared at her nametag. " I am returning this gift".
" Let's see". She opened the box and took out a small card. On it were the words ' the free gift of eternal life'. She smiled at Max. " This is the best gift you could ever receive".
" Why is that?" he replied as he stared at the small card. " I really wanted a new set of power tools".
" First of all, this gift is free".
" Ok".
" Second of all, it is the best gift because it is Jesus".
" Ok, I'll take it back home" Max said as he put the card back into the box. He started to walk away with the box. " Merry Christmas".
Shelly smiled. " Merry Christmas".


The End- dedicated to Tom E


research help: a Pastor Dietz sermon



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

today is my birthday page 3

today is my birthday page 3 by ric gustafson


" This egg salad sandwich is good" Betsy Bergmann said with a smile as she dabbed her mouth with her napkin.
" How is your sandwich Harlan?" Mildred Copple asked as she sipped from her water goblet.
" Fine". He finished the sandwich and then started eating the mandarin oranges. " The meals here are pretty good".
" I can't wait for the dessert" she said as she grinned at her son. " Maybe it's a cake since today is my birthday".
" Mom, today is not your birthday".
" Yes it is" she said as she pointed at what she was wearing. " I'm wearing my new blue dress just for that reason".
After a while, they were finishing their ice cream. " How was your ice cream mother?".
" Ok" was her reply as she finished eating the last bite. " It wasn't cake but it was ok".
Harlan watched as nurses wheeled the ladies at their table back to their rooms. " Mother, what would you like to do now?".



I pray that everyone has a wonderful Christmas night. Love Ric

the story of Martha page 12

the story of Martha page 12 by ric gustafson.


Martha was waiting for her brother to return from the city. He walked through the gate with a sad frown on his face.
" What happened my brother?".
Lazarus gave his sister a hug. " I found out that John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod".
" Wasn't he a cousin of the Rabbi Jesus?".
" Yes".
" What caused this?" asked Mary who had joined them in the courtyard.
" The daughter of Herodias danced for the King and he promised her anything that she asked for".
" Why would he do that?".
" She asked her mother and then asked the King for John's head on a platter".
" Brother, is there talk of killing the Rabbi Jesus?".
" Yes, there is".



research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the story of Martha page 11

the story of Martha page 11 by ric gustafson.


Lazarus put cups and pitchers of wine on the table.
There was a knock at the gate. Lazarus opened it to reveal the Rabbi and his disciples.
" Peace be upon this house". Martha and Mary joined them in the courtyard.
" Let me introduce my friends". " This is Matthew who used to be a tax collector but now is our record keeper". The burly man with the piercing smile grinned at them. " This is James and his brother John whom I call my sons of thunder". Both men had dark auburn hair and square chins. " This is Thomas". The young man grinned and bowed his head. " This is Peter and his brother Andrew". The big man with huge arms had dark hair held back by a headband. " This is Philip, Nathaniel, James son of Alphaeus and Simon who formerly was a zealot but now serves the Kingdom". " This is Judas son of James and Judas Iscariot who is the treasurer of our group.".
Martha stared at the treasurer of the group who always had a bag of coins around his chest and did not smile at them.
She brought out water for the ritual hand washing and then everyone sat down. With Mary's help, bread, lentil soup and raisin cakes were put on the table and eaten.
After the meal was over, Martha looked at Jesus. " Will you come again?".
" If we are in this area again, we will come".



research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the Fall page 9

the Fall page 9 by ric gustafson.


Lucifer stood on his balcony and listened to the music that he had created. He watched angels walking toward the northern edge of the Kingdom. He watched as an angel quietly landed next to him.
" Kara, my friend".
" My friend Lucifer, I have some encouraging news".
" What news is that?".
" The Council of Elders have decided to make a formal request to the most High that you be made the steward of this new world".
Lucifer smiled. " When will they make this request?".
" Very soon I heard".
All of a sudden, a thunder of trumpets pierced the sky.
The Lord's voice rang out. " Glory to the Lamb of God who was slain before the foundation of the world".
The two watched as a streak of light flew from the North into the Heavenly sky.
" Now it starts" Lucifer muttered to himself.



research help: ' Chronicles of the Host' by D Brian Shafer



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the Fall page 8

the Fall page 8 by ric gustafson.


Gabriel and Michael were sitting around a large table. Michael's house was just off the Grand Square and God's light poured through the windows.
As they sat, Sangius quietly walked in and sat down.
" Thank you for coming my friend" Michael said as he shook his hand. " Can you tell Gabriel what you told me?".
" Archangel Gabriel, I was a member of the Council of Worship and participated in several meetings led by Lucifer".
" What happened?".
" The meetings eventually became offensive toward the Lord" he said as Gabriel listened intently. " Most of the Council members were giving their loyalty to Lucifer".
" It's beginning to make sense".
" What is?" asked Michael.
" The day creation came, Lucifer stopped me and tried to get some information". The archangel looked at Michael with a worried look. " I can't believe our Chief Minister of Worship would do this to the Creator".
" This is a serious accusation" Michael said as he stared at Gabriel. " We must be careful".



research help: ' Chronicles of the Host' by D Brian Shafer



Everyone take care. Love Ric.

the Fall page 7

the Fall page 7 by ric gustafson.


Lucifer heard the bell ring as he took out the container from it's hiding place. He put it on top of a conference table as Serus led the two angels into the small conference room.
" Rugio and Pellecus" he said with a smile. He took a scroll out of the container and spread it out on top of the table. " Come in and sit down".
The two angels sat down next to the table as Lucifer stared at the scroll. " What information do you have so I can write it down".
" Lord Lucifer" Rugio said with a nervous grin. " Many of my commanders are ready to follow us". He handed him a parchment with names written on it.
Lucifer wrote their names on the scroll under loyal angels. " How about you Pellecus?".
" My Lord Lucifer" he said as he handed him a parchment. " Many of the teachers and students are for us".
" Good" Lucifer cackled as he wrote more names on the scroll.



research help: ' Chronicles of the Host' by D Brian Shafer



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Fall page 6

the Fall page 6 by ric gustafson.


For a long time, Lucifer worked on the Creation music and only his friend Serus saw him. He conferred with the Elders as it progressed.
One day, there was a knock on the front door. Serus opened it to reveal Lucifer's friend Kama.
" Kama, my dear friend" Lucifer said as he sniffed the pretty lilacs that he had around the mansion. " You are just the person I wanted to see".
" Lucifer, angels are asking about you" he said as he shook Lucifer's hand. " Everyone is wondering how the Creation music is coming".
" First of all, you can tell the Elders that the music is done".
" Already?".
" Yes". He gave his friend a serious look. " Something much more important than the music is on my mind right now".
" And what is that?".
" Have the Elders discussed about stewardship of this new Creation?".
" No but I heard that the Father, Son and Spirit will be totally in charge of everything regarding this Creation".
" I see" was Lucifer's reply as he contemplated that thought.
" I have been spreading your name to the various members of the Elders".
" Thank you my friend".



research help: ' Chronicles of the Host' by D Brian Shafer



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the story of Martha page 10

the story of Martha page 10 by ric gustafson


Martha could see the crowd leaving and her brother Lazarus talking to the Rabbi.
After a while he came back. " I have invited the Rabbi and his disciples to come to our house".
They quickly walked home and Mary was waiting for them.
" Mary, we are having guests for supper" she said as she smiled at her little sister. " Can you help me get ready?".
" Martha, who is coming?".
" Rabbi Jesus and his disciples, thirteen in all".
" Rabbi Jesus". Mary's eyes lit up. " The whole village is talking about him and his miracles".
" Mary, I need your help before they arrive".



research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Fall page 5

the Fall page 5 by ric gustafson


Michael stood in the Grand Square of the City and watched as angels walked by him heading toward different buildings of the Kingdom. He stood next to a wall of the House of Wisdom and began to relax after the busy events of Gabriel's celebration.
An angel walked up to him.
" Greetings Sangius" the archangel said as he gave him a quick hug. " How is the Minister of the Holy Flame doing today?".
" I am honored to be so near the Lord's presence" he replied as he lowered his voice. " But something is bothering me".
" What is that my friend?".
" Lucifer asked me to resign from the Council of Worship".
" Why is that?".
" I don't know but I resigned on my own".
" Sangius, what was going on in those meetings?".
" Lucifer was promoting himself instead of the Lord's ability to reign".
" Were the other angels believing him?".
" Yes Michael they were" he replied with a sigh. " That's why I resigned".
" Thank you my friend for your insight" Michael said as he gave him a goodbye hug.
As they walked away, Lucifer's friend Serus walked around the side of the building after overhearing the whole conversation.


research help: ' Chronicles of the Host' by D Brian Shafer




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the story of Martha page 9

the story of Martha page 9 by ric gustafson


Martha stared at the Rabbi. He was tall and his hair was parted in the middle. His complexion was dark because of long hours in the sun. He had a thick beard that fell to his shoulders.
He was speaking to the Pharisee leaders. " I have come in my Fathers's name and you do not receive me, how can you believe and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God".
The Pharisee leaders began to murmur among themselves and give Jesus hard looks.
" If you believed Moses you would believe me because he wrote about me". " If you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?".
Lazarus turned to the man next to him. " The Pharisee leaders are upset with this Rabbi, what has he done?".
" He healed a man on the Sabbath".



research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor



I pray that everyone has a great Saturday. Love Ric

the Fall page 4

the Fall page 4 by ric gustafson


Lucifer was walking down a street near the Great Hall of Assembly. He noticed a friend in the crowd. " Kara, what's going on?".
" My dear friend Lucifer" he said as he smiled with joy. " Haven't you heard the news?".
" What news?".
" Gabriel just proclaimed that a physical world called Creation is coming".
" Kara, I already knew that was coming".
" Lucifer, that is not the only big news".
" What other big news?".
" Gabriel wants you to come up with the Creation hymn".
" Me!".
" You are head of the music worship" he said with another smile. " The archangel and all the angels believe you can do it".
" Tell Gabriel they can count on me". He walked over and whispered softly into his friends ear. " Please inquire for me who they might have in mind to administer this new place called Creation".




research help: ' Chronicles of the Host' by D Brian Shafer



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Fall page 3

the Fall page 3 by ric gustafson


The assembled angels sat at a long table and watched Lucifer walk in.
" Welcome my brothers" he said as he quickly walked up to the table. " I just came from Gabriel's celebration because I am in charge of the praise music". He frowned at the assembled angels. " But something is bothering me".
" What is that?" asked Tinius.
" I have no choice but to do what the Most High tells me".
" Lucifer, we all follow God's commands".
" Tinius, hear me out". Lucifer began to walk around the table. " God, the Son and the Holy Spirit have always ruled from the Throne room". He stopped in front of the giant window and pointed out. " I perform the choir music just as I am told". " Sometimes I feel like a slave".
" Lucifer, we are not slaves" Tinius said loudly as he stared at the young man. " We serve God out of love and obedience".
" My dear Tinius" Lucifer replied with a grin as he rested a hand on his shoulder. " Is is world so perfect that God would not let us choose our own path".
All the angels looked at each other.
" My last comment" Lucifer exclaimed as he looked around the table. " If by chance God is not all perfect, what authority does he have over us".
The meeting adjourned.



research help: ' Chronicles of the Host' by D Brian Shafer



Everyone have a great Friday evening. Love Ric

the Fall page 2

the Fall page 2 by ric gustafson


Lucifer entered the Great Hall of Ceremony and quietly sat down in the choir loft. As the chief lord over worship, he was in charge of leading the choir. He raised his hands and thousands of angels began to sing their praises. After a while, a golden door opened to the side and twenty four Elders entered the room. The Chief Elder had a belt containing twelve large stones each a different color.
Michael and Gabriel approached the Great Throne. Lucifer led the choir into a loud frenzy. " Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty". The choir got louder. " Who was and is and is to come".
Smoke poured from the throne and enveloped Gabriel, Michael and the Elders.
A voice came from the smoke. " The Lord your God gives Gabriel full authority as archangel".
The voice continued. " He will be a ruling angel, wear the golden belt of majesty and the Sword of Truth as his insignia".
Gabriel stepped forward and then a ranking Elder put the golden belt around him and then presented him with the Sword of Truth.
Then the voice of the Lord thundered. " Let him who has been created to serve, serve with all of his heart, this is the will of the Lord".
" So be it" yelled all of the angels.
Lucifer quietly and quickly left the Throne room. Outside, he told Larus that he wanted to speak to the Council of Worship right away".



research help: ' Chronicles of the Host' by D Brian Shafer



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Fall page 1

the Fall page 1 by ric gustafson


Lucifer gazed toward the Great Mountain of the North. He saw God's light streaming down the mountain. He turned toward a nearby mirror as he heard someone approach. He smiled as he studied himself. His name meant Light Bearer or the Star of the Morning. His eyes were blue gray and his hair shone in the sun as he wore his white cloak.
" My lord".
He turned to see his chief servant Larus. " Yes Larus".
" Michael is here to see you".
" I will talk to him".
" Yes my lord".
Lucifer followed the sevant through the beautiful mansion. Beautiful tapestries and mirrors filled the mansion and the light from the Great Mountain lit up the rooms. They walked into a chamber where the archangel was waiting for him.
" My dear brother" Lucifer said with a sly smile. " What a pleasant surprise".
The archangel was strong and built like a warrior. He had long brown hair, deep green eyes and carried a jewel encrusted sword. He was Captain of the Lord's Host and commanded respect.
" Lucifer, I'm here on official business" he said with a serious look as he stared at the chief lord over worship. " You and I need to plan a ceremony for the installation of a new archangel".
" A new archangel so soon after you achieved that positon". He gave his brother a strange grin. " Who is getting the honor this time?".
" Gabriel is becoming an archangel and becoming the Chief Messenger to the Kingdom".
After the planning session was over and Michael was on his way back home, he could sense a little bit of resentment and jealousy in his brother.



research help: ' Chronicles of the Host' by D Brian Shafer



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

welcome to the spiritual armor store page 2

welcome to the spiritual armor store page 2 by ric gustafson.


Billy McGee heard the bell ring and knew that someone had walked in. He adjusted his nametag and then walked out. He walked over to where the young couple were looking at the men's clothes. " Welcome to the Spiritual Armor Store". " How can I help you?".
" My husband needs a new suit coat and pants for work purposes" she said with a smile. " Can you help us?".
" Sure, follow me over to this rack".
They walked over to a rack and began to search through the new suits.
" I like this one" Bruce said as he held up a new suit coat and a pair of pants. " I'll need a belt too".
" I have just the belt". He walked into the backroom and then came out with the strangest looking belt Bruce had ever seen.
" Try this one".
Later, Bruce came out of the fitting room with the suit coat, pants and the belt on.
" Billy, this belt fits perfectly" he said as he looked at his wife for her approval. " What's the belt called?".
" The Belt of Truth".
" Why is it called that for?".
" It represents truth, honesty and sincerity".



research help: ' Lucifer Exposed' by Derek Prince



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

welcome to the spiritual armor store page 1

welcome to the spiritual armor store page 1 by ric gustafson.


Bruce Wilson yawned as he watched his wife walk into the candle store. ' I hate shopping' he thought as people were rushing around in their Christmas shopping quest. He hated shopping in general and would rather be home watching football. He watched in amazement as she quickly came back out.
" I did not see anything interesting".
As they walked through the mall, in frustration Bruce shook his head. " I forgot I need a new suit for the out of town conference".
"Hopefully there is a men's clothing store in this mall".
They reached the end of the mall and then Irene stopped. She turned to her left. " This store looks like a men's clothing store".
The sign above the door simply said ' The Spiritual Armor Store".



I pray that everyone has a great Sunday. Love Ric.

Ismay page 3

Ismay page 3 by ric gustafson


" Sir, what happened to that message?".
" I showed it to a couple of passengers and then gave it to Captain Smith".
" At what time did you notice that something was wrong on board?".
" At 11:40 pm, I was awake and heard a scraping noise that made me wonder if there was a problem with one of the propellers".
" Please continue Sir".
" I put on my slippers, walked out into the hallway and asked a steward what had happened".
" Did the steward know?".
" No, so I went back to my room, put on an overcoat and black trousers over my pajamas and walked to the bridge".
" Please continue Sir".
" On the bridge, I asked Captain Smith what had happened".
" What did he say?".
" He said that the ship had struck a berg". " Then I asked if the ship was damaged".
" What did the Captain say?".
" I am afraid it is".



research help: ' the sinking of J Bruce Ismay' by Frances Wilson



Happy Saturday to all. Love Ric

the return of the ding ding man

the return of the ding ding man by ric gustafson


Slowly he threw the snow up on top of the retaining wall. He stopped because the heavy snow had begun to hurt his back. ' Boy it's cold out here' he thought to himself as he blew on his gloved hands.
' Hot chocolate right now sure sounds good' he thought as he picked up another shovel full of snow and throwing it on top of the retaining wall.
He was stamping his cold feet when he heard the familiar sound. He smiled and walked over to the curb. He heard the ding ding and saw the plain white truck coming slowly down the street.
' Maybe he has some hot chocolate' he thought as he stepped out into the snowy street. The white truck stopped in front of his house.
The small serving window of the truck opened. " Can I help you?".
" Yes, I'm freezing and wanted to know if you had any hot chocolate".
The young dark bearded man, who was wearing a white parka, shook his head. " Sorry, no hot chocolate".
He blew into his gloved hands. " Do you have any hot drinks at all?".
" Sorry".
" So why are you driving around dinging that bell?".
" So I can tell people about the free gift that I have in my truck".
" What gift is that?" he asked as he stamped his feet.
" The free gift of eternal life".
" How do I get this free gift?".
" Simply believe in me".
" No hot chocolate".
" Sorry".
He shook his head and walked back to his shovel to keep working. " All I wanted was some hot chocolate".
Jesus, with tears forming in his eyes, closed his serving window and started the truck. He dinged the bell and continued his journey.



The End- dedicated to Tom E.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Is there anything in that bag for me?

Is there anything in that bag for me? by ric gustafson.


I stood in a dark corner of the mall and observed Santa Claus at work. This Santa was not dressed in typical red and a white beard. This Santa was young, black bearded and dressed totally in white. There was a long line of children getting on his knee and whatever they wished for, he always got it out of his never ending bag. This Santa is different I observed even though I'm not a Christian and don't believe in Christmas.
It was Christmas Eve and the line of kids never seemed to end. I observed that this Santa never got tired or irritable and always had a smile. I noticed he was a natural with children.
Christmas Eve was here and I was ready to go home just like any other night of the year. The Santa in white had just finished with the last child and his bag was now empty. Santa motioned me with his hand to come over. Why would Santa want a 24 year old to get on his knee?".
I walked over and got on Santa's knee. " Is there anything in that bag for me?".
Santa smiled at me. " What I want to give you is not in this bag".
" What gift is that?".
Santa gave me a hug. " The free gift of eternal life".
I walked away and contemplated this free gift.



The End- dedicated to Tom E.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Potter and the Clay page 2

the Potter and the Clay page 2 by ric gustafson.


Myron woke up and his eyes darted around the large room. There were several large windows and a fire crackled in a nearby fireplace. He noticed vases and pitchers on top of the mantel. Along the walls were wooden shelves filled with clay pots.
" Myron, how do you feel?".
" I hurt all over".
" You have cuts and scrapes and a bump on your forehead".
" Some young men beat me up".
The Potter picked up a broken clay pitcher from a shelf. " Myron, would you like to see my studio?".
" Sure".
They walked to the back of the house and through a large wooden door. Myron noticed that the studio was sparse.
The Potter put the cracked pitcher on a table.
" What are you planning on doing with that broken pitcher?".
Tears began to form in the Potter's eyes. " Because of sin, I'm going to crush this pitcher into dust and start over".



research help: ' Master Potter' by Jill Austin



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Ismay page 2

Ismay page 2 by ric gustafson.


Ismay cleared his throat. " I would like to express my sincere grief at this deplorable catastrophe". " I am here because we have nothing to conceal and nothing to hide".
" Sir, where was the ship built?".
" It was built in Belfast Ireland".
" Any comments on the way it was built".
" It was the latest thing in the art of shipbuilding, no money was spared in her construction".
Senator Smith stared at Ismay. " Sir, can you please describe your actions on the night of the sinking?".
" Sunday night April 14th, I was eating dinner in the first class restaurant with Dr William O Loughlin".
" Who is he Sir?".
" He is the surgeon of the White Star Line".
" Please continue Sir".
" Later, I retired to my stateroom and was asleep by 11:00 pm".
" Sir, were you aware of any ice warnings that night?".
" Yes, Captain Smith handed me a message that the liner Baltic had encountered icebergs and a lot of field ice about 250 miles ahead of us".



research help: ' the sinking of J Bruce Ismay' by Frances Wilson.




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

a Golden Arch Christmas page 3

a Golden Arch Christmas page 3 by ric gustafson.


David took a bite of one of his cheeseburgers. " Job was optimistic even when everything bad that could happen to him happened". " Even though things look very bad right now, I'm going to remain optimistic".
" I am thankful that we are in here instead of out in that snowstorm" she replied with a reluctant grin as she sipped on her Coke.
" The bible says in all adversity and trials, God will always protect us and keep us safe".
" Ok David" she said with a sigh as the front door opened and a AAA truck driver walked in. " I will try hard to always stay optimistic".
" Sorry about the delay" the driver said as he shook snow off of his shoulder. " This blizzard is really causing a lot of problems for people tonight". The driver handed David a cell phone. " I heard about your cell phone and you can use mine to call your brother".
" Thank you". He walked away to do that.
A second AAA emergency driver walked in. " We have your car hooked up to be taken to town to be looked at".
Alice gave him a weak smile.
" We will also give you a rental car so you can still get to your Christmas Day destination".
" Praise be to God" Alice said out loud as David came back with a smile on his face.
" My brother found our cell phone so everything is all right".
"David, let's pray".
They lowered their heads and gave thanks for all the blessings God gave them and for always keeping them safe at all times.


The End- dedicated to Tom E.




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

a Golden Arch Christmas page 2

a Golden Arch Christmas page 2 by ric gustafson.


" I would like three $ 1.00 Mcdoubles and a medium orange" David said to the tired teenage girl. " Alice, what would you like?".
" The number one combo" she replied in an annoyed voice as she brought napkins and ketchup back to the table.
He sat down and handed her a Big Mac and some fries. He put his double cheeseburgers in front of him and then looked at his watch. He raised his orange drink and smiled at his wife. " It is now past 12 midnight" he said with a smile. " Merry Christmas Alice".
" How could you ever call tonight merry?".
" Sweetheart, things could be worse".
" Worse" she yelled in anger as she threw her wrapper into her bag. " May I remind you that our car has broken down in a blizzard, we do not know how to get to my parents house and our only cell phone is missing". With anger on her face, she pointed a finger at her husband. " How much worse can it get?".
David took a bite of one of his cheeseburgers. " Even with all the strikes against us tonight, I'm going to be optimistic about everything".
" You can't be serious" she replied in a gruff voice as she put her empty french fry container into the bag. " Tonight has been a disaster".




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Ismay page 1

Ismay page 1 by ric gustafson


The door of the East room opened and a gentleman, who was wearing a new blue suit and a black scarf, walked in. The bodyguard next to him tried to protect him from the crowd of spectators who tried to come up to him. He sat down in the empty inquiry chair and waited.
At 10:30 am, Senators Smith and Newland arrived along with General Uhler of the steamboat inspection service.
" Can we have your full name?".
" J Bruce Ismay".
" Your age?".
" Fifty as of December 12th".
" Your occupation?".
" Shipowner and Managing Director of the White Star Line".
Senator Smith stared at Ismay. " Will you kindly tell this committee the circumstances surrounding your voyage, your experiences on board and anything else that would help this inquiry?".


research help: ' The sinking of J Bruce Ismay' by Frances Wilson.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

a Golden Arch Christmas page 1

a Golden Arch Christmas page 1 by ric gustafson.


The storm's cold flakes coated his face as he slowly opened the heavy frozen door. David Munry opened it as his wife Alice barely made it through before the heavy winter wind closed it again.
" Did you bring in the map?" she asked as she rubbed her hands together for warmth. " I can't believe all of our bad luck".
He handed her the map as he felt inside his pant pocket for change. " I'm going to call and find out how soon they can get here". He came back a short time later. " Because of the blizzard, AAA is not sure what time they can get here".
" That's just great" she retorted in an angry tone as she studied the map. " It's Christmas Eve and you have no clue which exit it is to my parents house".
" First of all, I can't find my directions to your parents new house and I must of left our only cell phone at my brother's house".
" So what do we do now? she exclaimed loudly as she sat down at an empty table and felt exhausted.
David thought for a moment. " This McDonalds is open 24 hours" he said as he stared at the menu board. " I suggest we eat something and wait for AAA to come".



Everyone take care. Love Ric.

all I want for Christmas is a bowling ball page 3

all I want for Christmas is a bowling ball page 3 by ric gustafson.


As Sean walked through the cold biting snow to get his shovel out of the trunk of his car, he thought to himself why he was doing this for them. ' I could be warm inside the mall than freezing out here' he thought as he got the shovel and started walking toward the middle of the mall parking lot. He found the rusted covered Impala with it's front end stuck deep in a large snow bank. He shoveled the snow away from the beat up car, started the vehicle but was unable to move it away from the snow bank.
" Need some help" a young man, who was walking with his wife, inquired. They were walking toward the mall entrance and saw the predicament he was in.
At first, Sean was going to say no out of pride but knew he needed some help. " Sure" he replied as he relented his earlier feelings. " I'm trying to get this Impala out of this snow bank".
" I'll push from this door, if you will push from the hood". The young man opened the driver door and got himself ready. With the two pushing, it only took a couple of minutes to get the car out of the snowbank.
" Thank you" Sean said with a big grin as he shook the young man's hand.
" Your welcome" he replied as he and his wife started walking toward the mall entrance. " Happy holidays".
Sean walked back inside the mall entrance and saw the young mother and her little daughter huddled along a side wall. They looked tired and hungry. " I got your car out of the snow bank".
" Thank you" she exclaimed as tears came down her face. " Nobody else would help us".
Sean looked toward the food court. " Follow me". He took some bills out of one of his pant pockets. " Here is some money so you can buy something in the food court".
She hugged Sean. " Thank you".
He walked down the escalator and quietly got back in line to see Santa. When it got to be his turn, he got onto one of Santa's knees. " I don't want a bowling ball for Christmas any longer" he said as he shed a tear. " I've already received my Christmas wish".


The End- dedicated to Tom E.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

all I want for Christmas is a bowling ball page 2

all I want for Christmas is a bowling ball page 2 by ric gustafson.


There were only two kids in front of Sean and now he was able to get a close look at Santa. He was larger than he had remembered but the red suit, the white beard and the Ho Ho Ho's were the same. The two kids ahead of him had left. Santa was now staring and giving Sean a strange look. He pointed at him and then Sean walked up and now stood next to him.
" You're a little older than the children I normally get" he said with a sigh as he motioned that Sean get on his knee. He slightly got on his right knee. " Ho Ho Ho" replied Santa as he winced." So what would you like for Christmas?".
Sean thought for a moment but already knew what he wanted to say. " All I want for Christmas is a bowling ball".
" A what!".
" A high performance bowling ball that works good on all lane conditions".
" Oh" Santa replied with a chuckle.
" A Hammer Brick would be nice".
" I'll see what I can do".
Sean got off of Santa's knee and then walked up the escalator toward the food court mall exit. As he put his gloves and stocking cap on, he could sense it was very cold outside. He opened the glass door and a young woman wearing a thin summer coat and holding the hand of a small little girl ran inside.
" Please help us" she screamed as both her and the small child were shivering from the cold. " My daughter and I have no money and our car is stuck in a snow bank outside". The young woman looked at Sean. " Somebody please help us".




research help: WordPress.com



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

all I want for Christmas is a bowling ball page 1

all I want for Christmas is a bowling ball page 1 by ric gustafson.


Sean Bartlett walked into the center of the mall feeling very dejected and depressed. As he walked with his head down, he did not notice the festiveness going on around him. As he walked by the Starbucks, he finally noticed huge decorated Christmas trees, tinsel and bright lights.
' Who cares about Christmas' he thought to himself as giggling children ran past him enjoying each other's company. ' I can't believe I let my team down in that last game" he thought as he walked toward one of his favorite stores. He looked back and noticed that Santa and four of his elves had arrived to bring good cheer to kids who were waiting around for him. A line for Santa was already forming by Starbucks.
" Great Santa Claus" Sean said out loud as he walked up the escalator to Border's Express so he could look at the new books. He walked over to the sports book rack and noticed instruction books on how to bowl. ' After all these years, I still bowl terrible' he thought as depressed feelings began to creep into his head. " It's just a stupid game" he said out loud in frustration as the lady next to him stared at him and then moved away.
He walked out of the bookstore into the busyness of the Christmas season. As he walked back toward the food court, he thought to himself if he only had the right bowling ball he could do better and help his team. He purchased a gourmet cookie from the cookie shop and sat down at a table overlooking the center of the mall. He watched down below as children were getting on Santa's knee and telling him what they wished for. He finished his cookie and then started walking down the escalator toward Santa and the elves.
An idea began to form in his head. He quietly walked to the end of the line of kids waiting for Santa.' I'll ask Santa for a new high performance bowling ball and then I'll feel better about Christmas and life' he thought to himself as the line began to move.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the Potter and the Clay page 1

the Potter and the Clay page 1 by ric gustafson.


Myron Lindell opened one of his eyes. He closed them because he hurt so much. He could only remember that the group of young men chased him into the Potter's yard. He opened them again and then tried to look around. He tried to raise himself but it hurt too much so he stayed where he was. He could feel that he was lying on top of a mountain of pottery shards and he hurt. Because he could not get up, he closed his eyes to die.
" Son, let me help you get up".
Myron took the young man's hand and he slowly stood up.
" Looks like you've had a busy day".
Myron stared at the young man. He sported a dark beard and wore a white robe. " The Potter".
" Let's get you inside my house so you can start to recover".
As Myron leaned on the young man's shoulder, they slowly walked over the yard of pottery shards and walked inside the front door of the plain white house.



research help: ' Master Potter' by Jill Austin



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Exit 41 page 10

Exit 41 page 10 by ric gustafson.


Frank Miller slowly opened the furnace door. Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego now stood in front of it bound in ropes.
" Get in" Mayor Lulah shouted as flames blew out the open door.
As they slowly walked through the open furnace door, the three men prayed to God for protection.
After a while, Mayor Lulah peeked through the open door. " Frank, didn't you throw in just three men".
" Yes Mayor, I did".
The Mayor stared through the open door again. " I see four men with no ropes on walking through the flames". He yelled through the open door. " Meshach, Shadrach, Abednego come on out".
All three walked out of the hot furnace unsinged and unscorched.
" Blessed be your God" Mayor Lulah exclaimed as he turned to the elderly tow truck driver who was standing near him. " Lou, fix their car right away so they can continue on their journey".


The End- dedicated to Tom E.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

Exit 41 page 9

Exit 41 page 9 by ric gustafson.


" We are not worried Mayor Lulah" Shadrach said as the three faced the Mayor. " If we are put into a hot furnace, our God will save us".
Abednego spoke up. " Mayor, my friends and I will not comply".
" Police Chief Lenza, for non compliance of our new law please arrest these three men and bring them over to Frank's plant".
" Ok ". He pointed to a deputy who handcuffed the three and put them into two cruisers.
" Mr Adams" Mayor Lulah said as the two police cruisers left. " Tell Frank to heat up his furnace seven times hotter than it is right now".



research help: tne.net.au



Everyone take care. Love Ric

Exit 41 page 8

Exit 41 page 8 by ric gustafson


Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego stood in front of Mayor Lulah. The Mayor could tell they were not afraid of him.
" Who are you?".
" My name is Meshach" said the young man. " These are my friends, Shadrach and Abednego".
" Meshach, why did you and your friends not fall to the ground and worship my statue?". " We will play the music again and the three of you will comply and worship it".
" No!" yelled Abednego as he stamped his foot. " We will not".
An angry look overcame Mayor Lulah. He turned to a gentleman who was standing next to him. " Frank, is your plant's furnace ready to go?".
" Yes Mayor" he replied with a smile as he clapped his hands. " Our furnace is as hot as we can get it".
" Meshach, I am giving you and your friends one more chance to comply or all three of you will be thrown alive into Frank's furnace".



research help: tne. net. au



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

Exit 41 page 7

Exit 41 page 7 by ric gustafson.


Mr Adams watched as the three young men were still standing as everyone stood up.
" Mayor Lulah".
" Yes".
" Didn't you make a recent law demanding that everyone must fall down and worship your new statue".
" Yes Mr Adams, I did".
The Mayor's chief of staff stared at the three young men. " Didn't your law also say that if anyone refuses to worship your new statue, that they would be thrown into a flaming furnace".
" Yes".
" Well Sir, those three young men standing over there did not worship your statue".
" Bring them over here Mr Adams".



research help: tne.net.au




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the $ 1.92 Thanksgiving dinner

the $ 1.92 Thanksgiving dinner by ric gustafson.


John Morgan, the director of the shelter, carried a pan of carved turkey out of the small kitchen and put it into the trayline compartment. As he did this, Glenn Maxwell came out with a pan of mashed potatoes and put it into it's compartment.
Marsha Munroe put a pan of yams into it's compartment. " John, I heard it costs the shelter $ 1.92 to feed somebody this holiday meal".
" That's true the cost has gone up" was the reply as John noticed that the others were getting the trayline ready. He checked his watch. " Just ask Glenn how important this yearly event is".
The young man smiled as he watched the other volunteers put their hairnets and gloves on. " If it wasn't for this holiday meal, I would still be homeless".
" Glenn went through one of our transitional programs and now volunteers to help others".
Everyone clapped and cheered as the line began to form for the meal.
Later
Glenn yawned as he picked up a dirty plate from the soapy water. He was tired but the serving of the holiday meal was a success. He smiled at the thought of all the joy from that one simple holiday meal.
Marsha stuck her head into the dish area. " Glenn, there is somebody here to see you". ' Who could that be' he thought as he dried his hands on an old towel. He walked out to the serving area to see his friend standing next to a young man. " Can I help you?".
" Glenn, my name is Mack Popsel" he said as he shook his hand. " People call me Pops for short".
" What can I do for you?".
" I wanted to thank you for the meal that you just served us".
" My pleasure" was the reply as Glenn smiled back. " I remember when I was in that line a year ago".
" These are my sheep" the young man said as he pointed toward those still eating. " I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in".
" When did I do all that?" asked a perplexed Glenn.
The young man smiled and pointed to those still eating. " When you did it to one of my brothers of mine even the least of these, you did it to me".
" Glenn".
He turned around to see who was calling his name. He turned back to see that the young man was gone.
With peace now in his heart, Glenn went back to the dish room to finish his job.




My prayer is that everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving Thursday. Love Ric.

the spear soldier page 7

the spear soldier page 7 by ric gustafson.


Rabbi Nicodemus stared at Caiphas. " My lord High Priest, is it part of our law to judge a man without a hearing first?".
Rabbi Josaphat stood up and slammed a clenched fist on the wooden table. " Rabbi Nicodemus, no prophet comes from Galilee".
Caiphas lowered his voice. " Rabbi Yeshua bar Joseph will get his hearing as soon as he is arrested".
Nicodemus spoke up. " I do not see any evidence that the events of today have any connection with Rabbi Yeshua bar Joseph".
Caiphas gave Nicodemus an icy stare. " Rabbi, be careful whom you defend".



research help: ' The Spear' by Louis de Wohl



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Eve page 10

Eve page 10 by ric gustafson.


I gave him the fruit and he ate. I opened my eyes to see that it was only a dream. He had left me some vegtables and some water. He had started a small fire which lit up the cave. Since we ate of the fruit, everything about him began to irritate me. The smell of him especially bothered me.
He brought me some food to eat. " Why are you trying to feed me" I yelled as I hit his arm with a clenched fist.
" You can not die, don't leave me" he looked at me with loving eyes.
" Today, I call you Havah" he said as he kissed me. " You will live and bear children".



research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

Eve page 9

Eve page 9 by ric gustafson.


" Run for the eastern gate" Adam told me as thunder crackled overhead. " I will find you there".
I ran along the river with my animal hide which was making it hard to move. I ran toward a high terrace and squated along the edge to wait for the storm to pass.
Soon Adam returned with a lamb around his neck. " We must reach that gate" he said as he began to run past shrubs shrouded in flames.
We ran for that gate as lightening struck trees. As we fled, I noticed animals fleeing with us.
Midmorning, we found a rocky overhang and fell asleep beneath it.



research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee



Everyone take care on this cold and windy night. Love Ric

Eve page 8

Eve page 8 by ric gustafson.


Eve watched in horror as wings and scales appeared on the serpent.
" Cursed be you of all cattle and beasts, on your belly you shall go and eat dust all the days of your life".
The serpent spread his wings wide and then stared at Almighty God.
" I will set enmity between you and the woman between your seed and hers".
The serpent let out a blood curdling laugh.
" He will bruise your head but you will strike his heel".
The serpent laughed again and then vanished.
Almighty God now looked at Eve. " I will give you pain when you give birth to children, your man will rule over you".
He now turned to the Adam. " You listened to the woman and ate from the tree I commanded you not to eat from".
The Adam hung his head low in shame.
" Cursed is the soil you will toil for the rest of your days" God exclaimed in a quiet voice. " Dust you are and to dust you shall return".



research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Eve page 7

Eve page 7 by ric gustafson


Eve and the Adam were clutching the edge of the dark cavern as the wind and rain blew violently around them. As quick as the storm came up, all of a sudden everything went still. She started to walk out when he stopped her. " Stay here".
He quietly walked out and she noticed that he had not gone far.
All of a sudden, a bright light filled the valley.
" Where are you?".
She heard the Adam talking.
" I heard you coming" he said in a trembling voice as he hid behind a bush. " I was afraid".
" Why are you afraid?".
" I knew that I was bare so I hid".
" Who told you that you were bare?" the quiet voice asked as the Adam cowered in guilt and shame. " Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?".
" The woman you gave me" he replied in a sad voice. " She gave me from the tree and I ate".
His gentle words invaded Eve's heart. " What is this you have done?".
Eve thought for a moment. " The serpent tricked me and I ate".



research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee



Everyone have a great weekend. Love Ric

Eve page 6

Eve page 6 by ric gustafson


Eve woke up and noticed how quiet everything was. She could not hear the river which was nearby nor the birds and animals. She suddenly remembered what they had done before they fell asleep and she became scared. Fruit that once looked beautiful now lay on the ground covered by insects. She looked around for the serpent to have him explain things to her but he had left.
He woke up and also noticed right away that things would never be the same. Both of them now stared at each other in a different light and it scared them.
' God, what have we done' she thought as she strained her ears to possibly hear the sounds they used to hear. The valley around them was quiet and she could hear fruit falling from the forbidden tree. Then she heard the buzzing of insects as they invaded and devoured the fruit. He came back later to tell her he was unable to find the serpent.
Later on as she ate a fig to settle her stomach, she noticed a large fig leaf. She looked at herself and now felt bare. She tore several leaves off of a tree and tied them together so they would fit snugly around her.



research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee



Everyone take care. Love Ric

the spear soldier page 6

the spear soldier page 6 by ric gustafson.


Caiphas was talking to some of the chief priests and pharisee rabbi's. An aide brought in three soldiers.
" Cassius, where is the Rabbi?".
" I made no arrest my Lord High Priest".
" Why is that Centurion?".
" Nobody has ever spoken as this man speaks".
Rabbi Josaphat spoke up. " Have you Centurion also been deceived".
" A lot of common people were listening to him".
" Cassius, you and the two others can go".
After the three had left, Caiphas slammed a fist on the table where everyone was sitting. " This man is more dangerous than you can imagine".
Rabbi Josaphat spoke up again. " This man should have already been arrested and in jail".
A gray haired Pharisee raised his hand.
" Yes, Rabbi Nicodemus".



research help: ' The Spear' by Louis de Wohl



Everyone take care. Love Ric.

Eve page 5

Eve page 5 by ric gustafson.


Eve stared at the serpent in shock at what he had just said. ' Was it possible to know as God' she thought as she looked up at the tree. The fruit looked so wonderful today. She looked around to see if he was coming. He had told her from the very beginning not to eat from this tree or to touch anything on it. She noticed that the serpent was not by the berry bush but was clinging around a branch of the tree.
He walked up to her and put his arm around her waist. " Flesh of my flesh".
" The serpent told me that we will not die" she said as he stared at the serpent.
She plucked off one of the large warm fruit and palmed it in her hand. She took a bite of the lucious fruit, smiled and then handed the rest to him.
He took a bite of the fruit.
Later, both of them got tired and fell asleep in the tall grass.



research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Eve page 4

Eve page 4 by ric gustafson


She walked up to the small shrub and noticed the dark berries clinging to it. She had promised to pick some for him. Confusion came over her face as she realized she had nothing to put them in. She turned to leave.
" Why are you leaving when you are hungry?".
She turned to see the serpent next to the forbidden tree. The tree looked very inviting with huge ripe fruit glowing in the sun. " You know I cannot eat from this tree".
" God really said that you must not eat from any tree in the garden".
" We may eat from any tree but this one" she replied as she pointed at the big tree. " The One said we cannot eat of it or touch it or you will die". She turned again to leave.
" You will not die" the serpent hissed as he slithered closer. " The One knows that on the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened".




research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Eve page 3

Eve page 3 by ric gustafson


I ran across the hills of the south, over streams and rocks and felt great. I ran through a meadow to the valley below. It was the middle of the day and the hot sun was beginning to make me sweat. Tiredly, I stopped inside the entrance of the vineyard and plucked huge grapes off of a wooded vine.
I sat down in a clump of high grass and ate the grapes. I yawned as I closed my eyes to rest. Later, I opened my eyes to see a serpent staring at me with strange eyes.
" I enjoyed watching you run, daughter of God" the serpent said as he slithered across the green grass toward me." You are beautiful because you search for understanding".
" I am here because of the One that is" I replied as I stood up and the serpent slithered back into the nearby woods.
Later, I asked him if there was a place to explore which was beyond where we were.
" Yes" he said as he stroked my hair. " Beyond the origin of our river is a wide basin covered with waves of grass".



research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee




Everyone take care. Love Ric

Eve page 2

Eve page 2 by ric gustafson.


" I am".
I woke up hearing the voice and noticed he was not next to me. I stood up on the damp ground and it felt different than the first time I walked on it. I heard a noise, turned around and saw him standing next to me.
" My counterpart" he said with a smile as he touched my cheek.
We walked toward the western end of the valley and he pointed out many birds and animals by their names. We started to wade through a cool river and I was worried we would drown.
" I want to show you something" he said as he stepped onto a small sandy beach and started walking inland.
I followed him until we arrived in the middle of the island where there was a large clearing. I stopped and began to stare at the most beautiful tree I had ever seen. The perfectly round fruit glistened in the morning sun and it looked more juicier than the plums I had yesterday.
I began to walk toward this tree when he put a hand on my shoulder and stopped me.
" If you eat of this tree, you will know good and evil".
I shook my head in confusion to what he was trying to tell me.
" I was told" he said quietly as he looked around the clearing. " If you eat of it, you will die".



research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Eve page 1

Eve page 1 by ric gustafson


Awake!
I opened my eyes and saw a sea of blue above me. I looked to my left and saw a beautiful tree and a bird flying toward it.
Awake!
I turned to my right and something was standing next to me. I screamed. He had blue eyes and he smiled at me.
" Flesh of my flesh" he said as his finger traced the outline of my face. He bent down and slowly picked me up. My first steps were wobbily at best.
He started to walk toward a clearing and I tried to keep up.
We walked up to a slow moving stream and I noticed a deer drinking from it.
He cupped his hands and drank from the clear water.
As he watched, I did the same.
Then he led me to an orchard where we ate the juicest plums and oranges.
Later, I found some warm grass to rest.
" Flesh of my flesh" he said again as I closed my eyes.


research help: ' Havah, the story of Eve' by Tosca Lee



Everyone take care. Love Ric

Exit 41 page 6

Exit 41 page 6 by ric gustafson.


" How tall is that statue?" Abednego asked his friend as they stood in a large crowd.
Shadrach shook his head. " I don't know".
" Ninety feet high and nine feet wide" someone in the crowd yelled as they stood there staring at the covered marvel.
As the crowd grew larger, two men stepped up to a microphone stand.
" Citizens of Lulah, here is your town's statue".
Two men pulled off the protective covering to reveal a large gold statue of Mayor Richard Lulah.
Another man picked up the microphone. " My name is Troy Adams and I am Mayor Lulah's Chief of Staff".
Mayor Lulah looked at the crowd with a serious stare.
" When the high school pep band starts playing, everyone present must fall and worship the statue of Mayor Lulah".
Fifteen minutes later, the pep band began to play and everyone fell on the ground worshiping the gold statue.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego kept standing where they were.


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Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

Exit 41 page 5

Exit 41 page 5 by ric gustafson.


" I wonder how long we'll have to stay here" Abednego said as he stared out the large glass window.
" I don't know" Shadrach replied as he sipped from a diet coke. " Hopefully not long".
They watched Meshach come back with the tow truck driver.
" He does have a replacement belt".
The old man stared at his watch. " The bad news is I can't put it on right now".
" Why not!" Abednego exclaimed loudly as he jumped off of his chair.
" This afternoon, Mayor Lulah is going to reveal a gold statue of himself".
" A gold statue".
" Everyone in town is required to attend so why don't you boys come along?". He walked over and put a blue coat on. " When it is over, I will replace your belt and you boys can continue on your way".
Shadrach stared at his friend. " Meshach, we really don't have much of a choice".
" Ok".



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

Exit 41 page 4

Exit 41 page 4 by ric gustafson


Abednego waved his arms as the blue and white tow truck approached. It stopped next to their car and an old man got out. " You boys having trouble".
" Yes" Shadrach said as he opened the hood. " The car just stopped".
The old man peeked underneath. His head came up with a long face. " It's what I figured it was".
" What is that?" Meshach asked as he got out of the car.
" It's one of the belts".
" Now what do we do?" Abednego asked with a scared look on his face.
" You boys can come with me to the station" the old man said as he closed the hood. " Hopefully we have the belt in stuck".
" Meshach, we don't have much of a choice".
" Ok".
Abednego nodded his head in approval and then followed his two friends into the large tow truck.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Exit 41 page 3

Exit 41 page 3 by ric gustafson


Meshach yawned as he tried to watch where he was driving. Shadrach opened his eyes and looked out the passenger window. Cactus and open desert passed by him. " Where are we?".
Meshach yawned again and waited for the next sign to come up. Shortly it did. " A town called Lulah exit 41 five miles".
Four miles later.
" Meshach, I hear a strange noise " Abednego said with a concerned voice. " I think it's coming from the engine".
" We should probably check it out before it breaks down in the desert" Shadrach said with a long sigh.
" Ok, I'll stop at the next exit which is 41" Meshach said as he checked the time on the car's clock. " The nearest town is Lulah".



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

Exit 41 page 2

Exit 41 page 2 by ric gustafson


Shadrach watched as the seconds ticked down on the TV. He bit into a frito scoop as he watched the winning team start to celebrate on the field. " My Super Bowl team lost again".
" My team won" Meshach replied with a smile as he sipped from a bottle of Sunkist orange. " Abednego, what are you doing?".
" Somebody texted us" the young man said as he stared at his cellphone. He smiled as he read the text. " Do you remember our friend Mesa?".
" Sure, he lives in California" Shadrach replied as he stood up and started to clean up the snack table.
" He's getting married and is inviting us to the wedding".
" California would be fun" Meshach said as he finished his orange pop.
" We could see the Grand Canyon and then drive through the desert".
" Ok" Obednego said as began to reply to the text.
" I'll text him and tell him that we will be coming".



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the eye is the lamp page 2

the eye is the lamp page 2 by ric gustafson.


Pastor Parker was looking at downtown buildings when he noticed a white lunch truck handing out sandwiches to men and women in the city park. He thought he recognized someone so he drove into the park and got out.
" Here you are Marion" Pastor Peters said as he handed the sandwich to the smiling older woman.
" Bless you Pastor" she replied with a toothless grin. " Bless you".
Pastor Peters saw the man coming up to the window. " Pastor Parker, a pleasant surprise to see you".
" Pastor Peters" he replied as men and women kept coming up to the window. " I'm surprised a pastor with your potential would be handing out free sandwiches to the homeless in a small Montana town city park".
" I'm happy here in my hometown, helping people who need me". He passed out his last sandwich and then closed the truck's serving window. He noticed Pastor Parker's Lexus and walked over. " Are you happy Pastor Parker, I mean really happy?".
" Of course" was his reply as he grinned and pointed at his new car. " My church is going to open a third site and our combined attendance is 20,000 members a week". He showed Pastor Peters his new Rolex watch. " Life is good".
" Good" Pastor Peters said as he began to walk toward the white lunch truck. " Then we are both happy where we are". " God bless you Pastor Parker" he said as he opened the truck's driver door and then got in. " Go in peace". He started the truck and then left the park.
Pastor Parker stood for a moment, pondering that thought. Then he got into his Lexus and left the park.


The End- dedicated to Tom E.



Everybody take care. Love Ric
"

the eye is the lamp page 1

the eye is the lamp page 1 by ric gustafson.


Pastor Albert Peters handed out his last ham sandwich to Henry, who always hung around the city park. Pastor Peters ran the free lunch truck that Rejoice Lutheran Church was sponsoring for eight years now. After graduating near the top of his seminary class, Pastor Peters could have gotten a call anywhere he wanted to go. He decided to stay in his hometown and accept a call from Rejoice Lutheran. When the Pastor started his duties, he quickly found out that there was a large homeless problem. He decided to start a free lunch program for the homeless, rented a truck and headed for the city's main park.
Pastor Frank Parker got out of his grey Lexus and looked at his Rolex to see what time it was. His time was limited and he needed to hurry and scout locations for a third site for his church. His church, Fellowship Ministries was based in Fort Lauderdale and had now grown to 10,000 members. In the time of his being the senior pastor, the church had grown so fast they opened a second church in Franklin Tennessee and now he was scouting for a third.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Thanksgiving dinner with the Sower's page 1

Thanksgiving dinner with the Sower's page 1 by ric gustafson.



Jesus sat down and could hear the water lapping against the boat. He smiled at the large crowd. " Behold, the sower went out to sow".
" As he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road and birds came and ate them".
" Other seeds fell on rocky places where there was not much soil and sprouted, but they had no roots and withered away".
" Other seeds fell among the thorns and the thorns came up and choked them".
" Other seeds fell on good soil and yieled a crop, some one hundred some sixty and some thirty".
" He who has ears, let him hear".
One of the disciples looked at Jesus. " Why do you speak to them in parables?".
" To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted".




research help: The Ryrie Study Bible



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

new believer 101 page 6

new believer 101 page 6 by ric gustafson.


Mr McCoy smiled as the students took their seats. He looked at the clock on the far wall. " It's 6:oo, let's get started". He began to write on the blackboard. " Tonight is our last night of class".
All the students hollered their approval.
"Tonight, we will be studying the fifth and last new believer benefit".
" What is that Mr McCoy?" yelled a young man.
" A security system that endures".
" Mr McCoy, what do you mean by a security system?".
Bill smiled at the young woman. " In John 10, it says that no one can snatch them out of my hand".
" So we can always know that nothing can seperate us from God's love" asked a young woman.
" Romans 8 explains that, nothing will alter that plan".
The class ended. " Thank you Mr McCoy".
" Thank you for taking this class".


The End- dedicated to Tom E.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

new believer 101 page 5

new believer 101 page 5 by ric gustafson.

" Tonight's new believer benefit we will be studying is God's Power Cell protection against Satan" Mr McCoy wrote on the blackboard. " I John 5:19 says that Satan has been given authority to influence life on earth".
" So the Devil runs this world" exclaimed a young woman.
" Yes, but those who belong to God do not need to fear him"
" So christians are immune to the attacks of Satan".
" No, christians in this fallen world are tempted to fear the devil".
" So how can we protect ourselves?" asked a young man.
" First of all, God will give you the strength to get through every trial".
" How will he do that?" asked a young woman.
" He will give us the whole armor of God".
" The armor of God?".
" Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the Word of God".



research help: Turning Points May 2011



Everyone take care. Love Ric.

Devil's Food page 3

Devil's Food page 3 by ric gustafson a Halloween story


Roy was reading the newspaper in his brown recliner when he heard the doorbell ring. He opened the door to reveal a young boy dressed as a pirate and a young girl dressed like a princess.
" Trick or Treat" yelled the small pirate as he stuck out his orange pail.
" Trick or Treat" squealed the young princess.
Roy picked up both baskets and then opened the screen door. " Would you like a candy bar or a Devil's Food zinger?".
" Roy, what are you doing?".
" Handing out Halloween treats".
Margaret gave her husband a serious stare. " Put down those zingers and think about children's interests instead of your own".
With a frown, he put down the basket of zingers and put a candy bar into each of their orange pails.
" Thank you" said the young pirate as he and the small princess ran back to their parents who were watching from the sidewalk.
The next morning, Roy was handing out Devil's Food zingers to his coworkers.


The End- dedicated to Tom E.



I pray that everyone has a safe Monday and Halloween. Love Ric

Devil's Food page 2

Devil's Food page 2 by ric gustafson a Halloween story


Roy looked down at the wheels of the steel cart and listened to the irritating noise they made. " Oh great" he muttered as he stared at the wheels hoping the noise would stop. " Out of all the carts sitting there". He quickly walked past the fruits and vegtables and then turned left toward the seasonal aisle. He saw a sign that explained that the candy bar minatures were on sell. He walked up to the display and began to put bags of the Halloween treats into the cart. He was about to leave the aisle when he spotted the white display at the end of the aisle.
" Hostess" he exclaimed out loud and then quickly walked up to the display. He noticed the crumb cake and chocolate donuts and then a smile came to his face. " Devil's Food zingers". He put one into the cart for himself and began to walk. He stopped himself and held up a box. " I wonder if trick or treaters would like them too".
He stared at the cart and knew he was only supposed to bring home minature candy bars. He loved the chocolate outside and the creamy filling inside. ' I'll just take a few boxes to mix in with the candy bars' he thought as he put them into the cart. With a sense of accomplishment, he paid for the groceries and left the store.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

new believer 101 page 4

new believer 101 page 4 by ric gustafson.


Mr McCoy was writing on the blackboard when he noticed that it was 6:00. " It's 6:00, let's get started". He pointed at the blackboard. " Tonight, we will be studying the new believer benefit of direct access to the Father".
" Direct access?" replied a young female with a confused stare.
" How many of you have a daily quiet time with God?".
Just a few raised their hands.
" Prayer is the most direct access to God".
" Quiet time in the morning is hard " a young man said with a yawn. " I'm not a morning person".
" It doesn't matter to God when you pray as long as you do it without ceasing".
" Without ceasing?".
" God wants our prayers 24 hours a day".



research help: Turning Points May 2011



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the miracle at Gettysburg page 3

the miracle at Gettysburg page 3 by ric gustafson.


Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and Buster Kilrain walked out of the tent. Joshua squinted at the bright sun as they walked across the open field. " One hundred twenty men".
" Yes Colonel, all Maine men".
He coughed and tried to focus his eyes. He had walked eighty miles in four days through the hottest weather of the summer. He was still feeling the effects of sunstroke.
" Who are these men Kilrain?".
" Men from the disbanded Second Maine" he replied as they walked up to a group of men who were sitting on the ground . " They do not want to fight any longer".
Joshua now stood in front of the dejected soldiers.
" Oh, one more thing Colonel" Kilrain said as he pulled a memo from a pocket and studied it. " If these men refuse to fight, you have the right to shoot them".
Joshua turned his head in shock. " Shoot them!". The thirty four year old Professor of Rhetoric cleared his throat. " Have you boys eaten today?".
Several of the men shook their heads no.
" We have grievances Colonel" said a young man who was sitting up front. " The men have elected me to talk for them".
" Very well I'll talk to you, the rest of you go over to the food wagon and get something to eat".
After a long talk, Joshua and the man named Bucklin came out of the tent and walked back to the men.
Just then, a rider came up. " Is there a Chamberlain here?".
" Colonel Chamberlain".
" Sir, the Corps is moving out and your 20th Maine is to lead the way".
Joshua nodded and then looked at the men on the ground. " We are moving out and I have been ordered to take you with us"." he said with a serious look on his face. " If you would like to join us, we will give you a rifle and my thanks".



research help: ' The Killer Angels' by Michael Shaara.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Devil's Food page 1

Devil's Food page 1 by ric gustafson a halloween story


Roy McReed pressed the white garage door button to shut the garage door. He opened the kitchen door and walked into the spacious newly remodeled kitchen. " Hi sweetie".
" Hi honey" Margaret McReed replied as she put down a carving knife. " I'm just finishing up our halloween pumpkin".
He yawned as he put his brown briefcase on top of their wooden hutch. " Work was really busy today". He walked over to the white refrigerator, opened it and peered inside. " Sweetie, have you seen my Hostess treats?".
" Yes, on the side next to your cheese slices".
He saw the familiar red, white and blue package. He opened it and took a long bite. " I love these things".
" What are they?".
" Hostess Devil's Food zingers".
" Oh, I need you to do something for me".
" Anything" he said with a grin as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
" I need you to go to the store and purchase our halloween candy for tomorrow".
" Ok".



I pray that everyone is ok on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. Love Ric

new believer 101 page 3

new believer 101 page 3 by ric gustafson.


Mr McCoy watched as the students slowly came in and took their seats. " Ok it's 6:00" he said as he looked at the clock on the wall. " Let's get started". He took a marker and began to write on the blackboard. " The second benefit of a new believer is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit inside us".
" Indwelling?" inquired a young man as he scratched his chin.
" God wants his Holy Spirit to be in us and be the only guest".
" The only guest?" asked a confused young woman.
" Think of yourself as a sin stained hotel" Mr McCoy said as he grinned at the students. " Would you want God's perfect Holy Spirit to be a guest at your hotel?".
" No" yelled all the students.
" God wants us to be filled and walk in the Spirit".
" How do we walk in the Spirit?" asked a young man.
" We obey Jesus and trust him as Savior".



research help: Turning Points May 2011



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the miracle at Gettysburg page 2

the miracle at Gettysburg page 2 by ric gustafson.


Major Sorrel and Harrison rode toward the South's tents.
" General, do you trust this spy?" General Robert E Lee quietly asked as he watched the two ride away.
" No choice Sir".
Lee shook his head in frustration. " Am I to lead this army based on what a paid spy tells me".
" Sir, we can't afford not to".
" Has anybody heard anything from Jeb Stuart?".
" No Sir".
Lee again shook his head. " Stuart would not leave us blind".
" Harrison also told me that George Meade is in command now".
" Meade" Lee replied as he thought for a moment. " He will be cautious".
" Yes Sir".
Lee pointed toward his new adjutant. " Frederick, can you please bring us a map?". He put it on top of a small table. " Oh General this is my new adjutant Frederick Anderson".
Both men looked at the map. Longstreet pointed out everything Harrison had told him.
" General, what is the name of this small town that all the roads converge on?".
Longstreet bent down to the map. " Gettysburg Sir".
" Very well General" Lee said in a tired voice. " We'll move at dawn".


research help: ' The Killer Angels' by Michael Shaara



Everyone have a great Saturday. Love Ric

the miracle at Gettysburg page 1

the miracle at Gettysburg page 1 by ric gustafson.


General James Longstreet opened his eyes in fear and noticed that his body was damp from sweat. He had been having a bad dream about his three dead children.
" Sir".
He looked over to see his aide Sorrel standing next to him. " You asked me to wake you if Harrison came back".
Longstreet got off the cot, put on a blue robe and slippers and then walked outside the tent. He was not expecting the spy to come back. He saw a small man with a floppy hat on and riding a pale horse.
" General, would you mind if I dismount my horse?".
Longstreet nodded his approval.
The spy slowly dismounted his horse and now stood by it. He sniffed the cool air. " Any more of that good southern tobacco?".
" What do you have for me?".
" Well General, I know where the Union army is".
" You do!".
" General, I saw the First and Eleventh Corps led by John Reynolds in Taneytown this morning".
" In Taneytown this morning".
" General, that is the God fearing truth".
Longstreet stared at the spy and then turned toward Major Sorrel. " Well Major, I think we need to wake the old man up".



research help: ' The Killer Angels' by Michael Shaara




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 5

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 5 by ric gustafson.


Rolf looked out through one of the observation windows at the gray and rainy afternoon. He could see the towers of Manhattan through the clouds. The giant airship flew lower past the Statue of Liberty and Times Square as thousands of New Yorkers pointed and yelled. The Hindenburg quietly flew over Brooklyn as the Brooklyn Dodgers were playing below. As the giant airship flew over the Hudson River and turned south toward New Jersey, black clouds were approaching suggesting a thunderstorm.
As the Hindenburg approached Lakehurst, rain started along with lightening. Captain Pruss decided not to land but to fly southeast over the Toms River and wait for the storm to end. Over three hours, the airship flew and waited but the storm got worse. The storm stopped just as the giant airship approached Lakehurst again. Captain Pruss decided to try and land the airship.
Rolf stared through the observation window as he saw one rope by the bow and one by the stern. The ropes were pulling the airship down toward the mooring mast. Rolf could see that the airship was still pretty high off of the ground. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
" Thank you for everything you did for me" Willy said as he hugged his new friend.
Just then, Rolf heard a popping noise that came from the stern of the airship. Rolf looked out the observation window to see workers down below running away in all directions.
As Rolf looked away from the window, an explosion ripped through the top of the airship and threw both Rolf and Willy onto the B deck catwalk. The airship began to tip onto it's stern and quickly became a ball of flame. Rolf and Willy quickly made their way back to the observation windows. Rolf noticed some burnt bed linens and quickly made two ropes out of them. He broke out two of the giant windows. With flames surrounding them and the ropes secured to what was left of the airship, the two men lowered themselves to the ground. As firemen and Navy personnel threw blankets over them, Rolf and Willy watched as the remains of the Hindenburg fell in a ball of flame to the ground. Both men praised God for protecting them.


The End- dedicated to Tom E.



research help: ' the Hindenburg murders' by Max Allan Collins.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 4

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 4 by ric gustafson.


Rolf sat by one of the big observation windows and looked over the coast of the United States. It was 4:30 am and he could not sleep. He got up to get a cup of coffee and a roll. He noticed that the Captain of the airship was sitting at a nearby table. He walked up to him.
" Captain Pruss, I'm Rolf Muller" he quietly said as he shook the Captain's hand.
" Nice to meet you" was the Captain's reply as he stood up and clicked his heels. " I knew your father when he worked for Zeppelin".
" This is a beautiful airship Captain".
" Thank you" the Captain replied as he clicked his heels again. " Barring a bad rain storm, we should be landing at Lakehurst around 4:00 this afternoon".
Rolf sat back down near the observation window when he felt a tear on his shoulder. He turned to see Willy standing next to him with tears flowing down his face.
" Rolf, thank you for the bible" the young steward said loudly as he hugged him. " After reading it all night, I gave my life to Christ". After another hug, he walked away.
Rolf thanked the Lord for what had just happened in Willy's life.



research help: ' the Hindenburg murders' by Max Allan Collins.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 3

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 3 by ric gustafson.


" These are brand new sleeping cabins" Willy said as they walked by the new rooms.
" Willy, have you ever had a bible?" Rolf asked as they began to walk down a narrow catwalk.
" No". He gave Rolf a sad look. " My parents are members of the Nazi party and threw our only bible into a book fire".
They stopped in front of a mass of wires, girders, struts and huge gas cells that made up the heart of the airship.
" Willy, you can have my pocket bible" Rolf said with a big smile as he handed the small black bible to the young man. " I have another one in my suitcase".
" I don't know Mr Muller".
He put a hand on the young steward's arm. " I want you to have it".
" I'll read it in my cabin" he said as tears formed in his eyes. " Thank you".




research help: ' the Hindenburg murders' by Max Allan Collins.



Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 2

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 2 by ric gustafson.


Rolf sat next to one of the big observation windows and looked at the unending scenery. The giant airship had just flown over the English Channel and now was flying over Southern Ireland. This was a diffrent route to avoid a storm that was coming.
At 11:00 in the morning, Rolf walked to the portside dining room to get a cup of coffee and a roll before lunch. He sat down and began to read from a small pocket bible that he had in his front pocket.
" Excuse me".
He turned to see a young steward next to him. " I'm sorry to bother you".
" What can I do for you?".
" I could not but notice that you were reading the bible" the young man said as he pointed at the small bible in Rolf's hand. " Are you a christian?".
" Yes, I'm Rolf Muller".
" I'm Willy Mather, assistant head steward of this airship" he said as he shook Rolf's hand. " I'm curious about the bible in your hand".
" Willy, we can talk about the bible any time you have the time".



research help: ' the Hindenburg murders' by Max Allan Collins




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

new believer 101 page 2

new believer 101 page 2 by ric gustafson


Mr McCoy wrote on the blackboard. " 2nd Corinthians 5:17 is a great example of how God transforms us"
" Transforming us is a hard concept" said a young woman who was wearing a green stocking cap.
" True" he replied with a smile. " This bible verse says that the old things have passed away and all things have become new". " This verse also says that we are a new creation in Christ".
" A new creation?" inquired a young man.
" After you gave your life to Christ, do you feel any different on the outside?".
" No" said the young man as he stared at himself. " I still look the same".
" Jesus says that on the inside, we have been born again".
" Born again?" a young woman asked with a confused look.
" Now that we are a new creation in Christ, God sees us as righteous and holy".




research help: Turning Points May 2011




Everyone take care. Love Ric

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 1

Hindenburg: a man of faith page 1 by ric gustafson.

Rolf Muller sat in a seat next to the window of the bus and stared at the white stucco houses with red tile roofs. The bus was heading through Zeppelinheim which was a town built for Zeppelin employees and their families. Fritz Muller had worked for Dr Hugo Eckener and Zeppelin for 25 years and was now retired. Rolf became a christian while living in Zeppelin with his parents and was not interested in the Nazi way of life. He had been interested in airships most of his life and since his father worked for Zeppelin, was able to spend time around the Graf Zeppelin- predecessor to the Hindenburg.

Rolf was always interested in helium and hydrogen gas which made these huge airships fly. He enrolled in the local university to study to be a chemist and because of his grades, his father was able to pull some strings and get him a ticket on the Hindenburg. As the bus came near the new Rhein- Main World airport, Rolf's excitement grew. He saw the huge Zeppelin hangar which was a thousand feet long and twenty stories high.

Rolf and the other passengers walked through the door of the huge hangar and had to stop at a huge table of Nazi uniformed agents who were checking luggage, tickets and passports. While waiting in line, Rolf overheard two young Luftwaffe officers conversing about the giant airship. One of the young officers asked why they were using more dangerous hydrogen gas instead of the safer helium gas. The other officer replied that they were using the hydrogen gas so they could store more cargo and carry more passengers. After getting past the ticket and passport table, Rolf started walking toward the airship. He strained his neck and could not believe how big the airship was. Underneath the belly of the airshp was a control gondola. In front of the gondola, was a row of observation windows. On the back of the Hindenburg were four fins each with the pride of the Nazi party- the swastika.

Rolf walked up a retractable stairway into the airship and then up some stairs to the B deck. The bar and smoking room was located here and then Rolf walked up to the A deck. This deck contained the cabins, dining and observation area. He walked toward the front of the airship where there was a huge lounge and observation area to look out.

research help: ' the Hindenburg murders' by Max Allan Collins

Everyone take care. Love Ric.