Day 27,376 page 1

Day 27,376 page 1 by ric gustafson.


Albert Hinton saw the bright light illuminate the office as he walked in. He put his lunch in the little refrigerator that was by his big oak desk. He poured himself a cup of coffee from the coffee pot on the counter and sat down. A huge stack of paper clipped papers from the boss were sitting next to the phone.
He yawned as he studied the names on the pages. ' A lot of people today' he thought as he turned on the small white radio to hear some soothing music. The boss appointed him to this post a while ago and he knew it would be a challenge. He knew it was time to start his shift even though there was no clock and he did not wear a watch.
" Nancy" Albert said into the intercom as he took a sip from his coffee cup. " Could you please send Pierre in?".
A gray haired gentleman wearing a ballcap that said ' Heaven' walked in and sat down on the other side of Albert's desk.
" Morning Pierre".
" Good morning Mr Hinton" he said as he looked around the familiar office. " What's my assignment today?".
" First name on the list today". He took another sip of the cofee. " David Pickering, age 75 today". He scanned the sheet of paper. " Actually, he's having his birthday party today".
Pierre grinned knowing that Mr Hinton usually gave him the senior citizens. " Townville Kansas" he said with a big grin. " Ever been there?".
" No" Pierre replied as he stood up to leave.
" See you when you get back" Albert said as Pierre left the room.




research help: a Janice Gilmore article.





Everyone have a great Saturday. Love Ric.

his name is John page 3

his name is John page 3 by ric gustafson.


The day the child was born, no midwife was there. Zechariah and Elizabeth lived quietly in a village called Ein Karim. The village was just west of Jerusalem. The townspeople knew that the old priest couldn't speak and that his wife was expecting a child.
One day, Elizabeth's cousin Mary came to visit. She was also expecting and when Elizabeth saw her cousin, the child in her womb jumped.
Eight days after the child was born, the customary feast was held. Priests and townspeople came and brought gifts of bread and fruit. People began to ask what the name of the boy would be.
" His name is chosen and it will be Yohannan".
A neighbor stared at Elizabeth in disbelief. " Is this name found in your family?".
She shook her head no. " Yohannan is the name the Lord has given him".
They looked at Zechariah. " Is this true?".
The old priest asked for a tablet. He wrote ' his name is Yohannan'.
The circumcision followed.
Zechariah held his son tightly in his weary arms. Suddenly, his voice came back. " Blessed be the Lord of Israel".
He lifted his son above his head. " You Yohannan will go before the Lord to prepare his way".





research help: ' John the Baptizer' by Brooks Hansen.





Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

his name is John page 2

his name is John page 2 by ric gustafson.


Zechariah ascended the Temple steps followed by his two assistants. He took a hammer and struck the magrephah. He walked into the Holy Place and noticed a seven branched candlestick. He was picked to perform the lighting of the incense because he had not performed it before. Zechariah knew that a priest only performed it once.
He looked to his left and saw the Table of the Shewbread. Next to the side of the altar was a plate of incense. Next to the incense was a palette knife. He took the knife and heaped some of the incense onto the hot coals.
Zechariah opened his mouth to pray to Jehovah and nothing came out. He could sense that another presence was in the room. A bright light appeared next to the altar. The old priest could do nothing but listen to the light.
When the light had finished talking to Zechariah, it flickered and then left.
A priest came in to notice that Zechariah was on the floor and could not speak.





research help: ' John the Baptizer' by Brooks Hansen.




Everyone have a great weekend. Love Ric.

his name is John page 1

his name is John page 1 by ric gustafson.


" Old Father".
Zechariah opened his eyes to see two of his fellow priests standing next to him.
" Please come with us". They took him to a chamber near the Chamber of the Hearth.
Simeon spoke up. " Old Father, you and your wife need to leave the city".
" Why?".
" Some of the priests have seen visions" Zerai said with a scared look on his face.
Simeon handed Zechariah a parchment. " Read this".
He walked over to a lamp and slowly read the parchment. He then walked over to a nearby fire and threw the parchment inside it. " Do not show me lies" he replied loudly as he watched the parchment become ashes. " My wife will not bear me a son".




research help: ' John the Baptizer' by Brooks Hansen.




Everyone take care. Love Ric

the ding ding man

the ding ding man by ric gustafson.


The summer was hot. I heard the ding ding bell and I ran to the pure white truck looking for ice cream.
The ding ding man was dressed in white with a dark beard and a big smile. He opened the little window and looked out. " Can I help you?".
" I'm looking for ice cream" I said as sweat dripped into my eyes and stung them.
" I'm not selling ice cream" he replied with a grin.
" So what are you selling?" I asked as I kept wiping sweat from my eyes.
" That people would simply believe in me, repent of their sins and they will be with me forever".
" Not selling ice cream".
" Nope, just the free gift of salvation".
" Why do you ding ding that bell but yet you don't sell any ice cream?".
" I ding ding for the lost and anybody willing to listen to my simple message".
" Sorry" was my reply as I walked away wanting ice cream.
The ding ding man watched with tears in his eyes and sadness in his face. He dinged dinged the bell and the pure white truck traveled on in search of the spiritually lost.




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the two builders page 4

the two builders page 4 by ric gustafson.


" King me" said Alvin Ward as he clapped his hands in delight.
Wally put a black checker on top of the other one. He frowned knowing that the game was not going in his favor. Just then, his friend Moochy walked in.
Alvin took all of Wally's checkers. " I win".
" Moochy, do you want to play checkers?".
" No, but I do have something I want to show you".
They walked outside. Wally noticed the brand new SUV parked by the door. " Who's new SUV is that?".
" Mine" Moochy said as he stared at it with joy.
" How did you get the money?".
" Let's just say I borrowed some from the front office" he said as he checked the paint job. " I will pay it back".
" Moochy, you didn't".
Just then, a hand pulled his hands back and put cold handcuffs on. " Moochy Seafield, you are under arrest for stealing $ 60,000 from this retirement community".
A tear came to Wally's eyes as his friend was put into the back of the patrol car.



The End.






Everyone take care. Love Ric.

the two builders page 3

the two builders page 3 by ric gustafson.



Wally turned off his computer and then clocked out. He put his brown suede coat on and then walked toward the back door. He turned and noticed his friend Moochy putting something into a interdepartmental mail envelope. He walked over to see that his friend was putting rubber bands, staples and paper clips into the envelope.
" What are you doing Moochy?".
" I need some rubber bands and paper clips at home" he said as he sealed the top of the envelope.
" You can't do that" Wally said as he frowned at his friend. " It's against hospital policy".
" No one will notice that rubber bands and staples are gone" he said as he put the envelope into his briefcase.
" Moochy, don't risk your job" he said as he heard a noise coming from Mr Straud's office. " You are stealing from the company and God".
He clocked out and then picked up his briefcase. He began to walk toward the back door. " Wally, I told you nobody would notice". Just then, he heard a voice coming from the supervisor's office.
" Moochy, can I have a word with you?".





Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the two builders page 2

the two builders page 2 by ric gustafson


Wally closed his locker. His friend Moochy walked up to his locker.
" Hi Moochy" he said as he glanced at his watch. He noticed that his friend was putting his coat on. " Where are you going Moochy?".
" It's lunch time" his friend said as he zipped up the coat and put his books into his locker. " Burger King".
" We need to get to science class" he said in a desperate voice as he noticed the hallway was getting quieter.
" Wally, sneak out the side entrance with me" he said as his eyes darted around to make sure no one was watching. " No one will know".
" God will know" Wally said as he shook his head. " You are going against bible principles".
" Nobody will notice" he said as he quietly reached the side door. He smiled at Wally. " See I told you I could do it".
He opened the door to reveal Mr Iverson, the Vice Principal.
" Going somewhere Moochy".




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

the two builders page 1

the two builders page 1 by ric gustafson.


Wally Forrest and Moochy Seafield were walking down the aisle.
" I need sugar and flour" Moochy said as he read from his mother's list. " Wally, do you see them?".
His friend slowly walked down the aisle and then spotted the package. " Here's the flour".
" Good, all we need now is the sugar".
Both boys looked intently on the shelves.
" Here it is" Wally said as he put the package in the cart.
" Ok, that's all that's on my mother's list".
They walked toward the checkout lanes.
Moochy stopped and began to walk down the candy aisle." Want a salted nut roll Wally?".
" No" his friend replied as he searched his pockets. " I don't have any money".
" They won't know" his friend said as he looked around and then put two into his black coat pocket. " They won't even notice their gone".
" That's stealing Moochy" Wally said quietly as they walked toward the checkout lane. " In confirmation class, we learned that stealing was breaking one of the ten commandments".
His friend shook his head and bought the groceries.
Moochy smiled as they reached the glass door. " See I told you nothing would happen".
Just then, a hand went on Moochy's shoulder. " Son, we need to talk".




I pray that everyone has a great Easter weekend. Love Ric

the unopened gift page 4

the unopened gift page 4 by ric gustafson.


Monica walked into the church and down a hallway not knowing where she was going. She asked people as she saw them if they knew her husband. She walked into the large circuliar sanctuary frustrated because she could not find Jeffrey anywhere. She sat down in a pew and noticed that the choir was about to start their song practice.
They started singing and tears began to form in her eyes. She began to remember what influenced her to sing in the first place. As a youth, she sang with her parents in church choir.
She took a tissue from her purse and began to blow her nose. She got up to leave knowing that the cab was waiting for her. Just as she reached the sanctuary door, Jeffrey opened it.
" Jeffrey, I tried to find you to get my day planner" she tearfully said as she hugged her startled husband. " I was listening to the choir and was moved by it".
" What are you saying?".
" When I get back from my tour" she replied as she pecked him on the cheek. " Let's talk about doing some volunteer things at church".
" Monica, will you open the unopened gift?".
" Yes, Jeffrey I will".



The End





Everyone take care. Love Ric.

the unopened gift page 3

the unopened gift page 3 by ric gustafson.


Monica put her two suitcases by the front door and waited for the cab to arrive. She was tired because it had only been two weeks since her last concert tour and now she was leaving again for another one. She had not spent much time with Jeffrey lately because of her busy schedule and all the activities her husband did at their church. She grew up in the Lutheran Church but always said no to her husband's urging to help at church.
The doorbell rang and she opened it to show a young man in a DF Cab outfit.
" Can you please put the luggage in the trunk?" she asked as she checked to make sure she had everything.She had her car keys, her plane ticket but had the feeling something was missing.
" Oh no!" she screamed as she frantically searched around the kitchen and living room. " Where is my day planner?". She then remembered that her husband had taken it to church that morning to write some dates down.
" I'm ready to go" she told the cab driver as she checked the lights and locked the front door behind her. " I'd like to make one more stop before we head to the airport". She showed the driver how to get to the church.
The cab pulled up to the north front door and Monica asked the driver to please wait because she would not be long.





Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the unopened gift page 2

the unopened gift page 2 by ric gustafson.


Jeffrey looked at the small card that was on the box. " The gift is addressed to you".
" I don't have time to open it " Monica replied as she walked downstairs with her suitcases in tow. " Please put it in the closet for now".
He put the red box in the bedroom closet and then walked outside to wait for the cab.
The yellow cab came and Jeffrey handed the suitcases to the driver.
" I'm going over to church to help with meals on wheels" he said as opened the passenger door. " They could use a great voice like yours in the choir".
" We'll see" she replied as she kissed her husband and the cab left.
Two months later
Jeffrey yawned as he pulled out the vacuum and bumped into the red box. He decided to clean the house a little before his wife came home. He was tired from spending several hours at church putting bulletins together.
Monica came home and made a fabulous dinner for them.
" Dinner was fabulous" Jeffrey said with a smile as he dried dishes that night. " You could help with Wednesday night meals".
" I like to cook for you" was the reply as she yawned. " I'm tired and I'm going to bed".
" Monica, would you like to open that red gift that is in the closet?".
" Not right now" she said as she yawned and walked toward the bedroom. " Please leave it in the closet".
Jeffrey did not ask her any longer.




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the wedding at Cana

the wedding at Cana by ric gustafson.


Mary smiled as she noticed her son was wearing the tunic that she had woven for him. She was standing by her son and his friends as they watched the wedding procession go by. The bride was being carried to her husband's house.
To Mary, it looked like the entire village was in attendance. Harps, flutes and drums kept people dancing all night and much food and wine was being consumed. On the fourth day of the celebration, the wine flowed less freely.
Mary noticed that one of the servants looked anxious. " What troubles you?".
He showed her two pitchers of wine. " After this we have no more".
" Surely the bridegroom has more wine in his house".
The servant shook his head.
Mary knew that the bridegroom would be shamed if he ran out of wine for his guests.
" Come and I will speak to my son".
Jesus was having a conversation with his friends.
Mary quietly walked up to him and spoke softly into his ear. " They have no more wine".
" How does that concern me" he replied as he stared at his mother. " My time has not yet come".
Mary turned to the nearest servant. " Do whatever he tells you".
Jesus saw six large stone waterpots set up against a wall. " Fill the jars with water".
The servants stared at each other with perplexed looks and then did what he instructed.
When they were done, one of the servants told Jesus.
" Dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies".
The servant dipped a pitcher into the waterpot and then walked over to the master of ceremonies. The servant poured from his pitcher into his cup.
The master of ceremonies tasted what was in the cup and smiled. " Usually a host serves the best wine first" he said as he tasted it again. " But you have kept the best until now".



The End.




Research help: the Ryrie Study Bible




Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the last $ 2.06 of Roland Buras

the last $ 2.06 of Roland Buras by ric gustafson.


Roland Buras felt inside his black pant pocket for any change he might of had. As the ushers began walking toward his pew, he pulled out two one dollar bills, a nickle and a penny. He looked at the money and a tear came to his eyes. He knew this was all the money he had left to his name. He put the money in the collection plate and started singing the hymn they were playing. He smiled with peace in his heart that he had done the right thing.
Alan Mason walked into the workroom with four heavy collection plates. He sat down at a long wooden table.
" Morning Alan" Jack Franklin said as he walked in and sat down.
The two men began to seperate the checks from the loose cash.
" I saw Roland put in $ 2.06 that he had in his pocket" Alan said with a big chuckle as he kept seperating the money. " He owns a huge house, has a great job and that is all he gave for tithe".
" He gave everything he had".
The two men turned their heads to see a young man with a dark beard and white clothes standing in the doorway.
" Who are you?" Jack asked as he dropped the envelope he was holding.
" Roland gave more than anybody else you have in those collection plates" the young man said with a smile. " He had just lost his job, used up all of his savings and might lose his house too".
" I did not know that" Alan replied quietly in shame.
" Everyone gives from what I give them but Roland gave everything that he had for my Kingdom".



The End.




Everyone have a great Palm Sunday. Love Ric.

the unopened gift page 1

the unopened gift page 1 by ric gustafson.


Jeffrey Fitzpatrick opened up the leaf and waste bag and put in some of the leaves he had just raked. It was a beautiful fall afternoon in October and he wanted to get the leaves raked and bagged before he went over to church. He had always been a member of Edgewood Lutheran Church but until his retirement had never had much of a chance to help with church activities. He now volunteered for several church projects including meals on wheels, serving meals at the homeless shelter and ushering.
He heard the brown UPS truck pull up to their front curb. He walked over.
The driver set down a huge box next to Jeffrey's feet. " Sign here".
He signed the clipboard and handed it back to the driver. " If that big box is a gift, that's a big gift".
" The unopened gift" the driver replied with a grin as he got back into his truck and drove off.
Jeffrey picked up the box and walked back into the house.
" What happened outside?" asked Monica Fitzpatrick as she put some clothes into a large and small suitcase.
" The UPS driver dropped off this box".
" Can you open it please?" she asked as she checked her purse for her plane tickets. " The cab will be here any minute".
" How long is your singing tour going to be?".
" Two months" was the reply as she checked herself one last time in the mirror. " Not long".
Jeffrey opened up the UPS box and took out a decorative red box with a big red bow.





Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

Line 1 page 3

Line 1 page 3 by ric gustafson.


" Are you happy with your life Jesse?" God asked as he squirmed in his chair.
" Sure" Jesse replied in a hesitant voice. " Why wouldn't I be".
" Be honest with me " said the quiet voice. " Why do you need to drink?".
He knew he could not hide his problems from God. " I drink because I have problems with my wife and the pressures that go along with this show".
" What if I told you a way that you can be happy and that someone else could deal with your pressures and pain".
" Sounds too good to be true" Jesse replied with a smirk. " What would I have to do".
" Believe in me, follow me and read my word".
" Your Word!" Jesse replied with a confused look. " What's your Word".
" Look next to you".
He turned and next to him on the console was a plain black pocket size New Testament. He skimmed through it. " What do I do with it?".
" Study my Word and simply believe in me".
" I'll think about it" Jesse said as he put the little bible into his briefcase.
" Fair enough" God said in a gentle voice. " I better let you get back to your show".
" Thank you for the call".
" My pleasure Jesse" replied the gentle voice. " Go in peace".
The call ended. Then, Jesse turned to see that all six lines of the phone were now lit up.



The End






Everyone take care. Love Ric

Line 1 page 2

Line 1 page 2 by ric gustafson. " Good morning, this is the Jesse morning show". " Good morning Jesse" said the reassuring quiet voice. " Trust me I'm not a crank call". " Well, you could have fooled me" was the reply as he stared at Marci. " You sure had my assistant fooled". " I just wanted to call and find out how you are doing". " How am I doing" Jesse replied sarcastically. " I'm tired, I have lots of problems in my personal life and the only call I've gotten is you and you are giving me a massive headache". " I'm worried about your health and well being" said the quiet voice. " Especially after what you did last night". " How do you know about last night" he asked as Marci shook her head in confusion. " I never tell my real name on the show". " I know a lot about you Jesse" said the voice. " More than you will ever know" " Really, who are you?". " I go by many names, Allmighty God, Father and Yahweh". " How about God then?". " God is fine". " Hold one second, please" Jesse said loudly as he pushed the hold button. " Marci, are there any other calls " No" she replied. " Just God". Jesse went back to line 1. " Ok God" he said as he finally gave in. " You now have my full attention". Everyone take care. Love Ric.

the man who fed the birds and squirrels page 2

the man who fed the birds and squirrels page 2 by ric gustafson. Robbie looked at his father. " What is it dad?". " Robbie, I need your help with the lawn this summer". His son hit the plastic golf ball close to the fence. He walked over and picked it up. " DAd, I need to practice so I can play on next year's team". " I need your help son". The 16 year old picked up the plastic ball and then stared at the neighbor's backyard. He smiled as he walked back. " What are you smiling about?". " I was watching the birds and squirrels eating their food". " That's old man Barnes" he said as he looked at his watch. " He's a crazy old man". " I've met him dad" was the reply as he put his 7 iron back into his bag. " I think he's nice". " I need to go to work" he said as he turned to leave. " Stay away from that crazy old man". Everyone have a great Monday evening. Love Ric.

the man who fed the birds and squirrels

the man who fed the birds and squirrels page 1 by ric gustafson. Thomas Crayson walked into the large kitchen and looked around. " Have you seen Robbie?". " I'm sure he's outside practicing his swing" she replied as she flipped the large fluffy pancakes. " You know how much he loves golf". " I'm sorry I have to go to work on Saturday" he said as he picked up his worn brown briefcase. " I need to ask Robbie something". " Tom Tom" she yelled as she put the pancakes on a large plate and set it on the kitchen table. " Pancakes are on the table". " Yeah" said the 10 year old boy as he leaped across the last two carpeted steps. He quickly ran to the kitchen table and sat down. He put syrup on top of his pancake stack. " Have a good day at the office dad". He kissed his son's forehead and then his wife's cheek. " I'll see you this afternoon". He walked out into the garage and put his briefcase on the passenger seat. He opened the back door and noticed his 17 year old son practicing his golf swing and hitting a plastic golf ball. " Robbie, I need to ask you something". Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the spider and the fly part 5

the spider and the fly part 5 by ric gustafson. Jennifer did not talk to Samson for a long time. A week before the start of school, he ran into Jennifer as she watched Anthony Wheeler finish his powerlifting practice. " Hi Jennifer" he said as she walked by him. " How come you don't talk to me anymore?". " Because Samson, all you do is lie to me" she said with hurt in her voice. " I'm going to find somebody else to spend my time with". " I told you all the myths my mother told me". " Goodbye Samson" she said as she walked with Anthony Wheeler toward the door of the gym. He quietly walked up and whispered into her ear " I'm a Nazirite, if you cut my long hair I will become weak like everyone else". She smiled knowing he had finally told the truth. One night as they watched a movie at her parents house, Samson fell asleep. Jennifer got some barber scissors and cut off most of Samson's hair. She shook him awake. " Samson, someone's here to harm me". " What happened?". Samson tried to get up and knew immediately that something was wrong. He felt weak as if he had no strength left. The first powerlifting competition of the school year came and Samson could hardly lift the weight. His rival, Anthony Wheeler won the competition. Samson lost every competition that year and wondered where his strength went. As the final competition came up, Samson's hair was growing back and he was getting stronger. It was the final competition of the year and Samson walked up to the weight. He prayed to God for great strength one last time. Samson lifted the heavy weight and beat Anthony Wheeler for the final time in his high school career. The End Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the spider and the fly part 4

the spider and the fly part 4 by ric gustafson.


" Do you care about me Samson?" Jennifer asked with a sad look on her face. " Please tell me another myth".
" My mom said that if you were to tie me up with new ropes that had never been used, my strength would leave me".
One night over at Samson's parents house, Samson fell asleep as he and Jennifer were studying for school. She took some new ropes out of her backpack and bound Samson tightly. She shook Samson awake. " Samson, somebody's about to attack me".
Samson woke up. " What's going on" he said as he stood up and the ropes literally came off as if they were never on.
One day, they were walking through a park.
" I'm so mad at you Samson".
" Why!" asked a perplexed Samson.
" Because you keep lying to me" replied Jennifer. " I'm just about ready to break up with you".
" I want to keep seeing you, so I'll tell you another myth".
" What's that".
" If you put seven braids of my long hair onto a loom tightly, I will become weak and helpless".
Samson and Jennifer were studying late one night and Samson fell asleep.
Jennifer brought in a loom and put seven braids of Samson's hair in it. She shook Samson awake and screamed " Samson wake up, somebody's here to harm me".
Samson woke up. " Where are they?" he said loudly as he quickly stood up. Samson's long hair came out very quickly from the loom.




Everyone take care. Love Ric.

the spider and the fly part 3

the spider and the fly part 3 by ric gustafson.


Samson and Jennifer sat down in the large plush seats of the movie theater. The lights grew dim and the movie began.
" Want some popcorn?" Samson asked as he handed the large box to Jennifer. " I'm looking forward to the movie".
" I am too" she said as she took a handful of the popcorn and then gave it back to Samson. " I'm just happy being with you".
" Me too".
After watching the movie for a while, Jennifer whispered into Samson's ear. " How do you get your great strength?".
" I don't really know" he replied as he intently watched the movie. " I've always been really strong because I'm a Nazirite".
" You mean there is no way you can become weak".
" My mom has told me of two or three ways" he said as he took a handful of popcorn. " She told me that if I was tied up with seven fresh bowstrings not dried out, I would be weak like everyone else".
One evening at Jennifer's house, they were watching a movie. Samson fell asleep and Anthony Wheeler came over and tied him up with the bowstrings.
" Wake up Samson" Jennifer screamed as she shook Samson awake. " Somebody's in the house".
" What's going on" Samson said as he got off the couch and the bowstrings snapped off like twigs.
The next day, he gave Jennifer a ride home after powerlifting practice.
She gave Samson an icy stare. " That was a mean trick you pulled on me".
" I said it was a myth not a bonafide fact".





Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

Line 1 page 1

Line 1 page 1 by ric gustafson.


" Good morning, this is the Jesse morning show". Jesse Carter said with a yawn as he took a sip of orange juice.
" Good morning Jesse" replied a quiet but reassuring voice. " Thank you for taking my call".
" Your welcome" he replied with a sigh as he adjusted his sunglasses. " Do you have a question for me this morning?".
" Yes, Jesse I do" said the reassuring voice. " How do you feel about your life right now?".
With a frustrated look on his face, he pushed the cutoff button. " Marci, that was a crank call".
Jesse took another sip of orange juice and waited for the next call.
" Jesse, you have a call on line 1".
" Good morning, this is the Jesse morning show".
" Good morning, Jesse" said the quiet voice again. " How do you feel this morning?".
Jesse again pushed the cutoff button and then gave Marci an angry stare. " Marci, this is the same crank call as before".
" I'm sorry Jesse but he sounds so sincere and he is the only caller calling in".
Jesse took another sip of orange juice and thought to himself that this morning could not get much worse. He was tired, his eyes were blood shot from lack of sleep and he had a hangover from drinking too much the previous night. This crank caller was really beginning to make him mad.
Marci put her arms up in an I'm sorry look. " Jesse, line 1".





Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the spider and the fly part 2

the spider and the fly part 2 by ric gustafson.


" Thanks for the ride Samson" Jennifer said as Samson drove up to the curb next to Jennifer's parents house.
" Your welcome, anytime" he replied as he put the Saturn into park. He noticed a group of boys playing basketball in Jennifer's driveway. " Is one of them your brother".
" Yes, my brother Edwin". She hugged Samson and then got out of the car." He likes to play hoops with his friends after school"." Thanks again for the ride" she yelled as she ran from the car.
' You are welcome' he thought to himself as he drove off.
" Who was that?" Edwin asked as she walked by him.
" I know who it is" Anthony Wheeler said as he threw the basketball to Edwin." It was Samson who beats me every year at powerlifting. " I sure wish I could find out where his strength comes from".
" Jennifer, why are you interested in that long haired Clarkson Cougar anyway?".
" He's cute, he's sweet and treats me nice".
" Your not turning traitor against Boulay, are you" asked her brother.
Jennifer pointed at her Boulay sweatshirt. " I am a loyal Boulay Bobcat".
" Anthony and I were talking" he said quietly as they sat down in the grass. " We have a favor to ask".
" What favor is that?".
" Find out how Samson gets his great strength" her brother said as he pulled some cash out of one of his shorts pockets." Also here is $200 so you and your cheerleader friends can go shopping".
" I don't know" she replied with a sad look. " He's a sweet guy, i don't want to hurt him".
" I know" was the reply as he put a loving arm around his sister. " We are simply asking that you find out where he gets his incredible strength".
She thought for a moment. " Ok". She took the money and walked into the house.
Edwin and Anthony stared at each other with huge grins on their faces.




Everyone take care. Love Ric.

the spider and the fly part 1

the spider and the fly part 1 by ric gustafson.


Samson picked up the heavy silver trophy and smiled as clapping came from the audience. He had won his third state high school powerlifting trophy and dominated the sport. Sports dominated the small California town of Clarkson and the Clarkson Cougars were number one in several sports.
Samson knew his main rival in powerlifting was Anthony Wheeler of Boulay High School. He had always had long hair because he was a Nazirite and that made him strong and powerful. School administers tried to get him to cut his hair but protests from his parents kept him from that.
Sally, Samson's mother, walked over to her tall son and gave him a peck on the cheek. " Well done Samson".
" Thanks mom" was the reply as he began to stare at one of the Boulay cheerleaders. " Mom , i'll be home later". He walked over to the pretty blonde who was putting her pom poms into a sack. " Hi, I'm Samson".
" Hi, I'm Jennifer Moore".
Samson had been warned by his mother to stay away from Boulay cheerleaders because of their wild reputations.
" Can I give you a ride home".




Everyone take care. Love Ric.

the narrow gatekeeper b

the narrow gatekeeper b by ric gustafson.


" Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself" he said as he shook my hand." My name is Louie".
" Doug" I replied as I stared at the endless mass of people walking by.
He opened the gate for an elderly man.
" Why do you think the majority of people don't walk over here?".
" Different reasons I'm sure" he quietly said as he opened the gate for a smiling little boy." Some are hardened hearts that want to do their own thing". He pointed toward the wide gate." Compared to that gate, very few come through here".
" But everyone can see the sign and could walk over".
" Yes, everyone can read it" Louie replied as he opened the gate for a young woman." But few take the sign to heart and walk over here".
I smiled as I looked at Louie. " I would like to walk through it now".
" Good" he replied as he opened the gate. " He's been waiting for you".
I walked through that small narrow gate knowing I was going to spend all of eternity with God.



The End





Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric.

the narrow gatekeeper a

the narrow gatekeeper a by ric gustafson


I was walking along the broad road that continued as far as I could see. All kinds of people, old, young, women and children were also walking toward the same destination. As I kept walking, I noticed a huge wide gate. A man in red was waving to people to walk through this gate.
As I walked, I glanced to the left and noticed something that I could have overlooked. I saw a small narrow gate covered with vines and near it was a small sign which said ' this way to eternal life'. Something inside my heart told me to step out of the mass of people heading for the broad gate and walk toward this other gate.
I walked up to the small gate where a man in a white suit was opening the door of the gate. " Hi" I said as the gatekeeper had just opened the door for a young couple to enter.
" Welcome" he replied with a smile as he shook my hand. " I'm glad you saw my small gate and decided to walk over".
" Not much activity here" I said as I watched the endless columns of people heading toward the wide gate.
" Everyone who glances to the left can see the sign and the gate" he said with a sad look. " Very few actually walk over here".






Everyone take care. Love Ric.

Sergius Paulus and Elymas part 3

Sergius Paulus and Elymas part 3 by ric gustafson.


Sergius was working on some official business with Elymas.
An aide walked into the room and whispered into the ear of the proconsul.
" The Jewish evangelists I wanted to talk to are here".
" Like I warned you, stay away from these men".
An aide showed the three men into the court room. Barnabas, Paul and John Mark walked over and now stood before the proconsul.
Paul looked over and noticed Elymas sitting in a corner with an evil look on his face." We were told that you wanted to meet with us".
" No, we do not want to talk to any of you" yelled Elymas as he stood up from the back of the room.
Sergius sighed at his court advisor's antics. " I wanted to find out what you were telling the people".
Elymas pointed a finger at Paul. " Nobody on this island wants to hear your lies and deceit so leave and do not come back".
Paul, starting to get filled with the Holy Spirit, walked over and stood in front of Elymas.
" Leave now" screeched Elymas.
" You are a child of the devil and full of deceit" said Paul. " Will you never stop perverting the ways of the Lord". Paul pointed a finger at the court advisor. " The hand of the Lord is upon you and you will be blind and not see the sun for a while".
Immediately, a mist and a darkness fell upon Elymas. He tried to reach Sergius's desk but stumbled and fell over it.
" What has happened to me?" yelled Elymas. An aide ran in and led him out of the court room.
Sergius, after observing the whole scene unfold before his eyes, turned toward the three. " I saw and I believe".



The End





Everyone take care. Love Ric.

Sergius Paulus and Elymas part 2

Sergius Paulus and Elymas part 2 by ric gustafson.


Sergius Paulus was enjoying his breakfast for a change and was in a pretty good mood. Because he was the Roman proconsul for the entire island, his breakfast and all of his meals were usually interrupted by aides asking him something.
He was still eating when an aide walked in.
" Your court advisor, Elymas is here".
" Show him in".
His court advisor walked in and sat down across the table from him. He had a stern look on his face.
" What's wrong Elymas?".
" I've been hearing disturbing news about you?".
" What news is that?" was the reply as Sergius yawned because of boredom.
" I heard you were interested in meeting with those three Jewish evangelists who have come to the island".
" That is true, I do".
" Why".
" First of all, I am the proconsul and do not want any trouble on my island" he said in a quiet voice. " I also want to know what these three men are preaching to the people".
" Have nothing to do with these men" Elymas said in a loud voice.
" For what reasons?".
" These men are talking lies, I advise you to stay away from them".
" As proconsul, I want to talk to them".
Elymas got out of his chair and walked toward the door. " As you wish, just remember my warning".
Sergius sighed and wondered why he kept Elymas as his court advisor.




Everyone have a great Saturday. Love Ric.