Martha page 8

 Martha page 8 by ric gustafson

Martha was sleeping. Mary shook her awake.

" Martha". She began to cry. " Abba's gone".

They ran to his pallet. He had fallen asleep during the night. His face was peaceful.

The next morning, Lazarus told Nathan.

Ephraim's body was prepared for burial.

He was laid in a tomb. The family mourned for seven days.

One day, Lazarus spoke to Martha in private. " Nathan has told me what you have been doing in the olive garden".

Martha was scared. " Does the whole village know?".

" No". He frowned. " Just Nathan and I".

" He has asked me to marry him".

" What did you tell him?".

" I promised him an answer when he returns".

" I will pray for both of you".

" Thank you Lazarus".

research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Martha page 7

 Martha page 7 by ric gustafson

Martha sat under a tree in the Mount of Olives. She heard a noise. She looked up to see Captain Flavious.

" Captain, do you come here often?".

" Yes". He grinned. " I come here often to pray".

Martha looked puzzled. " To pray?".

" Yes, I am a Godfearer".

" So you pray to the one God Jehovah?".

" Yes". He smiled. " You are not married".

Martha gave him a strange stare. " How did you know that?".

" I have my sources".

" How long have you been in the army?".

" Almost twenty years". His voice hesitated. " I plan to retire at the end of the year".

Martha thought for a moment. " I should go".

" Meet me here next Sabbath".

" Okay". She smiled. " What is your name Captain?".

" People call me Thaddeus".

research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Martha page 6

 Martha page 6 by ric gustafson

The soldiers approached Ephraim's donkey. The donkey sensed danger balked and threw the elderly man to the ground. Lazarus ran to his father. The soldiers quickly left except for an officer. He dismounted and knelt by the old man.

" He needs help".

Lazarus looked at the officer. " May you be blessed by your kindness".

Martha's eyes met the officer's. She felt something stir inside her.

" I am Captain Flavious".

Martha spoke up. " Lazarus, lead the donkey with father on it to our house".

After their father was safely resting on his pallet, Martha went outside to talk with the officer.

" We owe you a great debt of thanks".

" And what are the names of your family?".

" My father is Ephraim my brother and sister are Lazarus and Mary".

" And your name?".

" My name is Martha".

" Happy to make your acquaintance".

He quietly rode away.

She blushed.

research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Psalm 41: 9-13

 difficult times: Psalm 41: 9-13 by ric gustafson

Sometimes in life people will betray us. It could be a spouse, friend or family member. It hurts. We are fallible and human. It is natural to let each other down. We feel it is betrayal. We thought the relationship was secure. When this happens, we doubt ourselves and our own worth. 

God says bring your pain to me. We need to ask God to restore our security and balance. 

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Martha page 5

 Martha page 5 by ric gustafson

One day while she was weaving, Martha heard some big news. Lazarus asked his father to arrange a betrothal. His choice for wife was Shua a daughter of the village potter. She noticed that her father's health was getting worse.

Passover neared and the family got ready for it's annual trek to Jerusalem. An elderly cousin named Hanniel agreed that they could stay with him and his wife in the Holy City. Nathan joined them. Later, they found Esther and her family.

That afternoon, Lazarus prepared to bring a sacrificial lamb to the Temple. Martha and the other women prepared the lamb.

At one point, Lazarus ran back to the women.

Martha became worried. " What's wrong Lazarus?".

" A Rabbi caused a ruckus in the courtyard".

Mary frowned. " What did he do?".

" He overturned the tables of the moneychangers".

" You never know about these Rabbi's". Martha shook her head. " First John the Baptist and now this Rabbi".

Later, Lazarus told her his name was Jesus.

research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Luke 24: 36-43

 difficult times: Luke 24: 36-43 by ric gustafson

We all have doubt. Do we doubt God's reality?. Do we feel guilty when we have doubt?. Having doubt is normal. It's not a sin to doubt. It can cause us pain if doubt continues for a long time. It can rob us of peace and joy. It can affect how we feel as God's children. Like all human beings, we doubt. Jesus did not scold the disciples for doubting. Jesus will not scold us.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Martha page 4

 Martha page 4 by ric gustafson

When Martha and her family went to Esther's wedding, she knew she would miss her friend terribly. She gave her a blue shawl as a wedding gift.

The next morning, Martha woke up early and prepared breakfast for the family. Then she ran to see Micah and Esther before they left for good. After they left, she spent her free time weaving woven cloth and rugs.

One day, her father and brother came back from the marketplace.

" Martha, first of all we sold all of your rugs". Her father smiled. " We also heard new news".

" What news is that?".

" There is a new prophet named John the Baptist" exclaimed her father. " He is baptizing people in the Jordan River".

Lazarus spoke up. " He wears a garment of camel's hair and eats locusts and wild honey".

Martha chuckled. " How can you survive eating that?".

" They say". Her father grinned. " He is preparing people for someone who is coming soon".

Martha shook her head. " We shall see".

research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Martha page 3

 Martha page 3 by ric gustafson

The next day, Martha found out Phineas had picked Leah the daughter of Zebulon. She began to cry.

" I will find another". Martha's father held her close. " I will find a man worthy of my beautiful daughter".

A few days later, Martha found out that Simon the husband of Judith had leprosy. His fate was sealed by a priest in Jerusalem.

Simon's daughter Esther told her friend Martha she was to be married to Micah who was a distant cousin from Bethlehem.

" You will be moving to Bethlehem?".

She smiled. " I will come back and see you at Passover".

On the day of her friend's wedding, she studied Micah. He was tall, thin, bearded with dark eyes.

It was a small but beautiful wedding.

research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Numbers 23: 19-23

 difficult times: Numbers 23: 19-23 by ric gustafson

Sometimes it is hard to bear disappointment. We expect God to do something for us and he doesn't. We feel disappointed. People let us down. We feel disappointed. The truth is that God will never disappoint us. When God makes a promise, he always keeps it. When he says he will bless us, he will. Are we relying on God and his promises?. Sooner or later, people will disappoint us. God will never disappoint us. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times'  by Barbour Publishing

Merry Christmas to all. Love Ric

difficult times: Matthew 26: 51-54

 difficult times: Matthew 26: 51-54

Does your emotions control your actions?. The Apostle Peter drew his sword and cut off a servant's ear. Peter acted impulsively. He had good intentions. But he let his emotions control him. There's nothing wrong with having emotions. We can even have bad emotions. But we must not let them control us. They could hurt others or destroy us. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Romans 8: 1-4

 difficult times: Romans 8: 1-4 by ric gustafson

Do you remember times when you drifted away from God?. Was there something else that replaced God in your life?. Shame is different from guilt. Guilt shows us that we did something bad. Shame believes that we are bad. Everyone has done things they regret. As Christians, we make mistakes. God does not condemn us. We should not feel shame. The Holy Spirit lives in us to make us more like God.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: II Corinthians 10: 3-5

 difficult times: II Corinthians 10: 3-5 by ric gustafson

It is our human nature to worry. We cannot trust in God and worry at the same time. At times, we let worrying control our thoughts. We struggle with worrying. The apostle Paul compares struggling to warfare. This struggle is real. The truth is we can control our thoughts. When we do think negative thoughts, we need to replace those negative thoughts with positive ones.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Proverbs 3: 8-12

 difficult times: Proverbs 3: 8-12 by ric gustafson

Physical health ties in with spiritual commitment. The passage from Proverbs promises us physical blessings. This includes good health. This does not mean we will not have physical trials and challenges. Because we will. We need to honor God and give him everything. This includes our sickness. When we are sick, we feel lifeless and dull. Depression and discouragement can settle in. We need to give God our health and everything else. God will always bless us. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Philippians 3: 12-16

 difficult times: Philippians 3: 12-16 by ric gustafson

It is hard to have goals when you are exhausted and confused. Goals are destination points that we have chosen for our lives. Our best goals are clearly defined and spelled out in concrete terms. We must have goals in our life. As Christians, we need to follow Jesus. Jesus should be our goal. We start to sink when our eyes divert from Jesus. God gives us hope and encouragement. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Martha page 2

 Martha page 2 by ric gustafson

Lazarus walked into the courtyard with twigs. He put them on the fire. Martha watched her younger sister put fresh milk on the table. At times, she has gotten too cross with Mary. She regretted that. 

When sunset came, Martha lit the Sabbath candles. When the shofar blew three times, the Sabbath began.

The next morning, the family walked to Jerusalem for Sabbath prayers. There they met their friend Nathan the blacksmith. Nathan and his wife Rhoda had no children.

That night, Martha closed her eyes for a good night's sleep.

The wheat harvest was to start the next day.

research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Advent 2020: the Christmas Santa

 Advent 2020: the Christmas Santa by ric gustafson

Santa Claus is based on Saint Nicholas who lived in Turkey in the 3rd and 4th century. His parents died in an epidemic when he was young. Young Nicholas spent his inheritance helping the sick, needy and those suffering. 

God sent his Son into this world to be with us and save us. Immanuel means God with us. With Jesus, we have the chance to have eternal life. While we were still sinners, God loved us and shows grace to all. God's grace comes to us through Jesus our Immanuel. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: LCM Advent devotional 2020

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Martha page 1

 Martha page 1 by ric gustafson

Martha danced around her father. " Good news Abba?".

" Possibly". Ephraim smiled at his daughter. " Where is your sister?".

" She was helping me in the garden". She smiled. " Is there good news today?".

" Gera is considering my offer".

Martha was fifteen and her father was trying to arrange a marriage.

" When will me know?".

Ephraim sighed. " We will talk after the Sabbath".

" Ok Abba".

research help: ' Martha' by Diana Wallis Taylor

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Revelation 21: 3-5

 difficult times: Revelation 21: 3-5 by ric gustafson

This bible passage proclaims that he will wipe every tear from their eyes. What in these difficult times are bringing tears to your eyes?. Death and loss are unavoidable. One day we will die. Tears are a part of human life. God is always with us. God wants to be in an intimate relationship with us. When we go to heaven one day, there will be no more tears. Why because in heaven there will be no more pain and death. Our tears here will be comforted in heaven. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: II Timothy 2: 23-25

 difficult times: II Timothy 2: 23-25 by ric gustafson

Conflicts occur when we make biased and unfounded assumptions. These assumptions could be leading to the conflict. So what are quarrels?. Quarrels start from small irritations. Then they magnify. A quarrel is also called a misunderstanding. Sometimes we leap to conclusions. From these trivial problems come major issues. God does not want us to think that way. God wants us to replace those negative feelings with patience, kindness and gentleness. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Proverbs 3: 21-26

 difficult times: Proverbs 3: 21-26 by ric gustafson

Does fear and anxiety keep us awake at night?. In this bible passage, the author wants us to pursue wisdom. We need to keep wisdom around us constantly. When we cannot sleep, wisdom will help us relax. We can be confident that God has everything under control. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Philippians 4: 6-7

 difficult times: Philippians 4: 6-7 by ric gustafson

Praying and worrying are opposite actions. God wants us to pray not worry. Sometimes we worry about paying bills. We feel like we cannot change things. We dwell on everything that could go wrong. The apostle Paul tells us that instead of worrying that we pray instead. When we do this, the peace of Christ will push the worrying away. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Lord's Prayer: deliver us from evil

 the Lord's Prayer: deliver us from evil by ric gustafson

We cannot escape evil on our own. We will be swayed by choices, people and our own actions. Jesus is asking his Father for protection from evil. We cannot help but stray without divine help. We can easily put God aside and choose our way instead. Jesus asks his Father to be delivered from evil not to be spared. The truth is that God loves us more than anything else. Praise God's name.

The End.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Lord's Prayer: forgive us as we forgive others

 the Lord's Prayer: forgive us as we forgive others by ric gustafson

Will God forgive us?. Of course. But forgiveness will change our lives. God wants us to forgive others. No matter who it is or what they have done to us. God wants us to forgive like he forgives us. Forgiveness is beyond what is humanly possible. God is merciful. God is also just. When we ask for forgiveness, God will give us mercy. God wants us to forgive others as much as he forgives us.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Lord's Prayer: give us our daily bread

 the Lord's Prayer: give us our daily bread by ric gustafson

We need to have trust in God that he will provide for our care and providence. We need to have faith that God will provide what we need for each day. We need to pray that God will provide for our body, spirit and mind. We need to pray daily. We need to place before God each day our needs. We need actual bread for our basic food. We also have basic needs like shelter and clothing. We must depend totally on God each and every day. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Lord's Prayer: your Kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

 the Lord's Prayer: your Kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven by ric gustafson

God wants a world in which he rules now. He wants us to make heaven on this earth. God wants us to glimpse heaven right now right here. We experience Kingdom living when we help those in need. When we are in God's will, we will experience peace from heaven right here right now.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Advent 2020: the Christmas gift

 Advent 2020: the Christmas gift by ric gustafson

The gifts of the Magi were gold, frankincense and myrrh. The most important gift of all was God giving his Son as a sacrifice for us. We can show grace and mercy through service, prayer and witnessing to neighbors. When we are given a gift, we can say thanks for the gift. We can give thanks to God for the gift. We can discuss how the gift was from God. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: LCM Advent devotional 2020

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Lord's Prayer: who are in heaven holy is your name

 the Lord's Prayer: who are in heaven holy is your name by ric gustafson

Heaven is a real place where God's fullness resides. In heaven, we will obey God and praise him day and night. We will come to heaven eager to meet God and obey him. So we pray and we wait for that day. In Jesus his Son, we see God the Father. We want a deeper relationship with Jesus. We want to be Kingdom people. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Disciple: be not afraid

 Disciple: be not afraid by ric gustafson

Being a disciple of Jesus means we must deal with fear. Jesus tells us " take heart it is I do not be afraid. Jesus desires us to be fearless for him. Jesus says trust me. One night in a storm, the disciples were afraid. They saw on the water what they thought was a ghost. It was Jesus. He told them not to be afraid. We are on a spiritual journey. Jesus is always with us. Jesus is always protecting us. Sometimes life is a struggle. Jesus says trust me be not afraid. God loves us more than anything else.

The End

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Disciple: heal all you meet

 Disciple: heal all you meet by ric gustafson

Jesus gives healing to anyone who asks. Jesus says I will come and cure. Jesus wants us to be his witness and agent of healing. Jesus has authority and power over us. God is the source of all authority. God is the Creator and sustainer of all life. Jesus submitted to his Father's authority. God's power creates healing. Jesus had the power to heal. Jesus will heal those who ask for it. We need to cultivate our faith. We have been sent into the world to heal all you meet. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Disciple: see the good

 Disciple: see the good by ric gustafson

Jesus talked a lot about judgment. Jesus says before you judge, would you judge yourselves. Do we judge by earthly or kingdom standards. Is anyone a worthy judge?. Jesus formed the character of his disciples. They were ordinary everyday people. Jesus wanted his disciples to develop kingdom attitudes. Jesus asked hard questions and challenged his disciples. God wants every human being to have dignity and respect. Lastly, Jesus says do not rush to judgment. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Lord's Prayer: Our Father

 the Lord's Prayer: Our Father by ric gustafson

God is Jesus's Father. God is our Father. Our Father God created us and loves us. Jesus calls his Father Abba. This means daddy. God wants to be known as a daddy who is loving and approachable. God our Father loves us more than anything else. Jesus loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the lonely fruitcake page 2

 the lonely fruitcake page 2 by ric gustafson

I watched as the cranberry salad was passed around.

People were still pointing at me.

What's wrong with me?

After dinner, the ambrosia cheesecake was passed around.

Then the table was beginning to get cleaned off.

I began to panic.

I was still sitting there.

Then I heard the word.

" Open Door Mission".

I was put into a container with other leftovers.

I smiled.

I was not lonely any longer.

The End

research help: original story

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Disciple: pray like Jesus

 Disciple: pray like Jesus by ric gustafson

As his followers, Jesus wants us to pray to him. So how do we pray?. Jesus wants our whole being in his presence. He wants us to be quiet and open our hearts to him. Prayer can change us. Jesus's life was a prayer. As far as prayer, we need to be unafraid and unashamed. Jesus spent a lot of time teaching his disciples about prayer. Jesus put importance on solitude and community. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Disciple: a generous spirit

 Disciple: a generous spirit by ric gustafson

Love involves giving. Giving is part of being poor in spirit. Love and giving go hand in hand. Giving of ourselves creates new life in us and in others. God does not want us to judge people. God wants us to be a generous giver. Giving is an individual matter. To give takes determination and commitment. When we give out of our heart, grace and blessings come our way. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the lonely fruitcake page 1

 the lonely fruitcake page 1 by ric gustafson

I sat in the middle of the elegant dining room table.

I was sitting next to the mashed potatoes. Surely I will be picked.

The family said grace.

The pork tenderloin was passed around.

The mashed potatoes were passed around

Someone snickered and pointed at me.

What's wrong with me I thought to myself.

I'm full of candied fruit, nuts and spices.

The glazed carrots were passed around.

The family was eating and enjoying each other.

Sitting there, I was lonely.

research help: original story

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Disciple: love your enemies

 Disciple: love your enemies by ric gustafson

One core of Jesus's teaching was about the concept of love. God wants our total love and to follow his Son. Jesus proclaims love your neighbor. This includes our enemies. It is our sinful human nature to not want to love our enemies. God is love. Loving God and others will bring us inner peace and union with God. Gospel love is a choice. Jesus came into the world to save us. He died on a cross to save us. God wants us to love and pray. We need to pray for those who hate us.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciple's path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Advent 2020: the Christmas tree

 Advent 2020: the Christmas tree by ric gustafson

The origin of the Christmas tree is complicated. A green branch was a sign of life and eternal life. Jesus used the Passover meal to talk about saving people from slavery in Egypt. Bread and wine points to God's saving action on the cross. Jesus's death saved people from the slavery of sin. Advent shows us that Jesus's mission was to redeem the entire world. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: LCM Advent 2020 devotional

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Disciple: live as a blessing

 Disciple: live as a blessing by ric gustafson

In Matthew 5, Jesus begins his teaching ministry. He teaches so others can teach. Jesus taught the disciples so they can teach others. Jesus has a vision of life. He teaches that that to be happy they must be poor in spirit. The poor in spirit expose the truth of their heart. A relationship with Jesus involves behavior, values and motives. The heart of Jesus is in full union with God his Father. Jesus wants our inner surrender a surrender of the heart. The poor in spirit approach Jesus on their knees. Three qualities of poor in spirit involve humility, trust and vulnerability. We need to live simply and depend on God's mercy.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' walking the Disciples path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Disciple: surrender your nets

 Disciple: surrender your nets by ric gustafson

Jesus wants his followers to be fishing for men. How do you become a fisher of men?. We are to proclaim the good news, witness by word and use Jesus as our example. We as disciples are being sent to call more disciples. We are ordinary people. We are not wealthy or people of influence. We are laborers. We understand our environment. We take risks. 

One day, Jesus comes to us. He says follow me. Do you accept his call?. We need to respond to his call. Jesus knows we are ordinary sinful people. Do we accept his call?. He says come follow me. My prayer is that we will say yes.

research help: ' walking the disciples path' by Linda Perrone Rooney

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Galatians 5

 difficult times: Galatians 5 by ric gustafson

Galatians 5 talks about the fruit of the Spirit. This includes love, joy, peace, kindness and self control. The flesh here is about our selfish sinful side of our human nature. Our selfish side wants its own way and gets angry when it can't. Hatred, arguments and violence are the result. God wants us to put to death our selfish nature. We need the Holy Spirit to work in us to defeat our selfish nature.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Romans 5

 difficult times: Romans 5 by ric gustafson

The words patience and passionate come from the same word roots. It is a willingness and a commitment to endure pain or hardship. Christ's Passion required Jesus to bear pain which would bring healing to all creation. Romans 5 talks about being alert and keeping our eyes open so we will not miss what God is doing. God is working out his will in our life. We need to be patient and wait for God.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Psalm 4

 difficult times: Psalm 4 by ric gustafson

What is the relationship between trust and anger?. These two have an effect on each other. We should not let anger control us. 2020 has been a year of difficult times. Anger is not a sin. But anything that controls us can cause us to lose our focus on God. Instead of reacting in anger, we need to think about our words and actions. Psalm 4:4 says don't sin by letting anger control you.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Psalm 124

 difficult times: Psalm 124 by ric gustafson

The year 2020 has been a year of difficult times. The writer of Psalm 124 talks about feeling trapped. Different things in our lives make us feel trapped. Bad habits, illness, depression and lack of self confidence could be traps. Whatever trap has snared us this year, God wants to get us out of it. God will not let us get drowned or consumed by it. God can and will set us free from our traps.

God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Ephesians 3: 14-21

 difficult times: Ephesians 3: 14-21 by ric gustafson

The Apostle Paul talks about an extravagant God. He parcels out all heaven and earth with a generous hand. We live in a world of beauty and variety. All creation reflects God's loving hand. Sometimes even with all the world's beauty, we grow bored and blind to God's wonders. Paul tells us to enjoy God's wonders and beauty. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Happy Thanksgiving. Love Ric

difficult times: II Corinthians 1:8-10

 difficult times: II Corinthians 1:8-10 by ric gustafson

The year 2020 has been a year of difficult times. Even the Apostle Paul went through difficult times at times. He knew that God could handle the difficulties of his life. This year has overwhelmed us. At times, we have felt frustrated, discouraged and hopeless. Paul tells us not to do so much in our own strength. Day by day, we need to put everything in God's hands. God can handle anything. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' the 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

difficult times: Romans 8:22-28

 difficult times: Romans 8:22-28 by ric gustafson

The year 2020 has been a year of difficult times. Romans 8:26 talks about wordless groans. The word groan describes the Holy Spirit's intercession and the state of all creation. The Apostle Paul compares child birth to our state of reality. God simply wants us to surrender to the Spirit. God is always with us. God feels our pain. He loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' 5 minute bible study for difficult times' by Barbour Publishing

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the fork in the road page 25

 the fork in the road page 25 by ric gustafson

Alvin put the suitcases by the door. There was a knock. He opened it to reveal a smiling Mr Hanscom. " Morning Alvin".

" Morning Sir". He yawned. " I was just packing to catch my flight home".

" Alvin". He held up the folder. " They loved your revision".

" What happened to the one done by Frank?".

" Last time I saw Mr Lyon". He grinned. " He was leaving the hotel with a blue suitcase".

" That's great".

" They also approved your revision during the meeting".

" Praise God's name".

" One more thing before I go". He smiled again. " I got approval for you to be my new assistant".

" Thank you Sir".

His boss left.

Alvin got down on his knees and thanked God for all the spiritual blessings he had received.

The End

research help: original story

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the fork in the road page 24

 the fork in the road page 24 by ric gustafson

Alvin was packing up to check out. He packed up the three suitcases. There was a knock on the door. He opened it to reveal a young man who was wearing a red resort blazer. 

" Morning Mr Walters".

" Morning".

The young man handed Alvin a brown wallet. " Mr Walters, is this your wallet?".

" It sure is". Alvin smiled. " Where did you find it?".

" In the laundry room".

Alvin checked it. It contained more money than before he lost it.

" Mr Walters, the hotel is sorry for all that has happened to you this week". The young man smiled. " The hotel has arranged with your credit card company to pay all that you lost this week".

The young man left.

Alvin began to pray. " God in heaven, thank you for all of your blessings".

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the fork in the road page 23

 the fork in the road page 23 by ric gustafson

Knocking on the door woke up Alvin. " I'm coming". He put on a robe and walked over to the door. He opened it to reveal Mr Hanscom. His face looked scared.

" Alvin, I don't like Frank's revision". He handed him the folder. " The Board of Directors meeting is in two hours".

" What are you asking me Sir?".

" Please Alvin". He began to plead. " Could you look at it one more time?".

" Of course I will".

" Thank you Alvin". He turned to leave. " I'll be back in two hours".

A little later as he worked on the revision, his cell phone rang. " Hello".

" Alvin". His wife had an excited voice. " Prayer was answered".

" What do you mean?".

" A house contractor saw out plight on the news". Her voice paused. " They have offered to help rebuild our house for free".

Alvin closed his cell phone. Tears began to flow down his face. " Thank you God for your blessings".

In two hours, he gave the revision back to Mr Hanscom.

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the fork in the road page 22

 the fork in the road page 22 by ric gustafson

God was intently watching the TV screen. An aide walked in and whispered into his ear.

" Alright". He frowned. " Send him in".

A tall man, wearing a dark red shirt and dark pants, walked in quietly and sat down.

God had sadness in his eyes. " I figured you would be back".

" I almost had him". He gave an evil chuckle. " I was that close".

" I told you he would not cave in".

He cackled again. " If I could have a little more time".

" No, I told you only had one more chance". He rang a buzzer. " That chance is now gone".

" With more time, I know he would bow down and curse your name".

" He didn't".

" That's it".

" Yes". An aide walked in. " Please escort Lucifer out of my sight".

After his adversary was gone, God went back to his TV screen.

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the fork in the road page 21

 the fork in the road page 21 by ric gustafson

" Take the money". Alvin opened his tired eyes. It was dark in the room except from the glow of the TV. 

" You need the money". The strange voice cackled in Alvin's head. " So just take it".

Alvin could see the blue suitcase by the front door. " It's not right to take what is not yours".

" You need the money Alvin". The voice cackled. " No one will ever know".

The voice kept getting louder.

" You have no money Alvin". The strange voice got louder. " Just take the money in the blue suitcase".

" No" Alvin replied in a tired voice. " I refuse to blame God for my troubles".

" Nobody will know". The voice got louder. " Just take the money".

" No". Alvin began to cry. " God, please help me".

A quiet voice filled Alvin's head. " It is finished".

A cold presence left the hotel room.

Alvin fell into a deep sleep.

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the fork in the road page 20

 the fork in the road page 20 by ric gustafson

" Alvin". Mr Hanscom studied the revision. " We can't afford to have this presentation fail".

" I know Sir".

" Alvin, I'm going to have Frank work on this tonight and tomorrow".

" But Sir".

" Work on your personal problems tonight and tomorrow". He smiled. " We'll talk tomorrow night".

Alvin walked back to his room. He turned on an old rerun of Gunsmoke. He took out his cell phone. He dialed a number.

" Hi honey". He grinned as he watched the old western. " Did the Red Cross help you secure a room for now?".

" Yes Alvin they did". The tired voice hesitated. " The insurance company has also assessed the damage".

" Good".

" Alvin, I'm upset at what's been happening to us". Her voice was now angry. " I've been cursing God".

" I won't". Alvin now talked clearly. " I refuse to blame God for what's happening to us".

" Ok Alvin, I'll try".

" Get some sleep". He sounded reassuring. " I'll talk to you tomorrow".

He prayed to God the rest of the evening.

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the fork in the road page 19

 the fork in the road page 19 by ric gustafson

Frank sat down next to Alvin. He was finishing breakfast.

" Good morning Alvin". He put a napkin into his lap. " How are you this sunny Wed morning?". A waiter came over with water and a menu. " How is the revision coming?".

" It's basically three fourths done". He sighed. " Mr Hanscom wants to see it this afternoon".

The waiter approached Frank. " Yes, I would like pancakes and two scrambled eggs".

Just then, Alvin's cell phone rang. " Hello". He dabbed his mouth with a napkin. " Honey, slow down". Fear entered his eyes. " Tell me exactly what happened?". He listened to the call. " First thing you need to do is call our insurance company". He sighed. " You'll have to figure out a place to stay for right now". He sighed again. " Don't worry, everything will be ok". He closed his cell phone.

" What's happened Alvin?".

" My wife got a call at work that our front drapes caught fire and caused major damage to the house". He lowered his head into his hands. " I can't believe all this is happening to me".

" Alvin". Frank took a sip of water. " Is it possible that God is trying to punish you for something?".

" No!". He pounded the table with his fist. " I will not blame God for my troubles".

He paid his bill. He left to go work on the revision.

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the fork in the road page 18

 the fork in the road page 18 by ric gustafson

God was watching the TV screen. Just then, an assistant walked in. He whispered into God's ear. God frowned. " Ok, send him in".

His adversary walked in. He sat down next to the Creator.

" What do you want Lucifer?".

He squirmed in his chair. " I came to ask permission".

" Have you seen my servant Alvin". He smiled. " He has not crumbled or blamed me for his trials".

" There are more trials and temptations I could throw his way". He sneered at God. " That's why I have come to ask your permission".

" I will grant you one more try". He kept staring at the screen. " The next time I see you". His voice hesitated. " You will have no more chances".

" Agreed". He stood up to leave.

" Remember Lucifer". He grinned. " You can only harm him financially".

" I know". He walked out.

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the fork in the road page 17

 the fork in the road page 17 by ric gustafson

Alvin was very tired. He had been working on the revision for several hours. He began to drift off to sleep. Then, his cell phone rang. He tried to focus his eyes. " Hi honey". 

" Alvin". His wife's voice sounded scared. " I found out my hours at the flower shop are going to be reduced".

" Everything will be ok". He tried to reassure her. " The revision is coming along on schedule".

" I'm really scared Alvin". Her voice became more frantic. " I'm beginning to believe that God is really punishing us for some reason".

" I refuse to blame him for anything". His voice became calm. " We'll talk tomorrow". He closed his cell phone. His eyes began to drift asleep.

" Take the money". A voice rang loudly in his ear. " You need the money so take it".

Alvin stared at the blue suitcase. " We could really use that money right now". He got up from the chair. He began to walk toward the blue suitcase. 

" Sit down and pray" said a small quiet voice.

Alvin sat down and prayed. " God, I'm sorry that I almost did that". He began to cry. " I'm sorry please guard me from temptation".

He fell asleep in the easy chair.

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the fork in the road page 16

 the fork in the road page 16 by ric gustafson

Frank grinned. " Alvin, have you ever wondered why all these things are happening to you?".

" Yes I have wondered". He sighed. " But I will not curse or blame God".

Somebody walked up to them. " Good afternoon gentlemen". Mr Hanscom pointed at the notepad. " How is the revision coming Alvin?".

" Ok, so far".

" Can I take a look at what you have?".

" Of course Mr Hanscom".

He hands his notepad to his boss. He glances at it. " It still needs a lot more work". He smiled. " Luckily it's only Tues afternoon". He leaves.

Frank stands up. " Let's get together this evening and work on the revision". He leaves.

Something about Frank gave Alvin chills. He wasn't sure why.

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the fork in the road page 15

 the fork in the road page 15 by ric gustafson

Alvin was writing in a large notepad. Kids were splashing in a nearby pool. Frank Lyon walked up. " Morning Alvin".

" Morning Frank".

He sits down next to Alvin. " How is the revision coming?".

" Ok". His cell phone rings. Alvin looks at it. " Excuse me Frank, my wife is calling". He gets up and begins to walk away. " Hello". Worry begins to cloud his face. " Eleanor, slow down". His voice hesitates. " What happened?". He listened intently. " Did he hurt you?". " Ok, don't worry". He began to walk back to Frank. " I'll call you back in a little while".

He sits down next to Frank. " I can't believe this is happening".

Frank gave him a strange grin. " What happened Alvin?".

" My wife was trying to get some money from an ATM". His scared voice hesitated. " Somebody came up behind her with a gun".

" What happened?".

" At gunpoint, she was forced to give him all the money we had in our checking account".

Frank gave him another strange grin. " I'm sorry to hear that Alvin".

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the fork in the road page 14

 the fork in the road page 14 by ric gustafson

Alvin and Frank Lyon were sitting at a table in the hotel restaurant. A waitress came over and poured each a cup of coffee. 

" Anything I can get for you".

Alvin grinned. " Yes, scrambled eggs and wheat toast".

She looked at Frank Lyon. " And you".

He handed her the menu. " Nothing right now".

She leaves.

Alvin hands Frank the piece of paper. " We have until Friday to come up with a rock solid presentation".

" The Board of Directors did not like it".

" I did notice you having problems presenting it". He stared at Alvin. " Is everything ok?".

" I have a lot on my mind".

" Like what?".

" My wallet was stolen". Alvin sighed. " And now I'm uneasy about my job".

" Alvin, have you ever thought that maybe God is punishing you for some reason?".

" No! I love God". He smiled. " I will not blame him for my problems".

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the fork in the road page 13

 the fork in the road page 13 by ric gustafson

Alvin knocked on Mr Hanscom's hotel room door. It was opened to reveal his boss sipping some bottled water. " Come in Alvin".

Alvin sat down on a couch. " You asked for me Mr Hanscom".

" Would you like something from the mini bar?".

" No, thank you Sir".

" Alvin". He kept sipping the water. " Is everything going ok in your personal life?".

" I lost my wallet". He gave him a sad look. " Otherwise I'm doing ok".

" Alvin, the Board of Directors were not as thrilled with your presentation as I was".

" Mr Hanscom". His voice hesitated. " We did the best we could with it".

" I know you did". He handed Alvin a piece of paper. " Here are the items the Board had questions with".

Alvin looked at the paper. " How long do we have to work on it?".

" Friday, the board will meet". He smiled at Alvin. " I'm going to have Frank Lyon help you with it".

" Ok, Mr Hanscom". He quietly left the room.

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the fork in the road page 12

 the fork in the road page 12 by ric gustafson

Alvin stood just right off the stage with Alex and Frank Lyon.

Alex smiled as he held some papers in his hand. " I think the presentation is as good as we can get it".

Just then, Alvin's cell phone buzzed. " I will be right back. He walked over to a distant corner. " Hello".

" Alvin" said a hysterical woman's voice.

" Eleanor, what's happened?".

" Alvin". The scared voice hesitated. " I just got a call regarding our three credit cards". She began to cry. " Somebody has been using them to buy expensive things all over Bay River".

" What!" yelled Alvin. " Eleanor, I lost my wallet today".

" Alvin, I'm scared".

" Everything will be fine". He closed the phone and walked out to do the presentation.

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the fork in the road page 11

 the fork in the road page 11 by ric gustafson

Alvin opened the door to reveal Alex and Frank Lyon.  " Are you ready to go downstairs?".

" In just a minute". Alvin walked into the bedroom. " I just need to get my wallet". Then he rushed back out. " My wallet, it's gone". He searched the pockets of his pants. " I can't find it".

Alex came into the room. " Where did you see it last?".

Alvin searched around the room. " On the dresser with my car keys".

" You'll have to search for it later".

" That's too bad" replied Frank Lyon with a strange grin. " I hate when that happens".

" I have to find it". Alvin turned off the lights and closed the front door. " Everything important is in that wallet".

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the fork in the road page 10

 the fork in the road page 10 by ric gustafson

God was smiling as Alvin put the blue suitcase by the other three. He was studying the monitor screen. There was a knock at the door. " Come in".

An aide wearing white walked in. He whispered in God's ear.

He sighed. " Show him in".

A tall sinister man walked in. He sat down in an empty chair. 

God was looking at the screen and ignoring his adversary.

Satan sneered. " What are looking at?".

" My servant Alvin Walters". God smiled. " He did not give in to your temptation".

" That guy at the resort convention". Satan smirked. " That was nothing".

" What do you mean nothing?".

" All I did was tempt him with money in a suitcase". 

God smiled. " He still did not give in to your temptation".

" If he had a real financial crisis". Satan gave God an evil grin. " He would bend on one knee and curse you".

God smiled at his adversary. " I don't think he would".

" Do I have permission to try?".

" You have permission to give him financial hardships". He stared at his adversary. " You cannot harm him physically".

" As you wish". He quietly left the room.

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the fork in the road page 9

 the fork in the road page 9 by ric gustafson

Alvin put one of the suitcases on top of the bed. He took out a clean white shirt and a bright red tie. From another of the suitcases, he took out a pair of navy blue pants and a navy blue jacket. He put them on and then found a pair of wingtips.

Then he wondered what was in the heavy blue suitcase. Maybe in it was something he could wear. He dragged the suitcase over and plopped it on the bed. " Man, it's heavy". He started to unzip it. He opened it to reveal stack after stack of 1000 dollar bills.

" Oh, my goodness". Alvin exclaimed. He picked up a stack of the bills. His first thought was the financial stability the money would give him. Scared, he put the stack back and zipped up the suitcase. He put it back by the other three by the door.

There was a knock at the door.

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the fork in the road page 8

 the fork in the road page 8 by ric gustafson

Alvin sat back in the easy chair and paperclipped his papers together. 

" Great talk". Henry Hanscom put a hand on his shoulder. " I'm looking forward to hearing more from you and your team tonight".

Frank Lyon stood next to Henry. He gave Alvin a strange grin.

" Sir, why is our big presentation tonight the first night of the conference?".

" If your new financial product line goes over big tonight like it did to me just now?". He smiled. " We will have the rest of the week to really hammer out the details". Henry glanced at his watch. " Only two hours till the presentation".

" Sir, what should we wear?".

" This is a casual conference". He smiled again. " What you normally wear to work is fine".

Alvin and Alex walked out into the hallway.

" What time do you want to walk to the hall?".

Alvin glanced at his watch. " Just give me an hour to change". As he walked back to his room, he was trying to decide what he was going to wear. He still wondered what was in that heavy blue suitcase.

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Bible Questions: what are you doing?

 Bible Questions: what are you doing? by ric gustafson

The prophet Isaiah wrote prophecies about Cyrus the Great. He ruled Persia from 539 to 530 BC. Cyrus allowed Jews to return to Israel after captivity. God reminded his people that even a pagan ruler can deliver them. In Isaiah 45, God asks " what are you doing?". It is in our nature to tell God how we want things done. If we ask anything in Jesus's name, he will do it. As God's children, we can ask but we should let God accomplish it for us in his own way. God loves us more than anything else.

research help: ' 365 essential Bible questions' by Barbour Publishing

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the fork in the road page 7

 the fork in the road page 7 by ric gustafson

Alvin opened his eyes. He heard the knock at the door. It dawned on him that he had fallen asleep. He walked over to the door. He opened it to reveal a middle aged man carrying a big manilla folder. Next to him was a man he did not know.

" How are you Alvin?". He smiled. " I hope I didn't wake you".

" Actually you did".

" This is Frank Lyon". They shook hands. " He's helping us with the presentation".

" I just came from Mr Hanscom's room". His friend fiddled with the folder full of papers. " He wants to have a short meeting before the dinner presentation tonight".

" What time does he want to meet in his room?".

" In twenty minutes".

Alvin began to wonder what he was going to wear.

" What room is he in?".

" Room 315".

As they left, the new guy gave Alvin a strange smile. It sent chills through him.

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the fork in the road page 6

 the fork in the road page 6 by ric gustafson

Alvin opened the door and turned on the light. It illuminated an ample size room that contained a queen size bed, a couch, easy chair and a large TV. " Carlos, can you put the suitcases in the corner by the front door?".

" Sure". He picked up the three lighter ones and put them where he had requested. He struggled to pick up the big blue suitcase. He finally was able to put it with the others.

Alvin gave the young attendant a tip. " Thank you for all your help today".

" You're welcome Mr Walters". He smiled and opened the door. " If you need anything else, let me know". He quietly walked out.

Alvin walked over and took a diet coke from the mini refrigerator. He sat down in the easy chair. He took a small black bible from his back pocket. He opened it to Matthew 6. It was his favorite chapter from the Bible. The chapter talked about not having anxiety in your life. After a while, he fell asleep.

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Bible Questions: are we spiritually blind and deaf?

 Bible Questions: are we spiritually blind and deaf? by ric gustafson

Are we spiritually blind and deaf?. Have we lost our ability to see and hear the Lord. Sometimes God's servants become spiritually blind and deaf. Sometimes we can become hard hearted and complacent and lose our spiritual focus. According to the Apostle Peter, Christians are God's chosen people. As Christians, we should never forget who or whose we are. We are Christians, we are God's people.

research help: ' 365 essential questions from the Bible' by Barbour Publishing

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the fork in the road page 5

 the fork in the road page 5 by ric gustafson

Alvin stopped at the traffic light. He glanced at the map. He looked to his left. He smiled. He saw a big green sign saying ' Bay River Resort'. He drove into the huge parking lot. He drove up to a valet parking attendant. His name was Carlos.

" Could you bring in four suitcases please?". He gave the young man a tip. 

" Of course".

Alvin walked through double sliding doors to what resembled a tropical paradise. He walked up to the front counter.

" Can I help you?" asked a young man behind the counter.

" Yes, a reservation for Alvin Walters".

" Are you here for the Hanscom Corporation conference?".

" Yes, I am".

The attendant looked at the computer. " One queen size single room".

" Yes, that's fine".

The attendant kept staring at the computer screen. " How long will you be staying with us?".

Alvin smiled. " Five days".

" Super". He handed Alvin two keys. " Room 459". He smiled. " Take the elevator to the 4th floor and turn right".

Alvin noticed Carlos walk in with his luggage. " Carlos, can you please bring my bags up to Room 459?".

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Bible Questions: is God in complete control?

 Bible Questions: is God in complete control? by ric gustafson

Sennacherib was a powerful and ruthless Assyrian king. He had his sights on Jerusalem. He mocked the people and God. Through the prophet Isaiah, God promised to protect the city. God warned Sennacherib that doom and judgment was coming his way. There is only one God and he is always in control. No matter how crazy life gets, God is always in control. Always.

Isaiah 37:26 says haven't you gotten the news that I've been behind this all along

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MASH: Frank Burns

 MASH: Frank Burns by ric gustafson

Major Frank Burns was played by Larry Linville. Burns was a sniveling bundle of insecurities. Burns was a pro war hypocrite who loved to inform on his colleagues and mind other people's business. Even though he was married, Burns was crazy for Hot Lips Houlihan. Hawkeye and Trapper torment Burns all the time with insults and practical jokes. After 5 seasons, Burns suffers a breakdown and he transfers to a hospital in the States. Linville felt he had taken Burns as far as he could go.

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MASH: B J Hunnicutt

 MASH: B J Hunnicutt by ric gustafson

B J Hunnicutt was played by Mike Farrell. Hunnicutt was a married father from California. He was from Mill Valley and he becomes a swamp mate with Hawkeye Pierce. At one point, Hunnicutt becomes discouraged with being in Korea and missing out with his daughter Erin growing up. He realizes over time that he is very blessed with a wife and daughter that loves him.

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MASH: Sherman Potter

 MASH: Sherman Potter by ric gustafson

Colonel Sherman T Potter was played by Harry Morgan. Morgan was 60 when he joined the cast replacing Stevenson. Colonel Potter arrives in Season 4. Potter was a career Army doctor. Potter loved horses and his wife Mildred. Potter was the commanding officer until the show ended.

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MASH: Henry Blake

 MASH: Henry Blake by ric gustafson

Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake was played by McLean Stevenson. Stevenson did not start acting until he was in his thirties. Writer producer Larry Gelbart discovered his talent and thought he would be perfect to play Blake. Colonel Blake is never comfortable giving orders. Blake's wife Lorraine was waiting for him at home. Blake's death at the end of season 3 was a very controversial two episodes.

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the fork in the road page 4

 the fork in the road page 4 by ric gustafson

Alvin walked up to the Rent A Car counter. He was happy to be back in familiar surroundings. His parents brought him and his brother here each summer for vacation. When he found out that his employer was having their annual Thanksgiving conference in Florida, he jumped at the chance.

" May I help you?".

Happy memories faded away. " Yes, I would like to rent a car for a week".

The counter clerk smiled. " What kind of car are you interested in?".

" A mid size four door sedan would be fine".

The clerk walked out to check. He came back in. " Somebody just returned a Saturn Aura".

" That's fine". He filled out the contract. He gave the clerk his credit card information. He was given the keys and the copy of the contract. He was about ready to leave. " Oh, do you have directions and information on Bay River Resort?".

" I sure do". He handed Alvin a map and a brochure of the resort. " How did you hear about the resort?".

" My employer is having their annual Thanksgiving conference there".

" Well good". The clerk smiled. " Enjoy the week".

Alvin walked outside and found the berry red Aura. He put the four suitcases, including the heavy blue one into the trunk. He glanced at the map and then left.

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Bible Questions: are you grateful for each new day?

 Bible Questions: are you grateful for each new day? by ric gustafson

Do we thank God for each new day?. God gives us everything we need each day. We should rejoice and thank God each morning for all the spiritual blessings he gives us. Each new day God gives us has it's own identity. Each new day in God is a blessing. We should be grateful and tell him thank you.

Psalm 118:24 says this is the day the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad in it.

research help: ' 365 essential questions from the Bible' by Barbour Publishing

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Bible Questions: by what means?

 Bible Questions: by what means? by ric gustafson

In I Kings chapter 20 and 21, God is about to deliver a death sentence to king Ahab. The prophet Micaiah had warned Ahab this would happen. A demonic spirit volunteered to deceive Ahab. This led to Ahab dying in battle.

God asked the demonic spirit " by what means?". God has complete authority over everything in creation. No thing or no one even a demonic spirit has authority over God. God is in complete control.

I Kings 22:22 says by what means?.

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