through the eyes of a child revision page 15 by ric gustafson
Kelly opened her eyes and noticed a long rope attached to her hands. She was lying on a small smelly bed that had just a single sheet and a tiny pillow on it. She looked around to see a window that was closed and a small wooden dresser that was near the bed. She thrashed around but the heavy rope was tight around her small delicate hands. " Help me" she screamed as she yanked on the rope and tried to get loose.
" Stop screaming" her kidnapper said as he walked in and put a cardboard box on the dresser. " Nobody can hear you".
" Please somebody save me" she cried as tears began to stream down her young face.
" There is not another cabin for several miles" he said with a grin as he opened the box. He took out some of Kelly's personals. " That's why I picked this cabin".
" God and my Daddy will come and rescue me" she softly replied as her drying tears stung her eyes. " They will come".
He put her personal things into the dresser's drawers. " God doesn't care about you and your Daddy is in his office counting his millions".
" That's a lie!" she said loudly and gave him a stern stare. " Just you wait and see".
He shrugged his shoulders and left the room.
Kelly thrashed against the heavy rope.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
the madman of Gadara page 5
the madman of Gadara page 5 by ric gustafson
Hakim used his staff to keep his swine herd in one place. He had a good fertile place for them with a cliff on one side and the Sea on another. He looked across the field toward the caves. There was a rumor of a madman who lived there.
Two days before the incident, he could tell that a huge storm was brewing on the Sea. His swine herd was acting different and restless and the Sea was getting more choppy. The day of the incident, the storm came very quickly and powerfully. As he stared at the dark choppy Sea, he noticed a small boat in the distance. Then he saw a tall dark bearded man stand up at the back of the boat and put his arms up into the air. To Hakim's amazement, the wind immediately died down, the waves stopped and the Sea became calm as glass.
Hakim watched as the small boat pulled up to the shore and two men holding oars got out. All of a sudden, Hakim saw the madman rush out of a cave rattling his chain. He ran toward the boat screaming. The two men raised their oars to defend the others. The tall bearded man quietly got out of the boat.
He stopped in front of the madman.
" What business do you have with me, Jesus the Son of God" bellowed the madman. He fell flat on his face in the sand.
Jesus pointed. " Come out of this man". He stared at the madman with love in his eyes. " What is your name?".
A strange voice came out of the madman's mouth. " Legion".
Hakim heard another strange voice come out of the madman. " Don't send us away". Then a hesitation. " Send us into that swine herd instead".
Jesus looked over at Hakim's herd. " Go".
Hakim heard a loud squeal and then in horror, watched his herd start to rush toward the edge of the cliff. He ran after them but it was too late. The herd went over the edge, fell into the Sea and then drowned. Horrified, Hakim ran as fast as he could back to town.
The End
research help: original story
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Hakim used his staff to keep his swine herd in one place. He had a good fertile place for them with a cliff on one side and the Sea on another. He looked across the field toward the caves. There was a rumor of a madman who lived there.
Two days before the incident, he could tell that a huge storm was brewing on the Sea. His swine herd was acting different and restless and the Sea was getting more choppy. The day of the incident, the storm came very quickly and powerfully. As he stared at the dark choppy Sea, he noticed a small boat in the distance. Then he saw a tall dark bearded man stand up at the back of the boat and put his arms up into the air. To Hakim's amazement, the wind immediately died down, the waves stopped and the Sea became calm as glass.
Hakim watched as the small boat pulled up to the shore and two men holding oars got out. All of a sudden, Hakim saw the madman rush out of a cave rattling his chain. He ran toward the boat screaming. The two men raised their oars to defend the others. The tall bearded man quietly got out of the boat.
He stopped in front of the madman.
" What business do you have with me, Jesus the Son of God" bellowed the madman. He fell flat on his face in the sand.
Jesus pointed. " Come out of this man". He stared at the madman with love in his eyes. " What is your name?".
A strange voice came out of the madman's mouth. " Legion".
Hakim heard another strange voice come out of the madman. " Don't send us away". Then a hesitation. " Send us into that swine herd instead".
Jesus looked over at Hakim's herd. " Go".
Hakim heard a loud squeal and then in horror, watched his herd start to rush toward the edge of the cliff. He ran after them but it was too late. The herd went over the edge, fell into the Sea and then drowned. Horrified, Hakim ran as fast as he could back to town.
The End
research help: original story
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Monday, December 2, 2013
crimes of the century: the Zodiac Killer
crimes of the century: the Zodiac Killer by ric gustafson
By October 1971, five people were murdered in San Francisco. They were killed by someone wearing an executioner's hood and killing them in cold blood. This person preyed on lovers in parked cars and killed on specific dates based on astrology. The killer was nicknamed ' the Zodiac Killer' and he taunted the San Francisco Chronicle with his letters to the editor.
In all, there were five murders including a cab driver named Paul Stine. After Stine's murder, the killings stopped but the taunting by the killer to investigators continued. Possible suspects over the years have included Arthur Leigh Allen who died in 1992. Others included Bruce Davis who was a former Manson follower, Jack Tarrance, Larry Kane and Richard Marshall.
No one has ever been charged with the murders.
research help: Enquirer Special Investigation
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
By October 1971, five people were murdered in San Francisco. They were killed by someone wearing an executioner's hood and killing them in cold blood. This person preyed on lovers in parked cars and killed on specific dates based on astrology. The killer was nicknamed ' the Zodiac Killer' and he taunted the San Francisco Chronicle with his letters to the editor.
In all, there were five murders including a cab driver named Paul Stine. After Stine's murder, the killings stopped but the taunting by the killer to investigators continued. Possible suspects over the years have included Arthur Leigh Allen who died in 1992. Others included Bruce Davis who was a former Manson follower, Jack Tarrance, Larry Kane and Richard Marshall.
No one has ever been charged with the murders.
research help: Enquirer Special Investigation
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Christmas: a Silent Night
Christmas: a Silent Night by ric gustafson
It is now December and it is a busy one. School programs, trips, shopping, office parties and entertaining. God wants us to put one thing at the top of that list, time with him. Among all the busyness of the season, we need to spend quality time with Jesus our Lord. Matthew 6:6 talks about a secret place where we can spend quiet time with God and Jesus. God wants us to plan a silent quiet night where we can study God's Word and talk to him.
That night, turn off the world, close the door and pray to Jesus to bless your evening. Tell Jesus that you plan to spend the evening with him alone. Then have a good old fashioned bible study. Read Christmas passages in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Read through the Gospel of John in one sitting. Then praise the Lord and thank him for all the blessings he gives to you. Let the Holy Spirit fill your heart and the room. Confess sins that need to be confessed.
Let this time be a Christmas present to Jesus and it will make our hearts calm and bright.
research help: Turning Points December 2012
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
It is now December and it is a busy one. School programs, trips, shopping, office parties and entertaining. God wants us to put one thing at the top of that list, time with him. Among all the busyness of the season, we need to spend quality time with Jesus our Lord. Matthew 6:6 talks about a secret place where we can spend quiet time with God and Jesus. God wants us to plan a silent quiet night where we can study God's Word and talk to him.
That night, turn off the world, close the door and pray to Jesus to bless your evening. Tell Jesus that you plan to spend the evening with him alone. Then have a good old fashioned bible study. Read Christmas passages in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Read through the Gospel of John in one sitting. Then praise the Lord and thank him for all the blessings he gives to you. Let the Holy Spirit fill your heart and the room. Confess sins that need to be confessed.
Let this time be a Christmas present to Jesus and it will make our hearts calm and bright.
research help: Turning Points December 2012
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
the broken Christmas pitcher page 4
the broken Christmas pitcher page 4 by ric gustafson
The young man smiled, knelt down and picked up some pieces that were still together. He walked over to a work bench and picked up a glue gun. He picked up a piece of the broken pitcher from the floor and handed it to Myron. " Can you indulge me again and glue this piece to the pitcher?".
" What?".
" And while you are doing that, tell me why those young men were beating you up?".
Myron put some gloves on and put glue on the piece. " I met them at college". He set the piece in the broken pitcher. " I thought they were going to be my friends". Tears began to form in his eyes.
" Myron, my friend". He gave him a big hug. " You need to find some different friends".
" Ok".
The young man stood up. " Let's have lunch". He opened the studio door. " We'll work on this later".
research help: original story and ' Mended' by Angie Smith
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
The young man smiled, knelt down and picked up some pieces that were still together. He walked over to a work bench and picked up a glue gun. He picked up a piece of the broken pitcher from the floor and handed it to Myron. " Can you indulge me again and glue this piece to the pitcher?".
" What?".
" And while you are doing that, tell me why those young men were beating you up?".
Myron put some gloves on and put glue on the piece. " I met them at college". He set the piece in the broken pitcher. " I thought they were going to be my friends". Tears began to form in his eyes.
" Myron, my friend". He gave him a big hug. " You need to find some different friends".
" Ok".
The young man stood up. " Let's have lunch". He opened the studio door. " We'll work on this later".
research help: original story and ' Mended' by Angie Smith
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Sunday, December 1, 2013
the broken Christmas pitcher page 3
the broken Christmas pitcher page 3 by ric gustafson
The young man opened the heavy wooden door and turned on a nearby light. It revealed a sparse studio with large wooden shelves on all four sides.
Myron noticed that they were filled with beautiful pottery pitchers.
" Have a seat my new friend".
He sat down next to a large steel work table.
The young man took a pitcher from a shelf and put it down on the table in front of Myron. " How do you like this pitcher?".
Myron picked it up and studied it. " It's beautiful".
He smiled. " Myron, there is something that I would like you to do for me?".
" What's that?".
" I would like you to smash this pitcher on the floor".
" What!". He gave the young man a puzzled look.
" Please indulge me" he replied with a smile. " Please smash this on the floor".
" It will smash into a million pieces".
" I know" he said with a wide grin. " That's the idea". He handed Myron the pitcher. " Please".
" Ok". He picked up the pitcher, raised his right arm and threw it hard toward the floor. As predicted, it smashed into a million pieces.
research help: original story and ' Mended' by Angie Smith
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
The young man opened the heavy wooden door and turned on a nearby light. It revealed a sparse studio with large wooden shelves on all four sides.
Myron noticed that they were filled with beautiful pottery pitchers.
" Have a seat my new friend".
He sat down next to a large steel work table.
The young man took a pitcher from a shelf and put it down on the table in front of Myron. " How do you like this pitcher?".
Myron picked it up and studied it. " It's beautiful".
He smiled. " Myron, there is something that I would like you to do for me?".
" What's that?".
" I would like you to smash this pitcher on the floor".
" What!". He gave the young man a puzzled look.
" Please indulge me" he replied with a smile. " Please smash this on the floor".
" It will smash into a million pieces".
" I know" he said with a wide grin. " That's the idea". He handed Myron the pitcher. " Please".
" Ok". He picked up the pitcher, raised his right arm and threw it hard toward the floor. As predicted, it smashed into a million pieces.
research help: original story and ' Mended' by Angie Smith
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Christmas: follow that star
Christmas: follow that star by ric gustafson
The New Testament starts with a story of Persian astrologers who followed a strange star to the crib of the Christ child. These astrologers were probably students of the Word. They probably studied the Prophet Daniel and probably studied Hebrew scriptures. This group of Magi must of had hearts that burned for the longing of the promised Messiah. Like the Magi, we should study God's Word with longing and anticipation of his coming. The Magi were persistent in their following of the star. We do not know exactly where they came from, but we do know that it was a long journey. Coming into Jerusalem, they inquired about a newborn ' King of the Jews'.
Just like the Magi, we need a heart of joy, worship and giving. During this Christmas season, we need to lift our eyes to the star on top of the tree. We need to study his Word, long for his presence and appearing, follow him daily and worship him always with joy.
research help: Turning Points December 2012
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
The New Testament starts with a story of Persian astrologers who followed a strange star to the crib of the Christ child. These astrologers were probably students of the Word. They probably studied the Prophet Daniel and probably studied Hebrew scriptures. This group of Magi must of had hearts that burned for the longing of the promised Messiah. Like the Magi, we should study God's Word with longing and anticipation of his coming. The Magi were persistent in their following of the star. We do not know exactly where they came from, but we do know that it was a long journey. Coming into Jerusalem, they inquired about a newborn ' King of the Jews'.
Just like the Magi, we need a heart of joy, worship and giving. During this Christmas season, we need to lift our eyes to the star on top of the tree. We need to study his Word, long for his presence and appearing, follow him daily and worship him always with joy.
research help: Turning Points December 2012
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
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