Beatitudes 2012 page 1 by ric gustafson
I stared out the window of my office at the beautiful summer sky. I noticed that a lot of coworkers were walking across the street to Murphy Park. I asked my coworker Frank if he wanted to eat in the park today for a change. He refused so I took my lunch out of the breakroom refrigerator and walked outside.
I crossed Northland Ave and entered the large park. I noticed a young man with a dark beard sitting on a tall mound of dirt. Around him were benches on which people were sitting eating their lunches. I sat down on one of the benches, opened my sack lunch and began to listen to the young man.
research help: ' A Beautiful Offering' by Angela Thomas
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
the stranger who came to town page 12
the stranger who came to town page 12 by ric gustafson
" Hello Mr Tang" Brandon said as he put the day's receipts in the safe under the lobby counter. " Have you decided to check out?".
" Actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about". He smiled at Clarice. " How is the arm and elbow doing?".
" Great" she said as she looked down at them. " Thank you".
" Mr Marcotte, my travel and business plans have changed" he said with a strange grin. " I would like to stay here at the motel for a few more days". He took out his wallet and put some money on the front counter. " I assume it's still thirty a night as long as I eat at Flo's".
" That's right" Brandon replied as he took the money and put it into the safe. " I hope the room has been satisfactory".
" It's been just fine". He turned and walked toward the front door. Before he opened it, he turned around. " Mr Marcotte, I've been hearing a strange noise coming from my car". " I was wondering where the closest service station is".
" That would be Phipps service station just down the highway about a mile".
" Thank you". He walked outside toward the Ion.
" Let's get to work". Brandon went to the storage closet to get some cleaning supplies ready.
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
" Hello Mr Tang" Brandon said as he put the day's receipts in the safe under the lobby counter. " Have you decided to check out?".
" Actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about". He smiled at Clarice. " How is the arm and elbow doing?".
" Great" she said as she looked down at them. " Thank you".
" Mr Marcotte, my travel and business plans have changed" he said with a strange grin. " I would like to stay here at the motel for a few more days". He took out his wallet and put some money on the front counter. " I assume it's still thirty a night as long as I eat at Flo's".
" That's right" Brandon replied as he took the money and put it into the safe. " I hope the room has been satisfactory".
" It's been just fine". He turned and walked toward the front door. Before he opened it, he turned around. " Mr Marcotte, I've been hearing a strange noise coming from my car". " I was wondering where the closest service station is".
" That would be Phipps service station just down the highway about a mile".
" Thank you". He walked outside toward the Ion.
" Let's get to work". Brandon went to the storage closet to get some cleaning supplies ready.
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Monday, July 30, 2012
the return to the land of Dante page 9
the return to the land of Dante page 9 by ric gustafson
After escaping the deadly winds, Aaron and the old man walked down a filthy corridor. They were soon soaked by sleet and freezing rain. They ran from the end of the corridor to a ramsackle tin hut. They walked inside and then could not believe what they saw. They saw a man who probably weighed close to a thousand pounds. In front of him was a long wooden table stacked high with cheeseburgers.
Next to the table was a demon holding a pitchfork. He poked the heavy man with the pitchfork. " Eat".
The man picked up a cheeseburger and began to eat it.
The demon noticed the two men standing along a far wall. " Well, if it isn't the old man and a new person". " Care to join the gluttons?".
" Why are you doing that to that poor man?" Aaron asked with pity in his eyes.
" Why" the demon cackled as he poked the heavy man again. " Frank, tell him why".
The heavyset man picked up another cheeseburger and began to eat it. " I spent so much time at Burger King and McDonalds with my own desires and wants, I lost my job, my marriage and did not care about God".
" Care to join him?" the demon cackled as he poked Frank again. " We have an eternal supply of cheeseburgers".
" No" Aaron replied. They left.
research help: ' My visit to Hell' by Paul Thigpen
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
After escaping the deadly winds, Aaron and the old man walked down a filthy corridor. They were soon soaked by sleet and freezing rain. They ran from the end of the corridor to a ramsackle tin hut. They walked inside and then could not believe what they saw. They saw a man who probably weighed close to a thousand pounds. In front of him was a long wooden table stacked high with cheeseburgers.
Next to the table was a demon holding a pitchfork. He poked the heavy man with the pitchfork. " Eat".
The man picked up a cheeseburger and began to eat it.
The demon noticed the two men standing along a far wall. " Well, if it isn't the old man and a new person". " Care to join the gluttons?".
" Why are you doing that to that poor man?" Aaron asked with pity in his eyes.
" Why" the demon cackled as he poked the heavy man again. " Frank, tell him why".
The heavyset man picked up another cheeseburger and began to eat it. " I spent so much time at Burger King and McDonalds with my own desires and wants, I lost my job, my marriage and did not care about God".
" Care to join him?" the demon cackled as he poked Frank again. " We have an eternal supply of cheeseburgers".
" No" Aaron replied. They left.
research help: ' My visit to Hell' by Paul Thigpen
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
the Seven Spirits of God: the Spirit of Life
the Seven Spirits of God: the Spirit of Life by ric gustafson
When Adam was created by God, he was a lifeless form. God breathed into him the breath of life and he became a living soul. God gives us a physical life and then a spiritual rebirth. This rebirth is for those who place their trust in God and believe that Jesus paid the price for sin and died for us.
Jesus said in John 10:10 that he came that they may have and enjoy life. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Spirit of Life comes to live in us and we are made alive in our spirit. John 1:4 says that in Jesus was life and the life was the light of men.
When Jesus comes into our heart and makes a home, the Spirit of Life comes with him.
research help: ' Knowing God Intimately' by Joyce Meyer
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
When Adam was created by God, he was a lifeless form. God breathed into him the breath of life and he became a living soul. God gives us a physical life and then a spiritual rebirth. This rebirth is for those who place their trust in God and believe that Jesus paid the price for sin and died for us.
Jesus said in John 10:10 that he came that they may have and enjoy life. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Spirit of Life comes to live in us and we are made alive in our spirit. John 1:4 says that in Jesus was life and the life was the light of men.
When Jesus comes into our heart and makes a home, the Spirit of Life comes with him.
research help: ' Knowing God Intimately' by Joyce Meyer
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Sunday, July 29, 2012
little drummer boy page 3
little drummer boy page 3 by ric gustafson
Eli woke up and noticed that the train was going through some fields. He was lying next to his new soldier friend Mick.
" Where are we going Mick?".
" West and then south".
The train passed through Indiana, Alabama and then stopped in Tennessee next to a railroad station.
" What are we doing here Mick?".
" Guarding this railroad".
Eli and the other soldiers of the 107th stepped out of the boxcar and were handed shovels to cut down trees.
Eli stared at his friend as they cut down branches. " Mick, what's it like being in a battle?".
" Eli, this last battle we were in called Chickamauga took a lot of the 107th's best men" he said as he cut off a branch and put it on the dusty ground. " The Rebs drove us out of Georgia".
" I have my drum, I'm ready to fight".
" Your opportunity will come".
research help: ' The Storm Before Atlanta' by Karen Schwabach
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Eli woke up and noticed that the train was going through some fields. He was lying next to his new soldier friend Mick.
" Where are we going Mick?".
" West and then south".
The train passed through Indiana, Alabama and then stopped in Tennessee next to a railroad station.
" What are we doing here Mick?".
" Guarding this railroad".
Eli and the other soldiers of the 107th stepped out of the boxcar and were handed shovels to cut down trees.
Eli stared at his friend as they cut down branches. " Mick, what's it like being in a battle?".
" Eli, this last battle we were in called Chickamauga took a lot of the 107th's best men" he said as he cut off a branch and put it on the dusty ground. " The Rebs drove us out of Georgia".
" I have my drum, I'm ready to fight".
" Your opportunity will come".
research help: ' The Storm Before Atlanta' by Karen Schwabach
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
who do you say I am?
who do you say I am? by ric gustafson
Jesus and his disciples were walking toward a village near Caesarea Philippi. The day was hot and all of them were tired. The disciples were perplexed at the questions Jesus was asking them. Jesus asked them point blank ' who do people say I am?'.
Peter and the others thought for a moment. " Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah or maybe one of the prophets".
Jesus looked at them. " What about you, who do you say I am?".
Peter looked at Jesus. " You are the Christ".
Jesus smiled at Peter and the others. " Do not tell anyone about me". " I must suffer and be rejected by many" Jesus said as they kept walking. " I must be killed and then rise again in three days".
Peter pulled Jesus aside because he could not believe what he was hearing.
Jesus looked at Peter with a stern face. " Get behind me Satan, you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men".
Everyone stay cool on this hot afternoon. Love Ric
Jesus and his disciples were walking toward a village near Caesarea Philippi. The day was hot and all of them were tired. The disciples were perplexed at the questions Jesus was asking them. Jesus asked them point blank ' who do people say I am?'.
Peter and the others thought for a moment. " Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah or maybe one of the prophets".
Jesus looked at them. " What about you, who do you say I am?".
Peter looked at Jesus. " You are the Christ".
Jesus smiled at Peter and the others. " Do not tell anyone about me". " I must suffer and be rejected by many" Jesus said as they kept walking. " I must be killed and then rise again in three days".
Peter pulled Jesus aside because he could not believe what he was hearing.
Jesus looked at Peter with a stern face. " Get behind me Satan, you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men".
Everyone stay cool on this hot afternoon. Love Ric
little drummer boy page 2
little drummer boy page 2 by ric gustafson
Eli stood in front of the officer. " I am the enrolling officer of the 107th New York Volunteer Regiment". " Lieutenant Simpson, who do we have here?".
" This is Eli and he wants to be our new drummer".
The officer handed the boy a blue drum that had a red white and blue eagle on it. " Play something for us".
Eli picked up the worn drum and played a march tune and then a long roll.
Both officers smiled at each other. " I believe we have our new drummer".
The enrolling officer handed Eli a piece of paper. " Son, because of your age we need your father's permission".
" I don't have a father".
" What do you mean?".
" I look after myself".
research help: ' The Storm Before Atlanta' by Karen Schwabach
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
Eli stood in front of the officer. " I am the enrolling officer of the 107th New York Volunteer Regiment". " Lieutenant Simpson, who do we have here?".
" This is Eli and he wants to be our new drummer".
The officer handed the boy a blue drum that had a red white and blue eagle on it. " Play something for us".
Eli picked up the worn drum and played a march tune and then a long roll.
Both officers smiled at each other. " I believe we have our new drummer".
The enrolling officer handed Eli a piece of paper. " Son, because of your age we need your father's permission".
" I don't have a father".
" What do you mean?".
" I look after myself".
research help: ' The Storm Before Atlanta' by Karen Schwabach
Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric
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