VIGNETTES
WHO WOULD BELIEVE THAT ONE DAY WHILE CUTTING THE FIVE ACRES OF GRASS ON A VERY HOT DRY SUMMER DAY; I WAS JUST THINKING, NOT PRAYING, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A CLOUD TOO GIVE SOME SHADE FOR AWHILE. A CLOWD FORMED OVER OUR FARM AND I HAD SHADE WHILE CUTTING THE GRASS BEHIND A HOT SITDOWN MOWER. AL, MY NEIGHBOR, CAME OVER AND HANDED ME A COLD BOTTLE OF BEER AND I WAN’T EVEN THINKING OF A BEER AT THAT TIME.
GOD DOES MORE THAT WE EVEN THINK OF IN MY VERY HUMBLE OPINON. THAT NIGHT TOM SKILLING ON WGN TV WEATHER SEGMENT SHOWD THE CENTER OF A HIGH RIGHT OVER FRANKFORT.
WHO WOULD BELIEVE THE SUN CAME OUT ON AN ICY WINTER AFTERNOON ONLY ON OUR DRIVEWAY JUST BEFORE A COMMON CARRIER SHOWD UP TO PICK UP A SKID BEING SHIPPED FROM OUR LOCATION. WE DO NOT HAVE A SHIPPING DOCK ONLY AN ASPHALT DRIVEWAY AND A WALK BEHIND LIFT TRUCK, WHICH DOES NOT GO ON ICE OR IN, SNOW. THE SUN MELTED ALL THE ICE FROM THE SHIPPING DOOR TO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. THE SUN BEAT DOWN THRU A THICK BLANKET OF FOG AND MELTED THE ICE ONLY WHERE WE NEEDED TO DRIVE THE LIFT TRUCK WHICH HAS ONLY THREE SMALL WHEELS NOT PHUMATIC WHEELS. TWO SMALL WEELS AT THE END OF THE FORWARD LEGS AND ONE LARGER DRIVE WHEEL IN THE CENTER OF THE UNIT UNDER THE BATTERY AREA. CROWN FORK LIFT BRAND LIKE YOU MIGHT SEE IN A FOOD WAREHOUSE LIKE COSCO OR SAM’S. THE SUN MELTED THE ICE ONLY AT OUR LOCATION, AND NOT ANYWHERE ELSE THEN VISABLE THRU THE FOG AT OUR LOCATION AT THAT TI ME.
WHILE DRIVING TO BURLINGTON, NEW JERSAY WHICH NEAR PHILDELPHIA FROM ILLINOIS TO DELIVER A CUSTOMED BUILT MACHINE TO AN ESTABLISHED CUSTOMER. WE HAD SPENT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT IN THE FOG OF THE POCONO MOUNTAINS OF, PENNSYLVANIA AND WERE BLESSED THE NGHT BEFORE HAVING ARRIVED JUST IN TIME TO CATCH THE CHICAGO BULLS AND MICHAEL JORDON ON THE CABLE TV. HAVING BEEN LOST, FOR HOURS, IN THE FOG OFF OF PA 920 IN THE FOG IN THE PREVIOUS DARK NI GHT. WE FIGURED TRAVELING PARRELL TO I-80 WE WOULD FIND A MOTEL WHICH WE FINIALLY DI D. IT HAD CONTINUED TO RAIN THE WHOLE WAY FROM ILLINOIS FOR WERE TRAVELING WITH THE STORM. THET NEXT MORING WHILE ON THE ROAD AGAIN; CHRIS GAMBINO SAID: “I’D KISS THE GROWN RIGHT NOW IF IT WOULD STOP RAINING.” I SAID: “BE CAREFUL FOR WHAT YOU PRAY FOR.” CHIRS SAID LAUGHINGLY: “YOU KNOW IT IS NOT GOING TO STOP RAINING RIGHT NOW.” AT THAT MOMENT WE BROKE INTO A SUN LIT VALLEY JUST SOUTH OF POTTSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA AT 70 MILES AN HOUR. IT STOPPED RAINING AND THE SUN CAME OUT FOR ONLY ONE MINUTE OR AP PROX. ONE MILE. CHRIS’ BROTHER NICK WAS WITH US ON THAT TRIP. NICK NOW LIVES IN WASHINGTON STATE.
FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW I HAVE WATCHING A HUGE CHURCH OR WHAT I THOUGHT TO BE A MEGA CHURCH BEING BUILT ALONG THE SOUTHBOUND EXIT RAMP ON I-57 & US ROUTE 30 IN MATTESON, ILLINOIS.
WHILE AT THE VISITATION OF MY FRIEND, WHO I HAVE KNOWD FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND WHO HAS BEEN A RELATIVE BY MARRAGE PASSED AWAY LAST FALL. AT HIS VISITATION I TOOK THE OCCASION TO ASK ONE OF MY NIECES, WHO IS A ORDAINED MINISTER AT A NEAR BY CHURCH IF SHE KNEW ABOUT THIS HUGE CHURCH THAT I DRIVE PAST BY VARY OFTEN. SHE INFORMED ME OF THE FOLLOWING:
HER PASTOR WENT TO THE FARMER WHO OWNED THE LAND AND TOLD THIS ELDERLY MEN THAT THE LORD HAS TOLD HIM TO BUILD A CHURCH AT THIS LOCATION. THE FARMER TOLD THE PASTOR THAT THIS LAND WAS HIS KIDS FUTURE INHERITANCE AND IT IS NOT FOR SALE.
THE PASTOR INSISTED AND ASKED, “WHAT WOULD YOU WANT FOR THIS LAND?” THE FARMER JOKING SAID. “I WOULD HAVE TO WIN THE LOTTERY BEFORE I SOLD THIS LAND.” THE PASTOR LEFT HIS BUSINESS CARD WITH THE FARMER AND DROVE HOME AWAY.
THREE DAYS LATER THE PASTOR RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE SAME FARMER WHO HAD WON THE ILLINOIS LOTTERY THE DAY BEFORE.
THE FARMER SOLD THE LAND TO “THE BLESSINGS CHURCH” FOR TEN CENTS ON DOLLAR OF THE REAL TOTAL VALUE OF THE FORMER FARM.
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PRO-LIFE
Slavery is repulsive because it treats human beings as property to be
disposed of at the will of another. It was morally absurd in the 18OO'S
to
say: "I AM PERSONALLY OPPOSED TO OWNING SLAVES AND WOULD NEVER OWN
ANY
MYSELF, BUT I CAN'T FORCE MY MORAL VIEWS ON OTHERS." Today people
use the
same argument regarding abortion. Slavery was wrong then and abortion
is
wrong now.
"Without the generosity of my blood Brother-In-Christ Mike this site would not be possible." Best, George