drgregorygordon

Dec. 3, 2021

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD

My dad broke my heart years ago. It all took place in a small town called Mariah Hill. I still have not fully recovered and it haunts me in a good and funny way, especially at this time of year.

It was just the two of us and we were on our way down to Evansville to look at refrigerators. As we passed through, he pointed to a nice stone home and asked if I knew who lived there. I had no clue. He explained that is where Santa Claus lived!

What? I thought my dad who was always razor sharp. He did not drink so I knew he was not gassed. He must have lost his mind. I immediately tried to help him back on the rails. I went over the North Pole, elves, reindeer as he slowly shook his head. Nearby was the park called at that time Santa Claus Land. The wonderful fellow who lived in that home played Santa at the park. His name was Jim Yellig I had sat on his lap many times and whispered my Christmas desires to him each year. As he explained, my world stared to unravel.

I cried all the way. I do not remember where we went or where we ate. I was still too traumatized. I finally got it together. I was good until we reached Mariah hill as we went home. The same house was now on my right, and I started crying right where I had left off hours earlier. I started bawling again. My dad must have felt I had mourned long enough. He told me to stop crying. I then kept making that strange sound that we make when we try to stop crying but cannot.

I remember sitting on my bed for the next 6 months shaking thinking my parents would come in my room at any minute and tell me there was no Jesus ether. Thank God that was never the case. I was almost 20, I guess it was time to tell me!

I love to tell this story. It is one of my most precious memories and I have shared it many times down through the years. I was blessed that I grew up in the church and in a Christian home.

As we enter and near this special time of year, let's all try to remember what it is all about. Those of us who do know Jesus, may we do our best through using our own God given talents to bring God glory and honor.

I wish you all God's very best which is of course, is His only Son, Jesus. May the good Lord give you favor and bless your socks off so you can be a blessing to others. Merry CHRISTmas!

Memories are perhaps the best gifts of all. Gloria Gaither

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall. Larry Wilde

He who bestows his gifts upon the poor shall have as much again, and 10 times more. John Bunyan

Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrew 13:16

                        As you come up our drive and after you cross the small creek,you pass between two field stone 

                         pillars that match the stones on our home. There is a light atop both of them . Right now, one is green and the                           the side is white. The green light is to show support for all the people who serve our military as well

                         as those who have done so in the past.

                         At Christmas i hang white lights along the 4 rail horse fence. We change the white one to red and

                         The entryway is good to go. The placement of the red and green has a reason behind it as well. 

                          It may seem to be be random but Iassure you is not the case.

                         On a plane the red light is always on the left side and the green is on the right side. green and right both

                          have 5 letters and this was how I was taught to remember as a boy.  This applies to boats as well.

                         Our oldest son, Josh, is a navel aviator. He and his wonderful wife , Christina, are a week or two from going

                          to Japan. They have lived in several places over the last few years. They lived in Fallon Nevada

                          most recently and we were blessed to have all of our boys and their girls under our roof and together 

                          the holidays. 

                         Since they aproached our farm from the west the right light was green and the left one was on the left 

                         came home. When they were out east in Va it was the reversed. Japan is on the other side of the world

                         so I am not sure what I will do. I have not stepped it off but am told it is about as far east to west as it is 

                         west to east.

                         God is a concerned loving Father who loves you so much! He has made a way for you to come 

                         home through his son Jesus. The porch light of heaven is on . You have a green light my friend.

                         Because of the red blood of Jesus ,your sins are forgiven . Your approach is cleared as well as all your sins.

                          As far as the east is from the west,so far has removed our transgressions from us.

                                                                                                                                                             Psalm 103:12

 ENTRY

                            Yesterday I went out to check on the horses. It has again been vey hot here of late and a daily chore

                             to top off the water troughs will cool clear water.As I make my rounds the horses ususlly get excited when                                    they hear the sound of our old red ATV.  Because this vehicle usally has horse feeds as well as carrots, we c                                  call  it  "Chuck" short for chuck wagon .

                             There is a mare and two young ones in the south pasture. I whistled and they did not come. I banged on the

                              red tubes on the gate with the scooper. It makes a sound that sounds like a hillbilly dinner bell. I had seen                                    them the evening before and knew they were ok. I surmised they had found a place with a breeze and had it                                made in the shade.

                            I set the bright orange bucket filled with feed and carrots in front of the gate. This bucket was a physical                                   reminder for me to "lets  do this later". I had some mowing to do and that filled several hours of the                                               afternoon. I  kept   looking down at the water tank seeing they had not yet drank from it and for the first                                     time  became a  little  concerned.

                           I went down to the gate and did the two tone whistle my dad taught me. I do this in honor of him and have                                  taught my sons to do the same. They all would turn and prick up their earsand know it was me  if I did this                                  even in a crowd.

                           I banged again on the gate and in no time flat heard the three of them flat out running as hard as they could 

                           go. They seemed happy to see me and even more to see Chuck .They were breathing heavy as they devoured                                their snacks.

                          My friend I believe God is calling all of us. As we read Scripture, we learn he calls us all differently .  Many                                    people tell me after I speak that I missed my calling. I would quite my practice and enroll in seminary school                                 tomorrow if I felt in my heart that is what God wanted for me. I answered  my "call to the see" many years                                  ago.  I love  the interaction I have with patients for the most part. I never would have believed God would and                            could could use me to write  these stories for his glory.

                          He has blended  and used the very things I love and hold dear such as horses, hunting , and rivers . I am often                            very  surprised at how stories and lessons come together in such a way that I know it is not me but him                                          working  through me. Here is the exciting part, he wants to do the same with you. You may not be called to                                  write or do  eyes but you are being called . What do you do that gives you joy and satisfaction? There is your                               best clue in  regard to what God is calling you to do.

                          I  pray  that at times this website feeds you. I write for all God's people and not just those who gather under                               the steeple. All I know is when I do this with the hope of pleasing my Savior, it just feels so "write"!

                                                 Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things 

                                                 you do not know.                                                                                       Jeremiah 33:3

                                                   When you empty yourself, God rushes in.  

                                                                                                                                  A.W. Tozer

                                                    For the man who prays in his heart ,the whole world is a church.

                                                                                                                                   Sylvain of Athos