Quality Decisions and Skateboards
November 17, 2024 by Lane Johnson
Filed under For Him
By Lane R Johnson
I sat glued to the television. On the screen a 17 year old male, bare headed and determined, was perched on the ridge of a two-story roof overlooking a lower slope covering the first floor. He seemed focused, which was probably the right mindset, because he was standing on a skateboard.
Before I could gasp my incredulity, he had begun his rocket ride to the ground. The second floor slope went fast but successfully and he even negotiated the jump to the lower level, but somewhere about halfway to the end, he and the skateboard parted company and the balance of the ride concluded with him crashing abruptly onto the pavement below. The good news is that he survived this heroic feat and eventually was able to discuss it coherently with the interviewer that had hosted his moment in the sun.
Hay Story
November 5, 2024 by George Dalton
Filed under For Him
By George Dalton
Five years ago my father died after a long illness and went home to be with the lord. At his funeral I met a cousin that I had not seen since we were boys fifty years ago. You know how you do when you see someone that you were once close to, “Give me your phone number; here take down my number.”
My wife and I had a ranch in East Texas. We sold all of the cattle and equipment and moved to a large city. Part of our ranch was on four hundred acres of leased land where we had several large bales of hay left in the field from the year before. The owner asked me to make sure that it was removed. I contacted a neighboring rancher and asked him if he could help me get rid of the old hay. We agreed to meet back at the ranch one morning a week after my father’s funeral. While driving to the ranch, my cell phone rang. It was my long lost cousin. He said, “I am over drawn at the bank and if I don’t get a thousand dollars today, I will have checks bouncing all over town.” I told him I was on the way to the ranch and would call him as soon as I got back. As soon as he hung up I thought of Gideon and his fleece. So I started to pray, “Dear God I don’t know this man anymore. Is he a drug addict, an alcoholic, a gambler? Father I don’t know him but you do, so please give me a sign telling me if I should give him the money he wants or not.”
Shout!
It was one of those days. I tried everything and nothing worked.
Whenever we visit my mother-in-law in Southern California, I try to make myself useful by doing some home maintenance. She knows I’m not very handy and gives me only the easy tasks.
This time, the water filter cartridge needed replacing. I shut off the water valve under the kitchen sink and removed the filter housing. I tried to twist the filter cap off, but it wouldn’t budge. I used my upper body to wring the cap open, but nada. Then I tried to force it open with a screwdriver, but it still wouldn’t loosen. My wife, Gail walked into the kitchen and saw me struggling. “Let’s pray,” she said. “Jesus, we know You want to be involved in even the little things. Please help Bob with the water filter.”
God Really Does Answer Prayer
By George Dalton
Seven years ago my father died after a long illness and went home to be with the lord. At his funeral I met a cousin that I had not seen since we were boys fifty years ago. You know how you do when you see someone that you were once close too. “Give me your phone number; here take down my number.”
My wife and I had a ranch in east Texas, part of which was on four hundred acres of leased land. We sold all of the cattle and equipment and moved to a large city. Several large bales of hay were left in the field from the year before and the owner asked me to make sure they were removed. I contacted a neighboring rancher and asked him if he could help me get rid of the old hay. We agreed to meet back at the ranch one morning a week after my father’s funeral. While driving to the ranch, my cell phone rang, and you guessed it: it was my long lost cousin. His words were, “How are you fixed for cash money.” I was stunned. I haven’t seen this man for five decades and the first thing he wants to know is how much money do you have? I asked, “Why, what do you need?” He responded, “I need to borrow a thousand dollars today.” I asked, “Why do you need a thousand dollars today?” He said, “I am over drawn at the bank and if I don’t get a thousand dollars today I will have checks bouncing all over town.”
I knew right then I was in over my head. I told him I was on the way to the ranch and would call him as soon as I got back. As soon as he hung up I thought of Gideon and his fleece. So I started to pray, “Dear God I don’t know this man anymore. Is he a drug addict, an alcoholic, a gambler? Father I don’t know him, but you do. Please give me a sign telling me if I should give him the money he wants or not.”
Remembering Gideon’s fleece, I drove for a few minutes thinking about how could God give me a sign. I prayed, ”Father use the old hay. If Bud charges me to haul off the old hay, I will know that you do not want me to give that man the money. If he offers to buy the hay for any amount over $5.00 per bale, I will know that you want him to have the money.”
Bud walked around the field and asked me how many bales I had? I didn’t know so we counted them. Exactly one hundred bales. Then he asked me how much I wanted for the hay. I decided that I wouldn’t say a word because I had made a deal with God just a few miles up the road. I said, “You tell me what it is worth to you and that is what I will take.” He walked around the field for a few minutes looking at the bales and then said, “I’ll give you $10.00 a bale. Is it Ok if I pick them up Saturday?” Do the math. I had one hundred bales and he was going to pay $10.00 per bale.
I raced home and told my wife that I needed a check for $1,000.00. When I told her the story, she immediately agreed that we should take the money to my cousin. When I delivered the check to him, my cousin, that I only had seen once in fifty years, thanked me then informed me that he had no idea when he would be able to repay the loan. I told him about my prayer and then said, “I made my deal with God. If you pay me or don’t pay me, that is between you and God.”
I shook his hand and walked out of the Wal-Mart where he worked, a happy blessed man. Because I knew I had just witnessed God’s direct answer to an urgent prayer.
You’re Fat, Crappa!
By Lane R. Johnson
The television commercial was for a weight loss program and featured names like Dan Marino and Don Shula. It promised incredible results and advertised itself to be just the thing for men. I had seen the ad a hundred times and really wasn’t paying attention. After all, Cullen, my five year old grandson, was sitting next to me and I felt like I was on top of the world! Anyway, that commercial was for fat people.
