Remember friend as you pass by…
Filed in NHL |I’m off to an early start. Had my coffee, morning paper, and devotion. In the office at 6:30 a.m.
Great day yesterday. ?
Started this morning thinking about Sunday’s service and the general membership meeting. Nathan covered that last two? of our tenets of faith. His series for the month was entitled, ‘Why we believe what we believe.’ Did an outstanding job dotting every ‘i’ and crossing every ‘t.’ I am always awed at Nathan’s ability as a teacher of God’s word.
Our? membership meetings? have always allowed for good and open communication. Nathan shared his vision for the year. Also had an affirmation from the membership for? our Board of Directors. (Charter calls for this every five years.)
Christian Challenge has two governing boards. The other board is our? Board of Counselors.?
Shana and Tim spent the morning with us and had lunch.? Watched services together. Sunday afternoon Nathan came by for awhile.? Lane also came by. We had a good time of sharing.?
Later yesterday evening Uncle Cullen called to check up on me.? Uncle Cullen is a? unique man.? Don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone with such a heart for his family. I’ve always felt a special bond with? him. It always thrilled me to watch him? pick at mama.? Those two had a? special connection? ? Use to pick at mama and call her ‘greasy Grace.’ (One thing you never doubted was Uncle Cullen’s love for his people.)
? Here’s something that has been on my mind for a good while — Every time Betty and I make a visit to Campbell Creek Cemetery I? manage to take a look at my great-grandfather’s grave.? I need to put some sort of plaque on the back of his headstone so folk will know what it says on the front. It is so faded. I’m one of the very few who knows what my grandfather wrote on his dad’s headstone.
Grandpa did both his dad’s and his mom’s head stones. On the front of his dad’s headstone, James Erwin Martin, he encased under glass this handwritten saying:
“Remember friend as you pass by, as you are now, so once was I. As I am now you soon shall be. Prepare my friend to follow me.”
My great grandfather was the grandson of the first Martin in our family to come to Louisiana in 1804. (Thereabouts.) Billy Martin was a Revolutionary soldier? from North Carolina or Virginia. He came to Louisiana with his Indian wife. Yep, we are true Central Louisianians.? (Of the Sabine Territory settlers.)? ? 
My devotion this morning had me in the book of Esther. While reading I could not help but think why there is such a worldly and intense hatred for the Jews. Haman tried to destroy them.? Hitler tried to destroy them. This little twerk from Iran has set his intense hatred against both the USA and against Israel. He calls us ‘big Satan’ and ‘little Satan.’
But there is a reason for Satan’s hatred against the Jews. And, yes, the religious Jew can be a bigot, especially the orthodox, but there is more to the story. God’s redemptive history wraps itself around these people. Satan knows it.
The story of redemption is the primary reason that Christians and Jews? often find themselves in the same camp with the only dividing line centering on Jesus Christ.
Satan has this thinking that if he can destroy the Jews, he can undermine God’s plan of redemption. This is why that in these last days the world’s hatred for the Jew is going to intensify. Satan knows he has but little time.
This is such? a vast and interesting subject in itself. Perhaps my journal is not the best place to? lay things out.
11:30 am until …. Downloading new program for publishing my books. Nathan worked til around 2:30? p.m. getting everything in place. Don’t know what I’d do without him when it comes to computers.
3:10 p.m. - Printed out the writer’s manual.? I’ll have to spend some? time learning this program.? It is really top notch.?
Looks like it is closing out time.? Got my plate full for this afternoon.
Love is coming your way,
Buddy
