Eagles on Long Beach - January 17, 2024

My An Arkie's Faith column from the January 17, 2024, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

Every year in January, my wife's family meets somewhere on the Pacific Coast for a family reunion. This year, we are staying in Long Beach, Washington. There are family here from Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Arkansas. Whenever I am on vacation, I am the first one up. I love the quiet of the early morning and love to go exploring.

The sun is still below the horizon as I walk on the beach, listening to the sound of the waves. The moon is full and hanging low on the horizon to the west. The white-silver light of the moon transforms the beach, giving the morning a magical, otherworldly feel. As each wave rolls in from the Pacific Ocean, it rushes over the flat, hard-packed sand of Long Beach. As the water retreats to the ocean, it leaves a glossy mirror-like finish. The soft, glimmering moonlight momentarily shone on the mirrored beach, leaving a pale silver trail. The mirrored finish of the beach was gone too soon, and the next wave rolled in. This wave also left a mirror-like finish that reflected the moonlight. The scene repeated itself over and over as I walked along the beach.

While walking on the beach, I thought about how gorgeous it was. It was hard for me to believe that no one else was there to witness it. As far as I could see in either direction, no one else was on the beach. Long Beach is the world's longest beach on a peninsula. It stretches 28 miles along Washington's southwest coast. One of the most exciting things about Long Beach is that you can drive on it. The beach is an official Washington State highway with a 25-mph speed limit. 

After my early morning walk on the beach, I returned to my car and drove back to the condo, where we spent a long weekend at a family reunion. That morning, I drove on the beach from the condo to the southernmost point of the beach, Cape Disappointment. The rocky outcroppings of the Cape Disappointment headlands are a natural barrier at the end of the beach. As I was driving back, enjoying the view and the surreal experience of driving on a beach, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Coming up beside me on my right was a large bird. I slowed down to get a better look. I could see that it was an eagle with a tremendous wingspan. Because of its dark brown color and large size, I knew it was a golden eagle.

The magnificent bird kept pace with me, or maybe I was keeping pace with the eagle. We traveled together down the beach for a long time. Golden Eagles are one of the largest birds in North America, and to be that close to a bird with a seven-foot wingspan is a surreal experience. The eagle commanded my attention, with its spreading wings as broad as they were powerful. It seemed to be intentionally staying right beside my car, just a few feet away. Seeing the majestic bird resplendent in the early morning light was a wonderfully captivating experience. The encounter ended when the eagle accelerated upward with a mighty burst from its wings and soon soared high into the air. I watched until I could no longer see the eagle.

As the eagle disappeared from view, I remembered Isaiah 40:31 (NLT); "those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." The sight of an eagle flying is an impressive sight. Because of these striking birds' size and the ease and confidence with which they fly, watching an eagle fly always intrigues me. Eagles use the air currents to cover miles of ground with minimum effort. Now and again, a slight movement of their wings is all it takes for the eagle to continue soaring.

How can an eagle soar to such heights with minimal energy? Eagles have very long, large wings. It takes a lot of energy to flap such large wings. Jon. M. Gerrard and Gary R. Bortolotti are scientists who have spent many hours observing eagles. They wrote: "Eagles can sustain flapping flight, but they usually spend little time doing it. During the month when one of the female eagles was observed intensively, she averaged less than 2 minutes per hour in flapping flight. That is not surprising when one considers the large expenditure of energy required to power the huge wings. The energy needed to maintain a bird in flat soaring or gliding flight is much less, perhaps a 20th or less the power needed for flapping. Therefore, eagles will always choose to soar or glide when possible."

That is why eagles often soar on thermals until they reach a great altitude and then use the gliding/soaring method of flying to cover the longest distance using the smallest amount of energy. An eagle makes flying look effortless. When we insist on being in control and doing things in our power, we are like an eagle who doesn't soar. We quickly tire out and get nowhere. Psalm 46:10 (NASB) says, "Cease striving and know that I am God." To find strength, we need to put our trust in God. In Philippians 4:13 (NKJV), the Bible tells us, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

While at Long Beach, I saw many bald eagles and a couple of golden eagles. All along the twenty-eight miles of Long Beach, eagle perches have been constructed. Almost anytime you drive on the beach, you will see eagles. I even saw Bald Eagles wading in the ocean. 

Gentle Reader, spread your wings and soar like an eagle. The only thing that limits you is how much you trust in God. When you trust Him, He has promised you strength. In Philippians 4:19 (NASB), Paul writes, "My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." When you trust Him, God will supply your needs and renew your strength so you can soar like an eagle.    

The Grandfather Clock - January 10, 2024

My An Arkie's Faith column from the January 10, 2024, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

It was a cold December day in 1954 as the young couple headed north out of Tennessee on their way to Michigan. The 1949 Frazer Manhattan drove smoothly down the highway as snow started falling. Bob was proud of the Frazer he had bought and rebuilt for this trip. 

He spotted the 1949 Frazer Manhattan behind a gas station in Nashville, Tennessee, while attending college in nearby Madison, Tennessee. The Frazer had been sideswiped, and the front bumper bent, but it was only five years old, very nice, and only 100 dollars.

The Frazer had belonged to Rod Brassfield, who performed as a comedian at The Grand Ole Opry. Rod had wrecked the Frazier, and it had been totaled. Though he was only eighteen, Bob purchased the wrecked car and rebuilt it with parts he found at a local wrecking yard. With some bodywork and some Bondo, a relatively new product at the time, along with a gallon of blue paint, it looked good, and he was proud of it.

As the road stretched out in front of Bob and his fiancé, Pat, they hoped the roads wouldn’t get any worse before they reached their destination in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. Before they got to Michigan, Bob began to hear a tic-tic-tic in the Frazier’s engine. They were relieved when they finally pulled into the driveway of Pat’s house. Bob thought the engine noise was a loose tappet, so he adjusted the valves out in the snow.

Bob felt slightly nervous about meeting Pat’s parents for the first time. What had he gotten himself into? In a couple of days, he would be married.

Bob thought about the whirlwind of activity over the past few weeks. Was he ready for this? Because of the marriage laws in Kansas, where Bob was from, he needed parental permission to marry at 18. When his mother went to the courthouse to complete the proper paperwork, they asked her for the bride’s name. Bob’s mother only knew that her name was Pat and had to return later when she learned Pat’s full name.

The wedding day, Sunday, the 19th of December, started with a ferocious snowstorm. By the time of the afternoon wedding, two feet of snow blanketed the Michigan countryside. The wedding was delayed for an hour as the preacher had difficulty getting there on the unplowed roads. But eventually, Bob and Pat were married, and their new life lay before them.

After spending a few days with Pat’s family in Michigan, the newlyweds headed for Kansas to visit Bob’s family. With only thirty dollars in their possession, they planned on traveling to Kansas and then back to Tennessee. On the way, they splurged and spent one night in a motel that cost five dollars. 

The engine was making a bad noise when the Frazer made it to Kansas. Bob determined that the number five cylinder was knocking. How were they going to get back to Tennessee? Bob removed the spark plug from the bad cylinder, and the Frazer Manhattan limped back home to Madison, Tennessee, where the newlyweds were attending college. With the help of his friend Louie, Bob dropped the pan, pulled the crankshaft, had the number five throw on the crankshaft ground to .060, installed a new bearing, and put it back together.

A roly-poly little boy was born into the family a little over a year later, and they named him Richie. My parents celebrated their sixty-third wedding anniversary before my Momma passed away in 2018.

Daddy bought Momma a special gift for their fiftieth anniversary: a beautiful Howard Miller grandfather clock. It was one of their prized possessions. The grandfather clock now graces my living room with its stately presence.

The first Grandfather clock was produced around 1680 by a British clockmaker, William Clement. But it would be 200 years before clocks of this type would be referred to as a grandfather clock. They were called longcase clocks, and they were very popular. The name Grandfather Clock is thought to be the result of a song written in 1876 by Henry Clay Work entitled “My Grandfather’s Clock.” 

The song describes a grandfather’s clock that faithfully ticks its way through its owner’s life. Childhood, adulthood, and old age are all viewed in relationship to his beloved timepiece. The refrain says: “Ninety years without slumbering, Tick, tock, tick, tock, His life’s seconds numbering, Tick, tock, tick, tock, But it stopped, short, Never to go again, When the old man died.”

The steady ticking of the clock reminds us that our time on earth is limited. Despite the joys and pains of life, time always marches on. For the believer, our time on earth is an opportunity for gaining wisdom. The psalmist writes, “Teach us to comprehend how few our days are so that our hearts may be filled with wisdom.” Psalms 90:12 (NCB)

Time is the great equalizer. We all have the same daily twenty-four hours handed to us. “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) Billy Graham said, “Time is the capital that God has given us to invest. People are the stocks in which we are to invest our time.” 

In Psalms 90: 2-4 (NIRV), the Bible says, “Before you created the whole world and the mountains were made, from the beginning to the end you are God. You turn human beings back to dust. You say to them, ‘Return to dust.’ To you a thousand years are like a day that has just gone by. They are like a few hours of the night.” 

But then the Psalmist contrasts God’s time with the reality of man’s life. “We live to be about 70. Or we may live to be 80, if we stay healthy. But even our best days are filled with trouble and sorrow. The years quickly pass, and we are gone.” Psalms 90:10 (NIRV)

Gentle Reader, what are you investing your time in? “Be careful how you live. Live as men who are wise and not foolish. Make the best use of your time. These are sinful days.” Ephesians 5:15,16 (NLV) Ask God to help you use your time wisely so that you won’t waste the years you have on earth.

Eight Years and Counting - January 3, 2024

My An Arkie's Faith column from the January 3, 2024, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

The new year of 2016 brought a significant change to my life. In December of 2015, I had been asked if I would be willing to write a newspaper column starting with the new year. I was flattered and said yes immediately, and An Arkie’s Faith was born. I had no idea what it would be like to have a deadline and try to develop a topic every week. But for the last eight years, I have continued to write an article for An Arkie’s Faith.  

The year 2024 will be my ninth year writing for local newspapers. I appreciate everyone who reads my column, especially those who let me know they have enjoyed a particular article. I thought my readers might like to read the first ever An Arkie’s Faith column published on January 7, 2016.

The beginning of a new year is when many people start new things. This year, I’m starting something new: a weekly newspaper column. 

Let me introduce myself. I have been a long-time resident of Mena. My wife and I moved to Mena from Colorado in 1981. I love the people of Mena and the friendly, easy-going way of life here. I have owned and operated my own business since moving here. I enjoy the natural beauty of this part of Arkansas and being out of doors. In 2008, I started writing a blog. A friend was visiting our home and showed me her daughter's blog. Because she lived far away from her daughter, she kept up with her through the blog. I had heard the word "blog" but had no idea what it was all about.

While reading the blog, I noticed at the top of the page that it had a link that said create a blog. I had to see what it was all about, so I clicked it. The title was one of the first things that had to be filled in. I spent about thirty seconds thinking and then typed An Arkie’s Musings. Arkie is a slang word for someone who lives in Arkansas.

We used to be officially called Arkansawyers, but now the term is Arkansan. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Arkansas and Oklahoma were some of the hardest-hit states. Many people moved to California trying to get jobs. Arkie and Okie were disparaging terms used by the Californians for people from Arkansas and Oklahoma. Now, the term Arkie is often used to describe a native Arkansan and is often still a bit disparaging. It seems to indicate that someone is unlearned and backward. I have lived here for over 30 years. Though I'm not a native, I am proud to be an Arkansan or even an Arkie. You must admit that An Arkansan's Musings doesn't roll off the tongue.

Like that, I had my own blog and enjoyed writing and posting pictures on it. I had written a little before starting the blog, but not regularly. I had never had a "reason" to write before. Because being a Christian is a big part of my life, many blog posts were on religious topics.  I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you.

I resolve to write in a plain, simple, easily understood style. I hope I will do a better job with this resolution than I have done with resolutions I have made in the past.

My favorite comic as a kid was Peanuts with Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, and the gang. I still remember one comic strip I read then. It is January 1st, and Charlie Brown tells anyone who will listen, “The best way to keep New Year’s Resolutions is in a sealed envelope in a bottom desk drawer.”  Charlie Brown knew what you already know if you have made resolutions.  Making and keeping resolutions is difficult and usually ends in failure.

How has making resolutions worked out for you? I don't even want to talk about mine. If you have made and broken resolutions on many previous New Year's days, you may feel that you might as well seal them in a bottom desk drawer and forget them.

If you ask most people about the resolutions they made for the New Year, they will tell you that they are going to cut down on their eating, they are going to exercise more, stop doing unhealthy things, etc. While these are reasonable goals, they focus on and rely on self. Self-improvement for most people means making themselves more attractive, healthier, and happier. They depend on willpower to bring about the changes.

Notice how different our typical resolutions are from the words of Paul in Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT): “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony”.

Paul’s words are focused on others. If we are to use resolutions wisely, we need to turn our attention away from ourselves and toward others. What kind of resolutions should we make?

The Bible calls John “the disciple that Jesus loved.” Jesus had a best friend. I want my resolution to be the words that the best friend of Jesus wrote in 1 John 4:7,8 (NCV): “Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has become God’s child and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

I don’t know of a better resolution that you could make. If we all resolve to love others, imagine how different the world would be.

My wife's cousin, Jerry Patton, spent 37 years as the second tenor of The King's Heralds Quartet, America's oldest continuous gospel quartet. One of my favorite songs that he sang was titled One Little Candle. The lyrics, written by George Mysels and J. Maloy Roach, are excellent.

“It's better to light just one little candle, than to stumble in the dark. Better far that you light just one little candle, all you need's a tiny spark.  If we'd all say a prayer that the world would be free. The wonderful dawn of a new day we'll see. And if everyone lit just one little candle what a bright world this would be".

My resolution for the New Year is to focus on loving others. Gentle Reader, will you join me in resolving to love others? What a bright world this would be if we all lit just one little candle.

Lonely Christmas - December 27, 2023

My An Arkie's Faith column from the December 27, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

The morning dawned quiet and peaceful. It’s too quiet and peaceful. There was no excitement. There were no shouts of Merry Christmas. No laughter filled the air. The Christmas tree in the living room stood silently with presents all around. But the gifts remained untouched. No one was opening them. The living room was in perfect order, with no torn wrapping paper.

I sighed and thought, “It doesn’t feel like Christmas.” Across the street, cars filled the driveway, and people arrived for Christmas morning celebrations. But our house was quiet. No one would be at our home for Christmas. No bubbly, excited granddaughters to make the day festive. I thought about all the people who would not be with those they love this Christmas and felt empathy for them.

This would be my first Christmas without my Daddy. With no family here, a sadness washed over me. I sat in my chair, feeling just a bit sorry for myself. “What makes Christmas feel special?” I wondered. I decided it is being with people you love and feeling a part of a tradition. Our traditions help Christmas feel special.

Around the world, Christmas traditions vary considerably. I remember spending a Christmas in Puerto Rico in the 70s. Puerto Ricans celebrated Christmas, but there were no gifts on Christmas Day. January 6th, known as Three Kings Day, rather than December 25th, was the day for exchanging gifts. Children would gather grass, hay, or straw in shoeboxes for the horses and camels of the three kings, much like children in the U.S. leave cookies and milk for Santa and his reindeer. Good kids are rewarded with presents and candy on Three Kings Day.

The tradition of Three Kings Day comes from the story in the Gospel of Matthew of wise men from the East who came looking for a baby who was the King of the Jews. “The star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:9-11 (NKJV) This biblical story is the basis for gift giving at Christmas.

In much of Europe, it is Christkind that brings the Christmas presents. The tradition dates to the Reformation and Martin Luther. At this time, it was traditional to give children gifts on December 6th, St. Nicolas’s Day. Does the idea that Saint Nicolas delivers gifts sound familiar to you? But Martin Luther wanted to do away with the veneration of saints and saints’ days, so he started a gift-giving tradition on Christmas Eve. He told the children that the Christ Child had brought their presents. This tradition quickly took hold in Lutheran families.

While Martin Luther’s original intention was that the infant Jesus bring the children gifts, the image of a baby transformed into an angelic figure with golden hair topped with a crown and golden wings over time. A baby couldn’t deliver gifts, so a female angel with Christ-like qualities did the job. This angelic figure is known as Christkind. In much of Europe, Christkind is a symbol of Christmas along with Santa Claus. In this tradition, children never see Christkind in person. Parents tell them Christkind will not come and bring presents if they try to spot it. Christkind delivers gifts across Germany, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and much of Latin America.

In Scandinavia, an essential tradition during the Christmas season is celebrating Saint Lucia. She was a young Christian girl who was killed in 304 A.D. Her history has been lost, and all we know for sure is that this brave woman lost her life during the persecution of Christians in the early fourth century. Her veneration spread to Rome so that by the sixth century, the whole church recognized her courage in defense of the faith.

Tradition tells us that she would secretly bring food to the persecuted Christians in Rome, hiding in the catacombs under the city. She would wear candles on her head to have both her hands free to carry things. St. Lucia’s Day is now celebrated by a girl dressing in a white dress with a red sash around her waist and a crown of candles on her head. The crown is made of evergreen Lingonberry branches that symbolize new life in winter. Many towns and villages choose a girl to play St. Lucia and lead a procession of carolers.

Whatever your Christmas traditions are, I hope they bring you joy and happiness. I have noticed that many Christians believe very strongly in their traditions. Traditions are not inherently good or bad, right or wrong. Some people defend traditions because the church has practiced it that way for years. Other people dislike tradition and want change just for the sake of change.

Christians should be neither “traditional” nor “non-traditional.” They should neither accept nor oppose a practice simply because it is a tradition. It doesn’t matter how long we have practiced something or when it began. What’s important is what God’s word says about it. If God’s word requires it, then we must do it. If God’s word forbids it, we must oppose it even if it is a tradition. If God’s word is silent, there is no problem with tradition. But I can’t expect all Christians to follow just because it is my tradition.

Gentle Reader, what are your Christmas traditions? Do they bring you joy? Do they remind you of Jesus and how important He is to you? Jesus wants you to have joy. He says, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11 (NKJV) I hope you have experienced love and joy this Christmas. “There are three things that endure: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NCB)

The Electric Train - December 20, 2023

My An Arkie's Faith column from the December 20, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

The six-year-old boy stood shyly in line with the other boys and girls. It was his first Christmastime in the big city of Denver, and everything seemed exciting, wonderful, and a little bit scary. It had only been a short time since he, his mom, and his little sister moved from his grandparents’ house on the plains of eastern Colorado to live with his daddy, who had found work in Denver.

The little family lived in a motel room as Daddy struggled to save enough money to find a proper house for them to live in. At six years old and having grown up during the Depression, Duane knew that there was not much money for Christmas presents that year. But as he stood in line waiting to see Santa Claus, he knew what he would ask for. He wanted an electric train set. It was all he could think about. He spent hours imagining his train chugging around the track.

When it was his turn to see Santa, Duane timidly walked forward and sat on Santa’s lap. When Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas, Duane answered, “I want an electric train set.” After a moment of hesitation, Duane continued, “But I know that my Daddy can’t afford one, so a wind-up train would be okay.”

As they drove home, Daddy decided that no matter what happened, there would be an electric train under the tree. On Christmas Eve, Daddy set up the electric train in the little room after the kids were in bed. When morning came, he started the little train chugging around the tracks, blew the train whistle, and yelled, “Merry Christmas.”

That Christmas morning of 1940 is still a precious memory for Duane, even though he is now nearly ninety years old. From that Christmas morning until this day, the electric train has been one of his most prized possessions. When his children and grandchildren were growing up, they had fond memories of the little antique electric train running around the Christmas tree. The train was part of the family’s Christmas tradition.

Today, before writing this story, I called Duane to ensure I had the details correct. I asked him if he still put the train under the tree, and he told me it had been several years since the train had made its Christmas appearance. The family has gotten so large with grandkids and great-grandkids that there isn’t enough room in his small house. But as I was on the phone with him, he got his train out and sent me a photo. The top of the original box is no longer there, but the train is still in good condition in its original box.

When Duane’s daddy heard him ask Santa for an electric train all those years ago, I don’t imagine that he could have had any idea of the impact his decision to buy Duane an electric train for Christmas would have. For every Christmas for eighty years, his love for his son has been on display every Christmas. 

The Bible tells us that “every good act of giving and every perfect gift are from above, coming down from the Father of all light.” James 1:17 (NCB) Even though I understand that Christmas has become very commercialized, giving gifts is a way to become more like God, the ultimate gift giver. I know the danger of celebrating Christmas with cultural trappings and commercial glitz. But giving good gifts is a way we honor God, the giver of gifts.

Amy Carmichael, who spent her life as a Christian missionary in India, wrote, “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” When you select Christmas gifts this year, make sure that love is the overriding reason for your gifts. The miracle of giving is that it ripples. Your one small gesture can affect hundreds. The smallest gift given with love and compassion is priceless.

God is the very best gift giver. His love is an extravagant gift to us. God promises us a gift more incredible than we can imagine or ask for. 2 Corinthians 9:15 (VOICE) describes Jesus this way; "Praise God for this incredible, unbelievable, indescribable gift!" With the gift of Jesus and all the other large and small ways we are blessed in this life, God wants to instill in us reciprocal generosity. All we are, all we have, is a gift from God. He is our Provider, Sustainer, Creator, and Good Father. Gift-giving allows us to keep the circle of generosity flowing to people God has placed in our lives.

Gentle Reader, I know you have given good gifts at Christmastime. Jesus knows that, too. In Matthew 7:7-11 (VOICE), Jesus said, "Just ask and it will be given to you; seek after it and you will find. Continue to knock and the door will be opened for you. All who ask receive. Those who seek, find what they seek. And he who knocks, will have the door opened. Think of it this way: if your son asked you for bread, would you give him a stone? Of course not—you would give him a loaf of bread. If your son asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? No, to be sure, you would give him a fish—the best fish you could find. So if you, who are sinful, know how to give your children good gifts, how much more so does your Father in heaven, who is perfect, know how to give great gifts to His children!"

God is the ultimate giver of good gifts. No matter how fantastic the best gift you open this Christmas is, it can't compare to the gift of Jesus we celebrate at Christmas. In Romans 6:23 (KJV), the Bible tells us, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." God has given you the best gift ever; how will you reciprocate? Who could you bless this Christmastime with your time or attention, with a gift, large or small? Find a way to be a gift to someone today.

The Model A Pickup - December 13, 2023

My An Arkie's Faith column from the December 13, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

My Daddy grew up in a Ford Model A. By the time he was eight years old he was driving the family Model A. One of the ways that the family earned money was by peddling eggs, fruit, and vegetables door to door. By the time he was eight years old, when the traffic was light, his Momma would send Daddy back down the street to pull the Model A up to where she was. Daddy remembered having to look through the steering wheel instead of over it.

Over the years Daddy owned many antique and special interest collector cars. But the cars he loved the most were Model A’s. In 1992, he drove a Shay Model A on several trips. On one trip he drove the Model A from Arkansas to Dawson City, Yukon in Canada. From there, he traveled on the Dempster Highway toward Inuvik. Driving his Model A above the Arctic Circle was one of his proudest achievements. Later that year he took another vacation, driving the Model A to Key West, Florida. Over the years, I heard him tell the story of driving his Model A to the Arctic Circle and the Florida Keys in the same year to hundreds of people.

The last old car Daddy bought was a 1930 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup. He was no longer driving his old cars and wasn’t interested in purchasing any. But he bought this original Model A pickup when offered it. The Model A had been donated to the TV ministry. It Is Written, by one of the owners of McKee Foods, makers of Little Debbie Snack Cakes. When It Is Written contacted Daddy to see if he was interested in purchasing the Model A, he told them he was no longer buying cars, but he did have a soft spot for Model A’s. 

After negotiating a price and finding transport from Chattanooga to Mena, the day finally arrived when the Model A pickup was delivered. Daddy was excited to see his new purchase. He loved the untouched original look. In its unrestored condition with the cracked and pealing black lacquer paint, the Model A pickup looked the way it would have eighty years ago when Daddy first learned to drive in a Model A.

We moved cars around in our building to accommodate the new acquisition. I asked Daddy if he wanted to try and start the Model A Pickup. He said, “Not today,” and returned to his favorite chair and scrolling through Facebook on his iPad. For the next three years, he loved to show people his Model A Roadster Pickup and tell them that the previous owner was the owner of Little Debbie’s. Several more times over the years, I asked Daddy if he wanted to try and start the Model A, and his answer was always the same. “Not today.”

Two months ago, Daddy passed away suddenly. After the shock and taking care of the necessary things had subsided, I turned my attention to the shop and everything that would need to be done there. I started thinking about getting some of the cars in Daddy’s collection running again. I mentioned to several people that I would like to get the Model A pickup running but didn’t know much about Model A’s. 

One day, a customer came by the shop and said, “I hear you have a Model A that you want to get running.” “Yes, I do,” I replied. He told me he had been working on Model A’s for years, and in the next day or two, he would come by and see what we could do. The very next day, he showed up and was anxious to get to work. He showed me where the fuel shut-off valve was located under the dash. After turning the fuel valve on, he made sure the spark control lever on the left side of the steering wheel was pushed up. Then he pulled the throttle lever on the right side of the steering wheel halfway down.

Pulling the choke control out, he pressed the starter button and pushed the choke control back in as soon as the engine turned over. The Model A pickup that hadn’t been started in years came to life. He pulled the spark control lever down as soon as it started until the engine ran more smoothly. “Hop in,” he said, “let’s go for a ride.”

We drove to the gas station to put more fuel in the little truck. The old gas that had been in the tank for years smelled terrible, so we filled it with new gas. On the way back to the shop, we changed drivers, and for the first time, I was driving the Model A Roadster Pickup. I felt sad that Daddy wasn’t there to see it.

My friend Chad told me I should drive the Model A in the Christmas parade. So we decorated it with lights and cut down a Christmas tree to haul in the pickup bed. My wife and I enjoyed driving the Model A in the parade.

As I drove in the parade, I thought about those years that Daddy had owned the Model A but had never driven or even started it. I was thankful for my customer and Model A expert, who was excited to help me get it running. 

I thought about how often I needed instructions and someone to teach me things I didn’t know. The same thing happens in my spiritual life. Every day, there seem to be things I don’t understand. But God tells me in Psalms 32:8 (AMP), “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you who are willing to learn with My eye upon you.”

Gentle Reader, God has a specific plan and purpose for our lives. These plans come with individual guidance from God Himself. No one else can direct us into what God has for us except Our Creator, who knows us intimately. In Psalms 32:8, God is reassuring us of His devotion and desire to get us where He designed us to be. He is saying I am here and know exactly what to do; all you have to do is follow me. He wants to instruct and teach us so we will be wise. “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV)

I'll Be Home For Christmas - December 6, 2023

 My An Arkie's Faith column from the December 6, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

It was a cold, windy day in December 1903. Orville Wright stands on the beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, staring at the sky. His brother Wilbur is flying overhead in the machine they had built together. It was their fourth flight of the day in their hand-built flying machine. Wilbur Wright successfully flew their homemade machine for 59 seconds, covering 852 feet at seven miles per hour. Orville had piloted the day’s first flight, which lasted just 12 seconds and traveled only 180 feet, but it proved that human flight was possible. 

Orville wrote in his diary about the first attempted flight that morning. “I found the control of the front rudder quite difficult. As a result, the machine would rise suddenly to about ten feet and then as suddenly, on turning the rudder, dart for the ground. A sudden dart when out about 100 feet from the end of the tracks ended the flight. Time about 12 seconds.”

The brothers realized that a successful flight depended on their ability to learn how to handle the machine. Each attempt showed improvement. They were pleased enough with Wilbur’s 59-second flight but knew they could have done better. Unfortunately, there was not going to be another flight that day. Orville explains in his diary. “We set the machine down a few feet west of the building, and while standing about discussing the last flight, a sudden gust of wind struck the machine and started to turn it over. All rushed to stop it. Will, near one end, ran to the front, but too late to do any good. Mr. Daniels and myself seized spars at the rear, but to no purpose. The machine gradually turned over on us. Mr. Daniels, having had no experience in handling a machine of this kind, hung on to it from the inside, and as a result was knocked down and turned over and over with it as it went. His escape was miraculous, as he was in with the engine and chains. The engine legs were all broken off, the chain guides badly bent, a number of uprights, and nearly all the rear ends of the ribs were broken.”

That day, Orville and Wilbur became the first to demonstrate a heavier-than-air machine’s sustained flight under the pilot’s complete control. What did the brothers do after their exciting success and the heartbreak of damaging their flying machine? They had an unhurried lunch and then walked four miles to send a telegram to their father. The telegraph read, “Success four flights Thursday morning all against twenty-one-mile wind started from level with engine power alone. Average speed through air thirty-one miles. Longest 57 seconds. Inform press. Home for Christmas.” With their machine wrecked by the wind and flying done for the season, the Wrights immediately thought of going home for Christmas. They returned home with their broken machine on the evening of December 23.

According to their niece, Ivonette Miller, who was 7 in 1903, the children were excited that Wilbur and Orville would be home for Christmas. She recalled they said, “Oh, goody, Uncle Will will be home in time to carve the Christmas turkey!”

Amanda Wright Lane, the great-grandniece of Wilbur and Orville, said: “The Wright family was thrilled to learn about that first flight, but they were happier yet to know that meant the boys, great cooks, would be home in time for Wilbur to stuff the Christmas turkey and for Orville to make his cranberry bunny, served at holiday meals.”

Orville and Wilbur Wright had just accomplished something no human had ever done. What they accomplished on that cold, windy December day would change humankind forever. But their thoughts were with their family and making it home for Christmas.

The family is important to God because it is an institution He has created and one of His blessings. Families come in all shapes and sizes. Every family is unique, and every person within each family is essential. When God created the family, he gave us an extraordinary gift and a unique challenge. Family requires an unshakable commitment to each other, even when everyone involved is intimately aware of each other’s flaws.

If you are committed to your family, they should always come first. Even if you are working on something significant, like the first powered, heavier-than-air flight, you should never forget your commitment to your family.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is the Bing Crosby classic, I’ll Be Home For Christmas. The song was written to honor soldiers overseas who longed to be home at Christmas time. The song is sung from the point of view of a soldier stationed overseas during World War II, writing a letter to his family. In the message, he tells his family he will be coming home and to prepare the holiday for him. The song touched the hearts of Americans, soldiers, and civilians, earning Bing Crosby his fifth gold record. 

“I'll be home for Christmas. You can plan on me. Please have snow and mistletoe and presents on the tree. Christmas Eve will find me where the love light gleams. I'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.”

As a Christian, you are a part of two families: your earthly and heavenly families. 1 John 3:1 (GW) says, “Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God’s dear children. And that’s what we are.” And Romans 8:15-17 (ICB) says, “The Spirit that we have makes us children of God. And with that Spirit we say, ‘Father, dear Father.’ And the Spirit himself joins with our spirits to say that we are God’s children. If we are God’s children, then we will receive the blessings God has for us. We will receive these things from God together with Christ.” 

Gentle Reader, there is no doubt that God loves His children. He shows it by His words, His actions, and His promises. He longs for His children to be with him. Like we want our children and grandchildren to come home for Christmas, God wants us to come home and be with Him. Jesus says, “I will be there to greet you personally and welcome you home, where we will be together.” John 14:3 (VOICE) There is nothing in this life that is more important than for us to be a child of God and come home for Christmas. Let’s tell God, “I’ll be home for Christmas. You can plan on me.”