Urgent Note to Anonymous

A Note To Our Readers:

I have received a note from one of our readers in which he/she explained the reason behind some comments which had been left on the Pilgrim Scribblings blog. Please pray for this person who has made some very significant strides back to a relationship with the Lord. THANK YOU!

Dear Anonymous:

Thank you so much for your comment. I know that you signed your name at the end of your note but I'm sure you would rather I not use it here. Thanks for letting me know your name. You are forgiven for the comments you left in the past. I was always quick to erase them for fear of our Pilgrim Scribblings readers being offended but I sensed that there was a story behind your anger.

I'm so pleased that you have returned to the Lord and that your life seems to be meaningful and purposeful now. Please continue to lean heavily on the Lord even though life can be desperately lonely, hurtful and frustrating at times.

Please e-mail us @ dwfisher@nexicom.net with your e-mail address so we can continue to encourage you and walk with you as you come out of the darkness and the deep valley that we all go through so often.

Be encouraged today. Your comment to me has been a big step in your healing. You are in our prayers and we look forward to hearing from you again.

Standing with you,

David, a fellow pilgrim

Victoria's Amish Adventure

Our friends Stephen and Brooksyne Weber arranged for our granddaughter Victoria to spend two weeks with an Amish family in Lancaster County, PA. Here is an entry that Stephen posted on their Daily Encouragement web site.

Stephen writes:

We want to share some of our photos from this past weekend beginning Friday afternoon when we introduced some of our friends to the Lapp family and had lunch at their place. Almost everything we had was grown on the farm and was delicious!

David Fisher is a Canadian friend I met many years ago through a connection with these daily encouragement messages. He and his wife Carol brought their granddaughter, Victoria, down to spend two weeks on the Lapp dairy farm. For many years David was the chaplain for the Toronto Blue Jays. He is a great writer, sharing many of the same interests that we do and blogs prolifically at Pilgrim Scibblings.

Pit Bull For Rent

Here's a crazy story (not true) that I've heard before but I was reminded of it again recently. I must confess (for those who visit Pilgrim Scribblings for spiritual encouragement) that this story likely won't provide too much help but...it may, and I repeat "may", make you laugh.

The Funeral...

A woman was leaving a convenience store with her morning coffee when she noticed a most unusual funeral procession approaching the nearby cemetery. A long black hearse was followed by a second long black hearse about 50 feet behind the first one. Behind the second hearse was a solitary woman walking a pit bull on a leash. Behind her, a short distance back, were about 200 women walking single file.

The woman was so curious that she respectfully approached the woman walking the dog and said, "I am so sorry for your loss, and I know now is a bad time to disturb you, but I have never seen a funeral procession like this. Whose funeral is it?" "My husband's." "What happened to him?" The woman replied, "My dog attacked and killed him." She inquired further, "Well, who is in the second hearse?" The woman answered, "My mother-in-law. She was trying to help my husband when the dog turned on her." A poignant and thoughtful moment of silence passed between the two women. One asked, "Can I borrow the dog?" The other responded, "Get in line."

Focusing

My friend Debra posted this incredible picture on her As I See It Now blog.

Look at the picture for a brief moment. Look away. What do you remember most?

What seems to be the focus of the photo?

After leaving a worship service what do you remember most?

What was the focus of the gathering? Or should it be WHO was the focus, the centerpiece of the service?

Jesus should and must be preeminent in all we do. Let's fix our eyes on Him, the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith.

When I'm 64

Several friends have quoted parts of this old Beatles song in their birthday greeting (to me) so I checked out the lyrics. Here they are for those who really care...and that might not be many of you:

WHEN I'M 64

When I get older, losing my hair
Many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a Valentine
Birthday greetings, bottle of wine?

If I'd been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?

I could be handy, mending a fuse
When your lights have gone
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings, go for a ride.

Doing the garden, digging the weeds,
Who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage
In the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee:

Send me a postcard, drop me a line,
Stating point of view
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, Wasting Away.

Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?

Echoes From Elim

For the past 6 days I enjoyed being "Missionary of the Week" at Elim Lodge, north of Peterborough (seek link in the sidebar).

I had the pleasure of getting to know Dave and Mindy Reynolds and their sons David and Joshua. Dave was the speaker for the week at Elim. He pastors Grace Baptist Church in Sarasota, Florida.

The ministry was rich as Dave spoke from Paul's letter to the Colossians in the morning sessions and taught about Heaven during the evening services.

Here's a picture of the Reynolds family as we cruised on Pigeon Lake with Captain Dave (James).

God bless you, Dave and Mindy, as you serve Him effectively there in Florida. It was a pleasure spending time with you!