About
I was raised in the Arkansas Ozarks, near Eureka Springs, by a Christian family that never had a lot of anything other than love. We always had plenty of love. In fact we had so much love that we shared it with the people next door, the people down the road, the people in town, and the people in the next town over. At times we even had occasion to share it with people in the next county over and beyond. This was a love that was deeply rooted in the Word of God. My prayer is to share that love through my writings, based on truths from the Word of God. Thank you
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Location: Springfield, MO
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Country: US
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Country: US
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3 UP!
The roots of my raising run deep, and I thank God I was surrounded by family who knew God's Word and lived by it! My childhood, in the hills and hollers around Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was one that would undoubtedly be envied by most. Family get togethers were very frequent, sometimes several times a week. Sundays provided especially fond memories of family get togethers at Granny Clark's house, after we had all attended church services at "The Little Chapel." The Little Chapel (That was it's name, really!) was a non-denominational, full gospel church in downtown Eureka Springs. It's still there today, although church services are no longer its function, but rather it serves as a food bank to help the needy.
Most of the family has passed on to be with Jesus, and many of us have moved away from that ancestral center of a few decades ago in search of a "better" way of life, including myself. I haven't found it yet, but I will when Jesus returns! Five generations of my family have been laid to rest in that general area, but some of their qualities live on forever through the lessons of life and love they shared with others. In the hustle and bustle of todays life it becomes quite easy to be discouraged by even the least obstacle that comes our way, but, in these instances, I often remember one such lesson given to me, and others, by my Uncle, Bud Clark.
My Uncle Bud was as close to God as any man I've ever known. He always wore a smile and was forever optimistic. He loved everyone, and that love was reciprocated back to him. He was a true Bible scholar, and an awesome teacher of the Word. I don't think he was ever ordained by man to preach the Word, but he was definitely ordained by God. He went to be with Jesus in 1983 when I was 25 years old, never once showing an inkling of discouragement about anything to me, and probably not to anyone else. I always felt honored to be in his presence because of his uplifting attitude and his love for God, and the love he had for everyone around him.
One Saturday evening when I was about 8 or 9 years old, I spent the night with my cousin, David (Bud's boy). The plan was to get up Sunday morning and go to church, and after Sunday dinner at Granny's I would go home with my folks. As we drove to church that Sunday morning in Bud's old 51 Chevy, one of the tires went flat and Bud pulled off to the side of the road. Bud got out to inspect it, and with his ever present smile, he loudly exclaimed, "Praise God, we still got 3 up!" That's a moment in time that, praise God, I'll never forget! Now, more than 40 years later, that memory still helps me get through the pitfalls of life. It's a lesson we all can learn from.
Whatever stumblingblock comes our way, our first reaction should be to praise God. We all know we're in a battle, and we know we are the victors. We must give God praise in all things because of that. Sometimes it's really hard to see the bright side of our setbacks, but if our initial response is praise to God, He illuminates the situation before us immediately. As long as we have a breath of life within us, faith the size of a grain of mustard seed, and the belief that Jesus is our redeemer, we have 3 up! Be blessed!
Most of the family has passed on to be with Jesus, and many of us have moved away from that ancestral center of a few decades ago in search of a "better" way of life, including myself. I haven't found it yet, but I will when Jesus returns! Five generations of my family have been laid to rest in that general area, but some of their qualities live on forever through the lessons of life and love they shared with others. In the hustle and bustle of todays life it becomes quite easy to be discouraged by even the least obstacle that comes our way, but, in these instances, I often remember one such lesson given to me, and others, by my Uncle, Bud Clark.
My Uncle Bud was as close to God as any man I've ever known. He always wore a smile and was forever optimistic. He loved everyone, and that love was reciprocated back to him. He was a true Bible scholar, and an awesome teacher of the Word. I don't think he was ever ordained by man to preach the Word, but he was definitely ordained by God. He went to be with Jesus in 1983 when I was 25 years old, never once showing an inkling of discouragement about anything to me, and probably not to anyone else. I always felt honored to be in his presence because of his uplifting attitude and his love for God, and the love he had for everyone around him.
One Saturday evening when I was about 8 or 9 years old, I spent the night with my cousin, David (Bud's boy). The plan was to get up Sunday morning and go to church, and after Sunday dinner at Granny's I would go home with my folks. As we drove to church that Sunday morning in Bud's old 51 Chevy, one of the tires went flat and Bud pulled off to the side of the road. Bud got out to inspect it, and with his ever present smile, he loudly exclaimed, "Praise God, we still got 3 up!" That's a moment in time that, praise God, I'll never forget! Now, more than 40 years later, that memory still helps me get through the pitfalls of life. It's a lesson we all can learn from.
Whatever stumblingblock comes our way, our first reaction should be to praise God. We all know we're in a battle, and we know we are the victors. We must give God praise in all things because of that. Sometimes it's really hard to see the bright side of our setbacks, but if our initial response is praise to God, He illuminates the situation before us immediately. As long as we have a breath of life within us, faith the size of a grain of mustard seed, and the belief that Jesus is our redeemer, we have 3 up! Be blessed!
I envy you Jack, for your childhood. I didn't come from a religious family and spiritual role models were non-existent. That's a beautifully written piece too, so warm and inviting. It draws one into your pool of memories and makes one feel at home there. The glass is half full, or 3 up, no matter how you say it, faith and optimism will carry the day.
Yes Ken, I was very blessed as a child. In my opinion, the lessons I learned as a youngster should have catapulted me to do great things for the Kingdom of God, yet I sit here at 51 years old feeling that I've failed God at every turn. It seems to me that the successful aspects of my life came during the times I was farthest from God. Of course I was in a better situation to offer financial aid to others then. At this point in my life all I can offer is spiritual aid, which I know in my heart is more important, so I do what I can. I know that God has forgiven all of my past failures, but when I think back to the time that money flowed through me like gas through a funnel, my heart bleeds because I didn't use more of it to glorify God. Perhaps I've not forgiven myself? Perhaps if I was a better man now I could? I only know I want to be more pleasing to my Father. And I want to share what I know in my heart is right with others. I was a rebel, and, unwittingly, in some ways I still am. There are a lot of things I still fail at on a daily basis, as I hunger to be more like Jesus, and more like my Uncle Bud. Thus the song, "Why Do I?" It's the classic spiritual battle that Paul, so eloquently, wrote about in the 7th chapter of Romans, "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." Lord help me!