Contemplations

MOTIVATED BY MONEY      (Based on Deut. 24:15, Prov. 14:20, Eccl. 9:16, Matt. 6:24, Luke 16:13, & I Tim. 6:10) Money is surely the devil’s tool; It’s a love that is rooted in evil. Greed, envy, oppression-- They all come from the devil. Is it on your mind when you arise? Do you hoard most every penny? If your family asks for time with you, Do you tell them you haven’t any? Do you ignore or despise the poor, And make excuses not to give? Do you begrudge every cent you tithe; You just know you will need it to live? Do you show others respect, Even when your wallet is slim? Or do you look for excuses, To take their money from them? No man can serve two masters; To try merely causes strife. You cannot devote yourself to God, When money motivates your life. So if wealth is what you live for, If money is your addiction, Give your heart and soul to the Lord,

BLUEPRINT FOR LIFE (Based on Mt 7:24-27) When a wise man goes to build a house, He lays his foundation on rock. When the rains come, and the winds blow, He has the strongest house on the block. If a foolish man builds his house on sand, And rain and winds start to lash, The shifting foundation will not withstand, And his house will fall with a crash. Christ should be the cornerstone, To insure a solid foundation. His Word provides the blueprint, For each person and for a nation. So build on Christ--a solid rock, And not on sinking sand; Your house will stay together, If it is built by the Master’s hand. Becky Overturf Wall Note: Your house is the one that holds your heart and soul. It also applies to families and nations.

TOMORROW MAY NEVER COME “Tomorrow is the day I will change,” You may often find yourself saying, But if God does grant you another day, Are you sure He will find you then praying? Is repentance too hard or the time not right, More convenient would be tomorrow? It just gives Satan much more of an edge, It is nothing more than time borrowed. You ponder and plan and stew, And meanwhile procrastinate. Once today passes on, it’s today again, And your plans all disintegrate. Looking back is equally bad; The past is not an elective. Put it behind you, but learn from it, For today is not retroactive. Don’t plan for tomorrow when today will do, Lest in your grave you are laid. There is no time like the present, For today is the day God hath made. If your pride is hard to swallow, But the Spirit calls to you now, Humble yourself, repent, be baptized, My friend, "Why

A DUSTY, OLD BOOK A dusty, old book upon a shelf, Found by chance one day, By a man who saw its value; Any price he was willing to pay. He knew as he turned the pages, It would bring him treasure untold. From him excitement burst forth, As its truths began to unfold. It promised him joy; it promised him peace; It promised him heaven above. It promised him new life, And unconditional love. What more could any man want, Than a soul that is in good health? He took his treasure wherever he went; He wanted to share his wealth. But his friends just rolled their eyes at him, As if a bad joke they had heard, Each refused to accept his gift, For the dusty, old book was God’s Word. Becky Overturf Wall

ARTIFICIAL FUN Wasting time and money, A man chugs down each beer. The next day finds him miserable, From way too much canned “cheer.” A kid got high on drugs; How high we’ll never know, For he was buried by his folks; He’s now six feet below. Unbridled sexual pleasures, Sought by selfish boys, Bring pregnancy or disease, To girls used much like toys. It was just a game they played-- Russian roulette with a gun. But the laughter died forever, All in the name of “fun.” True happiness is lost, To a lack of self-control. A life of artificial fun, Can ruin a mortal soul. So, if you’re seeking joy, And love and peace without measure. They come with self-denial, And not by seeking pleasure. Becky Wall

ORIGINAL SIN (Based on Ezekiel 14 & 33) Sin began with Adam and Eve, But we each account for our own. When deeds are judged, whether good or bad, I shall reap only what I have sown. The soul who sees his father’s sins, But chooses not to repeat them, Will not have to die for his father’s sins; God above will judge only him. If a good and righteous man, Does what is just and right, He will live eternally, When favor is found in God’s sight. But if a man becomes wicked, His good deeds will not be remembered. He will fall from grace and then, From Christ’s body will be dismembered. The righteous God will give credit, And He’ll charge the wicked man. But if the wicked man turns from sin, God forgives, as only He can. Adam’s sin doesn’t make us sinners, For if that concept is true, The fact that Christ was righteous, Would make us all righteous, too. Becky Overturf Wall Note: Christ can make us holy and righteous whe

THIS JOURNEY CALLED LIFE (Based on the 23rd Psalm) The Lord is my earthly shepherd. He always meets my needs. Sometimes I need to rest awhile, And then my soul He feeds. He guides my steps to just the right path, Away from temptation and sin. At times I balk at going His Way, But then I resume it again. The Way is not always easy. Sometimes it takes my breath. The hills are steep, the valleys low, And sometimes I face death. But I will fear no evil, For He is by my side. His rod and staff, they comfort me. While in His love I abide. He uses His rod when I need a nudge, And my back is against a wall. He uses the nook of His staff, To lift me when I fall. He spreads a table before me, With my enemies all around. He heals my wounds with His oil. My blessings truly abound. Goodness and mercy will follow me, While I make this journey called life. Then I will live in the House of the Lord, And be forever free from strif

THE OVERTURFS – NEVER A DULL MOMENT Buck and Eve – In the Beginning Mom came from a family of 11. Her parents were Thomas Uhls, Sr. and Mabel (Humphrey) Uhls. She and her eight siblings grew up in the depression years but didn’t suffer as much as other families because her parents, who we called Mamma and Pappa, owned a little, red-shingled grocery store simply called Uhls Grocery which was situated on the corner of Cleveland and Odle in West Frankfort, Illinois. They purchased the store, got a new car and a new home all in the depression years, but they were able to do this only because of a tragedy. Grandma’s half brother, who worked for the Associated Press in Chicago , committed suicide by jumping out of a window, leaving Grandma with an inheritance. I was told he did so when the stock market crashed. Mom’s sister, Bernice, believes he did so because of the death of his wife, an opera singer, a few months before. If I had to guess, I would say it had to do with both.