Christmases: Campbell on Christmas

Christmases? 

Campbell on Christmas

Thought provoking insights

http://stoned-campbelldisciple.blogspot.com/2009/12/stoned-campbell-christmases-campbell-on.html

Who loves you more than Mom?

A teacher was trying to teach her class a lesson about fractions. After the lesson, she tested one of the boys who was in a large family. Johnny, she said, “There are 6 people in your family. Your mom bakes a pie and she cuts it up for you, what fraction of the pie will you receive?”

Johnny, thought for a minute and said, “One-fifth.” The teacher said, “Now, remember there are 6 people in your family, how big would your piece of pie be.” And again, the boy said, “One-fifth.” The teacher said, “No, you don’t understand fractions.” And Johnny respectfully said, “You don’t understand my mom. She would have said that she didn’t want any.”

Life's Greatest Test

Life's Greatest Test - Story of John Blanchard

One of the most romantic and inspirational true to life story of a soldier's life and love.

John Blanchard was a soldier.

One day, in a library, he found an old book with a lot of writing in the margins. He read her handwritten notes in the book and admired their deep insights. At the front cover, he saw that the book was previously owned by a certain Hollis Maynell.

With much effort, he located her address. He wrote to her and told her about her old book and how he liked her written notes.

And she responded, thanking him for his kind words.

But that day, he was shipped overseas to fight in a war.

Still, they kept writing to each other. During the difficult times at the battlefield, her words inspired him and gave him hope.

Little by little, John was falling in love with her.

He requested for a photo, but she replied that if he really cared for her, it won’t matter how she looked.

Finally, he was going home.

They decided to meet at the Grand Central Station at 7pm.

He said he’d be in his soldier’s uniform bringing her old book.

And she said, “You’ll know me by the red rose I’ll wear on my lapel.”

When the train arrived at 7pm, John was there, wearing his neatly pressed military uniform, with her old book in his hand.

The first woman to step off the train was a beautiful woman in a green suit. But there was no red rose on her blouse.

John was disappointed. But she was so lovely, he kept looking at her. She walked in front of him, glanced at him with a smile, and asked, “Are you following me, soldier?”

A part of him wanted to follow.

But no, he had to wait for Hollis Maynell.

The next woman who stepped off the train had a red rose on her lapel. She was perhaps 45 years old. She had graying hair beneath her hat. And she was very overweight. Meantime, the beautiful woman in the green suit was walking away.

John was torn.

Yet he looked again at the woman who was wearing the red rose. He remembered her letters and what a fascinating a person she was. He remembered how wonderful her words made him feel. He told himself, “This may not be love. But this may be more than love. This will be a beautiful friendship with a lovely person.”

He walked up to her, straightened himself, handed the book to her and said, “My name is Lieutenant John Blanchard. You must be Ms. Hollis Maynell. I’m so glad you could meet me. May I have dinner with you tonight?”

The woman smiled. “I don’t know what this is about, son,” she answered, “but the young lady in the green suit asked me to wear this red rose on my coat. She also said that if you asked me out for dinner, she said she’d be waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”

A Modern-Day Service Parable

A Modern-Day Parable

One day an old Christian named Rufus Leekin called his brother in Christ, Lee Vight, and asked if he would like to buy some of his family antiques.

“Why do you want to sell those things, Rufus?” asked Lee. “I thought you really liked them.”

“Well, I do, but I need to hire somebody to shingle my roof, and I don’t have enough money saved up. I’ve been out of work for a year, so things have been tough lately. It’s kinda like life has beaten me up and left me half dead.”

“Man, I wish I could help you, but I’m not really into antiques. Good luck, though.” Lee hung up.

Later that day Rufus saw a member of his church named Jessup Reest downtown. When Rufus waved and tried to get his attention, Jessup acted like he didn’t see him and passed by on the other side. (He had heard from Lee that Rufus was trying to pawn off some of his old junk on church members.)

Out of desperation, Rufus finally called a guy he used to work with, named Sam Herriton, and gave him the same pitch. Rufus knew Sam was a nice guy and was pretty sure he went to church somewhere, but he wasn't sure where.

When Sam discovered the reason behind his solicitation, he took pity on Rufus. But instead of buying his treasures, Sam decided to round up some other guys from his own church and just take care of Rufus’s roof for him.

Rufus was overwhelmed. He tried to turn down their offer, but the good Sam Herriton was persistent. He and his crew worked all day Saturday shingling and repairing structural damage. Unfortunately they only got half done, and rain was coming. They were worried that the precipitation would find its way into the house if it wasn't finished right away. As much as Sam and his helpers hated to miss their church service, they decided they’d better finish the roof before the rains came and beat up on the house. (Sorry. Wrong parable.) So they worked all Sunday morning and finished roofing the roof of Rufus.

As Lee Vight and Jessup Reest drove by Rufus’s house on the way to church, they were both appalled that someone would skip worshiping God to work on a roof.

Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into hard times?