Sometimes I get a bit behind. Today, I’ve got some responses to three different “Inside Out” stories that I think will interest and possibly bless you. So, here goes. I will put the responses in paranthesies and occasionally comment in between.

RESPONSE TO“MIGHTY CASETTE AT THE BAT…”

“Your story reminded of a song by Peter, Paul, and Mary called ‘Right Field’.”

I received the above e-mail on my birthday, February 15th. Pat had asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told her about this gentleman’s letter. She bought me “Peter, Paul, and Mommy, Too” which had that song on it. He was absolutely right. I’ve about worn the song out!

RESPONSES TO “LET JOE DO IT…”

I promised last week to put these in this week. This first one is a little long, but well worth the read (IMHO).

     “Your article this week brought back memories of just one of my adventures with my good friend from Utah. We had driven down to Colorado to visit her family with three of her young children. On our way back to Utah, we found a poor lamb lying on the side of the road, literally in the middle of nowhere. He raised his head up and gave us one of those ‘help me’ stares. So there we were, car loaded with treasures and kids and we stopped to assist. We didn’t see any blood, but we knew we had to find a vet. At that precise moment, another car came along and helped lift the lamb into the back seat of the suburban. We knew that car arrived to help us since the lamb was large and had horns. Even with the two of us, I doubt we’d have been able to lift it without hurting it further. The car left and we saw no one else for about 50 miles or so. Luckily, my friend was raised on sheep ranches, so she knew of a vet in a town about 60 miles away, so we made our first detour that afternoon. We got the lamb to the vet where he was in good hands. We didn’t know to whom it belonged, but a customer came into the vet’s office to purchase dog food and recognized the brand from over 90 miles away. Talk about timing.

     We then proceeded to return to Utah, now only 3 hours later than when we started out. We just turned onto Interstate 80 in Wyoming, where the speed limit posted is 85 MPH. I don’t even think we’d been on the highway for 5 minutes, when I looked at the mile marker. I saw a van rolling over on the other side of the highway. It turned completely over at least 3 times while I was watching!! Cathy and I grabbed our cell phones and tore down the gully and over to the van. Our cell phone got right through to 911. Luckily I knew our location to a tee . Of course, in Wyoming, exits tend to be over 50 miles apart so this was rather crucial information. A few cars stopped after the fact and none of their cells worked, so my friend and I looked at each other and commented that had it not been for the lamb, had I not been watching the road or our phones hadn’t worked, etc., the poor man wouldn’t have had help in time. At those times, just like your take on being there when the fire started – you know you were meant to be where you were at that particular moment in time.

     In our vacation tale, the lamb died from shock. However, the doctors were able to save the accident victim’s arm. He was told that he should recover the use of it after a lot of rehab. We had to check the next day. Neither of us could rest until we knew the outcome. It was kind of bittersweet news. My friend had already decided she’d adopt the lamb (if available for adoption) if he made it.”

Here’s another slant on the whole story I wrote in “Let Joe Do It…”.

 “We have called in about six emergency calls this past year—auto accidents. We were usually the first one on the scene in these cases. Fortunately they were not ‘critical’ injuries in the case of the car accidents. It pays to have a cell phone. Glad you have one. I’ve found that there are a lot of ‘Joes’ out there, people willing to help. We need to do our part, whether we are the hero or just the plain Jane or Joe that takes in a meal or two.

     BUT—we do need balance. NOT in emergencies only, BUT in the other stuff as well because if we don’t, we could always be the ‘Joe’ always does does it and sometimes get overloaded—just a thought…=)”

As for your questions:

1. The toner dust represents how quickly we can get off track and scatter what good has been done. Sometimes we are following our Lord closely and other times we are here, there, and everywhere doing whatever.
2. The inability of the toner dust to stick to the paper reminds me of the story in Matthew of the seed scattered on thorny ground and its ability to survive. Planting on thorny ground or on the rocks will get us absolutely nowhere. We must plant in the soft, good soil to get a good harvest!!
3. Constant study, prayer and a willingness to follow Jesus is what we need. I believe what makes the toner stick is constant study, prayer and fellowshipping with the saints. Our toner will stick wherever we are whether good or bad!! Needless to say, it is our mind choice that causes us to be fruitful and multiply. Jesus will cause our ‘toner’ to stick if we truly are following and serving Him.
4. These are the thoughts I had as I read your story. I am sure that after much more thought, it could get even deeper. May God bless you as you continue to keep us thinking!!”

     “Hmmm. The toner dust is what makes the imprint on other people’s lives. We determine where it’s supposed to go by communicating in word or action. We can lay it on thick with anger or intense emotion, or we can be so wishy washy that you can’t even see an imprint.

     Things that would cause the toner dust not to stick would be mis-communications. Laying it on too thick or too thin will create problems. Toner dust won’t stick if the surface it’s going to isn’t receptive. You need to be a good listener to receive a layer of toner dust.

     The thing that makes the toner stick to the paper, of course, is the Holy Spirit–the Master of communication! It’s the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit that give the toner the proper consistency and cause the receiving surface to absorb the toner.”

     “What does the toner dust represent in our walk with the Lord? I think it represents “me”. I’m the toner dust. After all, man was made from the dust of the earth & God breathed life into him. I get chills when I read that verse!

     What spiritual truth might be illustrated by the inability of the toner dust to stick to the paper? The inability of the toner dust to stick to the paper, represents to me that if we don’t have true salvation thru Jesus Christ ALONE, that we will not be able to make it through life & we’ll go to hell!

     What is the agent in our spiritual lives that causes the toner to stick? THE AGENT IS THE LORD JESUS, AND IF SAVED, WE WILL ABIDE WITH HIM FOREVER!”

“I just wanted to let you know that I think your “little site” stories just keep hitting so great!! It turns out that each one of my family members read through them after I send them the link to your page!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to do some great writing…it is so good to reflect on life. Take care and let there be tons and tons of smiles and S-U-N-S-H-I-N-E in your life as well as your wife’s. :o)”

     “So you are going to make us work and think for ourselves now huh? hehehehe. Well, I think it’s great. Actually something struck me that wasn’t even one of your questions. I got to thinking how lost you were without your printer and didn’t know how to fix it, so you needed to trust the repair man to do so………..That reminds me of how lost we get when we don’t trust Him to fix the messes in our lives. When we DO trust him though, He fixes things for us. As long as we go to Him with faith and prayer and give whatever our problem may be to Him fully to be in charge of, He never forsakes us…… Say, I think this making us think is really going somewhere. hehehehe”

Well, Papa Jerry here again. In spite of my best efforts, it looks like we’re a bit long even catching up. Hard to pick and choose from all the neat stuff my readers send in.

Please feel free to respond to any of these responses or any of the pieces in the “Inside Out” archives. To e-mail me, just click on the “Contact Us” tab in the top of the page.

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