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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 4/5/2006 10:29:55 AM
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noblesinger
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From: "Almost Heaven"
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Here are the notes from Pastor Keith's third sermon in his Tithing and Giving series.
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What God Hath Joined Together: Generosity – and – Joy
2 Cor. 8: 1 – 5 (and selected passages)
The Basics
1) Everything belongs to God (Psalm 24:1; 50:11-12; Haggai 2:8)
2) Everything we ‘have’ comes from God (1 Cor. 4:7) and could be required by Him anytime (Luke 12:16-21)
3) Everything will be ‘left behind’ - we take nothing with us at death (1 Tim. 6:7), so wealth will either be invested or divested, forwarded or forfeited. (Matt. 6:19-21; 19:21)
4) The tithe is given first - as ‘the firstfruits of our increase’ (Prov. 3:9) & particularly belongs to God – to keep it and use it for one’s self is to ‘rob God’ & to bring a curse on our possessions (Mal. 3:8-10)
The Surprise
Guess what?
There is an unexpected delight and joy when we become obedient in this matter of tithing and giving – it is as though …
GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER -
“GIVING AND JOY”!
1st-let’s establish the fact
Nehemiah 8:10 – ‘the joy of the Lord is our _________’
“Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Do we really believe it?
In Acts 20:35, Paul quotes our Lord as saying,
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
It IS true…
Is it just a NT thing?
Proverbs 22:9 states very plainly, “He who is generous shall be blessed.”
And Psalm 112:5-9 reads, "It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice, for the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor.”
Psalm 4: 5-7 states – “Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the Lord. Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their (i.e., his enemies) grain and new wine abound.”
Why? How?
Why is it that ‘tithing’ and ‘giving’ are joyful? How can that be?
1. Riches are deceitful
A. Stated by Jesus – Matthew 13:22
B. Observed by Solomon – Ecclesiastes 2:7-11; 5:13ff
2. Riches are a snare
A. Paul – 1 Timothy 6:9; "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and some by longing for it have wandered from the faith"
3. Riches are uncertain
A. Paul – 1 Timothy 6:17; "Instruct those who are rich…not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God"
4. Giving is sure
A. We are storing up in Heaven (Matthew 7:19-21; 19:21)
B. We are laying up rewards for OUR account (Philippians 4:17ff)
5. Giving is ‘God-watched’
A. Matthew 10:42 - ‘the cup of cold water’
B. Mark 12:41 ff - ‘the widow’s mite’
6. Giving is ‘memorialized’
A. Mark 14:9 - Mary and the alabaster box of precious nard (ointment)
B. The Macedonian church
7. Giving is ‘God-like’
A. Ephesians 5:1 - We are to be imitators of God – and He is SO-O ‘GIVING’!!!
8. Giving disconnects us from this life and connects us with eternity
A. “where your treasure is, there your heart will be”
Conclusion
God wants us to be joyful
Giving is a means to that end.
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Blessings to you all,
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 4/10/2006 1:00:13 PM
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noblesinger
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It's been awhile since I've commented on any current events, and never have I mentioned a movie that is being filmed, but I am making an exception today.
Most college football fans of my age, and maybe other people who just are history or news buffs, will recall where they were when they first heard the news on November 14, 1970, announcing that there had been a plane crash near Tri-State Airport in Huntington, WV. On board were over 70 people in the traveling entourage of the Marshall University football team - players, coaches, team doctors & spouses, broadcasters, etc. The tragedy hit the city of Huntington in general, and the campus in particular, very hard. It decimated the team, leading to the cancellation of the remaining game on their schedule, and put the football program itself in jeopardy. A number of people wanted to drop the sport altogether, but they were persuaded to keep it alive. It's a good thing they did, because Thundering Herd football became the winningest Division 1 program in the 1990's (that's both 1-A and 1-AA combined). More victories than Florida State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Miami, Oklahoma...all of the "big boys". It led to a renewal of hope in Huntington and has inspired countless West Virginians to recover from similar blows.
Today, in Huntington, a movie is being filmed. Not a cheap. independent film that is destined to go directly to DVD release, but one that is being produced by Warner Bros., stars Matthew McConaughey (People's "Sexiest Man Alive"), Matthew Fox ("Lost"), David Strathern ("Good Night, and Good Luck"), and is directed by McG (both "Charlie's Angels" films). Entitled "We Are Marshall," it tells the story of how the school and the city dealt with their loss and how the "Young Thundering Herd" fielded a team of walk-ons and freshmen, along with the few remaining team members who were not on the plane, and ended up winning their first home game on a last-second TD. It's being touted as a "Rocky-esque" movie and slated for a late November 2006 release. As a former Marshall student, a football fan, and a proud West Virginian, I hope that this movie depicts the story in a good light and is well received by the rest of the country. More than a football movie, this is about an entire city recovering from a devastating incident, so women will like it. Or will they want to see it only because of the 2 Matthews? Wither way, I hope that you'll make an effort to see "We Are Marshall" when it comes to "a theater near you."
Duane
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"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 4/19/2006 9:09:15 AM
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noblesinger
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From: "Almost Heaven"
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Quote from my last Post: Wither way, I hope that you'll make an effort to see "We Are Marshall" when it comes to "a theater near you." should have said "Either" not "Wither". My apologies.
Here is the last in my Pastor's series of messages on Tithing and Giving. I hope that they have been a blessing and a help to you. If they have, drop me a PM and tell me. He knows that I have been sharing these with you, so he'd like to hear as well.
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Aspiring to the Joy of Contentment (so we can experience the Joy of Giving)
1 Timothy 6:6–10; Phil. 4:10–13; Heb. 13:5, 6
Today…We will see four things in the passages we read. We need to pack these up in our little ‘take out’ bags and feed on them later.
ONE: We have Cravings. They are the result of ‘a big Vacuum’.
TWO: The consequence…we Chase ‘things’ to fill this vacuum. This is what God calls ‘the Vanity of Vanities’.
THREE: We are prone to Covetousness. This is the ‘Vice’ we are to avoid.
FOUR: We need Contentment. This is the ‘Virtue’ God would have us cultivate.
From 1 Timothy 6:6-10 vs.6 "…there is great gain in godliness with contentment," That’s God’s Word. Our culture says: “there is great contentment in gain with godliness”
God’s Word says: vs.7 "… we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content." The world says: “He who dies with the most toys wins.”
God’s Word says: vs.9 "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. The world says: “Those who desire to be rich will be free from worry and problems.”
God’s Word says: vs.10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. The world says: “Money and things – that’s the secret of happiness”
God’s Word says in Heb. 13: vs.5 "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'
6 So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'”
Paul said (by the Holy Spirit): "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
Now, back to the four things:
ONE - It is a gift from God that we have cravings and desires
It is a tactic of Satan to corrupt those desires and lead us to try and satisfy them by sinful actions.
TWO - The consequence of our longings – combined with our sinful nature – lead us to do like the Prodigal Son and try to find satisfaction away from the Father
Remember the woman at the well?
THREE - The extension of these longings often lead to covetousness – a sin with tragic consequences.
Adam and Eve
Achan
Naboth
Gehazi
Judas Iscariot
Demas
FOUR - CONTENTMENT is the virtue God would have us pursue.
AND THIS HAS TO BE LEARNED (Phil. 4:11) (My comments: This means it takes work - no different than any other habit you try and cultivate.)
Here’s how:
- It is learned by valuing and treasuring the presence of Jesus Christ (Heb. 13:5)
- It is learned by believing that ‘He will supply our need’ (Phil. 4:13), and that sometimes we need to be in need!
- It is learned by refusing to let money ‘get you’ when you ‘get it’ (1 Tim. 6:17-19)
- It is learned by living within our means and giving away – with great joy – all we can beyond that… THAT makes us live for eternity
Conclusion – 2 ways to be rich…
THE ABUNDANCE OF POSSESSIONS: this is most apparent and most pursued.
THE ABSENCE OF DESIRES: few there be on this path - though God’s treasure maps point us in this direction more than the first one
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Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 4/21/2006 9:15:39 AM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: "Almost Heaven"
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Mea culpa, mea culpa, me a bonehead!    It seems that I was mistaken about my last Post when I told you that it contained the last of my Pastor's sermons on Tithing and Giving. This is his last sermon on that subject. My apologies to you all. (Sniffs and sobs) I'm so very, very sorry. 
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Give, and It Will Be Given Unto You…but - WHAT?
God’s Gifts to Generous Givers
Luke 6:38
A Sad Acknowledgment
This text - so misused for ‘selfish gain’ – by ‘hireling’ ministers - will be a cause of trembling for many on that great Day of Judgment when account is given…
A Serious Inquiry: What was Jesus teaching?
- That we ‘give to get’?
- That ‘prosperity road’ has offering envelopes as its center line?
- That we can have plenty for ourselves if we give bountifully to His work?
A time to search - consider, FIRST, the context
I. vv. 29 – 37: Jesus underscored the importance of ‘otherly-focused’ relationships
II. vv. 39 - 49: Jesus placed great emphasis on inward realities
III. Central in the text is ‘Give’...which appears to be a -
~ Straightforward mandate
~ Means of expressing ‘God likeness’
~ Barometer of growth in Christlikeness
~ Prompt to ponder God
In other words - Jesus taught
We are to be like the Father (v. 35)
(as children)
and
We are to be like the Teacher (v. 39)
(as disciples – or students)
In Luke 6:38 then…Reasons (or Motives) to Give
1. To be obedient
2. To reflect our Father
3. To honor our Master Teacher
4. To receive
Uh-oh… I remember you preached from Matt 20 (in 11/01) – ‘The Wallflower Parable’ – and said,
‘Beware of having preconceived ideas of what it means for God to treat us fairly; His ‘fairness’ is never disconnected from His sovereignty and His generosity.’
The Resolution
Because God is generous, we should be pleased to receive whatever He offers, for it is His grace that prompts His benevolence;
But because we are sinners, we must be cautious not to act as spoiled children and expect God to give whatever we want as if we can move Him to beneficent acts by our supposedly righteous deeds.
- OK- give to receive, but know that what you receive may not be...
Great wealth
Lavish houses
"Bling-bling"
You can look to receive -
I. The approving love of God – ‘God loves a cheerful giver’
II. The present pleasure of God – Hebrews 13:16; Matt 25:40 – ‘with such sacrifices God is well-pleased’
III. To be ‘blessed’ – Proverbs 22:9: ‘He who is generous will be blessed’ (Acts 20:35; Psalm 41:1)
IV. To be delivered from despondency and depression – read Isaiah 58:7 - 11
V. Abundant Joy – 1 Chron 29:17; Nehemiah 8:10, 12:43; Isaiah 55
VI. A proportionate return – YOU and I have a role in the ‘return on our investment’ – 2 Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 6:7
VII. Sufficient grace – 2 Corinthians 9:8; Psalm 112:5 – 7
VIII. Over-flow of thanks to other believers (encouragement) – 2 Corinthians 9:12
IX. Treasure in heaven, and ‘fruit to our account’ - Matt 6:19;19:21
Concluding remarks
Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth; whatever is touched by Christ is immediately touched with immortality. (Tozer)
The door to happiness opens outward. (Kierkegaard)
God loves ‘cheerful’ givers
Joy is a gift, a fruit, and a by-product of giving.
- Give God what is His; the tithe (10%) is uniquely His…And remember…If a person will NOT give what is rightfully God’s (the tithe), that person will not get to use it anyway.
Still, don’t give grudgingly
God instead of condemning us for desiring joy and delight,
warns of searching for it
in wrong
places.
Joy is found in generous giving.
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I'm putting together my notes from Pastor Keith's sermons on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, and should have them to share with you very soon. Blessings to you all.
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 4/25/2006 11:12:18 AM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: "Almost Heaven"
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These are the notes I promised you from Pastor Keith's sermon from Palm Sunday. I'm Posting them exactly I transcribed them into Word, including his initials "WKC" in the top line. His full name, if you're interested is Willis Keith Cobb. And yes, I do kid him every now and then by saying "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" He's a really good sport about that, and he's also an anointed teacher and preacher of God's Word - which is far more important than his being able to take some good natured kidding. Here's the notes...
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9 April 06 WKC John 19:5, 13-16 and Selected passages
“The People’s Court: Judging the Judge”
This incident is truly “the beginning of the end”; the only thing left was for Him to go to the Cross.
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Holy Week – the time recognized by the Church as the period leading up to the Crucifixion of Jesus.
Do you know the places?
Do you recognize the people?
Do you understand “providence”?
Were you there?
Were you among the crowd of those who were “judging the Judge? Look at the pictures and see if you can behold yourself?
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Behold, religious man
These were the Pharisees, Saducees, members of the Sanhedrin, Annas, Caiaphas; men who had a great deal of power in the land of Israel – or at least as much as Rome would let them have.
Oh…the dangers of religious fervor without accompanying love and grace. This was the state of these men. They were ruled by the rules and regulations of the Law, but had no concept of the love of God. They were corrupt, especially Annas (the High Priest) and Caiaphas (his father-in-law), whom he had disposed…but still differed to in the decision-making process.
Behold, civic man
This was Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who had been sent by Rome to “protect the Pax Romana”…and promptly caused an uprising by his arrogant attitude. His position was tenuous at best, and he was loathe to do anything to upset anyone: Caesar, the Jewish leaders, the people, etc.
Oh…the snare that “fear of man” brings upon you. Pilate had the opportunity to end it all. He appealed to the Jewish custom of releasing a prisoner during Passover, and he thought he’d picked a winner in having the crowd choose between Jesus Christ…and Barabbas. He thought wrong!
Behold, enslaved man
This is the one that is the easiest, yet the hardest, to spot. This is the crowd of people gathered outside the Praetorian House. They were not there as a result of their own religious fervor, their desire to see this “rabble rouser,” Jesus of Nazareth, punished for His crimes. No. They had been drawn there by the priests and scribes, gathering them up as they followed Jesus and the soldiers from the place of His “trial” (actually an illegal inquisition because it was held at night).
Oh…the poor unthinking, undiscerning, easily manipulated and favor-seeking masses. See how easily they, in their desire to please the priests, joined in the chorus that screamed for blood…Blood that was totally innocent of any crime.
Behold, boastful man
This is Simon Peter, the impetuous one. The one who asked Jesus to call him out of the boat. The one who, in a short span of time, identified Jesus as who He truly was (the Christ, the Son of the Living God), then received a stern rebuke ("Get thee behind me, Satan!") when he told Jesus not to speak of His impending death. The one who told Jesus at the Last Supper that he would never deny Him.
Beware, boastful man. Never tempt the tempter to tempt you. A word of wisdom to remember: “I would never say what I will never do.” It can lead to great sorrow later on.
Behold, blessed man
This was Barabbas, whose name means “son of his father” – “daddy’s boy”. The one who had the right motivation – a deep-seated yearning to be free from the Roman tyranny. It was that motivation, however, that led him to a very wrong action: he incited an insurrection, which led to a number of killings. This landed him in jail, awaiting his execution. Can you not see him, sitting there in his cell, knowing that the crosses were being built as he waited? He was the one who deserved to die.
Oh…blessed, indeed, is the man against whom the LORD will not count his sin. (Rom. 4:8) Barabbas was allowed to go free as Jesus took his place.
Behold, THE man
This was THE One who had given the very life’s breath to every one of His accusers and tormenters. This was THE One who alone could say that He had never sinned. This was THE One who should have been doing the judging of the crowd, and finding every one of them lacking – thus condemning them to an eternal death.
Oh…stand in reverential awe of Him, all you who are near. See His composure, His courage, His control in the face of an onslaught from the very pits of Hell itself. Hear His claims, when asked if He is the King of the Jews – “I AM” – the same word that El Shaddai used to describe Himself to Moses. He not only was stating that He is a King, but that He is God.
Behold, the hand of God
This man, Jesus, was delivered over to His accusers by the very hand of God. This man, Jesus, was being led by the hand of God, His Father, to the place of the greatest battle that this world would never see – because it would be fought in the unseen realm of the spirit – but one that would make the difference in the lives of people for untold generations to come. (Acts 2; 3:18; 4:27, 8)
Behold, your only hope
Psalm 2:10 – “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth.” This Jesus is, by His own admission, your only way to get to the Father (John 14:6). You need to look closely at Him, this man, this sinless One, this Jesus.
Have you seen yourself in this picture? Have you? Do you like what you have seen? Or are you repulsed by what appeared before your eyes? If you have been repulsed, then let Jesus make the change in your life. Do not turn away again from Him, for this scene would have taken place for you alone, if necessary, because He loves you that much. This can be the day when you are no longer the religious man, the civic man, the enslaved man, or the boastful man, but the blessed man, for you no longer have your sins counted against you.
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Blessings to you all,
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 4/26/2006 2:54:55 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: "Almost Heaven"
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I want to take a break from my sermon postings to relay a funny but true story. It comes from a friend of mine at church.
My friend was talking to her sister on the phone and she asked how her niece was doing. Evidently she had recently gotten either her learners permit or drivers license. Karen's sister proceeds to tell her of a recent excursion with the daughter behind the wheel. She was doing fine and her mother was sort of spacing out as they went. Suddenly, the car swerved to the left and right quickly, then straightened out and continued on. the mother cries out, "What happened? Did you just miss a car or a pothole or something?" To which the daughter replied, "Didn't you see that sign, Mom?" "What sign are you talking about? The "YIELD" sign back there?" says the mother. "No, Mom!" said the daughter, "The other sign. The one that goes like this..." She proceeds to move her hand back and forth in a squiggly line...The goofy girl was talking about the "SLIPPERY WHEN WET" sign! She actually thought she was supposed to swerve back and forth like the sign depicted!!
After I calmed down my hysterical laughter, I asked my friend if her niece was a blonde. Karen replied, "She's not really a blond. She's a brunette, but she does highlight her hair." I said, "Well then, she's a blonde on the inside, 'cause that's one of the dumbest moves I've ever heard of!!" Karen agreed wholeheartedly!
I just pray that this girl learns what the signs mean...and FAST!!! For all our sakes!!
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 5/8/2006 12:19:01 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: "Almost Heaven"
Status: offline
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I'm going to Post as often as I can this week, since Mary and I will be gone for the next 2 weeks beginning next Monday the 15th. This is the long-awaited "Birthday Trip" that I've been planning for months now. I had originally thought about waiting until we were ready to pull out of the driveway to tell her of ourt destination, but when our income tax refund was larger than we thought it was going to be, I went ahead and told her - much to the chagrin of my co-conspirator, who is her best friend. She called me a wimp for spilling the beans so soon, but I simply said that I was caught up in the excitement of the moment of our unexpected windfall.
I do hope that Fritz and the rest of "the powers that be" will allow me some leeway concerning my Blog posts. I may not have computer access while I'm gone, but if I can get in here for a few minutes, I will give this baby a "Burp" - I mean a "Bump".
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 5/8/2006 2:29:32 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: "Almost Heaven"
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I told you I'd be Posting often, so here I am again! I'd like to give you the itinerary of our upcoming trip, if I might.
We are taking a trip to Tennessee and Georgia to see Mary's 2 half-sisters and half brother. The sisters live 5 doors apart in Seymour, TN, which is right on the doorstep of the Great Smokey Mountains. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are the 2 big tourist traps down there. I've been to both of them, but that was in 1982, so things have really changed since then. Dollywood is the big attraction, but they also have a number of outlet stores, as well as Christus Gardens and the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum and the Ripley's Aquarium.
We'll spend Monday through Thursday nights in TN, then head for Calhoun, GA on Friday morning. Her brother and his wife operate a Christian bookstore there, so I'm looking for some free samples. Just kidding! While visting them, we hope to spend a few hours with our former Assistant Pastor and his family in a nearby city. Also, we'd like to go into Atlanta and see some of the sights, but that depends upon the gas prices.
Our trip will end on Tuesday when we leave GA and head back north. We're going down I-77 into VA, then cutting across in to TN on the way down, but taking a different track on the way home. When Mom and I came down to Knoxville for the 1982 Worlds Fair, the best way was to travel west into Lexington on I-64, then south into Knoxville on I-75. This takes you over Jellico Mountain, which is a scenic, but long stretch of highway with a big gap between gas stations. Mary has never seen that area, so I plan on taking her that way and spending the night in Lexington, then seeing the Kentucky Horse Park the next day before traveling the rest of the way home to Charleston.
It's looking like a really fun vacation, so I may be just as anxious as Mary is to get going. We despreately need this time to be together as a couple. Perhaps the Lord might be merciful to us and let this be the time for Mary and I to conceive a child. We can only hope ... and pray.
Duane
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"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 5/28/2006 10:19:49 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
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From: "Almost Heaven"
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We're back!!
Mary and I had a wonderful vacation. It was a truly remarkable trip from start to finish. And I do mean remarkable. We left the house between 1 and 1:30 on the 15th, which was later than when we had wanted to get away. That meant that we were going to be in Seymour, TN at around 7 or 8. But there were some minor glitches along the way, thanks to Mapquest. I had gotten my directions from them, instead of from my sister-in-law, because I had previously received some reliable help in the past. This time was a totally different strory, though. The way their directions read, I was to go to the right just beyond the WV - VA border. I did that, but it wasn't even close to being correct. After finally getting on the correct track, we continued on through the Virginia countryside and across the Tennessee state line.
When we reached the proper exit to get to Mary's sister's home, I wasn't sure which way to go - left or right - so I gambled and turned right. WRONG!! I drove about 6 miles down the wrong road, so I turned around, went back the way I came (passing by a Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World that I didn't know about!) and kept on going. I started to see signs indicating that I was on the proper road, so I felt some relief from my frustration, only to get more frustrated because the directions were once again unclear about a turn-off. After some more out-of-the-way driving, I got back out to the main highway I had left, then called my in-laws house for some much needed help. I spoke with my nephew, who very quickly determined where I was, then got me headed in the right direction. We arrived at their home about an hour-and-a-half later than we had intended, but safely nonetheless.
That's enough for now. More will follow. See ya' later!
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 5/29/2006 11:07:55 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
Joined: 4/11/2005
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After a good night's sleep in a California-king size bed, I woke Mary up by singing "Happy Birthday" to her. We then sat around and talked to her sister for awhile, then decided on our plan of action for the day. Breakfast was first on our agenda, so we got cleaned up and drove into Pigeon Forge to eat at a place called "Flapjacks Pancake Barn." Rosemary (that's Mary's sister, BTW) had intended for us to eat somewhere else, but she forgot where it was and saw this restaurant instead. I'm certainly glad that she did, because Flapjacks is truly a fine place to eat. Mary had something called "Banana Split Stackers," which was chocolate chip pancakes, strawberries, pineapple, bananas, whipped cream and walnuts. I had a Mexican omelet and grits, while Rosemary ate "Apple Pecan Stackers," consisting of buttermilk pancakes, cooked apples, pecans, and other assorted goodies. Waddling out of the restaurant, we headed for the car and our first stop of the day.
Driving into Gatlinburg, we found a place to park and walked to the Ripley's Aquarium. It was really a great place to tour. If you ever get down that way, I would highly recommend taking it in. The only parts that bothered me were when I saw their signs which spoke of the number of millions of years that had passed...well, you get my drift. There were tanks containing all sorts of creatures: sea horses and sea dragons, numerous species of fish, gigantic Japanese crabs, sawfish, sharks, green moray eels, giant groupers, stingrays and manta rays, the list goes on and on. We had a great time there.
Once we left the aquarium, we headed back for Pigeon Forge and a shopping excursion to an outlet mall. We spent several hours there, finding several bargains along the way, as well as some absolutely decadent fudge at an establishment called The Fudgery. We bought 1/4 lb. chunks of Peanut Butter and Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Nut, Rocky Road, and New Orleans Praline fudge. It was so-o-o-o-o good!
Oops! It's getting late and I have to go back to work in the morning.  I'll tell you more of our journey later.
Duane
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"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 5/31/2006 12:40:45 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
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Now we come to the real purpose of our journey to Pigeon Forge. As many of you know, Mary was adopted by her aunt and uncle due to her being seriously sick and her parents being unable to care for her, along with her other 7 siblings at that time - one more came later. For years, she thought that her biological siblings were her cousins, and vice-versa. After we got married, the truth came out and we have enjoyed getting to know all of the rest of her family. But there was another side to this story: Mary's father had been previously married to another woman, so Mary had 2 half-sisters and 1 half-brother that she never saw. Her adopted father would see them from time to time when they would come to visit his sister (their Aunt Leona), but not Mary. Once again, after we were married, we got the chance to meet one of the sisters and the brother, as well as their spouses, one year at Christmas. From the moment we saw them, it was like we had never been apart. They just took us into their lives and we reciprocated. Totally wonderful!
As I said, though, Mary had only met one of her two sisters. But on May 16, her 40th birthday, she got the opportunity to finally lay her eyes on Linda, the "long, lost sister." We parked in the lot at the Smith Family Theater and waited for Linda and her husband, Bob, as well as Rosemary's husband...Elvis. Yes folks, that is not a trick of your peepers! His name really is Elvis. Isn't that a hoot?! Anyway, when the van pulled up, we got out of the car, Linda jumped out of the van and started running across the lot towards Mary with her arms wide open, just squealing to beat the band. And my sweetie was doing the same. I nearly cried when I saw them embrace! Finally, I got the chance to meet her and she hugged me just as tightly as she did Mary. Once again I nearly cried. This is how it's supposed to be!
On a side note: after we got home, I went to my Men's Prayer Meeting on Saturday, and the Lord brought to my mind the picture of Mary and Linda's first meeting, then changed it to our first meeting with Him. The whole running with out-stretched arms part was the same, but there were no squeals of joy - only silent awe as we approach Him, then fall at His feet in utter worship of the One who loved us so much that He would die to bring us to Himself. How glorious that day will be, when Jesus takes us in those loving arms and holds us close to say, "Welcome home, My child! Welcome home!"
I've got to go now - lunch is over, so it's back to work! More of our journey's story will follow.
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 6/13/2006 12:01:35 PM
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noblesinger
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Once the clamor of meeting Linda and Bob died down, we made our way across the highway to eat dinner at The Great American Steak and Buffet Company. This place is very similar to Ryans and Golden Corral, which are two of our favorite places to eat, and the food was pretty good there that night. Before we even got seated, Bob said, "Let's pray," and began asking god to bless the food and our time together. Those words were music to our ears! We knew that Rosemary and Elvis were Christians, but hadn't been told about Bob and Linda, so this was so sweet to find out.
As we ate, we began to find out some details of their story; Linda had been widowed when she was 37 - left to raise 2 young daughters alone and in a city far from her WV roots (Memphis, TN). She did a good job, although it wasn't without some struggles, and God brought Bob into her life several years later; first, as a co-worker and friend, who was in a similar position, then as someone she grew to love, and eventually as her husband. Mary and I shared some of our story with them, including how the two of us ended up getting married. We omitted some of the less than nice parts of what has occured since then (Mary's brother evicting us from the trailer we were using - under false pretenses - among them), but enough to let them know of the goodness of God in our lives.
After dinner, we made our way back across the highway to the Smith Family Theater where we were treated to a show by the Smith Brothers (No, not the cough drop dudes!). It's two brothers, Charlie and Jim, and Charlie's son, Charlie Jr., also known as Charlie Bob. That's right...Charlie Bob! But you must remember, this is the South, so they tend to use familiar versions of a person's two given names: For example, if a girl's name is Roberta Josephine, she's called Bobbi Jo, and if a guy's name is James Robert, he's often called Jim Bob - like on The Waltons. But I digress. These guys do Oldies, Country, Bluegrass, Impressions (some of which are dead on!), and Southern Gospel. The show is very well done, and is family-friendly, so if you ever get down to Pigeon Forge, go see the Smith Family in action. You won't be disappointed! When the show was over, we got the opportunity to speak with them. They are really down-to-earth kind of guys, and seemed genuinely pleased to meet us. Bob and Linda are friends of theirs, so that may have had something to do with it, but they still listened to our comments. We purchased a DVD of the evening's performance to take home with us, so that Mary's dad could see it for one particular reason...which I'll tell you about later!
Before we left that night, we set the time for Bob & Linda to come and pick us up the next morning for our excursion to Dollywood. It was decided that they'd come by at 9:00, so we said goodnight and headed back to Elvis & Rosemary's for some much needed sleep. I'll share about our day at Dollywood the next time.
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 6/22/2006 12:53:53 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
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From: "Almost Heaven"
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The next morning, we were awake early and ready to go (except for RoseMary, who tends to be a slowpoke when it comes to leaving!). After a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage links, toast, and grits, we loaded up into Bob & Linda's van and headed for Dollywood.
It's really not very far at all from RoseMary's home to the grounds, but while we drove I got the chance to learn a bit more about Bob. He was a firefighter in Memphis for over 20 years, then he retired and went to work for a nursing home. That was where he met Linda. His wife had died several years before they met, and she had been widowed for longer than that, so they struck up a friendship that ended up leading to them getting married. They stayed in Memphis for a few years, but kept going to Seymour to see RoseMary & Elvis on their vacations. One year they looked at each other and said, "We keep coming here for to visit; why don't we just move here?" The search began for a place to live, and Linda found this one house that she absolutely fell in love with. There was only one problem - it wasn't for sale. But she took a picture of it just the same, then kept looking at it over the next year. When they returned on their next vacation, guess what? It had a 'For Sale' sign in the yard! They made an offer, knowing that Bob was ready to retire, it was accepted, and they got to move just around the corner from RoseMary.
Arriving at Dollywood, I found out something rather interesting; residents of Sevier County get a discount on just about every activity around, including entrance to Dollywood - Season Passes, too. Now how neat is that?! We made our way through the gates and into a place just bustling with activity, but seemingly in another time. The architecture looked like something from the late 1800's-early 1900's, but I knew that it was bound to change after I got a look at a map of the park. There were areas reminiscent of a logging camp, an Old West town, a 1950's street scape...you name it, they've got it. Our first stop was the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame. When you enter the doors, you are met by a singing quartet...of animatronic figures! That was really weird. In fact, Mary even went so far as to call them "The Singing Corpses." We saw displays of old records, videos of some of the pioneers in the field, an old tour bus, song books from the Stamps-Baxter School of Music (a few of them are at my house - they were Mom's when she was young), and a mini-theater where they show Bill Gaither videos. We stopped to watch a little of the one that was playing because it was "A Tribute to Anthony Burger." That was such a shock to hear that God had called him home so soon.
Moving from there, we headed straight for the lumber camp area, which is where the new "Timber Tower" ride is located, as well as "Thunderhead," an all-wood roller coaster that travels about 75-80 mph. Talk about wild! I was absolutely buzzed when I got off that baby!! I didn't get to ride "Timber Tower" because it was down for maintenance...NUTS! We drifted over towards the Old West section, stopping by a pond to look at the koi and the ducks. They have a replica of a grist mill, complete with water wheel, that is actually a gift shop, which is kinda neat. We also looked inside Dolly's old house, or at least a replica of it. How in the world did her parents raise that huge family in that two room shack? Beats the bejabbers outta me!
Grabbing a bite at the pizza shop, we went over to take a ride on the train that goes around most of the park. That was really relaxing, and gave us a chance to let our pizza settle before tackling the remainder of the park.
The train is an old coal-fired steam locomotive that was saved from a scrap yard by one of Dollywood's predecessors (the name escapes me, but it was before Silver Dollar City, which eventually became Dollywood) and it even has a working steam whistle that is really loud. there's no way, unless you're absolutely stone deaf, that you could miss hearing it, that's for sure.
Well, I've got to get back to work. I'll pop back in with more details later.
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 7/1/2006 11:10:49 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
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After we got off the train, we sort of meandered through the artisan section of Dollywood. I was surprised at the diversity of what was going on: there were people making lye soap next to someone painting a picture on a piece of slate, the metal worker was close to the wagon maker, a glass blower was in the same vicinity as the folks cooking up homemade pork rinds - it just went on and on.
A couple of these folks held a particular fascination for me - the wagon make and the wood carver. The wagon make could actually be called a carriage make, because there were two white carriages For Sale in his shop. I couldn't believe my eyes! These carriages looked like something straight out a bridal fantasy - the only thing lacking was a pair of large, white stallions hitched to the front.
The wood carver's shop had the usual souveniers for sale: key chains, pen/pencil holders, Christmas tree ornaments, etc. But other items that were available were not so ordinary such as hand-carved wolves, bears, dogs, eagles...grandfather clocks. Yes, grandfather clocks! They ranged in cost from $1399 to $3499 (tax not included) with Free Shipping - they were quick to point this fact out - and were truly beautiful and well-built. But the one that truly caught our eyes was absolutely exquisite; carved from a single piece of wood and stained to perfection, the clock face was like a cuckoo clock with leaves and other decorative work surrounding it, the middle of it contained the pendulum and the rest of the workings, and at the base were 3 black bears. Mary & I both were flabbergasted by how gorgeous it was! The price? Only $5999...but with FREE SHIPPING! When we talked to Mom that night to tell her about our day, I mentioned the clock to her. She couldn't believe the price! I jokingly told her that if we'd had the money, Mary & I would have bought it for her...knowing that when she died it would belong to us! She laughed about that one!
Oops! It's beddy-bye time for me! See you later!
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 7/2/2006 11:02:24 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
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When we left the wood shop, we walked back towards a very special section of Dollywood. It is their aviary; the place where a group of people known as the American Eagle Foundation take care of birds of prey - owls, buzzards, hawks, and particularly, eagles; they nurse them back to health when injured or tend to them when they have been tainted by humans. They even breed them so that their young can be released back into the wild, and they never touch the young at anytime before their release. An amiphitheater is the site for a "show" where a number of these beautiful creatures are put on display - not to make a spectacle of them, but to let the public know of the work being done by the American Eagle Foundation. It was very impressive, informative, and even a little bit dangerous.
Before the show began, we were warned not to look up with our mouths open (for obvious reasons!), and to be ready to duck. The handlers will, from time to time, release one of the birds to let it swoop over the crowd and land on a perch at the rear of the amphitheater. Well, Mary nearly wore a red-tailed hawk as a hat! It went buzzing over us and just about got her right in the hair! That brought a good bit of nervous laughter from my sweetheart, to say the least.
One of the last stops we made before leaving the park (after I took a spin on their triple-loop roller coaster, the Tennessee Tornado) was at the Dolly Parton Museum. It was there that Mary & I received confirmation of a story that we'd heard ever since we first learned about RoseMary, Linda, & Wayne. Strolling through the plaques of her gold records, Grammy awards & nominations, pictures of her childhood (we'd seen the rebuilt house she was raised in, as well as the chapel where she got baptised, earlier in the day), I saw a picture of Dolly's high school class on a trip to DC. They were all posed on a set of steps with the Capitol building in the background, Dolly seated in the center of the front row...and Linda right next to her!!
That's right, my friends! My sister-in-law was a classmate of Miss Dolly herself! Of course, she has changed just a tad since grad...if you know what I mean. Even Dolly herself has joked, "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap." But her smile is still the same and I recognized Linda right away; didn't even need her to point herself out to us. It was really neat to find out that little bit of information.
The time is getting away from me, and I need to go to sleep. See y'all later!
Duane
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 7/3/2006 10:36:51 AM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: "Almost Heaven"
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We finally left Dollywood and headed back to Pigeon Forge for dinner at a restaurant called Applewood's. If you're ever in Pigeon Forge, you've got to try Applewood's - it's da' bomb!! Every meal is preceded by several appetizers: an Applewood's julep - which is a cocktail made entirely of apple and other fruit juices (Yummy!), a basket of apple fritters with hot, homemade apple butter to spread on them (it's their own recipe), and your choice of several soups. It was when the waitress asked which soup we wanted that a new episode of "The Twilght Zone" made its appearance.
"Imagine if you will 5 people, 3 of them sisters, seated around a table in a restaurant ordering their soup. Little do they know that the table is located in...The Twilight Zone" Our seating order, from the 12 o'clock position and going counter-clockwise was: Linda, Bob (her husband), RoseMary, myself, Mary, and a empty chair. We all gave our soup preferences, and when they arrived, Mary said to me, "Honey, look at this!" I scanned the table and immediately started whistling, "Doo doo doo doo, Doo doo doo doo," because the soup orders went like this, beginning w/Linda: vegetable, black bean, vegetable, chicken noodle, vegetable. Isn't that weird?! The "3 Fauber Girls" had all gotten the same soup...but hadn't been paying attention to the others when they ordered! When Mary & I pointed this out to the rest of the family, they all looked stunned for a moment, then began to laugh about the oddities of genetics.
One other funny thing about dinner; RoseMary and Linda both told Mary after she ordered the Chicken Pot Pie that she'd probably want dessert because it was a pretty small serving. WRONG!! It turned out to be Chicken Pan Pizza Pie! It was at least 12" in diameter and about 4" deep! That was one of the largest entrees that I'd ever seen. Mary's eyes got as big as softballs when she saw it and her sisters were laughing all over themselves. I guess Mary got a little bit of payback for all of the practical jokes she's pulled on people over the years. GOTCHA, honey!!
On Thursday, RoseMary, Mary and I went shopping again. Our first stop was the HQ for Smokey Mountain Knife Works. This was such a treat for me, because I love to collect knives...and this building had 'em out the wazoo! We'd seen the place as we came in on Monday night and had hoped to be able to come back to look around. We entered the doors and I thought I'd gone to "knife collectors heaven." There were katana blades, samurai swords, nunchuks, throwing stars, throwing knives, hatchets, Scottish claymores, fantasy knives, survival knives,...you name it, they had it. I even saw a bucket containing old, used bayonets...that still had bloodstains on them! How they came up with these I don't know. There was even a section devoted to "The Lord of The Rings!" I saw Gimli's helmet, sword, and battleaxw; Lady Arwen's short sword (name?); Sauron's headpiece and gauntlet; Sarumon & Gandalf's staffs; and two versions of Gandalf's sword, Elandril. One was a very nice piece that cost $169, while the other one - a numbered edition in a wood & glass display case - was priced at $679. To say that I was floored was an understatement! If there'd been $10,000 cash in my pocket, I could have spent it all right there. That is one place that I'll return to again when we go back down there.
There's a lot more to come, so stay tuned!
Duane
< Message edited by noblesinger -- 7/3/2006 10:47:45 AM >
_____________________________
"...the worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." - Henry Scougal, The Life of God in the Soul of Man
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RE: Songs of the Noblesinger - 7/3/2006 2:22:04 PM
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noblesinger
Posts: 896
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: "Almost Heaven"
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Moving on down the highway, we stopped at a Christian Book Warehouse to look for some bargains. Mary & I wanted to do something for RoseMary as a way of thanking her for all that she had done...and I found the perfect thing.
One morning, I was talking to RoseMary while breakfast was cooking. We got on the subject of Bibles, mainly because I'd noticed all of the different translations that she had. When I asked her if she'd ever seen the English Standard Version (my favorite), she said that she'd heard of it but hadn't seen a copy. I got mine to show her, and RoseMary said that she like the way that it read. As we browsed the shelves at the Warehouse (RoseMary was in the car making a cell call), my eyes fastened on a Thinline Edition of the ESV in Dusty Rose leather with a floral pattern etched into it. How utterly perfect! A rose colored Bible that speaks of our Rose of Sharon for my sister-in-law, RoseMary... and at a good price to boot! Thank You, Lord, for Your goodness!
For an extra bonus, as I headed for the checkout counter, God brought something to my attention. Oliver North's 3rd novel, The Assassins, was on a sale table with a sign that read "On Sale. List price: $27.99 Our price: $3.99" Needless to say, I grabbed a copy of that one in a heartbeat! My sweetie had bought the first 2 books for me at various times (On sale - always!), but hadn't been able to find this one on sale...until now!!
We spent the rest of the day shopping or browsing at a number of stores, just happy to be spending time together. After dinner at Golden Corral, we went back home to pack for out departure the next morning for Calhoun, GA.
One funny note about our last night at Elvis & RoseMary's; Elvis recalled how frustrated we were by Mapquest's directions to their place. He sat us down at the dining room table to tell us how to get to the Interstate from their house, with RoseMary playing secretary and writing everything down. The only problem with this was that Elvis was doing his level best to make things easy for us - giving short & sweet instructions - while RoseMary kept on adding little unnecessary things to them. Fianlly, Elvis said to her, "Daggone it, Rosey! You're gonna git 'em lost again if you keep it up!" A few minutes later, after he told us of an underpass that we needed to get through, RoseMary said, "Be sure to watch for a purple cow on the other side. You can get some chocolate milk from it." Well, that was it; all four of us lost it and just started laughing all over ourselves. It must have taken 6 or 7 minutes for us to finally stop giggling, but the directions got done at last and we went to bed.
Oh, I forgot to mention a bit of trivia about Elvis. While we chatted before the Smith Family show started, the subject of politics came up. Elvis was reluctant to get started on it, because he figured that I was a Democrat - being from WV and all. I just grinned at him and stuck out my hand. He said, "You mean you're a Republican?!" I said, "Actually, I'm a conservative. But I did switch my affiliation to t | | |
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