The Old Man and the Gulls

It is gratitude that prompted an old man to visit an old broken pier on the eastern seacoast of Florida. Every Friday night until his death in 1973 he would return, walking slowly and slightly stooped with a large bucket of shrimp. The sea gulls would flock to this old man, and he would feed them from his bucket. Many years before, in October, 1942, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker was on a mission in a B-17 to deliver an important message to General Douglas MacArthur in New Guinea. But there was an unexpected detour which would hurl Captain Eddie into the most harrowing adventure of his life.

Somewhere over the South Pacific the Flying Fortress became lost beyond the reach of radio. Fuel ran dangerously low, so the men ditched their plane in the ocean.  For nearly a month Captain Eddie and his companions would fight the water, and the weather, and the scorching sun. They spent many sleepless nights recoiling as giant sharks rammed their rafts. The largest raft was nine by five. The biggest shark...ten feet long.

But of all their enemies at sea, one proved most formidable: starvation. Eight days out, their rations were long gone or destroyed by the salt water. It would take a miracle to sustain them. And a miracle occurred. In Captain Eddie's own words, "Cherry”—that was the B- 17 pilot, Captain William Cherry—"read the service that afternoon, and we finished with a prayer for deliverance and a hymn of praise. There was some talk, but it tapered off in the oppressive heat. With my hat pulled down over my eyes to keep out some of the glare, I dozed off.  Something landed on my head. I knew that it was a sea gull. I don't know how I knew, I just knew. Everyone else knew too. No one said a word, but peering out from under my hat brim without moving my head, I could see the expression on their faces. They were staring at that gull. The gull meant food...if I could catch it."

And the rest, as they say, is history. Captain Eddie caught the gull. Its flesh was eaten. Its intestines were used for bait to catch fish. The survivors were sustained and their hopes renewed because a lone sea gull, uncharacteristically hundreds of miles from land, offered itself as a sacrifice. You know that Captain Eddie made it.  And now you also know...that he never forgot. Because every Friday evening, about sunset...on a lonely stretch along the eastern Florida seacoast...you could see an old man walking...white-haired, bushy-eyebrowed, slightly bent. His bucket filled with shrimp was to feed the gulls...to remember that one which, on a day long past, gave itself without a struggle...like manna in the wilderness.

—Paul Aurandt, "The Old Man and the Gulls", Paul Harvey's The Rest of the Story, 1977, quoted in Heaven Bound Living, Knofel Stanton, Standard, 1989, p. 79-80.

    -Scott McFarland

Answered Prayers

Thank you to everyone who prayed for Vicki Jones, (Bev & Gary Jones daughter-in- law) and Rosemary Jones.  They both have received good reports.

Thanksgiving Fellowship

The church Thanksgiving fellowship dinner will be Sunday, November 21st after services. There will be a sign-up sheet in the foyer for anyone interested in helping cook a turkey, serve, or bring a dessert. If you have any questions, contact Karen Robbins.

Change of Address

Please update your directory addresses for Chase & Haylee Carothers, their address is: 422 Moose Ridge Road, Woodsfield, Ohio 43793 and for Bryant and Lakin Arnold, their address is: 735 Frontage Drive, Moundsville, WV 26041.

Perseverance

The other week I heard a preacher friend make this statement (he had heard it from someone else): “You weather the weather whatever the weather, whether you like it or not.”  Say that 10 times fast!  I paused a minute to take it all in.  Life can be discouraging, can’t it?  If you are blessed to live long enough, there is no doubt that you will encounter difficulty, hard times, and discouragement.  In those moments, we have a choice—do we quit or keep going?

I was visiting with an older member this week.  They are a member of the Greatest Generation, and we were talking about all of their life experiences—lots of difficulty.  As I was thinking about all they had been through—the Great Depression, WW2, social upheaval, incredible personal loss—I was reminded of how important it is to persevere.  When life throws its curveballs, we can give up or keep going.  If we give up, we forfeit the opportunity to learn, grow, be challenged and transformed into Christ’s image.

Can you imagine if Jesus gave up?  Well before the cross, He encountered difficulty.  Loss of family, rejection from family, persecution from the religious elite, homelessness, poverty…the list goes on.  It would have been easy for Him to throw in the towel.  I’m glad He didn’t.  I’m glad He gave us the example of perseverance, and because of His perseverance, we have eternal life.

At the end of the II Timothy, Paul knows he is about to die.  He writes to Timothy and says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” (4:7-8)

Don’t give up.  Keep going.  Weather the weather.  There’s a crown waiting for you.

      -Scott McFarland

Operation Christmas Child

Angela Beardmore will be packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child on Saturday, October 23rd in the Fellowship Building. All supplies for the boxes will be provided. If you would be interested in helping her to pack the boxes, please contact Angela.

Change of Address

Paige Gauding has moved to her new home in Marietta, Ohio. Please update your church directory with her new address: 115 Becker Lane, Marietta, OH 45750. We congratulate Paige and pray many blessings for her in her new home.

Bulletin Bloopers

Usually, I use this space to share something thoughtful, encouraging, convicting, etc.  Every so often, something comes to me that fits none of those categories I mentioned but this is just too good not to share.  This was shared with me, and I thought you would enjoy these bulletin bloopers as well.  The next time you see a typo in the bulletin, remember this—it could be worse! 

• Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled.  Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

• The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.

• Ushers will eat latecomers.

• The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience.

• The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, “Break Forth Into Joy.”

• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.

• During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs took over our pulpit.

• The church garage sale will be held this Saturday.  This is a good chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house.  Bring your husbands.

• Weight Watchers will meet in the basement at 7:00 pm.  Please use the large double doors at the side entrance.

       -Scott McFarland

Thank You

To the ladies that quilted Winston’s blanket, thank you. It is beautiful, and I can’t tell you how much it means to us. To some it might just seem like a blanket, but we know the work, time and effort it takes to make a quilt and we are so grateful. Every patch placed was placed with love and the thought of a child in mind. I pray one day Winston will appreciate the love that was put into this blanket. I know Ryan and I do. Thank you. Your work does not go unnoticed and believe me it means a lot-a graduation gift, a wedding gift, a baby gift. A quilt is something that can last a lifetime, and I can’t wait to tell Winston about the wonderful ladies that made him this quilt were the exact same ladies that helped raise his mom and teach her about our Lord and Savior.

        -With Love, Ryan, Whitney, and Winston

M.A.G.I. Box Donation September

Yo-yo or bandana.