“Colors”
“…though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool (snow).” Isaiah 1:18b
Dear family of friends,
Colors. Blue and white. Red and green. Yellow and black. Black and white. Colors all around us. Some more prominent than others.
Back in the day (like the ones the country group Rascall Flatts sing about in their song, “Mayberry”, when “everything was black and white”), life in Cedar Falls, Iowa was basic growing up time in the ‘60’s and early ’70’s. As typical Midwestern youth, my friend Rusty and I had our Schwinn Sting ray bikes, the ones with the big Texas steer handles and the banana seats. We obeyed the traffic signals, stuck out our hands when turning left or right, and occasionally remembered to ring the bell when approaching the “slow ones” on the sidewalk. (Ricky Bobby had nothing on me.)
Once I became a sophomore at Columbus Catholic High School in Waterloo, I had gotten my first real ride.
Thanks to my oldest sister Sue, I became the proud owner of her former black and white 1957 Ford Fairlane. I had gotten a great deal for $150 (almost a half year’s savings of working at Rolinger’s Hamburger joint, no less, at $1.10 per hour!) Even though it was a 4-door, at least it had doors. And when I added the glass pack muffler, to give it that extra “loud” flare driving down Main Street, life was worth living. Dad wondered why I wanted noise, but then he gave me a booming reverb add-on for my three station button radio. That made it real special.
After I meticulously added the white pin stripes around the black trimmed windows, oh so carefully with my craftsman-like precision fingers, the freshman girls even looked. At least once.
Things were indeed more simple back then.
Flash back to grade school, I remember what occurred when you mouthed off in class. My 6th grade nun Sister Robert Cecille took me once to the older nun’s office, who was the Principal. I only had to go there that time (the other kids used to call me “Brown Nose”), but even still, that room was one place you didn’t want to go. Just “walking the plank” up the stairs to the second floor at St. Patrick’s Elementary gave you extra time to put the fear of God in your heart. Sister’s black and white nun’s outfit, called a habit, with the pointed cap hiding her short black hair (we saw it one time – a very rare occasion), clearly indicated the need in my life to respect and appreciate authority.
When Father Thomas Purcell, dressed daily in his black shirt and black pants, with a white collar around his neck, put me in charge of the altar boys schedule while I was in 8th grade, he unknowingly helped me raise funds for my new black Panasonic cassette player. Any one remember? The one with the automatic off switch, so the battery expense wouldn’t be so large. I liked Diana Ross & The Supremes songs the best.
Being the “brains” that I was (thank you Lord!), I scheduled myself to serve the priest at Mass for most of the Saturday weddings. The groom was always in a good mood, so the $5 tip usually received made me smile real big too. (The funerals I gave to others. Not so profitable.)
For each Mass, whether it was “high or low”, wedding, funeral, holy days or just the 20-minute daily Mass, we put on our black and white cossacks, as they were called, over our street clothes, and did our thing. (Sidebar: Many symbols in the Roman Catholic Church had their roots in the Jewish culture, the early Christian community. We need to get back to those Hebraic roots, and cease with the Replacement Theology garbage, as many Christian churches throughout the world erroneously believe.)
Today, black and white has turned gray. The Ten Commandments are not allowed in the schools, our courtrooms, or any public places that I am aware of. Many in this current youth generation, following after parents who also have lost their way, after dismissing the rules and regulations as too restrictive decades ago, are wandering aimlessly. Anything goes, when it comes to doing the number one thing – being entertained. And so people burn themselves up by practicing their “freedom”, with out of marriage sex, drugs of all sorts, and over indulgence of drink.
Many have lost the beauty of the simple standard, basic colors, and instead have accepted the ugly ones.
Black and white. Yes, simple and basic. The way of life given to us by the living God of Israel, to give us life.
Red is a very good color. It represents the Blood that enables us to see clearly black and white. I like black and white, but I like red the best. And I give Him thanks daily because of His love shed for you and me.
Ahava to my family of friends.
Steve
P.S. It was good seeing all the teens and young adults at the Charlotte, NC Samaritan's Purse distribution center warehouse in December, helping to put together over two million Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. "Train up a child in the way he should go. And when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)
P.S.S. Love For His People, Inc. sends monthly financial support to believers “on the ground” in Jerusalem, and to an orphanage in Accra, Ghana, cared for by a Messianic Jew named Ephraim. We also give as we can to assist a very reliable work in Hyderabad, India, called Lighthouse Center India, founded by John Ebenezer. We appreciate your special gifts.
You can donate your end-of year gift now on-line by clicking here http://www.loveforhispeople.com/ for our website “Giving Opportunities” tab, or by sending checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)
©2010 Steve Martin Love For His People, Inc. P.O. Box 470035 Charlotte, NC 28247-0035 www.loveforhispeople.com
Facebook pages: Steve Martin and Love For His People Twitter: martinlighthous and LovingHisPeople
Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858. Tax deductible contributions sent by mail or given on-line will receive an e-receipt for each donation, for you to print out. (Saves the ministry on postage and envelopes!) Plus you too can bless others through your favorite ahava letterman!
Ahava Love Letter #8 In the Year of Our Lord: 12/28/10
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Thanks for sharing. Blessings on your head from the Lord Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach.
Steve Martin
Founder
Love For His People
Charlotte, NC USA