Dead Cow - A Blessing?
A holy man of God took with him a young man as they walked the hills of Israel. He was teaching him the workings and the ways of God. They would walk along and he would instruct him. After a long day they both tire and come to a village for the night. Outside the village is a humble home. They go and knock on the door. A widow answers. She has a young daughter, 7 years old. Their only means of income is a cow they have out in the back yard. “Oh please come in,” she said, “you can have our bedroom. We have some milk and a little bit of bread, not much, but you can have what we do have. It’s our pleasure to have you stay with us.” They spent the evening. The next morning they arose. The holy man grateful, asked to leave a blessing on the home. A blessing was left. They departed the home, thanking the widow and her young daughter. After they were up the road a bit, they heard a rukus back at this little home. They turned around to see that the cow had died. Remembering that that was their only means of making a living, the young boy asked, “Why would that happen? You left a blessing! What kind of a God would do that?” The holy man smiled with relief and said, “Never mind, lets be on our way.”
As they finished that day of travel, they came to a well-to-do home. They knocked on the door and the servant said, “you can stay in the barn, and if there are any leftovers, we’ll bring them out to you.” They did. As they brought those morsels out the holy man thanked him. He gave them a blanket and they slept in the barn with the animals. The next morning when the young man arose, this holy man was gone. He looked around and saw a figure out in the fields. He went outside to see if this was the holy man and it was. He was mending the fence. Now in Israel, there are rocks all over the fields and they pick up rocks to build fences with them in order to clear the fields. The holy man was putting the rocks up against a ledge.
The young man looked at him and said, “what are you doing?” The holy man said, “Never you mind, I am just finishing now" as he put the last couple of rocks in place. Soon after they were on their way. Up the road aways, the young boy stopped and said, I’m leaving now, I can no longer follow you. For any God that would do what I have just seen, I cannot follow."
The holy man said, “Now I perceive that you are ready to learn. You see as I arose this morning, the spirit whispered to go mend the fence. For if it continued to fall, a vein of gold would be revealed and it was not to be given to this man, because of the way he treated us. So I mended this fence so the gold would be withheld from him." The young boy said, "I can understand that. But why would a God take the only means of income from a widow, after leaving a blessing upon the home?" This great man of God, looked and said, “Now you will see the mercy and glory of God.” "You see, as I arose that morning, the spirit whispered to me that the life of this daughter would be required that day. And I plead with the Lord that he would stay the daughter’s life and let her live. But perhaps, if he would, take something else, even my life if need be. And when we went up the road and turned around and saw that the cow had died, I realized that the prayer had been answered and the daughter’s life would be spared.
-- By Bernell Christensen (After the Trial of Your Faith- audio cassette)
Are there dead cows in your life? Now maybe you can look at them through different eyes.
As they finished that day of travel, they came to a well-to-do home. They knocked on the door and the servant said, “you can stay in the barn, and if there are any leftovers, we’ll bring them out to you.” They did. As they brought those morsels out the holy man thanked him. He gave them a blanket and they slept in the barn with the animals. The next morning when the young man arose, this holy man was gone. He looked around and saw a figure out in the fields. He went outside to see if this was the holy man and it was. He was mending the fence. Now in Israel, there are rocks all over the fields and they pick up rocks to build fences with them in order to clear the fields. The holy man was putting the rocks up against a ledge.
The young man looked at him and said, “what are you doing?” The holy man said, “Never you mind, I am just finishing now" as he put the last couple of rocks in place. Soon after they were on their way. Up the road aways, the young boy stopped and said, I’m leaving now, I can no longer follow you. For any God that would do what I have just seen, I cannot follow."
The holy man said, “Now I perceive that you are ready to learn. You see as I arose this morning, the spirit whispered to go mend the fence. For if it continued to fall, a vein of gold would be revealed and it was not to be given to this man, because of the way he treated us. So I mended this fence so the gold would be withheld from him." The young boy said, "I can understand that. But why would a God take the only means of income from a widow, after leaving a blessing upon the home?" This great man of God, looked and said, “Now you will see the mercy and glory of God.” "You see, as I arose that morning, the spirit whispered to me that the life of this daughter would be required that day. And I plead with the Lord that he would stay the daughter’s life and let her live. But perhaps, if he would, take something else, even my life if need be. And when we went up the road and turned around and saw that the cow had died, I realized that the prayer had been answered and the daughter’s life would be spared.
-- By Bernell Christensen (After the Trial of Your Faith- audio cassette)
Are there dead cows in your life? Now maybe you can look at them through different eyes.
CELL PHONE VS. THE SCRIPTURES
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Scriptures like we treat our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
What if we upgraded it to get the latest version?
This is something to make you go...hmmm...where are my scriptures?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone,
we don't ever have to worry about our scriptures
being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
What if we upgraded it to get the latest version?
This is something to make you go...hmmm...where are my scriptures?
Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone,
we don't ever have to worry about our scriptures
being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!
Book of Mormon or TV Guide
"On the table side by side
The Book of Mormon and the TV Guide.
One is well worn and cherished with pride;
Not the Book of Mormon, but the TV Guide.
One is used daily to help folks decide;
Nope, not the Book of Mormon, but the TV Guide.
As pages are turned, what shall they see?
Oh, what does it matter; turn on the TV.
So they open the book from which they confide;
No, not the Book of Mormon, but the TV Guide.
The Word of God is seldom read;
Maybe a vesse here or there before they fall into bed,
Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be--
Not from reading the B of Mormon but from watching TV.
So back to the table, side by side,
The Book of Momon and the TV Guide.
The Plan of Salvation is full and free;
But is found in the Book of Mormon, not the TV."
"What if the Book of Mormon had been written by Dr. Seuss?
NEPHI: Of goodly parents I was born
I've never drunk, I've never sworn
This is Lehi, he's my dad
Laman, Lemuel, they are bad
And who is this? Why this is Sam
Yes, this is Sam;
SAM: Sam I am
LAMAN: That Sam I am, that Sam I am
I do not like that Sam I am
SAM: In a tent, my father dwelt
LAMAN: And it's so hot, I think I'll melt
Our father's brain is out of whack
And it's too hot, I'm going back
LEHI: Then go and get the plates my dear
LAMAN: On second thought, I'm staying here
NEPHI: You said you'd leave and go away
Now all you want to do is stay?
LAMAN: That Nephi always gets his way
Here we are in this dark cave
SAM: We would not be here if you'd behave
NEPHI: I will go and I will do
There's the angel, that's my cue
Laban's had too much to drink
Now he'll lose his head, I think
Look what I found, a brother from the quorum
SAM: We will take him home, we will call him Zoram
LAMAN: Oh great, another pathetic life form
Our gold and silver we have spent
I do not like it in this tent
I cannot read the Liahona
I must have drunk too much Corona
We hate it here, we have no lives
LEHI: Then go back to the city and get some wives...
A tree, a tree, I see a tree
The fruit is white, the fruit is free
A floating building, could it be?
Why do they laugh and stare at me?
Laman, Lemuel, come and see
LAMAN: We will not eat your precious fruit
We will not wear a tie and suit
We will not help you build your boat
We do not think that it will float
No not this boat, it will not float
Not even in a shallow moat
We will not eat your fruit I say
We will not eat it on a tray
And we won't eat it in a tent
Not even if your clothes you rent
We'd rather have a can of spam
We will not eat it, Sam I am
SAM: You do not like it, so you say
Try it, tryi it, and you may
Try it and you may I say
LAMAN: Sam, if you will let us be,
We will try it, you will see
Say, we like this fruit of life
Sorry that we caused such strife
Thank you, thank you, Sam I am
You've saved us from an awful jam.
NEPHI: Upon these plates which we write
You'll find the truth, you'll find the light.
Read them, ponder them, search them true
And they will help you not feel blue!
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