It's On My Mind

October 26, 2019 (Saturday)

Not very long ago, I published a blog that featured the song, “Jesus Led Me All the Way,” sung by a very talented lady as a solo. Today I have a quartet for you, singing the same song.

The song has such a great message, much like Fanny Crosby’s “All the Way My Savior Leads me,” “Wherever He Leads I’ll Go,” “He Leadeth Me,” and others that emphasize how important it is for us to follow the leadership of the Lord in our daily lives.

This song is written from the vantage point of Heaven, our destination when this life is over. We look back and with joy come to the realization that we were not traveling alone; we were following in the footsteps of Jesus as he led us all the way.

Are you following Jesus as he leads you?

October 25, 2019 (Friday)

Yesterday’s blog included a picture of an old neighborhood theater that resembled the Queen Theater on Jensen Drive in Houston. I could not find a picture of the real place, so I settled for a look-alike. The real thing was built during my chidhood. I remember when it was built in the 1930s. Satellite pictures reveal a giant slab where the theater, which seated more than 600, used to be.

Once upon a time there were many neighborhood theaters in Houston. In addition to the time I spent working in one of the big ones downtown, I also worked at the Globe Theater, right behind our house in Denver-Harbor addition. I cleaned up the place in the morning, almost always picking up a litle change left behind with the sticky candy and stuff all over the floor. Sadly, it, too is gone. Later I worked at the Village Theater in West University, which was making a valiant effort to come back to life by opening on weekends. I made the popcorn, sold the candy, and generally kept watch. I did not do a good job keeping watch because kids were slipping in the back door and filling up the place without paying.

Coincidentally, I was born a few blocks from the Queen Theater on Jensen drive. I went there many times, especially on Saturdays, when I could spend a half day there and never see the same thing twice.

What has this to do with Frankenstein Friday? Well, I’ll tell you. One day when I was a kid they showed some horror movies, including Frankenstein. When the movie ended, the place went dark, and Frankenstein’s monster appeared below the stage, walking into the audience. Other characters came also. It scared me half to death!

I can still see this guy, looking exactly like the monster, with his arms outstretched, walking toward me. Oh, I can feel the fear creeping up on me as I tell you this. I was scared!!!

The old movie is shown on television, many times about this time of year, near Halloween. Looking at it from an adult’s point of view, it is actually a very good movie. Can there be a better scene than the one in which the mad scientist fiendishly laughs and cries out “It’s alive! It’s alive! It’s alive!”

The original movie opened the door to all sorts of horror films, none of which was as horrible as their later successors which could actually cause a person to lose sleep after having seen them. The movie is rivaled, however, by “Young Frankenstein (1974),” a light-hearted fun movie that most people enjoy seeing over and over.

As for me, I like “Young Frankenstein.” I like to laugh.

October 24, 2019 (Thursday)

I liked the movie, “The Thief of Bagdad.” I saw it the first time in 1940, when I was only 8 or 9 years old. I had seen the previews and begged my parents to let me go and see it at the Queen movie theater at 2427 Jensen Drive, Houston.  It looked much like the one shown below.

The movie was a rarity, because it was in Technicolor. The colors were rich and vibrant. I wanted to see it because the previews had shown the actors riding on a magic carpet, a man riding in the sky upon a flying horse, a slave boy climbing a huge golden idol to retrieve its magic eye, many other amazing sights, and, of course, a Genie granting wishes.

My father took me to see it, as a favor to me, because I begged so hard. It was the only time I can remember my father attending a movie theater. He didn’t care much about such things, but he was kind enough to take me because I wanted to see it so badly. I’ll never forget that.

Daddy didn’t ever have much to say. He was a very quiet person. Later in life, when he was getting older, and was partially disabled, he hardly ever left his house. I would go to Houston to visit with him, and we would visit a while, soon running out of things to talk about, and I would be on my way. On one of my last visits with him, about 1978, as we walked out to my car, we stopped at the gate, he laid his hand on my shoulder, patted it softly, looked directly into my eyes, and said with a slight smile, “I’m proud of you.” I’ll never forget that, either.

I guess as we get older it takes longer for us to share stories from our life because as time goes on each memory is enhanced. It’s difficult for us to think about something that happened without thinking also of other associated memories. Each memory spawns others. My great regret today is that I didn’t listen more carefully when my elders were telling their stories and sharing their memories.

[This blog, “Magic Memories,” was posted 11 years ago sans pictures on October 17, 2008]

October 23, 2019 (Wednesday)

On this date in 1879: Using a filament of carbonized thread, Thomas Edison tests the first practical electric incandescent light bulb (it lasts 13½ hours before burning out).

Every light bulb in our houses used this method of producing light until recent years, when the diode lights were introduced. The old-style light bulb will get hot enough to give off light but is strong enough to keep from burning up. An LED (Light Emitting Diode) is much like a transistor, using less electricity than a conventional light bulb while giving a brighter light if desired.

Governments around the world have passed measures to phase out incandescent light bulbs for general lighting in favor of LED bulbs. Phase-out regulations effectively ban new incandescent bulbs but allow the use of existing ones. So long, Thomas Edison. Hello, 21st Century.

This discussion has been about light bulbs, but the Bible takes the discussion of light to a much higher level. God’s first creation was light itself (Genesis 1:3). Isaiah predicted the coming of the Messiah as a light shining in the darkness (Isaiah 9:2). When Jesus was born, a light shined down from the sky, leading worshipers to his cradle of straw (Matthew 2:2). When Jesus confronted Paul on the Damascus road, he appeared as a blinding light (Acts 9:3).

Jesus described himself as “The Light of the World” in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”. He also described you and me as the light: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14).

October 22, 2019 (Tuesday)

I recently published a blog entitled “Grow in Grace and Knowledge,” and I suggested “Six Simple Steps to Christian Growth.” (See below). The sixth of these steps was, “Be Aware of Your Daily Life.”

Rick Warren, famous pastor in California, has written a number of best-seller books, among which is “The Purpose Driven Life,” in which he suggests that one of the purposes for us is that we become like Jesus in the ways we think and live. Romans 8:28 reminds us that God is at work in our lives, causing us to become more like Jesus.

Would it not be wonderful if we had some guidelines and suggestions to follow as we fulfill this marvelous purpose God has for each of us? Good news: we have that in what the Bible calls, “The fruit of the Spirit,” nine virtues or principles by which we can live, and become more like Jesus.

You have the privilege of living the way you choose as a human being, but you have guidance in how you are to live day by day as a Christian. All of us should be very aware of how we are living our lives, seeking to apply these nine principles: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. These words describe the life of Jesus; do they describe your life?

Read a recent blog showing how the Fruit of the Spirit characterized Jesus’ life and ministry.

LIVING FOR JESUS
Words – Thomas O. Chisholm (1917)
Music – C. Harold Lowden (1915)

CHORUS
O Jesus, Lord and Savior,
I give myself to you,
for you in your atonement
did give yourself for me.
I own no other master
my heart shall be your throne:
my life I give, henceforth to live,
O Christ, for you alone.

VERSES
Living for Jesus a life that is true,
striving to please him in all that I do,
yielding allegiance glad hearted and free
this is the pathway of blessing for me.

Living for Jesus, who died in my place,
bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace:
such love constrains me to answer his call,
follow his leading, and give him my all.

Living for Jesus wherever I am,
doing each duty in his holy name,
seeking the lost ones he died to redeem,
bringing the weary to find rest in him.

Today’s president is
John Quincy Adams – The 6th President