Bane or Blessing

 

Today some people are happy while others are sad. Today some people are grieving while others are rejoicing.

The same rain which ruins one person’s picnic plans may gladden the heart of the gardener.

When the price of lumber suddenly jumped from approximately $400.00 for a thousand board feet to more than $1600.00, there were many who felt the impact of that price increase. Building slowed down as prices rose astronomically.

For one ministry institution, however, the price increase became not a bane but a blessing. When Forrest Compton donated sixty-five acres to the Missionary Retreat Fellowship in 1965, the land included mature red oak trees. Suddenly those trees had become extremely valuable. Harvesting them provided funds to upgrade housing for missionaries, which is the mission of the Missionary Retreat Fellowship.

God had been growing those trees for more an two hundred years in order to provide support in an additional way for this ministry to aid His workers while they are on furlough.

The bane of high cost for many had become a blessing for some.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THANKSGIVING QUIZ ANSWERS 2023

Image
  Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching which means it is time for the ANNUAL BIBLE STORY FAMILY THANKSGIVING QUIZ. Here are the answers you are seeking. Keep score for yourself or spring this on the family at dinner. 1.      Which of the following individuals was born the night before Thanksgiving and could well be called a turkey? Robert Allen 2.      Which of the following individuals was born the day of Thanksgiving? John Schnatter of Papa John’s Pizza 3.      How many people have birthdays which are celebrated every Thanksgiving? None 4.      On what day of the year is Thanksgiving celebrated in the USA? The fourth Thursday of November. 5.      Which President tried to move Thanksgiving earlier to give more time for Christmas shopping? Franklin Roosevelt 6.      How long was the first Thanksgiving celebration in America? Three days 7.      Which President made pardoning a turkey an annual event? George H. W. Bush 8.      What animal did President Calvin
Read more

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS QUIZ ANSWERS 2023

Image
  ANNUAL CHRISTMAS QUIZ   1.      The real-life St. Nicholas was born in what present-day country? Turkey 2.      Where did the well-loved drink eggnog originate? England 3.      How many total gifts are given in “The Twelve Days of Christmas?” 364 4.      When do the twelve days of Christmas start? December 25 5.      What was the original name of the poem “Twas The Night Before Christmas?” A Visit from St. Nicholas 6.      What famous preacher was the first to put lights on a Christmas tree? Luther 7.      What are thought to be the first stocking stuffers? Gold coins 8.      When is National Candy Cane Day celebrated? December 26 9.      What does the word “Noel” mean in its language of origin? Birthday 10.   How long did it take Handel to write “Messiah?” 24 days 11.   Where does frankincence come from? Boswellia trees 12.   Where does myrrh come from? Commiphora trees 13.   How did Zacharias get his voice back? He named his son John 14.   What much-ma
Read more

CREATIVE FAMILY GROWTH

Image
And baby makes eight!   You may remember the story from an earlier blog post: our niece Kim and her husband began adoption proceedings and quickly grew to a family of seven. Five siblings came to them from various states where they had been in foster care. Kim and Kevin welcomed them into a loving home, choosing to keep the brothers and sister together as a family unit.   In addition to taking on the sudden responsibility of a large family, Kim found herself needing surgery for a goiter which was severely impacting her oxygen intake. Then they received word that another sibling would be born in April of 2024. Their hearts longed to add the new boy to their expanding family, but health, finances, and the lack of more room in their SUV seemed to say no.   After the surgery, Kim found out she could breathe again, and the outlook began to change.  It was time to make room for eight. When the already-loved baby arrived, Kim went to the hospital while Kevin drove to Florida to pi
Read more