The North Country News

The North Country News

News Heard In and Around Eliot, Maine

January 2013

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The New Year Has Arrived!

Just like “clockwork” the New Year came on time as it has every year that I can remember. Amazing, when you think of all of the order we have in this great universe the Lord created for us. The seasons come and the seasons go. Spring always follows Winter; Summer always follows Spring; Autumn always follows Summer; and then Winter always comes again! That’s just the way God planned it.
Today, I preached a sermon on another year of grace that God has given us. We don’t deserve it but God loves us so much He gives us another opportunity to live a life the way He intended. We all fall short of the glory of God every year and yet He allows us another chance to “get it right.”

The Passing of Nellie Randolph

As an under shepherd of a local flock of believers, I too grieve when any in the flock are suffering from the loss of a family member. That very thing happened just yesterday when a dear saint, Nellie Randolph, fell asleep in Jesus at the age of ninety-seven. Nellie had served in just about every position in our church over the past seventy years. She was a Sunday school Superintendent, a Sunday school teacher, a Deaconess, an Official Board member, and on and on.
Her greatest ministry, however, was as a fearless witness of Jesus Christ to anyone who would listen. Nellie loved the Lord and was not afraid to speak of His love, grace and mercy to us. She especially pointed out to all that Jesus loved them enough to die on the cross for them. As I think of Nellie, I am reminded of just how few Christians today are willing to speak to strangers and friends alike about Jesus.
Nellie, like her friend and fellow saint, Elaine Paul, was always ready with a gospel tract and kind words to all folks she met from a checkout clerk to a plumber or other person whose path she crossed each day.
I thank God for Nellie and will always remember her as a “giant along my path” of life.

John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Time for Ice Skating

One of the activities I enjoyed most as a youngster was ice skating each winter.
We lived across the street from a two-hundred acre chunk of wetland that we called “the hayth.” Some would call it a swamp but whatever it was called, the neighborhood kids loved it in the winter when it was well frozen. The water was only two feet deep at the most so we did not have to worry much if the ice broke. Our mothers really appreciated that.

We would head over to the hayth with our skates in hand as well as a portable radio, an oil lamp, and some snacks and skate for hours. One day, I went skating alone after school and while listening to “rock n roll” on the radio, I hit a piece of grass sticking up out of the ice and I went down. Actually, I fell hard backward and apparently hit my head on the ice and knocked myself out. When I came to, it was dark. My radio was still playing and from the time announced, I guessed I was out for about two hours! I knew my mother would be worried about me so I gathered my gear and went home quickly. She asked me why I was late and I just said that I was having such a good time that I lost track of the time!

And yes, by the way, I decided on my own to never go skating alone again.