Here it is -- just for you -- the
Solution to the Case of the Mysterious Whistletypuff!
CHAPTER VI
When Ticklish Tommy woke up the next morning, he felt so good, that he thought that this must surely be the day. “Yes, indeed,” he thought to himself, “the day has finally come! I’m sure of it. I could hardly wait for the day when I would find out, and NOW it must be here.”
After breakfast, Ticklish Tommy thought of a Bible verse that says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” As he mulled that over in his mind, it occurred to him that he ought to pray about his great desire – to find out about Whistletypuff.
So he went up to his room again for a few minutes, to be alone. There he kneeled down and asked for that wisdom from the Lord that would enable him to solve the great mystery.
As he got up again, it occurred to him that he should ask his Patriarchal Papa what a Whistletypuff was. He had asked, or thought about asking, just about everybody else, except for his Magnificent Mama, who always seemed to be busy with baking cookies or bread, or sewing clothes, or cleaning up the house. He knew that she would be interested in helping him, but he really didn’t want to bother her when she was so busy.
When Ticklish Tommy was done with his school work that day, and had some time to play in the yard, he eagerly waited for his Patriarchal Papa to get home from work. Then he would be able to ask him the big question. It wasn’t long really, but to Ticklish Tommy it seemed like such a long, L-O-N-G wait!
Finally his Patriarchal Papa came home from work, parked his car in the garage, and then came into the house. He greeted Magnificent Mama with a big kiss and hug. Then he turned his attention to Ticklish Tommy, and asked him how his school work had gone that day.
Ticklish Tommy said that it had gone well, -- he had done good work, and even had time to play afterwards. “But please, Patriarchal Papa, may I ask you a special question, in our family room?” “Why, certainly,” Patriarchal Papa replied, “let’s go in there right now!”
As soon as the boy and his father entered their family room, Ticklish Tommy could wait no longer. “Patriarchal Papa, can you tell me, please, what a mysterious Whistletypuff is? I’m so eager to know, and, …and,” he repeated,” nobody else has been able to tell me!”
“Why, of course,” his Patriarchal Papa replied, laughing. But then, not wanting Ticklish Tommy to feel badly because he didn’t know before, Patriarchal Papa’s face grew long and just a little sad. And then he began to explain what the mysterious Whistletypuff really was.
“Once upon a time,” Patriarchal Papa began, “your Magnificent Mama and I were married. That was several years before you were born. And then, when that spectacular wedding day came for us, people who loved us and wanted to help us start our home, gave us gifts.”
“One of those gifts that we received on our wonderful wedding day was a tea kettle. Do you know what that tea kettle would do?” inquired Patriarchal Papa of his son Ticklish Tommy. “We still use it sometimes, on special occasions.”
“When the tea kettle got heated up on the stove, it would begin to whistle. Yes it would WHISTLE!” Then after a few seconds of whistling, it would emit a little stream of hot water vapor, or steam, from the spout, followed by a distinct puffing sound. So we began to call it our Whistletypuff!”
“There,” Patriarchal Papa said. “Isn’t that simple enough, now that you know, Ticklish Tommy?”
“Oh, yes,” Ticklish Tommy agreed. “It’s a lot simpler than I thought. I tried to make it into a cow, or a dinosaur, or even a little wiggly worm. Then I thought perhaps it was a bird on the wing, or a fox, or….whatever! But now I know.” Ticklish Tommy sighed with relief.
It was such a long road that Ticklish Tommy had come in his search for the answer to the Whistletypuff mystery. But now he was glad to know what the Whistletypuff really was. He was thankful to his Patriarchal Papa.
And he was especially thankful to the Lord in Heaven, Who helped him get this mystery solved!
-The End-
Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisdom. Show all posts
Friday, January 25, 2008
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
End of the World -- a Reply
Dear Art,
That was a good letter from you. I could enjoy commenting on a number of things to which you referred. But probably the most salient aspect of your letter, as it appeared to me, was when you asked about “The End of the World.” That topic is significant because of the great pressures that exist today between peoples and nations, and various threats of aggression and retaliation, whether ostensible or actual. This seems of greater intensity today, compared to past times, because of the added capacity that exists to destroy other nations, and perhaps even civilization itself!
Now the Bible has two pictures of the future – one is a picture of immense fulfillment, eternal joy, and incomparable happiness, for all human beings who “go God’s way” in this life here and now. The other is a picture of terrible judgment, unbridled and unending wickedness, complete confusion, unmitigated regret, etc., for all who “go their own way” in this life.
Art, you asked in your recent letter, “Does God have a plan to bring about the end of the world?” In answering that, I would say “Yes.” But usually that idea is based upon an attitude of fear. Even the Bible speaks about a time to come when conditions on earth will be so difficult and prospects for the future so threatening that “men’s hearts will fail them, because of fear” (Luke 21:25, 26).
However, as Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon said so long ago about the true and living God, -- “[His] dominion is an everlasting dominion…and he does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say to him, ‘What are you doing’?” (see Daniel 4:34-35)
Certainly God is good. All that He does now and all that he will do in the future is according to His own perfect and righteous plan. I take that from a study of His being and character in the Holy Scriptures. If we know that He is in control and we trust Him, there is no cause for the fear about which I was writing!
There is no one else who has unlimited wisdom and ability as our great Creator God does. He doesn’t want any of His [human] creatures to face “terrible judgment, unbridled wickedness, complete confusion, and unmitigated regret.”
But God wants human beings to experience, instead, what I described as “immense fulfillment, eternal joy, and incomparable happiness.” The latter can be ours if we listen to God, i.e. if we pay attention to Him by reading and believing His Word the Holy Bible, which is His “Owner’s Manual” for human beings. And above all else that we may factor in, surely we need to focus on knowing and doing His will – being available to fulfill His plan for us, right here and now!
Art, my friend, the God of the Bible, Who is the great Creator and Redeemer, indeed has a plan for history. He is interested in you and me. His deep interest is in each human being on planet earth, now and for the future. He has made us in His image, and expects us to take responsibility for our decisions, especially for the decision whether we will “go God’s way” in this life and leave the results to Him!
Above when I wrote that perhaps human beings could destroy “even civilization itself,” I was only expressing a conjecture made by those who have an inadequate view of God and what He is like. He has given us in the Bible a trustworthy revelation of His acts and His plans, so far as we need to know them. And that Book indicates that God will someday in the future judge this world and destroy it, but will in its place create “new heavens and a new earth” (see Rev. 21:1).
So when you look at this scenario, there is nothing of man’s ability to destroy civilization in it. God’s Book shows that He is involved in His creation; and this aspect of His character is called His immanence. At the same time we see that He is above His creation and separate from it (i.e. not dependent on it for His own existence), and that is known as His transcendence. He is deeply interested in this world, and especially interested in you and me, so He sets up the rules, (surely we need to know our limitations), and we ought to keep them! At the same time, He is kind and merciful toward us, so that we can trust Him to be fair and loving toward us at all times.
Now, Art, this brings me back to the tremendous declaration of God’s love to all human beings in these words: “For God so loved the world [men and women, boys and girls everywhere] that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him [GOD’S SON] will not perish [be lost forever at the end of life on earth] but have [has now, that is, and always will have] eternal life!” (John 3:16).
Then, Art, if you ask, “is the world coming to an end? I’d say “Yes.” If you ask, “Is it something to be afraid of?” I’d say, “Not if you rightly understand God’s program of the ages, and get in line with His plan of redemption!”
If you ask, as you did, I believe, “What is this world coming to?” I’d say, “It’s coming to Jesus!” Dr. Adrian Rogers used to put it that question-and-answer exchange on his radio broadcast, “Love Worth Finding”. And that is because the Lord Jesus Christ not only lived here on earth for thirty-three years, was crucified, and rose again, but He is going to return to earth to rule in perfect righteousness. And that is the best future this old world can ever hope to have, before it is finally destroyed, and a new heavens and new earth created.
I hope that this information is useful to you. And I trust that it gives you some reassurance about life on earth, -- that life and its outcome are not random, but that the great Creator God Himself is in charge! He has a wonderful purpose for all His creation. And He loves you and me, Art, so that He has a truly amazing plan for your life and mine!
Here’s hoping that you will recognize Christ for Who He is, and will give the allegiance of your life to Him.
Sincerely, -- “PapaPops”
That was a good letter from you. I could enjoy commenting on a number of things to which you referred. But probably the most salient aspect of your letter, as it appeared to me, was when you asked about “The End of the World.” That topic is significant because of the great pressures that exist today between peoples and nations, and various threats of aggression and retaliation, whether ostensible or actual. This seems of greater intensity today, compared to past times, because of the added capacity that exists to destroy other nations, and perhaps even civilization itself!
Now the Bible has two pictures of the future – one is a picture of immense fulfillment, eternal joy, and incomparable happiness, for all human beings who “go God’s way” in this life here and now. The other is a picture of terrible judgment, unbridled and unending wickedness, complete confusion, unmitigated regret, etc., for all who “go their own way” in this life.
Art, you asked in your recent letter, “Does God have a plan to bring about the end of the world?” In answering that, I would say “Yes.” But usually that idea is based upon an attitude of fear. Even the Bible speaks about a time to come when conditions on earth will be so difficult and prospects for the future so threatening that “men’s hearts will fail them, because of fear” (Luke 21:25, 26).
However, as Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon said so long ago about the true and living God, -- “[His] dominion is an everlasting dominion…and he does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say to him, ‘What are you doing’?” (see Daniel 4:34-35)
Certainly God is good. All that He does now and all that he will do in the future is according to His own perfect and righteous plan. I take that from a study of His being and character in the Holy Scriptures. If we know that He is in control and we trust Him, there is no cause for the fear about which I was writing!
There is no one else who has unlimited wisdom and ability as our great Creator God does. He doesn’t want any of His [human] creatures to face “terrible judgment, unbridled wickedness, complete confusion, and unmitigated regret.”
But God wants human beings to experience, instead, what I described as “immense fulfillment, eternal joy, and incomparable happiness.” The latter can be ours if we listen to God, i.e. if we pay attention to Him by reading and believing His Word the Holy Bible, which is His “Owner’s Manual” for human beings. And above all else that we may factor in, surely we need to focus on knowing and doing His will – being available to fulfill His plan for us, right here and now!
Art, my friend, the God of the Bible, Who is the great Creator and Redeemer, indeed has a plan for history. He is interested in you and me. His deep interest is in each human being on planet earth, now and for the future. He has made us in His image, and expects us to take responsibility for our decisions, especially for the decision whether we will “go God’s way” in this life and leave the results to Him!
Above when I wrote that perhaps human beings could destroy “even civilization itself,” I was only expressing a conjecture made by those who have an inadequate view of God and what He is like. He has given us in the Bible a trustworthy revelation of His acts and His plans, so far as we need to know them. And that Book indicates that God will someday in the future judge this world and destroy it, but will in its place create “new heavens and a new earth” (see Rev. 21:1).
So when you look at this scenario, there is nothing of man’s ability to destroy civilization in it. God’s Book shows that He is involved in His creation; and this aspect of His character is called His immanence. At the same time we see that He is above His creation and separate from it (i.e. not dependent on it for His own existence), and that is known as His transcendence. He is deeply interested in this world, and especially interested in you and me, so He sets up the rules, (surely we need to know our limitations), and we ought to keep them! At the same time, He is kind and merciful toward us, so that we can trust Him to be fair and loving toward us at all times.
Now, Art, this brings me back to the tremendous declaration of God’s love to all human beings in these words: “For God so loved the world [men and women, boys and girls everywhere] that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him [GOD’S SON] will not perish [be lost forever at the end of life on earth] but have [has now, that is, and always will have] eternal life!” (John 3:16).
Then, Art, if you ask, “is the world coming to an end? I’d say “Yes.” If you ask, “Is it something to be afraid of?” I’d say, “Not if you rightly understand God’s program of the ages, and get in line with His plan of redemption!”
If you ask, as you did, I believe, “What is this world coming to?” I’d say, “It’s coming to Jesus!” Dr. Adrian Rogers used to put it that question-and-answer exchange on his radio broadcast, “Love Worth Finding”. And that is because the Lord Jesus Christ not only lived here on earth for thirty-three years, was crucified, and rose again, but He is going to return to earth to rule in perfect righteousness. And that is the best future this old world can ever hope to have, before it is finally destroyed, and a new heavens and new earth created.
I hope that this information is useful to you. And I trust that it gives you some reassurance about life on earth, -- that life and its outcome are not random, but that the great Creator God Himself is in charge! He has a wonderful purpose for all His creation. And He loves you and me, Art, so that He has a truly amazing plan for your life and mine!
Here’s hoping that you will recognize Christ for Who He is, and will give the allegiance of your life to Him.
Sincerely, -- “PapaPops”
Sunday, April 22, 2007
"Luck" or God's Blessing?
Thirteen Grandchildren!
LUCKY?
...No!
No, we lon’t live by “luck” or seek for “luck” in our lives, but instead look for the blessing of the Lord. We pray, and seek Him, for His direction and His blessings (benefits/gifts/provisions) from day to day, in our earthly pilgrimage!
What a privilege it is, as the wisest man (Solomon) wrote, to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5).
And with regard to children and grandchildren (with thirteen now), -- we think of what the old Psalmist wrote, “Children are a heritage from the Lord…happy is the man who has his quiver full of them!” (Psa. 127:3-5)
And now that I (Poet Les) am a Grandfather for the 13th time, with the birth of Baby Jed, I think of what the wisest man (Solomon) wrote, “Children’s children are the crown of old men….” (Prov. 17:6) Awesome, eh? And we even have one great-grandson now. Imagine that – (for folks as young as we are)!
POEM FOR A NEW GRANDSON
Welcome dear Jed, Grandson to me,
A treasure you are, I surely can see;
So recently born, just a few weeks old,
For sore eyes you’re surely a sight to behold!
Someday I’ll see you, -- just now I must wait,
Daily you’ll grow ‘til you walk a fast gait;
Hard to imagine that day coming now,
But little by little you’ll gain skills, and how!
Today it’s my wish I could hold you in arms,
Talk to you softly, raise no alarms;
I’d say to you, Jed, now, Grandson so bright,
We waited for you patiently, now you see the light!
If down through the years that for you lie ahead,
You avoid what is foolish, love wisdom instead;
‘Twill be a great life, a life God can bless,
Encouragement to others, free from distress!
w/love to Jed, from GrandPapa (Poet Les)
No, we lon’t live by “luck” or seek for “luck” in our lives, but instead look for the blessing of the Lord. We pray, and seek Him, for His direction and His blessings (benefits/gifts/provisions) from day to day, in our earthly pilgrimage!
What a privilege it is, as the wisest man (Solomon) wrote, to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5).
And with regard to children and grandchildren (with thirteen now), -- we think of what the old Psalmist wrote, “Children are a heritage from the Lord…happy is the man who has his quiver full of them!” (Psa. 127:3-5)
And now that I (Poet Les) am a Grandfather for the 13th time, with the birth of Baby Jed, I think of what the wisest man (Solomon) wrote, “Children’s children are the crown of old men….” (Prov. 17:6) Awesome, eh? And we even have one great-grandson now. Imagine that – (for folks as young as we are)!
POEM FOR A NEW GRANDSON
Welcome dear Jed, Grandson to me,
A treasure you are, I surely can see;
So recently born, just a few weeks old,
For sore eyes you’re surely a sight to behold!
Someday I’ll see you, -- just now I must wait,
Daily you’ll grow ‘til you walk a fast gait;
Hard to imagine that day coming now,
But little by little you’ll gain skills, and how!
Today it’s my wish I could hold you in arms,
Talk to you softly, raise no alarms;
I’d say to you, Jed, now, Grandson so bright,
We waited for you patiently, now you see the light!
If down through the years that for you lie ahead,
You avoid what is foolish, love wisdom instead;
‘Twill be a great life, a life God can bless,
Encouragement to others, free from distress!
w/love to Jed, from GrandPapa (Poet Les)
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