Fixing My Eyes

“Another crossroads Buddy” I murmured to the little dog as we turned around and headed home. Life is full of them. I don’t live in regret but if I had do-overs I would choose the “other path” on a few of them. There is one path that has been my best choice ever. Following Jesus has brought me the greatest spouse and marriage one could have as well as someone infinitely bigger than me guiding through life. Years ago I put it to music. My musical crossroads, do I keep it in the basement or share. I’ll share. It’s not everyone’s style but that’s Ok.

Song of Hebrews 12:1-2 Personalized. I have put it to music, demo quality. I thought it was time to share.

Click here and hit the little arrow.

Lyrics

Fixing My Eyes

(Hebrews 12:1-2)

1.   Alone I stood before the crowd.

 Afraid, I said a prayer aloud,

Lord I can’t run the race before me.

So I’m staring down some winding trails.

I must run where others have failed

Follow the Son, He’s gone before me.

        Chorus:

 I’m fixing my eyes on Jesus. Never look back, straight ahead.

Fixing my eyes on Jesus, don’t want to lose sight of my guide.

       I hear the ones who have gone on before…

       Never Give up, don’t look around, straight ahead.

       Never Give up, don’t look around, straight ahead

•   Sometimes I’m lost, sometimes turned around

And it seems that my Lord’s no-where to be found

I feel all alone on a dead end trail.

That’s when I look for the Son, I call for my guide

Fall on my knees and give up my pride.

Then I hear a voice say “Follow Me”

        Chorus:

 I’m fixing my eyes on Jesus. Never look back, straight ahead.

Fixing my eyes on Jesus, don’t want to lose sight of my guide.

               I hear the ones who have gone on before…

              Never Give up, don’t look around, straight ahead

              Never Give up, don’t look around, straight ahead.

• Alone I stood before the throne. I fall before the awesome king. What he thinks of me is all I am.

I see two roads of eternity, the crowd is hushed and I hear him say “well done, come live with me”

Words and music by Gary Fultz

I’m older but I still play keyboards and write music, usually when no one is around. A bit like the song bird in the woods.

Gary

Account Settled

I leaned against the counter in the local building center as the salesman, a friend, said “I have a story for you.” He rang up my bill as I said “put it on my wife’s account.” He chuckled “Ok, it looks like she has a credit on her account so that’s a good deal. It’s already paid!”

“The story?” I asked? (In the salesman’s words)”Yes. I just played piano for a funeral of one of your distant relatives. He would have been your mothers cousin. He had heart problems, surgery and then was doing really well but died suddenly. A couple days before he died, his son was visiting and asked his dad if he had ever settled his accounts with God. He said no I don’t think so. His son then told him about sin separating us from God, an unpayable debt. Jesus dying and paying the price with his life for our sin and offering everyone a restored relationship with God, he just had to receive that gift God offers us, a restored relationship with him now and forever. Yep, when he realized God had already paid for his account to be settled, he believed and wanted to pray and ask Jesus into his life…just like that. He died a couple days later. Peaceful, his son said”

I pondered the story of my distant relatives son, about my age, finally sharing the gospel with his dad, as I was excited to share my latest pictures with friends and siblings. Knowing God, just the possibility of his guidance and knowing that kind of love in my life is the most exciting thing one can ever know. Ironically, coincidence? I think not, my pictures fit the story here. take a look at pictures and explanations.

These are the last ermine tracks made before the ermine was raptered (ya, play on word for some of you). He was hopping along and an owl carried him away. The final side slots in the snow, coming towards us, is wing tips pushing up. He’s gone.

Guess who took over the ermine tunnels in the snow? This red squirrel wasted no time. If he stays there, well, the owl is watching.

Nearby in the woods: the final resting place for an old white tail buck. A stop-over resting place for birds like this downy woodpecker. The old weeds have died but their seeds will replant in the spring.

I took these pictures at the warmest part of the day (-9F) with a bitter cold wind chill of -30F. The squirrel held his paws as if cold and would not leave his warm tunnel under the snow. As it got colder through the day, 6 deer came and laid in the snow by our garden shed in the sun out of the wind. They just hope to survive the winter.

Today, I was reminded that so many people just go through life with an unclaimed gift they forget about. A gift better than the biggest winning lottery ticket ever. A now and forever gift.

So today I ask you if you have accepted God’s offer of a relationship with him. Now and forever. I’m asking about a relationship that God sought with us through Jesus. Here’s a start for looking further

Gary

I think often of you Kim. So sorry. You asked me why I was so happy and I blew it. I could have taken the time to share

There’s More

This, after reading Cindy’s post realchristianwomen.blog/2023/01/06/fridays-verse-1-6-23/
   

I had clicked on Cindy’s post and notice she used a picture I had taken from a boat by the Apostle Islands in lake Superior. When I read the bible verse she had posted I got excited. Not only did the verse fit the picture really well, but there was so much more to what she was posting. More than Cindy could know and more than the reader could know. Take a look and read the verse.

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 NIV

Here is what no one else knew. The rock in the picture is one of the outermost apostle Islands. The area is dangerous for big ships in the dark or any weather with low visibility. I also took a picture of what is on top of the rock.

In matters of God and faith, there’s more. Only because God is so much beyond our wildest imaginations is there more when we completely trust him. Those who have walked in that kind of faith have stories of God’s leading, guidance and provision. Someday they may find out how much more there was to their stories. God leads us into so much more when we follow him.

I remember telling someone who had fallen on some very desperate times “don’t worry, trust me when I tell you that God is working behind the scenes” They did not know several of us had already raised the money to take care of the issue. I could say with 100% certainty that God was taking care of them because I was in on the solution. Jesus said a lot of things to his disciples with 100% certainty. God’s promises come from 100% certainty for those who will know him, follow him and live by faith.

Now you know why I got excited. I knew about the lighthouse. In matters of life, faith and God, there is so much more. I’m 100% sure.

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man. The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

Check out Cindy’s blog here

Gary

Let it snow…um…you can quit now

This week I have watched the wonder and beauty of a snow storm. I took pictures until they all looked the same. Snow looks like snow. Always wonderful, bright and dazzling, alarmingly deadly at some point. I will plow out our drive this morning for the third time.

One snowflake at a time, millions perhaps, until a bough breaks or a tree snaps. Oh the weight of carrying all those snow flakes. How can a few snowflakes be responsible for breaking a tree?

One sweet bite at a time, an ounce on the lips, a pound on the hips. What??? Mirror mirror on the wall, a look of appall.

One word at a time, nibbling at the spirit of a spouse, until something breaks inside. Oh the damage of nibbling words. How can a few words be responsible for a broken marriage?

One tiny slip at a time, a stray thought, a loose word, actions and reactions change gradually. Sin is like that. Why is my spirit heavy? The weight of life is a season I guess. I drift as the winds blow. I once was blind and now again. Some say I don’t know it. I say I’m OK.

This long winded storm alone is a book of insights and parallels to life. I was just reminded of various progressions that seem to flirt with us, dazzle the mind, fleeting beauty, weigh down, break the weak in nature and overstay it’s welcome.

Our deck Christmas trees are still standing.

I love snow. The pure white blanket is mesmerizing. A little snow is good for the soul but not for the road (like a bit of wine?). It’s fun to look out the windows from a warm house and see the beauty. The little dog Buddy thinks it’s fun to be thrown in the snow and disappear as long as he is rescued quickly (the leash helps find him).

I’ll post some of these pictures on unsplash for free down load (just look up unsplash@garyfultz) they will be larger format. I have found using the “gallery” feature in word press is friendlier to cell phones as well as computer screens. I don’t know why but when using a slide show feature, every click counts as a view in your stats which in my view tells a wrong story but that’s how it works. Click on any picture to enlarge and use the slide show buttons. The captions give context.

I decided to rescue some trees from their weight of snow, especially the ones who were bent over so far they could break. Isn’t that the Christmas story? God becoming human starting out as a baby to experience everything human except the breaking weight of sin. I can just kick a tree to relive the weight of snow (at some cost). Jesus died to pay for and remove our weight of sin should we accept that invitation.

I did put my hood up to kick the second tree…fast learner here.

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. … Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest Matthew 11:28 (Jesus).

0

…The End

What comes to mind when I say just one word and then you get a glimpse of what I watched for a couple hours.

“Someday“

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:12-13

My response: Someday…It’s autumn stage in my life, so…Yes, it matters how I live. It matters that I know my creator. “Someday” is coming kind of fast.

Gary

A beautiful Ugly Tree I See

It’s my favorite tree in the fall of the year. I step out the front door and a splash of multi-color maple leaves against a backdrop of green oak leaves framing the maple. All framed by the sky and whatever the weather is doing at the time. A photogenic maple, in the fall only. Take a peek.

See what I mean? It’s just started to change color and it does it in sections. Reds, yellows and greens here

Each day I seem to enjoy a little more red or a little more yellow.

I must admit, I am partial to the reds in this maple. What a splash compared to all the other fall colors.

There is one glitch though. I find this tree hard to capture in a photograph. The look I want is hard to get. I have to frame sections of this spread out tree so I take many different pictures, framing them just so and cropping parts out I don’t want. take a peek at a few different angles of the tree.

Still pretty but losing it’s glory

Now on to the ugly part of the tree (in comparison). Right now the tree stands almost empty of leaves. So far I have refused to take a side view picture of the tree. It’s an old maple, leans and the body of the tree is crooked and unbalanced. It only looks good from the front. I have framed the tree in pictures to make it fit my purposes.

I was setting up my camera on a tripod with a big lens for a close up photo and a not so comfortable insight tapped me on the head, right through my thick stocking cap (and yes my thick skull). I do that with God. My perspective of God changes with the seasons and with the circumstances all too often. Somehow, when my perspective changes, I think God is the one who has changed.

When life is going really well, God is a good and beneficial God. God is with me at all times and is answering all kinds of prayer. When we were life flighting my daughter, God didn’t seem to want to be hear our pleas or even get on the plane (from where I sat). God is a God of little miracles. He will help a relative find their Contac lens in a miraculous way. God has saved our daughters life so many times but not healed her of the cause in her crippled body. God let a saw blade fly off a machine and cut both my arms to the bone, and then he saved my life. And, so, I frame God from my perspective. As a young boy trying to get my fingers to work after all the nerves in my arms were cut off, others could trust God wholeheartedly because they only saw the front view of God. Yet, God was an old leaning tree to me at the time.

Our perspective means everything and we trust our perspective. If we think our perspective has not been framed by any one or any thing but us, we are very wrong. The game in politics is to raise the most money for “framing” one’s great “colors” while discoloring the opponent. Advertising is a trillion dollar framing business in “brand recognition”. I have the best looking maple tree every fall and I frame pictures to prove it. Jesus just comes along and says “follow me”. We have had some very lopsided conversations on how he has framed my life. His answer is the same “follow me. I did and I have.

My wife and I had a rare glimpse of God’s framing when Our daughter was three. She went into septic shock. Her last words as we were going out the door to Emergency “mommy the lights went out”, then she went unconscious. No blood pressure, not enough blood to brain, c-scan ordered, The mobile unit c-scan came (his choice as he didn’t have to). Mobile unit guy thought the little girl would die in his unit so he made a bargain with God. “God if she lives, I will take my family to church in the morning”. She lived, the four of them went to church (of all places our church and they were praying for our daughter). They heard the gospel and turned over their lives to God, all four of them. Those in on the story being lived out by us, took a peak of life from God’s perspective. Sometimes that looking glass is quite foggy. Sometimes, more like most of the time, that view is beyond our eyesight. Jesus still offers the best framing from an eternal perspective and says “follow me”

When the back side of life is ugly and we cannot frame nice colors anymore, when beautiful people are finding Contac lenses in miraculous ways while our loved ones are losing their memory or in chronic pain or fighting to stay alive. Remember the one who framed our sin on a cross. Follow Jesus and let him frame life’s circumstances, events, issues and relationships. Know him through his word (the bible) and know him personally through his life in you. A living breathing relationship with our creator. The same one who made those red leaves and put them there. He then gave me the artistic desire and ability to frame so carefully and think I’m good.

This old guy can still dress up nice but I don’t stand as straight and I lean to the left and am not as balanced as before…Good one God.

Gary

Green Rivers

10 years ago I had asked my oldest daughter to write about a very special adventure. I was reminded of this story when Manette posted about  “Dad Help”. When I looked up this old story I see that Manette, Mandy (Blue Collar Theologian) and David (David’s Daily Dose) had already read it. Wow. It’s worth sharing again and very much worth going to Manette’s story and illustration as well (Click here). I share this again to make an important encouragement at the end of this story. This is how and why Christianity works in this world today. Just look at all the dynamics and add your good thoughts and insights.

Green Rivers

                                                                By Tracy DeMarse

Do you ever look back and notice crazy threads that somehow seem to keep showing up in your life? Like knowing a different couple named “Mike and Julie” in all five cities you’ve lived in so far?  Or no matter how many job changes you have you always seem to have a boss named “Mitch”?  For me it usually involves “Green River.”

The first Green River was a small town in Utah.  Wikipedia tells me its population is around 973. It is miles away from any other large town and surrounded by cattle and desert. It is also where the alien planet scenes from Galaxy Quest were filmed. My husband and I had been married for about a year and were headed to LA for his summer internship when our truck broke down there.  Actually, it didn’t just break down; the engine overheated and then melted back together in a big useless metal lump.  The local mechanic said he could get to it in a week or so. We checked into a hotel, called our parents to tell them our situation and then just sat back to try to figure out a game plan. Twenty minutes later the local church pastor was at our door inviting us to dinner with his family.

Talk about word getting around fast in a small town. Actually, my Dad had gotten out his invaluable little black book and started making a few calls.  Who would have guessed that a girl from Northern Minnesota could find a connection in Green River, UT? But, truth being stranger than fiction somehow the dots had connected.  It turned out my great-aunt had a cousin who knew a guy… Yeah, seven degrees of Gary Fultz had provided the pastor of the only Christian church in town. He turned out to be a very gracious host with a lovely wife and three kids that all helped to make what did end up being a week-long stay an actually memorable and even pleasant experience.

At the time my young self just sort of floated through the week and said that was fun and went on with life. Learn something? Was I supposed to? Recalling now all that they did for us I am so amazed at the kindness of strangers.  They helped us get a used engine from a town on the Colorado border to save quite a bit off the mechanic’s bid and put us up in a house the church owned in exchange for mowing and cleaning.  I got to lead praise and worship music with their small congregation; another new experience. We didn’t have to cover many of our meals because we were invited over for dinner by multiple members of the church. We even spent Mother’s Day with the entire extended family of a local cattle rancher.  Everyone got their own very large and very fresh stake right off the grill.  Yum!

It wasn’t all fun and games, it did come with quite a price tag to fix up our truck and we arrived a week late for the internship. But, those are the things that now seem inconsequential.  When I think of that week, I have fond memories.  Family games, bike rides with the pastor’s kids, long walks with my husband, and being welcomed and showered with hospitality when we could offer virtually nothing in return.

I can’t help but wonder had the tables been turned if I would have gone to such lengths for the young stranded couple in my town?  I was shown a wonderful example of individuals willing to be the hands and feet of Christ.  I got to experience being on the receiving end of that in a time of need.  How would that week have felt without their willingness to serve?

The end of the same summer found us breaking down yet again in Green River.  This one was a town in Wyoming. It was the middle of the night and nothing was open until morning.  We spent the night on the side of a highway in a cold, cramped truck that shook every time traffic blew by us.  By morning we were stiff, sore and exhausted.  However, we were pretty close to the nearest town and the mechanic was helpful and friendly.  It was just the water pump and he could fit us in right away.  He called over to a local hotel that let us crash there and sleep while for just a few dollars. A second Green River experience had been another small example of people making the load a little lighter. Coincidence? Is there such a thing?

Fast forward a decade or so and our young family of four is moving to a small Kentucky town located on, yes, the Green River.  Once more finding ourselves miles from home and trying to navigate new surroundings.  Once more being taken under the wings of some wonderful Christian women and loved, nurtured and upheld as I got my bearings.  I thank God once again for the willingness of those women to be his hands and feet and show me around town and lead me along while I adjusted to a new place and new roles. James tells us that “Faith without works is dead.” Does that mean that works are tied to salvation?  No.  Read the rest of the book, salvation itself is in no way tied to anything we could ever do, but the ever practical James is telling us like it is, that actions speak louder than words and true faith will show itself.  As I reflect I am challenged. This thread is not new.  Jesus himself demonstrated time and again what it should look like. This is my Green River,  the servant thread being woven into my life.  I need to be open and willing to be those hands and feet and to show my faith in those practical ways; to serve.  I’m still here by the Green River, so God must have a few things planned for me.  Maybe I can be His hands and feet in someone else’s “Green River”.  Do you have a crazy thread?  What is being woven into your life?

Tracy

Now Gary’s notes:

Here’s the “Dad” side of the story. Tracy called and told me their predicament. I hope you can follow this trail...I called an uncle who pulled trailers to deliver all over the united states to ask him if he had any contacts in Green River Utah. He said no but his wife had an uncle who was a missionary, then pastored a couple years with the church there. I was able to get ahold of my aunts uncles number and called. They didn’t know anyone as the pastor was new but had the church parsonage number. I called and the pastors wife was in so I told her our daughters plight and their names and that they were at the hotel going for a swim in the pool to figure things out. She said “We will take it from here” She called her husband and asked him to pick up a young couple in room 8 at the hotel and invite them to supper. So the famous knock and the door with a pastor asking a young couple over for supper began an adventure for our kids as well as the church. And, Yes, all those numbers went into my little black book of connections I get teased about by family. They never did figure out the trail of the true tale I just told, and that’s ok.

I have recently been able to say to several people going through very hard times “Be encouraged, God is working behind the scenes” I can say that with 100% conviction because God was using myself and some others to correct a problem. We were a part of Gods solution. An old couple (both crippled but still home) down the road will soon hear these words as their roof is so bad it’s caving in. No money, no firewood for winter and the list goes on. Their adult kids do not care but a small group of us are planning how to take care of the problem. They do not know it yet. God has tapped us on the shoulder and we have said “Yes”.

Jesus said a lot of things like that. He knows what’s happening behind the scenes to the end of the age and also to the end of our lives. We should believe him. If someone says to you “be encouraged, God is working behind the scenes, you should believe them. I hope you get to say that to somebody very soon, because you have inside information. Because God has tapped you on the shoulder and you have already said “Yes”

Thank you for reading. For at least 3 of you…rereading.

Gary

Limited Time Offer

Don’t let the sun go down on this one.

When Matt posted about Hard Times in his Jesusluvsall blog, he needed prayer. He also needs a vehicle.

Me being me, I decided to check up on Matt and do a little digging. I did (sorry Matt). guess what? I found a guy whose heart is made of Gold. Yep, found gold. I suspected I had read between the lines well following his posts for awhile. That told me he has character. I also want to make sure I wasn’t involved in bailing someone out from what God is trying to teach him through hard times. Sometimes we do that as kind hearted people, which means it will happen again and again. Not the case here…I’m telling you, Gold.

Meanwhile Matt posted “The School Of Jesus” which explains why I found Gold.

1. I’m supporting Matt in getting a vehicle for two main reasons. One is kind of selfish. If I help him buy a vehicle, every time he drives it to work, gives someone a ride or buys someone a coffee at the coffee shop, I am in on it (the selfish reason). I’m also in on it when he greets his international students in their native tongue (all 30 languages for Matt). It’s like buying stock in a company only the rewards are probably better. One could say they go on forever and Matts doing all the work.
2. I honestly felt like God was tapping me on the shoulder saying “get in on this one Gary., it’s a limited time offer.” So, I called a friend who helps others more than I do and asked him if I was a bit nuts on this. He said, “you are Gary, and, of course you are nuts, do it and I’ll chip in as well.

So I’m posting (as some of you are) a link to matt’s go fund me link in case some of you want to get in on this limited time offer. No pressure. It’s like I told Matt “I don’t have much money, but our father is rich,” My dad used to say “people believe and sing the old hymn that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, but they don’t believe he owns the meat in their freezer.” Let’s help Matt continue his ministry. Share a little from what we have in the freezer

I’m in.

Click Here for Matt’s Go Fund Me link

Gary

Matt, I hope we bypass your goal…by far.

Again

I have a heart condition. It’s a secret to most. Those who have deeply known me over a long period of time just accept the processes of life. Eyes dim, thought delays lengthen, shorter strides gimp as the former wings of my heart and soul grow slowly defluttered. I want a good heart again.

I want to walk through the woods with unspeakable joy again.

I want to see the un-see-able as I gaze through the treetops into the heavens, past the galaxies again.

I want to rescue desire and wonder to mountains above, to wrist away warring-fear-demons smog. Again.

I want my acidic tears of grief to be purified by joy into refreshing life drops where they fall again.

I want my hearts strong rhythm refreshing and cleansing every cell, so what’s dying may live again.

Oh Lord, I need your heart to beat in me again. You can have mine. Again.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

Again

Ahh, the heart of new life

Oh friend, have you ever searched your heart and found it shriveling? After the rocks of life have so cracked the looking glasses of reality, how do we see clearly? Eternity is seen with the heart, but only clearly with the creators heart in us is life and eternity in focus at the same time.

Some reflective Thoughts as I watch the sunset on and beyond. Life is on and beyond

Gary

Surviving The Crash

Several of you have wanted to know more details of my cousins daughter surviving a plane crash in Alaska last month. You may have seen something on the news or googled “plane crash on a lake in Alaska”. Notice the open water in the background if you clicked on the link.

Ashley and Glenn talk some about this in their local rural church. It’s very much worth hearing their thoughts then and today. There is a long journey ahead to get back to the top of a mountain.

This is a “before” picture. I hope it can happen again Ashley!

As a backdrop, keep some little tidbits of information in the back of your mind.

This from a text today: “The hardest part about telling the story is that it takes so long to set up the story that many of the miracles were not even mentioned.  Lake Illiamna is the 7th largest freshwater lake in the world. 1) Had the pilot started the turn 10 seconds sooner (which equals 1/2 mile), the plane would have crashed in open water.  10 seconds later and they would have crashed in the rocks.  It was perfect timing to crash onto 30 inches of ice in a bay.  2) The plan crashed in the middle of a turn, hitting wing first.  This caused the plan to cartwheel, which caused the engine and battery to be ripped off, so that there was nothing to ignite the leaking AV fuel.  3) God allowed for one of the texts to make it out, which gave coordinates and situation.  Just that small detail shaved off an hour or more of search and rescue response. 4) There is the triple A battery, that was in someone’s pocket, which was nearly sliced in two,  protecting an upper thigh from a potentially deep cut”

The list goes on and on of seemingly small details of life and death significance.

This interview, in their local church, is a part of the palm Sunday service. Pick up the conversation with Ashley at 39:45 and Glenn’s challenge as a father at 57:30. going into this. Understand this is someone with a very recent miraculous survival story. (Scroll to Ashley talking at 39:45 and Glenn at 57:30)

Scroll to Ashley talking at 39:45 and Glenn at 57:30

When asked if there was anything else I should put in this post, Glenn asked for this prayer of encouragement from Colossians 1 :9-11. “ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,  being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience”

Ask questions in comments, and, yes an account is being set up to help pay emergency evacuation and medical bills beyond what insurance will cover. I will post that later on my regular garyfultz blog

Thanks

Gary