HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

"FOR EACH NEW MORNING"

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

~~~~~

"TO THEE, O LORD, OUR HEARTS WE RAISE"

To thee, O Lord, our hearts we raise

in hyms of adoration

To Thee bring sacrifice of praise

with shouts of exultation.

~

Bright robes of gold the fields adorn,

the hills with joy are ringing

The valleys stand so thick with corn

that even they are singing.

~

An now, on this our festal day,

Thy bounteous hand confessing

Upon Thine altar, Lord, we lay

the first fruits of Thy blessing.

~

By Thee all human souls are led

with gifts of grace supernal

Thou, Who gives us our daily bread,

give us the bread eternal.

~

We bear the burden of the day,

and often toil seems dreary

But labor ends with sunset ray,

and rest comes for the weary.

~

My we, the angel reaping over,

stand at the last accepted,

Christ's golden sheaves, forevermore

to garners bright elected.

~

O blessed is that land of God

where saints abide forever

Where golden fields spread fair and broad,

where flows the crystal river.

~

The strains of all its holy throng

with our today are blending

Thrice blessed is that harvest song

which never hath and ending.

~~~~~

"PSALM 100 - MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE TO THE LORD"

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into God's presence with singing!

Know that the Lord is God! It is He that made us, and we are His;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise!

Give thanks to Him, bless His name!

For the Lord is good;

His steadfast love endures for ever,

And His faithfulness to all generations.

~~~~~

"ON THIS DAY OF THANKSGIVING"

On this Day of Thanksgiving, may God rest your heart and mind, may He bless and keep you and your family, and may He continue to extend His blessings upon our great nation, guiding us one and all by His Word. May He grant us patience and perseverance in the unepected turns and tests of our age. May He impress upon us the spirit of our forefathers, their soul-deep craving for freedom, expressed with courage and wisdom, as we meet the particular challenges our our days.

And let us always approach our Heavenly Father with true thankfulness not just today, but everyday not only in our triumphs, but also in our trials by acknowledging our utter dependence on Him to supply our wants and needs, for in Him we live and move and have our beeing. Even self-reliance is, at its root, reliance on Him.

~~~~~

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!

"SUFFERIN' SUCCOTASHHH!!"

"SUFFERIN' SUCCOTASHHH!!" Every since we moved here Brother Kenny Filsinger would talk about making us his "succotash." When we got together at Redwood the other night for a joint service with them for the Bible School coming down, Kenny said, "Let's give Thursday night a try." Where do we begin? Well, potatoes, is a good place and lots of 'em - about 30 pounds - 20 pounds of regular potatoes and 10 pounds of sweet. That is a lot of slicin' and dicin' but with a contraption like Kenny has all you need is a good motor for turning the handle. "Bear" was willing so it wasn't long and the potatoes were ready. Also, in equally large quantities were added onions, squash, bell pepper, chunked ham, chunked chicken already having been cooked, and finally a large bowl of breaded okra. These were all added to the largest skillet I have ever seen; one Brother Kenny made out of the end of a tank. The sides are 1/2 inch metal and the bottom is made out of 1/4 inch. It fits just right on top of a homemade cooker with the reason being, it is made of the other end of the same tank. The skillet weighs 77 pounds and the lid another 22 pounds. Put all of that together with some white glowing briquets putting the heat to it and you end with an aroma coming out that will make you glad you are a part of such a grand idea. After about 45 minutes of turning with the largest of spatulas (a shovel would have been even better and maybe more equipped to do the large pan justice) it is time to dig in. "Sufferin' Succotashhh!!" is good stuff. Even Yosemite Sam would have to put down his guns long enough for a few bowls of this concoction. With the evening getting colder with the going down of the sun, the adults edged closer to the fire. Even though to my knowledge there is not one in the immediate vicinity, the kids were soon off playing "Ghost in the Graveyard." It is kind of hard to beat a good fall night around a campfire with good friends, good food, and good fellowship. All I know is if you can't beat something the next best thing is just have more of it. I wonder what we'll do next?

GRANDMA AUGUSTA RITTER

My Grandma “Gussie” was quite a woman. With me coming a little later on in mom and dad’s life, Grandma Ritter was really the only Grandma I ever knew. We, as a family, always lived away from her and would go for visits. Before I was born Grandma followed the Davidson’s out to Mesa, Arizona where they were working amongst the Pima and Maricopa Indian people. A little later she moved on down to Casa Grande, AZ along with the Atterberry’s in mission work in what they called “skid row.” I have memories of stories being told of their holding services in what was an old bank and living in the building as well. I find it interesting, when those that were around in that day, ask one another: “Did you ever spend the night in the vault?” I find myself feeling very proud of my Grandma as different ones tells stories of her walking down the sidewalk and the men, although they may have been drunk at the time, stepping off the sidewalk and removing their hats, as my Grandma walked by. At that time Grandma Ritter was single with one child at home, Uncle Eldon, and yet willing to go to such a rough place in the hope of helping someone towards heaven. Shortly before I was born my grandma would move back here to Ritchey, Missouri to pastor the little church here where I am now pastoring following in her footsteps.

When I was only 8 months old, my own dad and mom felt “a calling” out West where dad would go and pastor for a few years alongside the Davidson’s in the mission church the Davidson’s had started by the reservation. Mom and Dad and Grandma would exchange places again when I was four years of age as they would move back to this big city with the population of approximately 72 people and Grandma would move back out to Arizona, this time to pastor the church in Sunnyslope, AZ, a suburb of Phoenix. She would pastor this group of people for at least nine years and they would grow to love her dearly. We would make many a trip back and forth during those years to visit, usually going around Christmas in time to attend the campmeeting held at the Mesa mission church and stay to visit as well. It was not unusual for us to make a second trip during the hot summer months to spend some more time with her. It is while Grandma was in Sunnyslope that I have my real first memories of her though some faint ones are back there concerning earlier times. I can still see her little trailer parked over in Smoker’s (that was the last name of the owners and landlords of the lot that she rented) trailer park. The Sunnyslope church was just over the wall and some oleanders that separated them. For whatever reason I can still hear the sounds of the doves cooing outside here trailer and there is a certain earthy smell that I can never get away from that we did not have in Missouri. My nephew would come with my sister and her family and we would bounce the super balls up and down the road. Sometimes he would bring his skateboard and we would ride or go play basketball at the school close by. As we got older we were even allowed to take walks up to the stores and around in what I thought was a tremendous city. Now coming from a small town like Ritchey, it was very interesting to see all of the cars, buses, and people in such a hurry.

Later when Grandma would quit pastoring Sunnyslope, she would go back to Mesa and help in the mission there. We would still continue our visits while she stayed in the camp kitchen/dorm for a few years. Mom and Dad would exchange places again many years later as Grandma would come back to live in Rogers, Arkansas not so very far away and then they would take one more time at the Mesa Church and then return to spend a little time with her before she would leave us. Before Grandma’s passing my wife, Tammy, and I got saved and learned to appreciate her all the more. We always appreciated her for the wonderful person that she was and the witty sense of humor that she had, but then we would also learn more about the spiritual burden that she bore and her desire to help others. A few years after being saved, the Lord also gave me a “call” to preach. I would be taking up Grandma’s mantle. They tell me when she found out that I had received God’s call to preach that “she laughed and she cried.” I would find out in time through experience that she laughed because she knew the joys that I would be experiencing as people would take “the way” and be saved for time and eternity. I would find out that she cried because of knowing the spiritual burdens that I would face, the misunderstandings that would take place and the sorrow when people would reject the light. But one thing about Grandma – she was as faithful as they come. She knew what she believed and lived it. She could be one of the most fun people you could ever be around or you could talk over serious things together or, if need be, you could cry together and she would be real. I sure do miss her. I sometimes would like to sit down together and talk things over and glean some advice from her wisdom. But Grandma has gone on to her reward in heaven. She has shown what it is to be a true Christian. She did not leave me wondering how to get there. She has laid down a clear, plain, well-lit path for me to follow. Even after all of these years when I tell people that I am “Augusta Ritter’s grandson” they still remember her.

I hope that when I come to the end of my way, that I can do as Grandma Ritter did. I hope to leave a testimony that there is no doubt that I made it to heaven. I hope I “loved” in such a way as to influence people towards the good ways of the Lord. I hope to leave a plain path behind that whoever is looking on knows how to get there. Thanks, Grandma for showing us “the way.” We miss you and appreciate you so much.

"GROCERY SHOPPING"

I also have come across this fun picture of some of the ladies of the church just getting back home from grocery shopping. It looks like by their posing with the bags of groceries that they were having fun. Those in the picture from the upper left and then down and around to the right are: Sister Reed, Gladys Ingram, Emma Gaddy, David Williams, and Helen Perryman. With my older brother being the little boy along, mom must have been the one taking the picture.

RITCHEY CHURCH CONGREGATION

I have come across an older picture of the congregation at the Ritchey Church. I have yet to put a date to it and hope to have more names in time. The names that we have put to the faces so far: Lary Ingram?, Larry Smity, Janice Ingram, Eldon Ritter, Gladys Ingram, Opal Reber, Dora Greer, Margaret Davidson, Helen Reber Augusta Ritter, Barbar Jo Turner (Bobbie Jo), Jimmy Johnson, Roy Greer, Floyd Davidson, and Marion Colbert

"WATERMELONS, MUSHMELONS . . . "

Here is a picture I found of my grandfather, Herbert Williams, and his dad. Grandad had a reputation for being able to grow some mighty good fruits and vegetables. At harvest time he would load a bunch of the harvest into the wagon and go into town to sell them. Sometimes dad would go along but dad said that he himself was not much of a salesman. Grandpa would send him door to door and when a pretty girl would answer the door dad would get all embarassed and end asking directions or something. Grandpa, on the other hand, would began to call out to the people and you would began to see their heads popping out of the doors and windows to take a look. Soon he would have a bunch of people gathered around the wagon. It was not long and the fruits and the vegetables were all gone and they would head back home. Grandpa said that as he came into town, he would start out in a sing-song way a little verse that went like this . . . (see if you can hear him calling it out?) . . .

"Watermelons, mushmelons, peaches, and to - MA - TOES . . .
THEY are COLD, they're FINE, they are RIGHT FRESH off the VI - ine.
They are COLD as ice, SWEET as honey,
WELL WORTH the money.
They will PAINT YOUR CHEEKS,
CURL YOUR HAIR,
and MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A MILLIONARE."

In his later years when he would tell this story, he could not help going ahead and adding the following little verse as well. He would say: "Have you ever heard a name this long?"

"May Rose
Say Rose
Elizza Becca Jane
Katherine
Caroline
Mary Jane Pane."

After hearing these over and over as I grew up, I can still hear him telling them to this day.

"THE LOVE OF A MOTHER"

It takes a mother’s love to make a
house a home,
A place to be remembered, no matter
where we roam.
It takes a mother’s patience to
bring a child up right,
And her courage and her cheerfulness
to make a dark day bright.
It takes a mother’s thoughtfulness
to mend the heart’s deep “hurts.”
And her skill and her endurance
to mend little socks and shirts.
It takes a mother’s kindness
to forgive us when we err,
To sympathize in trouble and bow
her head in prayer.
It takes a mother’s wisdom
to recognize our needs
And to give us reassurance by her
loving words and deeds.
It takes a mother’s endless faith,
Her confidence and trust
To guide us through the pitfalls
of selfishness and lust.
And that is why in all this world
there could not be another
Who could fulfill God’s purpose
as completely as a mother.

"PRAY, LADS, PRAY"

Do you say it isn't manly
For a lad to kneel and pray?
There is no more manly action
In the wide world of today;
For the best of men-the Lord of all-
Found a strength indeed in prayer,
And we who would be like to Him
Must seek and find strength there.

There's a joy surpassing knowledge
Comes to every lad of prayer -
He is strong 'gainst all temptation
And is happy everywhere,
For he knows his ways is guided
By the God to whom he prays,
And God's favor lends a brightness
Which makes gladsome all his days.

It will draw an aid from heaven
That will help you bear each load,
Till life's burden is unloaded
At the very feet of God.
Pray, my lads, you'll ne'er regret it,
For when ends "Life's little day,"
It will prove a source of solace
When a boy you learnt to pray.
- B. M'Call Barbour
(Another poem in mom's scrapbook)

POEM FOUND IN MOM'S SCRAPBOOK

"ARE ALL THE CHILDREN IN?"

I think oftime as the night draws nigh

Of an old house on the hill,

Of a yard all wide and blossom-starred

Where the children played at will.

And when the night at last came down,

Hushing the merry din,

Mother would look around and ask,

"Are all the children in?"

'Tis many and many a year since then,

And the old house on the hill
No longer echoes to childish feet,

And the yard is still, so still.

But I see it all, as the shadow creep,

And though many years have been

Since then, I can hear my mother ask,

"Are all the children in?"

I wonder if when the shadows fall

On the last short, earthly day,

When we say good-bye to the world outside,

All tired with our childish play,

When we step out into that Other Land

Where Mother so long has been,

Will we hear her ask, just as of old,

"Are all the children in?"

- Florence Jones Hadley

MOM'S SCRAPBOOK

On the back of this picture is written: Miss Joan Williams, Ritchey, Mo, February 2, 1944, Age 15, Brown Hair, Blue Eyes, Height 5' 3 1/2", Weight 118

I have been going through mom and dad's old pictures trying to scan a lot of them into the computer for safekeeping. It has really been enjoyable looking over a lot of the old photographs and reading what has been written on the back of the different ones. Some I know were those mom sent to dad before they were married when he was overseas in the service. It is interesting reading what she wrote and thinking of the thoughts going on in a young girl's mind as she sends her picture to her beau. There are those of dad with mom's brother, Harold, who dad "palled" around with and other photographs of him and other sailer buddies while in service. I enjoy seeing all the different stages of life. Later a young mother writes on the back of a picture of her little girl (shown below) who is just a few months old: "My little angel doll." Dad talks of living in Springfield and being under conviction for salvation while working in the "smelter." According to the age of the picture and the clothes that he is wearing, it looks like I see a picture of him around that time. As time goes on there is evidence of some changes being made as they draw up closer to God. With us moving back to the "homeplace" I am privileged to go up many mornings for a cup of coffee before heading off to work. Stories are told time and again of old days up to the present. Going back through the pictures again it is nice being able to put faces, ages, places, and other details to the stories. Those that know mom and dad will enjoy seeing them at an earlier age.

RITCHEY CHURCH NEWLETTER - November 2009 Issue

The November issue of the Ritchey Church Newletter is out. I know different ones interested in our little church will be glad to keep up with the happenings here in this big city. Pam has done a special interest page on Sister Joy Ann Day. I always love seeing pictures of our members as they grew up and throughout their lifetime. As a boy I remember Carell and Joy living here in Ritchey and Carell driving a school bus. The pictures of them about that time bring back a lot of memories. I appreciate them coming and being part of our congregation on Sunday mornings.

A WONDERFUL SURPRISE

On Wednesday nights we have decided some time ago to make the midweek services at the Ritchey church a prayer meeting. Though we usually sing some congregational songs, testify if one feels led, and have reading of the Word, the emphasis of the service is taking time to pray. Many times God has come and and strength has been gained for the Christian walk. As well, many times we know that our prayers have been heard and surely God is working in behalf of the petitions that have been brought before him. This last Wednesday, I felt, was especially good as it was so easy to pray and know that I was in God's presence. Others seemed to be getting extra help, as well, for I could hear their voices being lifted up to God in more fervency. Unbeknownst to me though was a little fellow in the back of the church getting help.

As service came to a close and people began to visit with one another before going home, our little Matthew came up to the front seat of the church where I was standing, visiting with someone. I looked down and noticed that his face was red and he had been crying. He is a busy 7 year old boy and I suspected that he may have had an accident. Looking down to him I asked him how come he had tears; had he gotten hurt. He responded: "No. I've been praying." Well, that is music to a father's ears and so I put my arm around him and pulled him in close as I continued visiting. What seemed a little extra special though was that as I put my arm around him, he laid his head on my side and snuggled in close. I soon realized that things were a little different than norm and took time to ask him: "Matthew, did you feel Jesus tonight." He responded that he had and snuggled in again.

As Tammy and I arrived at home we went on into the bedroom. Tammy sat upon the bed and I sat at the desk chair. Matthew soon joined us and sat beside his mother. Before long he said, "Mom, I feel so happy." He went on to say, "I feel the happiest I have ever felt." Tammy asked him: "Did you feel like you got saved tonight?" His reply was: "Sort of." But it was said not in so much of a way of doubting it but considering. He snuggled in close to his mommy for a while and then came over and sat upon my lap. He looked up at me and said, "Dad, did I get saved tonight?" I responded in the best way that I knew how to guide a young child: "Matthew, if you know that God came to you tonight, you have every reason to take Him." He got the biggest of smiles upon his face and put his arms around my neck and then laid his head upon my chest and snuggled in again. He really wasn't talking all that much but it was his serious consideration for all that had just happened that got my attention. He had the sweetest of expressions on his face. He had touched heaven and knew it. It is so thrilling to know that God can come and touch the heart of a little boy praying all by himself at the backseat of the church during a prayer meeting service when no one else even knows what is going on.

I believe that all 7 year old boys are going to go to heaven as they very well have not reached the age of accountability yet anyways. But I also believe that as we grow up we need to have a place in life where we can point back to and know where we were saved; know that we are ready to meet God. Matthew has touched heaven. He knows it! If he can keep the experience that he has gained (and I know a lot of the responsibility relies on Tammy and I as parents to guide him as to how to keep it up to date) he does not have to go out into sin. I found out later that in their homeschooling classes just a couple of days before that during a time of Tammy reading to Matthew their conversation had turned to the importance of getting saved and being ready for heaven. Tammy said as they visited together she could "feel" the words going out. God had taken them and helped a little heart to have direction. On Wednesday night as others were getting help in their praying little Matthew did some praying of his own. And God came to him! How wonderful! Isn't God good? The Bible says: Suffer the little children to come to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God." Truly!

We, as parents, ask for your prayers for God's wisdom. We ask for your prayers for Matthew that he will be able to keep forever that which God has done for him. We ask you for prayers for our whole family for we (as you) want an unbroken circle in our heavenly home. God has blessed us with a wonderful family. We want, without fail of one, for each of us to make it safely . I thank the Lord for what He has done! On Wednesday, October 28, 2009, our little Matthew prayed through.