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The 16th chapter of Acts tells the remarkable story of how Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi for preaching the gospel. After being beaten, they were thrown into a dungeon where they prayed and sang songs at midnight with amazing results.
During our recent trip to Ruidoso, I had one of those “songs at midnight” experiences. Suffering from food poisoning and arterial fibrillation, I unexpectedly landed in Providence Hospital in El Paso for an eight day stay. Some vacation — especially for Carole!
Nights in the hospital were the worst time for me. I would sleep for awhile and then have to stumble to the bathroom in the darkness. About the time I fell back to sleep the nurse would come in to check my vital signs, give me medicine, or draw blood. I’d cover up because I was cold, only to awaken drenched with sweat. In the wee hours of the night, sleep seemed almost impossible.
In desperation on the second night, I began to recite scripture verses in the darkness that I had memorized as a child — the 23rd Psalm and “God is love.” I was so addled that I had to think hard to get the phrases of the Lord’s Prayer in the proper order — even though we pray it aloud in worship every week. I managed to muddle through Romans 8 — “Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Surprisingly, the verse I remembered almost verbatim was 1 Corinthians 10:13: There hath no temptation (trial) taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted (tried) above that ye are able; but will with the temptation (trial) also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Because it came to my mind and tongue in the King James Version, I realized that it was coming from the deep past — well over 60 years. Rather amazing, when I have difficulty remembering things in the much more recent past!
Little did I or those who were my teachers realize when I memorized those verses so long ago (probably for some Sunday School contest) that they would bring comfort and encouragement to a miserable old man tossing and turning in a hospital room, far from home, in the middle of the night.
As the Psalmist once sang, “Thy word have I hid in my heart…” for just such an hour as this.
The famous dancer Fred Astaire once said, “Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young.”
This Thanksgiving I suggested our gratitude include all those who started us young!
John Paul Carter’s “Notes from the Journey” appear in the Democrat on the second and fourth Fridays of each month (with an exception this week due to an early deadline last week). Carter is an ordained minister who attends Central Christian Church.
Viewpoints
COLUMN: Songs at midnight
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CNHI EDITORIAL: Seizure of AP phone records an insult to independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
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NOW HEAR THIS: ‘What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate’
This famous quote addressing communication failure is a classic line from the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke,” starring Paul Newman. Strother Martin, who played the role of the warden in a southern prison, would use this phrase every time he gave Luke a good whack with his baton. The concept resonated so well with moviegoers that it was voted No. 11 of the 100 all-time favorite movie quotes according to the American Film Institute.
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Letters to the Editor – May 19, 2013
Do you remember the “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” sign that the personnel on the USS Abraham Lincoln displayed to greet President Bush when he went out to greet them?
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Guest opinion: Campaign with honor
All politics is local and personal! I hope that you and your family have a wonderful summer, filled with relationship building experiences and times of relaxation. As you do all the things that re-charge us for the next round at work and involvement in community and political activities, let’s reflect on the 2013 local elections for a moment.
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TISCIONE: Woe for calling evil good
You don’t often see “woe” used in an article. It’s a word that has fallen out of usage in our day. But it’s a word that ought to be understood and taken seriously.
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Letters to the Editor – May 17, 2013
As mercury pollution threatens our waterways and carbon pollution-fueled climate change worsens extreme weather, we need someone in Washington who knows how to get things done.
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Letters to the Editor – May 15, 2013
I just wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to the slobs, idiots and inconsiderate people who continually decorate the beautiful Texas landscape with their trash. I guess it’s really a form of art with beer bottles and cans, boxes, plastic drink containers, food packaging and just about anything else you can think of. It just doesn’t appeal to me. Thank you.
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NOW HEAR THIS: Not by the hairs of my chinny chin chin
I had never really considered this possibility, but every one of the Three Little Pigs was almost certainly a guy. I know that assumption is not particularly popular from an equal opportunity standpoint, but the fact is fairly certain. How do I know? They all three had hair on their chinny chin chins.
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ESTES: Securing a bright future for Texas
Texas businesses have created more than 500,000 jobs since November 2011. Our economy is growing nearly 50 percent faster than the rest of the country and our cost of living remains low.
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TISCIONE: ‘It’s not about me’
“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning and your faithfulness by night.”
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