Alo—Lancaster Farmini, Saturday, PitniirlO, IMS
BY DICKANGLESTEIN
(This is the second segment of a four-part
holiday message from a Christmas on a small
Pennsylvania farm a number of years ago.)
When the father and son arose early for
their second day of chicken deliveries, the
smaller half of the farm duo was still feeling his
loss from the previous day The boy was
"down in the dumps,” but all the more
determined that today he would get an even
better holiday treat from one of their
customers.
Again, the first stop after the morning
chores was with the old German carpenter for
a new supply of repaired boxes and crates for
the dressed birds. This time the father and the
older man conversed briefly in soft, gutteral
tones that were a curious combination of High
German and Pennsylvania Dutch
Although the boy couldn’t hear them - and if
he did, he wouldn’t have understood - he
knew from the frequent glances in his
direction that the two men were talking
primarily about him.
Soon with a new batch of boxes and crates
and the birds neatly packed in them, the pair
were off on a new round of deliveries.
At each stop the boy made sure he toddled
along up to the door and was prominently
positioned so that he was easily seen by the
customer. After his disastrous experience the
day before of losing his shiny, new nickel, he
didn't want to miss any opportunities for
another possible treat.
He was so anxious that he would bound out
of the truck, often leaving his door open. The
father admonished him a couple of times but
soon gave up. His youthful enthusiasm wasn't
to be deterred.
The boy was looking forward particularly to
thp stop at the big home of the spinster
sisters. These two kind old ladies were his best
chance for a treat even if they liked to do dumb
things like squeeze him with hugs and pinch
his rosy cheeks. But they were known far and
wide for their homemade candies.
Finally, they arrived at the sisters' house --
the third from last stop. And sure enough they
had a treat waiting even if it did cost an extra
firm pair of hugs and a stinging couple of
cheek pinches. But it was worth it when the
sisters handed him a box of his favorite
candies - brightly colored hard pieces in
shapes of the season and both light and dark
chocolate oozing with all those mysterious,
delicious fillings.
All the way to the next to last stop, the boy
stared at the contents of the box. But as soon
as the truck stopped again, he placed it
hurriedly on the seat beside him and rushed
Otis
Part II
ID
out, forgetting to close his door again.
And enroute to the last delivery of the day,
he repeated his transfixed gaze.
“If you could eat with your eyes, the box
would already be empty,” his father remarked.
At the last stop the boy again jumped from
the truck, leaving the box with top ajar on the
seat next to the open door. While this was the
last stop, it didn’t dampen his youthful en
thusiasm for yet another possible tjreat.
Perhaps because this last stop was
“treatless,” he could literally taste the candy
as he ran back to the truck. But even before he
got to the truck he could see through the open
door that the seat was empty. Frantically he
looked around and just managed to catch a
glimpse of a running dog about to turn a
corner, the cardboard, box with trailing red
ribbon tightly clutched in its jaws.
The downhearted boy hardly heard the
words of his father as they drove back to the
farm.
"Yesterday, you spent your nickel in your
mind before you really got a chance to spend
"Today, you ate your candy with your eyes
before you even had a chance to taste it.
"Both the coin and candy were something
you looked for and already had consumed
almost before they were really yours.
"When you seek something so hard just for
the sake of personal gam or satisfaction,
perhaps you’re not supposed to have it in the
first place.
"It’s sure starting to look that way.”
But the boy's head was only filled with
thoughts of tomorrow’s deliveries - the last
before Christmas.
PART 111 - NEXT WEEK
I’VE CHECKED
THE FARM RAGE
AND THE
THE MANTLE OF
PRAISE
December 11,1983
Background Scripture:
Isaiah 61.
Devotional Reading;
61:8,9.
One of my seminary pro
fessors, Dr. James
Muilenberg, has said of
Isaiah 61: “A poem such as
this is not of an age but for
all time.” It is as fresh today
as it was several thousand
years ago when it was first
written and I suspect it will
be no less timely in the cen
tures that follow ours.
Perhaps the poem is more
precious to us because we
know it meant so much to
our Lord, who began his
public ministry in
Nazareth’s synagogue by
quoting the opening verses of
Isaiah’s poem. When he had
finished reading from the
scroll, he sat down and
startled everyone by saying,
“Today this scripture has
been fulfilled in your hear
ing” (Lk. 4:21). Clearly,
Jesus identified his own mis
sion in life with the mission
of the “servant” in this and
other passages from the
Book of Isaiah.
THE FAINT SPIRIT
What could be more com
pelling than for Jesus to
describe his mission in these
words?
The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because the Lord
has annointed me to bring
good tidings to the poor; he
has sent me to bind up the
broken-hearted, to proclaim
NOW IS THE TIME
The use of drugs and other
materials is a part of the livestock
and poultry business and a part of
health management; the use of
these materials is not the
problem...it’s the misuse of them
that causes trouble. All livestock,
poultry and dairy producers are
urged to follow the directions for
use on the container, and
especially the withdrawal time.
The government agencies are on
the alert for excessive residues in
meat, milk and eggs. Most an
Isaiah
By Jay Irwin
Lancaster County Agriculture Agent
Phone 717-394-6851
To Be Careful
With Antibiotics
liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to
those who are bound; to pro
claim claim the year of the
Lord’s favor, and the day of
vengeance of our God; to
comfort all who mourn...to
give them a garland instead
of ashes, the oil of gladness
instead of mourning, the
mantle of praise instead of a
faint spirit l-3a).
The poor, the broken
hearted, the captives and the
mourners-all of these were
the beneficiaries of Christ’s
ministry. Wherever he found
people living in brokeness,
he came with comfort, heal
ing, and liberation. When he
touched someone’s life, it
was the touch of the spirit to
a “mantle of praise.”
The prophet Isaiah wrote
this passage as a hymn of en
couragement to the people of
Israel who languished in ex
ile and isolation. As a ser
vant, he came to them with a
message of hope. For God
would in his own time
restore them with his divine
aid. “They shall build up the
ancient ruins,” he promised,
“they shall restore the
former devastations; they
shall repair the ruined
cities...” (Is. 61:4).
AN EVERLASTING COVE
NANT
The restoration which
Jesus had in mind as he read
these prophetic words was
much more than just the
physical and material
benefits they had once
known. Nothing less than
their very souls would ex
perience his healing touch.
His promise runs deeper,
wider and longer than that
given by Isaiah.
But it was never intended
that the roll of the servant
should end with Jesus and
this poem continues to call
us to take upon ourselves
this same “mantle of
praise.” For “the Spirit of
the Lord” is upon us, too.
tiobiotics require a withdrawal
period before marketing the
product. If these are not followed,
the product and the market may be
in jeopardy. Also, accurate
records should be kept of the
material used, the amount and the
exact time of treatment. Don’t
take chances.
To Be Patient
With People
Farming in the best of times is a
very stressful occupation. Then
add to that the low returns over the
last several years and dry con
ditions over much of the area; we
increase the stress factor. Now, on
top of all that, we have Avian In
fluenza in many poultry flocks.
I point this out so that people
working with our farmers un
derstand the needs and cares of
others. We all need to be patient
and understanding and look at the
many good things we have to be
thankful for...our families,
freedom and the ability to come
back after being down. Take time
to talk with your friends and
neighbors and share the many
good times you’ve had together.
Let’s enjoy the holiday season and
be thankful for all the good things
in life.
To Practice
Holiday Safety
This is not a new idea but one
(Turn to Pace Al 2)