Just Say "YES!"

A few weeks ago our granddaughter got engaged and is now planning a late February 2015 barn wedding. For those new to the idea of a barn wedding, your mind may be visualizing animals roaming the dance floor or some other stereotypes associated with farm life. The barn that our granddaughter and her future husband are using is brand new, never saw an animal except the human party-types, and was built as a wedding venue.

The future groom’s actual proposal was fun and captured on video. The future bride and groom invited both sets of parents out to an Italian restaurant for dinner. After the meal was completed and coffee was poured, the young man turned to the father of his intended wife and asked his permission to marry his daughter. He did not even formally propose yet and tears started flowing.

He then got down on one knee and proposed marriage to our granddaughter. That’s when the customers in the restaurant began to clap in unison and chant, “Just say yes!” Over and over, they chanted. Talk about pressure to say “YES.” The proposal turned into a group event.

Our granddaughter and her future husband are in love with each other, so saying “Yes” was never in contention.

Actually Jesus Christ offers his love for us because his desire for each of us is to establish a permanent union between him and individuals ready to make a commitment. He’s waiting for us to say “Yes”.

Ephesians 28 reminds us “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Just say “Yes” to that gift.

Hebrews 11:6 – “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Just say “Yes!”

James 4:8a – “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” Just say “Yes” and draw close to him.

Hebrews 12:1-2 _ “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

Robert Parlante

August 2014

A Sample of Patch Town

On August 7th the kindle edition of book 1 of Patch Town became available. The print edition is due October 1st. The link to Amazon for Patch Town is

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MJ5YQCM

Below is a sampling of the opening chapter titled A Letter from Miss Wingate.

  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.~ Colossians 3:13, NIV   

     "The unopened letter stood in the middle of the kitchen island where Martin Gilmore had tossed it aside as an unexpected reminder of his past. Since its arrival, the letter felt like a throbbing thorn in his finger. Instead of being a reason to show mercy toward Miss Wingate, as his wife Sarah would likely have encouraged, it was more a reminder of what might have been had he never encountered Elizabeth Wingate.

     Martin heard the Lancaster Herald morning newspaper land with a soft thud on the front steps leading up to the wrap-around porch. He glanced out the window and saw the delivery van make a swift U-turn and work its way down his driveway through the patches of early-morning September mist. When the vehicle reached the main road that encircled Lake Windermere, it turned right and faded into the fog hovering along the shore line.

     He slipped two slices of whole wheat bread into the toaster before he went outside and picked up the newspaper, anxious to scan the weekend classified pages. The moist air felt clammy against his face. The weather forecast predicted heavy rain starting early in the morning and into most of next week. And the sudden appearance of that letter still felt unsettling, like a thunderous cloud ready to burst open with angry rain.

     When he got back inside, he could smell the satisfying fragrance of toast. The coffee-maker wheezed and sputtered with steam, announcing the end of its brew cycle. He poured a cup of coffee, its stimulating aroma giving little encouragement to open that letter delivered in yesterday’s mail from his old 8^th grade teacher."

Robert Parlante

August 2014