And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,...
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother,...
Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
From Anger to Love
“He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19)
God never turns from His love, but He soon turns from His wrath. His love to His chosen is according to His nature; His anger is only according to His office. He loves because He is love; He frowns because it is necessary for our good. He will come back to the place in which His heart rests, namely, His love to His own, and then He will take pity upon our griefs and end them.
What a choice promise is this–”He will subdue our iniquities”! He will conquer them. They cry to enslave us, but the Lord will give us victory over them by His own right hand. Like the Canaanites, they shall be beaten, put under the yoke, and ultimately slain.
As for the guilt of our sins, how gloriously is that removed! “All their sins”–yes, the whole host of them; “thou wilt cast”–only an almighty arm could perform such a wonder; “into the depths of the sea”–where Pharaoh and his chariots went down. Not into the shallows out of which they might be washed up by the tide, but into the “depths” shall our sins be hurled. They are all gone. They sank into the bottom like a stone. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Growing up I was surrounded by Christmas gardens and so my intention was to recapture those memories in my own scenery. Plasticville was a required element...
About half of the buildings on our Christmas layout are made of various grades and thicknesses of paper. I would design and build them and my wife would paint them. Window art was done by me with pencils, pens and colored markers. This diner is my favorite and named for my beloved...
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Two years ago I had a massive selloff of many items I had acquired that would have made for a great layout. A large roundhouse, 2 turntables, a carshop, all manner of wood craftsman kits, etc... Why? I had to make a conscious decision as to where this hobby was taking me, how much time I had to spare for it and what I'd have to surrender to pursue it to that level I enjoyed at the time.
The price of a layout is more than just dollars, it's time away from other things like one's children, one's spouse, one's other family and friends, the list goes long but, you get the idea. In my case, I had to add to that a weekly Bible study where the input demands of my listeners go beyond that of most seminaries. They simply will not settle for---nor will I give in to---spiritual one verse Twinkie fests with all the intellectual depth of a fortune cookie. I had to make a choice and the layout lost.
As I was gleefully Ebaying my HO largesse to the four winds, I came upon this one kit that I just couldn't part with. I won it in a Secret Santa game. Campbell's kits were the best to me when I was an eighth grader starting out in this hobby and they've never lost their luster over the years. The smell of aged basswood beats the finest incenses of the world, I simply couldn't let it go...
...and that certainly can't be a bad thing when you're watching it with your beloved and two children at your side.
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Here it is, set up in the corner of the office, just before the festivities began.
Power was provided by my trusty MRCs and a Marklin 30va, 110v transformer made for the Yankee market (NOTE: Marklin is made in Germany and normally uses 220v. They are also 30v AC models rather than the 12v DC we use.). I have them set up with modular plugs that are color coded for easy setup and teardown.
Today was my first attempt at setting up my layout for an audience. I found that it requires more logistics than I imagined, a small trailer falling out of the sky before my next attempt would be a good start. There are quite a number of small elements I didn't take into account---extension cords, for instance.
Sadly, one thing I'll have to provide for is a blatant lack of respect for another's property. The vast majority of my little audience felt it necessary to dance their fingers across the roofs of passing cars---or---leaving their fingers in the train's path 'til the last second, both of which made for three bad derailments. I really would have liked to hand the throttle over to more kids but, alas, it was not to be.
My memory may be foggy but I seem to remember when I was a kid being left with the impression that I would draw back a bloody stump should I feel so inclined to pull a similar stunt with someone's trains. A hat tip to the parents of my better audience members, among them two 4-year-olds, Jason and Riley, who respectfully kept their hands at their sides until offered the throttle. Another bright spot, a severely autistic boy who was just enraptured---completely oblivious of Santa. Don't worry dad, I knew his was just a bit wowed when he sent my pig train to the cinders.
All in all, it was a fine first time out, I just have to take man's fallen nature more into account next time around...and an extra extension cord.
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
The Christmas tree was made by my mother. The Nativity set is the work of me and my beloved.
...a Paperback Swap.com find that would make an excellent inexpensive gift for a new model railroader. Many of the photographs are recognizable to long time Model Railroader magazine readers but it is not a Kalmbach work.
One of those "Right place, right time" moments as these, along with a large number of other vintage Marklin cars, locomotives and accessories, were bound for the trash when they were offered to me...
They were wrapped in newsprint dating to just after Christmas 1956. Because the paper showed no sign of frequent use, it's safe to assume that these rarely, if ever, saw the light of day after that Christmas.
Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; And forgettest the LORD thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth.
10:00 p.m. Christmas Eve 1967 found my mom 25 years old with four children under the age of seven and no money. She had just sent to bed 4 kids who were eagerly anticipating what Santa Claus would lay under the tree that night. Unknown to us kids at the time, there was nothing coming, there simply was no money for it that year.
As she sat in the couch weeping, not at all looking forward to the four faces she would be seeing early the next morning, a knock came at the door. Old Mr. Webbee, the head deacon on our church deacon board, was standing outside. He explained that every year on Christmas Eve, the deacons would get together and, out of their own pockets, would pool together their money and give the money raised to the family in the area they believed most needed it. He quietly tucked $50 into her hand and walked away, not even giving her a chance to say "Thank you".
The only store in our part of town in 1967 that was open that late was Toy Barn. As she walked into the store, the manager was putting the finishing touches on a clearance table filled with $10, $20 and $30 toys marked down to $1, $2 and $3. That coupled with stockings filled with all manner of clearance dime toys and penny candies made for a Christmas morning that all four of us remember to this day as the best of the best. It came at a time when Mom was at her lowest and her relationship to God at its most bitter, yet He graciously provided for her and us in spite of that.
OS Max FP Series .40 and .25 engines...
Our area has been going through some pretty tough times these last 3 years. My own property has been seeing occupancy rates that barely meet the mortgage, much less payroll and operating expenses. Christmas 2007 was looking pretty bleak, none of us counted on or expected any bonus that might help out,--our own employer had troubles of his own--being grateful just to have jobs and a paycheck that cashed.
Because we live in an area with no public trash service and so relies on private contractors that each homeowner must hire themselves, people were starting to sneak their garbage into our dumpsters late at night to save a bit of money. My job now has the added responsibility to rearrange this late night dumping to make sure our own contractor will remove whatever winds up in there.
Three weeks before Christmas found me going from dumpster to dumpster, ensuring that everything would go when tipped. As I aproached the last one, the sight of the top of this model airplane engine peeking out of a box bid me look further...
Setting my pride aside, I pulled the box out to find, not only the used engine, an OS Max FP Series .40, but also the two new in box FPs shown above. Those, combined with the other things in the box--mostly new, unused R/C aircraft parts and tools--netted a sizable chunk of change on Ebay. Unknown to me at the time, my finances would take an unexpected hit the last week before the holiday, leaving the monies gained by this find as the sole source of money for my children's gifts.
Needless to say, that old engine sits on my shelf as a reminder of God's unmerited favor on an unworthy and all too often unthankful man and his family.
And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
May your own eyes be open to His marvelous provision in these weeks before Christmas.
Just a Believer who happens to model trains on a very tight budget, providing a place to showcase my own model work as well as the work of others, regardless of type. Considerations for posting are always welcome. Please check out the modeling links I've put together as well...
Less than God could not have borne your sin so as to put it away; but the infinitely glorious Son of God did actually stoop to become a sin-bearer. I wonder how I can talk of it as I do.
It is a truth scarcely to be declared in words. It wants flame and blood and tears with which to tell this story of an offended God, the Heaven-Maker and the Earth-Creator, stooping from his glory that he might save the reptiles which had dared to insult his honor and to rebel against his glory; and, becoming one of them, to suffer for them, that without violation of his law he might have pity upon the offending things — things so inconsiderable that if he had stamped them all out, as men burn a nest of wasps, there had been no loss to the universe. But he had pity on them, and became one of them, and bare their sins. Oh, love ye him; adore ye him; let your souls climb up to the right hand of the majesty above, this morning, and there bow down in lowliest reverence and adoring affection, that he, the God over all, whom you had offended, should his own self bear our sins.
Though thus God over all, he became a man like unto ourselves; a body was prepared for him, and that body, mark you, not prepared alone, and made like to man but not of man. No, he was not otherwise fashioned than ourselves, he came into the world as we also come, born of a woman, a child of a mother, to hang upon a woman’s breast; not merely like to man, but man, born in the pedigree of manhood, and so bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, yet without a taint of sin. And he, in that double nature but united person, was Jesus, Son of God and Son of the Virgin; he it was who “bare our sins in his own body on the tree.”
From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "Death For Sin, And Death To Sin," delivered November 16, 1873.
Men, protect your daughters....
“Picture this: Some 17 year old snot nosed punk comes over to take out your daughter, and you say, 'No you aren't worthy of her.' (Immediately everyone is up in arms over your 'judgmental' and 'harsh' position, and for 'breaking your daughter’s heart.') Ok, so let's put it another way now: You have a beautiful, brand new $200,000 Ferrari Testarossa in front of your house, and a snot nosed 17 year old punk comes over to take it for a spin. Would you hand him the keys? See, what your problem is, is that you value a car more than your daughter. Men, protect your daughters!”
My sole purpose for this blog is to lift up the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified on a no nonsense, no ad platform showcasing my work and the work of other modelers, and to practice my hobby with the world behind me, the Cross before me and Kingdom of God in sight. All Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible as I have found on my own that there is none more faithful to the original languages. Unless otherwise noted, all text and photographs are mine. Old ads and product reviews are respectfully posted in good faith that any copyright privileges are not being infringed upon, with no intent to profit or disparage in any way and will be removed upon request of their respective holders.
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