Here we are in the last month of 2024. I just can’t believe how the year has flown by. We are also at the end of our series on the names of the full moons. The December full moon will be on Saturday the 14th and is called the cold moon. This name comes from the Mohawk tribe. I wonder where they got that from? It is also called the Long Night Moon which comes from the Mohican Tribe. But keep in mind, there are many names for the full moons which come from the many tribes across the United States. In the last twelve months, I have shared the names of the full moons because it is just another miracle of God’s creation and because of the beauty of the full moon.
Next, I want to share my opinion on the new Rockingham Petroleum gas station that has recently opened near Broadway High School. Almost immediately, gas prices dropped ten cents a gallon from Bergton to Broadway, which in my opinion, is that the other stations wanted to match the Cooperative’s price, so thank you Rockingham Cooperative. Also, in November they had a Celebration of the store opening with gas at $2.59 a gallon and along with that an announcement that they have plans in place to build a community Chicken Bar-B-Que pit on the premises to replace the one that was torn down at the railroad tracks during the bridge construction. How nice it is for a company to make such a positive impact on our community.
Lastly, for these cold winter months you can call and hear a Bible Story at 540-896-4200
Now undoubtedly, the greatest event in December is the Celebration of Jesus Birth on December 25th but how do some celebrate?
I want to relate to a personal experience that I had. In 1975 I joined the Fulks Run Ruritan Club as a 19-year-old young man. Each year the club would have a special location for our December meeting, and this particular year it was Johnny Appleseed in New Market. We also would use the Shenvalee and Southern Kitchen. The club members would meet and enjoy delicious food such as oysters. We would have our meeting and after we met those that wanted could stay and dance, listen to the music, or just fellowship. Now it seemed that dancing made some people very thirsty, and for some even watching others dance made them thirsty. One year one fellow had so many refreshments that he was outside of the restaurant shaking the hand of the statue of Johnny Appleseed. When he went to the car, he told them “biggest man I ever met” . Some years they would have a DJ, and other years play records. On one occasion the restrauant staff rolled out the mobile alcohol bar and an old timer asked” who you think is gonna play that”. A member nearby replied, “you’ll see in a minute!” When they opened the top, it became very clear.
One year upon arriving a gentleman shared a concern with a friend that on the way the man he and his wife were riding with didn’t drive as safely as he would have liked. He certainly didn’t want to hurt his friends’ feelings by riding home with someone else, so he decided to brave the trip home with the same man. A few days later someone asked how the return trip went, and he replied, “Oh, you would not believe how much better he drove on the way home.” I guess this was a rare case where alcohol consumption by both men seemed to help calm the nerves and improve the ride home.
Now I need to share an event that I was a part of. I was always the designated driver simply because I wasn’t a drinker. We were at the annual December meeting, and my cousin rode with me to the meeting. While there it was one of those situations where the more, he danced the thirster he got, and the thirster he got the more he danced till it came to the point where he could no longer dance. It was at this point, I made the decision it was time to go home. As we headed west on 211 toward Timberville, he fell asleep which was a good thing until he awoke and mumbled with a low raspy voice, “Pull over. I’m sick!” Now I had a rather new vehicle and even if I didn’t, the last thing you want to do is to clean up a mess, so immediately, I pulled off the side of the road as quickly as possible. Soon as I had stopped, he threw open the door and jumped out, but here is where things got strange. When he jumped out, he completely disappeared. I mean like an alien abduction only he went down instead of up. It was then that I realized I had stopped directly over an under-road culvert. I called out to him but no answer. I stopped the engine and called out again, it was at this time I heard some harsh, abusive language, and I knew he was still alive. After a short period of time, he appeared in my headlights and came back and got in the car. Ironically it seemed he was blaming me for his misfortune for which I believe I can defend myself quite well. First, I didn’t force him to drink, secondly the Bible in Titus Chapter 2 vs 2 reads That the “aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.” That is pretty clear, and lastly in 500 BC Aesop wrote a story about a fox and a goat. A fox talks a thirsty goat into jumping into a well to get a drink. The goat is then unable to get out of the well and asks the fox for help. The fox then replies that the goat has only himself to blame for his predicament because he should have looked before he leaped. I now rest my case!
In closing I want to thank everyone over this past year that has told me they enjoy my stories, but I want to give God the praise not me. He has allowed me to remember these events and led me to the people that have shared their stories with me. But mostly, I want to encourage everyone during this festive period to you keep Christ in the center of your family, your celebrations, and all that you do.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.
Believe it or Not
Until Next Time
Ronnie
