A Crowning Achievement

         Something in our town attracted my interest, and I wished to discover more about it. Wondering what it is?

        A food box placed for those in need!

        Later on, another box appeared at a local small business. Were the two connected? Possibly! But this one wasn’t for food at all.

        Connecting the dots, I came across the name Scarlett. Or shall I say, Princess Scarlett?

        This young lady’s accomplished a crowning achievement—in more ways than one.

        When I invited Scarlett to guest here, she gladly accepted. So, readers, please join me for an audience with “royalty!”

Sarah: Scarlett, thank you for guesting on my blog. 

Scarlett: Thank you so much for having me. I’m excited to meet you!

 

Sarah: You have quite an interesting life! Would you like to share about yourself and your family?

Scarlett: I just turned 10 years old. My family loves staying busy and helping our community. My mom has always been very involved in our town, so my sister followed her, then I wanted to do things my sister does.

I became the 2026 Missouri’s Ultimate Princess. I went to Indianapolis for nationals in June. Based on my interview, public speaking, community service, and stage presence, I won the title of AMERICA’s Ultimate Princess 2026. I’m so excited to bring the crown to Missouri and use my title to spread information about my platform, Homegrown: Planting Seeds of Change.

 

Sarah: That’s wonderful!

I love the food box your family placed in town. Why did you decide to do this? 

Scarlett: So, the food box we built is at the park. We love to fill others around town too. A lot of people must walk to the pantries, so we try to make it easy on everyone. The park is one of the busiest for kids, and I know lots of kids don’t get food—especially when school is out for summer or holidays.

 

Sarah: How did your family make the boxes and obtain permission to install them?

Scarlett: This was my sister’s idea in 2023. Jasmine looked for new ways to serve our community and especially wanted something involving the whole family.

My dad is a contractor, and I could even help with this at 6 years old. Jasmine let me pick the color. I love that it’s purple because it stands out beautifully. Purple is my favorite color. 

Jasmine and my dad went to the park board and got permission to build this. The park board installed it. As Jasmine got busier with high school and college, I took over.

 

Sarah: Is it hard keeping it stocked and maintained?

Scarlett: Once in a while, my dad checks it. He shovels a path to it in the snow, tightens things, makes sure the door closes, and stuff.  I check it weekly and wipe it down. There are people who leave trash or food that went bad, so we always keep Walmart sacks in the car to clean everything out.

Sometimes, the pantry is full, sometimes it’s completely empty. We keep it as full as possible. In the last two years, I’ve posted a lot on our community Facebook page. That helped people learn about it, and the town helps keep it full.

I also do a lot of fundraisers throughout the year. My biggest one lately is placing drink coolers in a couple local businesses. All the money I make from that goes to buy food for the pantry.

 

Sarah: How do you decide what foods are best to purchase?

Scarlett: We mostly do canned goods and things that don’t expire or need refrigeration. I especially like putting things kids can make themselves, like oatmeal, cheese and crackers, easy mac—things like that. I also like to do canned fruit. Beans and rice are also something that feeds lots of people for not much money, so we add those as often as we can, along with pasta sauce and dry noodles. I open up boxes of individual stuff so people take a few and not a whole case.

 

Sarah: Last year you provided Thanksgiving meals for 200 families. How did you collect enough to do that? 

Scarlett: That’s my favorite project, but it’s really hard to keep it affordable. We went to lots of different stores—buying green beans from Dollar Tree, gravy packs from Dollar General. Every store only gets like10 packs, so we drive around a lot! Many friends and family help. I got the idea from Dollar Tree Dinners.

The community has been amazing to give money for this. Most people send it to my mom. Then we do all the shopping. In 2024 we made 100 bags for $8 each, and in 2025 a local church wanted to see this double. They paid for an additional 100 bags.

 

Sarah: That’s amazing! Now I see you have a new idea! Birthday packs?

Scarlett: Yes! My birthday-in-a-bag includes everything you need to throw a birthday party! It has a cake mix and Sprite. You can substitute Sprite for eggs and oil in a cake mix. It works great! I also include icing, balloons, and candles.

 

Sarah: I’ve just learned something new about making cakes!

Have you had feedback from people who've been blessed through the food donations?

Scarlett: No one actually said anything to me, but my mom reads me posts from Facebook where people talk about it. And the Thanksgiving bags are always so rewarding because I hear from teachers who give them to families.

 

Sarah: Does your family have a faith-base? If so, would you share about that?

Scarlett: Yes! We go to church and love going there. My mom used to be the children’s director at the church. My favorite thing about our church is how much they give back to the community and are always first to step up and help whenever anyone needs anything, no matter what someone’s background is. We just really try to follow Jesus’ commandment to love your neighbor.

 

Sarah: What sparked the library box idea? How's that going?

Scarlett: We already had our food box and saw it was a great thing the community needed and supported. We had the library box idea because a lot of people can’t go to the public library during hours they’re open, or maybe they just want to recycle books.

We’re so thankful to one of our popular downtown shops for allowing me to put “The Library Exchange” at their business. We go several times a week and make sure it’s full! I donate anytime I finish a book. My mom likes to buy books at thrift stores. When she finishes one, she donates it there.

 

Sarah: Do you have any advice for others who might want to start a community food box?

Scarlett: It’s a commitment. I’m glad so many people support and fill ours and that my dad maintains it. We went through the park board, but I’m sure a lot of local businesses might be happy to host one if anyone asked and was willing to take on the responsibility.

 

Sarah: Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Scarlett: I just want everyone to know that giving back doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t have to start a box. You can donate to one that’s already there. There are so many ways to help and many organizations that share resources.

We have amazing churches in our town, and I love seeing everyone come together.

 

Sarah: This has been great! Thank you so much for "meeting" with me here in "blog world!"

Scarlett: Thank you so much for talking to me and letting me share the things I care about!

 

        Scarlett’s certainly accomplished a lot for a young lady and, I believe, will serve well as Ultimate Princess 2026! And she’s learned a wonderful life-lesson—that it’s more blessed to give than receive. A crowning achievement for sure!

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way

we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus,

how He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35 ESV

        It’s special living in a community where folks—like Scarlett and her family—care about one another. What a perfect time of year to remember giving and receiving! May God use many of us to help others. And may the hurting and needy grasp that Jesus cares about them.

Jesus Cares for Me

Poor and needy though I be, Christ my Saviour cares for me;
Gives me clothing, shelter, food; Gives me all I have of good.

Chorus: Poor and needy though I be, Christ my Saviour cares for me;
Poor and needy though I be, Jesus cares for me.

He who hears me when I pray, and will keep me night and day;
When I sleep, and when I wake, for the Lord my Saviour's sake. [Chorus]

He who reigns above the sky once became as poor as I;
He whose blood for me was shed had not where to lay his head. [Chorus]

Then to him I'll tune my song, happy as the day is long;
This my joy forever be; Christ my Saviour cares for me. [Chorus]

(hymn Jesus Cares for Me by Dorothy Ann Thrupp, 1850, public domain)

#UltimatePrincess #needy #poor #foodpantry #littlelibrary #donations #community

#Jesuscares #Thanksgiving #birthday

Photo Credit: all photos used with Scarlett’s parents’ permission

A Beautiful Name

        My name means “princess.” I like that! It also means “mother of all nations.” I’m not crazy about that. Too much responsibility! How ’bout we stick with the royal angle!

        When I was born, “Sarah” wasn’t popular. In fact, it ranked #138^th.

        A name that far down the list didn’t rate recognition—even on Romper Room*, a TV show I watched daily before I was old enough to go to actual school. Every day I sat patiently (or not so patiently), eyes glued on Miss I-Forgot-Her-Name’s face as she looked through her Magic Mirror and spoke those mesmerizing words:

“Romper, bomper, stomper, boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me do.

Magic mirror, tell me today. Did all my friends have fun at play?”

        Miss I-Forgot-Her-Name spied Lindas, Debbies, MaryAnns. etc. But Sarahs? Not once ever! My wounded little heart! Of course she wouldn’t call my name. I mean, one ranking #138 down the popularity list? No way.

        But my name wasn’t chosen for its popularity, which you’ve already gathered by now. I was, instead, named after one of my ancestors.

        Great-Grandmother Sarah descended from Pennsylvania Dutch folks who fled persecution in Germany—this group historically known as Palatine immigrants. Many of these hard-working families settled in the United States and farmed, for the most part. She descended from survivors and was one herself. After all, she and her husband buried four of their eight children within a very short time. I don’t know how she endured that—how she went on living. But she did.

       I think Great-Grandmother Sarah must’ve been and incredible woman. All I learned about her was from my mother who spoke lovingly of her grandma and shared warm memories of summers when she and her siblings spent time on the farm.

        Thus, I realized my rare name was selected with care, and I decided Sarah was a fine name. What an honor!

        But I was the one and only Sarah in school all thirteen years.

        In elementary school, when our teacher was absent, a substitute took her place. On those days we students were to place our handmade paper name placards on our desks to help the “temp.”

        One particular time, the substitute walked down the row where I sat, paused, and eyed my name placard. “Sarah,” she said matter-of-factly.

        Uh oh. What’d I do wrong now? Will I be sent to stand in the hallway? Will she smell my breath to see if I was chewing gum? Did she see me passing a note to my classmate?

        Nope. She addressed none of those things. Instead, she smiled and said, “Sarah. What a beautiful name!”

        I sat a little taller that day. And the next time I wrote my name atop the manilla lined paper, I took great care penning each letter.

        As an adult, this “princess” came to love her name—even though by now Sarah has made a comeback more than once. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, yes. I do own a crown. It just seemed fitting, and—hey—it only cost a buck at the dollar store!

***

       There’s a name that wasn’t chosen by either the man of the house or his betrothed. Instead, an angel told the betrothed mother-to-be that her son (yes, a simultaneous gender-reveal and naming announcement) would be named Jesus and come to bring salvation to His people. He could do that—save them from their sins.

        Jesus. “Salvation.” The Savior of the world, in every sense—including dying on a cross and rising from the dead—lived up to His Name. Fulfilled God’s divine plan to bring salvation to this lost world.

        Not only did the Baby’s gender reveal and naming take place simultaneously, but God’s purpose in His coming to earth as man was imparted to that mother as well. Then the Babe’s step-father, then shepherds, and the list goes on.

        Jesus! Not categorized on a popularity list. No. For Jesus is the Name above all names. What a beautiful name!

I Know of a Name

I Know Of A Name, A Beautiful Name - Christmas Hymn Lyrics & Music

I know of a Name, a beautiful Name, that unto a Babe was giv'n;
The stars glittered bright thru’out that glad night, & angels praised God in heaven.

Refrain: That beautiful Name, that beautiful Name, from sin has pow'r to free us!
That beautiful Name, that wonderful Name, that matchless Name is Jesus!

The One of that Name, my Savior became, my Savior of Calvary;
My sins nailed Him there, my burdens He bare, He suffered all this for me. [Refrain]

I love that blest Name, that wonderful Name, made higher than all in heav'n;
’Twas whispered, I know, in my heart long ago—to Jesus my life I’ve giv'n. [Refrain]

(a portion of the hymn, by Jean Perry, 1916, public domain)

#beautifulname #namemeaning #RomperRoom #greatgrandma #Palatine #Jesus #nameaboveallnames

*TV show for children, running from 1953 till 1994

Photo Credit: Romper Room teacher w/ magic mirror—ar.inspiredpencil.com, 1950’s classroom—br.pinterest.com, 

Mary w/ angel—freebibleimages.com, “Jesus”—ar.inspiredpencil.com   

Letter to a Dead Woman

        “Sarah, do you often write to dead people?” you might ask.

        “Nope. This is a first and likely last, but who knows.” (Wink!)

        Why did I do this? Actually, there’s a fairly good reason—at least in my twisted mind.

        Back up five years—

        Our developmentally disabled son expressed wanting to write his life story, even though it was far beyond his ability; yet Min held to his conviction adding, “I want to do this for my birth mother.”

        Who could argue with that? But we cautioned our son. 1) This would challenge him to the core. 2) He must tell the truth even when it hurts. 3) There’d be no quitting mid-stream.

        He said, “I’m good with that.”

        So, I offered to be Min’s scribe and Brian technical advisor, but we all needed to bathe this idea in prayer.

        Seven months later we began.

        Prior to our start date, though, Min’s literary agent called. “You and Brian need to figure how you’ll handle backstory.”

        I didn’t have a clue, but that set me to thinkin’—and prayin’. Then a few nights later I woke saying aloud, “Letters!” I jumped out of bed, shuffled to the living room, put on a night light, and scrawled notes.

        Ideas flowed.

        Next morning, I filled Brian in on the letters idea to tell backstory, etc. He like it and added a few more future “recipients” and—ahem—“authors” to the list.

        The completed letters were penned before, during, and after the actual memoir. A Home for Min Soo—Putting Together the Pieces of My Life now holds ones that made the cut—some bringing laughter, some tears.

        For this third anniversary of the book’s release, I share with you the letter I penned—yes—to a dead woman. As you read, maybe you’ll understand why this mom composed it. It appears here in its unedited form (a portion of which isn’t in the completed manuscript).

                                                                       Autumn of 2008

Dear Mrs. Beethoven,                                                              

            This letter comes to share the impact your story had on me in relation to our son. When I mentioned you to him, he asked, “Is she dead?”

            “Quite,” I replied.

            “Did she die before Reagan was President?”

            “Way before. Even a hundred years before Lincoln,” I replied.

            “Was Grandma alive when he was President?”

            “Lincoln?”

            “No. Reagan. Lincoln got shot and died. Reagan got shot too, but he didn’t die.”

            “Not then,” I said. “He did later.”

            “Before I was born?”

            “After.”

            A jovial voice chimed in from the other room, “Who’s on first?”

            “I don’t know,” I said, “and you’re not helping, Brian Hampshire!”

            “I don’t know is on third,” he shouted back.

            “Who said that?” Min asked.

            “Your Dad,” I answered.

            “No. I mean on TV.”

            “Oh.” I laughed. “Abbott and Costello—their famous baseball routine.”

            “Are they dead?”

            I nodded.

            “After he got shot?” Min asked.

            “After who?”

            “President Reagan. He was a movie star. Did he know Abbott and Costello?”

            “I don’t know,” I said.

            “I don’t know is still on third,” came another interruption from the other room.

            Min always asks if a person is dead. He’s predictable that way.

            When my sister and I were young, our family sponsored a Korean orphan through World Vision.

Min saw his photo in my keepsake basket and asked about him, along with an old World Vision Magazine with the Korean Orphan Choir pictured on front. “They’re wearing hanboks!”

            “Yep. They toured in the United States, and we went to hear them sing.” I remembered a YouTube video of the orphan choir singing on Art Linkletter’s Hollywood Talent Scout Show! “Wanna hear them?

            “Yeah.” Min wondered aloud if any might be family.           

            “On one tour a deaf girl sang in sign language.”

            “Deaf like Beethoven,” he exclaimed. 

            “Hmm. Hadn’t thought of that.”

            At the end, Art Linkletter explained the children were orphaned, like he’d been.

            “He was an orphan too?” Min asked.

            “Apparently.”

            “Is he dead?”

Remember, Mrs. Beethoven. This started with a question about you, a dead woman with a tragic history that struck a chord with me. How did you—thought of as a sour note by your husband —overcome your discordant life and turn it into a symphony through your son, Ludwig?

            One day Min came home from middle school and asked, “What’s a retard?”

            I went wide-eyed. “A not-very-nice way of saying someone has a mental disability. Did someone call you that?”

            “Maybe,” he said quietly. “Am I a retard?”

            I hesitated. “Retarded, yes.”

            Min looked horrified. “That’s not very nice!”

            “You asked, and we always said we’d be honest, even about hard stuff. The noun ‘retard’ isn’t nice, but the verb ‘retard’ or ‘retarded’ shares another definition.

            Our son adores dictionaries. He’ll read one over a story any day, so my mentioning “definition” caught his attention.

            “Shall I explain?” I asked.

            Min nodded and situated himself on the couch.

            I thumbed through our music books, pulled out a concerto, and sat next to Min—opening it midway and pointing to a word on the page. “Read that.”

            “I can’t read cursive,” he argued. “Is it okay to say cursive since it has ‘curse’ in it?”

            “You’re changing the subject, and it’s not cursive. Just fancy-like.” I tapped my finger near the word. “Read it.”

            “Retard.” He bobbed his head back in surprise.

            “It’s a musical term. When you asked if you’re retarded and I said yes, that just means you think slower.”

            “Because of NF?”

            “Probably, or the other undiagnosed genetic something. In music, though, it’s part of the masterpiece.”

            “Oh. Can I get a snack?”

            “Sure.”

            Why write this to you, Mrs. Beethoven? Because our sons hold something in common. Genius? In a way. For your son? Music, of course. Despite Ludwig’s disability, he continued his life’s work.

Min’s genius? Perhaps the fact he hears a song and knows what production’s background music it is (some of these works composed by your son, by the way).

            I imagine you find this a mockery compared to Ludwig’s gift, but please stick with me. Recognizing the background music? Likely due to his Asperger’s. But Min’s true giftedness comes from his heart!

            First his rocks. Nothing special about most of those. He likes small ones best, fingering them repeatedly.

            One time Min visited our Kentucky neighbor, showed her his rocks, and explained about them. Brenda listened and realized to Min they held great value.

            When Brenda lost a loved one, Min picked a favorite rock and placed it in her mailbox.

           When she fetched her mail, Brenda knew who’d been there and why. Later she shared, “That was the sweetest thing a child ever did for me…it filled me with happiness and love for Min.” And others in our holler who experienced loss also found rocks in their mailboxes.

            Then this: When visitors were leaving our home, we had to urge Min to come out of his room, be polite, and say good-bye. Once, though, when his nephews and niece were heading home, Min came without prompting. He lifted his niece in a tight embrace.

            Our granddaughter’s face beamed, and she squealed with delight. “Uncle Min hugged me! He never hugged me before!”

            And then Min’s prayers. He doesn’t articulate beautifully, but God honors his simple words, answering more times than we could count. Our son recognizes this and comments, “God must really love me.”

            Mrs. Beethoven, your son continues to be revered worldwide.

            Min will leave his mark too, being remembered by all who received a rock, a hug, or answer to one of his prayers.

            You see, the music of our son’s heart are his masterpieces. The little rocks? His Moonlight Sonata. The first hug? His Fur Elise. Those simple prayers? His Ode to Joy.

            What pride we mothers share as we ponder our sons’ gifts!

                                                            With a symphony playing in my heart,

                                                            one realizing there’s purpose in her discordant note

         And now, please join me in listening (or singing along, if you wish) to a most uplifting hymn—melody selected from Mrs. Beethoven’s son’s 9^th Symphony!

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

~words by Henry van Dyke, 1907~

~music composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, 1824~

ODE TO JOY-JOYFUL, JOYFUL, WE ADORE THEE at ROYAL ALBERT HALL,LONDON

 

#developmentaldisability #Aspergers #neurofibromatosis #adoption #giftedness #music

#Beethoven #AHomeforMinSoo #memoir #KimMinSooauthor

Photo Credit:

Mrs. Beethoven—blogspot.com, memoir—Trisha White Priebe, Ludwig van Beethoven—areacorari.com

Don't Be Late!

 

        I don’t like being late. In fact, I’m almost always early for appointments. This habit stems from my dad. He was punc-tu-al.

        Mom, on the other hand, most often ran late. No matter how much time she had to prepare, she found more to do before getting out the door. When nearly all set, she’d announce, “I’m almost ready!”

        Dad replied every time, “Ruth, you’re not ready till you’re in the car!” using her first name only. By the umpteenth time, however, he’d add her maiden name. Uh oh!

        But Mom didn’t get the hint.

        So, my sister and I grew up hearing Dad yell, “Ruth Holland, you’re not ready till you’re in the car!” most times when we headed out. And more than once he told Mom, “You’re gonna be late to your own funeral.”

        When I married Brian, he decided to copy my father, and it became a bit of a joke.

        I’d get ready to go here or there, plop on the couch, and announce, “I’m ready.”

        Brian would smile—and to this day replies, “You’re not ready till you’re in the car.”

        I don’t mind occasional late-comers, but I do get irked by chronic-stragglers if I’m the one waiting for them. This annoyance carries over to doctors’ offices. If I wait more than 2 hours for an appointment (for example), let’s just say I get a bit irked, just like Dad. Maybe more than a bit.

        Should I mention that 2 of our children decided to show up late? Yup. Didn’t those babies care they failed to occupy the fully-prepared nursery on time? The nerve! One kept us on pins-n-needles an extra 9 days. The other? Our 4^th! I mean, who expected #4 to keep us parents in limbo 11 extra days? (I’ve forgiven them.)

        In reality, there are times being tardy doesn’t cause global chaos—just inconvenience. After all, no “water under the bridge”—unless someone’s late because there actually was water under the bridge. That could happen.

        I’m not sure why some people tend to be late-comers. Maybe they think they have plenty of time to get one more thing done—like Mom did. They just don’t realize, as one of my special friends shares, “Time has flies!” (I love the way this friend expresses that idiom.* Don’t you?)

        There’s a time, though, when being late will come with eternal consequences. When thinking there’s plenty of time will make the difference between one’s final destination. No one knows when Jesus is returning to take believers-in-Him to Heaven! There are clues, though, in God’s Word indicating we’re approaching—or actually in—End Times.

        Let me back up a few moments though. Way back to Bible times! 

        There’s a stirring account in the Book of Acts, Chapter 26 where the apostle Paul, at that time 
imprisoned for preaching the Good News about Jesus, stands before King Agrippa to be judged. Agrippa permits Paul to speak, and the apostle takes this opportunity to express his joy in being able to address the king. He also shares about his background in Judaism, experience as a pharisee, and deep guilt in persecuting believers.

        Paul must’ve had a captive audience (ironic, since he was the prisoner) because Agrippa allowed Paul to continue. Thus, the apostle shared his personal testimony and what happened on his way to persecute more believers-in-Jesus:

“…O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Having obtained help from God, I stand to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” Acts 26:13-22

        Also present? Festus, the Roman governor. He shouted at Paul, declaring this prisoner-of-many-words mentally off and driving this political official nuts.

        But Paul wasn’t dissuaded by the governor and affirmed he imparted only truth. He even spoke to Festus on behalf of the king before turning the conversation back to Agrippa. (That took guts. That took God!)

“For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” Acts 26:25-26

        Next comes King Agrippa’s tragic response:

“You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” Acts 26:27

        Paul closes his defense with this challenge:

“I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.” Acts 26:28

        [King Agrippa, you weren’t ready by your own account. You were late. Lost. Your position couldn’t save you, nor could your wealth or heritage.]

        If you’re a person who hasn’t yet accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you’re gambling against time. Oh, sure, you might have plenty of time and choose to wait, but I challenge you to consider your eternal destiny and relationship with the Lord!

        It’s worth taking care of that now and comes with benefits. You’ll have time on this side of eternity to joy in your new-found life in Christ.

        So, dear one, I implore you. Consider this decision before it’s too late.

Plenty of Time written by Clay McLean (released in 1971)

Plenty Of Time - The Galileans - 1973

~and~

Almost Persuaded

“Almost persuaded” now to believe; “Almost persuaded” Christ to receive;
Seems now some soul to say, “Go, Spirit, go Thy way;
Some more convenient day on Thee I’ll call.”

“Almost persuaded,” come, come today;“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;
Jesus invites you here, angels are lingering near,
Prayers rise from hearts so dear; O wanderer, come.

“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past! “Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!
“Almost” cannot avail;“Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail, “Almost,” but lost!

(Almost Persuaded, by Philip P. Bliss who tragically died with his wife

in a fiery train wreck 5 years after writing this hymn in 1871, public domain)

        Right now, you still have time. If you don’t understand how to join God’s family, here’s a video explaining the steps:

Heaven How To Get There

Presented by Rev. Brian Hampshire

#time #toolate #JesusSaviorLord #apostlePaul #KingAgrippa #Acts26 #howtogettoHeaven

*“Time flies.”

Photo Credit: clock—publicdomainpictures.net, Paul with King Agrippa—goodsalt.com, person praying—vecteezy.com

Biblical Passages from NKJV version. Video used with creator’s permission.

---