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Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
by Tom Kelley
The last several days in Central Kentucky have left a lasting impression on my car. Due to the amount of rain and snow that have fallen recently, along with the accompanying melting, my car now looks like a butterfly preparing to emerge from its cocoon. My dark red Stratus is now a kind of tannish white as it is covered with the spray from the dozens of autos that I have followed in the past week during my driving hundreds of miles between Minorsville (where the church and people are) and Richmond (where my wife and I currently reside).
I keep expecting to see the words "wash me" written in my car's "new finish" sometime soon. I know what you're thinking. Just take it through a car wash. Well, the only car washes that have been nearby in my travels have been those that do not operate well under twenty degrees. It has been cold recently. The last car wash I tried refused to operate for me. (that's the height of rudeness when machinery doesn't cooperate) It's frustrating when you're actually trying to keep your car clean but you can't.
Sure glad salvation doesn't operate like a car wash. If it did, a Christian could go for days before being cleansed of any new sins. That is why grace is such a precious thing for we who hold Christ as Savior and Lord. We don't have to wait until the weather is right, we don't have to go out of our way to find the car wash, we don't have to worry about punching the right numbers on a keypad and we don't have to worry about the machinery breaking down.
God wants us cleansed from our sins so He makes Jesus' blood available 24/7. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 That means we don't have to run around with sin dragging us down every day. We can have forgiveness through the blood of Christ every day if needed. Like I said, grace is such a precious thing for we who hold Christ as Savior and Lord.
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...He was the Minister of the Minorsville Christian Church located near Stamping Ground, KY.
...Becky and Tom have three children; John, single and in worship ministry in Nicholasville, Kentucky; Sean, married (Jennifer, elementary school teacher) with twins (Grace and Patrick, b.d. 10/31/04) and regional director of Papa John's Pizza in Central KY; Kara, married (Vince Taylor, prison guard) and working with Hospice East in Winchester, KY.
...Tom went to be with the Lord on November 13, 2009 after a lengthy battle with cancer. If you have been touched by Tom's writings please send an email to Tom's son at jkelley@catalystchristian.net
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