How Did It Keep From Exploding!

The Melted Battery Cable

               After unsuccessfully trying for a prolonged time to get Caramel, Mother's herd bull, back onto our place instead of the neighbor's pasture, I felt some discouragement. With a sense of failure, I walked to the old pickup to return to the house since I knew Mother would be concerned about where I was. Probably I drove a little too fast over the rocky, steep draw. When I reached the bottom of it, the pickup stopped dead still, with smoke coming from the right front side of the hood. I hopped out of the pickup, deciding it might be overheated, and trudged dejectedly to the house.

                After a couple of hours, I walked back and prayed as I drew closer to the stalled pickup. I thought to myself, Maybe it has to do with the battery.

                Upon reaching the 1990 Ford F-150, I popped the hood and noticed the battery cable was burned in two. Ignorance is bliss or downright foolish, but I knew the cable needed to be connected to the battery. I put them together, got in, turned the key, and it started. I slowly drove it to the house and parked it, deciding to limit its use until my brother-in-law evaluated it. I breathed a prayer of thanks to get it back to its shed. That had been important to Dad even after his stroke. No matter how old his pickup was, it needed to be sheltered.

                My brother-in-law has worked ER rooms with fatality cases. Daily as an ARNP, he sees patients with serious issues. He doesn’t get too excited because he has walked me calmly through emergencies with Mother and Dad. When he looked at the battery, he exclaimed, “How did this keep from exploding on you?”

                He proceeded to explain that hitting a rock had caused the power cable going to the wench to short out against the frame of the pickup and had grounded out the battery, which explained the melted battery cable post. More than once he shook his head and said, “I can’t believe the battery didn’t explode.”

                Many times, God protects us from serious injury. He protects us on so many levels, whether entering unwise relationships, making potentially detrimental financial decisions, traveling in dangerous territory, or 1,001 other scenarios. Only eternity will reveal how many times God dispatched His angels to protect His children.

                This week may we express thanksgiving to the Father who has saved us through our trust in the precious blood that Jesus willingly gave for us, knowing daily His protection envelops us.

A Verse for Meditation This Week:

For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.

In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:11-12          

Memories From 20 Years Ago

Ralston Baptist Church marked its centennial year on November 9, 1997. This week, twenty years hence, seemed an appropriate time to present some visual remembrances from two decades ago.

Centennial Service - 1997

Mary and Ray Moffeit at the
 Centennial Celebration. Ray
 pastored during the 
centennial  year.

How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!" Romans 10: 14-15

Centennial Service

Centennial Lunch in the Unfinished Fellowship Hall

Rick Rice and John Crowley, pastored the church from
1974-1979. He continues pastoring today near Miami, OK.

Charles Welch, interim pastor in 1984, 1986, 1988,
 visited with Geraldine Forbes. Bro. Charles died in
2008.

Joe Urbon, oldest pastor in attendance, visited with
Pam Morris Felix. He came as pastor in 1960. He 
died in 2009.

Gregg, Krystal, Whitney, Kallie, and Torie at his
ordination when he pastored at Ralston FBC.
20 years ago at the Centennial, he touched hearts
as he sang, "Precious Memories" and the girls
sang, "Come Just As You Are."

Ralston FBC was Larry Wilson's first pastorate
 in 1986. He and Debbie enjoyed reuniting with
friends at the 100th anniversary in 1997.

              Those who are wise shall shine 

Like the brightness of the firmament,

And those who turn many to righteousness

Like the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:3

120 Years in Ralston

On  Sunday, November 5, several former pastors, pastors' wives, and former members will be back to mark the 120^th year of the Ralston Baptist Church. 
A worship service will be at 10:30 a.m. with lunch at noon. To God Be the Glory!

Marking 120 Years in November 

The last couple of months found me perusing hundreds of photographs connected to the Ralston Baptist Church. The pictures I viewed ranged back to the 1970s. Many faces I gazed upon are now in eternity.

Daisy Bernet

Twenty years ago, I served on the centennial committee in charge of planning the observation of the 100^th anniversary of the church. It was founded on November 9, 1897. Daisy Bernet – always Mrs. Bernet to me – related of how her grandfather, Ira Henderson, helped the tiny congregation in Ralston organize by traveling across the Arkansas River from the Osage in a small boat she called a skiff. Mrs. Bernet as a spry, enthusiastic lover of life inspired me since she shared the same profession with me - teaching.

Elisabeth Kelly

              A humorous story came to me two decades ago from Elisabeth Henderson Kelly. She had been told the first church building was destroyed by a fire allegedly started by the pastor’s son. Even though she had faced tragedy and pain, Elisabeth usually had a funny twist to her stories to evoke a laugh from her listener. In 1997 at the centennial event, Elisabeth was recognized as the longest one with membership in the church.

When I was only a seventh grader, Mrs. Lelia Goodson Baker, requested I come to Ralston Baptist Church to play the piano. Mrs. Baker, an accomplished pianist, suffered from ill health with no one to play in her place for worship services. Not even knowing what an offertory was, I began playing with guidance from my mother, an accomplished accompanist herself, and my gifted piano instructor, Mildred Wedell. (Mr. and Mrs. Baker donated a new Story and Clark piano, one of my favorites to play. To protect it from rain  leaking from the archaic structure's roof, they fastidiously covered it with a huge plastic covering after each service.)

Lelia Baker & Laura Hines 

         Laura Hines served in the card ministry in the small congregation. Mrs. Hines struggled with each step she took. Looking back now, I recognize how much she needed a hip replacement, but she never complained. Instead she provided loving support to her sister, Vera, and assisted any way she could. Week after week the cards she sent provided encouragement and comfort throughout the community.

Effie Rice 

      In those early days, Ralston Baptist Church building was still at its original location on the north side of Main Street just east of 1^st Street. I can remember Effie Stark Rice walking slowly, but faithfully each week across Highway 18 (Main Street) to worship every Sunday with a cheerful heart and sometimes a little self-composed rhyme.

Modine Royster

        One of my most memorable Vacation Bible Schools occurred in that building that leaked and creaked. VBS was scheduled as soon as school was out to avoid the heat of summer because it was not air-conditioned. Additionally, a May VBS would not conflict with the wheat harvest. Modine Culp Royster served as one of the 7^th-8^th grade teachers. She exuded calmness and patience as she led us through the steps of putting gold leaf on an apothecary jar. I loved that craft experience!

Faces and names fill my mind from my memories of worshiping in the building on Main Street. People who quietly but faithfully followed Jesus each day - ones like Mr. I.P. Royster who provided solid, godly leadership. Mrs. Royster exhibited a smile as she worked wholeheartedly, unselfishly giving of herself. I remember Mrs. Memory Price for carrying a well-worn Bible. (Oh that we had more of those today!) Mrs. Dora Brown’s punctuality and commitment to teach little ones inspired many future teachers. How many more unheralded heroes walked through those doors!

Each of the names I have invoked have gone on to their reward. Each of them would be the first to remind us they served in the kingdom of God in the little community of Ralston not to earn eternal salvation, but instead out of grateful hearts for the undeserved forgiveness given by God because of their faith in Jesus. They would recite for us from Titus –

Not by works of righteousness which we have done

But according to His mercy He saved us…

Paul wrote to the believers in the church at Colosse these words of encouragement in chapter 3, verses 23-24:

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,

knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance;

for you serve the Lord the Christ.

Each of you who were impacted or influenced by the Ralston Baptist Church please join us for a celebration of the work of God in this community for 120 years. Only He has been here for each of these years and only He deserves the glory.