By Ronald Robinson (my dad), December 2022

One morning on the family farm in 1927 a tussle broke out between a 16-year-old and his 25-year-old uncle. The reason I do not know but, by the account of the nephew after the tussle his uncle threw a dung (manure) fork at him. A few of you may know what a dung (manure) fork is. At that point, I assume it got more serious The nephew again overpowered his uncle and dragged him through the cow drop, and left him there. Some of you also know what a cow drop is.
That was the lad’s last day at his home. The next day in New Albany he was waiting for the freight train. A gentleman from another farm approached him, “Where do you think you are going? ” In that day trains were linked nationwide even from New Albany. The lad answered “New York City”. The elder farmer said, “You come with me.”

At his farm, he put the young man, for the first time behind a team of horses with a sod till plow and instructed him, “You fix your eyes on a mark on the other side of this field and do not look back” Side note: There are times to look back but, not until the field is plowed. This man and his wife gave the lad a home and provided an upstairs bedroom that had a candle in it for light. The need to be frugal was the time so when he retired for the evening the misses would give him two matches to light the candle. That young man later attended Wilkes barre Business School. After many years of driving truck, he and his wife, a Wilkes-barre Business School graduate became successful benevolent business owners.

When I was a young child, each year after Christmas at New Years’ time I accompanied my parents to my uncle’s and aunt’s home, at the same farm and a meal was prepared. Hominy was always served because the nephew liked it. Me, I did not like it at all. That was by the way, where I saw a television for the first time. The screen was round, slightly larger than a dinner plate, and the images that evening could not be made out. Even after I was married, Carolyn and I were invited to that Hominy meal one time. I do not know when it happened or if the healing process was gradual. but, reconciliation had taken place.

If this year I find some Hominy I will savor it.

Of course, that lad was my Dad.
Bitterness and unforgiveness destroy lives.
Christmas time is a good reconciliation time. Reconciliation is possible when Jesus reigns.
“And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end”. Sometimes we do not see His reign, Why? Who is the house of Jacob? Jesus reigns where He is welcome, where there is room for Him to reign.

When there was no room in that inn years ago, Jesus as a baby reigned from that stable. He now reigns in the hearts and affairs of of men when we allow Him, when we make room. Amazing that the ruler of the universes came down from His Glory and knocks on the door of our heart. May we make room, room for the king of Kings to reign in our heart and help us reconcile with others as Father Reconciles us to Himself when we accept Jesus.

RGR, December 2022

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation”