Possums and License Plates

POSSUMS AND LICENSE PLATES

    The only possum in this post is the one hanging from the STOP sign in front of the world's largest Bass Pro Shop, located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee.  Since STOP signs are every bit as important as license plates, I thought this would be a nice touch!

    We'll start with a little quiz:  (1)  What is the most common city/town name in the United States? and (2) What is the least common name - meaning, there is only one city/town with this name in all the world?  It's motto is "The Only One," for obvious reasons.  Answers are at the end of this post.  

     Now, for some clever license plate names:

We actually have a complete sentence with these plates:

UHMMM         FIXN2GO     SPIDY FN     WOO SH

This one reminds me of Ernest Hemingway:  TOLE 4U

I especially like the spiritual plates:  I am POSITIV that if you read ROMANS 5 in the Bible, you will be  BLLLLSD

YAS OFCR   KIDSA4    TOWGRL    HOGKING    TOSIGN    NARIE

UNO1NO    MOODYCOW    P4NIC    MI SHADO    HAF 2

1 SAILOR    POPEYE 1    LLPABLO    W4GES    KALENTE

TESLUHH (on unique acqua blue Tesla)

WWW-CEO    EXCSSIV    2KEYWST    TACO 8    PNGU1N-2

 Here are my top choices for clever plates in this batch:

M8TS4LF       SNOWFL8K      $WELSPNT  (sent by a friend)

And here are the answers for the opening questions - drum roll, please!

(1) What is the most common city/town name in the United States?

          Washington comes in at 88, with Springfield half-as much with 41, and Franklin with 35.

(2) And what is the only city/town with this name in the whole world?  Ahoskie, which happens to be in North Carolina. The name is derived from the Wyanoke Indians.

I'd love to hear what you guessed for the questions (:

 
 

The Thief

THE THIEF

      This magnificent stain glass is one of the windows we saw in St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland. The artist shows the thief on Jesus' right leaning toward the Lord, perhaps speaking to Him those important words that would save his soul for eternity. The other thief is looking away, angry and unbelieving. This scene, portraying the crucifixion of our Savior, was the most important moments in the history of the world.  One small - and telling - part of that was the interaction between the thief and Jesus. 

    Mark 15:27 tells us:  “With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So the scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’”
 
    Luke 23:39-40:  “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us’”
     “But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”
     “Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.”
     “And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

      Jesus gave up His Spirit before either of the thieves died.  John 19:32-33 describes how the soldiers broke the legs of both criminals to hasten their deaths because it was evening and the Sabbath day was nearing, but when the soldiers approached to do the same with Jesus, His body was already dead.     

    Therefore, King Jesus was already in heaven when His recently redeemed child, the thief, breathed his last and stepped into Paradise to be greeted by the Savior whose body he had just seen hanging on the cross.  Can you imagine such an amazing scene!

      Only a short time before, this man had seen Jesus hanging on a cruel cross, crying out, “It is finished!”

     Now, here that same Jesus stood, not even resembling the bloodied, suffering man on the cross.  He was now resplendent in the glorious robes of a king, crowned with glory and honor, worshipped by choirs of angels – and Jesus was smiling and welcoming the thief who had just died on earth and stepped into heaven.  “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” 2 Corinthians 5:8.

      What a beautiful picture - and what a beautiful promise of what will happen for every believer some day!

 

Travel Treasures

TRAVEL TREASURES

     Here are a few of my favorite "artistic" pictures from our recent trip to six states in the midwest. The one above was taken beside a church across the street from the State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi. I failed to get the name of the church, but I think this blooming tree is quite lovely. I love to illustrate pictures with the Word of God, which is alive and relevant to all of life. "He has made everything beautiful in its time," Ecclesiastes 3:11

In contrast to the delicate pink flower, we have these hulking steers with horns that could skewer a person! These beasts march down the main street of Fort Worth, Texas twice a day, showing their stuff for the excited crowd of people, marveling at the size of their horns and eagerly snapping pictures. God tells us in His Word, "For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills," Psalm 50:10.

The day we drove from Oklahoma City to Dallas, the sky was full to overflowing with these amazing clouds. Cloud upon cloud crowded into one another all across the vast expanse. Our God is such an extraordinary artist! His work is so beautiful! "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork," Psalm 19:1

I don't know what kind of plant this is, but the leaves are beautiful with their rich green and lovely design. The plants were part of a display at the very upscale North Park Mall in Dallas. "And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good," Genesis 1:12.

I just love cowboy and cowgirl boots. There is something about them that is so cool! Boots are on display for sale all over Oklahoma and Texas. I do tend to want to sing that once popular tune, "These boots are made for walking and that's just what they'll do..." I'll stop it there because I don't want to walk all over anyone!  However, I do think these boots are beautiful! "Stand therefore,...having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace," Ephesians 6:15.

This is a sign in one of the bathrooms at the University of Oklahoma. It may seem strange to share a sign from a bathroom and consider it an artistic favorite, but the message in the sign touched me and I think it holds an important truth that many people need to be reminded of.  Sure, we're all familiar with knowing not to flush paper towels, wipes, etc. Not so much the goldfish and frogs - although I think I may have flushed a dead goldfish in my younger days, but what touched me was the reminder not to flush your hopes and dreams. Too often in life, these important elements are discarded and life is the poorer for it. You might want to bury the goldfish and frog, but never bury your hopes and dreams. Hold onto to them until your last breath. God is the author of your hopes and dreams. Thank you!

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.

Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to

give you hope and a future," Jeremiah 29:11