Greetings Saints and Friends,
​”Hello, Peggy-Lou! It’s always so good to hear from you.” “Ditto, Bobbie-Jean! It sure does not seem that long ago, we were lying across our beds or on the floor talking to each other over the phone for hours.” “I know. I can still hear my brother saying, ‘Get off the phone! Someone might call me.’ Now look at us, sixty years have passed and so have those dial phones that were tied to the wall.” “Yes. And no more un-twirling the phone cord. Ha-ha!” “I never thought back then that I would own a computer. And I certainly never thought I would be using one to talk with my best friend in another state, while looking at each other.”
​”Peggy-Lou, have I ever told you about my friends Myrtle and Gyrtle?” “I think so. They are the two sisters, right?” “Yes, that’s them.” “They sound like an incredible pair of friends. What have they been up to lately?” “O, I have to tell you! Myrtle and Gyrtle were traveling in another state recently when they learned that the State Fair was going on. Always ready for an elephant ear, cotton candy, and a ride on the Ferris-wheel, they went to the fair. After passing through the gated entrance to the fair, Myrtle said, ‘Let’s go look at the precious animals, Gyrtle.’ ‘Gyrtle reminded Myrtle, you’re allergic to barnyard animals.’ ‘Oh Gyrtle, don’t be such a bore. Come on.’ Well, from what I understand, Gyrtle became fond of a fawn whose white spots were in the form of a fan, while Myrtle began to cuddle with a twitchy nose bunny with soft blue eyes. But after a moment with her carrot-eating friend, Myrtle went ‘Ah-Chew!’ With that, a billy goat butted his pen, which bumped Gyrtle, whose cotton candy fell in – atop a mama sheep who had just been shorn. With the bleating of the ewe, the cows began to moo and a bull began to pace within his pen. With that, a stately stallion nodded his head, as if he said, ‘Girls, you better leave.’ To which Myrtle and Gyrtle agreed. And that was the end of visiting the animals at the fair. But as Myrtle and Gyrtle left the barn, Gyrtle asked Myrtle, ‘What are those tables over there?’ A large sign above read: To Whom Do You Belong? It seems curiosity was their guide. Myrtle and Gyrtle strolled over to see what they could find.
A man sitting at the first table wore a sweater with a worm embroidered on the front. He greeted Myrtle and Gyrtle saying, ‘If you like to read, you can join our bookworm club.’ ‘Thank you,’ they said in unison as they continued to move along. Myrtle told me, there next sat a lady on a very large ball of yarn who said, ‘If you like to knit or crochet, you can join our club.’ Myrtle and Gyrtle smiled and strolled on. At the next table, a man wearing rubber boots and a hat with fishhooks fastened to it said, ‘Hello, if you have a story about the one that did ‘not’ get away, you can join our club.’ Gyrtle, giggling, told Myrtle, ‘That sounds kinda fishy to me.’ Gyrtle told me that they came to the last table where two young girls with bright cheery smiles asked, ‘Do you know if you’re going to Heaven?’ Gyrtle looked at Myrtle and Myrtle looked at Gyrtle and they replied in unison, ‘We don’t know!’ ‘Would you like to find out, now?’ the young girls asked. ‘I sure would,’ said Myrtle. ‘Me, too,’ said Gyrtle. One of the young girls asked, ‘Myrtle, would you read what the Bible says here?’ ‘All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.’ Romans 3:23 ‘Gyrtle, who does the Bible say has sinned?’ ‘Everybody.’ ‘So, when you girls did something wrong at home, what happened?’ ‘We got punished!’ ‘Gyrtle, read what the Bible says here.’ ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Romans 6:23 ‘What does that mean to you, Myrtle?’ ‘Well, I deserve to die for my sin, but Jesus wants me to live forever, right?’ ‘Yes, that is correct.’ Gyrtle asked, ‘Does that mean live with Jesus in Heaven?’ ‘Yes, it does!’ replied the girls. ‘How does that happen?’ ‘Read here, Gyrtle.’ ‘While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.’ Romans 5:8 ‘Myrtle! That means Jesus died for our sins! What should we do?’ ‘Pray: ‘Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner. Thank You for paying for all of my sins when You died in my place and rose again. Thank You that Heaven is now my forever home. Help me always to live for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.’ That day Myrtle and Gyrtle knew they would be going to Heaven!” “Bobbie-Jean, that is wonderful! And think, today, anyone else can have that same assurance, too!”