May 25, 2024 — The Dollar Spot Devotions

Now and Later Chews

“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:51-62

Now and Laters are bite-size pieces of taffy that last a long time… some for now and some for later. Kids went wild when, in 1962, the Phoenix Candy Company came out with the Now and Later bar. Each Now and Later bar consisted of several individually wrapped taffy squares, and the bars were available in close to fourteen flavors.  The name was selected to suggest to customers that they eat some of the taffy squares in the bar right away and save the rest for another occasion.  The Phoenix Company goes back to 1919, when a little candy company in Brooklyn, New York, was turning out penny saltwater taffy.  In 1953, the company became the Phoenix Candy Company, which struck gold with its popular product. The candy brand has been owned and made by several companies between that time and today, featuring Beatrice Foods, Hershey, Farley & Sather’s Candy and currently by the Ferrara Candy Company

Some for now and some for later. Almost sounds like the responses that Jesus got from people he asked to follow him. Some, like the disciples followed immediately – Jesus said “Now” and they responded “Now!”. But for others, Jesus said “Now”, and they said “No, Later!”  They wanted to follow but they had other things to do, so they wanted to put it off until later. Of those who came up with excuses, Jesus made that famous quote “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of G-d”.  Or, in other words, there is no way anyone can move forward while they are looking back.  Oh, you can, but the chances of getting off track is extremely great. 

Jesus was looking for disciples who would work for the kingdom, but not for disciples who put other priorities first. And yes, we all have other priorities in our lives that will take our focus and our time away from kingdom work. And not all of us can drop everything and follow Jesus like the disciples. But we all can put more time into following, and less time into making excuses. And we can get to following Jesus more now, or get to following Jesus more later in our lives. Question is, how much more time do we have? Better to get to being a closer follower and disciple now, than later….

Pastor Dave

May 24, 2024 – The Dollar Spot Devotions

Mamba Fruit Chews

“David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of theLord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.” 2 Samuel 6-1-5

Charleston Chew is a candy bar consisting of flavored nougat covered in chocolate flavor coating. It was created in 1925 by the Fox-Cross Candy Company, founded by stage actor Donley Cross and Charlie Fox.   The candy was named for the Charleston, a popular dance at that time. (Wikipedia)

Here is another of the interesting candy selections at the local Dollar Spot.  I am always interested in the origins of the names of things – things like candy bars. It is no surprise that there was a candy bar named after the popular dance, the Charleston. The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called “The Charleston” by composer/pianist James P. Johnson. The dance came out in 1923, and the candy bar in 1925. 

I have never tried to dance the Charleston, and I am sure that I would probably break a hip trying. But dancing is not just a secular activity. Dancing for G-d as part of our worship of G-d has been a part of worship for thousands of years. We don’t see it often in the Lutheran church, but maybe we should.  It is always good to try different ways to offer praise to G-d – so why not dance.

Pastor Dave