The Ungrateful Husband

I have an entire label set aside for Ken Davis- I don't think I have posted this video yet. It's short and will bring a laugh to your face. they say a laugh is a smile with the volume turned up, so go ahead- Laugh! I have had too many serious videos-  and the news on TV can be depressing, so today is time to lighten up and laugh. Check out Ken Davis in "The Ungrateful Husband".

Two friends met in the street. One looked sad and almost on the verge of tears. The other man said, “Hey my friend, how come you look like the whole world has caved in?”
The sad fellow said, “Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, an uncle died and left me 50-thousand dollars.”
“That’s not bad at all…!”
“Hold on, I’m just getting started. Two weeks ago, a cousin I never knew kicked-the-bucket and left me 95-thousand, tax-free to boot.”
“Well, that’s great! I’d like that.”
Last week, my grandfather passed away. I inherited almost a million.”
“So why are so glum?”
“This week – nothing!”

What A Day That Will Be-Gerald Bentz

 

I had the privilege of meeting Gerald Bentz back in the 70’s when my parents started attending his church in Federal Way. Our families connected and became great friends. It was an honor to reconnect with him when he moved to Wenatchee after his wife passed away. His son became his caretaker- and what a great example of "honoring thy mother/father" he displayed. Gerald faithfully attended our church with his big smile and love for the Lord that radiated. Gerald was a WWII MIA-POW who was wounded and captured in France and spent the last several months of the war in the POW camp in Munich, Germany. This week he passed away peacefully in his sleep with his family near his side. What an example he was, what Joy he must be having in Heaven and what a big Void he leaves down here with his passing. Today I felt best to share this video from the Gaithers- “What A Day That Will Be”- Maybe this song minister to you as well- It is from the Gaither Homecoming Videos. " 

 Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, 
 love leaves a memory no one can steal"

  DEATH~ 

WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT.

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to Leave the examination room and said, 'Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.' Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.' 'You don't know? You're a Christian man, and don't know what's on the other side?' The doctor was holding the handle of the door; On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, 'Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, But I do know one thing... I know my Master is there and that is enough.

POSTED ON Sunday, October 21, 2012

Gerald George Bentz

WENATCHEE - Gerald George Bentz, 88, of Wenatchee went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 after suffering a stroke. Gerald was born to John and Pauline Bentz on January 18, 1924 in Farwell, Michigan. Gerald was the tenth child born to his parents. His mother died 3 days after his birth due to complications resulting from his birth. Most of Gerald’s early childhood was spent in Loveland, Colorado. Gerald often told of the time when he was a boy wherein his stepbrother Dave Gaub went to a church service at the Loveland Assembly of God and accepted Jesus Christ, encouraging the rest of the family to do so also. They did and most of the Bentz-Gaub family became dedicated Christians as a result. A genuine conversion took place, which changed their lives forever.

Gerald’s dad John lost his farm as a result of the Great Depression and moved the family to the Yakima Valley in 1939 when Gerald was 15 with the promise of employment in agriculture. Gerald worked summers changing sprinklers for the Central Washington State Fair as a young teen and then worked for the Valley Evaporator and later Yakima Cement and one of the local fuel oil companies doing home deliveries in Yakima.

The US Army drafted Gerald in 1942 and he became part of the 12th Armored Infantry Battalion. He spent the first couple active duty years in the military-police, eventually guarding POW German officers as they were moved by train from New York harbor to Texas and then guarding at the POW camp there. In October of 1944 Gerald was back at NY Harbor but this time being deployed to the front lines in Strasbourg, France. While fighting on the front lines his company commander misread a map resulting in an ambush of most of Gerald’s platoon. Gerald was wounded while the majority of his comrades were killed. He was captured and transported by the Nazis to the POW camp in Munich, Germany where he finished out the remaining several months of the war. Because of Gerald’s German heritage and the fact that German was often spoken in the Bentz home, he became the interpreter for all of the English-speaking prison allies in the POW camp in Munich.

Gerald’s family in Colorado and Yakima had been informed that he was missing in action but his parents didn’t receive word that he was alive until he walked through their front door in Yakima after being liberated and returning from Europe. Gerald said it was a great time of celebration and rejoicing with his family upon his return.

Upon Gerald’s discharge from the Army he found that his church in Yakima had new pastors who had a beautiful single daughter, Martha May Galbraith. He and Martha dated for a couple years then married in December of 1947. The first 3 children born to Gerald and Martha were born in Yakima between 1949 and 1953. In 1954 Gerald received a job offer from Roy Miller to work for Miller Oil Company in Federal Way, WA, which he accepted. After settling in Federal Way the second 3 children were born in Auburn between 1958 and 1962. Gerald worked for Miller Oil and later McCall Oil Co. retiring in 1986 at which time he and Martha moved back to the Yakima Valley.

All of Gerald’s 6 children adored him as a wonderful father. As a grandfather Gerald had an amazing way of making each of his grandkids feel like they were just as important to him as the others. Some cherished memories we have of dad/grandpa is hearing his wartime experiences, riding in his big oil truck, hearing him play his harmonica, watching him tap-dancing his famous little "jig," hearing him pray over a meal in German, and the kids vying to be the "first one" to kiss daddy when he got home from work. Hearing our dad and mom ask one another for forgiveness often is a cherished memory. Dad and mom credited their 63 year long marriage to "never going to bed angry but always asking for forgiveness." Forever cherished is seeing dad care for mom until the last few months of her life even though she had Alzheimer’s. Another cherished memory of dad is his unfailing, departing salutation by saying to everyone, "Lord be with you until we meet again!"

Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, numerous brothers, sisters and relatives, one daughter Carol Bentz-Milan on September 27, 1994 and his wife Martha May Galbraith-Bentz on April 17, 2011. Gerald is survived by one sister, Hellen Nelson of Yakima, 5 children, Lonnie Bentz of Hermiston, OR, Janice Norman of Yakima, WA, Geralyn Davis of Juneau, AK, Tim Bentz of Wenatchee, WA and LaDonna Hasty of Lincoln, CA as well as 17 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Gerald moved to Wenatchee in May of 2011 to be with family following a stroke.

The rest of the family would like to recognize Gerald’s grandson Jason Brewer for his unfailing love and dedication to his grandpa, as evidenced when he stayed nearly every night in the Wenatchee hospital with him the last couple weeks of Gerald’s life so grandpa would "never be alone."

Visitation will be offered 12:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M. on Sunday, October, 21, 2012 at Keith and Keith Funeral Home, 902 W. Yakima Avenue. Graveside services are scheduled for 9:30 A.M. on Monday, October 22, 2012 at West Hills Memorial Park at 11800 Douglas Rd. in Yakima and will be held prior to the regular funeral due to scheduling conflicts with the cemetery. Regular funeral services will follow at 11:00 A.M. at Keith and Keith Funeral Chapel at 902 W. Yakima Avenue in Yakima, WA.

The Senior Citizen's Song

The International Day of Older Persons is a special day for senior citizens worldwide. ... was observed for the first time throughout the world on October 1, 1991.

I hope you can tell humor is my favorite blogs. I came across this song by written by Ira Stanphill and sung by Hilton Griswold. Hillton Griswold sang with the Blackwood Brothers Quartet from 44-46 and is still living I think. What a piano player and what a voice. I would love to hear him in person. He was 73 when he did a Gaither Blackwood video in 1995- you do the math....

Ira Stanphlll died about 20 years ago and his wife is 100 and still living. Ira wrote many old time songs of our church, this is the first time I heard this song sung. I had the privilege of hearing him sing at Evergreen Christian Center in the 80’s and of coarse I grew up on many of the songs he wrote.

I sent this video to some of my friends,and received the following email back;

Thanks, Dennis, we really enjoyed that, so much so that I forwarded it to a bunch of others Interesting that I have already heard back from some that I sent it too with thank-yous and they too are enjoying the 'old people's song' as well as remembering the artists.

My siblings and I used to sing Ira Stanphill's songs back in the 50's at Beth-el A/G church in Chehalis when we were young, especially, "Come Home, Come Home, It's Suppertime." As I remember it he had some bad times in his life, (his wife divorced him) yet kept up his ministry in song that blessed many others. I was impressed because it was during this time that he wrote "We'll Talk It Over In the Bye and Bye" and some others. He never married again until after his first wife died, even though they were divorced - the way the bible says....

I went to A/G Heritage Magazine where I found an article about Ira Stanphill which was very interesting too, enjoyed the memories of the stories written there about him. Did you know Ira's daughter, by his second wife, married Rick Cole, Glenn Cole's son?

Here is another response; Enjoyed the "Senior Citizen" song. Sure wish I could play the piano like that guy!

I trust you will find the humor in this song- the tune is catchy and may stick with you. Remeber, you can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old.

Former Blackwood Brothers member still ministering

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 - 9:41 AM CST

Griswold

Hilton Griswold retired from pastoring 12 years ago.
Now he works six days a week.
Griswold, at 88, teaches Sunday School to 30 senior adults every Sunday morning; plays the piano and sings for half an hour each week on television, radio and the Internet; and drives himself to 16 live monthly performance programs at Springfield, Missouri, nursing homes and assisted living communities. That doesn't include the invitations he receives from various congregations in the city.
Griswold is one of dozens of "retired" Assemblies of God pastors who provide living proof that ministry doesn't end at 65 — or 75 or even 85, for that matter. Griswold pastored seven churches in Iowa, Missouri and Illinois in 42 years. He also has been a traveling evangelist, and he received his 50-year ordination recognition from the Fellowship in 2000. During the 1940s, he began his ministry career as pianist for the Blackwood Brothers Quartet. Today he is busier than ever.
Most Mondays through Saturdays, Griswold is in his unadorned office in Springfield for his Inspiration Time broadcasts. He has been a widower since 2001 when his wife, Marie, died unexpectedly of a heart attack after 61 years of marriage. Griswold still wears a suit, tie and dress shoes to the office, which is stacked with papers, letters and tape duplicating equipment.
On a recent Tuesday morning, he is busy mailing the week's Sunday School lesson to those who missed the class two days earlier at Park Crest Calvary Temple. Griswold uses an electric typewriter to address envelopes to the absentees, as well as to pound out the lessons themselves. He says he wouldn't have a clue how to even switch on a computer.
Griswold also has a mailing list of 26,500 people who have written to him for cassettes since he started his TV music ministry in 1985. The names are compiled by his daughter Barbara Chapman, who does operate a computer. Griswold duplicates CDs and DVDs himself from masters to be mailed to TV and radio stations for airing.
Although some listeners send funds, Griswold doesn't ask for any money on his programs. He invested his life savings of $25,000 when he started the TV music ministry a quarter-century ago. He has $15,000 left, as he pays for CDs, DVDs, cassettes, music box covers, labels and envelopes himself.
Many of the requests come from elderly shut-ins. Some come from prisoners, who write that they have accepted Jesus as their Savior when listening to his program. But Griswold enjoys singing and playing most for those whose faulty memories come alive because of the music.
"The thrill of my life is going to the Alzheimer's wing at Maranatha Village," Griswold says. "People who don't know how to get back to their rooms can sing every word of every song."
In the earlier radio ministry days, Griswold sang with Barbara, who works in the Pastor Care office at Assemblies of God headquarters, and his son, Larry, who now is AG district superintendent in Illinois. These days it's primarily a solo act.
Griswold loves to tell inspiring stories, play the piano with alacrity and alternate through all four parts of a well-known quartet number during a concert.
"The Lord has been tremendous," says Griswold, who takes no medications beyond a daily aspirin. "I don't intend to ever stop, as long as I'm physically able to keep going."
Author: John W. Kennedy, Pentecostal Evangel
 

Hilton was born on November 12, 1921 and passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2015.
Hilton was a resident of Springfield, Missouri.