Hitting A Winner
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle A
Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!" (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, "First sell me your birthright." Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (vv. 29-34)
Diane Ketterling bought an old 18-by-20-inch picture frame from Outskirts Antique Shop in Chandler, Oklahoma, for $100. She planned to replace the picture in the frame with a re-sized photograph of her ancestors. She went to a local photo shop and dropped everything off to have the work done. Ketterling then left town on business.
The photo shop owner removed the picture only to discover more pictures. One of the photos about to be discarded was a picture of former President Woodrow Wilson. A closer inspection revealed that two additional photos -- also believed to be of Wilson -- were behind the first one in the frame. When Ketterling returned, she discovered the rare find. One photograph portrayed Wilson at about age 55. The other two photos are believed to be of Wilson at a younger age. An appraiser informed her that the rare photos could be worth as much as $100,000.
Jim Booze owns the antique shop that sold Ketterling the rare photographs. He said the frame came from an estate sale on the East Coast. He often buys a variety of items from large sales nationwide. He was not upset at her good fortune. He figures she just happened to "hit on a winner" with the purchase. Booze said, "I would have liked to come across that, but I am glad she got it. She's a real swell lady, and she has shopped with me for several years. I am sure she is appreciating it."
He has also been the beneficiary of rare finds. He said he once bought a piece of antique furniture that contained two old newspapers between the mirror and the wood. The newspapers announced the assassination of President Lincoln. Booze said they were appraised at $900 each.
He said, "Sometimes you get some; sometimes you miss some of them. It's part of the business, and I have fun with it. You just never know about things out of the past."
If she sells the photographs, Ketterling said she plans to give the photo shop owner a share of the money. Ketterling commented on the photo shop owner, "She is very fair and very honest. A lot of people would take the pictures, and I wouldn't have known anything about that. I owe a lot to her because she was honest."
Jacob was hardly that honest or fair in dealing with Esau's birthright. He sought to capitalize on his brother's weakness. He cheated him. And yet, God used Jacob in the lineage of a great nation. This speaks of God's great mercy more than God's approval of Jacob's methods.
(From a story by Michael Bratcher in the 10/11/02 Daily Oklahoman.)
Diane Ketterling bought an old 18-by-20-inch picture frame from Outskirts Antique Shop in Chandler, Oklahoma, for $100. She planned to replace the picture in the frame with a re-sized photograph of her ancestors. She went to a local photo shop and dropped everything off to have the work done. Ketterling then left town on business.
The photo shop owner removed the picture only to discover more pictures. One of the photos about to be discarded was a picture of former President Woodrow Wilson. A closer inspection revealed that two additional photos -- also believed to be of Wilson -- were behind the first one in the frame. When Ketterling returned, she discovered the rare find. One photograph portrayed Wilson at about age 55. The other two photos are believed to be of Wilson at a younger age. An appraiser informed her that the rare photos could be worth as much as $100,000.
Jim Booze owns the antique shop that sold Ketterling the rare photographs. He said the frame came from an estate sale on the East Coast. He often buys a variety of items from large sales nationwide. He was not upset at her good fortune. He figures she just happened to "hit on a winner" with the purchase. Booze said, "I would have liked to come across that, but I am glad she got it. She's a real swell lady, and she has shopped with me for several years. I am sure she is appreciating it."
He has also been the beneficiary of rare finds. He said he once bought a piece of antique furniture that contained two old newspapers between the mirror and the wood. The newspapers announced the assassination of President Lincoln. Booze said they were appraised at $900 each.
He said, "Sometimes you get some; sometimes you miss some of them. It's part of the business, and I have fun with it. You just never know about things out of the past."
If she sells the photographs, Ketterling said she plans to give the photo shop owner a share of the money. Ketterling commented on the photo shop owner, "She is very fair and very honest. A lot of people would take the pictures, and I wouldn't have known anything about that. I owe a lot to her because she was honest."
Jacob was hardly that honest or fair in dealing with Esau's birthright. He sought to capitalize on his brother's weakness. He cheated him. And yet, God used Jacob in the lineage of a great nation. This speaks of God's great mercy more than God's approval of Jacob's methods.
(From a story by Michael Bratcher in the 10/11/02 Daily Oklahoman.)
