Upon Reflection

I cut roughly six cords of firewood a year. It is not so I can wear my self-appointed nickname, "Man Mountain Dave." We use about six cords of firewood a year to heat our home and this work is a necessity. When it’s cool outside, the saw is working well, my body is relatively healthy, and the trail into the woods is not too muddy, I enjoy the experience for about thirty minutes, then it is just hard work. The cutting, loading, hauling, and unloading are not the end of the activity. Splitting and stacking go with the territory. So does maintaining your chainsaw. Then there is taking the wood to the basement, hauling the ashes out of the basement, and keeping the chimney clean. But for me, the end product is worth the effort.

I have talked to several guys who get excited about cutting firewood. It appeals to their manly instincts so they buy a saw and all the other necessary equipment, put on a flannel shirt, and head into the “wilderness.” Their Paul Bunyan experience lasts for a day or two and then the saw ends up as a bargain at a yard sale or sits in the garage until it grows mold. These are the type of fellows who like the idea of cutting wood but are not too thrilled with the reality of the experience.

Liking the idea of something but not liking the experience or the cost of it is not unique to cutting firewood. It applies to many things in life including a person’s willingness to live a life of faith. Many like the idea of walking the walk but after counting the cost and perhaps paying a price, their faith is relegated to a corner of their lives. We cannot lose heart and quit. We must realize that the end product is well worth the effort.

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Please read the current Studies as we continue in our examination of those things that can help us walk the walk and make a positive difference in our society.

 

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What people are saying about

A Yellow Raincoat & Other Memories: A Journey to Hope

 

“I just wanted to thank you for writing such a wonderful book. It has been quite a while since I have laughed out loud while reading a book. I thoroughly enjoyed every story. I have never heard you preach but I can tell you are my kind of minister. You use every day experiences to relate scripture. I would read a chapter and think this is my favorite until I came to the next and decided it was my favorite. I could have used this book many times over the last eleven years with some of the problems I have faced. Besides making me laugh it also grounded me. I did a lot of self reflection as I was reading and realizing I need to look at things in a much better way. It is so easy to say you will do that and it is another to apply it. I know I will be rereading your book many times.

My mother is not a big reader but she has read your entire book and loved it. Her words to me were, "It is filled with so much good. He writes in such an interesting way and gives you a good lesson for each story." My husband is now reading it. I will be working in another room and I hear him start laughing out loud. I always have to see which chapter he is enjoying. I hope there is another book like this in the works. I am ready for the next one.” ~ CL

~ From Barnes & Noble Customer Review
"This is an excellent book on life's lessons. Everything from parenting to dealing with difficult people is covered in these funny, ironic, and touching stories. The author really seems to "speak" to people of all ages and backgrounds, and does so with a unique, self-deprecating sense of humor. Unlike some inspirational collections, these stories avoid an overly sentimental or self-righteous tone. Each story gives you something to consider. A book everyone should read at least once, and probably will want to read many times."

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Upon Reflection

bookcover

A Yellow Raincoat &
Other Memories
A Journey to Hope

David Berresford’s first book is a collection of heart-warming true stories that takes us down the well-worn paths of his life: a life that has carried him from a two-room shack in West Virginia, to the farms of backwoods Kentucky, to the halls of a rural elementary school in Ohio. A minister, father, and retired teacher and school principal, David shares his experiences with parenting, ministering, teaching, and even grave-digging. His hilarious, insightful, and often poignant recollections invite you to take a thoughtful look at the places your life has taken you…then embark on your own journey to hope.    

Available at The Wooster Book Company or online.

Also available at:

Amish Door Restaurant and Village - Wilmot, OH

Ashland University Bookstore - Ashland, OH

Barnes & Noble - order online or at your local store

Borders - Fairlawn, Medina, and North Canton, OH

Carlisle Gifts - Walnut Creek, OH

Christian Homestead Bookstore - Shreve, OH

Gospel Book Store - Berlin, OH

Harvest Moon - Berlin, OH

Lion & Lamb Christian Resources - Salem, OH

Salt Creek Mercantile - Fredericksburg, OH

The Wilson Bookstore at The College of Wooster Wooster, OH

 

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