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Monday, December 14, 2015

Christmas at the gas station........


Every once in a while one stumbles upon a story that touches one's soul.

For me this is such a tale...

I hope it is as much of a blessing to you and your family as it was to mine....

Merry Christmas...

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go." "Not without something hot in your belly." George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked. "None for me," said the officer. "Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."

George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer." "Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said. George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued. "Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need." George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.

The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"

Merry Christmas!!

This story is better than any greeting card.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS!

Please Share and maybe by Christmas it will have been around the world a few times

★¨`*•♫.•Pass it on!! Give someone else a reason to smile. ♫ ..•* ★

FOLLOW ME or ADD ME as a friend! I am always posting awesome stuff on my timeline! You can find me at https://www.facebook.com/ckime2

Thank you ckime2....Merry Christmas to you also and may God bless the message.......:-)

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

The Michigan Barn...Growing Up Rural...Memories Preserved


They have been refered to as the "Castles of Rural Michigan"....The "Old" Michigan Barn.

They are filled with memories of hard work, a childs playground, close family bonds, along with hopes and dreams of a better tomorrow!

These books of Michigan Barns will hit a nostalgic nerve with many!

The old barns are fading away....but not before these authors took to the field to preserve them in picture and story.

You may recall these authors being spotlighted on our weekly TV show and how they had "a calling" to pursue and preserve these tremendous icons in amazing pictures and stories for future generations.

Now is your chance to obtain the memories for youself and your family.

These publications are classic and supplies seem to be very limited....

What a perfect gift as a family heirloom.

If you are a Michigan farmer or grew up in rural Michigan in the 20th century..you may recognize the families and thier stories..By golly, they may have been your neighbor!

The final recommendation we have for you is the last book listed "Michigan Shadow Towns" by Gene Scott

Gene was also a guest on our program many years ago when the book was first released....

What an amazing story he will relate to you about the former Michigan towns of "glory" now shadows of their former self....

Sunday, November 22, 2015

You are a child of the 50s and 60s...A boomer!...Thanks for dropping by..welcome to our safe place!


It's yesterday...today......

Remembering our childhood when TV meant adventure and family...

It wasn't obsession..It was a special time after our long hard day playing in reality!

Join us now for a few hours in that "safe place" when we knew the good guys from the bad guys...and when bed time meant...TV OFF AND LIGHTS OUT!

Enjoy some of our favorites from yesterday today!

Do you remember Dudley?

Posted by Do You Remember? on Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Sunday, November 1, 2015

The Michigan In Me......A Sunday afternoon with Jeff Daniels


All we can say about Jeff Danels is that he is "real"

I've seen him only once in concert and that is the impression I went away with.

I felt the music more then I heard it.....and that's a good thing....a wonderful thing.

Jeff seems to actually know the spirit of Michigan and I appreciate that.

"Well of course he can! He's an actor for God's sake!" you say.

No...It's more than that.

Listen to his music...really listen as a Michigander.

Then watch him in this Bloomberg interview....

You will, I believe, "feel" the Michigan in him...

It's a good feeling..

Monday, October 26, 2015

Finding...Then Living...Your Passion!....The cave digger!


A man who found his passion

Finding the Time Of His Life....

Friday, September 11, 2015

Monday, August 10, 2015

GREAT JOB SPECIAL OLYMPICS Athletes & Volunteers! We Salute The Winners & Those Brave in the Attempt!


We proudly salute the athletes of SPECIAL OLYMPICS.....and a double salute to our MICHIGAN SPECIAL OLYMPIADS!

Be brave and keep that spirit alive....

Today YOU ALL are the inspiration!

Michigan Magazine fondly recalls past Michigan Olympiads

A day we spent with the athletes back in 1997 will always hold a secure place in our mind and heart!

We Are So Proud of Our Special Olympic Athletes!


We proudly salute the athletes of SPECIAL OLYMPICS.....and a double salute to our MICHIGAN SPECIAL OLYMPIADS!

Be brave and keep that spirit alive....

Today YOU ALL are the inspiration!

Michigan Magazine fondly recalls past Michigan Olympiads

A day we spent with the athletes back in 1997 will always hold a secure place in our mind and heart!

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Time to Explore and Share Michigan Nature With Those You Love!


Get Outside! Visit a Nature Conservancy Preserve

Michigan's KID ON VACATION visits Kensington Metro Park in SE Michigan!

MICHIGAN MAGAZINE ENJOYS A WALK ALONG BOARDWALK AT BAY CITY STATE PARK!

Friday, July 17, 2015

Disney Fans! This is a Remarkable Day In History! July 17th 1955....


Still making dreams come true after all these years!

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

I Thought this was just the MOST WONDERFUL THING................


Wow....isn't this what it's really all about....Kindness, generosity, no strings attached.....The joy of creating happiness unexpected.....

May God bless your day with these special angels...

Or better yet...let's strap on those wings ourselves......

Blessed is this journey...........

Better to give

My buddy called and asked if I'd like to go help him pay for people's groceries. What happened next was amazing...Made by Mike Lewis of JesusPainter Ministries and Rob Westerman of SNC Norwood

Posted by JesusPainter Ministries on Sunday, July 5, 2015

Friday, June 5, 2015

What A Beautiful Day on Mackinac Island!


No Place I'd Rather Be than On The Isle of Mackinac..........

Saturday, May 23, 2015

A Memorial Day Tribute...Never Forget Those Who Fought For Our Freedom...May God Continue To Bless America


Monday is Memorial day...

We Will Never Forget the true meaning of this day....May God Bless Our American Military...

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Through A Mother's Eyes...........


God Bless you Mom.............


A MOTHER'S DAY FEAST! OH BOY!

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Yeeehaww! The Old West Heros Are Coming to N. Michigan Indedpendance Day Weekend!


The old West Comes to Northern Michigan again during Independence Day weekend!

Cowboy Look a likes will be heading into communities for old west action and photo ops!

Michigan Magazine is bringing to CLARE, LUPTON AND COOPERSVILLE OLD WEST TOWN, a taste of what we grew up on while in front of the old B&W TV as Baby Boomers!

Now relive the days and meet your heroes!

Bring the kids and grand kids..There will be fun for the whole family!

CLICK HERE and scroll down for the schedule of towns and appearances!

BUT FIRST

Check out this ONE OF A KIND LIMITED EDITION COMIC BOOK
featuring the old west heros and the lookalikes that'll be comin' to town!

Click on THIS LINK to pre-order for delivery in June 2015...

Hurry, remember this is a limited edition available on a first come first serve basis!

When the first edition printing is gone...it is gone for good!

We will see ya there at Coopersville and on the road in Lupton and Clare!


Thursday, April 23, 2015

Care inspires care.....What goes around WILL come around.....


Please pass along the spirit of caring.........

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

BIGFOOT Investigators invade Great Lakes Sighting "HOTSPOT"!.........Northern Michigan!


With Spring and warm weather making the backwoods more assessable...so also comes the reports of Bigfoot sightings as investigations begin and startling videos record bazaar anomalies!

Here's the latest Michigan Magazine TV's venture into hiking the most active Bigfoot area in the state.....

The first two videos are simple short segments to relay the feel of this area and it's desolation.

The third video is our short expedition into the think cedar swamp along the mighty AuSable River.....



LOCATION?...Camp Ten Bridge and Foley Swamp near Luzerne in Oscoda County!


WATCH NOW ON DEMAND THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL'S MICHIGAN INVESTIGATION AS THE "FINDING BIGFOOT" CREW BEGINS WITH A PRE-INVESTIGATION TOWNHALL MEETING IN HOUGHTON LAKE...

WITH STANDING ROOM ONLY THEY BEGIN AN AMAZING INVESTIGATION IN OUR OWN BACK YARD!


Oscoda county was the site of three annual BIGFOOT seminars held at the Michigan Magazine Museum (Now the Skyline Event Center)....

Dozens of serious investigators and skeptics alike took part in the three day event....

If one goes to our "spiritofmichigan" youtube channel you'll find some amazing interviews with guests and special reports from the museum.

The events drew curious of all ages including our friends from the YouTube Series KID ON VACATION.

Show host Conner got right into the spirit of the day with this report.....


Watch MORE BIGFOOT ON DEMAND

DVD