The first time I saw “To Dance with the White Dog” was in 1993 in the Hallmark Hall of Fame. That was when it was broadcast on CBS on Sunday nights. Since then, I have viewed it many times. If you want to see it, I watched it recently on Hallmark Movies Now.

The story of a married couple celebrating their fiftieth anniversary in 1966 is powerful for many reasons. First was the love story between an elderly couple. In 1993 my wife and I had only been married for seventeen years. It was difficult to imagine that we might make it to our fiftieth. We are only four years away from that landmark date.

An African American friend of this couple is shown as being treated as one of the family. At first, you may think that she was hired as a cook, housekeeper, or nanny. That does not appear to be the case as the story unfolds. This is significantly different from another movie, “The Help,” set at the same time. Both films are set in the southern US.

The families are shown to be what I would call Christian or religious. They are not shown in any church. The male lead character points out the discrepancies between the Bible and horticultural science. His wife points out that the scripture is not a science text. While many scientific facts appear in different chapters and verses, I believe this is a true statement.

When his wife dies, he has difficulty adjusting to being alone. A white dog appears, and his children and grandchildren do not see it when they come around. Most days the waking hours are occupied with the changing of the guard as the families alternate staying around his house and orchard.

The old man decides to take a trip to a reunion for the college where he and his wife met. The dog travels with him. He does not bother to tell anyone in the family where he is going. One grandson knows. He is asked not to tell anyone unless there is an emergency. Of course, one comes up.

I’ll stop with my explanation of the plot and sequence of events. If you decide to watch this film, I hope I have not spoiled any of the drama and mystery. The lesson of the movie is to cherish those that we love. At any moment they may no longer be with us.

©Copyright 2022 by Charles Kensinger

Early in my sophomore year in high school at Hillcrest in Springfield, Missouri I was sitting in Mrs. Reba’s history class when one of my classmates fell out of his chair. It appeared he had passed out. No one else seemed worried about it except the teacher. She hobbled over and stared down at him while she called his name.

“Mark, Mark, are you alright? Does anyone know what we should do?” She was at a loss. She had never had a student pass out in class before. Veteran teachers prepare yourselves for this possibility. Not the one that this Hillcrest history teacher thought she was experiencing that day. As she speculated out loud about the possibility of loosening his belt to allow him more room to breathe Mark could not hold in his amusement any longer and he began to laugh.

The game was up. The student that had been told to go to the office was not out the door. He stayed. Mrs. Reba was exasperated beyond words. She sat down at her desk while many of Mark’s friends snickered at his coop. He had taken over the class. When the teacher fully recovered, she started the lesson once more. As we left at the bell I cannot remember if Mark had to stay after class or was sent to the office or not.

That was the day I became aware of who he was. A cross country runner, a teenage boy with a wicked sense of humor, a good friend, and brother in ministry both as a music leader and a deacon at Hamlin Baptist Church, Mark and I would experience life together over the next fifty years.                                                                                                            

My friend was taken to Heaven by his Lord and Savior on Thursday, October 28, 2001. He was 67 years old. I teased him every year when he turned a year older than I and reminded him around my birthday that I, finally had caught up with him, again.

Our friendship did not take flight until he and his family came to Hamlin several years after graduation in May of 1972. I did not know about his marriage to Lynn, another classmate, until that time. They and their three children became part of our church family, and we served our Lord together on many occasions.

He and I were asked to begin a Sunday afternoon church service at a senior housing facility by another church member. Our monthly foray into being the preacher and music leader continued for a few years. When the attendance dropped to two or three and it seemed the residents were losing interest, we moved on to other endeavors.

Mark and I were two of ten ordained to the deacon ministry at the same time. We continued to serve with that body of men. Some of the guys that were brought into that ministry with our wives that day preceded Mark to Heaven. Others left Hamlin for other churches, and one became a pastor and moved to the Kansas City area. I was sitting with Mark in a deacon’s meeting when he attempted to resign because a family situation made him feel he had failed us. Those wonderful men gathered around him and refused to let him step down because his assistance was still needed.

We have been through births, weddings, funerals, church staff coming and going. We welcomed others into the church and deacon ministry together for all these years. I worried and prayed with his family as he struggled through past illnesses that might have been his end at those times. God was not done with him then.

When he was ordained into the gospel ministry and joined the church staff to help minister to those that were in the hospital or had problems that kept them from the rest of the congregation when we met together, I was there. I knew he had been a lay minister for years before that.

Our families grew. Our children left home. We lost friends and family. We cried and prayed together. I visited him in the hospital. He came to see me as well. We have stood hand in hand around staff and other church members. We have grieved with other families who have lost fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, and friends.

Now I will be with his family as they mourn. What can I say to them? God gave me a thought last night. When Jesus came to get Mark as we are told He will for each of His children, everyone that he knew who have accepted Christ was in Heaven when he arrived. They had not been waiting for him. There is no time with God. His family greeted him. My family is with him. He is visiting with deacons that we served with. Some of our high school classmates are there. His wife, children, and grandchildren are there.

We do not know it because we are under the God given restraints of time and space. When He said, “Let there be light” and created everything, time also began. Mark does not miss any of us as we miss him. “A day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day.” Did he notice Lynn wasn’t by his side? No. She is a believer and is waiting for time to join him. Her heart is broken. We must comfort her and encourage her and the children to follow Mark’s example. He believes that “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” We discussed what that meant and agreed that we accepted it. We did not know what that truly meant. Mark now knows. Save me a place in the choir, brother.

We know that Sennacherib will not conquer Judah, but in 2 Chronicles 32 Assyria attempts to invade Jerusalem. Refer to 2 Kings 18. The words spoken against Yahweh are the reason for the failure of Judah’s enemy. We are told that a messenger of the Lord annihilated these forces. This impressed others and Hezekiah had regained popularity. Even this godly King was not perfect. Neither are we. As he did, we must realize our sin and repent to gain forgiveness. His errors lead to the later destruction of his country. His son Manasseh succeeded him.

We return to 2 Chronicles 33 to read about King Manasseh. The story is basically the same except this version mentions he sacrificed children in the fire, not just a son. We also learn how he was removed from his office by being captured by the Assyrians and taken to Babylon. He repented and asked for Jehovah’s help which he received and was returned to Jerusalem. He had a second chance. This makes a significant difference in the story.

When Amon becomes King of Judah, he does not follow his father’s later example but the earlier actions. “Train up a child as he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Manasseh failed Amon, by not worshiping the Lord when his son was younger. Parents listen to this lesson.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

The title of our next book is Ecclesiastes. Chapter 1 calls the writer the teacher or preacher. He begins by declaring that everything is useless. The world is nothing but repetitious. Anything we do today must be done again tomorrow.

Verse nine says that there is nothing new on this planet. If this is incorrect, then the Bible does contain errors. We know that is not possible. How can this statement be true? Remember Genesis six and the flood in the time of Noah. An objection to the validity of that story is the likelihood of the ancients being able to build a structure like the Ark. Thousands of years passed before the flood and people lived to be hundreds of years old. It would make sense that their technology would exceed even ours. Especially when we look at all the examples of monuments from the prehistoric world that are inexplicable with what we consider caveman knowledge.

We just finished reading Proverbs. This is the major book of wisdom written by King Solomon. He declares that even wisdom is vanity. A man who began his journey with such promise has now become discouraged and disillusioned. Remember that by this time he had wandered from Jehovah and built temples for his wives to other deities. When we walk away from the Lord we often lose confidence in anything.

When you are King, you have endless options for distractions as in Ecclesiastes 2. If we are depressed, we usually binge eat. You may clean, watch TV, read or something else. Solomon tried pleasure, work, and many other ideas. How do your distractions help you overcome a feeling of worthlessness?

I have discovered that studying God’s word works for me. Have you tried that? Does reading along with us give you a feeling of purpose? This may benefit me because I must read along with you.

Solomon refused himself nothing. This may be the problem. Most of us have goals that give us something to look forward to. My writing and sharing it with you gives me that hope. Look for something that you enjoy and challenges you. Most of all, ask God what His plan is for you. Then follow Him, unlike this King.

There is a time for everything as given in Ecclesiastes 3. Let’s look at some of these that you may not have noticed previously. A time to mourn and a time to dance. Many of us Baptists want that one removed. We prefer to mourn and do not think we should dance. Be like Solomon’s father, David, dance when Jehovah needs to be praised.

A time to search and a time to give up. When do you quit? It depends on what you are searching for. As a child, we stop looking for shoes or other things we need for school, if we don’t want to go. As adults we accept defeat, when we feel defeated and want to give up. Do not stop without talking to God first.

Hoarders need to listen to the time to keep and a time to throw away. I need to remember there is a time to be silent and a time to speak. Some of my quieter friends need to talk more often. I don’t have that problem.

“Everything is beautiful in its own time.” Now you know where Ray Stevens found that line. He just changed one word. You have eternity inside of you. Yahweh put it there. The King’s negative mood is the result of his rejection of the Lord. He does admit that if God does something, it will last. What we do on our own, will not. He also tells us that we are no better than animals. Once again, his personal feelings are expressed. We know differently from what Jehovah tells us.

The dead are better off than the living and in Ecclesiastes 4 the unborn have it best of all. Talk about being depressed. All achievement springs envy. Three strikes and he’s out.

Two are better than one starts out positive but turns negative when he says to pity those who are alone. He comes back positive again with “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” This is often used regarding marriage. The third strand is Jehovah. 

Sacrifice was often viewed by the Hebrews as the correct form of worship. In Ecclesiastes 5 tells us that listening to what Yahweh must tell us is better than sacrifice. Promises to God should be taken seriously. Today we often make deals with Him in times of trouble. Be careful what you tell Him. He could take what you promise despite yourself.

Money is a definite problem for all of us. If we do not have enough, we worry. Good finances also cause us to be distressed. The wealthy usually are concerned with the possibility of losing their high estate. Our faith needs to be in Jehovah and not in our ability to earn a living.

We continue thoughts on prosperity in Ecclesiastes 6. The King believes that it is impossible to enjoy one’s wealth and challenging work. He declares it all useless. We can have peace whether we are poor or rich if we rely on the Lord. The vanity of the King is the result of disobedience. Guilt over this has caused his anguish. 

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger