RELIGION

For more religion visit glendalestar.com

GlendaleStar.com /GlendaleStar

Get to know someone before judging them

Many times in life, we make judgments about behavior we don’t understand.

Often, the younger look at older people as those to be tolerated, not celebrated. Honestly, younger people may be seeing farther than more senior people because they’re sitting on older folks’ shoulders.

This column is a true and extraordinary story that many people don’t know. It is a shining example to be careful about judgments and how one might learn to be cautious with our older folks until you know them better. You never know what they have done for younger people during their lifetimes.

The story comes from Max Lucado’s book “The Eye of the Storm.” I’ve shortened the story a bit to fi t into this article.

“It happened every Friday evening, almost without fail, when the sun resembled a giant orange and was starting to dip into the blue ocean.

“Old Ed came strolling along the beach to his favorite pier. Clutched in his bony hand was a bucket of shrimp. Ed walks out to the end of the dock, where it seems he almost has the world to himself. Everybody’s gone, except for a few joggers on the beach. Standing out on the end of the pier, Ed is alone with his thoughts and his bucket of shrimp.

“Before long, however, he is no longer alone. Up in the sky, a thousand white dots come screeching and squawking, winging their way toward that lanky frame standing there on the end of the pier. Now, dozens of seagulls have enveloped him, their wings fl uttering and fl apping wildly. Ed stands there tossing shrimp to the hungry birds. As he does, if you listen closely, you can hear him say with a smile, ‘Thank you. Thank you.’

“In a few short minutes, the bucket is empty. But Ed doesn’t leave. He stands there lost in thought, as though transported to another time and place. When he fi nally turns around and begins to walk back toward the beach, a few of the birds hop along the pier with him until he gets to the stairs, and then they, too, fl y away. And old Ed quietly makes his way down to the end of the beach and on home.

“If you were sitting there on the pier with your fi shing line in the water, Ed might seem like a ‘funny old duck,’ as my dad used to say. Or, to onlookers, he’s just another old codger, lost in his weird world, feeding the seagulls with a bucket full of shrimp. Old folks often do strange things, at least in the eyes of others. Most would probably write Old Ed off, down there in Florida. That’s too bad. They’d do well to know him better.

“His full name is Eddie Rickenbacker. He was a famous hero in World War I, and then he was in WWII. On one of his fl ying missions across the Pacifi c, he and his seven-member crew went down. Miraculously, the men survived the crash, crawled out of their plane, and climbed into a life raft.

“Capt. Rickenbacker and his crew fl oated for days on the rough waters of the Pacifi c. They fought the sun. They fought sharks. Most of all, they fought hunger and thirst. By the eighth day, their rations ran out. No food. No water. They were hundreds of miles from land, and no one knew where they were or even if they were alive. Every day across America, millions wondered and prayed that Eddie Rickenbacker might somehow be found alive.

“The men adrift needed a miracle. That afternoon they had a simple devotional service and prayed for a miracle. Then they tried to nap. Eddie leaned back and pulled his military cap over his nose as time dragged on. All he could hear was the slap of the waves against the raft. Suddenly, Eddie felt something land on the top of his cap.

CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Pastor Ed Delph

Glendale Star Columnist

SEE DELPH PAGE 27

10250 N. 59th Ave. 623-937-9216

Sunday Services:

Bible Study ....................................... 9:15 am Morning Worship ............................ 10:30 am Discipleship Training ........................ 4:45 pm Evening Worship .............................. 6:00 pm

Wednesdays:

TeamKid, Youth Worship

Bible Study & Prayer........................6:00 pm

Harvest CHurCH

8340 W. Northern Ave. Glendale, AZ 85305

Information 623.334.9482 Dr. Ron G. Rockwell – Pastor Sunday: 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.

Nursery Provided Wednesday: Family Night 7:00 p.m. www.hcaz.org

101 Freeway91st ave.

Harvest CHurCH 8340 W. Northern

Northern Ave.

Shepherd of the Desert

Lutheran Church - ELCA

11025 N. 111th Ave., Sun City/Youngtown • Worship Saturday 4pm,

Sunday 9:30am • Holy Communion both services • Pancake Breakfast 8-10am

Last Saturday Every Month

Drive-Thru Only • In-Person Bible Study

Wed 6pm

Handicap Bus - Call for pickup

(24hrs in Advance) 623 340-8232 Pastor Phil Gustofson, Interim Pastor

623-933-1359 shepherdofthedesertelca.org

10935 W. Olive Ave. Peoria 85345 Phone (623) 972-8479 office@westolive.com www.westolive.com Sunday Bible Study 9 a.m. Worship 10 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. Wednesday Bible Classes for all ages - 7:00 p.m. Everyone Is Welcome!

DELPH FROM PAGE 26 It was a seagull.

“Old Ed would later describe how he sat perfectly still, planning his next move. With a flash of his hand and a squawk from the gull, Eddie managed to grab the bird and wring its neck. He and his starving crew made a meal of it — a very slight meal for eight men. Then they used the intestines for bait. They caught fish, which gave them food and more bait for fishing, and the cycle continued. With that simple survival technique, they were able to endure the rigors of the sea until they were found and rescued after 24 days at sea.

“Eddie Rickenbacker lived many years beyond that ordeal, but he never forgot the sacrifice of that first life-saving seagull. He never stopped saying ‘thank you.’ That’s why almost every Friday night, he would walk to the end of the pier with a bucket full of shrimp and a heart full of gratitude.”

P.S. Eddie Rickenbacker was the founder of Eastern Airlines. Before WWI, he was a race car driver. In WWI, Eddie was a pilot and became America’s first ace. In WWII, he was a combat instructor and military adviser, and he flew missions with combat pilots. Eddie Rickenbacker is a true American hero. And now you know another story about the trials and sacrifices those brave men have endured for your freedom.

Do you see that “old man with a bucket of shrimp” type that you know? Don’t marginalize them. Listen to their story. And above all, thank them. After all, you’re sitting on their shoulders!

Ed Delph is Phoenix native who lives in the North Valley. Since 1980, he has pastored three churches in the Valley. He is a noted author of 10 books, weekly columnist in several local and worldwide newspapers, teacher, business owner and speaker. He has been to or ministered in over 100 countries. He is president of a worldwide ministry, NationStrategy.

To learn more about Pastor Ed Delph, the Church-Community Connection and Nation strategy, call 623-376-6757, e-mail nationstrategy@cs.com or visit nationstrategy.com.

Seeing is believing. Get 2 security cameras

installed FREE* .

ADT’s 24/7 monitoring plus top of the line security cameras help ensure your loved ones are safe – whether you’re out and about or in the next room.

2 cameras installed FREE

*Requires a 36-month monitoring contract. Minimum purchase of $599 and upgrade required. Early term. and installation fees apply. For full terms and pricing see reverse.

$200 value FREE*

ADT Video Doorbell Camera installed free

$200 value FREE*

ADT HD Outdoor Camera installed free

Mobile App

Access your feed and stored video clips from anywhere via the ADT mobile app.

Two-way audio

Chat with visitors at your door in real-time.

*Requires a 36-month monitoring contract. Minimum purchase of $599 and upgrade required. Early term. and installation fees apply. For full terms and pricing see below.

Motion activated

Senses motion outside your home and sends video clips automatically to your phone.

Crisp, clear images

Get HD quality video, even in dark or low-light environments.

*Requires a 36-month monitoring contract. Minimum purchase of $599 and upgrade required. Early term. and installation fees apply. For full terms and pricing see below.

Call today to speak with a home security expert 1-833-986-0324

O er expires: 7/15/2021

*ADT Video Doorbell AND Outdoor Camera Professionally Installed Free: Requires 36-month monitoring contract starting at $56.99/mo. with QSP (24-month monitoring contract in California, total fees from $1,367.76), and enrollment in ADT EasyPay. O er includes installation of one (1) video doorbell camera AND one (1) outdoor camera with minimum purchase price of $599 after promo is applied depending on geographic location. Applicable taxes extra. Upon early termination by Customer, ADT may charge 75% of the monthly service charges due for the balance of the initial contract term. Quality Service Plan (QSP) is ADT’s Extended Limited Warranty. Service and installation charges vary depending on system con guration, equipment, and services selected. Expires 7/15/2021. Interactive Services: ADT Command Interactive Solutions Services (“ADT Command”) helps you manage your home environment and family lifestyle. Requires purchase of an ADT alarm system with 36-month monitoring contract ranging from $45.99-$59.99/mo. with QSP (24-month monitoring contract in California, total fees ranging $1,103.76-$1,439.76), enrollment in ADT EasyPay, and a compatible device with Internet and email access. These interactive services do not cover the operation or maintenance of any household equipment/systems that are connected to the ADT Command equipment. All ADT Command services are not available with all interactive service levels. All ADT Command services may not be available in all geographic areas. You may be required to pay additional charges to purchase equipment required to utilize the interactive service features you desire. General: Additional charges may apply in areas that require guard response service for municipal alarm veri cation. System remains property of ADT. Local permit fees may be required. Prices and o ers subject to change and may vary by market. Additional taxes and fees may apply. Satisfactory credit required. A security deposit may be required. Simulated screen images and photos are for illustrative purposes only. ©2021 ADT LLC dba ADT Security Services. All rights reserved. ADT, the ADT logo, 800.ADT.ASAP and the product/service names listed in this document are marks and/or registered marks. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited. Third-party marks are the property of their respective owners. License information available at www.ADT.com/legal or by calling 800.ADT.ASAP. CA ACO7155, 974443, PPO120288; FL EF0001121; LA F1639, F1640, F1643, F1654, F1655; MA 172C; NC Licensed by the Alarm Systems Licensing Board of the State of North Carolina, 7535P2, 7561P2, 7562P10, 7563P7, 7565P1, 7566P9, 7564P4; NY 12000305615; PA 09079, MS 15019511. DF-CD-NP-Q221