The longtime Guideposts contributor and friend passed away at the age of 104.
Oscar Greene, a long-time Guideposts contributor and friend, passed away at the age of 104. He started his part-time writing career after being selected to attend the Guideposts Writers Workshop Contest in the 70s. Over the years, he authored more than 250 pieces for Guideposts, contributing to Daily Guideposts and Guideposts Magazine, among other publications. To celebrate Oscar’s life, let’s take a look at some of his most beautifully written devotions.
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Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart…—PSALM 27:14
Everything seemed to happen at once. First, the starter on our car tore the teeth from the flywheel. Then the hinges on our oven door collapsed. The retaining rings in our dishwasher sheared, and the upper tray came tumbling down. A pipe in our kitchen ceiling burst. Finally, our dishwasher failed altogether.
How was I going to get all of these things fixed? Repairmen are neither plentiful nor inexpensive in our area. My thoughts were a jumble as I thumbed through the morning paper. Then a familiar face seemed to leap out of a photo on page six. It was Kathleen, who sang with our church choir! I knew that she was a long-distance runner and soon would be running in the famous Boston Marathon. But why the full-page profile?
“Cancer Survivor Runs Her 16th With Vigor,” the headline read. I read on and learned that Kathleen had undergone cancer therapy in March 1996 and had run in the one-hundredth marathon only forty days after her treatment. I hadn’t known about Kathleen’s bout with cancer. She had run that marathon feeling it would be her last; it wasn’t. “I got a little tired,” Kathleen said. “But I have a good attitude and that’s important. I enjoy people, and I will accept whatever time the Good Lord gives me.”
I folded the paper and reached for the telephone book. I’d better get started looking for repair people, I thought. Attitude is everything.
Father, no matter how difficult the task may seem, give me the courage to make my best effort.
—Oscar Greene, Daily Guideposts April 2002
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Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous…—Hebrews 12:11
It was to be a busy summer day in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and I was thrilled. The year was 1932, and fifty airplanes would visit the tiny airport between Williamstown and North Adams. In my entire life, I had never seen an airplane on the ground.
There was a reason for the celebration: The pilots were there to greet a famous couple who would be arriving at noon. Once the couple arrived, a limousine would speed them to the Institute of Politics on the campus of Williams College. This was a day to remember in our tiny village.
As I was about to leave, Mother said, “Oscar, you need to mow the lawn.”
“But, Mother,” I cried, “this is a big day. I need to go to the airport…”
“Your responsibilities come first. There’s always time for fun later.” I was so disappointed I couldn’t think. Now I would miss everything! I finished the lawn in a huff. Then I walked up Main Street and sat on the cement block in front of the Commons Club on the campus, feeling extra sorry for myself.
Suddenly a black limousine loomed in sight and stopped at the foot of the stairs. A petite, dark-haired lady stepped out, followed by a tall, slender, curly-headed gentleman—Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, the famous people I had hoped to get a glimpse of at the airport. Now they were so close I could reach out and touch them. They smiled and then stepped inside. In a moment, they were gone.
In subsequent years I saw many airplanes close up. I even worked as an engineering technician on the Gemini space program. Sometimes those responsibilities kept me mighty busy. But there were always rewards that came—unexpectedly, delightfully and as personal as God’s grace. Good thing I did mow the lawn that day.
Mysterious Master, our plans may not be Your plans, but Your plans are far-reaching.
And yet show I unto you a more excellent way.—I Corinthians 12:31
Change can be frightening. Years ago I was laid off from my job as a first-class machine operator. This wasn’t just a temporary layoff, it was permanent. Getting a new job would mean relocating to another city or taking work on the evening shift.
I was about to accept the evening shift when my wife Ruby said, “You’re thirty-nine years old, Oscar. Don’t you feel it’s time you used your college education? The night job is okay, but it’s a dead end. Do you want to work nights for the rest of your life? Don’t you want to grow? Pray about it.”
Her words startled me because moving up would mean having to take an exam. What if I fail? How will I study? I hadn’t been in the classroom for sixteen years. I prayed, took the exam … and was offered a new job as a mechanical tester in engineering.
At the interview, though, the supervisor said, “You have no experience. You’ll have to start as a trainee.” A trainee? That would mean an initial fifty percent reduction in pay! How will we manage? Have I made the right decision?
“Trust God,” Ruby insisted.
As it turned out, I loved my new job. Within months I was given a raise, then along came a project with unlimited overtime. Soon I was making as much as I had before, and over the years that new pathway led me to technical writing, then management. I will always thank Ruby for her suggestions. All I needed to do was take a risk and work hard. The rest was in God’s hands.
Lord, You pointed the way. Then You stepped away and waited for me to follow.
—Oscar Greene, Daily Guideposts April 2007
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Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their troubles…—James 1:27 (NKJV)
Early that August afternoon our telephone rang and Virginia’s voice boomed through. “Oscar,” she said, “you’re still collecting, aren’t you?” Yes, I was always seeking donations for our seven Trash-and-Treasure tables at our fall church fair.
“I’ve put all Don’s books outside,” Virginia continued. “If you’re here in fifteen minutes, they’re yours.” Don, her late husband, died five years ago at age forty-eight. Her loss was still painful.
Minutes later I pulled into Virginia’s driveway. I blinked; the books were neatly piled in stacks three feet high. I had never seen so many books. This was Don’s library, years in the gathering. After two hours the books were packed and nestled in the car. I tried to thank Virginia and say goodbye, but she remained in the house. It had taken courage for her to part with those books. I knew her heart was breaking.
After we sorted the books, we donated the technical ones to the local library; the rare and out-of-print books went to friends. The remainder went to the church fair, much to the delight of book lovers and dealers.
On that August afternoon Virginia taught me a lesson I will remember all my life: No matter how hard it is, there’s a time to let go and trust.
Healing Shepherd, please bless Virginia. And help me to be always ready to reach out and share.
—Oscar Greene, Daily Guideposts August 2009
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“Learn to do good…”—Isaiah 1:17 (NKJV)
It was December, and Ruby and I were concerned. We were hoping our grandson Jeremy would join the family in New Hampshire for Christmas. He would be coming from Asheville, North Carolina, and he rarely made airplane reservations ahead of time. Then, too, we were concerned about the New England snowstorms that often blanket the area and shut down the airports.
But the weather remained calm, and two days before Christmas our telephone rang. It was Jeremy. “I’m home,” he said. “It was a rough trip with the holiday crowds, delays and flight changes. But I’m home.” We were relieved and delighted.
At that moment our doorbell rang. I raced down the stairs, opened the door and there stood Jeremy, grinning, cell phone in hand. His surprise capped our holiday like a gentle Christmas Eve snowfall.
Surprises can bring joy. There is no warmer way of expressing love than to surprise someone with a card, a phone call or, best of all, a visit.
Gracious Lord, let me be Your vehicle in bringing joy, not only at holiday time, but all year long.
—Oscar Greene, Daily Guideposts December 2009
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It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.—PSALM 118:8
When I walked into my favorite supermarket, few of the customers were smiling. Overnight there had been a change: The items on the shelves had been relocated. I went down aisle fourteen looking for canned fruit, but I didn’t find it until I got to aisle two. Only the meat and fresh produce were in their usual places. To add to the confusion, the old signs still hung above the aisles. It was like arriving in an unfamiliar city with a map and finding the street signs had all been moved. I felt helpless.
The manager had assigned someone to direct shoppers to the right locations, but he was soon overwhelmed by customers with long shopping lists. It was a few days before new signs were installed and shopping slowly returned to normal.
During my life I’ve been through overnight shuffles, diversions, vacillations, and downturns. But through it all, I’ve had the Bible. Unlike the signs in the supermarket, the Word has never changed and the One who gave it to us is neither confused nor overwhelmed.
Dear Father in heaven, Your Word is always there to bring guidance and comfort.
—Oscar Greene, Daily Guideposts October 2010
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I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds…—TITUS 3:8 (NAS)
For twenty-three years my wife Ruby and I were chairpersons of seven Trash-and-Treasure tables at our fall church fair. When we volunteered, some of our co-workers objected. They had visited fairs and had seen white-elephant tables. They didn’t want such junk-filled tables near the handmade aprons and knits, the food and baked goods, and the country store.
We took their feelings to heart and were careful. Everything—jewelry, glasses, dishes, pots, pans, and lamps—was cleaned. Each table was covered with a white cloth. Then we brought in pillows, blankets, tables, chairs, radios, and electrical appliances. Somehow, we found space for toys, tools, paint and paintings, plus one air conditioner. We spent forty hours arranging and pricing more than five thousand items steeped with memories, donated by people who were moving or downsizing or who had lost a loved one.
Our Trash-and-Treasure tables were a financial success, but more important was the fellowship and goodwill they generated. Over those two days, the parish family—those who worked, those who donated, and those who bought—learned how much they were needed.
Overseeing Savior, thank You for allowing us to serve You by supporting the place where we worship You.
