Category Archives: Promised Land: Gettysburg

Family Tree

Happy New Year, Readers!

Take note of a new page: Family Tree. This page gives you a brief introduction to each cartoon character in the Promised Land series. Also check out the new cartoon featuring Faith, Hope and Love on the Coloring Fun page.

To view the first cartoon in each series, click the title below. If you want the detailed story, click the series title in the category cloud on the right sidebar of this page. Continue clicking “older posts” until you can view the first cartoon in the series. Scroll up to follow the story.

Promised Land—Susanna’s adventure begins as her Pa and Ma join wagons west! Caleb and Rosita guide the travelers through the last miles of their journey. Inspired by Exodus and Joshua.

Promised Land: Orchard Valley—Susanna’s adventure continues as she settles in Orchard Valley. Meet Sheriff Hueston, Montana, June, and that rascal Frederic Bucannon. June shares her conversion story as she babysits Zeke and helps him walk without a leg brace. Inspired by Ruth and Nicodemus.

Promised Land: Gettysburg—Montana travels rails east to help his older brother Jeb and his family rebuild after the Civil War. Inspired by Nehemiah.

Promised Land: Oceans—June experiences a shaking trial after inheriting her uncle’s laundry in Agate Beach. Inspired by Esther.

This year, look for more Scripture coloring fun with the Promised Land family!

“And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.”
—1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12 KJV

Sustained Weave

Settled in their cabin on their first night home, Montana concluded his story: “I learned a thousand uses for peaches—and saw a thousand ways of God’s provision.” Montana brought out a stovepipe hat and placed it on his head. “This is the souvenir Cream insisted I purchase. On winter evenings, we both worked on memorizing Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. The gift shop at the train depot sold the hats, along with copies of Lincoln’s speech. I had the long train ride home to polish my memory.” Montana proudly finished reciting the address. Susanna rewarded him with a piece of fresh apple pie, placed on a dessert plate they had received as a wedding gift.

“Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.”
—Nehemiah 9:21 KJV

Until We Meet Again

“After helping Jeb finish building his barn that spring, I packed and bought my train ticket for Orchard Valley. Cream insisted I make a last minute purchase before boarding the train.”

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
—Jude 1:24, 25 KJV

Swan Songs

“I saved one of my best memories ‘til last. As we gathered in the orchard for vespers, a flock of tundra swans flew overhead. Their honking sounded like trumpets as our quartet sang.” Montana stretched his arms toward the sky. “Only one more day on the trail, and we’ll be stargazing on our home slice of heaven.”

“Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.”
—Psalm 42:8 KJV

Provoking Love

“During the winter, our family read the book of Nehemiah for worship. We saw many parallels to our own lives. Cream reminded us that our story had also started with troublesome news from a family member; she remembered bringing Jeb a piece of peach pie late one night, hoping he would share.”

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
—Hebrews 10:24, 25 KJV

Free

“Jeb and I helped build the rock wall that would surround a planned community garden. We gathered some rocks from the battlefields. We felt encouraged to work with Farmer Jones, the mayor and others in the community, and dreaming of what we would plant in the spring gave us hope.”

“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.”
—Deuteronomy 32:4, 7 KJV

Chalk Dust

“When Cream’s school hired a substitute teacher, Cream saw the peaceful effect of lovingly enforced rules. On the teacher’s first day, Bully Fred caused so much chaos that the substitute teacher sentenced him to teaching multiplication tables. Bully Fred surprised everyone by becoming the class math whiz.”

“How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”
—1 Corinthians 14:26, 33 KJV

Planting Mercy

“I received a surprise package from Sarah Winnemucca. She enclosed a signed watercolor of shell ginger and told of plans to travel north to teach Paiute children. She also enclosed several rhizomes for us to plant. I didn’t think they would survive the Pennsylvania winter, but Cream insisted, so we planted a few in the woods, and potted a few inside near a window.”

“And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them.

And I will strengthen them in the Lord; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord.”
—Zechariah 10:6, 12 KJV

Listening Ears

“The community decided they all needed to listen more. At the harvest party, each family brought two ears of corn to show commitment. They gathered ‘round the bonfire, listening to experiences during the war. But the party didn’t really get started until the mayor and his wife showed up with several jars of grape jam. Wonderful combo with Cream’s peach bread; and Jeb was the first to spread it on his roasted corn.”

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”
—Proverbs 1:5 KJV