The Grasshopper--

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An Account of John Ginther's Deathbed Deliverance and Spiritual Rescue

by Grandson Ronald Ginther

Got up at a merry tune,

Ate his breakfast at full noon,

Went to town to see what goes,

Expert on the way wind blows.

His ponies in the unmown hay made his heart leap on that day;

Corn was planted maybe late,

But that was just his licks or fate.

Man of jollity and blarn,

Had a circus in his barn;

Drawn by horses, it was gay,

No matter that it did not pay.

Down the Main Streets far and wide,

Dusty townships hugged their sides;

Abe's tall stovepipe on his head,

He drove his rigs decked out in red.

Fancy -flagged, the horses pranced,

Made kids squeal, and matrons danced;

How he loved exposure,

Never minding foreclosure.

Laugh, my friends, 'tis summer yet;

The ice and snow won't come, you bet!"

Fiddlin' high, and fiddlin' low,

Wiped his nose upon his bow.

Church and preachin' were a bore,

He wasn't apt to dark that door;

Yet for him, he knew what's what,

His own opinion--a door shut!

And so the grasshopper did play

Until the winter came one day;

His wife left him, and children too,

Tired of the bills long due.

"Fiddlin' hard reduces chill,

Life don't seem a bitter pill;

Maybe soon will come a day

when my rigs will somehow pay."

Old age found not one red cent,

John was busted--insolvent;

But still there's the radio,

and politikin' folderol.

He like as starved, except his son

Bought some land when he had none;

There he spent his sunset hour--

Reflecting on a life gone sour?

Then one day the wind blew hard

and rains were beating house and yard;

Old Grasshopper turned for news

To sharpen up his cherished views.

Instead of party politic

Announcer cried: "A fatal crash!"

Bob his son, down at Baltic?

His plane reduced to smoking ash?

John was knocked right to his knees,

He could not find the strength to stand;

The radio sank to a wheeze

just like the last gasp of a band.

Did he then cry out to God?

No, he was too stunned and dazed,

His house was shaken, roof to sod,

Its foundation well nigh razed.

Old grasshopper, he took to bed,

The time had come to join the Dead;

No longer would his horses prance,

The grasshopper had ceased to dance.

His grandson back on Plain View Farm

*Heard the news and felt alarm.

"Hurry up, dear Grandpa now,

Let's go to him--forget that cow!"

Twelve years made the boy too bold?

But Grandpa Stadem felt hard-pulled.

He hurried and they drove on down,

And reached the man of once renown.

Appointed to this time to die,

The old man lay with Hell's flames nigh;

His life wasted, his hour up,

The dregs all drained--a bitter cup!

Grace, forgiveness, pardon free,

His callers offered faithfully;

**Shed Blood of Christ all sin wiped out

must be taken--not lie about!

Confronted on the rim of Hell,

Eyes opened before he fell;

A sinner cried for Christ to save

His soul the way the Father gave.

Saint, rejoice and give God praise,

Glorify Him all your days!

Look how merciful He is,

find a wonder great as this!

To take a wretch no one could want,

and make a spotless lamb of him--

The world's best, compared, grows dim.

*Darrell Ginther and his younger brother Lorin, their father killed in a recent plane crash, showed great concern for Grandpa Ginther's soul, pleading that he accept Christ into his heart lest he go to Hell. John Ginther, who always evidenced great love for children, then broke and prayed the Sinner's Prayer and became a child of God himself. This proves that a child's plea can turn away maybe even deserved wrath of God and open a fountain of saving grace!

**Concerning Alfred Stadem and the two grandsons leading Grandpa Ginther to the Lord: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation..." Isaiah 52:7

***"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see." -- "Amazing Grace" by John Newton (please link to the song on the Cyberhymnal)

"Amazing Grace


Grandpa Ginther loved children, and children loved him for the ponies, carts, and trick horses, but, sadly, his life's legacy held nothing spiritual to pass on to his descendants; for an account of a "grasshopper" who built his house on sand, see Matt. 7:24-29. Evenso, we treasure old pictures of his wonderful ponies, trick horses, and carousel and special pony carts! Please use the link below to see how God gifted Grandpa Ginther to train horses and ponies and also to construct ingenious carts and circus equipment, and we would truly like to honor him for the joy this gift of his gave many children, both in our family and spread through towns and villages of the Dakotas.

Links to other pages on this Website:

Plain View Farm Road Map

Plain View Farm Master Directory

Butterfly Productions Home Page

Stadem Families Saga Continues

Prairie Farm Life and Beyond

Central for "REMINISCENT REFLECTIONS," An Adventure of Faith by Robert Ginther


The Trumpet Call: Message about Bob Ginther and Art Stadem at Double Funeral

Grandpa Ginther's Paradise for Kids



Copyright (c) 2004, Butterfly Productions, All Rights Reserved