COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR BUT THE MASTERY OF IT

(These thoughts are added to three times each week)

It takes courage to live yet I must admit there have been times when I was not so much courageous as foolishly pushing the envelope. And finally, when I crashed a hang glider, I knew I had shoved my luck too far. Yet, bad as that was, being a captive of fear all my life would have been even worse. It is what I have tried to teach my children.

It has been almost 38 years, but I still remember, and so does my youngest daughter. We were in Roanoke, Virginia standing by what the time was advertised as the world’s largest roller coaster. Roller coaster and I have always been the best of friends. I wanted to promote this friendship in all my children, but my daughter did not share my enthusiasm. “I’m scared, daddy.” My response, “Darling, you do not have to go on the roller coaster. The world will not come to an end. The sky won’t split in two if you do not speed up and then fly down, but…” and she knew what was coming, “If you do not go on that ride today because you are afraid, what won’t you do tomorrow because you are afraid? And the day after that until your whole life is governed by fear?”

She got the point, climbed in and found it such great fun that the next time around she was seated all by herself in the front row. The attitude there engendered has opened many new horizons. She courageously defends her faith. Doesn’t give in to her phobias (we all have them). Looks fear in the face and says, “I may lose against this particular fear, but it will know it has been in a fight.”

Anyone who says they have never been afraid is either a liar or a fool. Courage is not the absence of fear but the master of it. It is one of major lessons a child can, and should, learn. And a lesson that is never too late to learn…even in an adult.

(Imagine Charles Wesley, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther % Ben Franklin come back to life in our time. Click on the link at the top right of this blog and see these original films written, directed and acted by Neil who has been called "the new Hal Holbrook." (On your computer, no charge, enjoy)

I AM A GRIN

(these thoughts are changed three times a week)

I am a Grin.
I am an escape valve for an abundance of mirth,
A merry explosion from within,
A mood of mind and manner that can change a night to dawn.
I wrinkle the chin, crinkle the eyes, and crease the face
on its way toward more total delight.

I am the adolescence of laughter,
an outward expression of inward hilarity.
I look good, feel good and am good.

I am the gift of a friend, an occasion, or a mood.
I am fed by a sense of humor, kept alive by attitude,
continued by conclusion.
I do not win out over everyone. .
Some are married to a frown, and past masters of
the art of growl.

I am a Grin,
I am for playgrounds filled with children,
For kittens five days old,
For merry music in the spring,
For all those times when joy is a tickle in your hear and a melody in your mind.

I cannot be planned.
Perhaps this is what makes me so much fun.

THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING; WHO SAYS SUCH THINKING IS OUT OF STYLE?

(these thoughts are added to two or three times a week)

A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, suggested that our
Mind set can even influence how we walk. They conducted a test and the results were astounding. Participants in the test first walked 100 yards - a distance equal to the length
of a football field. Researchers recorded their speed and the time their feet spent off the ground. Then they briefly played a computer game. While playing the game positive words such as “wise” flashed on the screen for half the participants. On the screens of the other half words such as “senile.”

William Pitt used to emphasize his remarks in Parliament by shaking his crutches in the air. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote some of the world’s finest prose while dying of tuberculosis. Charles Darwin devised his theory of evolution in the few minutes each day he could see well enough to write. Beethoven composed his Ninth Symphony even though he was stone deaf. And though Alexander Pope was a hunchback, this physical affliction did not stop him from writing brilliant satires. What lessons these masters of survival have to teach!

The obvious, “It’s the rocks in the river that make it sing.”

Not long ago an eighty-eight -year old friend of mine had a jam session for a birthday party. The lead pianist was ninety-two. Ninety-three old skydivers may be an exception to the rule but my morning paper named one not that long ago. The Florida Tennis Association ranks players up to the age of eighty-five and until just recently another friend, at ninety-one was ranked #2. What I am saying is, the way to not decline is to decline to decline.

My wife and I, a few winters ago, went snowmobiling and the fact that I was pushing my seventies didn’t deter me at all. Yes, we are grateful to be in such good health but we are equally grateful that our “positive thinking” remains equally as healthy.
Speeding along at thirty plus miles an hour on the rim of a 7,000 foot mountain path for two hours was a delightful workout. Snowmobiles have a mind of their own and keeping them on track keeps one busy. But, it was exhilarating, exciting and we would do it again. The inclination for some, when such opportunities present themselves is to follow the axiom, “When in doubt do nothing.” Better an approach that says, “Why not?” rather than, “No, thank you.”

TIPS ON HAVING A BETTER MARRIAGE

(How to be a Better Wife)

(Second in series. And both husbands and wives should read both articles)

(These thoughts are added to two or three times a week)

Is your marriage what you expected it to be?

Good marriages are made by two people who, when they said, “I do,” meant it. A 15 minute ceremony cannot make a marriage, not can a mortgage make a home. Many a hot meal is served with a cold heart and many a child wonders why mom and dad do not even act like friends.

Are your looks all you have to offer in your marriage?

Good looks may catch his eye, but alone will never hold his heart. You hold your mate by not hiding your love. A good marriage is possible but not inevitable. The time to make a marriage work is now.

How can you get your husband to change? Should you even try?

A wife who wants her husband to change should offer a change in trade. The barter system isn’t dead. Besides, when each of you gives a little, then both have a victory and neither has a defeat.

Would you like to be more charming?

Charm is an art, an attitude to be studied and sharpened. Be a good listener, sincerely learn and care about people, smile…there’s nothing charming about a frown, find an interesting hobby – if you are bored, you will be boring.

Are you a chronic faultfinder?

Listen to yourself. Nothing is so often opened by mistake as the mouth. Unfortunately our talking machine did not come with a shut-off switch. If you find only fault with your mater, maybe one day you won’t find either his faults or him.

Do you feel cheated because your Prince Charming is something less?

If you believe in fairy tales, you can believe in perfect mates. You can also drive yourself and your husband crazy by trying to force him to live up to an impossible dream. And suppose he should become perfect? What would he then do with imperfect you?

TIPS ON HOW TO HAVE A BETTER MARRIAGE

(1st in series...How to be a Better Husband)

(Next in series...How to be a Better Wife)(And both husbands and wives should read both articles)

(These thoughts are added to two or three times a week)

Is your home in good shape? Want to keep it that way?

Fall in love many times, but always with the same girl.

By such action you prove how smart you were in the first place. After all, the shape of a home is determined by the pattern of the love inside.

Is looking good and smelling nice only for wives?

Husbands, stay attractive. Share before supper some night so your wife won’t have to look at or rub cheeks with an old grizzly bear. Your breath may smell like a glue factory, so freshen it. Charm isn’t an automatic or inherited…it takes effort.

Are the strings from your heart tied to you pocketbook?

The pay check is a family matter. It is inexcusable to use it as a means of discipline. The expenditur5e of funds should be a matter of discussion, not dictatorship. The phrase, “It’s my money,” has no place in a marriage. It’s yours when both of you have agreed to it, and not until.

When was the last time you said to your wife, “I love you!”

If you are one of those husbands who have emotional lockjaw, if you just can’t seem to say, “I love you,” remember it is better to feel silly saying the words than to feel lonely because there is no one around to whom you can say them.

Do you want to run your wife’s life?

Remember! It was a ring you put on her finger, not a chain around her neck. People used to say their slaves were very happy, but no one ever bothered to ask the slaves.

When did you last really talk with your wife?

There are husbands who consider two grunts and a yawn conversation. The only dialogue that interests them is the television. They have certain obligation they accept as husbands, but communication isn’t one of them. Marital lockjaw is often fatal.

Are you hard-headed and proud of it?

Becoming hard as flint is no way to add spark to your marriage. After making the living room a battlefield, many a spouse wonders why his mate retreats to find peace in greener pastures. To be proud of your hard-headedness may give you a high opinion of yourself, but you will be the only one.

HEALTH ISN'T AN ACCIDENTAL

(New thoughts are posted two to three times each week)

There is an old saying that “Whoever prescribes for himself has a fool for a doctor.” Which is why you should not practice self-diagnosis when it comes to aches and pains. It waste money and time to run to the doctor every time your nose runs or your head aches but it can also be extremely dangerous playing doctor.

When should you go to the physician and what kind? Dermatologist take care of people like you and me who when we were young bathed in the sunlight until sometimes in place of a golden tan we looked more like a lobster. Skin cancer is a reality and ignored can become a deadly reality. Catch a cell gone bad early and it’s easily fixed. Let it get out of hand, it isn’t. It’s that simple.

Eyesight? Does it seem you are seeing through a fog these days? Your side vision deteriorating? Haloes around lights? An ounce of prevention is certainly worth a pound of blindness. Go see an eye doctor even if you are afraid you may find out something you don’t want to know. By way of example, glaucoma doesn’t send pain but it can send darkness.

Teeth? Past 60 half of all people have lost all their teeth. It’s true but not necessary. How to avoid being a member of the lost tooth tribe? Regular visits to the dentist keep your teeth around longer and when one goes neighboring teeth quite often follow. In short, see your dentist at least twice a year. See him less and it will cost you more; both in dollars and in pain. Want to cut cavities down to a minimum or even nothing. I switched from having my teeth cleaned twice a year to three times a year and I’ve had only one cavity in four years. Before that I had a cavity every time I went to the dentist.

It is good to remember that a health tip in hand is worth two ignored in a bush. Love sweets? I do! But I also try to remember that one cookie will taste just as good and not give me the negative sugar kick back that a handful will. And yes, sometimes I practice substitutions. Nuts instead of nougat, a wedge of lettuce instead of a square of lasagna, cottage cheese instead of cheesecake. Yuk? Well, an occasional foray into such good habit eating really is worth it. Honest.

Consider adding oats to your diet. They may not necessarily make you feel as frisky as a colt but scientists are saying it is one of the best ways to reduce the type of cholesterol that contributes to heart disease.

Do you like a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack? Would cutting them out make you weigh less? Do you find the very thought more than you want to handle? Would you like to have these snacks and still eat no more calories than if you hadn’t indulged? Simple! Only eat half as much for breakfast and lunch and eat the other halves later as your snack. You may leave the table hungry, but a few minutes later your hunger pangs will have caught up with the reality that you really did eat enough and are not about to starve. Mathematically such a culinary trick will add up to monumental caloric savings in no time at all.

Can push-ups in the morning give you more get up and go for the rest of the day? Can a morning run or fast walk at seven oxygenate your system so that it keeps you going longer and with less effort? Can a stretch or two on a regular basis keep a disc from slipping or a muscle from pulling?

I have always subscribed to the attitude that even if I fell flat on my face in the mud, or was pushed, I must still turn over and stare up at the stars. And since I’ve had 21 major accidents and operations I’ve have plenty of opportunities to practice my own advice. By doing this, there have been times when I have been one of the healthiest unhealthy folk around.

There is, indeed, great satisfaction in waking up in the morning and knowing you are looking in the mirror at someone who is at least trying to be their best.

(Go to the top right of the blog page and click on "Click here to watch Neil as Franklin, Lincoln, Wesley & Luther" You will then be able to watch on your computer One Man Dramatizations by Neil who has been called "the new Hal Holbrook" There is no charge.)

WHO WINS IF YOU DO NOTHING BUT BATTLE LIFE?

(New additions two or three time a week)

How would you like to have lived centuries ago in a small village whose walls were broken down? The enemy was coming and all you had to offer for protection was a sign that read, “We are currently taking bids on how much it will cost to repair these walls.” Wouldn’t have felt terribly safe, would you? Protected by a wannabe. Protected by a future improvement program.

Well, the book of Proverbs has a mind tingler on the subject. It reads “He that hath no rule of his own spirit is like a city whose walls are broken down.”

On the church calendar, this is the Lenten Season. It is traditionally a time for soul searching and repentance. For reflection. For taking stock of who we are and who we want to become. 40 days for special effort - but better, 365 days of on-going follow-through.

It may be an old joke, but there really are people who, when you say “Good morning” to them, basically meet you with a broken-down-wall attitude, “What do you mean by that remark?” Obviously they are badly in need of some soul searching, reflection and repentance,,, and hopefully you are not one of those they.

Have you ever wondered how any intelligent individual could behave in such a manner that actually drives away the very people he or she wants and needs? How can anyone smart sometimes act so dumb?

Well, actually it is surprisingly simple. Psychologists tell us that intelligence isn’t everything we think it’s cracked up to be. It actually influences only 20% of our decisions. The rest of our actions fall heir to our emotional responses.

Psychiatrists say that anger is the hardest emotion to master. Few of us need a doctor to tell us that. Several years ago, some people were advocating that we should let it all hang out. It was called “Scream Therapy” - that if you didn’t scream on a regular basis you would perpetually steam. In other words, gain control by losing control.

The theory, thank goodness, didn’t last. Certainly there is a better way of doing it, infinitely better than having screaming sessions. It is called “reframing” or “reinterpreting” what has just happened in a more positive light. I’ve been doing this for years, I just didn’t have a name for it. It made sense to me that if someone gave me a hard time, it was because they had just finished having a hard time, or the night before, or were just having a bad day. I figured it was a waste of time and common sense to take aggressive words or actions personally.

Yes, some people really are nasty and mean on a regular basis, and they do not like you, along with a host of other people they do not like. But they are in the minority

One of the things I like about most Christians is that they are like Avis - they try harder. And the Apostle Paul tells us that this is exactly what we have to do. In his letter to the Ephesians he says, “You were taught, in regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on a new self…”

What we are talking about is a personality upgrade. A faith-lift might be another way of putting it.

There is a classic story of the artist Michelangelo pushing a gigantic rock down a cobbled street and being asked by someone why he is going to such extremes and effort. “Because,” answered the great sculptor, “there is an angel inside that rock and I am going to let him out.”

Don’t ever underestimate your potential because, my dear friends, there is an angel inside of all of us wanting to be let all the way out.

Do you trust God? Or let me put it this way, can God trust you? Can God trust you to put your best foot forward? To remember and try with all your strength to obey His commandments? To stumble because you tripped up but not to lie there, rather get up and try again?

If you lie down with dogs you will rise up with fleas said ole Ben Franklin. If you rise up daily with Christ by your side, you will rise up a better man or woman because you will feel eternity poking at your soul.

*May we invite you to watch Neil in four of his One Man Dramas that earned him the quote from a nationally known program chairman “may be the new Hal Holbrook” Just click on the link on the right on this blog and enjoy on your computer.(no charge)

JEALOUSY, HOW TO HANDLE IT RATHER THAN LETTING IT HANDLE YOU

(New thoughts are posted two to three times a week)

There is a special integrity to being able to praise someone who is better rather than curse them for it. A case in point is a true story about Sir Walter Scott. For many years he was the leading literary figure in the British Isles. It was agreed that no one could write as well as he…that is until a review came out that named Lord Byron as the leading writer in the land. Eventually, it was discovered that the writer of the review was Sir Walter Scott himself.

Jealousy and envy walk hand in hand end up giving each other spiritual, emotional and mental poison ivy.

How to handle it? Well, first look for your good traits and the things about you that are really good and emphasize them to yourself. A great deal of jealousy grows out of a lack of self confidence. In short, even in a joking way stop making negative comments about yourself. Eventually you really will believe them. The power of positive thinking and positive self affirmation does work but only if you set it in motion.

Whether it is jealousy over another person’s wealth or power or if the jealousy comes out of a relationship, again, follow the rules. Don’t say you’re not jealous when you are. You can’t solve a problem you refuse to admit exist.

Then, check out your health and health practices. If you are eating too many sweets (the ups and then downs of this practice) or getting too little sleep you are automatically setting yourself up for depressing thoughts…and jealousy loves to feast on depressing thoughts.

Write down what is making you jealous and what you can or cannot do about it. Write down your rational and irrational thoughts so that viewed side by side you can then pick out what just doesn’t make sense in the light of day.

Is your mate or fiancée a flirt? Why? Well, they just may well be a person of great self-confidence and honestly not mean anything by it. Give them some slack. Remember, it was this self confidence that probably drew you to them in the first place.

The husband, wife, boy friend or girl friend who is attracted to another person of the other sex because of their looks or intellect doesn’t mean they want to carry this attraction any further than just liking what they see or hear. Do you want them to turn into the kind of person that is attracted to nothing or no one>

How much flirtation or speaking with the other sex is too much or too little…well, since this is what most people think of when they think of jealousy…this is just something that needs to be worked out in talking about it. But beware…jealousy begun when there is no need can eventually create what wasn’t there in the first place.

In closing lets take a look at jealousy and what it is and what causes it…whether it concerns sexual relationships, or jobs or athletic endeavors or……..

The basic cause for all jealousy is selfishness. We all want to dominate, control and bring into being that which that makes us happy. Jealousy simply says, “You are doing or being what is making me unhappy. Stop it and start doing or being what will make ME happy.” This creates what is called a conflict of interest.

Jealousy is a weed in the garden of life. There is no beauty to it. Neither party or parties can enjoy the good that is around when this weed is taking over. It is bad enough to look down and see it has taken root. It is even worse to fertilize it.

Jealousy seeks awards and medals and handshakes and all of like kin and kind. Jealousy needs constantly to be reassured. The jealous person but proves that he or she has allowed themselves to become a small person not in terms of physical size but in terms of psyche. They will never be great because they never allow greatness in others. The jealous person, not being sure of their own worth, cannot stand to have the worth of others praised…by whatever means. The jealous person demands appreciation for being the kind of person they are not because they are demanding appreciation.

Jealousy is not just something found in Hollywood. It is just as often found in pulpits and in pews and behind the desks of important CEO’s and the fields of daily endeavor. It is an equal opportunity disease.

Would you rid yourself of a jealousy? Go…seek out the person you are jealous of…and praise them and congratulate them for whatever it is you can honestly say you find attractive or good. Do the opposite of what you feel and you will then began to feel the positive you have now expressed.

Let me close with a few quotes.

“In jealousy there is more self-love than love” (A French philosopher)

“It is not love that is blind but jealousy.” (Lawrence Durrell)

“If envy were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang” (Charley Reese)

“Love looks through a telescope. Envy through a microscope.” (Josh Billings)

A final word of advice that is good for every single human being. Look for the best in self because if you cannot love yourself you will not love others and will eternally be jealous of them.

HUMOR, THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

(New thoughts are posted three times a week)

A sense of humor is a gift that keeps on giving. And, yes, what I think is funny and what you think is funny can be as different as a square from a circle. But the point is not what makes you or me laugh but how often we give humor a chance to give a healing.

Fact is, conduct the following experiment. Go look in a mirror and while you are doing it frown. Then while you are frowning say, "I feel wonderful." Now smile and while you are doing it say, "I feel terrible." That's right, even a fake smile has a positive affect and if you have chased after a funny movie or a positive humorous attitude or looked for a smiling sunset rather clouds hovering on the horizon...it does make a difference...a good healing helpful difference.

A good sense of humor can keep you from being so over sensitive you get your feelings hurt at the drop of an adjective or the twist of a verb. Shame on me for not being more careful if I have overstepped my bounds but shame on you if your boundaries are so narrow only a tight rope walked could navigate unharmed and unharming.

Would you gain a sense of humor and pass it on to your children, grandchildren, family or friends? Then learn how to make a funny out of something that isn’t. By way of example. Carol Burnett was exiting a cab one day and as the cab pulled away found herself being pulled by it. She had gotten her coat caught and was forced to keep running along with it or be dragged on the ground. Quite soon and fortunately a pedestrian noticed her predicament and flagged the cabbie down. “Are you alright?” he exclaimed. Carol’s next retort was priceless, “Yes, but how much more do I owe you.”

There is healing in being able to see the funny side of things. The mirror image of things gone wrong. So maybe a prayer something like this would be appropriate and even helpful, “Dear Lord, save me from too much soberness. Save me from regular bouts of grumpiness. When I sit down to my daily meal of living may I order with gusto the ability to find fun and give the same in turn. Aim me toward a stream where I can wiggle my toes in the mud. Lead me to sing in the shower even if I am off key and maybe don't completely feel like singing. Give me the gift of some grin gumption. Help me when life gets me down to inwardly laugh as in my minds eye I put down a sign that reads, “My sense of humor is still under construction.”

10 COMMANDMENTS FOR CHOIRS (frame and put in choir room)

(new thoughts are posted two to three times a week)

Thou shalt not make a joyful noise unto the Lord with a sour puss.

Thou shalt open thy mouth to sing but not to complain or bear false notes or witness.

Thou shalt not try to steal the show for it is God thou art honoring and not thyself.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors voice, but neither shalt thou become overly impressed with thine own.

Thou shalt honor choir practice night and keep it free, for he or she who does not practice becomes a monument to imperfection.

Thou shalt remember where thou art during Sunday worship and keep it holy.
A giggling chattering choir is an abomination to the Lord,
a worry to the preacher,
and an irritation to the pew.

Thou shalt not put off joining the choir for procrastination doesn’t know or care about harmony. Thou shalt not put off quitting the choir when thou hast lost thy voice for then it is a gift in reverse.

Thou shalt not mumble thy words, but rather remember there is great charity in clarity.

Thou shalt not kill thy choir by competing with the choir director for his or her job.

Thou shalt not quit thy choir when thy feelings are hurt, but rather raise up these feelings fo the ministration of the Lord.

*** A number of folk who have read this have suggested it should be framed and hung in every choir room in America.

*** The Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln is now upon us. All during 2009 there will be many national celebrations. Many secular historians will ignore or mute the spiritual nature of this 16th President of the United States.

Therefore, from the pulpit, in conversation and in church newsletters emphasis needs to be made as to the spiritual nature of this man who quoted so often from the Bible, who prayed on a regular basis and who was able to say “With malice toward none, with charity toward all.”

To Ground yourself with facts and inspiration read…
Neil’s book THE SPIRITUAL ABRAHAM LINCOLN

HOW TO HAVE A DISCUSSION RATHER THAN AN ARGUMENT

(these thoughts are added to at least twice a week)

YES! THESE SUGGESTIONS BELOW WORK!!!!!

We all disagree with each other from time to time. Sometimes disagreements become arguments and out of arguments come words that should never have surfaced. But there are solutions to promote simmering down rather than ratcheting up.

When you feel an argument may get out of hand, follow the following suggestions by agreeing to them ahead of time and there will be infinitely more peace and harmony in your household or at work or church or an organization or ball field or……….

Because we speak before we think, if the argument is political or some other hot topic that can get out of control consider writing down the pros and cons and then exchanging your notes before you switch to verbal. Yes, you can hold back a few goodies but on the whole, let it all hang out. Doing this shows you are willing to see both sides.

If you know the person well you are arguing with you are already at an advantage because you know how they think. Therefore, use this to the advantage of both of you. By way of example, let me share with you something Abraham Lincoln used to practice with his wife Mary. He was a charitable man and she while charitable not quite as much so. Therefore, to avoid an argument...if he wanted to give $25 to a person or organization he would say to Mary, "I want to give $50 " She would promptly reply "Abe, lets make it $25." He would say, "Alright Mary." He had known what she was going to say so he had simply doubled the amount so she could halve it. This way she was satisfied and he was satisfied. Otherwise, they could have argued for an hour.

Think ahead. Plan ahead. Build bridges not buttresses.

And when you discusss...be clear. We’re all capable of saying something like, “Is it colder in winter or Montana?”

Never get into a memory contest. You said…I said…This too often is just a smoke screen to avoid discussing the real issue. What is being said, not what was said is what is important.

Use balm phrases such as "Correct me if I’m wrong." This says you are a reasonable individual and will at least entertain the idea you could be mistaken. It is not giving in but it is listening up.
Actually, God should have made our ears twice as big and our mouths twice as small...maybe then we would listen twice as much, speak half as much...and quite often be the better off for it.

Don’t get into a blame contest if a problem needs someone to blame. Usually, one side IS more to blame than the other, but unless blame is vital to the discussion, ignore it.

Agree with any point the other side makes that you know is right. Conciliation does not mean concession. Remember, you are trying to make a point and not an enemy, temporary or otherwise.

Don’t take or make comments personal. Logic dies when hurt feelings arise.

Have more than one option in mind. If you can’t a home run, bunt a single. YOU DON’T HAVE TO COMPLETELY WIN AN ARGUMENT.

HOME ON TRIAL (ACTUAL TRANSCRIPTS)

(These thoughts are added to twice a week)

The courtroom has a giant hush about it. The judge looks down at the defendant “HOME OF TODAY.” The defendant shifts nervously for there is no place to hide.

“Your name?” drones out a voice.

“Home of today,” and there is no bravado in the tone.

“Swear after me, you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

“I do.”

“You are charged with not having done all you should for your family.”

“I pay the bills. I provide a more than adequate roof over everyone’s head. I…”

The prosecutor interrupts, “Now where were you on the second Sunday morning in January of this year?”

“I was home in bed; it was cold.”

“An excellent memory. You have never been out in the cold before…”

“Yes, but…”

“No buts, you always stay in bed when it is cold?”

“No, but…”

“What is the lowest temperature at which you will venture to go outside?”

The defense rises to cry out, “Objection.”

“Objection sustained.”

“Excuse me, your Honor. I will change my line of questioning.” smoothly replies the prosecutor.

“I understand you do not have family worship.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Would you mind telling the court why?”
“Well, our is an extremely busy household. There is always a great deal of turmoil in the morning. Mother is rushing to prepare breakfast. Junior is usually unable to find anything. Sis is in another one of her moods. Father is bellowing from the bathroom for everyone to control themselves. Even the briefest of family worship just doesn’t fit in.

“Then you have family worship in the evening?”

“Well, no, not then either. Everyone is so tired by then, and supper has to be ready or father is angry as a lion. And besides, who has family worship these days?”

“Of course, you say a blessing before the meal?”

“We tried it once but everyone was so embarrassed and in such a hurry it was a complete failure.”

“And after supper?’

“No family worship. No Bible reading. No prayer. We believe in God but afterall…well,” there is anger in your voice, Home of Today, and perhaps some nostalgia for some homes of yesterday.

“Wouldn’t it benefit your family to have some spiritual food? Think about it.”

“Objection,” cries out the defense attorney, “the prosecutor is beginning to sermonize.”

“Objection sustained.”

“I understand, Home of Today, that you think the church is a good thing.”

“Yes, I do.”

“You would not want to live in a community where there was no church?”
“No, of course not.”

“You know the church cannot exist without members or at the very least people attending worship services?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think a car is a good thing?”

“Where did that question come from?”

“Just answer the question please.”

“Yes, I have a car.”

“Do you think television is a good thing?”

“Are we about to get into television programming.”

“Please, just answer the question.”

“Yes, television is pleasant so yes it is a good thing.”

“Do you think the church is a good thing?”

“Yes.”
“Do you attend?”

“Most of the time.”

“Fifty percent of the time?”

“That often?”

“Well, maybe a little less than that.”

“Did you and your family attend last Sunday?”

“I overslept.”

“And the Sunday before that?”

“I couldn’t make it.”
“And three Sundays ago?”

“There was company for the weekend.”

“And four Sundays ago?”

“I was there. WE WERE THERE!” And you practically leap out of your seat, for indeed, you were there.

“Do you consider yourself a Christian home?’

“Well…yes.”

“Then I am sure you would be glad to aid the judge and jury in being fair in your behalf,” and with this remark the prosecutor makes a sweeping motion with his hand to include all mentioned.

“Just tell us in your words, and in no particular chronological order the important incidents in the life of Christ.”

“I’d rather not.”

“You’d rather not or cannot?”

“I…I…I might have some difficulty,” you stammer.

“Well, let it go at that,” benevolently answers the prosecutor.

“I do not mean to be praying into your personal affairs, he goes on, but I believe if you will answer the following questions it will help to make this case more clear for all concerned.”

“What is your income per week?”

“I make a good enough living.”

“And what do you give your church and what does your family see you giving?”

“Do I have to answer that questions?” you turn to the judge and ask.

Your answer is so soft that no one can hear you and that is answer enough.

“Let’s move on,” there is a dramatic pause and the silence is deafening.

“How many hours do you work each week?”


“Forty eight and sometimes overtime.”
“What’s your average?”

“Probably no more than fifty but then there is all that time in traffic,” you are feeling on the defensive.

“How long do you sleep each week, counting a nap on Sunday afternoon?”

“Give or take, 56 or 57 hours.”

“Eating?”

“Twenty one if I sat down for every meal but we don’t do that anymore.”

The prosecutor puts his hand on his chin as if in deep thought and then raising his finger says, “That’s approximately128 hours out of a 168 hour week. That gives you a surplus of 40 hours a week to pick and choose what you will do. How much of that time do you give to your church?

There is a pause. You can think of nothing to say that will sound as if you are trying to make excuses again. You start to speak. You decide against it.

The prosecutor turns toward the Judge respectfully says, “I have no questions either your honor.”

The defense attorney rises and says, “I have no questions either your honor.”

And you, Home of Today, were never so glad to leave one spot as you are now.

The prosecuting attorney brings on a host of witnesses to prove his case. He brings those who live and have lived within walls where bickering and shouting and swearing have taken place.

Finally, the defense attorney brings forth some witnesses to bolster his sagging case. He questions those who live and have lived with the walls and he listens to the implied pleas for forgiveness. Everyone knows that guilt is evenly spread about.

The jury is out for a long time. When the members return, they return with the verdict, “Guilty, but with a plea for clemency.”

You, the defendant, Home of Today, are called to stand before the Judge. The judge begins to speak. “You have heard the Jury. They find you guilty. But it is not only they. The facts find you guilty also. I am not unmindful of the problems of making a Christian home. But I am also not unmindful of the problems the world faces, has faced, and will continue to face until there are more Christian homes. I think the only just sentence I can give you is to sentence you to live in the world your own making. COURT ADJOURNED.

WHO ARE YOU AND DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

(New Additions are posted twice a week)

Someone once said to a policeman who daily walked an eight-hour beat, “Yours must
be a dog’s life.” “It would be, if I were a dog,” replied the policeman.

And there’s the rub. You can act like a dog, live like a pig and think like a jackass, but you are still a child of God. And the day your dreams and deeds catch up with this fact can be the best day in your life.