WDJS

I was sitting on the deck, snapping beans, and enjoying the world.  The birds were chirping away.  The neighborhood was noisy with the sounds of lawn mowers, kids, and cars.  And I got to thinking.  WDJS?

Do you have one of those WWJD bracelets?  Or maybe a coffee mug with WWJD, in bold letters, reminding you how to start your day?  WWJD is everywhere. 

I want something that says WDJS.

WDJS – WHAT DID JESUS SEE?

Well – Jesus saw

Ø  Satan, evil spirits, and demons

Ø  the disciples, the crowds, and the hungry

Ø  the man with leprosy, a paralytic, the blind, the lame, the dead, and the ill

Ø  the poor and the rich

Ø  the children

Ø  the Canaanite woman, the widow, the crippled lady, and the Samaritan woman

Ø  the money changers, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and a tax collector

Ø  his mother

WDJS come before WWJD

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  …  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said,...  Matthew 4:18, part 19

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.  John 9:1, 6

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.  As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late.  Send the crowds away so they can get to the villages and buy themselves some food.”  Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat.”  Matthew 14:14, 15-16

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.”  From that time on, the disciple took her into his home.  John 19:26-27

Jesus saw and then Jesus did.

WDIS and then WWID?   

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WHAT DO I SEE and then WHAT WILL I DO?

THE PHONE RINGS -- AGAIN

Hubby picked fresh green beans so I was preparing a meal our ancestors would approve of.  (We often laugh and comment that our grilled cheese and tomato soup would not be considered a proper meal.  The main meal was to include meat, potatoes, at least one vegetable and dessert.)  Today would be a proper meal!

The hamburger was thawed and I began making the meat loaf.  The phone rang and, since it was a local number, I answered it.  “This is credit card services…” 

I finished the meat loaf and began snapping green beans.  The phone range and, since it was a different local number, I answered it.  “This is credit card services…” 

Our meal was over and, if I do say so myself, it was extremely tasty.  Left overs were cooling, the table was cleared, hubby was doing the dishes (Bless his heart.) and --- YUP!  The phone range and, since it was a local number, hubby answered it.  He kept saying, “I cannot understand you.”  He hung up.  A determined telemarketer tried again.  Again, hubby hung up.

Those dreaded scam phone calls – We have received calls telling us:

• You have won one million dollars.  Send $895 to process your winnings.  The next call was:  Did I say one million dollars?  I am sorry, it is five million.  Send $895 to process your winnings.
• There are new terms on your credit card.
• This is google services.
• This is Microsoft.
• This is Apple.
• This is Marriott.
• You have won a cruise.
• You have won a week’s stay at a resort.
• Silver is a good investment.
• Gold is a good investment.
• Do you need windows?  Siding?  A new driveway?  A pool?
• You need to call this number immediately to verify a credit card purchase.

WHAT?  You want my Social Security number?  My bank account number?  The three digit code on the back of my credit card?  I am ready to rip the phone off the wall!! 

HELP!! We are drowning in scam calls!

I WANT SOMEONE TO STOP THESE CALLS!!  And no one does. 

I started looking up scriptures and Psalm 108:12 sure fits the comment above.  Smiling, I read:  Give us aid against the enemy (telemarketers), for the help of man is worthless.

WHERE DO WE TURN FOR HELP

Okay.  In the grand scheme of things – the big picture – the long run – considering the universe, telemarketers are but a mere annoyance.  There are so many important things in our lives which cause us to yell, “HELP – please help.”  We each have a different reason for seeking help, and the Psalms give us direction.

David cried for help and God heard him. 

In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help.  From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.  Psalm 18:6

Israel turned to God.  Israel turned away from God.  Enemies threatened Israel.  BUT God was always there.  AND GOD WINS!

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ….. “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:1, 10

God heard David.  God watched over Israel.  GOD HEARS YOU AND HE WATCHES OVER YOU.  (Note:  Watching over does not mean your life will suddenly become a piece of cake.  What it means is you are not alone.  There is a power surrounding you.  There is a strength that will not fail.  There is help for every fear and every situation.  That presence, that power, and that strength is God!)

PSALM 121 – made personal

I life up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let my foot slip – he who watches over me will not slumber.

Indeed, he who watches over me will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over me – the LORD is my shade at my right hand;

the sun will not harm me by day, nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep me from all harm – he will watch over my life;

the LORD will watch over my coming and going;

both now and forevermore.

There are so many important things in our lives which cause us to yell, “HELP – please help.”  We each have a different reason for seeking help, but the source of our help is the same:  God. 

Do versus With

It seems I have been very occupied lately.  I have been doing a lot for God.  Well, maybe not for God, but what I have been doing is … Maybe it would be easier if I explain.

DO FOR

I do love spending time on the computer.  I like to google and I can research for hours.  I like to use power point to create fun pictures.  All this led me to work with our church’s Facebook page and set up a new website.  There is cartoon each Monday and songs each Wednesday, on Facebook.  They do not appear on their own, which means I have looked at cartoons and videos – all Christian – to find just the right fit.  And I have had fun.  I have spent many hours putting together a way to spread the word about God.  Hey, this is the age of social media,   Social media – a way to connect and interact with the congregation and a way to spread the word about our church.  A way to inform those seeking where we are, what we believe, and what we do.  Yes, I have been very occupied lately.  Of course, this is all for God.  It must be a good thing.  Right?

My time is used to encourage others to come to church.  My time is used….

But, in the back of my mind, I get this nagging feeling I am missing something.  The feeling makes no sense.  I go to church and Sunday School.  I listen to Christian music.  How can I be missing anything?  But the feeling is still there.  It will not go away.  Something is missing!

WHAT IS MISSING?

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”               Luke 10:38-42

“Does this scripture help you, Mary?”

Yes … but, if I don’t …

“If you don’t what?”

Honestly!  Which way do you want it?  We are to serve!  Didn’t you like the food Martha prepared?  Wasn’t it nice to have her home opened to you?   Do you think it cleaned itself?  Someone had to sweep the floor and get the groceries.  That cheesecake she has ready for dessert did not magically appear.  It is not like when you changed the water to wine.  She could not look at the pan and say, “Fill with cheesecake.” 

“Mary …”

And ..

“Oh, you were not done?”

No I am not!  We are to follow Matthew 25:  feed the hungry, give a drink to the thirsty, invite the stranger in, give away clothes, take care of the sick, and go visit those in prison.  How are we to do that and sit at your feet and listen?  You do know there are only 24 hours in the day, don’t you?

“A rhetorical question – good one.  I see you still have a sense of humor.  Let’s figure this out.  Start with the word balance:  to keep something in a steady position so that it does not fall.  So?”

OH!  (Light bulb moment.)  This nagging feeling is because I have not balanced do for and be with?  The something missing is time with you?  That seems too simple.

“Final question:  What happens when you spend time with me?”

My spirit calms.  My Soul listens.  My path is easier to see.  Yes, time with you is what I am missing.

BE WITH

Jesus had a lot to do, but he took time to be with God. 

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.

When evening came, he was there alone,     Matthew 14:23

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.     Mark 1:35

After leaving them, he went up on the mountainside to pray.     Mark 6:46

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.     Luke 5:16

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.     Luke 6:12

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed …

for himself, for his disciples, for all believers     John 17

Balancing to do and be with means to keep my life in a steady position so I do not have a nagging feeling that I am missing something.

How do you balance doing for and being with God?

Instagram, a Frog and a Friend

I have told you about my stuffed frog, Norman, and his Instagram account.  Today I want to tell you about a friend we never met.  Pieter lived in The Netherlands, with his brother.  The first time I saw Pieter, on Instagram, I wondered who would put a picture of someone in a hospital bed, with stuffed monkeys hanging all around.  Then I read his story – the story of his family.

At age five, Pieter had a brain tumor which caused many physical problems and a rare syndrome.  Jump forward to 2015, when his brother realized Pieter was not doing well in the care facility he had finally had to enter.  A hospital bed was placed in the middle of a very busy household, filled with children, music, cooking, and noise.  And, along with all the medical paraphernalia, Pieter had a new home!  Home – what an amazing word.  Home – where miracles happen.  Home – where love can rescue a brother.

Pieter thrived on the noise and the activity and the music and the coffee.  He watched children draw, so he drew.  He watched people feed themselves, so he fed himself.  He sat in a chair.  He loved getting mail.  Did I mention he loved coffee?  He loved the stuffed monkeys.  He had a smile that made the world light up.  Everyone on Instagram loved Pieter, his family, and those monkeys.

I never met this family, but from them I learned:

• Families make sacrifices – Having a hospital bed, in the middle of the living room, would require change.  Not only a change in the arrangement of furniture, but a change in the arrangement of many lives.

• Surroundings do affect life – The noise, the activity, the music, the coffee, and, yes, the monkeys stimulated Pieter and he responded with joy and a smile.

• People care – Pieter looked forward to receiving mail, but the mail also encouraged his family.  Each stamp, each envelope, -- each card was a way for people to say, “We care.” 

In our day to day lives, we meet people who influence us – they are examples of how to live (or not to live).  But sometimes -- sometimes a person we have never met changes our heart. 

Pieter and his family changed my heart.  Pieter died July 5, 2019.

I would like to share the family comments with you:

We have to announce that our beloved Pieter passed away on the 5th of July; he died Peacefully after being very ill. We believe that he is in Heaven now, without pain and sorrow. We will miss him badly but we have comfort thinking about the Love we felt for each other, the Fun we had in spite of his Illness. ….We are so grateful and feel so blessed about the 4 years he lived in our home and we were allowed to take care of him. I know this news will make a lot of people sad, and a lot of people will miss Pieter and his famous Smile. But I will ask you to remember him as the Happy Person he was, enjoying the little things of life! …. 

This is the front of the Mourning Card we made to make the Announcement of Pieter his passing to our Family and Friends. We asked our daughter to make a drawing of a Photo of him and she did a really great job capturing his Happy Face and Wonderful Smile so well. Behind him you see a sheet of Music Paper of the opening chorus of the St John Passion from Bach, which was one of the favorite Choral Works of Pieter. In the past he was a member of many different Choirs and Music was his life! Unfortunately he became deaf and had to quit singing for public. But he never stopped singing in private, and even sang the beginning of this choral in the past week; very soft and flawed but with his whole heart! We like to think of him singing this choral in heaven now; loud and clearly! He also wears his favorite hat on this drawing..... The people who get this card will not only become sad because he left us, but we hope they will smile too seeing him Sparkle. We look at it all day; this drawing of Pieter makes us feel happy and proud of him!

But sometimes -- sometimes a person we have never met changes our heart.

Pieter and his family changed mine.

YOU SEE IT EVERY SUNDAY

I have been working on a church website.  I stopped by the office, talked to the pastor a bit, and showed him a picture.  He looked at it and asked, “Where is that window?  In our church?”

The answer was, “Yes, in our church.  You use that door every Sunday morning.”

This window is on the door to the Prayer Room.  It is a beautiful window.  Those involved in Sunday Worship gather, in the Prayer Room, to pray for the service.  And yet, pastor did not remember the window. 

Or, had he seen it so often, it became a part of the door.  This beautiful window – became invisible.

How often do you drive the same road?  How often do you say, “When did that house get there?”  Then realize it was built about 100 years ago.  It happens all the time.  We become so used to seeing something, we no longer see it. 

God’s blessings often fit into that category.  We forget:

• Trees
• Flowers
• Laughter
• Eyesight
• Sound
• Imagination
• Strawberries
• Touch

The list could go on and on and on and on.  Do not feel like you are the only one with eyes that do not see –

When he (Jesus) was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.  Luke 24:30-31

(Later in Jerusalem) While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.  …. Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  Luke 24:30-31, 45

The disciples did not see Jesus.  They were so used to seeing the MAN; they could not see the SON OF GOD.  Of course, the man who really had blinders on was Saul.  Acts 9 tells us:

Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples

…if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners

As he neared Damascus … a light from heaven … heard a voice

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

… when he opened his eyes he could see nothing

For three days he was blind

BUT THEN ---

(Ananias) Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again.

The secret is to open our minds so we can understand and our eyes so we can see.

Today … Tomorrow … Always – do not allow God’s blessings to become invisible.  Savor a strawberry.  Laugh loudly.  Be blessed by a flower.  Close your eyes and hear the waves and the breeze rippling the leaves.  Allow your imagination to create a masterpiece or the next great invention.  See hope for the future, as you touch the hand of a child, and see a life well lived, as you shake a hand that is calloused or wrinkled. 

Today … Tomorrow … Always – do not allow God’s blessings to become invisible.  You might just miss a very beautiful window, as you enter a room to pray.

A CHOICE

This picture popped up on my Facebook page:

Occasionally (Okay.  More than occasionally), God uses a 2 X 4 to get my attention and now Facebook.  Well, drat!  I want to make my own choices.   I do have free will – right?  

Exactly what is free will?  I pulled these out of an article at https://www.gotquestions.org/free-will.html :

If “free will” means that God gives humans the opportunity to make choices that genuinely affect their destiny, then yes, human beings do have free will.

However, free will does not mean that mankind can do anything he pleases.  Our choices are limited to what is in keeping with our nature.  (The article said we could make the choice to walk across a bridge, but we could not fly across it.)

Salvation is God’s work.  At the same time, our motives, desires, and actions are voluntary, and we are rightly held responsible for them.

Did you notice the ‘however’ in the second comment?  The ‘however’ seems to be consistent with the ‘but’ in this scripture:

The LORD took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.  And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but …

     Genesis 2:15-17

Back to the picture quote:  You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice.

So why do I have free will if ‘however’ is going to begin the next sentence and ‘but’ is inserted into the agenda?

“Mary, do you want free will?”

Yes.      I think so.      Do I really have free will?

“You are free to choose…”

I hear a however coming.

“A bit sarcastic are we?  However, you are looking at this from the wrong direction.”

Wrong direction? 

“You have a choice to make --- do you want love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? …”  (Galatians 5:22)

Yes..

“I am not done yet.  You have a choice to make – do you want eternal life?  (Romans 6:23)  Do you want every tear wiped from your eyes and, my child, do you want to drink the crystal clear, flowing water of life?”  (Revelation 21:4; 22:1)

Well – Oh sorry.  I can tell you would like to say more.

“You are looking in the wrong direction.  You are looking at all the choices that might – might take away an earthly pleasure.  You should be looking at Free Will as the opportunity to choose my consequence.  And believe me, Mary; you do not want to miss any of them.  Did you read the part about the gates made of pearls?”

Yup and I have a question – exactly how big are the oysters?

“Let me tell you about that…No really.  They are big!”

Is this one of those fisherman stories?

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A CHOICE

We each have a choice.  We can choose God and be blessed by His consequences.  That is the choice I have made.

A PERSONAL STATEMENT OF FAITH

This was written, April 3, 2011, when a Sunday School lesson challenged us to write our own personal statement of faith.

I believe Jesus is the Son of God.

I believe Jesus walked on this earth and that he brought the love of God

to all who will accept it.

I believe Jesus can heal souls and bodies.

Although I may have times of doubt or times of disobedience,

I believe the love of Jesus is unending and never fails.

I believe Jesus is my salvation.

I believe Jesus died so my sins could be buried with him.

I believe he arose and is with his Father.

I believe Jesus lived so he could present me to his Father

as a forgiven, cleansed daughter.

Mary Earle

Discussion of Matthew 16:13-20

We each have a choice.  What is yours?

FORGIVING

The sun is shining and I can see the dust.  Now, I keep the house picked up, but all the rain and dreary weather sucked up my “spring house cleaning” energy.  Since this is the first day of summer, I no longer see the need to do a spring cleaning.  Trouble is the sunshine points out the places I have been dusting around. 

So…. up came the doilies.  Washed!  Miscellaneous blankets washed and put away.  Pillows fluffed.  Kitchen throw rugs washed, but it seems that was one more washing than the backs liked.  I see a shopping trip in my future.  Magazines sorted.  I was making headway.  Did you get the “was” part?  I was making headway until I opened a journal. 

The journal opened to April 24, 2017 ---

So much for making this a daily Journal.  Habits are easy to break but hard to establish.  I have been on an Andy Andrews reading binge.  Am reading The Heart Mender.  A story of second chances.  Very good!  (As you notice, I do not journal in complete sentences.  I cannot write as fast as my mind works – or doesn’t work.  But, come to think of it, I do not blog in complete sentences either, which sends spell check into a tail spin.  Thank heaven for the ignore all option.  Back to the journal entry.)  From The Heart Mender:

One of the characters, Danny, a downs syndrome boy, is talking to Helen, a widow with a lot of hate eating away at her.

Helen’s husband had been killed in the war and Danny asked, “But who are you mad at?  Are you mad at a soldier?” 

He continued, “If you are mad at a soldier, I think you have to forgive him.  You want to know why?”

Helen answered, “Yes.”

“I think you have to forgive him for you.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because whenever you get hurt by somebody, you can either think about them, all day long and let ‘em keep hurting you inside …. Or give them to God.”

“Give them to God?”

“Uh-huh.  If you forgive them, it doesn’t mean they get away with what they did … it just means that you don’t have to think about it all the time.  You can’t do anything anyway, except be mad.  See?  You just give ‘em to God.  Then you can be happy.”

After dropping Danny off, Helen thought about what he had said.  She smiled at a crazy thought:  So, what does God do with them when HE gets them?

The answer popped into her head:  What do I care?  They don’t belong to me anymore.

When I read that, I was amazed.  We hold onto un-forgiveness with a tight fist and a cold heart.  We think, “they” do not deserve forgiveness.  We think we want to make their lives harder not easier.  We want to hold onto it so we have a reason to stay mad or hurt.

But the main thing is I never thought about Giving them to God.  I never thought about that being part of the process:  Say a prayer, “I forgive __?__.”  Place them in the hands of God.  Go on. 

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.     Ephesians 4:31-32

Oh -- as in Christ God forgave you – as in Christ God forgave me. 

Come to think of it forgiving them, placing them in God’s hands, and going on is a much better option. 

So, what does God do with them when HE gets them?

The answer popped into her head:  What do I care?  They don’t belong to me anymore.

THE WINDOW

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.  So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

Matthew 26:36, 39, 42, 43-44

How many times have I read and heard these verses?  If I started at age 7, that is a minimum of 65 times and, most likely, at least three times a year for 195 times.  What do I envision when I read or hear these verses?  I see this:

Most people know this image.  The color of the robe may change, but Jesus is praying, a ray of light shines from heaven, and the disciples sleep.  My heart hurts when I think of Jesus saying, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

I can relate to the disciples.  My bedtime prayers often end with sleep instead of Amen.  I can have good intentions but my body gets tired.  My breathing slows, my eyes close, and sleep comes without even realizing I fell asleep. 

Yes, this is the image I have had since childhood – until last week. 

The Old Cathedral, in Vincennes, Indiana, was built in 1826 and stands on the site of three previous churches.  The stained glass windows are breathtaking.  Then I saw it!  I wanted to turn away, but I could not.  Why had I never realized – the Cup!

JESUS TOOK THE CUP!  And the angel handing Jesus the cup is crying!  I cannot imagine handing Jesus the cup.  Knowing what the cup held – how could the angel not cry?

JESUS TOOK THE CUP!  He is looking up.  His hands are reaching for it.  Knowing what the cup held – Yet not as I will, but as you will.

JESUS TOOK THE CUP!  Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?  Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.  Rise!  Let us go!  Here comes my betrayer!”    Matthew 26:45-46

I now have as new image in my heart and, in my soul, I hear, “Mary, are you still sleeping and resting?  Rise!  Let us go!”

As I have often said, I have no idea where my path leads, but I know there is a cup with my name on it.  That cup contains God’s will for my life.  And I am not to sit on my hands.  I am not to turn away.  I am not to say, “Nope.  Ain’t gonna do it.”  I know what I am to do.

I am to reach out and take the cup.

I am to rise.

I am to go.

I am to obey.

DEPENDS ON HOW YOU READ IT

I should never have read the article, by Ron Charles on Dr. Seuss’ book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!.  I should have seen the tag, Washington Post, and stopped.  But no.  I read the article.  Cliff notes:

• 800,000 copies were sold in 2018
• It is a yuppie dream – or nightmare
• White boy with great promise
• Individual supremacy, solitude
• American myth
• “It celebrates young adults’ dreams of escaping from home in the warm embrace of a children’s book they associate with home.’
• “For people who understand the benefits of community, the importance of learning to live together and the emptiness of being as “famous as famous can be,/with the whole world watching, you win on TV,” … is nonsense – and not the good kind.”

I have this book and love it.  I read this book and come away with an entirely different feeling than Ron Charles. 

There is encouragement: 

• Congratulations!  Today is your day.  You’ll be on your way up!
• Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying
• There is fun to be done!  Points to be scored. 

We need to be encouraged.  How wonderful to be told you will escape.  Life can be fun.

There are truths

• And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
• There is a waiting place – you will be waiting for a plane to go, a phone to ring, a Better Break, another Chance
• Some times you’ll play lonely games too.  Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.
• Alone … you’ll be quite a lot.

We need to be able to face the truths in our lives.  We are the ones that have to make decisions and there are times we have to wait.  There are times we will be alone and there are times we are our own worst enemy.

Life is not always easy:

• Because, sometimes, you won’t.  Bang-up and Hang-ups can happen to you.  And your gang will fly on.
• Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.
• Do you dare to go in?  How much can you lose?  You can get so confused.

Life is not a bed of roses.  We will make mistakes.  We will have friends turn their backs on us.  We will be confused.

There are unrealistic goals:

• You’ll be famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV
• And will you succeed?  Yes!  You will, indeed!
• KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS

We need unrealistic goals.  We might never win $2+ million on Jeopardy, but maybe, just maybe, we could.  We must have the desire and determination to succeed and to move mountains or we will be stuck in one spot…forever.

The book ends with:  So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!  Today is your day!  Your mountain is waiting.  So…get on your way!

On your way?  I would hope so!  We are not supposed to stay in one spot forever.  We are to grow.  And learn.  And make decisions.  We are to get on our way!

How can two people read the same book and come away with such a different meaning?  How…

If you think there is controversy over this Dr. Seuss book, --- think about the controversy over the Bible --- oh my goodness. 

I believe Mr. Charles pointed out how wrong the Dr. Seuss book is because it does not agree with his agenda and today’s philosophy that individuality is wrong and everything should be for the benefit of the community.  Many people use the Bible in the same way.  They read it to find something they can be offended by and argue it is not relative in today’s world. 

But, how can I read the Bible and know it is true?  How can the Bible give me peace?  How can I be sure the Bible is the inspired Word of God?

How?  Faith!  Plain and simple.  I have faith!  And it is through my faith that I read the Bible.  Without that faith, it is easy to discount, discredit, and discard the Bible as just another book.

I read the Bible as a broken, sinner.  I read the Bible as a human who realizes, on my own, I am lost, but with belief in Jesus as God’s only Son who died on the Cross for ME, I will have eternal life.  I read the Bible to learn.  I read the Bible with an open mind and heart.  I read the Bible because the LORD gives me wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding and so I will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path.  For wisdom will enter my heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to my soul.  Discretion will protect me, and understanding will guard me.  (Proverbs 2:part of 6, 10-11 written to make it personal)

How do you read the Bible?