Weddings And Situation Ethics

Weddings and Situation Ethics

  

When the Lord first brought the woman to the man in the garden, Adam recognized the significance of two beings becoming one. In a paradise on earth surrounded by the newness of God’s creation, Adam and Eve began the long line of unions that would flow from the first covenant to an untold myriad of promises spanning cultures and traditions that remain to this day. A marriage union begun with a ceremony of pomp and circumstance is an occasion of beauty and love as the bride is presented to a man in union of marital blessings. With the exception of the covenant made with God through the blood of Christ uniting the spirit of man with the redemptive grace of salvation, no other decision is of greater importance. With great fanfare a wedding is planned with a frenzied pace, and details are examined closely to ensure the memories of the wedding day reflect as much joy and happiness as possible – and most of the time it turns out like everyone wants it too. A wedding is an experience to say the least.

One of the great joys of being part of a wedding is when people of God come to unite their hearts in one with the promises not only of the marriage bond but the union they share with Christ. The bride and groom seem to radiate a deeper tone of love when they come together as one in Christ to become one in life. This time of uniting two hearts is a wonderful opportunity, not only witness the blessings of marriage, but to also show the example of Christ in the lives of those being married.

As children of God we share our faith by our lives and by our example reflecting to the world the values that separate us from the trivial pursuits of a careless world. Paul admonished the Corinthians to be different from the world. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty’" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). This separation makes us distinct in our character in every way. We are special people. Our lives are governed by the relationship we share with the Lord as He dwells in us as temples of the living God.

To the church at Ephesus Paul exhorted the Christians to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:23-24). The spirit of the child of God is measured by true righteousness and holiness. The apostle goes on to describe how the “new man” puts away lying, anger, stealing, corrupt communication and so forth (Ephesians 4:25-32) and becomes a “follower of God as dear children” (Ephesians 5:1). These principles guide every decision for the child of God so their conduct of life is evident to all as one showing forth the holiness of God. “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’" (1 Peter 1:14-16).

The wedding of a Christian is a time when all of these principles of holiness can be shown to a world that cares little for holiness. Yet it is often a time when situation ethics becomes the driving force instead of showing the distinct nature of Christ. In a world given over to fleshly exaltation, the dresses for brides and bridesmaids evidence the provocative and sensual nature of a careless world. Very revealing dresses have become almost common place in the weddings of many Christian women. Shoulders are laid bare that pale in comparison to the open backs and exposed cleavage in not only the brides but their attendants. The ethics of the situation is such that the bride (and maids) might wear a dress for the wedding they would never wear anywhere else – especially to a worship service for the Lord. Because it is a wedding, an argument is made for the difficulty of finding a “modest” dress and the bride presents herself in attire that is immodest.

Peter warned the woman in 1 Peter 3:3-4 – “Do not let your adornment be merely outward; arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel; rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” The impact of this verse is not addressing the lack of clothing but the problem of too much clothing exalting the woman in the outward apparel instead of the inward. While this principle can be applied to a wedding the lesson of modesty should not be lost on the immodesty of most wedding dresses today. A wedding is a special time for a woman of God to show her inward beauty and not flirt with the passions of the world. It is a time when a woman radiates the true character of God’s love in showing her life in harmony with the principles of Jesus Christ.

Just because it is a wedding should we allow an exception on how we dress? Should a Christian woman (or man) allow the fashion styles of the world to determine their example of faith in how they dress? Modesty is not ruled by the word of man but the word of God. The body should be used for the glorification of God not man. If a bride cannot find a wedding dress that is modest, then she should show her example of faith by wearing a dress that is modest and according to holiness. If fathers want to give their daughters away in holiness, they should exercise wisdom in what their daughter is wearing on her wedding day. Mothers should not enable the material desires of their daughters by helping them have a wedding that is based upon the fleshly rites of the latest fashion magazine. Young people who want to show the world their home is built on Jesus Christ should make certain the apparel for that wonderful day is something the Lord Himself would be pleased with.

The influence of the world has ingratiated itself in the weddings of Christians by suggesting that champagne toast and dancing are permissible and acceptable. Seeking to be different from the world is less the motive in weddings fully embracing the raucous nature of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Sanctification to God in the holy bond of marriage is more than words spoken to one another. It is the heart committed to showing the world the home established by those words of fidelity are founded upon the example of faith in the wedding ceremony.

“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8).

Sherman And The Red Sea Crossing

Lee Kennett writes in his book "Sherman, A Soldiers Life" the president of Columbia College writing General Sherman asking his military judgment "on the feasibility of the Israelites' miraculous flight across the Red Sea as described in Exodus. It was the commanding general who answered his query in precise, mathematical terms: assuming that each man, woman, or child in the act of walking took up a space of two feet by three, and each ox three feet by nine, then two million Israelites with a million head of cattle 'could be compressed into a space half a mile broad and six miles long.' If they could maintain a speed of one to two miles per hour they could easily pass through a half-mile wide defile in the space of six to nine hours. 'Of course the Israelites were not organized or compact as an army,' the general noted, 'but rather resembled a stampeded crowd'; even so, he felt that with Pharaoh's host at their heels they would have moved along at ample speed." (page 324).

Interesting analysis from a military perspective.

Current book reading

About to finish the book, "Sherman - A soldier's life" by Lee Kennett. It is an interesting story of a man who became more famous for his "March through Georgia" than any other part of his life. A West Point grad he tried a lot of things in life - soldier, banker, investor, superintendent of what is known today as LSU and lawyer. When the Civil War broke out he entered the Army again and while did not distinguish himself in the early days as much seemed to redeem his ability in the battle at Chattanooga. He was a man with great conflict within himself and left a legacy that is a challenge to decide if he was insane (as some charged) or a man who struggled to maintain a career of solid leadership. Often he vacillated; sometimes he was clear in his leadership. After the war ended he was in charge of the "Indian problem" and exercised the same characteristics as during the war. Villified by some and hailed by others. History shows him to be both.

What is history?

History was a trash bag of random coincidences torn open in a wind. Surely, Watt with his steam engine, Faraday with his electric motor, and Edison with his incandescent light bulb did not have it as their goal to contribute to a fuel shortage some day that would place their countries at the mercy of Arab oil. ~Joseph Heller, Good as Gold

History is a kind of introduction to more interesting people than we can possibly meet in our restricted lives; let us not neglect the opportunity. ~Dexter Perkins

History never looks like history when you are living through it. ~John W. Gardner

History is the sum total of the things that could have been avoided. ~Konrad Adenauer

Each time history repeats itself, the price goes up. ~Author Unknown

Take from the altars of the past the fire - not the ashes. ~Jean Jaures

To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child. (Cicero)

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. (George Santayana)

We cannot escape history. (Abraham Lincoln)

Not so loud

The Bible is a most fascinating book. Within its pages we find the mind of God revealed to man in the wonderful message of redemption. History opens from the beginning of time unfolding the creation of man and his continued battle with himself and one another. Nations are painted on the canvas of time rising and falling. The climax of the Bible story is found in the life of Jesus and the door of salvation opened on the day of Pentecost. Revelation completes the message with a symphony of hope and praise with the gathering of God's people surrounding His throne in Heaven.

And then you read Proverbs 27:14 - He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it will be counted a curse to him.

The wisdom is thinking of others in this passage. While there are many deep theological teachings in scripture, often the Lord places tidbits of common sense applications in our relationships with others. Paul reminds us to "look out not only for [our] own interests, but also for the interest of others" (Philippians 2:4). The apostle also reminds us to "be kind to one another" (Ephesians 4:32) and it would be a kind thing to be mindful of others in the early morning.

Did you ever have a college roommate that woke up happy and you were still in la-la land? What about the spouse who jumps out of bed excited and ready to meet the world and you have not even turned on the coffee pot yet? The morning is made for quiet and calm and those folk who just want to get so excited early in the morning can "be counted a curse" (in a nice way of course). So is there a lesson about being mindful of the sleepy people in the morning? Maybe the Lord has a good message about being kind to people in the early morning.

A deeper lesson from Proverbs 27:14 is the boastful action of those who would tend to seek self-glorification from their neighbors. Adam Clarke wrote, "He who makes loud and public protestations of acknowledgments to his friend for favors received, subjects his sincerity to suspicion; and remember the Italian proverb elsewhere quoted: - 'He who praises you more than he was wont to do, has either deceived you, or is about to do it.' Extravagant public professions are little to be regarded."

Here is the danger when we receive great praise from those who do so with insincerity. Nor should we take opportunity to do the same. Especially in the early morning.

The Gospel According To St. Titleist

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. TITLEIST

May thy ball lie in green pastures -- and not in still waters. ~Author Unknown

The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course. ~Billy Graham

Golf appeals to the idiot and the child in us. Just how childlike golfers become is proven by their frequent inability to count past five. ~John Updike

It is almost impossible to remember how tragic a place the world is when one is playing golf. ~Robert Lynd

If profanity had an influence on the flight of the ball, the game of golf would be played far better than it is. ~Horace G. Hutchinson 

They say golf is like life, but don't believe them. Golf is more complicated than that. ~Gardner Dickinson

If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they'd starve to death.  ~Sam Snead

Golf is a day spent in a round of strenuous idleness. ~William Wordsworth

If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt. ~Dean Martin

If you are going to throw a club, it is important to throw it ahead of you, down the fairway, so you don't have to waste energy going back to pick it up. ~Tommy Bolt

Man blames fate for other accidents, but feels personally responsible when he makes a hole in one. ~Author Unknown

I don't say my golf game is bad, but if I grew tomatoes they'd come up sliced. ~Author Unknown

My handicap? Woods and irons. ~Chris Codiroli
       
The ardent golfer would play Mount Everest if somebody would put a flag stick on top. ~Pete Dye

I'm hitting the woods just great -- but having a terrible time getting out of them! ~Author Unknown

If you think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball. ~Jack Lemmon

It's good sportsmanship to not pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling. ~Mark Twain

Don't play too much golf. Two rounds a day are plenty. ~Harry Vardon

The difference in golf and government is that in golf you can't improve your lie. ~George Deukmejian

Golf is a game invented by the same people who think music comes out of a bagpipe. ~Author Unknown

       If I hit it right, it's a slice.
       If I hit it left, it's a hook.
       If I hit it straight, it's a miracle.
         ~Author Unknown

Preachers & Hell

If there is no hell a good many preachers are obtaining money under false pretenses. (Billy Sunday; 1862-1935)

Romance & Rheumatism

"During the first half of life you are romantic, and during the second half you are rheumatic. But I've seen folks who are rheumatic become romantic again and lose all their rheumatism." (Vance Havner)

Words Of Dying Atheists

WORDS OF DYING ATHEISTS

Caesar Borgia: "While I lived, I provided for everything but death; now I must die, and am unprepared to die."

Thomas Hobbs: "I say again, if I had the whole world at my disposal, I would give it to live one day. I am about to take a leap into the dark."

Thomas Payne: "Stay with me, for God's sake; I cannot bear to be left alone ... O Lord, help me! O God, what have I done to suffer so much? What will become of me hereafter?"

Sir Thomas Scott: "Until this moment I thought there was neither a God nor a hell. Now I know and feel that there are both, and I am doomed to perdition by the just judgment of the Almighty."

Voltaire: "I am abandoned by God and man; I will give you half of what I am worth if you will give me six months' life." (He said this to Dr. Fochin, who told him it could not be done.) "Then I shall die and go to hell!"

Robert Ingersoll: "O God, if there be a God, save my soul, if I have a soul!" (Some say it was this way: "Oh God, if there be a God, save my soul if I have a soul, from hell, if there be a hell!")

In the last century, a well-known atheist was riding with Alexander Campbell in a buckboard. As usual, they were discussing atheism. Campbell's visitor pointed to an ox grazing in the nearly field, and said: "I have no more fear of death than that ox." To which Campbell replied: "And no more hope, either."

Are We Alone In The Universe?

Are We Alone In The Universe?
(Kent Heaton)

Over four hundred years ago Galileo Galilei turned the invention of Hans Lipperhey to the heavens and the mysteries of our universe began to be revealed. The telescope brought the miracle of space to the inhabitants of earth in a way never imagined before. Through the centuries man has continued the quest to reach out as far into space as possible. With technology soaring to the heights of man’s imagination a clearer picture and vision of the outer world has been drawn to the inquisitive search for life. Instruments dot the planet in every imaginable place to hear some faint message of a far off civilization. Powerful telescopes pierce the night skies seeking signs of life beyond the planets. Satellites hurl through the void of space collecting data looking and listening for the echo of an alien presence. With all the vast array of incredibly powerful instruments at man’s disposal, why has no trace of life been found of a new civilization? Because there is none.

The question has been asked for generations, “Are we alone in the universe?” Without a great deal of fanfare the answer quietly whispers in return, “Yes”! The answer is as old as the world and has been revealed to man in every generation. In the first days of man’s dwelling upon the earth he decided to build a “tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves” (Genesis 11:4). The tower of Babel was a colossal mistake and the result of man’s pride. It concerned the Lord enough to say, “Nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them” (Genesis 11:6). As a result God confused the language of the people and the work stopped. “Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth” (Genesis 11:9).

This tells us that God has placed man within the habitation spoken of by Paul in Acts 17:26 – “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” Everyone on earth if of one blood and we are put here to “dwell” upon the earth. Our “times” and “boundaries” are appointed by God and they cannot be changed. Man lives within the vacuum of his own environment that is determined by God.

As a young boy in the 1960’s I would hear of the days man would live in the oceans and on far off planets. Those were the days of modern exploration yet they were based on the false premise that man can live anywhere. God has determined that man can only survive in the world made for man’s earthly journey – Earth! But then that is the subject of the relationship of God and man – Earth.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). Did Jesus die for a civilization on another planet? According to the Bible the only people Jesus died for are those found on the third rock from the Sun. Paul told the Athenians that our purpose in life is “seek the Lord” and we can find Him not in space but in the book right before our eyes - the Bible. Open it and you find God.

Washington, Lincoln, Reagan & Obama

Washington, Lincoln, Reagan and Obama

(Kent Heaton)

 

It was December 1777 when George Washington marched his beleaguered army into Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The winter of that year would almost decimate Washington’s army and push the limits of hope in a most desperate time. A Valley Forge resident named Isaac Potts found the general off to himself deep in prayer to God for deliverance. The first president of the United States would later write, “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.” He knew the power of prayer and trusting in the word of God for guidance; unlike president Obama.

Abraham Lincoln had a deep respect and knowledge for the Bible. He said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no other place to go.” The 16^th president of the United States acknowledged the need of prayer and presence of God. One of Lincoln’s most inspiriting quotes came when he said, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.” President Obama would do well to listen to Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln would not stand with Mr. Obama and approve his presidency. “I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong” (Abraham Lincoln).

Ronald Reagan quoted George Washington who said, “Despair my fellow countrymen of ever teaching citizenship save on the basis of immorality & abandon all hope of teaching morality on any other foundation than religion for the nation that forgot God has never been allowed to endure.” President Reagan was a firm believer in the influence of the word of God. It was not uncommon for Reagan to quote the Bible, make reference to God and quote Jesus Christ as the source of true peace. The presidency of Barak Obama is fulfilling the words of the previous president Reagan who said, “If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

Embracing homosexuality will become the legacy of Obama. He has never held a belief in God nor the Bible. Our country is being led by an administration that is doing everything in its power to undermine and destroy the moral fiber of our country. The Bible clearly teaches the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. Jesus said, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:5-6).

The apostle Paul described the immoral nature of homosexuality when he wrote, “For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (Romans 1:26-28). President Obama is serving the wiles of the devil and setting on course the downfall of the United States of America. As people of God we must take a stand against disregard for the purity of the word of God. If we allow this government to “sow the wind” of ungodliness we all “shall reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7).

The Social Gospel

If they had a social gospel in the days of the prodigal son, somebody would have given him a bed and a sandwich and he never would have gone home.

Vance Havner

The Lord Is Not After Joiners

In Luke 9:57-62 are three fellows. As you remember, the first one said, "I will follow thee whithersever thou goest" (v57), and Jesus said, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath no where to lay his head" (v58). The second said, "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father" (v59). Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God" (v60). The third said, "Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell which are at home at my house" (v62). If you're going with me, let's go; if you're going to stay here, stay here; but the kingdom of God is no place for a man with his face pointed one way and his feet the other. God is not taking people to heaven backward. If you're going with me, let's get going, all in one direction.

One prospect, the rich young ruler, stood head and shoulders above the rest. He had manners, for he came very politely. He had morals. He kept the commandments. He had money. If he tried to join the average church today, they'd say, "Take him quick. Make him treasurer and don't ask him any questions." My Lord said, "Sell out." He didn't give him a massage; He gave him a shock treatment. "Sell out" and that's just what he wouldn't do. He was a good catch, but the Lord didn't catch him.

Americans are professional joiners. They'd die if they couldn't join something. Give them a red button and a certificate and they'll join anything on the face of the earth. The Lord wasn't after joiners. He was after disciples.

(Vance Havner, sermon: Jesus Is Lord; "When God Breaks Through", sermons on revival edited and compiled by Dennis J. Hester; pp 139-140)

The Green Thing (Author Unknown)

The Green Thing (Author Unknown)
Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags  weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags,  was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags.

But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded-up  old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power.

We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a
computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.

But isn't it sad that the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Ross And I

I am the youngest of six children - Peggy, Brad, Mark, Bruce and Ross. There is only eleven months separating Ross and I and we pretty much grew up almost like twins. One month out of the year we share the same age which can be fun when we tell someone on October 31 that my brother Ross and I are the same age but not the same birth. He got to go to kindergarten but when he went into First Grade mom decided to "kill two birds with one stone" and put me in grade school with Ross. That was September 1961 and I was 4 years old. Ross was 5 years old and I turned 5 two months later and he turned 6 three months after starting school. So, the mold was set and he and I roamed the halls of education for 12 years. First to Jackson Elementary (six years) then to the old Tomlin (former Plant City High School) for three years before heading off to Plant City High School and the Plant City Planters (don't ask - we were a fierce team). I have all of the class pictures from Jackson Elementary and there is my brother Ross. We had a great time.

After one year in High School they built a new High School and in 1972 we became the first students in the combined schools of Plant City, Turkey Creek and Pinecrest. It was a mess the first year as they tried out some new ideas on us. So much for the bean counters in Tampa and Tallahassee. Ross and I joined the Army JROTC program and we had a great time. He and I did most everything together and we shared in the drill team where I was able to be captain of the drill. It was in February 1974 that Ross and I enlisted in the regular Army on the delayed enlistment program. The Vietnam war was not officially over yet and would not be until April 1975 but for all practical purposes it was only waiting for the ink to dry.

The plan was to enlist on the "Buddy Plan" where he and I would go in the same units and do everything together. And why not? We did everything else together. So the plan was to join the 82nd Airborne as Military Police and rock the world. Fate had a way of changing things. Of all the crazy military intelligence - because I was only 17 I could not be an MP. You had to be 18. Now they send me to boot camp where I was top shot in the unit with an M16; fired M60 machine guns; threw grenades; and I can't wear a 45 cal weapon because I was only 17. So, Ross went on to jump out of perfectly good airplanes with the 82nd Airborne MP's and I went to the Judge Advocate General Corp as a legal beagle (also called a clerk). I was a JAG man.

But the story is not over yet. Ross and I graduate and head off to Jacksonville for induction. He processes through a day earlier than I and flies out (for the first time flying) and I fly out the next day (thinking to myself at 30,000 feet why would I want to join the 82nd and jump???). Arrived at Fort Knox for basic training and was assigned the same Company and same Platoon as Ross. I was Platoon leader and he was one of my squad leaders. So we get to go through Army Basic together - how great is that? Had a great time. But then he goes to Fort Gordon and I go to Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis for JAG training. After Indy I am assigned to HQ in Atlanta but they do not have a slot for me so I volunteer to go down to Savannah/Hinesville, Georgia where they are in the process of activating the 24th Infantry Division. I join the JAG office with a great staff. My boss was the Army defense counsel for William Calley (Mi Lai massacre story).

Joined the Army as a E2 - made E5 in two years. With about a year left on my enlistment I decided to do a tour of duty in South Korea and as a going away present the Colonel (and others) pushed my promotion to E5 through and told me to get off base as soon as I could. I found our a few years later they pulled a real job on that one. Had a great tour in Korea. Six months in TDC (abbreviation for a town I cannot spell - north of Seoul) and then transferred to Munson near the DMZ for my final six months serving as NCOIC of the JAG office. I had an 8 - 4:30 job and on Friday afternoon took the bus to Seoul where I spent the weekend with Malcolm Parsley who was a church missionary there. Loved him and his wonderful family and have so many fond memories. Came home in 1977. They snookered me into to signing up for a year of National Guard out of Lakeland which I did. Finally hung up my uniform in 1978 (where it now hangs in my closet - and no I can no longer fit in it.)

Ross got out of the Army in 1977 when I did. I look back sometimes and wonder how much fun it would have been to be 82nd Airborne MP's with my brother Ross. Not sure the world would have been ready for that. Still, Ross is my buddy and my twin (at least for one month of the year). Love you Ross (or as we called him "Horse").

Mistakes

Blunders we shall make and failures will shame our faces and dampen our eyes. But if we can manage not to remember what we ought to forget and not to forget what we ought to remember, then forgetting the things behind and stirring up our minds by way of remembrance, we shall press on for the prize. (Vance Havner)

True Civilization

Lord Moulton said, "True civilization is measured by the extent of obedience to the unenforceable."
Reagan, Ronald (2011-05-10). The Notes: Ronald Reagan's Private Collection of Stories and Wisdom (p. 100). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

The valley of Elah

Who can ever tire of the story of David and Goliath? Gathered in the valley of Elah two opposing armies stood in battle array seeking the destruction of the other. The most unlikely hero emerges as the young man David, son of Jesse, steps on the stage of courage and vanquishes the giant. Why would David consider such a battle winnable? As but a ruddy youth he stands before a behemoth of a man trained in the art of warfare. Insulting words of fear spew from the mouth of Goliath but David stands firm and prepares. The Philistine draws near and it is David who runs toward the imposing figure of a monster bent on his destruction. Putting his hand in his bag and taking out a single stone, David slings the missile to the forehead of Goliath and fells him to the ground. Taking the champions own sword David cuts the head of the Philistine off. Victory of a David over a Goliath.

The Philistine giant had longed taunted the Israelite soldiers. No doubt he boasted to his comrades how weak and scared the followers of Jehovah were. They trembled at the sight of this man and cowered in fear when he sounded forth his cries of defiance. Goliath was not conquered by an army but by the heart of courage borne in the life of the son of Jesse. Some wonderful lessons come from the valley of Elah:

1. We all have our own valley of Elah. There are challenges to our faith that cause us fear and trepidation. Going into the valley is fraught with danger and we may tremble when we see the giants that live in that valley. Their voices send chills of dread through our bones. But they remain in the valley and the only way to defeat them is to face them - on their turf.
2. This was not the first time David dealt with adversity. He told King Saul that as a shepherd boy he had learned to trust in the power of God. David said, "when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." (1 Samuel 17:34-36). David cut the giant down to size. We need to face our adversities and cut them down to size.
3. David did not rely on the wisdom of man to win the victory. Saul offered his armor but it was not tried and tested. Besides, David understood that Goliath could only be brought down through the power of God. Trusting in God means when the days are difficult we still rely on God to deliver us and not ourselves. We can sometimes love God so much and trust Him so little. The Lord does real good when it comes to forgiveness of sins but for the everyday things of life we don't trust him. No - trusting in the Lord means the quiet days in green pastures and the troubled days in the valley of Elah.
4. The truth about fighting Goliath was evident from the beginning. The army of Israel looked upon Goliath as so massive they could not defeat him; David looked at Goliath and thought, "He is so big how can I miss him?" And he didn't.
5. Finally, David did not wait for Goliath to come to him. He ran towards the giant and defeated him. Defense was not the option in fighting something that large. This required facing it head on and on the head. David knew he had the army of God fighting for him and with God's power a great victory was done that day for God's people. Facing our giants takes a great deal of faith but when we overcome our fears victory is given.

Final thought: I have to wonder two things about Goliath. What was he thinking right before that stone hit him between the eyes ..... and what did he think five seconds after he died. The answers to both questions are world apart - literally.

Pulpit Pollyannas

"It is not surprising that such a prophet as Amos should encounter the court preacher Amaziah (Amos 7:10-14). This dignified clergyman objected to such plain preaching, saying to Amos, in effect, 'Your rusticity is out of place here in the metropolis; you belong to the backwoods, not to the boulevards. This is the king's chapel and the king's court.' Amos replied, 'I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; ... and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel' (vv14-15)."

"Amaziah is still with us in the pulpit, Pollyanna's who wear rose-colored glasses, paint the clouds with sunshine, and preach peace when there is no peace. There are many Hananiah's who teach 'rebellion against the Lord' (Jeremiah 28:16b), but few Jeremiahs who will speak only what the Lord says. Of course, Sunday morning bench-warmers cannot endure Amos; they will desert him, sighing, 'This is [a] hard saying; who can hear it?' (John 6:60). Those who cannot stand Amos go down to Memorial Church to hear Dr. Sounding-Brass give book reviews."

(Vance Havner, "Amos, A Modern Message For America"; When God breaks Through, edited and compiled by Dennis J. Hester; page 810)

John James Pershing Heaton

My dad. John James Pershing Heaton was not a man of physical stature but from the view of a freckled chubby boy growing up at 1907 N. Maryland Avenue he was a wonderment. I first met my dad at a very young age (okay an attempt at humor). We lived in a Jim Walter home in the Northeast corner of Plant City near I-4. Our home was simple with little fanfare - well there was a lot of fanfare as we had no AC and a box fan in the window was all that kept us cool in the Florida heat. Dad worked at the VC Mobil Chemical Plant where he retired. He worked shift work and my favorite shift for him to work was the morning shift. Mom would rise early (she lived early) and fix his dinner - often fried chicken. You have not lived until you wake up to the smell of mama's fried chicken and biscuits prepared for daddy's lunch. Daddy worked hard. He enjoyed gardening, had a milk cow he kept milked, bought mom chickens and a once upon a time a goat (he was a lot of fun). He planted every fruit tree known to man because mom liked all those kind of trees (fig, grapefruit, grape vine, pomegranate, persimmon, hot peppers and even a small banana tree). He adorned my mother. People may have thought that Mary Heaton ran the home and to some degree that was true but my mom worshipped "John Dear" and he just loved doing things for her.

There are so many memories of daddy. He spent time in the TB hospital in Tampa when they thought he had TB. Don't think he did (Peggy and Brad may have to clear that up). He learned to do some craft things while there including making marble lamps and somewhere in that time period he hand-crafted a number of log cabins. I have treasured those and shared them with my sons and grandsons. One of the fondest memories of childhood was the trip to Iowa in the green Econline Ford van with Aunt Cathryn. The van had the motor between the seats of the driver and passenger and I remember one day when dad was working on the motor it blew up on him and sprayed him with hot steam. On a trip to visit Peggy at FC he lost control of the Falcon as we exited on Hillsbourgh Avenue hitting a light pole. He broke his ankle and I broke my nose. Daddy could always predict weather after that.

Daddy was not a preacher. Someone said he tried to lead a song once and when someone laughed at him he never tried again. He lead prayer, waited on the Lord's table and that was about it. We were always at services 30 minutes before time to begin. I doubt daddy was ever late. He was not a deep thinker with the Bible but he was a faithful man in his own quiet way.

Not being big in stature was interesting for his five sons that towered over him. Brad and Mark got into a fight in the living room once and all daddy had to do was step in between them and the fight was over. Respect. His six children loved and respected their daddy. His word was law and his law was immediate. None of this telling you three times business. He did not put up with a lot stuff cause life was short. I remember a few times he used the belt. More so on my older brothers (smile goes here).

We did not have TV for a long time but who needed it. I remember vividly the trip to Tampa to Sears where daddy bought an electric guitar. He also had a harmonica and he could crank up the music with the guitar and harmonica. He must have been self taught but he enjoyed playing. Don't think he played very much and very long. Too much work to do.

Life on Maryland Avenue was idyllic in many ways. We never had a lot of money and mama worked hard to make the money stretch as far as possible and often there was more stretch than money. Daddy did the best he could. But in my whole life we never went hungry. I knew I had grown up when I could eat sweetened cereal. Rarely - I mean rarely - did we ever eat out. That fond memory is when we all went to the McDonalds across from Busch Gardens (when they had the penguins). To this day if I go to McDonalds and order a regular hamburger, small fry and vanilla shake - I go back to that day.

I miss my dad. He has been away now since 1989. A year earlier mom had been diagnosed with brain cancer and she went through her treatments and it seemed she was doing better. I had never seen daddy cry but one day at Aunt Cathryn's where they were staying as we were working on their new home in Trenton he broke down in front of me. My how he loved her. I guess I never quite understood that as much as that moment. I will always cherish that moment. His brother Floyd had died in Marianna, Florida and Karen and I were living in Perry. The funeral was on Monday. He came over Sunday evening and early Monday morning he and I drove to Marianna for the funeral. As we prepared to leave for the serve he sat in my car complaining about something he ate. He was having a heart attack or a prelim to one sitting in my car. After the funeral we drove home to Perry where he spent the night. Tuesday morning after playing with the children he drove back to Archer. Some time after 11pm that evening he got up from bed complaining (as he did the day before) of something he ate, took a few steps and died. Karen and I rushed to the hospital in Gainesville. There was my daddy lying on a table. Mom was in another room lost and forlorn. The love of her life had left her. She was 58. She would die 355 days later at the age of 59 of a broken heart - at least that is what I believe and it does not matter but what was there to live for in life without her John Dear.

Daddy taught me a lot of things that I did not realize until years later. He was a Army Veteran. One day he took a map and drew his trips on the map - North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Europe. He was in General Patton's Redball Express. I wish my children could have had more time with him. It is probably a good thing he did not know my grandchildren because they are hard enough to live with as I spoil them - I can only imagine how so much more spoiled they would be with Popi John.

Daddy, I love you still and while I miss you I know you are safe in the bosom of Abraham - and that is all that matters. Good night daddy.