One Does What One Can

There is an old Arab story about a young man who one day was riding on his donkey. He came upon a sparrow lying on its back in the road. The tiny creatures had two tiny legs pointing skyward.

At first the young man thought the sparrow was dead. But then he saw the bird move. The young man dismounted, went to the tiny creature, and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," the sparrow answered. "Then what are you doing lying on your back with your legs pointing to the sky?" asked the young man.

"Haven't you heard?" asked the sparrow. "Soon heaven is going come crashing down to earth.."

"If it does" responded the Arab young man, "surely you do not think you are going to protect our world with those two scrawny legs."

The sparrow looked at him with a solemn face for a moment and then retorted, "One does what one can."

That little sparrow had a point. We cannot do everything, but we can and we should do what we can.

Guilty

Texas once had a Governor named Pat Neff. He served the state from 1921-25. It is said that once a year he would go to one of the prisons to make a speech. Afterwards he would linger to speak with anyone who wanted to make a case for his early release.

One by one they would file by to tell him they were innocent victims of a flawed judicial system. But on one trip to a Texas prison Mr. Neff heard a different story.

The man said, "Governor, I don't want to take up much of your time. I just want you to know that I was guilty of what they convicted me for. But when my debt to society is paid I intend to live an honorable life."

Governor Neff stood up, turned to the prison warden and said, "I hereby commute this man's sentence to the time served. Get this guilty man out of here before he corrupts all these other innocent prisoners!"

Sometimes when you are guilty you are better off to admit it.

Cohabitating

I want to report something I read recently in the New York Times, not exactly a conservative, Christian publication.

"Most young couples now live together as a safe first step before marriage," wrote Meg Jay, a NYT writer. "But research shows that cohabiting is anything but safe. It makes couples less likely to be satisfied with their marriages, and more likely to divorce later. ...Without saying so, women usually think of living together as a step toward marriage, whereas men tend to view it as a way of auditioning their partner while postponing commitment. As years slide by, the two people find that despite the trial nature of their relationship, they have become bound together by shared leases, wireless contracts, furniture, pets, and friends. Those who work up the courage to split find that the setup and switching costs are nearly as wrenching as a divorce. Others drift into marriage, while secretly wondering whether they have consciously chosen their mate. To increase your chances of a satisfying, lasting relationship, it is best to start with "I do," rather than , 'Maybe we will, and maybe we won't.'"

How 'bout them apples!

Say Something Nice

We are supposed to say kind and loving things to people, aren't we? And the opposite of kind and loving remarks are unkind, cutting remarks, right? Here are some examples of unloving personal comments I suggest you do not make:

• You never have anything to say and you say it often.
• If your I.Q. slips any lower we will have to water you twice a day.
• You suffer from delusions of adequacy.
• I remember you before you were a virgin.
• You have the backbone of a chocolate eclair.
• If I agreed with you we'd both be wrong.
• Try to imagine how little I care.

Here are a few better things to say:

• You are a unique, precious person.
• The angels sang on the day you were born.
• You are the Creator's beloved child in whom He is well pleased.
• I love you, and nothing you could ever do will ever be able to change it.

Rules Don't Apply to Me

What do you suppose would happen if you were arrested driving 90 mph on I-10? The arresting police officer asked why you were speeding and you said, "Your rules don't apply to me."

Or if the IRS audited you and discovered you had not paid income tax in 10 years? When the agent asked you to explain your dereliction of duty you said, "Your rules don't apply to me."

Or, if you explained to your husband or wife that being faithful to one person was too confining for you, that the rules of marriage don't apply to you.

How do you think those things would work out? Let me answer that question: not very well! The universal life rules, focused primarily in the ten commandments, can't be cheated. And they are not multiple choice. When you fudge on the ten commandments, you injure all of humanity and decrease your personal security. When you live by these rules you strengthen society and increase your personal security.

Freedom is not about having no constraints. There is no liberty without responsibility. We all live with restraints, imposed on us by government, relationships, or good judgment. Freedom is about having a range of choices within agreed on moral obligations.

So the next time you hear someone say, "Your rules don't apply to me," call it what it is: immaturity.

Time Changes Things

When I was growing up in Cedar Bayou I had a friend who was the smartest kid in the class. One day while I was visiting his home, we sneaked his mother's medical book out of the house and into the garage so we could learn more about sex.

The pictures brought me to the point of amazement. I said to my friend, "Our parents didn't do that did they?" "No," he answered, "but I think they do that in Houston."

I felt safe because I lived in Cedar Bayou. I would not be called on to do such things.

Boy, how time changes things.

Tears

I am fascinated by tears. Do you know that there are three chemical components of tears?

The first ingredient is salt. The saline content of tears is roughly the equivalent of the salt water in the ocean.

The second ingredient is made up of a combination of vitamins, minerals, and oils which bathe the cornea and keep the eye moist.

And the third chemical component of tears is natural antibiotics that keep the eye germ free.

Now here is the most interesting thing about tears. The chemical substance of our tears change based on why the tears flow. When we weep because of deep hurt or traumatic loss, the chemical substance of our tears change so they become a natural pain killer.

In other words, when we weep because we are in pain, our body tries to sooth us. As the Good Book says, "We are fearfully and wonderfully made."