Did you hear about the huge ship that sailed from China to the U.S.A.? It sank 5,673 times en route. Full of yo yos! (g)

Well, I had an interesting experience last week with my automatic garage door opener. It’s only about a year old. As I hit the button, it would come down part way, then stop. Next click of the button, it would go back up. Seemed a little strange to me. I couldn’t leave The Cell exposed to anyone walking by. My Cell is a partitioned 8 X 10 room in the garage. The door HAD to come down.

Anyone observing the door going up and down would have fallen on the street, laughing for sure. Up and down, like a yo yo, but only part way. Finally, in desperation, I decided to get out of Tonka and see if it would close by pushing the manual button in the garage. Same story. Up and down, like a yo yo.

Finally, I remembered that when the new opener was installed, the man told me that it had a “magic eye” on each side of the opening, attached to the rail. Even though it was painful to get down on my knees, I located the “magic eye” sensor. Inside the housing, fluttering in the light breeze, was a tiny piece of a leaf. A leaf! Good grief! I took the tiny piece of leaf out and, voilé, the door went up and down without any hitch at all.

I began thinking of some of the stories in the Bible that related to this situation in which I found myself. How about removing the log from our own eye before trying to remove specks of sawdust from the eye of another? How about those little foxes that spoil the grape vines? Further, how about the feeding of perhaps 12,000 people with two fish and five little loaves of bread? How could Shamghar slaughter thousands of enemy soldiers with a pointed stick? James talks about how great a fire a little match kindles. What happens when we have faith the size of a mustard seed? Who gave more at the temple than the widow who gave a measly two mites?

I’m sure the Lord will bring to your mind stories from your own life as well as some good stuff to share. Please do so by use the “Leave a Reply” box below!  Maybe YOUR response will end up at the end of next week’s piece! (g)

HOWEVER, PUHLEEZ don’t send your response in ALL CAPS. My program won’t convert it to regular text and it takes far too much time to hand convert it. In other words, NO CAPS except at the beginning of each sentence and all proper nouns! (VBG)

SOME SELECTED RESPONSES TO “WEIGHTY PIZZA”

– I had every intention of going to the fitness club today. One small problem. My daughter is a Brownie, and today started the annual Girl Scout Cookie sales. So, instead of tromping on the treadmill and taking in the exciting odor of organized sweat, I tromped the pavement with my daughter and went door-to-door with the cookie order sheet.

I’ve often wondered about the timing of Cookie Season. Orders are taken right after the new year when people are thinking about actually keeping New Year’s Resolutions. Cookies are delivered in time for Lent. Lent is the time when some people are actually trying to abstain from something they enjoy. Like cookies. Sigh.

– The secret of losing weight isn’t really dieting, it’s making your body move. I had eight kids and raised my sister’s four and I was always skinny. Now I sit around in my old age and I’m getting fat and eating less. I think that should tell you something. Ha! Ha! Great letter.

You just keep hitting home with me with your articles. Just so happens that, way back in the early 1980’s, I joined Weight Watchers and lost 74 lbs in one year. What helped me stick to the program was the fact that, every week, I had to go in, wait in line (Dad called it weighing in at the stockyards), step on the scale and, right then and there, be accountable for my prior week’s eating habits. Sort of like attending church on Sunday morning when I find myself at the altar being accountable for my actions of the prior week. My weight is my responsibility and my Weight Watcher instructor holds me accountable for that responsibility. My actions, too, are my responsibility and God holds me accountable for that responsibility. Now, if the scale were just as forgiving as our Heavenly Father . . .

– Good Inside Out. Good versus Evil; good choices, bad choices. Computer: can be used for horrid things or bible study & friendships. Supermarket: Has a mix of healthy and not so healthy food. Storefronts: Porn shop next to Pizza shop next to a New Age shop, next to a Church next to a Doctor’s office next to a…….. choices, choices. Refrigerator: full of beer, sugary pop, 1 lb steaks, french fries, or bottled water, orange juice, grape juice, chicken, fish, cabbage, carrots…..Living room: Good wholesome books…or not. Magazines: Wholesome or trash?

Even in the cookie aisle, the packages lie to you, saying “low fat”, but doesn’t mention the calories. They are NOT so good for you. Low fat does not mean you can eat all you want!

It’s all about the choices we make. Will we honor God or give in to what the world says is okay? Disobedient or obedience to God’s will. Stay the same or renew our minds.

Seems the people I know who really have changed are the ones who have Jesus as Lord of their life. Sometimes they get a medical scare, that makes them realize that if they continue on the path they are on, they won’t be on it much longer. Choices, indeed! Karen Lucas

– That note from a friend on forgiveness was a good suggestion. I agree. Get it out of your mind. Even our morning sermon was on forgiveness! : ) Pastor knows this is something many Christians struggle with. It just ain’t human to forgive!!! But it is divine.

– Temptation is always around the corner, next door, or lapping at our door steps.

– Wonderful news, Jerry. We have really been sending up prayers for you and Pat, and are so glad that your insurance will pay for a rental place. I know she will be glad to get back here out of all that cold weather. (Yes, I am even praying that her cold is gone soon.)

Your messages are so important to us and I sent the one from the lady about forgiveness on to another friend today. Her sisters and my youngest son have caused us much pain and misery, but we are coping with God’s help. If you have time to pray for me and my knee problem today I would so appreciate it as I can hardly walk now and wear braces on both legs. We have an appt. in Clearwater this afternoon with the first doctor to do arthriscopic surgery on knees. We both just trust in the Lord daily. Thanks so much for keeping in touch and God Bless You.

– Great story about the pizza and Weight Watchers. Actually, if I had my mind set on going to WW, I probably wouldn’t have noticed the pizza place. lol When I am really setting my mind to something and concentrating on it…I hardly notice other things…for real. Guess I have a one track mind…grin.

– Isn’t it just like God to send me this reminder about life choices, when this whole week I have been struggling with making a choice in my life that I knew was against God’s will, but just like so many of the world’s temptations it didn’t feel good to do the right thing and I wanted the easy way out. Your article made me stop and think about the weights of sin that can kill your soul just like too much pizza can be dangerous to your health and physical life. Even though the pizza tastes good at the time, later on, the indigestion, extra pounds, etc. make you regret giving in to the urge. Let’s not forget this “weighty issue” the next time Satan comes calling!!

– I was on Weight Watchers when I was a kid (about 10 or 11) and lost 25 lbs. Foods and daily allowances were more rigid back then (fish five times a week, liver once a week, beef no more than three times, no mayo, no pork unless you were within 10 lbs. of their goal for you, etc.). I achieved my goal. That was 32 years ago. There are less restrictions now and more items available for consumption.

Perhaps something like this would be a good sign to put in Crusty’s window: “Girth control next door for our frequent patrons who have become weight challenged from eating Florida’s best pizza.”

– I like the advice to stop talking about the person or the situation that hurt, offended or whatever. I was taking a Bible study and the teacher said basically the same thing. She also said that if you want to complain about someone, go tattle on them to God. Don’t tell other people. We all know where that gets us… nowhere! The problem just grows and festers. I have been trying to follow this practice and I let God take care of everyone in His own way. He knows how to handle all of us. I feel much better when I do this. I am so glad that the insurance company is finally coming through for you and Pat. Praise God. Yes, I will keep Pat in my prayers.