Angry Birds

 

My grandchildren love to come to Granddaddy and Marmie’s house.  Part of the mystique is all of the old stuff that we have.  Downstairs are the sock monkeys, the small suitcase with hundreds of little green army men, the manual typewriter, and the homemade rubber band guns.  Upstairs is the VCR and Roku with old-school Mario Carts and Angry Birds.  I love Angry Birds and hate Angry Birds at the same time because I lose most of the time (I secretly practice Angry Birds so that when the grandchildren come over, I will look good).  The levels are challenging, but those grunting pigs are annoying and almost diabolical as they laugh at my calamity.  The taunting pigs remind me of Satan as he mocks my spiritual failures.  I try to serve the dear Lord and walk the narrow road, but when I stumble, the devil laughs just like those pigs in Angry Birds.  But I pray to the dear Lord and He helps me.  Jesus takes my part because He loves me and forgives my sin.  Often I ask the Lord to defeat Satan and his minions in my life, and He does.  What a comfort!  Paul said in I Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”  Hey, when you are tempted today, flee to the strong arms of Jesus.  He will comfort you and protect you.  Remember, Satan is powerful, but God is ALL powerful … and you belong to God!

Giving

My son, John, was explaining giving to their church to his six-year-old son, Greyson.  Greyson said, “Oh yeah, they need the money to buy animals for the sacrifices.”  Evidently in Greyson’s Sunday school class, they hadn’t made it out of the Old Testament yet.  But, Greyson, the age of grace would soon come about.  Paul said in II Corinthians 8:9, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is so extravagant!  What a wonderful exchange: Our sins for Jesus’ righteousness!  Praise the Lord!

 

The Youngest in the Family

 

My sister and her daughter came over for supper a while back.  Somehow, the discussion turned to a mutual friend who was a little bit selfish.  I said, “She’s that way because she is the baby in her family.”  I suddenly got three glares from the ladies around the table.  My sister is the youngest in our family.  Her daughter is the youngest of three children in her family.  And my wife is the youngest of two in her family.  But me, I am the oldest of five in my family.  You would have thought that the oldest child would have had better sense than to bring up such a dumb idea.  Solomon said in Proverbs 12:23, “A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.”  I just need to guard my tongue.  Oh, well …