clean up and showed them what sheâd done. Everyone laughed and congratulated her on being willing to admit her mistake.
Six-year-old Benny, however, stole the spotlight from his grandmother. âAs long as your head is screwed on the right way, Grandma. Thatâs all that matters at your age.â
Todayâs Thoughts
They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.
P SALM 92:14
Yes, Lord, I want to continue to bear fruit! Help me keep my mind steady and alert. Let me retain my sense of humor even when people have a bit of fun at my expense.
34
Duck Hunting
Rudy and his dad, Will, took to the woods for a day of duck hunting. They had a high old time chasing the ducks, stopping for lunch by a stream, and then taking up their sport again. When they reached the legal limit of ducks taken, they headed back to Rudyâs truck.
The trek involved crossing a stream, so Rudy led the way. Both men were wearing their chest-high waders so they could stay dry. Rudy turned at one point to check on his dadâto make sure he was okay and keeping pace. But all he saw were two hands straight up in the airâone clutching the pouch with the ducks (protecting them from getting wet?) and the other holding his shotgun. Then the rest of his dad surfaced. Heâd evidently slipped on the river rocks. Rudy rushed back to his dad.
Will stood up and said he was fine.
They had a good laugh over the fact that Will was so intent on protecting his catch and his weapon that heâd never given a thought about trying to cushion his fall to the river bottom. Thankfully he wasnât hurt.
The two men then drove home to tell the womenfolk.
Todayâs Thoughts
Though I sit in darkness, the L ORD will be my light.
M ICAH 7:8
Dear God, I donât own a gun and I donât hunt, but I can relate to this story because sometimes I am so intent on holding on to whatâs unimportant that I neglect to pay attention to what is.
35
Fire!
Susan looked forward to a little romance with her new husband, Fred. Sheâd been a widow for 10 years, so she considered having a spouse after so long a special gift from God. The couple had been married a month, and Susan wanted to mark the occasion with a lovely dinner, beautiful music on the stereo, and an intimate evening sitting in front of the fireplace in their new townhouse.
That evening Fred walked in with a bouquet of flowers and a big âHappy Anniversaryâ balloon. The couple hugged and kissed, and then Susan led her husband to the table decorated with ribbons, candles, and their best china.
Over dinner they enjoyed reminiscing about the day theyâd met while sailing on San Diego Bay with a seniors group. Fred took Susanâs hand. âThe moment I saw you my breath caught. I knew I had to get to know you better.â
Susanâs face warmed. âI felt the same way. I could tell just looking at you that you were a kind and gentle manâsomeone Iâd been waiting for.â
They finished their dinner and carried the apple tarts for dessert over to the sofa in front of the fireplace. Susan poured coffee, and Fred settled back against a flowered pillow. A box of firewood Susan had purchased at the store sat on the platform to the side of the fireplace. Susan opened the screen to place a log on top of the grate, but she was suddenly aware of a glass plate blocking off the fireplace interior. âI donât understand,â she said, looking to Fred. âIâve neverseen a fireplace like this. Whatâs the secret formula for opening this door to build a fire?â
âNo formula,â he said, grinning. âSee that button on the wall? Press it.â
Susan did so, and suddenly the logs on the grate burst into flames! She stepped back and stared at the fire.
âItâs a gas fireplace,â Fred announced. âThe logs are fake. Isnât that cool⦠or rather hot? No need for firewood or
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