From The Good News Newsletter    March 2010

Have you noticed, how over a period of time, many words of the English Language change in their meaning?  For instance, in some cases, "cool" has nothing to do with temperature. We, my generation, thought we were "cool" when we wore our shirts with the collar turned up, white "tee" shirts, pants with the cuffs rolled up two or three folds, even a "narrow" and I do mean narrow, white belt, hair worn in the style called a duck tail, or a "flat top" and "chewed our Juicy Fruit gum." Yeah, we were "cool," like man, we were very "cool." We were "sharper than a tack, even a bantam rooster in combat boots." Cool meant hot and hot meant we were cool. Does that make sense? No, but we thought it did. Much could be said about those days of Rock and Roll, the Blues, and Country music. This brings to remembrance of Mr. Claude Curtis who operated a small restaurant in Luka and his delicious hamburgers. Yes, can one believe a Hamburger and a "pop" for 15 cents?

I want to bring something to your attention that I am guilty of saying. No, it is not a curse word, which some spits out of their mouths at a rapid pace revealing what is in their heart, but the word that I use often is "Kids." I doubt that many of you that read this article will or do commit such a crime. You mean a breaking law crime? Yes a Crime! A crime against those to whom we sometime call "Kids." It is a common thing in our society today. I hear it on every hand and at time I just want to cry. One can read in the dictionary and find the word "kids" referring to a little four legged animal called a goat. Think about it! Yes, one can also find the word "kid" in the Webster's Dictionary and quickly see that one of the meanings is "a small child." The first and second meanings are dealing with animals called goats. The last definition of the word referring to goats and children has been added over a long period.

Let's think about the word "Children." We see immediately that the word "Child" jumps out at first glance. We know that Children are a gift from God. After all, you as man and woman are responsible for "making" the precious little child but they are a gift from God. Look at your child or children. Do you really love them enough to use their given name instead of some off the wall name?

Psalm 127:3-4 "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth."

Now "grandpa and grandma" we need to remember the following: "Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers." Proverbs 17:6. How many of us have grandchildren and fail to understand that they are the crown of old men? Do we realize that the glory of children is their fathers? It really makes a Father or a Grandfather smile when that offspring introduces them to their friends. It is the same with Mothers and Grandmothers and their daughters or sons.

A man was bragging several years ago about his little son who was learning to talk. He bragged how he had taught his little boy to say curse words and call his mother terrible names. I felt sorry for the mother showing her fear of correcting the little boy because of that boisterous windbag husband. In fact I heard it with my own two ears and quickly vacated the scene. The father thought that was really something, teaching his son to act and talk "like dad." Shame on a man that has no more care or respect for his wife son or daughter than to do such, and the same goes for a so-called mother!  Surely that was the only dad that ever did such. What do you think? Shame, shame on any dad who does such! There was an old saying I heard many times while growing up, that went something like: "Little children have big ears." That was saying that we sometime forget about young children in our presence when we are conversing with others. They hear and learn fast. My dear friends, I ask you the question, "Do you call your children "kids" (goats)?" I hope not. Yes, I am trying to break myself from referring to little children as "Kids." Remember they are the offspring of their parents. Are you as parents "speaking" and acting like "goats?"