Sent: Friday, November 16, 2001

Subject: From “Show & Tell” to “Listen & Learn”

Dear Ethan & Emily:

I can’t recommend highly enough the books of 1 & 2 Timothy for you to read.  Here you see the mature Christian (Paul) offering up a life-learned summary of wisdom to the young Christian Timothy.

Each of you here early in your Christian walk, as you grow out of the “Show & Tell” of childhood into adulthood would do well to listen carefully as Paul summarizes all that he has learned and experienced.  Why repeat the mistakes that others have made and then have to experience the same painful consequences?   So much better to LISTEN and LEARN from others’ mistakes…and to take steps to avoid making them yourself.

If you want to “put in your pocket” one verse that will serve you well today and for the rest of your life, take heed of the action verbs in the following passage as Paul speaks to Timothy:

“RUN from anything that stimulates youthful lust.

FOLLOW anything that makes you want to do right.

PURSUE faith and love and peace, and…

ENJOY the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”

(2 Timothy 2: 22)

Again, as you will find..and already know…I like “action” words and here in one verse, Paul lays out 4 key verbs that if followed will enrich your life and save you a lot of grief.

So…Have a wonderful “listen & learn” day…and Happy Happy Birthday, Bunnette as you turn 22 today.

Dad

P.S.  A followup to yesterday’s memo:  I didn’t mean to just “gang up” on the lowly fortune cookie.  Anything that is related to fortune telling or the like…you do well to avoid, and that includes everything from horoscopes to the psychic channel on T.V.  I think God is clear how He feels about this subject, and for my part, I’m going to “listen and learn.”