"Always full of the joy of the Lord, and always thankful." Colossians 1:11-12 TLB

Once there was an old and very wise man. Every day he and his granddaughter would sit outside a gas station in his rocking chair, waiting to greet tourists as they passed through his small town. One day a tall man who surely had to be a tourist, began looking around as if he were checking out the area for a place to live. "So what kind of town is this?" he asked. The old man replied, "Well, what kind of town are you from?" The tourist said, "One where everyone is very critical of each other. It's a real negative place to live." The old man said "You know, that's just how this town is."

Later, a family passing through also stopped for gas. The father stepped out and asked the old man, "Is this town a good place to live?" "Well, what about the town you're from? The father said, "In the town I'm from everyone is very close and always willing to lend a helping hand. I really hate to leave it." The old man smiled and said, "You know, that's a lot like this small town."

After the family had left the granddaughter looked up and asked, "Grandpa, how come when the first man came you told him this was a terrible place to live, yet when that family came you told them it was a wonderful place to live?" The old man looked down into his granddaughter's wondering blue eyes and said, "No matter where you go, you take your attitude with you. And that's what makes it terrible or wonderful."

Yes, life is what you make it!

Bishop E. Earl Jenkins