The Stranger --A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family.The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on. As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, hehad a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger... he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies. If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind. Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet.(I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.) Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home - not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our long time visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol but the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly, and pipes distinguished. He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.. I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave. More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures. His name?.... We just call him 'TV.' (Note: This should be required reading for every household!) He has a wife now....we call her 'Computer.' Their first child is "Cell Phone". Second child "I Pod" And JUST BORN THIS YEAR WAS a Grandchild: IPAD

How To Make Smart Decisions --Success is largely a matter of making wise choices. As F. W. Boreham said, "wemake our decisions and then they make us." That's why every decision has an element of risk to it. We cannot always predict the outcome. Are you dealing with any difficult decisions these days? Try following these eight steps for decision-making from the book of Proverbs in the Bible. --Step 1: ~ Pray For Guidance.(Principle of Inspiration) -Start by asking God to help you see His perspective on the problem. Intuition is often wrong. "A man is foolish to trust onlyhimself. But those who use GOD'S WISDOM are safe." Prov. 28:26 --Step 2:~ Get The Facts! (Principle of Information) -Don't make decisions out of ignorance. Find out all you can first. "Every prudent man acts out of knowledge" Prov. 13:16 "How stupid to decide before knowing the facts." Prov. 18:13 ""Get the facts at any price.. . . "Prov. 23:23 ) --Step 3: ~ Ask For Advice. ( Consultation) -Talk to someone who has already taken the rise if possible. It's wise to learn from experience - but it is even wiser to learn form the experiences of others! That way you don't have to learn everything the hard way. "Get good advice and you will succeed. Prov. 20:18 ) "The intelligent man is always open to new idea - in fact the looks for them Prov. 18:15 ) --Step 4: ~ Set Your Goal. ( Selection) -Be sure you understand the reason and purpose for the decision you're about to make. You can't chase two rabbits at the same time. "An intelligent person AIMS at wise actions, but a fool start off in many directions." Prov. 17:24 --Step 5 : ~ Count The Cost~ ( Evaluation) - This is called "calculated risk". :Ask yourself (1) Is it necessary? (2)What will it cost. . .in terms of time, energy, money? (3) Is it worth it? "It is a trap to dedicate something rashly, and only later to consider your vows." Prov. 20:25 --Step 6: ~ Plan For Problems ~ (Preparation) - Remember Murphy's law - and he was an optimist. Don't ignore problems - they won't ignore you. So be prepared. "Don't go charging into battle without a plan." Prov. 20:18 "A sensible man watches for problems and is prepared to meet them. The fool never looks ahead and suffers the consequences."Prov. 22:3 --Step 7: ~ Face Your Fears ~ (Confrontation) -Fear is not a sign of weakness - it is a sign of your humanity. Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather it is moving ahead in spite of your fears. "Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety." Prov. 29:25 --Step 8: ~ Go For It! (Initiation) This is the point at which you must stop talking and start acting. You must begin! "Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed." Prov. 16:3