The Cookie Thief by Valerie Cox
A woman was waiting at an airport one night
With several long hours before her flight
She hunted for a book in the airport shop
Bought a bag of cookies and found a place to drop
She was engrossed in her book but happened to see
That the man beside her as bold as could be
Grabbed a cookie or two from the bag between
Which she tried to ignore to avoid a scene
She munched cookies and watched the clock
As this gutsy cookie thief diminished her stock
She was getting more irritated as the minutes ticked by
Thinking "If I wasn't so nice I'd blacken his eye"
With each cookie she took he took one too
And when only one was left she wondered what he'd do
With a smile on his face and a nervous laugh
He took the last cookie and broke it in half
He offered her half as he ate the other
She snatched it from him and thought "Oh brother
This guy has some nerve and he's also rude
Why he didn't even show any gratitude"
She had never known when she had been so galled
And sighed with relief when her flight was called
She gathered her belongings and headed for the gate
Refusing to look back at the thieving ingrate
She boarded the plane and sank in her seat
Then sought her book which was almost complete
As she reached in her baggage she gasped with surprise
There was her bag of cookies in front of her eyes
"If mine are here" she moaned with despair
"Then the others were his and he tried to share"
"Too late to apologize she realized with grief"
That she was the rude one, the ingrate, the thief.
The closest the farmer is to
his bush or vine, is when he prunes and cuts away and makes room for new
growth. The closest our blessed Lord to us, when he prunes. As with the Cookie
Thief, the hardest lesson in life, learning to trust. Walt Whitman, in his famous
book, Leaves of Grass, "Every inch of life's experience is a
miracle."
Age brings on its own luster,
its own stars and scars. This writer asks everyday, "why can not people of
normal intelligence see what is going on? Why are they so blinded to the realities
of their lives?" The God who gave us life, gave us liberty. Truth is truth
whether anyone believes it or not. John 8:32, "And ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free."
This writer came from
poverty, has never been comfortable at a country club. This writer is totally
blind, has never known the intrigue or the excitement of the golf course. BUT,
we are not stuck where we start, AND, God has given to each of us who he chose
for physical life an eternal life with him. With nominal intelligence, hard
work with responsible living the opportunity to accomplish anything that any
other person can accomplish. God's greatest gift to man is free will. We are
not automatons, robots. We have his divine nature to think. We often forget
that we are made in his image. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, chose the
spirit of death instead of the spirit of life. God put on his own son, a tent
of human flesh and we have the ability to gain the righteousness of Jesus
Christ through the simple gift of believing in him. Rebirth by his
righteousness we claim his holiness and his healing.
Why are Christians so blind
to the healing power of Jesus. The prophet Isaiah, the old Testament, looking
ahead, proclaimed, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was
bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and
with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5). The disciple Peter, New
Testament, looking back, said "Who his own self bare out sins in his own
body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:
by whose stripes ye were healed." With the problems of sickness in America
(in my lifetime, one who has studied healthcare, more schools, more medical
scientists, more drugs-therapy, more money spent on sick care than the entire
world combined, still more sick people) we must learn to care for ourselves.
Western medicine no longer talks of cures, only treatments. The great physician
has the ability to cure, ANYTHING. We face diseases, such as Ebola, no cause no
cure. Can we even imagine what can happen in this world IF such microbiology
escapes? We know that our enemies are creating, arming, viruses. Check out
those who treat you. Is your doctor a dunce or a dynamo? Does his treatment
just consist of making big pharma and himself richer? Does your doctor talk to
you about your diet, rest and exercise? It has been a long time since my doctor
has asked me about my food intake.You must detoxify or die. Americans are the
most toxic people in history. Our ancestors worked and sweated, they knew the
importance of eating correctly, getting rid of the toxins.
This writer, health
scientist, world traveler, one who is totally committed to the cause of Christ,
finds great fault with evangelical denominations. We have too many young people
blind to their faith... they do not know what they believe... cannot defend
their beliefs. Evangelicals such as Baptists, need to teach a catechism in
their churches (a catechism, is a summary or exposition of doctrine and served
as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis,
or Christian religious teaching of children and adult converts.) Are pastors,
church members, so blind that they cannot understand that young people leave
the church because they are not convinced or committed. I understand that each
year, thousands of evangelical churches just close down.
I have made my living for
many years, (I am blind I can no longer practice) buying and selling... real
estate, stocks. My daily activities are caught up buying and selling items online
(eBay, Amazon, antiques, books, records, etc.). The most genuinely nice people
I have ever met in my life, I meet at the marketplace (yard sales, auctions,
stock and realty brokers). Much to my sorrow, and I'm sorry to report this to
you, most do not attend any church. I have also found, much to my sorrow, that
sellers have little regard for ancestry, they do not hesitate one minute to
sell personal items owned by family members. They do not treasure old
photographs, old keepsakes. I have photographs of ancestors receiving military
decorations such as the silver star. Their ancestors mean nothing to them. No
more than great grandmothers china, silverware, jewelry. HAVE WE REACHED THAT
PLACE IN OUR MARVELOUS HERITAGE OF CHRISTIAN REDEMPTION, THE FAMILY CHURCH-GRAVEYARD-HOME PLACE
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