Reminders: The Cure

Three pastors were having lunch together.  One said, “I’ve been having trouble with bats in my church balcony.  I’ve tried everything––noise, spray, cats, but nothing seems to scare them away.”  Another said, “Me too.  I’ve got hundreds living in my belfry.  I’ve even had the place fumigated, and they won’t go away.”  The third pastor said,…

Reminders: How to Tame a Bully

A farmer and his brand new bride were riding home from the wedding chapel in a horse-drawn carriage when the old horse stumbled.  The farmer said, “That’s once.”  A little further along, the poor old horse stumbled again.  The farmer said, “That’s twice.”  After a little the poor old horse stumbled again.  The farmer didn’t…

Reminders: Gossiping Gertie

Gertie the church gossip kept sticking her nose into the other members’ private lives and spreading false rumors.  Church members didn’t like it but didn’t know what to do.  Gertie made a mistake when she accused George, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his pickup truck parked in front of the…

Reminders: How Heavy is It?

An elementary school teacher tried a little experiment with her students.  She asked them to bring one tomato to school for each person who had been mean to them.  They were to put the tomatoes in a plastic bag and carry them everywhere for a week.  Some children had several tomatoes in their bags and…

Reminders: The Coin Toss

One Sunday morning Jimmy was wondering why his friend Bobby was not at the game.  By the time Bobby arrived, the game was well under way.  “Why are you so late?” asked Jimmy.  “I couldn’t decide between going to church and going to the game.  So I tossed a coin,” said Bobby.  “But that shouldn’t…

Reminders: Be Careful What You Say

Children seldom misquote you.  In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn’t have said. We no longer threaten to wash the mouths of children out with soap for using bad words, but maybe it’s some adults who need it more anyway.  Children learn what they say and do from observing others. Unfortunately,…