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 Letters
from our readers are warm, thought-provoking, encouraging. They
come (in past two weeks) from South Africa, the Philippines,
Australia, Canada, and many sectors of the U.S.A. Often they
bring serious questions, and require time-consuming, studied
answers. We are humbled by the responsibility. But they also
bring brother-to-brother communications, and the sharing of
personal experiences. When I wrote about lizards, an Indiana
brother had to tell me about the one that ran up his pant leg.
Different
parts of the country are identifiable by their expressions. An
old timer mentioned "in time work" as opposed to
vacation time. Another says today's news-casts " give me
the thumps" (excite, frighten. It was "real thoughty"
of one to be so considerate of another; and if I will come for a
visit one will "churn and kill a chicken." (The last
from Jack, who knows how I love Kentucky talk.)
Our
parents used to say, "I'll wear you out" if we didn't
shape up; and apparently one "Texian" uses that
expression. He wrote that in a public prayer he asked God to
"wear us out in thy service," and on the way home his
little girl exclaimed, "Mommy, Daddy asked God to wear him
out." He commented, "Well, that was not the kind of
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wearing out' I had in mind, but considering
that 'whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth' maybe we should ask
the Lord to 'wear us out' when we need it." See why I get
such a 'kick' out of my mail?
Of
course not all the mail is complimentary. One fellow wondered
why "Antis" had such petty problems as we discuss on
the question page, and he hinted this was due to our
"picky" nature. But about the same time that letter
came, I was reading from a "liberal" brother (not
"picky"), and he was disturbed that they had so many
issues like "authority of scriptures, Holy Spirit influence
apart from the word, speaking in tongues, and 'youth' and social
movements that dominated the church. Independent study and
thinking, apart from controlling "centers of
influence," will produce some petty problems. But I got the
impression this last brother would gladly trade problems with
me.
Finally,
a letter from Aussie Rolly McDowell saying he and Nancy would
arrive in the U.S. in August. I advised him to hold his head
high, act like he knew it all, and people would think he was
just another "Yank."
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