FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ THE PARABLE OF THE FENCE ~ 12 August 2012

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

 

THE PARABLE OF THE FENCE

Once upon a time there was a little boy who was talented, creative, handsome, and extremely bright...a natural leader. The kind of person everyone would normally have wanted on their team or project. But he was also self-centered and had a very bad temper. When he got angry, he usually said, and often did, some very hurtful things. In fact, he seemed to have little regard for those around him...even friends. So, naturally, he had few. "But," he told himself, "That just shows how stupid most people are!"

As he grew, his parents became concerned about this personality flaw, and pondered long and hard about what they should do. Finally the father had an idea and he struck a bargain with his son. He gave him a bag of nails, and a BIG hammer. "Whenever you lose your temper," he told the boy, "I want you to really let it out. Just take a nail and drive it into the oak boards of that old fence out back. Hit that nail as hard as you can!"

Of course, those weathered oak boards in that old fence were almost as tough as iron, and the hammer was mighty heavy, so it wasn't nearly as easy as it first sounded. Nevertheless, by the end of the first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. (That was one angry young man!) Gradually, over a period of weeks, the number dwindled down. Holding his temper proved to be easier than driving nails into the fence! Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He felt mighty proud as he told his parents about that accomplishment.

"As a sign of your success," his father responded, "you get to PULL OUT one nail. In fact, you can do that each day that you don't lose your temper even once."

Well, many weeks passed. Finally one day the young boy was able to report proudly that all the nails were gone.

At that point, the father asked his son to walk out back with him and take one more good look at the fence. "You have done well, my son," he said. "But I want you to notice the holes that are left. No matter what happens from now on, this fence will never be the same. Saying or doing hurtful things in anger produces the same kind of result. There will always be a scar. It won't matter how many times you say you're sorry, or how many years pass, the scar will still be there. And a verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. People are much more valuable than an old fence. They make us smile. They help us succeed. Some will even become friends who share our joys, and support us through bad times. And, if they trust us, they will also open their hearts to us. That means we need to treat everyone with love and respect. We need to prevent as many of those scars as we can."

A most valuable lesson, don't you think? And a reminder most of us need from time to time. Everyone gets angry occasionally. The real test is what we DO with it. Scripture recognizes this when it cautions us, "Be angry and do not sin." (Ephesians 4:26) And an old Hebrew proverb (18:19) reminds us, "A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle."

If we are wise, we will spend our time building bridges rather than barriers in our relationships.

CAPT J. David Atwater, CHC, USN

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

God bless and keep safe our troops worldwide.

Good night.

Statler Brothers ~ How Great Thou Art

[E.G.C.]

Sunday Morning coffee Bump.

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning to everyone at the Canteen. Have a Blessed Sunday. Another 100º day in store for us.

[left that other site]

Well, GOOD guitars have a steel truss rod in the neck which can be adjusted with an Allen Wrench.

Nylon string guitars often don’t have the truss rod, because the tension on the strings is not as tight as on a steel string guitar.

Trouble begins when kids, who are frustrated with the nylon strings, change them for steel so that they can ROCK. The neck can’t take the tension, and bends like and archery bow!

The total tension on the neck of a steel string guitar is enormous.

Yard sales are full of nylon string guitars that have been “re-fitted” with steel strings and ruined forever.

[luvie]

Good sunday morning,Arrow! Hot one for us, too. They’re saying
105 with a “chance” of rain. I hope they are wrong about the
temp and right about the rain part!

Have a blessed day! (((hugs)))

[SandRat]

She's been watching these “home" decorating shows with all these weird home decorators with radical color combinations.

[MEG33]

Wishing The Canteen A Blessed Lord's Day

Land Of The Free
Because Of The Brave



~God Bless The USA~

May God Keep Safe Those Who Keep Us Safe

[Arrowhead1952]

Good afternoon ladies and (((HUGS))). Just got home from church a few minutes ago.

[txradioguy]

Good afternoon/evening everyone.

Beautiful Sunday...God bless the wonderful people of the Canteen.

[blackie]

Thanks Kathy!

{{HUGS}}

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good afternoon, Arrowhead...((HUGS))...try to stay cool.

A Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

[MEG33]

So great to “see” you.
God bless you!

[MEG33]

*HUGS*
Hope your day went well.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks....not at all what I thought might be the problem. I learned something about guitars today.

[Kathy in Alaska]

"...weird home decorators..."

Hear you loud and clear!

[Kathy in Alaska]

What a beautiful day in your picture, Meg....a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Thanks for the prayer for our military men and women.

[MEG33]

Thank you...My pleasure, Kathy
*HUGS*

[Kathy in Alaska]

tx!! ((HUGS))

Are you and the family enjoying your new post? Been out exploring?

Prayers always for your safety and success of mission.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good afternoon, blackie....a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and Barb. ((HUGS))

[left that other site]

On this particular guitar (A nylon string acoustic/electric made in china), the nut was too short, causing the strings to buzz against the frets, the neck was bowed, causing the intonation to be wrong, and there was no truss rod to straighten the neck. I could have made the nut higher, but that would have involved unstringing the guitar, chiseling off the old nut, finding one the right size, and then shimming it to height. And of course, concealing the repairs.

A little too labor intensive for a chinese guitar.

He is better off with a new one with steel strings.