FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ THE PARABLE OF THE FENCE ~ 19 April 2026

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

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; chapel; military; troopsupport

[left that other site]

Hi Everybody!

(((HUGS)))

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Please join us for Sunday Chapel ~ THE PARABLE OF THE FENCE, and Liberty

Lt. Charles F. Suver, CHC, USN, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division
"Mass at Iwo Jima"

Please stop in and say a prayer of protection for the military.
Prayers from all denominations are needed.



Sunday Liberty starts after the Guest Military Chaplain's Service!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Dear God:
I ask that no Airman, Coast Guardsman,
Marine, Sailor, Soldier, Reservist, National Guardsman, or Merchant Marine
feel alone or forgotten.

O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is loving kindness,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
And He will redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

Psalm 130:7 & 8

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...and a Blessed Lord’s Day and Shavua Tov to you and yours.

Did the rain stop? We are supposed to get some tomorrow, but I will believe it when I see it.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Hope the storm rain stopped at your house and didn’t just go around.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Shavua Tov.
Wishing all our Jewish troops, veterans, families, allies, friends, and Canteeners
a peaceful and prosperous week.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers for our troops, veterans, families, allies, friends, and Canteeners
for a safe and peaceful week ahead.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Extra prayers for Israel...

He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Force, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our G-d from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.

May HASHEM cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighting men from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.

May He lead our enemies under their sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is Hashem, your G-d, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

G-d bless and keep your children safe, Alouette.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

A Blessed Lord's Day and Shavua Tov to you.

[Kathy in Alaska]

God Bless our military men and women who have given their all.

Thanks, unique.

[left that other site]

Cold and misty today. I decided not to get the bike out.

It’s a good thing, because my sister needed me to drive her to the ER.

Her BP was through the roof.

She seems better now, and no evidence of heart or stroke, so she probably got sick from some OTC cold medicine, which she will NEVER take again.

Only six hours at the ER...we got off easy.

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

A little blue sky up there again this afternoon. Sure would be nice if it would stick around a while, huh? At least it was a dry day.

We’re FINALLY getting some decent rain tonight. It rained pretty hard at first but backed off a bit. More is coming so we should end up with a decent amount. And the wind is starting to pick up as the front itself gets closer. Gonna be right nippy on the backside.

[radu]

The rain’s still coming through but I think the storm system blew itself out last night. Man, that was crazy and I’m glad we got none of that! There were a couple of lightning flashes earlier but that was it.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Yikes! Glad she’s doing better now. Good thing you are close.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome Troops, Veterans, Families, and Allies!
God Bless You and Keep You Safe.

[luvie]

St. Olaf Choir~When Peace Like A River

Aron Wright~Surrender

Providence~Sweet Beulah Land

Casting Crowns~Thrive

Glen Campbell~Amazing Grace [Live & Playing Bagpipes]

Passion~In Christ Alone

Newsboys~We Believe

God Bless You All....

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, luvie, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Thanks for the hymns.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Military Families, for your service to our country.

John Conlee ~ They Also Serve