I THOUGHT I LOVED MY FAMILY

    I can't help it if no one will believe me. I know I have had a problem with
self-control, and that's why I'm overweight, but I have tried to tell my sons 
not to fall into the same bad habit. I feel that children have to make up their
own minds in this world. I have to admit that the more I hear about the sinful 
things my sons are doing, the more it makes me want to eat. Lately, I just keep
a little plate of food around for when I am feeling depressed, if you'll excuse
me. Yes, it makes me sad to see what my sons have become, but I love them too 
much to try to change them. One thing my family will always be able to say 
about their father is that he accepted them just the way they are!
    Besides all this, the doctor just told me the other day that I must keep 
myself from getting upset. At my age and weight, he said, it wouldn't take much
to cause a stroke. I suppose you think I should do something about the way my 
sons are acting -well, just to satisfy your curiosity, I did say something 
about their behavior yesterday. I asked them why they do all these evil things,
and since they wouldn't answer me, I told them that it is not good to sin 
against the Lord the way they have been. That ought to make them more careful!
I think they both know I am not very pleased with the way they have been 
acting.
    I even heard my oldest boy tell his brother that as long as Israel has 
the Ark of the Covenant then God is with us. That's my boy! You see, they 
really have some respect for the Lord deep down in their hearts! I'll let you
in on a secret, you see, God understands that my family is sincere and that we 
don't mean any harm, and so you can understand why He is patiently waiting for 
my boys to grow out of this stage. Besides, I don't want to cause tension in 
the family. First of all because our family is in the public eye, and secondly 
because I love them, and... well, I might as well say that I don't think 
they will listen to me anyway.
    There is one thing that scares me... that vision little Samuel had about
God punishing my family- but I'm still praying about that. Right now the
important thing is that we get this battle with the Philistines over with. We
can't lose, we've got the Ark of God with us!

Taken from I Samuel 2,3,4