A Christian wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.
“I’ve gone for 30 years now,” he wrote, “and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me I can’t remember a single one of them. So I think I’m wasting my time. . . and the pastorsare wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.”

This started a real controversy in the “Letters to the Editor” column,much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

“I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall what the menu was for a single one of those meals. But I do know this: they all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me those meals, I would be dead today.”

No comments were made on the sermon contents anymore.

He was looking forward to this moment all day long, after 6 days of labor and it finally arrived – Visiting Day!! The man with the keys arrived to swing open the large, heavy doors. The cold gray hall springs to life in the warm glow of light. He could hardly control his emotions.

The families began to arrive. He peers from the corner of the room longing for the first glimpse of his loved one. He lives for the
weekends. He dearly loves these visits. As the cars arrive, he watches intently. Then, finally, she arrives, his bride, for whom he would do anything. They embrace, eat a light lunch and reminisce how things used to be. At one point, they break into singing, with interruptions of laughter and applause.

But all to soon it is over. A tear comes to his eyes as his bride departs. Then the man with the keys closes the heavy doors. He hears the key turn in the lock marking the end of a special day. There he stands, alone again. He knows that most of his visitors will not contact him again till next week. As the last car pulls away from the parking lot, Jesus retreats into loneliness as He waits until next Sunday – Visiting Day.

Church members are like horses,
How do I know?
Because so many people,
They have proved it so.

Some horses you have to whip,
So they will do their part.
We want church members,
With a willing heart.

Some horses look so nice,
When standing in a stall,
But hook them up to work;
They are no good at all.

Other horses will not pull,
Unless they are in the lead.
They refuse to pull with others
And be a common steed.

We had a lovely bay,
To whom you could pet and talk,
But put him in a heavy load,
He would sit right down and balk.

Some horses are so lovely,
If you look them in the eye,
Don’t get behind them, brother,
Or you’ll see the heels fly.

But the teamster’s very proud,
Of his trustworthy, faithful few.
They pull in any weather,
With a driver old, or new.

Their shoulders have collar marks,
From many a heavy load.
They work single or double,
On a muddy, uphill road.

And when the farmer opens the gate,
He knows they will be there,
Not over the hill and far away,
In some other pasture, fair.

Yes, church members are like horses,
Now, don’t you think I’m right,
They either help and work,
Or else, they kick and fight.

By Hilda M. Angeli