The Old Paths

Hello Everyone:

Sorry, I don't have any news yet from PGN. If we've not gotten an update by Friday, our Social Worker will be contacting PGN for us again then to see if we are OUT yet. Please keep praying.

In the meantime, my father-in-law sent me this little writing today and I wanted to share it with you all.

THE OLD PATHS

I liked the old paths, when

Moms were at home.

Dads were at work.

Brothers went into the army.

And sisters got married

BEFORE having children!

Crime did not pay;

Hard work did;

And people knew the difference.

Moms could cook;

Dads would work;

Children would behave.

Husbands were loving;

Wives were supportive;

And children were polite.

Women wore the jewelry;

And Men wore the pants.

Women looked like ladies;

Men looked like gentlemen;

And children looked decent.

People loved the truth,

And hated a lie;

They came to church to get IN,

Not to get OUT!

Hymns sounded Godly;

Sermons sounded helpful;

Rejoicing sounded normal;

And crying sounded sincere.

Cursing was wicked;

Drugs were for illness;

And divorce was unthinkable.

The flag was honored;

America was beautiful;

And God was welcome!

We read the Bible in public;

Prayed in school;

And preached from house to house.

To be called an American was worth dying for;

To be called a Christian was worth living for;

To be called a traitor was a shame!

Preachers preached because they had a message;

And Christians rejoiced because

they had the VICTORY!

Preachers preached from the Bible;

Singers sang from the heart;

And sinners turned to the Lord to be SAVED!

A new birth meant a new life;

Salvation meant a changed life;

Following Christ led to eternal life.

Being a preacher meant you proclaimed the word of God;

Being a deacon meant you would serve the Lord;

Being a Christian meant you would live for Jesus;

And being a sinner meant someone was praying for you!

Laws were based on the Bible;

Homes read the Bible;

And churches taught the Bible.

God was worshiped;

Christ was exalted;

And the Holy Spirit was respected..

Church was where you found Christians

On the Lord's day, rather than in the garden,

On the creek bank, on the golf course,

Or being entertained somewhere else.

I still like the old paths the best!

'The Old Paths' was written by a retired minister who lives in Tennessee.
(I have not personally verified this fact. But whomever wrote did a good job.)

I emailed him back with the following message...
It made me think of a verse in Jeremiah that I love.

Jeremiah 6:16
"Thus says the Lord, ' Stand in the ways and see,

and ask for the old paths, where the good way is,

and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.'

But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' "

I'm afraid our generation is much like that in Jeremiah's time, many have indeed said, "We will not walk in it."