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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Eric...Congratulations on your upcoming wedding,
also on your decision not to drink alcohol or use drugs. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I like </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>to compare
the value of church attendance to wanting to play tennis. What
follows is a
lighthearted
look at a serious topic:</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If I want to be really good at tennis I could watch
it on TV, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and go out in the woods on a pretty day and think
about tennis. (Both of these can be of some value!)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Or I could go to the tennis court, talk to the
people there, find out who was really good at it and sign up for some
lessons. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I could buy a good tennis racquet (after
getting some advise on what kind to get) and start practicing. After
awhile I would say I was a tennis player. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I doubt I could get very good at tennis on my
own, without a racquet. The racquet is like your Bible, the tennis pros
are the pastors, teachers, church leaders, and sometimes the ones washing
dishes, & taking out the trash. Not everyone plays perfect
tennis, in fact we are all learning together. But knowing God, and being
on the team is worth more than anything in the whole world. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>May the Lord bless you and keep
you. Carla</FONT></DIV>
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