MEMORIES OF THE WAY WE WERE

 "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."  (Luke 2:7)

Last year I wrote a blog post on Christmas Day.  I'm not sure if this will become a tradition or not, but I decided to once again write a piece on Christmas Day - specifically Christmas morning.  I admit through the years I've had a big ego when it comes to my writing.  I still want to write that piece which is read by tens of thousands of people.  Alas, many of my writings never get read by more than thirty!  I suppose a piece about personal Christmas memories could be like watching a slide presentation of somebody's trip to Disney World or a slide presentation featuring their little kids learning to swim on Cape Cod.  Those who show that stuff are bursting with excitement and glee, while the viewers would honestly rather watch paint dry as long as they could do so while eating a delicious pizza!  But if you're one of the thirty (or will it be twenty?) who reads this, I hope it will somehow be meaningful!

Through the decades, I've been emotionally and spiritually "all over the place" when it comes to Christmas.  Some years, I've loved it.  Some years, I've hated it.  This year, as with many, I'm just kind of "in the middle" about it.  I did open this piece with a verse from the beautiful account of Jesus' birth found in Luke's gospel.  But the Bible actually never tells us to celebrate Christmas.  As far as I can tell, Christians in the first century did not celebrate Christmas.  Much of our celebration comes from pagan roots.  And it's the financial stress and pressure over the years that caused me to hate the holiday at times.  However, lest I bring you down, there are aspects of Christmas I truly enjoy.  I love Christmas Carols.  And I love the Dickens story, A Christmas Carol.  I do like Christmas trees - real trees whenever possible.  Along with so many others, I appreciate a good Christmas dinner - not only the food, but the fellowship with family and friends, too.  I know the title is about memories.  Here I want to share some Christmas memories of mine:

Christmas 1962:  That year was a very difficult one financially for my parents.  That's a very long story, but we got a lot fewer gifts from Santa than usual in 1962  Don't get me wrong, I think my brother, sister and I received at least three gifts apiece from Mr. Claus, but it was definitely a scaled down holiday.  Nevertheless, we started Christmas morning going to mass at St. John's Church in Canton as we always did, and as he usually did, my father took home movies of us opening our presents.  Yes, it was a difficult year for my folks, but they focused as much as possible on their kids being happy and having a great Christmas morning.

Christmas 1968:  1968 was the year of the Hong Kong flu.  The only member of the Baril household who did not get it was my mother.  I guess my father wasn't feeling well, but he never said anything.  During the mass at St. John's, he fainted!  I remember an usher assisting us.  My mother started driving cars when she was almost forty, and it's a good thing she did have her license because she was able to drive us home!

Christmas 1981:  I had only been dating Mary Ann for a couple months at the time.  She lived in an apartment with a woman who had a couple of kids.  They had me over for breakfast.  I remember that one kid (I think his name was Jay) had gotten a Rubik's Cube as a present.  He feverishly worked that Rubik's Cube - his hands covered in bacon grease!  My mother wasn't real happy I wanted to spend Christmas early morning with my new girlfriend, but the times they were a changing for me at that point.

Christmas 1983:  My mother was a mess that year; well, each of my parents were a mess.  My brother Eddie had died that summer and our first child Jonathan was born that summer.  It was little baby Jon who kept Christmas 1983 from being a total disaster.  My mother couldn't remain in despair as she held this new little baby!

Christmas 1986:  My father had suffered a stroke a week earlier and was hospitalized.  Mary Ann and I were in the process of moving from Walpole to Framingham over the holidays so we didn't have a tree or any decorations at our Walpole apartment.  That was definitely a scaled down holiday, but a good memory is Mary Ann and me and our three very little kids spending Christmas Eve at my father-in-law's boat docked at Boston's Seaport District.

Christmas 1998:  We had very little financially that year, and my elderly parents were in poor health.  Yet '98 is remembered by me as one of the best Christmasses!  On Christmas Eve a stranger driving an old Chevrolet sedan and wearing a Santa Claus outfit showed up at our Framingham home with a bag of gifts for us!  As President Biden would say, "No joke!"

In the words of the author of the Book of Hebrews (in chapter 11 verse 32) "the time would fail me" if I presented all the memories that I have about past Christmasses, but I'll share one more;

Christmas 2020:  Mary Ann and my daughter Rachel were out in Missouri visiting my other daughter Amy and her family.  I spent Christmas with my son Jon at his apartment in Framingham.  He gave me a very special Christmas present:  An online video message from actor Terry O'Quinn to me personally in which he encouraged me that although I can be a lot like John Locke, the character he played in ABC's drama Lost, I will succeed as I move ahead because I have a son and others who love me.  I'm almost getting choked up as I write this.   Later in the day, Jon and I went to the movies and saw the Tom Hanks film, News of the World.  I had a great time!

I'm hoping you're all still alive - that I haven't bored you to death!  "And so I'm offering this simple phrase, to kids from one to ninety-two, although it's been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to you!"

A WORD IN SEASON

"A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word in season, how good is it!" (Proverbs 15:23) 

This piece will be very short- possibly the shortest post I've ever written on this blog.  I saw someone yesterday that I haven't seen in months.  This guy mentioned that I have not posted anything on the blog in quite awhile, so if he sees this he will probably chuckle.  But then this man paid me quite a compliment about my writing.  I did not expect that and frankly it really blessed me.  Ironically, a short time later, my boss had a brief conversation with me commending me about many positive things about my job performance.  Frankly I was stunned and shocked by that one, but it did make me feel good. 

It's amazing what a difference we can make in the lives of others just by what we say. 

A man I know recently lost his brother to Covid 19.  My friend is in his late sixties and his brother was in his early seventies.  His brother was energetic with a charismatic personality.  He was a guy who looked and acted as though he were in his fifties.  The surviving brother has been really sad and greieving.  The gentleman who died was not vaccinated and neither is his surviving brother.  I happen to be vaccinated; I've had the first two shots if that still counts as vaccinated!  But some terrible things have been said to the surviving brother.  People have cruelly and harshly told him, "Your brother died because he was not vaccinated."  Then, they've added, "You better get vaccinated or the same thing could happen to you!"  I would never say something like that.  I think the whole vaccination thing should be a very private affair.  I absolutely do not believe in vaccine mandates.  We should respect one another's choices.  But back to the point of this - the last thing that grieving man needs right now is judgment and condemnation. 

Yes, it matters what we say! 

I remember the closing of the church I pastored.  I was in early 2010 but I remember it like it was yesterday.  One guy (who no longer was part of the church but had attended it previously) actually said to me, "You must be so relieved the church is closing!"  I cannot tell you how devastating that comment was to me at the time.  I have been out of full-time ministry now for over a decade.  Back in 2010 and 2011 a number of people looked at me like I was some sort of pariah, serious sinner, or catastrophic failure.  I was under a psychiatrist's care.  Thank God, that is passed!  This is turning out to be a longer piece than I'd initially predicted.  But I hope you'll take it to heart.  We all need to remember to think before we speak; and to speak words that heal, and not words that kill.

THE GUY IN THE OLD PICKUP TRUCK

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." (Psalm 32:8 New King James Version)

This year, 2021, on the first week of August, I attended General Council (in Orlando, Florida) for only the second time in my life.  (General Council is the biennial meeting of the Assemblies of God USA.)  I've been an Assemblies of God minister since 1981 and I pastored for over twenty years, but I never attended General Council until 2019, nine years after I left full-time pastoring.  The biggest reason I attended the past two is I went with my daughter Amy and son-in law David who are Assemblies of God Missionaries.  (They've served as Missionaries in various capacities over the past few years.  They're about to go as first-time Missionaries to Papua New Guinea.)  Two years ago, my wife and my other daughter as well as many of David's family members all got together in Orlando.  This year, my wife Mary Ann stayed home with the grandsons and it was just Amy and David and me at General Council.

On Tuesday evening, August 3, we had supper at a burger and shakes place with several folks including a couple Amy and David will be serving with in Papua New Guinea.  We rode in that couple's SUV to the restaurant.  (We did not have a rental car for the week.  We stayed at a Best Western hotel and walked back and forth to the activities at Orange County Convention Center.)  After the meal we drove back to the Convention Center.  Amy and David wanted to spend some time with their friends.  At the beginning of a road which leads from the Convention Center down to where the hotel is they pointed to the direction I'd need to walk in to arrive at the Best Western.  In fact one of them pointed to the roof of a building of several stories and said, "I think that's the Best Western!"

It was a warm, humid August evening in Orlando.  It was a little before eight o'clock.  The three quarters of a mile walk was pleasant.  I liked that there was a literal sidewalk area on this roadway.  I say "literal" because there was a concrete barrier between the walkway and the roadway so no cars could veer into pedestrians!  At the end of this roadway, I saw that the building whose rooftop had been pointed out to me was a short distance to the right.  I turned right and began walking along.  The street I'd turned onto was more like a simple highway or maybe a parkway.  There was a good-sized median strip in the middle of this highway.  I noticed there was a bulldozer in the median strip which had dug up a huge portion of it.  I was surprised I didn't remember seeing that earlier in the day.

The building I was approaching was not the Best Western.  There were a couple of large signs attached to the building which read "TRU".  I had no idea what "TRU" was.  It was O.K.  I had to be very close to the Best Western and the Cheddar's restaurant which was very near it.  I would just keep walking and there they would be!  I walked, and I walked, and I walked, and I walked.  Nothing looked familiar.  In fact the surroundings were beginning to look more "woodsy".  Part of me felt nervous and apprehensive and like I was lost.  This may sound very strange, but part of me also felt peaceful and that everything would be fine.  In front of me I saw a small, simple directional sign which read "WESTWOOD CENTER" and included an arrow pointing to the right.

"There!" I thought.  "I know I saw a small shopping center called WESTWOOD CENTER this morning.  I remember it included a restaurant and shops.  I'm close to that!  I'm not lost!  I'll be fine!"

I followed the direction of the sign and found myself walking through the exterior of a large office park.  It didn't look like WESTWOOD CENTER at all, but I reasoned I must be going in the right direction.  Asking the Lord in my heart, "Should I head in this direction?" I felt that I should do so.  It was now probably 8:15 and it was starting to get darker.  This office park seemed pretty empty, but in front of me I could see a ground-level office suite with lights on and several cars parked in front of it.  I reasoned it would not do any harm to see if anyone was inside and if they could direct me to the Best Western.  As I walked to the door I could see maybe four or five people inside seated and talking.  I did suddenly have a thought:  "The door's gotta be locked."  To my shock, I grabbed the door handle and it opened!  I walked right in.

In true Lt. Columbo style I announced, "Sorry to bother you, but I wonder if anyone could direct me to the Best Western hotel?"

Immediately one man stood up.  He was obviously annoyed.  "We're closed!"  he angrily announced.  He repeated, "We're closed!"  

The man walked toward me and proceeded to walk me out the door.  I asked again about the Best Western.  He said he did not know of any Best Western in the area.  I asked if he knew where Cheddar's restaurant is.  He said he did know where Cheddar's restaurant is.  He pointed to a far away STOP sign located at the opposite end of where I'd entered the office park.  He told me "Go to that STOP sign.  Turn left.  Walk about a mile, and you'll come to Cheddar's restaurant."  He quickly dashed back into the office suite.

I admit that I was stunned.  I didn't see how that road at the opposite end of the office park could possibly be where I should go.  I didn't know what to do.  I know many of you will be wondering if I have a smart phone with GPS.  I do.  But frankly I've only used it once or twice in my life.  I never thought of the GPS!  I admit I was starting to feel very fearful and very embarrassed.  Yet I also experienced the Peace of the Lord.  This is all paradoxical and very difficult to describe!  I did walk to the STOP sign and I did turn left.

Once again, I walked, and I walked, and I walked, and I walked.  I was walking on the left side of the roadway, facing oncoming traffic as I walked; although there really wasn't much oncoming traffic.  I suddenly noticed an old pickup truck heading in my direction.  It seemed to be slowing down.  Then it seemed to be moving to the side of the road.  The old pickup truck stopped right aside of where I was walking.

This was scary.

Was I about to be robbed?  Was I about to be shot?  Or, was some weird person about to ask me for directions.  Would such a person be angry if I told him I was lost, too?

The truck's passenger window rolled down.  

"I will take you to Cheddar's restaurant," the driver proclaimed.

I was dumbfounded.  All I could manage was a, "Huh?"

"I will take you to Cheddar's restaurant," the driver repeated.

It was the annoyed guy from the office suite!  He added, "I thought about it.  I wouldn't want my grandfather out wandering around not knowing where he's going, so I decided to take you there.  Get in."

I did.

He told me bluntly the door to their business is never open after hours.  He said a woman was supposed to lock the door and she obviously didn't.  (I wouldn't have wanted to be that woman when he confronted her at some point!)  He explained he initially thought I was some homeless person who'd gone in there to start trouble.  But after I'd left he realized I was wearing a lanyard to which a convention name tag was clipped.  He'd felt guilty and come to rescue me.  He made a U-turn and we headed in the direction in which I'd been walking.  In a short distance he pointed to a roadway and walkway on the left.

"You walked down there from the Convention Center, didn't you?"  he asked.

I did!  That was indeed the roadway I'd walked down earlier!

He explained that if I'd have turned left it would have been only a short distance to the Best Western.  (I could have said, "I thought you didn't know of any Best Western in this area!"  But I didn't!)

He said, "You see that building just ahead on the left?  That's the Best Western!"

We pulled into the parking lot, and he let me out at the door.  "Thank you!  God bless you!" I said, rather emotionally.

I've given that Tuesday night's events a lot of thought since then.  It was a great General Council!  There were wonderful meetings, events, exhibits, and services.  I had a great time.  But my most important takeaway from the 2021 General Council was my experience of being "lost and found" that evening.  I don't preach often these days, but on the Sunday before General Council I preached at Bread of Life Church in Westminster, Massachusetts (where my wife and I attend) about hearing the Lord's voice and doing what He says to do.  I vividly lived that on the next Tuesday night!  How did I know to enter the office park?  Why was the door that's always locked after hours open?  Why did the guy who initially greeted me in a negative manner end up rescuing me?  Is there a lot of symbolism in what happened to me on the night of August 3, 2021 in Orlando?  

I'll answer that:  Yes.  Although it really happened, it's also a parable.  It's something the Lord was wanting to teach me.  And I wanted to share it with you!

TRUTH

"Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?..."  (from John 18:38)

Here I am on Holy Week 2021.  I remember that a year ago we were immersed in the whole COVID-19 thing, and today it's maybe just a little bit better but it feels about the same.  I'm on a rare day off.  I just came from a dental appointment.  Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment today because I've got a numb mouth and I'm writing a piece which I suppose could generate hostile responses that will at least feel like a punch in the mouth!  Everything is so supercharged right now.  There is so much hate and division.  There is so much judgment.  I feel extraordinarily sad about it, and I feel more than ever like I don't belong in this world!  

I hate the whole "woke" thing.  I hate the whole thing that I am supposed to feel ashamed and guilty that I am a white male and especially that I am a white evangelical Christian male.  And, as far as politics, I am uncomfortable with the extremes of both the right and the left, although don't get me wrong, I'm much more "right" than "left" in my own political views.  What's frustrating is the far right thinks America is all good, all perfect, and all wonderful.  There's nothing to feel bad about.  It's all good.  Columbus was a wonderful guy.  General Custer was a wonderful guy.  Let's get American flags and wrap ourselves in them and worship them.  That's the American far right.  And, it's equally frustrating that the far left thinks America is all evil, all despicable, and all terrible.  There's nothing to feel good about  It's all bad.  The Native Americans had their lands stolen and were treated like garbage- and still are.  The Blacks were dragged over from Africa, treated even worse than the Native Americans, made slaves, and then suffering horribly under Jim Crow.  Let's all give the flag the finger and unleash a tirade of F-Bombs against the military and all American law enforcement officers.

The fact is the history of the human race for thousands of years has been of great good actions and great evil actions.  Just about any country I can think of has done much good and much bad.  Just about any ethnic group I can think of has done much good and much bad.  Throughout the centuries, one people has conquered and subjugated another.  What ultimately came out of that as decades and decades have gone on is a whole lot of really good stuff and a whole lot of not so good stuff.  

Do you remember Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem about the little girl?  Here goes:

There was a little girl,  Who had a little curl,  Right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, She was very, very good,  But when she was bad she was horrid.

So much in life is like that little girl.  So much!  If I had to tell you everything about my life, I could tell you true stories of what a wonderful, giving, caring, self-sacrificing guy I've been, and what a total jerk I have been.  Do you think I want to tell you about the time I pulled a false alarm using one of those old fashioned street fire boxes when I was a ten-year-old?  I don't want to, and I did get caught.  And, I've got lots of stories I'm ashamed of.  I imagine you do, too.

We are being told, no people are trying to force us right now to see America as racist and evil.  As radio talk show host Jesse Kelly says, "We are told America sucks!".  And we are.  Just my humble opinion here.  I have told you the extreme right's position on America and the extreme left's position on America.  Both are wrong - obviously.  But, I think for the sake of and the good of our culture and our country it's better to see America as a wonderful country, built on wonderful ideals, which is still a land of opportunity, but a country which at times has done some serious wrongs and made some terrible mistakes.  That's how I choose to see America, and how I will continue to choose to see America, even if I'm forced to sit in classes which try to make me see or think otherwise.  Listen, if I were depressed and suicidal and hating myself because I pulled a false fire alarm and did some horrible things in my life, especially when I was around middle school age, would you encourage me to focus on that stuff or on the good things about who Bob Baril is?

Now, notice the title of this piece.  It's TRUTH,  I'm saying let's present and discuss America's faults and failures, absolutely.  But let's make the main focus that we are getting better and that America is a good and decent country.  One missionary to Africa once told me that, "Half of sub-Saharan Africa between the ages of twenty and forty want to come to America".  If America "sucks" as Jesse Kelly warns the left constantly stresses, why do so many people want to come here?

Speaking of truth, one of the reasons I know the Bible is true is that it tells the truth about all the "great men and women of God".  It tells us sometime after the flood, Noah got drunk and was naked, and one of his son's disrespected him and acted like a jerk.  It tells us Abraham lied and was out to protect himself and his wife by any means necessary, good or bad.  It tells us David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and then had Bathsheba's husband murdered.  It tells us the great and holy missionaries Paul and Barnabas in the New Testament had a big hostile argument and went their separate ways.  It tells us the Apostle Peter denied knowing Jesus, cursing as he did so.  The Bible tells the truth.  These people were great servants of God.  They also had great flaws and God doesn't hide that;  but God also doesn't make that the "be all and end all" of who these people were! 

Back to American politics, about thirty years ago I heard a caller to Rush Limbaugh's radio show ask Rush, "Don't you wish all the liberals would go away; don't you wish we were rid of all the liberals?" You may be surprised at Rush's answer.  He said he did not wish for that!  Rush said a truly free society has a place at the table for many various political and philosophical ideas.  Certainly, conservatives should be there at the table, but so should the liberals.  Rush said we are all to listen to one another and to consider what each person says, and ultimately to carefully come to a consensus.  And he's correct. And I'm concerned that America seems to be rapidly moving away from that sacred ideal.

On Holy Week Jesus Christ talked about loving one another.  On Holy Week Jesus washed His disciples' feet, including Judas Iscariot's feet.  If you're on the right, can you pray for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris this week?  Would you humble yourself and wash their feet?  If you're on the left, can you pray for Donald Trump and Mike Pence this week?  Would you humble yourself and wash their feet?

On this Holy Week at this very serious time in our history, this is my "two cents".

 

 

A TALE OF THREE BILLS

 "... a word spoken in due season, how good it is!"  (from Proverbs 15:23 New King James Version)

I'm writing this in January of 2021.  It's only January.  And yet, in some respects it has been such a harsh year.  Last year the hateful posts on the internet and the horrible condescending and patronizing messages from "friends" seemed like they couldn't get any worse.  But they have.  I've cut back on my Facebook posting and commenting.  I took a verbal beating from "friends" a couple of weeks ago due to something I'd posted; and so in the words of G.P.S., I'm "recalibrating" my whole approach to the world.  

I've found myself thinking about three guys named Bill who have been in my life and "stuff" I've learned from their examples.  I didn't get permission from any of them to name them on the internet so I will use the the first initial of their last names.  First, there's Bill L.  Bill L. was a prominent person at the church I pastored in Framingham, Massachusetts for many years.  Bill L. is a blue-collar worker who has amazing mechanical ability.  He also has a lot of what is often called "street smarts".  Bill L. served as a board member of the Framingham church during at least half of the years I ministered there.  What stands out about Bill L. is that he doesn't say very much, but when he does say something it is usually something quite important and quite helpful.  He doesn't waste a lot of time just rambling on about nonsense the way so many people do.  Honestly, it could be said of me that I have a "big mouth".  On the one hand, with strangers, I'm typically a very shy person.  However, with people I know I can talk and talk and talk, often saying things that are at best not helpful and at worst hurtful.  Years ago when the Framingham church was being closed and my ministry was on the rocks my wife Mary Ann told me that through the years I had hurt a lot of people by things I'd said.  At the time I was defensive and rejected that observation.  But during the past few years I've thought about that and I've painfully realized she was right.  I was not careful about what I said or how I came across to people.  I often took people for granted and I did not go out of my way to show appreciation to them.  In life I've paid for that flaw.  My friend Ron Sebastian says, "You can't get in trouble for things you don't say".  More and more I'm learning that, and trying to learn to listen more and speak less.  It might not surprise you that Bill L. isn't even on the internet.  Pouring out his opinions and observations in post after post on Facebook would never interest him.  

There's also Bill S.  Bill S. was a board member and adult class teacher at Bread of Life Church in Westminster, Massachusetts where Mary Ann and I currently attend.  Bill S. and his wife moved a couple of years ago, but he had a great impact on me in many ways.  Bill S. taught what is usually known as the "New Converts Class" at Bread of Life Church.  I'm sure right now somebody is thinking, "Wait a minute, you're a Bible College graduate, an Ordained minister, and you pastored for many years. Why would you possibly attend a New Converts Class?!"  In my opinion, every Christian ought to attend a New Converts Class from time to time.  As much as you know and as much as you've experienced, you'll be surprised how much you'll pick up in a New Converts Class and how much it will affect you.  For instance, do you know what to do when you start having thoughts you just don't want to have but can't seem to stop them?  Well, Bill S. taught on that in one powerful class.  It had a radical positive affect on me, and helped me so much in that area!  (I'm not going to write the answer about how to overcome that problem.  If you really want to know it, you'll have to contact me!)  Another time, and this is much more pertinent to this article, Bill S. said something that really convicted me.  He said that "self promotion" has no place in a Christian's walk.  He not only said that, he really underscored it.  Why was I convicted?  The reason is, I've been very guilty of self promotion, especially over the past twenty years.  We all have "issues" that are hard to face and hard to talk about, and this is one for me.  You may be surprised by this, but I've had low self-esteem for most of my life.  In the ministry, I pastored a very small and "unsuccessful" church.  Socially (with strangers) I can be very awkward.  The word I often used about myself in the 1990s was "marginalized".  I felt very marginalized as a minister and as a person.  The way I tried to compensate for that was self promotion.  I wrote guest columns for the local newspaper in Framingham, and I was proud of my columns.  I began writing this blog in 2006.  Many of the posts from the pre-2015 days are frankly very prideful and self promoting in one way or another.  And even some of my Youtube videos, especially the earlier ones, were egotistical and self promoting.  When Bill S. spoke about self promotion, it stung!  That was probably seven years ago.  I wish I could say that right after that my self promotion stopped, but it didn't.  I'd do really well in that area for a few months, and I'd do not so well in that area for a few months.  Right now, as far as self-promotion, I'd say I'm in "recovery" and it's "One Day at a Time"!  Back to what I said at the beginning about all the hateful things people write on the internet- a lot of that is really their self promotion.  They want to let everyone know how brilliant they are and how stupid others are.  We could all learn a lot from Bill S.!

Finally there is Bill D.  Bill D. is a lay leader at Bread of Life Church.  Bill D. has walked through some deep valleys in life.  He writes and posts inspirational pieces online mostly for our church people.  (I wish more of them were "Shareable".)  Bill never went to seminary or Bible college.  Rather, he went through God's School of Hard Knocks.  I have been so blessed and humbled by his writings.  In my life I've written so many things that were silly and pointless.  And, even many of my inspirational writings have really been self promoting.  Bill D. probably has no idea how much of an affect he's had on me and what an example he is for me.  I want my writing and my public speaking to be more and more of glorifying God and truly ministering to others.  That's what Bill D's "stuff" does.  I hope someday he'll put his inspirational writings into a book.  I'd love to write the "Forward" to that book, if he'd let me.  

What's the bottom line about the Three Bills?  1.  Talk a lot less, and post a lot less on the internet.  And realize you can say and write things that really hurt people, and God will hold you accountable for that.  2.  It's not about you!  We're not to be self promoting.  We're to be God glorifying and truly encouraging to others.  3.  Post things that are positive, inspirational, helpful, and encouraging.  Nobody needs another post about what a stupid idiot Donald Trump is, or what a stupid idiot Joe Biden is.  We need even less of posts like that which are peppered with the "F bomb"!

A number of years ago, we were bombarded with the message, "What Would Jesus Do?"  Here, I'm suggesting that you start asking yourself, "What Would the Three Bills Say and Do?".