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Life Lessons from Golden Books
I Kings 4:29, Proverbs 12:15, Psalm 32:8

     This is the second message of three that will focus on becoming wise.  Last week we considered The Serenity Prayer.   I told three stories, some related to my last vacation; they helped us see the importance of pausing and carefully considering whether God wants us to, “Accept the things we cannot change, have the courage to change the things we can, or have the wisdom to know the difference.” 
      This morning we heard three Scriptures.  In the first, we hear that God gave great insight and understanding to Solomon.  In the Proverbs lesson we’re told to listen to advice.  Then in Psalm 32 we’re reminded that God wants to teach and counsel each one of us.  Our first lessons in life began when we were young.  Grown-ups like our parents and grandparents helped us learn at home; perhaps we also had siblings, cousins or best friends that taught us new things.  As we got older there were classrooms teachers and maybe summer camps.   As adults, we needed skills and knowledge to get jobs. 
      All these sources of wisdom came from someone who was wiser than us, a person willing to share their insights and advice one-on-one or in a small group.  Now expand that and consider how much more we could learn from people around the world.  These days we can be taught and become wise through them, usually not in person, but through books and other forms of media.
      I love to read.  How about you?   One my fondest memories growing up was reading Little Golden Books.  These colorful cardboard books with gold spines were inexpensive - a mere 25 cents when they first came out after World War II.   You’d see them on racks in your local drugstore, Woolworth’s, Grand Union, or elsewhere.  A feature they introduced, to the delight of kids everywhere, was the innovation of putting on their inside cover, “This Little Golden Book belongs to...” followed by a straight line.  Have you or your children ever proudly scrawled your name inside the front cover of a Little Golden Book?  
       I was visiting a country store in Vermont one day, a large delightful one, full of old-time products and replicas, plus more modern gift items.  I went down memory lane looking at classic candy sold years ago, plus kids’ games (Tiddly Winks, Pick-Up Sticks, jacks) and stuffed animals (Peanuts characters, Raggedy Ann and Andy, etc.).  Then I spied this book: “Everything I Need to Know I Learned from A Little Golden Book”.   The author is Diane Muldoon, a longtime editorial director of these books, and she’s written oodles of children’s books herself.  She gathered 74 examples from the earliest Golden Books and combined them into a cheerful book of practical advice.  It gently teaches us, often with humor, that we all have the potential to be wise and content. 
      Settle in and get comfortable, as we revisit some beloved stories from our childhood.
  • Is your life starting to feel like a circus? Don’t panic. Today’s a new day!
  • Get dressed first thing. Sweatpants are bad for morale. Put on something nice!
  • Have some pancakes.
  • Get some exercise every day. Frolic. Daydream. Go on a joy ride! Stargaze. Stroll. Birdwatch.
  • Treat yourself. The simplest things are often the most fun! So go on a picnic and make music a part of your life.
  • Be a hugger. Kiss.
  • Turn off the TV from time to time and crack open a book! Use your imagination.
  • Look up and savor the seasons as they roll around. Stay curious.
  • Take in some culture once in a while. Learn something new!
  • Dare to explore. What’s out there for you?
  • Express yourself. Try a new look! Be unique. Just don’t go overboard.
  • Start planning that dream trip! Soon you’ll be on your way.
  • Be open to making new friends even if you’re very, very shy. Keep in touch. Hang out.
  • Steer clear of shady characters. Be discriminating in your choices. Choose your companions wisely.
  • Break bread together every day. Don’t forget your antioxidants!
  • Go ahead and make a big deal over your birthday.
  • Dress up and go dancing, any kind of dancing.
  • Make something from nothing.
  • Sing even if you can’t hold a tune. Learn to cook and clean!
  • Make a budget and stick to it! Have you had a check-up lately? Aren’t you going to learn how to swim?
  • Always keep a medical kit handy.
  • Cultivate contentment. Take a mental health day now and then. Give in to a good cry.
  • You’ll feel better after work! Get plenty of sleep, too.
  • Go fly a kite but remember to stop and smell the strawberries.
  • Be a romantic. Don’t forget to enjoy your wedding! Let your children know you love them.
  • Work hard. Play hard. But not too hard.
  • Do you no harm.
  • Be proud of your country. Don’t let the parade pass you by!
  • Think big! Toot your own horn!
  • Harvest. Give thanks.
  • Believe in Santa Claus and love at first sight. Believe that your ship will come in. As long as you do, your life is bound to be golden. 
​Let’s thank God for all the ways we gain wisdom as we move through life.  
       Here’s a life-application word for us all this morning:  Please consider donating Little Golden Books, or other children’s books, to our Red Book Shelf ministry.  Or offer to be a volunteer. We need people to check the condition of donated books and put stickers on the inside cover with the church’s name on it.    We make books available every week for those who come to our Clothing Shop and Food Pantry.  We want to promote reading and all its benefits. 
    We also have a church library that anyone can borrow books from in our Connections Café.   There are simple instructions you can follow.  I want to close with a quote from author Louis L’Amour: “A parent and teacher has only their lifetime; a good book, though, can teach forever.”  Thanks be to God, amen.      

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