LETTERS: LESSONS IN LIFE FOR CAR AND ITS OWNER

To the editor:

This past week has been quite an experience in life for me and my old car, Old Red. Last week, Old Red was sitting at a four-way stop being mannerly and waiting his turn. All of a sudden a huge, yellow fellow named John Deere came up behind him and hit him with a 6-foot-in-diameter concrete collar. Needless to say, it knocked the glass out his back window and inserted a nasty dent in his trunk.

Just four days later, I was in the hospital having about the same thing happen to me. I had colonoscopy. A single polyp was previously discovered, and the objective was to remove it. In doing so, seven polyps were discovered and removed. Thus, Old Red and I both experienced quite a trauma. Now we are waiting for a verdict. Will we be totaled and considered a complete loss, or will we be considered for future opportunities to contribute to this world we are in.

We have discovered, Old Red and I, that waiting for a verdict is an extremely frightening thing one has to sometimes do. There is one verdict, however, for human beings that can be assured before the day of judgment. God says in his word he will accept and acquit us -- declare us not guilty -- if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. Yes, all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. But because of his unlimited grace, we can find forgiveness through Jesus Christ, who freely takes away our sin.

RON FARROW

Cape Girardeau