Last night, I met one of your best customers. It was a female, but, curiously, she was not a bikini-clad model standing near a pool. Nor was she a sophisticated cultural elite who obviously used your product to rub elbows with the other elitists of our society. I find it odd, since all your commercials present these as the only women who drink your products.

Let me explain who I met last night. My wife had to make a quick stop at a local grocery store to pick up two items we needed. I waited in the car with my two small children. I saw my wife coming out of the store, so I drove near the door, when a woman who looked to be in her fifties stumbled near my car and fell. I immediately put my car in park, told the kids to stay put, and jumped out. Honestly I thought she had passed out, or ... maybe worse.

The man in the car behind me did the same thing, and we helped her to sit up. The smell of your product was in the air, but it wasn’t extremely strong, so I thought maybe the man helping me had “had a couple” before coming out of the store. However, my wife handed this woman - your customer - her glasses, and then the woman said, “would someone hand me my glasses?” She was holding them and putting them on her face as she said this.

The other man and I looked at one another, and knew what we were dealing with. The woman told us that her daughter was still in the store, and she was just coming to sit in the car. So, another woman went into the store to page the daughter, and we walked this woman to her SUV. Amazingly, she was carrying keys and wanted to get into the driver’s seat of the car. We wouldn’t allow it, and she agreed to sit in the passenger’s seat until her daughter came. After a couple of minutes, we noticed her on her cell phone ... calling her daughter to come and get her. Her daughter was not in the store. At this point, I went into the store and spoke to the manager. They knew the daughter somehow, and knew she was not in the store. Also, they were calling the police to help with the situation that now had the parking lot standing still. After a few more minutes, the store manager told the other man and I that we could leave, and some men from the store came out to guard this woman from herself until the police came.

I am writing this letter to ask you to stop this. As a former youth minister, I have dealt with teenagers who had a drinking problem, or who lost friends in accidents involving your product. Others dealt with abusive parents because of your product. As a preacher, I have looked into the faces of many people who have wasted years, wasted money, and wasted relationships because of your products. As a dad, I don’t want my children to see what your product really does, but I know they will be hurt in some way by it in their lifetime. As one who was once told that my wife and I would never have children, I grieve for those tiny ones in the womb who are already being introduced to your product. As a citizen of America, the state of Tennessee, the county of Davidson, and the city of Hermitage, I am appalled at the regular and negative consequences your product has across this nation and in my own town. Yes, it might bring in some tax revenue, but it has cost us far more in lost lives and broken hearts.

If you are going to keep making your product, may I ask you to at least tell the truth in your advertisements? Please stop presenting your product as an elitist product or as what makes one the center of society and of all fun because last night, I met one of your best customers and I’m sure you will never have her in any of your commercials.

- Adam Faughn

All I can say is “wow!” The sad reality to the situation in our country with alcohol is that its legal, its profitable, and its accepted. That means these situations will continue to arise. Please take the time to carefully consider the profit of using alcohol. Ask yourself this question, which life in the Bible or in our present time has alcohol made better? Which marriage? Which friendship? Which situation? I really doubt that very few people would say that alcohol has made them a better person, a smarter person, or a person who has no regrets.

Never forget these words of wisdom:

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is lead astray by it is not wise. (Proverbs 20:1, NKJV)

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly. (Proverbs 23:29-31, NKJV)   

- NM

The new plant opened, inefficiencies were eliminated, and production began. But for some reason, the hot dogs didn’t taste right and didn’t have their signature pink hue. They tested the water, the new elevation, and the air differential. For a year and half they tried everything. It wasn’t until they were reminiscing about one of the old plant workers that the secret was discovered.

When it was decided that the new plant would be moved to the north side, longtime employee, Irving, didn’t want to leave his south side roots. He liked being able to walk to work and so when the plant left, he stayed.

What was his job?

Pushing the hotdogs on a thirty minute trip through the twisting factory to the curing room. As the hot dogs made their way, they cooled in the open air - just enough time to create the pink color and give them their unique taste. This remarkable little journey was the secret. When they built the new factory, since Irving didn’t go, his position didn’t either and he was replaced by a machine which moved the finished sausages immediately to the curing room. No need for anything special this time, they just needed efficiency.

In the end they built a new room in the new factory, dubbed, “Irving’s Room,” that mimicked the thirty minute excursion through the factory. A machine had to be created because of something a human had done that no one else could do.

The church here in Henderson works just like that plant. Many of us have jobs or roles that aren’t seen or even really appreciated, but each of those jobs and roles serves a valuable purpose. Remember that your influence would be missed if you left just like Irving was missed in the Vienna Sausage plant.

1. Nobody I know has an STD (sexually transmitted disease). In the United States alone, eight thousand teens are diagnosed with an STD daily. The really unfortunate part is that half of the young ladies out there with an STD contract it with their first sexual partner.

2. Condoms make sex safe. It has been studied and the results show that condoms prevent pregnancy 86% of the time. It has also been seen that condoms prevent the spread of STDs only 50% of the time. At a recent convention for sex counselors and therapists, the presenter asked anyone in the audience to raise their hand if they would be comfortable using a condom and having sex with an AIDS positive person. No one raised their hand.

Now that we’ve seen some lies about sex, how about some realistic statistics and observations that show the importance of waiting.

1. 75% of Americans have premarital sex before the age of 20.

2. 16.4 is the median age for teenagers to become sexually active.

3. Marriages that consist of two people who waited to have sex are significantly (28% compared to 49%) less likely to end in divorce.

4. 49% of premarital cohabitation relationships (living together) end within 5 years.

I know you hear this a lot, but waiting to have sex until you’re married is one of the smartest decisions you’ll ever make. Not only is it what God wants, it truly will make your relationship with your spouse better and potentially more worthwhile.

I'm always trying to point you out to new ideas and movements. This seems like a cool group that might be worth following for a while to see what they're doing. As always you can follow the link below to check out their website.

TLP

Most of you are aware of the damage the wars in Iraq and Afganistan have caused the people of the United States. I hope you haven't forgotten the damage done there. Watch this video and follow the link below to check out the Preemptive Love Coalition and their work in Iraq.

PLC

25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Sin can be found in a single word, a single thought, or a single deed. Sin can also be found in the lack of action or thought. Sin is not neutral; it ultimately destroys and never leads to life. Genesis 4:7 says, “...sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Someone once said, “be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.” If we truly want to be people who love God, love our families, and love our friends, we will be people who confront sin every day. The worse thing you can do for your faith and the faith of your friends is to let sin remain without confrontation.

#2 Sin will come out

Sin has a unique way of finding its way out of secret places. 1 Timothy 5:24 and 25 says, “the sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.” Be upfront with one another about your struggles and you will conquer sin. Hide it and risk ruining a relationship with God or your friends. 

#3 Jesus Destroyed the Permanence of Sin

On the cross, Jesus destroyed the lasting effect of sin. Sin destroys the soul of humanity. Obedience to God provides salvation for our souls. With a commitment to Christ, the Christian removes sin from a place of importance in their life. First Corinthians 15:7 says,”but thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” (NLT).

The devil doesn't have to turn you into an atheist to win, he just needs to distract you enough to cause doubt.

- Barry Throneberry

You Shouldn't date HIm if

Slactivist No More by Love in Stereo

Can’t I just buy a bracelet? There’s too much pain and unfairness. Can’t we just raise awareness? Just sell me a bracelet. I’ll do my part. I’ll feel sorry for the homeless man who lives out of a cart. I changed my profile pic and posted on Facebook. Don’t you understand how much courage that took? I bought the shoes and the t-shirt and I wear them proudly. Expressions of a future I believe in – and I’ll scream it loudly. But what makes things change? Am I wrong to consume? I’m just doing whatever I know best to do.It’s not that I’m unloving or lazy or mean. I’m just reflecting the culture I know and I’ve seen. Something’s not right. There has to be more. I’m no longer content to just stand on the shore. Every little bit helps – that old saying is true. But nothing would change if everyone did as I do. The needs are much bigger than just you or me We have to unite and share more than money. We’re meant to be more than just disillusioned. It’s time to take time. The world begs for solutions. I’m meant to do, be, live, and love. But still: There are times I wish buying a bracelet were enough.