Gary J. Oliver and H. Norman Wright coauthored a series of children's books about 'Wonder Woods'. They created characters such as Ric & Rac, Buford Bear, HipHop Bunny, Shirl Squirrel, Elwood Elk, Brenda Blue Jay, and Norman Nightcrawler.

The children would laugh at HipHop and His Famous Face ...which showed a real struggle internalizing an anger problem, much centered around what he imagined others thought.

But, my favorite to read to them, was Bruce Moose and the What-Ifs ...of course, dealing with excessive worry.  Most of us know of the paralyzing fears that hold us back from certain things. Yet, there are some situations where a consideration of a possibility can be helpful.

"What if it rains on our picnic?"

"No problem ...it so happens I planned for that possibility, and I reserved the pavilion."

Personally, I like a good plan ...and though some people find it more exciting to just let things happen, well, I also find it exciting to plan to cover some possibilities.

The year 2001 is a year that is probably very vivid in most everyone's memory. For my family, early spring brought our niece, late spring brought us our middle son, then my wife's Grandma went on to her reward, and a few weeks afterwards was the horrific tragedy of the Twin Towers in New York City.

Grandma was from the South ...and the first time I heard the expression of going on to one's reward, was on the Beverly Hillbillies, so I sort of think of that as a southern expression. One of Grandma's expressions ...which likely was not one of her favorites, but one of my favorites of hers, was when I'd suggest the possibility of something and she'd say, "That'll never happen!!"

Grandma liked to tell of how she had the same early schooling as our Pastor ...though, while she'd say he then went on to seminary, he refers to it as "cemetery". Though Pastor likely didn't take it lightly ...and probably gave it much grave consideration before he made his decision.

Grandma knew the Bible quite well. Concerning what others may think will never happen, Grandma did know what was going to happen. As far as she was concerned, the Book of Revelation gives us both hope and clarity. Perhaps not clear to any of us what the exact picture represents ...but, it is clear what the main picture is. We all await the Day of Judgment, whether knowing of it or not.  And when the crime of sin is big enough ---and with God, all sin is ---the looming anticipation of the words "Guilty!" or "Not guilty!" has occasion for extraordinary significance.