Thursday; December 9

One of the best decisions Jeane and I made when we first got married was that we weren’t going to drink. We decided it – we haven’t argued about it – we just accepted it and have lived that way our entire married lives. I am thankful we made that pact because it has made our lives easier.

There are a few reasons why I don’t drink (the dissonance of a preacher all liquored-up comes to mind); but one of the most important ones is that I would be really bad at it. I have an addictive personality, so I figure it wouldn’t take me long to struggle with alcoholism. Another important reason I don’t drink is that I have enough trouble making good decisions as it is, I don’t need alcohol’s help to numb me up and dumb me down. I am not really that sharp to begin with, adding alcohol to the mix won’t make me any more intelligent than I already am – so why put myself in a position of losing the intelligence and wisdom I have? I have found the Bible’s warning, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1) very sobering.
I am not (necessarily) advocating complete abstinence for everyone, but if we are struggling in some of the decisions we are making, this might be a place to start. Who knows, maybe this might be a way to take some of the stress off of our relationships (and your physical health) as well. How about this for a bumper sticker: Stay safe … stay sane … stay sober!

Think About It!

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