Dangit or damnit, what is the difference?

 Well, I don't know about you but some things are hard to understand.  When I was growing up there were three words used around my house:  hell, shit and damn, that were acceptable by my folks and just about everyone else.  Another thing about those words is that I used dang-it and dad-gum-it and heck and crap without hesitation.  And as I got older I remember my brother, Larry, coming home from college and he started using those big 3 words plus some new ones.  In fact I remember Janie and Sally and Billy all coming home using some of those words.  Being somewhat judgmental about it, I suggested that their college vocabularies were not impressive.  Of course I was the runt of the family and they paid no mind to me or my opinions.

Now that I have aged, like a good bottle of wine, I have figured out that those words are not a reflection of the real character of the person.  In fact sometimes just for effect I will through in one of those BIG 3 to get a reaction.  Maybe that is why folks wear those tattoos all over their bodies and rings in their noses and eyebrows, just to get a little more attention.  I suppose it is alright to have those things, after-all we put rings in the nose of hogs and we tattooed cattle in the ear to help identify each one.  In fact I was watching the NFL football games and I was amazed how dominate those items were on the players.  With those helmet's on, the long hair hanging out the helmet and the tattoos made it easier to distinguish who was who.  I don't see why they even need numbers on their shirts.

I guess it is ok for everyone to have all those markings on their faces and arms and wherever so we can tell them apart.  But the one good thing is I can undo the BIG 3 from my vocabulary but I cannot undo those tats and piercing without some scars being left behind. I suppose I would also like to think that my children and grandchildren would not be idolizing those folks.  Well, hell fire and damn those tats, they are the shits. (that was a joke for you judgmental folk) I think I might go get a nose ring so it will remind me of those days when we had hogs.

So what do you learn in the Osage?

• your character is more important than your piercing or markings or bad words
• your deeds and how you treat people really says who your are
• you/me may have preferences but if we just strive to be like Christ is more important 
• BUT to know Christ is the most important of all

Thanks for listening,

gary

gary.olson@finaciti.com