The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 77, No. 25, Ed. 1, Friday, November 18, 1988 Page: 2 of 6
six pages : illus. ; page 11 x 8 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
W "1
Kwy. ro!?5LJ
!&
imMmMf.
V-fdvI"'
Opinion
'i' ( wj
"1 i
v
Wtlfafy
r " (N lt.lNr
-.
Volume 77 Number 25 Pago 2
Friday; November 10 1988
4 v'A ;
S
'' .
Apostles' deaths show uncommon loyalty
'(
;
"Go therefore and make disciples of
all nations baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit teaching them to observe
all that I have commanded youj and lo
I am with you always to the close of
the age." Matthew 28: 19-20
Ten of the twelve apostles forfeited
their lives while making disciples of all
the nations. Traditionally they were be-
lieved to have died horrendous deaths.
What would you sacrifice?
Simon Peter who usually served as
spokesman for the twelve was noted for
his energy boldness endurance and en-
thusiasm. "He also was impulsive and impetu-
ous short-tempered and prone to use
I McQ$feRN ARMS V m 4$&$l
mWSt f feel
'm
Kids foster
The calico bow in her hair matches
her calico dress. She bats her little
lashes and waits to be called upon.
We've just finished singing "This
Little Light of Mine" and those sitting
around her still are poking fingers at
one another and humming.
But Courtney holds her hand up pa-
tiently as I begin to ask for prayer re-
quests from the kindergartners.
"My dog died once" she tells me
with utmost sincerity and a quick bat of
the little lashes. "He had germs."
I shake my head sympathetically and
make a mental note to remember
Courtney's dog. However I have a feel-
ing Courtney won't let me forget to
mention her dog.
Bryan wants to pray that his
classmate Jonathan will be able to
walk soon. Jonathan lies on his stomach
at my feet and twists his head awkward-
ly upon hearing his name.
Jonathan comes to Bible class every
Sunday in a wheelchair but Bryan
never fails to mention him when we
Holiday patience makes
A smile shot across the frustrated
young woman's face. She was working
behind the jewelry counter at a depart-
ment store; I was third in line and just
starting my Christmas shopping. Two
people in front of me had given the
woman grief.
The woman made excuses to the two
patrons before me that her normal post
was in the electronics department and
she simply was covering another
worker's position while that worker
took care of other business.
The customers before me threw ques-
tions to the woman which she could not
answer. She did not know where extra
eyeglass cases were kept; she did not
know when the next shipment of silver
accessories would arrive and she had
not memorized the price of every ring
in the showcase. The patrons couldn't
figure out why a store employee did not
know the answers to such basic ques-
tions. I saw frustration and anxiety build in
w " 'the woman's face as she ran from cus-
foul language. He lied upon occasion.
After the ascension of Christ he
made the decision to go out and make
disciples of all nations as Jesus had
asked preaching in Corinth Babylon
Edessa Nisibis Colosse Antioch Pon-
tus and Rome.
He was believed to have died inverted
on a cross in Rome between A.D. 60
and A.D. 65 as a result of this decision.
James the older brother of John is
believed to have been the first to die for
his Lord. He was beheaded with a
sword and his corpse was thrown from
a pinnacle of the temple by order of
Herod Agrippa I in A.D. 44.
Matthew a Jewish tax collector for
the Romans was an opportunist who
student's
Julie Stigers
III I " BM ' w p I
pray.
By this time about ten more hands
are waving at me and the faces are win-
cing with eager determination.
Conrad inches his way into the front
row and wipes his runny nose with the
back of his sleeve. Conrad has a chronic
runny nose.
"My grandmother is dead" he
reports with a slight lisp and another
wipe of the nose.
Right about now I'nVwondering what
happened to simple requests that allow
me to make comforting comments and
really maximize my role as the teacher.
No such luck. The kindergartners'
have caught me off guard.
Thfcknow some of the Bible stories
tomer one to customer two. I did not
want to deal with a frustrated salesper-
son. My turn came. "I'm sorry for the
delay. How can I help you?" she
blurted. The next move was mine so I
smiled. I said I just needed to check
some prices. Still in a frenzy the
woman began to explain why she could
not recall the item prices. I smiled
again and told her that was OK I had
been in similar situations and I had
plenty of time
When the woman heard I didn't
mind the delay she paused and her
countenance seemed to change in a
matter of seconds. Her eyes softened as
she smiled. She said she would be glad
Tom Craig BESM
Cindy Leeper fl?W
would cast his lot with whoever was
most beneficial at the moment. Interest-
ingly once he decided to follow Jesus
he never wavered from his decision.
He was slain with a sword in
Ethiopia.
How many times do we waver each
and every day from our decision to ac-
cept Him as Lord?
Simon the Zealot possibly was a cous-
W lVf "f
.. '.
discipline
better than I do. Their careful atten-
tiveness keeps me from leaving any
details out of the lessons.
The perfectionists in them keep the
paper figures from being crooked or
upside down on the flannel display
board. Esau cannot be taller than the
trees and the donkeys must all walk in
the same direction.
The donkeys cannot be taller than the
trees either.
These kindergartners know Joseph
from Jacob and Rachel from Reuben.
I don't get too much past them.
I may be late to classes unprepared
for tests and fast asleep during lectures
atACU.
But come Sunday morning I'm in top
form in front of those kindergartners.
I'm continually thankful for Bryan
Jonathan and Conrad and their in-
evitable curiosity.
And when the five-year-old girl with
the calico bow and the little lashes
raises her hand I listen.
I'm learning too.
store employee's day
to help me. She apologized for
frustrating the previous customers; I
told her they would get over it.
The woman removed tray after tray
of jewelry and wc chatted while ex-
amining the pieces together. I felt like
she had provided quite a good service
even if she was from a different
department.
After I found the information for
which I was searching I thanked her
for her time. After that she thanked
me. As I walked from the counter I felt
as if I had helped this woman have a
better day. I realized later that my
kindness to this frazzled salesperson
probably was the source of the good
service she provided me.
With the holiday season opening in
just a few days I imagine a lot of sales-
clerks will be in distress from impatient
and rude customers.
Other people such as waiters
waitresses cashiers and countless others
who serve people will experience
dilemmas similar to that of my pseudo-
in of Jesus. He was martyred by
crucifixion under Roman ruler Trajan
as a descendant of David who might
claim the throne and give trouble to the
Romans.
Andrew the brother of Peter was
crucified at Patro in Archaia.
Philip was hanged against a pillar at
Hieropolis.
Bartholomew preached in Parthis and
India before being flayed alive in
Armenia.
Thomas the doubting one was
known for being cautious thoughtful
skeptical and gloomy. However in
John 1 1:16 he said "Let us also go
that we may die with him" which pro-
ves his loyalty to the Lord.
National debt requires
Bush's top priority
President-elect George Bush said
he wants to create a better America
for today's children. He can start by
ensuring today's children won't be
left with a 13-digit national debt.
In 1987 the same year the na-
tional debt topped the $1 trillion
mark President Ronald Reagan
submitted to Congress a $1024
trillion budget. The plan offered no
commitment to reduce the debt.
At least 15 percent of everything
the government collects yearly will
pay just the national debt's interest.
And for every dollar wc continue
to borrow at today's interest rates
today's children will pay $17 in
compound interest and principal at
the end of 30 years. In other words
for every dollar today's government
borrows tomorrow's government
will owe $17.
Bush did not mention how he
plans to-reduce the debt in the
presidential debates and he hasn't
seriously 'addressed the issue in any
of his statements.
Student supports sports headline
To the Editor
I'd like to respond to Bob Stradcr's letter complaining about the headline
"ACU suffers worst defeat in 28 years."
Mr. Strader called the headline "distasteful" and "unfair." I thought the loss
of the game was distasteful meaning that losing is not to my taste but that
the headline was fair. Sometimes the truth hurts but that doesn't make it any
less true.
Mr. Strader called the motive behind such a headline "questionable." A
headline is supposed to tell the story briefly and this headline did.
Mr. Strader asked "Is this what journalism has come to?" and criticized the
"negativism" of the headline. The news should be objective. If the Dallas
Cowboys had lost by 42 points the newspapers there probably would print a
similar headline.
Finally Mr. Strader called for support of the team and implied that such a
headline showed lack of support from the student journalists. But these people
are expected to separate their opinions from their reporting. They can express
support in editorials columns and as individuals and I feel that they do so.
Mr. Strader did make one point with which I completely agreed: "Despite
'the scores ... these men arc winners."
Andrea Rcdnick
Senior Englishinternational studieseducation major
Dallas
jewelry clerk. I think their actions will
depend a lot on how we as customers
behave toward them.
If wc will only smile be considerate
and be patient wc will get what ve
want as customers and the workers will
have one less headache. These charac-
teristics concerning interaction with
people are not new ideas. People simply
tend to forget them from time to time
A simple smile can be the turning
point of a person's day. If I had added
my frustrations to the ones my jewelry
clerk already had I'm sure her
"helpfulness would have been increas-
ingly inferior to wliat I desired. By tak-
ing time for patience and kindn:ss
countless arguments slurred comments
and agitations can be prevented.
Whether you are in line trying to ex-
pedite your Christmas shopping this
season or just out dealing with people
through daily activities apply a little
kindness; it could change somebody's
day After all you will only be keeping
up with the spirit of Christmas
He preached in Syria Parthia Persia
and India before being killed with a
lance in the East Indies.
How loyal are we to our Lord when
offered the easy way out?
James preached in Palestine and
Egypt before he was clubbed to death
in Jerusalem shortly before its destruc-
tion in A.D. 70. His body was
decapitated before being buried.
Thaddeus preached in Syria Arabia
and Mesopotamia before being shot to
death with arrows in Edessa.
In this country we are given every
freedom to worship Him and take up
our cross to follow Him. Yet how often
do we turn our backs in denial and
follow worldly temptations?
Imitating his predecessor won't do
the trick. Increased spending for
more weapons additional AIDS
research more emphasis on airport
safety and a space station all
without a tax increase will lead to
lots of red ink.
Bush has inherited the red ink
and now it's up to him to begin the
journey back into the black.
As Bush begins selecting his Cab-
inet members and advisers especial-
ly those who will work in the Office
of Management and Budget he
needs to instill in them this gov-
erning principle: debt reduction
must be a primary goal of the Bush
administration.
Bush has foreshadowed his lead-
ership as one that will bring a higher
standard of living and a brighter
future to America.
But a stack of thousand-dollar bills
67 miles high the amount needed to
pay the national debt can sure cast a
shadow on Bush's promised bright
ness.
Optimist
CxUp.-Opinion Eloi
MyBnt8pomEloc
Bmwnlow - SUA Ptiotoar ton
Twit Wmi Wtdntid. CvheSuT
Tutt m NMn ChriMUn Only Abj40i
Th P"tot to tuodttod w.h - .
Fin. vpa"ehrt mot oACPHFS
'
i i
-rJh
"- t B
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 77, No. 25, Ed. 1, Friday, November 18, 1988, newspaper, November 18, 1988; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101488/m1/2/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.