We had Pam (and Raidee!) over for dinner, because I had been meaning to turn some of her old LPs into CDs and I thought it would be fun if she came over and helped me do it. She was curious about how it was done, and besides it was Burl Ives music and I didn't want to make the recordings alone! While we were at dinner, I was teasing Dave about being good for me today - in a Charles Manson sort of way. Are you ready to be scared? Neither of the kids knew who that was!!! (but they knew who Marilyn Manson is)

Now, last time I checked, there are three big things that people wish for. They wish for wealth. They wish for power. And they wish for fame. I know that money can be spent and that power corrupts. Of the three, fame seems to be the one that you don't really want. Now think about that for a second. Can you name the last 10 presidents? That's not that many names. And those were pretty famous people, in their day!!! Can you name the last 5 vice presidents? Fame is pretty hard to keep, but there are some exceptions. You can probably name a famous nazi. And what about the cast of Gilligan's Island? Or Friends, or Seinfeld? To be honost, you can probably name the characters, but do you know the real person's name? And how long will people know, or care?

There was one American that, as a boy, wanted immortal fame. He was flat out obsessed with it. He was told he should grow up to become the president of the USA, and no one would ever forget his name. He almost did that very thing! Do you recall who this famous yellow-haired American was? He was a soldier, and he went out west to fight some Indians. Splitting up his forces, he wanted to win a spectacular battle so he could come back east and take the nomination and then the election for president. But there in the black hills of Montana in 1876 he ran into a few more Indians than he counted on, and he was decimated. Instead of sweeping on to victory, his name became the symbol of underestimating an opponent and being a loser on a grand scale. The irony, of course, is that he got what he wanted all his life. Fame!

Have you noticed that the most famous people, the ones that are still remembered hundreds of years later, are ususally sinister? Not all of them, for instance many explorers like Marco Polo or Christopher Columbus were not all that bad. But there are not many places left to explore, and so by and large the famous people are the ones we hear about so much, for the evil they do.

Do you want to be known for being evil? I sure don't. I do know this - no one is really going to remember me when I'm gone. My grandkids might remember my name, but what will they really know about me? And even so, how far back can YOU remember your own family tree? Not that far. Sooner or later, everyone reading this will be gone and forgotten. Does that bother you? What can you do about it?

It doesn't matter to me if none of you remember me when I'm gone. But I sure want God to! I want him to remember me for the battles I've had, and won, over sin. For the deeds I did in his name, maybe for writing a bulletin or two. For the times I was persecuted and harassed for being a Christian. For the good I did, helping others. Yes, I want to be "famous," but only with God. and I know the fame I have will last forever and ever, if my name is written in that more-famous book. The book of life!

Luke 22:60-62 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. and Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

Luke 23:40-43 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Philippians 4:3 And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with my other fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white rainment: and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

John 16:4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.