When Your Glasses Are Covered In Steam 11/10/2025

 Good Morning,

I just poured myself a hot cup of Door County Chocolate Cherry Coffee which leads right into my message for today. 

Luke 15:10 NKJV Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. 

I consider my morning successful when I take that first sip of my coffee and the coffee is so hot that my glasses are momentarily covered in steam. I have to wait a few seconds for the glasses to clear before I start my trek upstairs to the den. 

I watched the late evening news a couple of nights ago. And another shooting took place in the city close to my smaller suburb. A teenager was caught after the incident and is being charged with the crime. This fella was 17 years old and will be charged with murder. 

All too often I see that young people are involved in murder incidents. I can't help but to think that a young person wakes up one day and decides to have his or her temper flare up and then get into a wild west shoot up. That doesn't happen. 

Parents and society make excuses for the actions of these gangsters and look at the situations through steamy glasses. I have heard it said after a young man or woman hits the courtroom floor that they got caught up with the wrong crowd.  If your teen or young adult is walking around with a gun, take off the glasses and realize your teen "is the wrong crowd."

My heart breaks when I see instances when a parent has to turn in their child to the authorities. They basically are doing the right thing, but it has to hurt to remove their child from society and have them incarcerated. I applaud their strength and resolve to do the right thing.

It's too late too late to take the glasses off once someone has been killed. Trouble can be seen earlier in life and that is the best time to "Nip it in the bud" 

I have tried walking up our staircase without turning on the lights and my glasses filled with steam, not acknowledging the danger. I did not see the pair of shoes left there and it only took that one small incident to show me what could have happened by ignoring the warnings that were going through my mind while taking one step after another.  Each step doing the wrong thing gave me the confidence that my foolishness really wouldn't  hurt anything. "I won't get caught." But I missed the last step. I did not fall but I spilled that hot coffee on the carpeting and had to clean it up with a carpet cleaner. 

If you love your child, shake them down now and then and find what they are hiding. It is easier to turn them in for firearm possession than it is to send them to prison for life or bury them. Set them down at an early age and teach them right from wrong. show them a few Bible verses on consequences and the love of God. Take off your glasses and truly see where they are headed. 

Food for thought!

Marty