This is an excerpt from a message delivered October 19, 2007 by Pastor Ricky Kurth.

Think about the implications of this in your daily life. How many things do you do just because, without knowing why. Begin to question your motives, because ultimately YOU are the one who is to be responsible for your own actions.

"The danger of tradition is well illustrated in the story that is told about five monkeys who were placed in a cage, with a banana hanging from the ceiling, and stairs placed underneath it. When one monkey climbed up for the banana, however, all five were immediately sprayed with water, treatment apparently not welcome among primates! This chastening was repeated so frequently and so immediately that soon if any monkey tried to climb the stairs, the others would begin to beat him. Eventually the group would take action against a perpetrator even without being sprayed with water.

"At this point one of the monkeys was replaced, and the new arrival of course headed straight for the banana. He too was beaten and soon learned that reaching for the banana was unacceptable behavior. Then another ape was exchanged, and when he too reached for the banana, the others pummeled him, even the first replacement. Eventually all the apes were replaced, and all would batter any monkey that dared offend, even though none of them had ever been sprayed with water! They acted simply in obedience to a deeply entrenched tradition, passed on to them by those that came before them, without knowing why they were enforcing it."

Yeah, that's what I thought too. Yikes!

Bruce and I listened to this book on an audio tape while traveling. There are some key points that I wrote down and wanted to share with you. These are good guideposts for life.

1. The buck stops here. I am responsible for my past and future.

2. I will seek wisdom. I will be a servant to others.

3. I am a person of action. I seize this moment. I choose now.

4. I have a decided heart. My destiny is assured.

5. Today I will choose to be happy. I am the possessor of a grateful spirit.

6. I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit. I will forgive myself.

I will persist without exception. I am a person of great faith.

My very good friend Diane, who was pursuing her Master's in Creative Writing at the time, wrote this story for publication in a local magazine. It is the story of how Bruce and I met and fell in love.

***The story you are about to read is true, and no names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Do You Believe In Fairies?
by Diane Batts
October 7, 2006

Every little girl dreams of the fairy tale. Someday, we believe, someday our prince will come. By the time we've reached our twenties or thirties though, we think that Prince Charming is: dead, gay, or imprisoned by some evil power somewhere. Because, dear readers, 99.8% of the men we've met have definitely not been of his caliber.

I am a message in a bottle
floating on a stormy sea
Will anyone notice this bottle
will anyone care about me

Watch this in full screen

"The Call" from keith wyatt on Vimeo.