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Cracker Jack Dreams

January 2nd, 2009

“When I was a child I spoke like a child, I thought like a child,

I reasoned like a child. When I became a man I gave up childish ways”

(1 Corinthians 13:11)

Back in the days, the cousins and I would run across the open field to Foley’s little grocery store. Pyapp, my grandfather, who himself lived just across the street from this store, would see to it that we all had 15 cents. Once inside the store, we could smell everything from fresh fruit, to garlic Polish sausage. Immediately, we were confronted with decisions. A comic book-15 cents. A small brown paper bag full of assorted candies-penny-a-piece. And, then there was the classic box of Cracker Jack-15 cents. The prize inside was often the cause of not a little delight. Of course, one usually got a plastic monkey, or the like. But, on one very special day we received the prize of a small magnifying glass. Wow! Every time, thereafter, when we broke open a box of Cracker Jack we did so with the hope of another magic glass. But, this avid hope was often dashed against the rocks of another plastic monkey.

The Bible is full of stories of people holding on to their plastic monkeys. Always holding out for a Cracker Jack dream; though all too often winding up with another plastic monkey. Look around, consider those near to you. Now, they’ll never admit it-but their hearts are frequently consumed with plastic monkeys (Mark 10:22; James 1:23-24).

“Seek the things that are above” (Colossians 3:1).

-Robert M. Housby