Page 157 - Winterling's Chasing the Wind

While there are some that discount the Bible as being full of a lot of myths, I have
found that there is a lot of truth that pertains to human behavior and life in general.
There is one side of me related to my religious experiences that I call my “Glory Days”.
That is what I conclude this memoir with!

CHAPTER 50 - Glory Days
In reference to my life, I think it relevant that I make mention of my religious beliefs;
especially in light of the differences between Judeo/Christian, Muslim, and other faiths
during the early 21st century. Like most adults, I attribute my beliefs to my personal
search for the meaning of life. Growing up, I learned to be tolerant of other people’s
views because we all have different life experiences.

It has been said, “Do not pass judgment until you've walked a mile in another man’s
shoes”. I tried to learn about life from the words of Jesus Christ and the lives of
successful people like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison. School teachers had a
great influence on me. My sixth-grade teacher, Anne Overstreet, taught me “Actions
speak louder than words”. Our rulers were inscribed with the Golden Rule, “Do unto
others, as you would have them do unto you”.

I grew up in a time when life’s choices were simpler. In public school, our days began
with a student reading a passage from the Holy Bible, and we faced the American flag
with our hands over our hearts to recite the pledge of allegiance. We were taught to
obey the law and respect authority. We attended church where we associated with
many godly people. We learned that no one is perfect and that we should be prayerful
and confess our sins to God. According to the scriptures, the true church is actually the
universal body of believers. On this side of heaven, I have associated with thousands of
fellow believers along the way. Here is an account of my journey:
Since childhood, I usually observed the Lord’s Day as the time to attend Sunday School
and church. In the town of my birth, Pine Beach, NJ, I remember learning my first song
“Jesus Loves Me”. When visiting my grandmother, Me-Mom Mamie, in Mayetta, NJ,
we went to Sunday School in nearby Cedar Run. It was there that I mainly remember
the color pictures of Bible stories. My brother Richard and I were taught to memorize a
couple of Bible verses, one of which was John 13:34, “A new commandment I give
unto you, that you love one another.”

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