“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over”. (Psalm 23:5, KJV).

     Some of my fondest memories harken back to the times my wife’s family spent around the dinner table. The table to which I am referring dates back three-quarters of century. The top has since been refinished, although etchings of an old tracing wheel Cathy’s grandmother used are still visible. The table served as the workstation for tracing the pattern lines she used to make clothing for her children.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

     As I have gotten older, I have had to take several medications for one thing or another. I also take a handful of vitamins to keep me going. Every twenty eight days I fill my medical slots with enough medicine to keep me going. Such vitamins as Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B Complex, etc.

     There is a medicine prescribed in the book of Proverbs called laughter. Solomon, the writer of the book of Proverbs discovered how laughter can be helpful in so many ways.

“Know this, my dear brothers and sisters: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to grow angry” (James 1:19, CEB).

     In 1325, the Italian cities of Bologna and Modena engaged in a war that started over a wooden bucket that allegedly had been stolen. Italy had not become, as yet a unified country. The region was divided into various city-states that governed themselves independently.

“Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Know this: I’ve given you authority over the entire land of Egypt” (Genesis 42:41, CEB).

     Who doesn’t love a good comeback story? In 1919, Harry Reese lost his job with the Hershey Company. As the father of ten children, Harry had no means to support his family.

“And I tell you: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9).

     Translation from one language to another can be tricky. The verbiage Jesus uses in the text above is no different. Ask, seek, and knock appear as one-time actions. However, all three verbs use what is called an imperfect imperative tense. The New Living Translation of the Bible conveys a more accurate interpretation of Jesus’ original words: