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The Preacher’s Notebook

The Paper and Electronic Pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Mineral Springs, NC
(Delivered by E-mail and Us Postage Through Subscription as an Extension of the Pulpit Ministry of this Church)
Dr. Terry W . Preslar – PO Box 388 – M ineral Springs, NC 28108
(704)843-3858 – E-Mail: preslar12@windstream.net
Copyright (C) 2009. Terry W. Preslar All rights reserved.

Vol. III June 2009 - Special Edition Issue 6

An Essay for the Grumpy...


I can not tell you how happy I am to express to you my heartfelt
feelings about this issue. And, I don't want you to be too hard on me (or
yourself). There are some things we can change and there are some things
that will not change except Jesus help us. The rest must be re-focused
into positive behavior. I have a confession that hurts a little. At times my
anger and unreasonable disposition nearly disables me. I cause myself
and others much grief. I have found a solution for myself and I don't
know if it will be any good for anybody else but I will try to, at least, tell
you what is going on here.
Those of us referred to in this essay are just flat-footed “Grumpy.”
We belong to an exclusive division of the population called
"curmudgeons" (a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person). If we
assign a big word to this matter ("curmudgeons") it does not sound as bad. This is not the worst thing that
we could be: Winston Churchill was a curmudgeon, so was Teddy Roosevelt, William F. Buckley and John
Wayne. There are many curmudgeons in the "Pop-culture of today. Greatness has not withheld itself from
us. Andy Rooney rages into the camera and makes since to the curmudgeon that lurks inside most of us.
Rush Limbaugh, of the “high order of curmudgeons,” calls himself a "harmless little fuzz-ball" but we might
not be too harmless. I am a 250 pound "fuzz-ball" who can scare tears out of almost anybody and then be
sorry in 30 seconds.
Among the human family, there are many personality groups. It
takes a lot of folks to make the world go 'round. At least seven of
these personality groups are spoken of in figurative terms in the story
of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." One of these seven
personality groups (seen in the names of the Seven Dwarfs) is named
well: Grumpy (ill-tempered – Having or showing a bad temper.
[Synonyms: bad-tempered, cantankerous, crabbed, cranky, cross,
disagreeable, fretful, grouchy, irascible, irritable, nasty, peevish,
petulant, querulous, snappish, snappy, surly, testy, ugly, waspish]).
No matter what anyone says, Grumpy is against it. (Sound like
anybody we know). This know-it-all naysayer has the disposition of
an old boot: tough, craggy, and resistant to anything. When the dwarfs
first find Snow White lying asleep across their beds, Grumpy gripes,
"Angel, huh? She's female, an' all females is poison! They're full o' wicked wiles." When Bashful asks,
"What're wicked wiles?" Grumpy admits, "I don't know, but I'm agin 'em."
Like many an old boot, however, this one's really a softy inside. When Snow White kisses him on the
forehead despite his complaints, he even smiles for a moment before regaining his mal-composure. Could
it be that Grumpy may be grumpy partially to see who cares enough to put up with him? Whatever its source,

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his stubborn determination eventually proves invaluable. When the forest animals warn of trouble so dire
that even his bossy rival, Doc, stammers, "What do we do?" it's Grumpy who leads the charge to save Snow
White from the Wicked Queen.
We simply take ourselves too seriously. Of course, we should not do that but we can't stop for love or
money or anything between. The point is well taken by all who endure us and we are our own worst enemies.
However, of all the curmudgeons I know, you and I did stop taking ourselves too seriously long enough to
repent of our sins and trust Christ. Saved curmudgeons find that they are still yet "curmudgeons" and we
must continue to have temperance over our tempers and control over our "curmudgeon-hood."
Maybe, you are one that God has chosen to love a curmudgeon. Possibly a husband (or wife) or a family
member (take care – family may be you connection to your, future, curmudgeon-hood) or a friend that drives
you crazy. You may be dismayed or broken by the rigors of this exercise. Let me remind you of what many
have already learned. Curmudgeons have value that they use extreme effort to obscure and often these values
come out in times of crisis and distress. Curmudgeon are driven by “Duty.” Gen. Robert E. Lee said the
“Duty” was the finest word in the English language. Duty is a quality we find in Christ (“And it came to
pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,”
Luke 9:51).
Then a curmudgeon always has a stiff commitment to “Loyalty.” Those he loves are secure in their
relationship with him. Relationships are a sum of experiences – many experiences that make sure this thread
of loyalty. Again, we find this in Christ (“...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb.
13:5).
And, among many other values we must see that curmudgeons are able and effective in the projects taken
on. They are “trustworthy.” If you trust him/her you will not be disappointed, disenfranchised or let down.
Well, once more, we find this in Christ (“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37).
I could discuss several more traits that are common to curmudgeons but the last characteristic is our
uniqueness. Each curmudgeon is (if true to himself) a “one of the kind.” A piece of work. They broke the
mold when they made him. His singularity is a huge positive for our society. It makes for creativity that
produces mighty solutions for unsolved problems. And without doubt, we find this in Christ (“...for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12).
This does not say that Christ is a curmudgeon but curmudgeons
can have Christ-Like qualities that make them lovable, more so
than the less transparent. Curmudgeons must make efforts to
display the best characteristic of our personalities. I am sure that I
have not been the best that could be and I have “preached” myself
under conviction here. I can not change my (or your) curmudgeon-
hood but I can do the best I can to be more Christ-Like.
Please remember this: There are many more "curmudgeons"
where we came from (“...look unto the rock whence ye are hewn,
and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.” Isa. 51:1). And
they need to hear the Gospel too. Who better to preach that Gospel
to them than one of their own...and while I tell the "curmudgeons"
about the hope of the grumpy, their wives and husbands and children hear too. We can watch while God
does for us what our nature does not even want but our hearts need more than life itself. ("I say the truth in
Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and
continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my
kinsmen according to the flesh:" Rom. 9:1-3). I wonder if Paul might have been a curmudgeon too...?

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This Periodical is printed by Gospel Publishing and Colportage, a ministry of the First Baptist
Church of Mineral Springs, NC, and is designed for education, evangelism, and edification. If we may
assist you in knowing more about Christ and the Christian life, please write us without obligation: First
Baptist Church of Mineral Springs PO Box 388, Mineral Springs, NC 28108 (704)843-3858
Psalms 107:2 S É S Romans 12:1-2
These Sermons are used through the subscription to an E-Mail list maintained by Bro. Preslar
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“...when thou comest, bring with thee...the books,


but especially the parchments. (2 Tim. 4:13)
Psalms 107:2 S É S Romans 12:1-2
P.O. Box 388 Mineral Springs, N.C. 28108
1(704)843-3858
E-Mail: preslar12@windstream.net

First Baptist Church


PO Box 388
Mineral Springs, NC 28108

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