Things are not always as they appear

By Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon
Pastor

Every Friday night I have a date with my wonderful bride. I'll admit I don't always take her to the most exotic places but we always do go out even if it is to the $1.00 movie and Fuddruckers in Peachtree City or one of the really neat newer restaurants here in Fayetteville.

One Friday night we were "cruising " the $1.00 movie to see what was playing and realized we had either seen all the good movies or felt we couldn't stomach what was playing so we ate, voted, agreed, rented a movie, and headed for home. We both like period films and I especially like the World War I or World War II ones or any film involving America's involvement in world events. We finally agreed on a British film entitled "Enigma." This was a truly great film depicting how the British and Americans broke the German high command's top secret code of W.W.II.

For you history buffs, you know that this typewriter box-looking code machine was called "Enigma." Imagine having broken the enemy codes of both Germany and Japan thus knowing all their major moves before they even attempted them! This movie depicted how this was all accomplished. Usually some of the British films are a bit slower moving according to American standards, but to me, this film was very authentic and moved along at a good pace.

At the very first of the movie it showed a dog walking through a field in Poland in 1944 and a ghastly hand was sticking out of the ground. The dog stops to sniff it and walks on. Immediately I said to Dee, "There's Bandit." Now you would have to know our dog, Bandit, to appreciate this story.

We have always gotten our dogs from the pound over the years. This has served our family well. Robbie, our son, picked Bandit out of a litter of puppies at the dog pound in Fayetteville about nine years ago. Now Bandit is a beautiful Benji-looking brown and gray dog with beautiful brown eyes (no, the dog is not for sale). We thought that he was a "melting pot special" dog and certainly a one of a kind (stay with me; this story ends well).

What was happening in the movie was that this dog had discovered a huge shallow grave yard in Poland where Stalin, in his sick paranoia, had murdered the entire NCO and officer corps of the Polish Army. At the close of the war he tried to blame his murders on the Nazis. There was enough murder to go around on both sides but the Germans had not even been in this area during the war. This all came out at the Nuremberg war trials. With Hitler and Stalin, you had the head of Satan fighting the tail of Satan.

When we both saw "Bandit" in the film, it was amazing that his "twin" was in a movie. Well, that very same week, Dee was reading Ladies Home Journal when she saw a picture of "Bandit" with the same coloring, brown eyes and Benji looking face. I heard her scream, "I don't believe it!"

I stopped what I was doing and went into the room where I had heard the scream. Lo and behold, we found out that Bandit is an expensive breed of a cross between a Poodle and a Labrador which they have named a (don't you dare laugh)a Labradoodle!! I couldn't quit laughing. The article went on to state that they are sold for about $1,000. to $1,200. His picture immediately went on eBay! Just kidding.

Things are not always as they appear.

Let me give the church a promotional here. There may just be the finest friend, or life soul mate, or adventure awaiting you in the church right there in your neighborhood because "things are not always as they appear!"

Just as Bandit is not just a "mutt" but an intended "mix," and just as the outside of a church might appear "ho hum," it just might have the Holy Spirit inside, which will bless you beyond your wildest dreams.

The Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon is pastor of His House Community Church (SBC). The Rev. Greg Mausz is senior associate pastor. The Rev. Dr. Lydia Herndon is the Sunday School superintendent, Bible study coordinator and teacher. The church is just below Fayetteville, on Ga. Highway 85, a mile south of Ga. Highway 16, just below the fire station. Visitors welcome. Church office and prayer line 770-719-2365; e-mail KHERN2365@aol.com. The church's new Web site is www.hishousecommunitychurch.com.