First, of all, I hope that you are familiar with the account of David and Goliath from the Bible. Our guest preacher used it as his scriptural reference Sunday. In case it is unfamiliar I will give some of my history with it as well as something from the Bible.

I missed the book of the Bible that he said the story was in, but I knew the story. I was able to look it up on the Internet. The account is in I Samuel 17 in case you want to read it.

Goliath was a giant who wanted to throw his weight around and pester the Israelites. For forty days he appeared to taunt them. He was a Philistine. It is said that he stood about nine feet tall so he was larger than most men. Everyone was afraid of him.

Saul, the king at the time, was stymied as to how to take him down. Even with armor everyone was afraid. That is everyone except for David, a shepherd boy.

David volunteered to fight Goliath. Saul outfitted him with a set of armor, but David was unable to move because the armor was so heavy and so clumsy.

As he faced the giant, he had only his slingshot and five stones. When Goliath saw him, he laughed and made fun of him. David told him that was all he took when he faced lions and bears to protect the sheep.

Goliath had told Saul that if anyone was able to defeat him, the Philistines would become their subjects. David put one stone in his slingshot and aimed at Goliath. The stone hit him in the forehead stunning him and knocking him over. David then grabbed a sword and cut off his head.

I first heard this account when I was a youngster in Sunday School. Miss Dimpfl often told flannelgraph stories. That was how I heard the story of David and Goliath. When you see it by flannelgraph it is unforgettable. It made a big impression on me.

This preacher treated the story differently. He noted that we all have Goliaths, things that get in the way of our doing what we should. Things that bother us. Things that we need to get rid of. I never thought about that but it is true. Some things just get in the way of our beliefs. Whether the things are big or small it does not matter. They can be a hindrance to us. What thoughts are you harboring that may keep you from reaching salvation?

As we travel through this season called Lent, we are asked to examine our lives. Looking at our Goliaths is a good place to start. You may not be able to see the things that hold you back. Discussing this in a group might be a good way to find those things. As you listen to others you may discover your own Goliaths.

We have all sinned and fall short of what God wants of us. We all need forgiveness.

Besides hearing this story in Sunday School, I once used it to name a cat. Although the cat was very tiny when he first came to live with me, the first night he was here, he earned his name. I was sitting in the living room watching television. Soon the cat came from the bathroom carrying my sneaker in his mouth. It was bigger than he was. That was when I decided his name had to be Goliath – the strong one.

Examine your heart. Face your Goliaths.

P. S. I have had so many people ask me about my kitchen floor that I thought I better address the issue here. Even people I did know asked about my floor. Thank you for your interest.

I went to one of the local hardware stores. They have a larger stake in getting things right. The woman that waited on me told me she had sold lots of the product that I was using and never had any complaints. I am sure there was something wrong with the product, but no one will admit that. After all, they would have to issue a refund if it was their fault!

I purchased a gallon of floor finish and brought it home. My son applied it. This time I had a floor that had finish on it. Thank heavens for our local stores. My advice – please patronize them. They are reliable because they have to be to keep our business.

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell. Contact her at hickoryheights1@verizon.net.