My Dad was a smoker and Lucky Strike was his cigarette of chose- He started smoking while he was in basic training in the Navy in the early forties after the start of the war with Japan- He was in basic training in California during the summer- Of course, they marched and trained every day- When the drill instructors decided to take a break,,, they would call out,,,, “smoke em if you got em”,,,, If you were a smoker you could move to the side of the field and sit and have a break,, if you didn’t smoke,,, you had to stand in formation,,, well,,, as you can image, everyone was a smoker by about the third day !!!

I never, in all my years growing up,,, saw my dad without his package of Lucky Strike’s and 90% of the time he had one in his mouth smoking it- He has passed away now but my mental picture of him is,,, his head is cocked a bit to the side so the smoke from his cigarette wouldn’t get in his eyes !!

Well as you can probably guess by now,, he got into his late seventies and was diagnosed with lung cancer,,, after smoking for 50 years !!! He went into Chemo-Therapy and later Radiation treatments- The Radiation basically finished him !!!

I was gone from home for most of this,,, but it was, of course, very hard on the family- My dad was a great dad,,, hard-working farmer and disciplined father and loyal husband- I wish I had practiced more of how he lived in my life !!!!

Anyhow sometimes during all his Chemo/Radiation treatment, I would go home to see everyone- My dad loved to cook and did most of the cooking during my teenage years at home- I walked into the kitchen one evening, when I was home, to see my dad while he was cooking,,,, Good Smells and Good Stuff- Then I looked up on the top of the refrigerator and setting there in plain sight, red and white, in all its splendor,,, was a package of Lucky Strike cigarettes ??? Surprised,,, I asked him,,, “Are you smoking again” ??? He quit when he was diagnosed with lung cancer, I was told- He said: “no I am not smoking” !! I asked,,, “Why do you have those cigarettes setting there???”,,, I will never forget his response,,, ” They are like an Ole Friend and I like seeing them up there” !!

My thought was,,, an old friend that is/was responsible for his early demise !!!! Anyhow he didn’t last long after that- The radiation zapped his immunity system to the point that he didn’t have any – Fluid in the lungs finally got him !!!!

I guess, looking back at all this is,,, what Ole Friends do I have in my life that are detrimental to my health or well-being and I still keep them around- They might be drinking, drugs, greed, unfaithfulness, lying, deception, unhealthy relationship,,, it could be any or all of them

The point is ,,, which of these “Ole Friends” am I hanging onto ,,, just off center of my attention- Even if I have quit them, do I still keep them in view ,,, just in case I have a weak moment !!!

To beat them I have to clear them off the top of the refrigerator,, out of mind and out of site/temptation !!! But how do I do that,,, I am a pretty weak person with some of these “Ole Friends”

I need help to beat these Ole Friends !!

In my life that help has always come through faith in the cleansing power of Jesus Christ- He is the only one that can change me from the inside out and help me overcome the temptation !!!

I am broken ,,, I am lost ,,, and I am a sinner ,,, but through prayer and faith in him I am slowly beating these detrimental “Ole Friends ”

In my long years of experience,,, nothing but the cleansing power of Jesus in your life will truly free you from these detrimental, eternity threatening, Ole Friends !!!

The Truth Will Set You Free ,, John 8:31-32 – 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

God Bless !!!!