Before I get into the soap bar issue, let’s take care of a few housekeeping chores first.

I for one will miss reading the “Did’ja ever” columns by Louise Hughes. Yes, I was saddened but yet happy when I learned of Louise’s death. She truly made an effort to invite everyone to her church, Grace Fellowship Family Worship Center in Marble Hill. I never met Louise, but I plan to catch up with her in a few days.

Hope you did not miss the two recent columns that I wrote about our earth, focusing on our soil and water. Hope you found them to be helpful. My initial plan was to do another column on our air, but I have since decided to cancel on that idea. Our air, water and soil are all interrelated, and we have some serious work ahead of us to get them cleaned up.

I realize the scriptures tell us that there will be a new heaven and earth, but that isn’t a good reason to trash this one. If you are not currently recycling, I encourage you to do so. Much work has been done on the old livestock sale barn on Highway 51, south of Patton (now Bollinger County Recycling, Inc.), to convert it into a recycling center. Please support this work as well as other such endeavors. The Goodwill, Salvation Army, Lions Club, Savers, etc. are other options for the recycling of items such as clothes, furniture and eye glasses.

We often take things for granted. The Banner Press newspaper is probably one of them. Week after week, for years, the newspaper has been published. I think I am speaking for a lot of readers out there in Banner Press Land in saying, “Thanks to The Banner Press staff for all of the hard work you put in each week to make a newspaper available to us who enjoy reading a newspaper.”

Kind of a side note before I get into the soap bar issue. There are 10,080 minutes in a week. Try to use them wisely!

Whether we like to admit it or not, we are all sinners. Most of us, at one time or another, has had someone do us wrong or we have wronged another. Steps have been taken to clear the air, but you or the other person has had a hard heart. You refused to forgive. You came to an impasse. Over time, maybe years, the wrong has festered and grown into hate. Hate isn’t a good thing and we need to get rid of it. Sometimes, hate will even develop to the point that harmful actions are taken by one party or both. Let’s not go there!

Let’s be honest here. Is there some hate in your heart about another person? If so, grab a bar of soap and a sharp object. Take that sharp object and inscribe that person’s name into the bar of soap. If there is more than one person, use the other side of the soap bar as well. If necessary, use as many soap bars as needed. Place the soap bar(s) where you wash your hands. Each time you wash your hands, the etched name on the bar will get less deep.

While washing your hands each time, remember and ponder upon what Jesus has done for us. He forgave, washed away, and paid the price, for our sins; therefore, shouldn’t we follow his example and do likewise towards one another? Keep washing those hands and using that bar of soap. With proper use, the etched marks will fade away and will no longer be legible.

Our hope here is that our hate has gone away and washed down the drain as well. If some hate still prevails, get another bar of soap and keep working at washing those hands. Keep the faith, never give up, and remember that grace has and will prevail.

Some may think that using a bar of soap to wash away earthly problems doesn’t have much merit and is a crazy idea.

What do you think?

LARRY L. BOLLINGER is a former Patton resident now living in Ballwin.