Or in this case ...perhaps equally charming.

This is a story about three sons ...

Not my three sons (though my wife  & I do have three sons) ...

Nor is it the 1960's television show, My Three Sons ...

This is a story not just about Wendy, but it begins there.  Wendy fell in love with the oldest son from the Ever family.  His name was Watt, and he affectionately referred to her as Wen.

I know this is often said to be only in stories, but this is a story, so I guess I can say it was love at first sight. To what degree it is true ...who really knows.  But, they both agreed that the first time they laid eyes on each other, they knew they would one day marry.

If someone is not presently experiencing a moment like this, they likely are not going to welcome the prolonged loving glance between two other people.  And though people often do say, "I don't want to hear all about your problems."  ...in truth, they would probably jump at the chance to hear another's problems, being certainly more favorable than to observe those whom seem to have not a trouble in the world.  Yet, it must be realized that for those two in love, during those moments together they may feel they are the only ones in the world.

Often others do not like to hear this kind of talk ...and each time Watt would mention it, his friends would say, "Watt Ever!" But, when he was together with Wen ...she was more seriously concerned about Wen Ever.

Well, the when became soon.  Watt proposed on a starry August night ...and they marched down the aisle the following March. That was not surprising news to anyone ...as everyone who knew them had no doubt they would one day marry.  

They were in the news at the beginning of the next year, as their child was the first of the new year to be born in their county  ...and the second, and the third.  Wen had triplets.

Wen recalls that moment as she privately celebrates her silver wedding anniversary.  It has now been over 24 years since she had delivered the triplets. Back then, it was the troublesome 1940's, and her husband was drafted that spring.  Watt was so loving, and a wonderful father too.  While she was breastfeeding one child, he would hold the other two, comforting them as they waited their turn.  She had tried to feed two at once, but that didn't work too well ...and you could tell they preferred the solitary gentle caress (the kind she longed for now). 

Wen smiles as she recalls how surprised everyone had been when she'd delivered triplets ...and how humorous it was how she and Watt had come to name their sons.  With World War II going on, everyone was preoccupied with the uncertain outcome of the horrific nature of the war.  And patriotism was stirring up in most every young man. Watt was very much affected as his brother had already been drafted.  He thought of his own sons ...whom he'd never want to have to go to war, but if they did, he hoped that they would be brave, have good judgment, and understand the necessity for both. Watt said he wanted to name their sons: Courage, Judgment, and Truth.

Wen had smiled, suggesting that those could be their middle names, as she favored more traditional first names.  Watt trusted Wen's judgment, and let her pick their first names.  So, they became: Darin C. Ever, Aaron J. Ever, and Justin T. Ever. And every time she thinks of her husband & the three boys, the love wells up inside with tears blurring her vision.  She will love them always ...these four Ever.

Watt had reportedly been taken prisoner ...and now, nearly 25 years since she has last seen him, Wen still has no real evidence of what had happened to her husband.  She doesn't know whether he is alive or not.  But, after every passing year, her doubts increase that he is not.

Their sons, all being adult now, in some way all remind her of her husband ...all in different ways, as they are all quite different. She wishes so much that Watt had been around to help raise them ...as she so much wants to share in that intensity of those loving memories.  But, how can anyone fully understand a love if they have never experienced the real person ...and how especially true is that with the sad occasion of an absent Dad??

Darin has collected guns, and has studied all about history and wars ...particularly, World War II.  The violence doesn't seem to bother him, but Wen feels that it does ...and it is just his way of coping with what he imagines his Dad had to go through.

Aaron is quite the opposite in that way ...he says he hates war. Wen can understand his feelings, as it was the war which took his Dad away.  Understandably, Aaron doesn't get along too well with Darin ...as Darin's view of war is in direct conflict with his own peace and love.  At least they are not at war with each other.  They just sort of usually go their separate ways. Last year Aaron went to Woodstock.  He knew Darin didn't like his talk of love & peace, so he just preached a bit to him about environmental issues and concerns.  He said if Darin preserved the environment, it would also be good for all the wildlife Darin likes.  But, then he was sorry he said that ...because Darin likes to eat the wildlife.

Neither brother converse much with Justin. They have a polite relationship ...but don't really talk much.  They feel they have little to share with Justin.  Justin is quiet, and content with being mostly to himself.  He spends most of his time with Mom, and is always sensitive to her needs and how she is feeling. Justin is the only son who ever asked Mom about the person Dad was. And he likes to visit Grandpa & Grandma Ever.  As a teenager, he had climbed up a retractable ladder to their attic. And he felt he had found the greatest of treasures when he dusted off this old box which had pictures of Dad from when he was born to the time he had to leave for the war. Grandma had also kept a diary ...not of her own doings, but more like a day-by-day journal of her observations of each of their four children.  And she let Justin read about what she had written about his Dad, all those years he was growing up ...before he was Justin's Dad.

Yes, sometimes we are interested in what a person does ...

Sometimes we are interested in what a person says, or what others say about a person ...true, or not.

And sometimes we are interested in the person ...not only who the person is, but who they may become.

You can be interested in what a person does ...without necessarily being interested in the person.  Though, if you are interested in the person, likely you are interested also in what the person says and does.

Sometimes not knowing the person much or not at all ...brings a bit of disinterest, which most often continues in that direction.

Sometimes people have this excessive competitive nature ...a bit beyond healthy interaction.  Being compelled to choose sides, the criteria often has more to do with the mere fact that they choose it.  The substance behind the decision to choose, or why they choose it ...has little relevancy. 

And people get very defensive, and actually angry at times about this.  Though the most common topics may be sports, politics, or religious beliefs ...it can also be as simple as where one chooses to dine, or over what their favorite TV show is.

It's not so much a matter of merely accepting another's opinion ...as it is offensive to them if you don't embrace what they are saying.  And it is even worse if you disagree.

It has been coined The Greatest Generation, those who had to face and confront the horrific brutality of World War II.  I don't see how anyone could remain idle, disinterested, and uninvolved ...as the evil spread throughout.  The eventual response of the United States was to get involved in Europe, as well as the Pacific campaign.

There is much to be learned from war ...observing how others decided when (in their opinion) it was necessary to stand, confront, and act.  Though that cannot always be learned, as it is not always entirely clear.  Nor is it entirely clear when not to get involved.  Sometimes war is necessary ...and sometimes it is not.  Sometimes the problem is something other than what it appears to be.  And one's idea on how to solve the problem is seldom in agreement with the majority of the people who deem it a problem.  We can often be united in naming the problem, but seldom are we in agreement over the solutions for it.

Or worse yet, is when an actual problem is not viewed as a problem.  And in this case, life is often lived without the necessary concerns to make it worthwhile.

This was the problem with Darin and Aaron.  

Darin felt it was of no consequence or responsibility on his part for any of his reactionary emotions to any dilemma he felt was thrust upon him.  

Aaron felt that life was unfair, and we all had to come together in peace and love to best deal with our hopes and aspirations. For this to happen, everyone had to accept everyone else's life choices ...except for those which would affect the environment in which we'd make those choices in.  We could degrade ourselves, but not our environment ...we can pollute our minds, but not our environment.

Yes, those who are not us ...we view them in different ways.

And yes, nobody views the same person quite the same way we do.

We saw this in the story of Aaron, Darin, and Justin ...as they viewed their father.

And we find this also to be true when we view our Heavenly Father ...how we view Him, or whether we acknowledge Him at all.

We can attach ourselves to aspects of what we read, or hear ...and we can pick and choose what parts we feel comfortable with.  We can create our own narrative with this.

Or we can do similar to what Justin did.  As he went to the attic and dusted off an old box ...he carefully searched through photographs and read Grandma's journal.  Many of us have an old dusty Bible.  We say we believe in the basics, and that He exists ...yet, our image of how He exists in our lives does not always coincide very well with what we could read, if we were interested enough to.

The first Chapter of the Epistle of Paul to the Romans, reads: "Who changed the truth of God to a lie, and worshiped the created more than the Creator ..."

Just my opinion, but I think it would be best to keep the dust off the Bible ...and read about the truth.  Of course, each of us have to decide for ourselves to the degree we are interested in our Heavenly Father.

                           *************************

Speaking of three times as a charm ...there are many threes:

The Three Little Pigs

The Three Little Kittens (who'd lost their mittens) ...

The Three Billy Goats Gruff ...

The Three Bears (and Goldilocks) ...

The Three Stooges (TV comedy) ...

The value of these stories is not in consideration of whether they are true, or not.  The importance is in what is being said, and the message, or lesson we can draw from it.

Here is another story, though most agree it not to be true ...it holds a true message.  (this story told by our Pastor, who usually has three points to his sermons):

A US Naval ship is off the coast of Newfoundland.  It sees a light through a dense fog.  

The US ship sends out its radio transmission: "Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid collision."

A clear accent, likely Canadian transmission responds: "Sorry, that last transmission did not come in clearly, but I recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid collision."

US Naval ship: "I heard you clearly, but this is a US Naval ship, and I suggest you divert your course!"

Canadian transmission:  "I heard you clearly that time ...but, I do not think you understand.  You are going to be in big trouble unless you divert your course now!"

US Naval ship: "This is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship in the United States' Atlantic Fleet.  We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers, and numerous support vessels.  This is no longer a request, do you read me, I demand that you change your position 15 degrees North ...that's 'one five' degrees North, or countermeasures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship."

Canadian transmission:  "Also in consideration for the safety of your ship, once again I urge you to divert your course 15 degrees to the South.  Rightfully so, you can boast of being an aircraft carrier with destroyers and cruisers ...yet, though I have no desire to do battle with you, you will lose unless you divert at once.  I do hope you heard me correctly, though this is a mere lighthouse speaking.  Your call."

There are many things we can read ...some of which are true, some partially true, and some that are not true at all.  If the story of the aircraft carrier and the lighthouse was true, it would be very important to heed the message of the lighthouse ...not to strike an iceberg, or dash against the rocks.  Any vessel of that nature would require great leadership.  And I don't believe anyone in high command with that much responsibility would boldly take such a reckless chance.

I believe the Bible is absolutely true.  And I suggest you don't chance that it is not.

Your call.