Three contestants in a television quiz show were down to the last round.  The master of ceremonies explained the final question.  “I’m going to give you a phrase with a word missing at the end.  Come up with the missing word and you’ll win our grand prize – an all-expenses paid two-week trip to Europe.  Ready?  The phrase is, ‘Old MacDonald has a ______.’  And remember, you must not only name the missing word.  You must spell it.”

The first contestant answered: “Old MacDonald had a ranch – r-a-n-c-h.”

The studio audience moaned.

The second contestant tried: “Old MacDonald had a barn – b-a-r-n.

The third contestant rose and said, “Old MacDonald had a farm.”

The applause was deafening.  After the audience calmed down, the emcee continued.

“O.K., now for the super-deluxe, fabulous European trip, all you have to do is spell the magic word.”

“That’s easy,” the contestant said, “E-I-E-I-O.”

That is so humorous and even funny.  Who could not spell “farm.”  But don’t we get caught up with the really simple stuff and default back to what we always do.  We know what we ought to do but we do what we have always done.  We know we need to pray more . . . read my Bible more . . . go to church more . . . live out my faith more . . . invite others to church more . . . we know what we need to and ought to, but we just rely on the things we have always done.  Our Christian like is like saying “E-I-E-I-O.” 

Can I challenge you today to stop doing what we have always done and look to do something we know that God wants us to do.  How about today, start fresh and live the life we know we ought to live. 

And by the way, you spell farm – f-a-r-m.  But that really is not the answer, is it!