It's a great privilege for my husband and me to be here, and we're just very grateful.

I can't imagine how you come out on a Friday night.

Are they ever heard of such a thing, but thank you for being here.

There have been very many blessings in my life, and I'm sure that if we had opportunity

to hear the blessings of your life, we would hear some wonderful things.

But I kind of imagine that my talk tonight would not be at the top of most people's lists.

I've entitled my talk, Blessed Discipline.

And I do recognize that discipline is a great blessing, but we don't begin with that notion

do we, especially when we're small.

The psalmist wrote in Psalm 94, verse 12, Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord.

And the word blessed means happy, doesn't it?

Happy is the man you discipline, the man you teach from your law.

And then in verse 18, he says, when I said my foot is slipping, your love, O Lord, supported

me.

Discipline and love are closely linked in God's word.

He disciplines us because he loves us.

I have four brothers, as was mentioned, and one of them is named Tom.

We called him Tommy when he was little.

I'm number two, six children.

So Tommy was just a little boy, eight years younger than I.

When he was about two years old, he had one favorite pastime.

He would love to take the paper bags out of the drawer in the kitchen and spread them

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