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The local restaurants around me have a new and exciting plan. Kids eat free! Here is how it works; on a weeknight when they are normally slow they tempt us folks with kids to eat out by offering a free kids meal for every adult meal purchased. I love this plan, a guy like me with more than your average amount of kids can really take advantage of a deal like this.

Now of course like all things free you have to be mentally prepared before you take advantage of this great offer. So being that I am all about keeping the public informed and advised here are some things you really need to keep in mind before you take these nice restaurants up on their offer. Just very simple rules to go by, here they are:

· If you do not like kids, and you see a sign that says kids eat free; do not enter and I mean do not enter. There are kids all over the place because evidently I am not the only guy in town with kids. They are everywhere and if you do not enjoy their presence at the dinner table there is a good chance you would not enjoy your meal, go another night.

· If you are somewhat upset by spilled drinks, dropped plates, long lines, babies crying, and a general lack of real control perhaps another night would be more suitable.

· If you have kids and think you can handle it be very careful with your self confidence. As I look around I see major league stressed out parents. These people are dressed nice from work on the outside but on the inside they are churning. On more than one occasion each visit you can guarantee yourself that you will see at least one parent snap on a poor unsuspecting child. People tend to be tense on these nights.

· Go as late as you can; this gives the rush a chance to thin out and with the extra room you will not have to worry about your kids embarrassing you by dropping their plate on the guy in the next booth. Your enjoyment is in direct proportion to how large the crowd is; eat late.

Now these are just a few simple rules to handle what we in America love and that is something free. Let me close by introducing you to something that is really free; the love of the Living God. A lot of people really stumble here, we try to work our way to heaven with good work or we attempt to be super nice as if that will be enough. Some even try to buy themselves into a right relationship with God by giving all sorts of money for the wrong reason. Most folks have a big problem with the ‘free’ theology. Let me help you out.

· God did the giving check it out, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

· No works needed, read here, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. Notice also here that it uses the word gift. Whoever received a real gift and had to pay for it? The word gift means free.

A lot of folks especially religious type folks are like those folks all dressed up for dinner but churning on the inside and snapping at their kids. They like free, they want to take advantage of it but their personality just won’t let them.

Here is my closing advice; relax, pull up a chair enjoy the free and don’t worry if you make a mistake; God has already paid the price to clean it up. It cost him his son; it cost you nothing. Now that is a deal worth taking advantage of, what you waiting on?

Scripture: 1 John 2:25, “This is the promise which He himself made to us: eternal life.”

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for your love, guide us to accept it and live under the blessing of it, help us to keep from complicating it beyond where we can easily find your love. We ask these things in Christ name, Amen.