"Knowing how to die is the greatest deed."

--Antonio Vieira

In the phrase "Knowing how to die," one might include the right life, as I imagine the author would. In the "how" let's also consider the why. The death of Christ serves as a model study, and a dozen sayings of the New Testament come to mind. But I'll let you pursue the details.

I was tempted to lead with the next quote, but you've already read two recent items about husbands and wives. But this was too good to pass up. It came from today's A Word A Day.

"In a perfect union the man and woman are like a strung bow. Who is to say whether the string bends the bow, or the bow tightens the string?" --Cyril Connolly, critic and editor (1903-1974)

One may claim there is no perfect union, and I suppose one would have quite an argument for it, since no person, aside from Jesus Christ, is perfect. At the same time, we may understand perfect in ways other than without sin. As in the New Testament, perfect often means mature or complete. And if your union is less than perfect, don't let that cause you to miss the point.

My family and I will be traveling Wednesday to the U.S. for six weeks, and while I promise to do my best to keep UPlift sailing strong, I may miss a day or two in there. But stay with me, and we'll pick up a good tailwind after any brief calm.

October 12 is Children's Day in Brazil. May it also be the month we become like little children to receive the Kingdom of God.