Dearest flumc, you still with us, if only occasionally? I found another parallel I'll try to make into a parable for you, if it helps to please me or pleases to help you. I'm a father, not presently worthy of the title, but will use it for parable purposes only. Lil George sleeps soundly down the hall snug in the realative safety and comfort I can some how manage to still supply. Be it begged, borrowed or stolen from one of my many "brothers". Every morning I hear him begin to rustle. He wakes happy for the most part, knowing all is well and the day is new and good as far as now as he knows it. Some how, this boy genius of 8 months, has already figure out the the communication device at the foot of his crib get's him in touch with his father, the source of all his salvation. For the father feeds, cloths,cleans and teaches him, both body and soul. So in his quest to get to the device of salvation he begins to struggle, twisting and turning not always sure his direction is true. He hears the garbled static and knows if he can only reach the device his cries for help will be answered. I listen with some amazement at his resolve and determination. Then as I hear his breathing grow louder and know he has the device in sights. He still crawls "backward" so he ingeniusly pulls the sheets the device lays on. Finally I hear him nawing on the device and making indistinguishable pleas for help in baby talk, of course. His frustration mounts for his calls seem to go unanswered. He sees not my foot hit the floor and me stirring from my bed to come to his aid. In his impatience and frustration he pulls too hard on the device and the cord unplugs. I hear the static of a lost connection and he hears the silence of what he must think is me abandoning him. He begins to cry more and more in earnest as I make my way down the hall. I find him sprawled in all directions, the device still in his grasp, crying. I stand at a distance slightly calling him. He stops crying to lend his ear. He looks to find me upside down in his eyes now. It takes but a fix into my eyes and our inverted frowns are neither up nor down, for they are smiles not frowns at all. He knows his device wasn't were his salvation was but in the heart and soul of his father and therefore in himself for he was made in the image of his father. But now my image has been cracked for I've lost my way and look for my device to call to my father. But it's on a human scale. The device could be a book but that is not where our salvation lies, it lies within the image and spirit of all our fathers. Help me bring the spirit of god back to all mankind for all your books have failed us myserably for i see not many smiles but tears in our unions today. Peace and sorry if my parallel isn't a better parable.