I love the South.

I was not born here but then

maybe you weren't either. As I have stated before, I did have "roots"

in a Southern town about as steeped in Southern tradition and culture

as it gets.

I went to the first grade at

the Social Circle Elementary School as had my father and sister before

me. In fact, my first-grade teacher was Mrs. Cook, who not only taught

me and my sister, but my father a generation earlier.

My wife, Dee, is the only one

of our immediate family actually born here in Atlanta, at Crawford Long

Hospital in 1950.

I'm sure we all learned many

Southern sayings and colloquialisms that we use today and probably never

think where they came from. I wonder where "just a tad" came

from or "down yonder?" Have you ever wondered why you always

go to the "red light" and turn right instead of the "green

light" and go right?"

To me one of the most interesting

sayings we all hear on a daily basis is when someone greets another person

and they say "how are you" the response is often, " DOING

GOOD, how are you?

God's Word says "Jesus

went about DOING GOOD." Isn't that a wonderful thing to report about

someone!

We often read in the paper

or see on TV how someone is inspired to open a Christian school or help

our community or a church in some "selfless" way. These "doing

good" things in life are the items that last.

As we pass through this life

no one will remember how much money we made or how large our house was

or what status we attained in life. What will be remembered is the "doing

good" that we did.

The reverse is, of course,

also true. Some are remembered for the evil and destruction they cause

while on this earth.

If you are a parent, you are

passing your values to your children on a daily basis. It is a small thing,

but I watched my father always take off his hat when he prayed. It wouldn't

matter where we were or what setting we were in.

I do that today the same way.

Whenever we take a trip, we pause and have a prayer in the car for safety

and when we roll back into the driveway we have another short prayer thanking

God for "journeys mercies" as did my father before me. I noticed

my son, Robbie, the other day when asked to pray, removed his hat and

prayed. Interesting isn't it?

The next time someone asks

you "how are you doing" think am I doing "well or doing

good?" Hopefully you are doing both.

[The Rev. Dr. Knox Herndon

is the pastor of His House Community Church (SBC) and a former Army chaplain.

The church is just below Senoia on Ga. Highway 85, a mile past Ga. Highway

16 on the right just below the fire station. Visitors are welcome. Church

office and prayer line 770-719-2365;e-mail [email protected].]

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