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A long, long time ago, over 60 years ago a little boy was born to a poor farm family who already

had an old white house full of kids. They were so poor they had to eat

and drink cat-dipped milk.

When his mother and daddy first saw the little baby at the hospital, they wondered

what they were going to do with him.

He was very unlike any of his older brothers or sisters. They wondered if maybe

the doctors had mixed him up with all the othe

been given the wrong baby.

Do you ever wonder if your mom and dad took the right baby when they

from the hospital?

“What should we name him, Dorothy?”

names. We have already had 6 children and I think we may have used up all the good names.”

“Maybe we can call him Gabe.”

like Gabriel.”

“No,” said Ralph. “I got a feeling this little

about we call him Henry? That’s an odd name and I think it might fit him pretty good as he

grows up.”

And so that is how little Henry got his name. All during his childhood

days, Henry was teased about his name because of two things, a radio

program where one of the characters was named

would yell, “O Henry.” That embarrassed shy little, retiring Henry.

Right from the start, Henry had some strikes against him. First of all, all of his brothers and

sisters had dark hair. Even his oldest brother Jim had dark hair, something that would not

characterize him all his life.

But, do you know what color hair

was RED. Henry looked around in the hospital before his parents took him home and he didn’t

see anyone else who had red hair. He knew right away something was up.

The other thing

mirror that his mother held up

A long, long time ago, over 60 years ago a little boy was born to a poor farm family who already

had an old white house full of kids. They were so poor they had to eat unleavened

When his mother and daddy first saw the little baby at the hospital, they wondered

what they were going to do with him.

He was very unlike any of his older brothers or sisters. They wondered if maybe

the doctors had mixed him up with all the other babies in the hospital and they had

been given the wrong baby.

Do you ever wonder if your mom and dad took the right baby when they brought you

What should we name him, Dorothy?” asked Ralph her husband. “I can’t think of any

names. We have already had 6 children and I think we may have used up all the good names.”

“Maybe we can call him Gabe.” said Dorothy. “He reminds me of such a little angel, kind of

I got a feeling this little fella isn’t going to be much like an angel. How

? That’s an odd name and I think it might fit him pretty good as he

got his name. All during his childhood

is name because of two things, a radio

program where one of the characters was named Henry and people

“O Henry.” That embarrassed shy little, retiring Henry.

Then, wouldn’t

you know it—a

candy bar was

named

Henry and all the children laughed

more at Henry.

had some strikes against him. First of all, all of his brothers and

sisters had dark hair. Even his oldest brother Jim had dark hair, something that would not

But, do you know what color hair Henry had? Was it blue? Was it green? No, unfortunately it

looked around in the hospital before his parents took him home and he didn’t

see anyone else who had red hair. He knew right away something was up.

The other thing Henry noticed in the hospital is that when he looked in the

mirror that his mother held up to his face is that he had lots and lots of

A long, long time ago, over 60 years ago a little boy was born to a poor farm family who already

unleavened white bread

When his mother and daddy first saw the little baby at the hospital, they wondered

He was very unlike any of his older brothers or sisters. They wondered if maybe

r babies in the hospital and they had

brought you home

“I can’t think of any other

names. We have already had 6 children and I think we may have used up all the good names.”

He reminds me of such a little angel, kind of

fella isn’t going to be much like an angel. How

? That’s an odd name and I think it might fit him pretty good as he

and all the children laughed even

had some strikes against him. First of all, all of his brothers and

sisters had dark hair. Even his oldest brother Jim had dark hair, something that would not

? No, unfortunately it

looked around in the hospital before his parents took him home and he didn’t

see anyone else who had red hair. He knew right away something was up.

noticed in the hospital is that when he looked in the

to his face is that he had lots and lots of

little brown spots all over his nose and cheeks. He wondered if his dad had just recently changed

oil on the car and sprayed him. But, his mom cooed to him that she loved his spots called little

freckles. Henry didn’t.

So it was that Henry began his life here on earth, feeling pretty bad about the way he looked.

And, you know what kids do when they don’t have a good feeling about themselves? That’s

right. They c-o-m-p-e-n-s-a-t-e.

Can you say compensate?

Sometimes kids compensate by becoming very, very smart. They read lots of books and study

very hard to become an engineer, a doctor, a CPA or a successful businessman in order to make

people forget their looks.

But not Henry. No, not Henry. Do you know what Henry did to compensate and feel worth

while? That’s right. He developed a quick tongue, something that caused his dad to say he was

a “smart ankle,” something Henry never understood. How could an ankle be smart?

One time his dad was looking for his favorite tool. He looked all over the

house for it and finally asked Henry:

“Do you know where my wrench is?” And Henry said, “Where?”. That is

a good example of how Henry compensated.

Another time Henry compensated was when he was playing down in the basement of the old

farm house. He was sent there a lot when his mother didn’t want him around. His sister,

Doreen, was half-heartedly cleaning the basement, sweeping the dirty concrete floor with an

ancient Super Valu bedraggled broom.

Henry watched her for a while and then asked her: “Do you know what you remind me of when

you are doing that?

Doreen turned to him and asked innocently, “What?” Henry replied, “One of those old hens

that waddle around in the chicken yard looking for bugs.” Then Henry took off running because

he knew what was coming next.

Yup, his sister Doreen took off after him, running and holding the broom in

the air, threatening to beat Henry. Henry ran around and around the heating

stove and the chimney in the basement, then started up the cement stair steps

just as his sister got close enough to whack him on the behinder. She

whacked him hard.

Down Henry went. Down Henry went. Wham, his mouth hit the cement steps and he saw

something white fly out of his mouth and clatter down the steps. All at once, he felt something

warm and sticky run down his chin. It was blood. Henry thought he was going to die. He didn’t

like to see his own blood.

Do you know what that white thing was that was lying on the step? Yes, that’s right. It was one

of Henry’s pearly white teeth! He had broken off his front tooth when he fell on the steps.

For many months afterwards, Henry was so embarrassed when he talk

because he had a broken tooth and he would whistle when he talked,

kinda like some of the fellows who frequent Loring

Park in Minneapolis.

Finally when his dad sold some pigs and had enough money, Henry’s mom

and dad took him to a dentist and the denti

him the tooth came out of one of the dead pigs they had sold and that made Henry feel sick to his

stomach, but later he found out that was not true.

That tooth has been in Henry’s mouth for over 50 year

it.

Later, Henry’s mother told him it was not good to compensate with his mouth because of how

God made him. She told him that God made Henry special and that he was not like the other

plain kids in the litter.

But she also told him that he had a smart mouth and that he had to choose whether to use that

mouth in the right way or in the wrong way.

Sometimes Henry used his mouth rightly. Sometimes he did not.

One summer day when Henry was very hot and irr

Tom. Tom was the same age as Henry and was always in the same Sunday School class. They

were good friends.

But this day, Henry got mad at Tom because Tom would not let him ride his new bike he had

ridden over to show Henry. So Henry yelled at Tom and told him to go home. Then he went

into his house to complain to his mother.

“That Tom,”

repeated a word he had heard his father use many times. He

what it meant but it seemed to bring a lot of satisfaction to his dad when

he used it.

“Henry!”

sit in the kitchen right now. I am going to punish you.”

Henry thou

could outrun his mother. Then he thought, no, it’s too hot to run. So he went into the kitchen.

In a minute his mother came storming out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, a grim and

foreboding, godly look on her face. In one hand she had a washcloth and in the other hand, a bar

you know what that white thing was that was lying on the step? Yes, that’s right. It was one

of Henry’s pearly white teeth! He had broken off his front tooth when he fell on the steps.

For many months afterwards, Henry was so embarrassed when he talk

because he had a broken tooth and he would whistle when he talked,

kinda like some of the fellows who frequent Loring

Park in Minneapolis.

Finally when his dad sold some pigs and had enough money, Henry’s mom

and dad took him to a dentist and the dentist made a new tooth for Henry. His brother Don told

him the tooth came out of one of the dead pigs they had sold and that made Henry feel sick to his

stomach, but later he found out that was not true.

That tooth has been in Henry’s mouth for over 50 years and if you look closely, you can still see

Later, Henry’s mother told him it was not good to compensate with his mouth because of how

God made him. She told him that God made Henry special and that he was not like the other

But she also told him that he had a smart mouth and that he had to choose whether to use that

mouth in the right way or in the wrong way.

Sometimes Henry used his mouth rightly. Sometimes he did not.

One summer day when Henry was very hot and irritated, he was playing with his neighbor friend

Tom. Tom was the same age as Henry and was always in the same Sunday School class. They

But this day, Henry got mad at Tom because Tom would not let him ride his new bike he had

ver to show Henry. So Henry yelled at Tom and told him to go home. Then he went

into his house to complain to his mother.

“That Tom,” said Henry to his mother, “He is such a dumb b______.”

repeated a word he had heard his father use many times. He

what it meant but it seemed to bring a lot of satisfaction to his dad when

he used it.

“Henry!” gasped his mother. “That is a wicked word to use. You go and

sit in the kitchen right now. I am going to punish you.”

Henry thought about running outside. Though he was only 5, he knew he

could outrun his mother. Then he thought, no, it’s too hot to run. So he went into the kitchen.

In a minute his mother came storming out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, a grim and

ding, godly look on her face. In one hand she had a washcloth and in the other hand, a bar

you know what that white thing was that was lying on the step? Yes, that’s right. It was one

of Henry’s pearly white teeth! He had broken off his front tooth when he fell on the steps.

For many months afterwards, Henry was so embarrassed when he talked

because he had a broken tooth and he would whistle when he talked,

st made a new tooth for Henry. His brother Don told

him the tooth came out of one of the dead pigs they had sold and that made Henry feel sick to his

s and if you look closely, you can still see

Later, Henry’s mother told him it was not good to compensate with his mouth because of how

God made him. She told him that God made Henry special and that he was not like the other

But she also told him that he had a smart mouth and that he had to choose whether to use that

itated, he was playing with his neighbor friend

Tom. Tom was the same age as Henry and was always in the same Sunday School class. They

But this day, Henry got mad at Tom because Tom would not let him ride his new bike he had

ver to show Henry. So Henry yelled at Tom and told him to go home. Then he went

“He is such a dumb b______.” He

repeated a word he had heard his father use many times. He didn’t know

what it meant but it seemed to bring a lot of satisfaction to his dad when

“That is a wicked word to use. You go and

sit in the kitchen right now. I am going to punish you.” For a minute,

ght about running outside. Though he was only 5, he knew he

could outrun his mother. Then he thought, no, it’s too hot to run. So he went into the kitchen.

In a minute his mother came storming out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, a grim and

ding, godly look on her face. In one hand she had a washcloth and in the other hand, a bar

of dirty looking gray Lava soap.

good.”

And it wasn’t.

Henry’s mother went to the chipped sink. She

him stand right by her. She turned on the water. She put the washcloth under the water, then

proceeded to rub the Lava soap on the washcloth.

“Look at me,”

his pleading blue eyes. But alas, it was to no avail.

Henry’s mom forced open Henry’s mouth, stuck the washcloth into his

mouth and began to move it around and around.

Henry thought he was going to meet Jesus! This was the worst thing he

v had ever had happen to him.

He gagged, he choked. He could feel little bits of lava cutting into his tongue, into his cheek.

The soap burned his throat. On and on and on his mother went, cleansing Henry’s sins.

After what seemed like hours, it was o

sobbed as he listened to his mother tell him that the punishment hurt her more than it did him.

Henry didn’t believe that at all but didn’t think this was a good time to discuss it.

His mother ended her lecture to Henry by having him listen to a verse. She told him the Bible

always had a verse for things that he did. Henry wondered if when he grew up he was going to

like this Bible much. It always seemed to have him pegged.

Here was the verse his mom said to him. Can you say it:

of dirty looking gray Lava soap. “Oh, Oh” , thought Henry. “This combination doesn’t look

Henry’s mother went to the chipped sink. She jerked Henry over by his shirt collar and made

him stand right by her. She turned on the water. She put the washcloth under the water, then

proceeded to rub the Lava soap on the washcloth.

“Look at me,” she ordered Henry. Henry meekly looked up at her

his pleading blue eyes. But alas, it was to no avail.

Henry’s mom forced open Henry’s mouth, stuck the washcloth into his

mouth and began to move it around and around.

Henry thought he was going to meet Jesus! This was the worst thing he

had ever had happen to him.

He gagged, he choked. He could feel little bits of lava cutting into his tongue, into his cheek.

The soap burned his throat. On and on and on his mother went, cleansing Henry’s sins.

After what seemed like hours, it was over. Poor little abused Henry sat on the kitchen chair and

sobbed as he listened to his mother tell him that the punishment hurt her more than it did him.

Henry didn’t believe that at all but didn’t think this was a good time to discuss it.

ended her lecture to Henry by having him listen to a verse. She told him the Bible

always had a verse for things that he did. Henry wondered if when he grew up he was going to

like this Bible much. It always seemed to have him pegged.

se his mom said to him. Can you say it:

Foolish talk will get you into a lot of

trouble.

Pro 18:6 CEV

“This combination doesn’t look

jerked Henry over by his shirt collar and made

him stand right by her. She turned on the water. She put the washcloth under the water, then

she ordered Henry. Henry meekly looked up at her with

Henry’s mom forced open Henry’s mouth, stuck the washcloth into his

Henry thought he was going to meet Jesus! This was the worst thing he

He gagged, he choked. He could feel little bits of lava cutting into his tongue, into his cheek.

The soap burned his throat. On and on and on his mother went, cleansing Henry’s sins.

ver. Poor little abused Henry sat on the kitchen chair and

sobbed as he listened to his mother tell him that the punishment hurt her more than it did him.

Henry didn’t believe that at all but didn’t think this was a good time to discuss it.

ended her lecture to Henry by having him listen to a verse. She told him the Bible

always had a verse for things that he did. Henry wondered if when he grew up he was going to

Foolish talk will get you into a lot of

Pro 18:6 CEV