Nov. 25, 2009 — Family handbook

Max Gordon and his bride-to-be, Mollie Levy, got a bit of a shock when they tried to get a marriage license. Instead, the clerk handed them a book.

“So,” Mollie asked, “what’s the book about?”

“It’s about parenting,” said the clerk.

“Parenting?” Mollie replied. “We don’t need to read the book, we can write one.”

Max Gordon is 90. Mollie Levy is 82. Between the two of them, they have six children, 14 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Still, under Florida law, their union was just another marriage that needed safeguarding. So the lovebirds sat down and read the Family Law Handbook.

Well, there is another family handbook, full of wisdom and instructions. Some call it the Bible.

Just a thought. I'm Sid Batts from First Presbyterian Church in downtown Greensboro, fpcgreensboro.org.