Ted was a cruel and heartless boy. He was mean to the other children. He disrespected his elders. He delighted in squashing insects and torturing small animals.

His parents didn’t know what to do.

The Felders were good people. God-fearing, hard-working, loving parents who prayed to find a way to change Ted’s heart and turn around his horrendous behavior.

And still, even with prayer and the best intentions, Mark and Jean Felder could not break through to their son.

The Felder family live in Moxie, a smallish town sixty miles from the big city. Moxie is a place where neighbors know one another, the high school is the cultural center of the town, and there is still a main drag where most of the local businesses are located. There’s no Starbucks in Moxie but there is a Wal-Mart right off the highway.

Everyone in Moxie knew and feared Ted. Folks would cross the street if they saw Ted coming. He was someone to avoid.

Even as a young tot, Ted had no playmates. His big sister Dara would have nothing to do with her beyond bothersome brother, and his baby sister Sweetie, would scream and cry if Ted came near her. Neighbor children ran the other way if they were fortunate enough to see Ted coming before they were seen by him.

Now…if you’re a compassionate sort, you feel sorry for the boy. If you’re the problem-solver type, you’re thinking “get this kid’s on meds, he has a serious personality disorder.” And if you’re a spiritual person, you’re praying for Ted and God to have a meet-up and for Ted to see the light of right.

The Felders covered all three bases. Jean smothered “Teflon Ted” with love and understanding which Ted firmly rejected. Mark took Ted (kicking and screaming) to see a therapist, who after three sessions declared the effort a failure as Ted would not cooperate and was not open to change. The pastor from the Felder’s church had long talks with Ted about Jesus, Christian values, heaven and hell. Nothing got even a glimmer of interest from Ted.

Eventually, the family and the townspeople learned how to deal with Ted. Mostly with avoidance, definitely with annoyance, and ultimately by accepting that there is nothing that can be done about Ted.

But God doesn’t give up.

The Almighty sent signs to jolt Ted from his evil ways. Literally.

One spring day, the skies turned dark at noon and a storm came barreling through Moxie. Ted was outside by his mailbox gleefully checking out the destruction, when he was hit by lightening. Now, if this were a movie, this would be the point in the plot where Ted would come to with a new attitude and charming personality. Or at the very least Hollywood would give him convenient amnesia and he would forget he was so rotten. But no, this was Moxie and Ted recovered from the lightening strike with all his meaness intact.

Next, God sent one of His best angels to teach Ted a moral lesson about the Golden Rule. The angel came to Earth disguised as a twelve year old boy and called himself Michael...READ MORE