CREATION OF OKLAHOMA

[John Adrian Sopher]

Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Heaven , God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the Archangel found him resting on the seventh day.

He inquired of God, "Where have you been?"

God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction and proudly pointed downward through the clouds. "I've put LIFE on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a great place of BALANCE."

"Balance?" said Michael, still confused.

God explained, pointing to different parts of Earth.  "For example, Northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while Southern Europe is going to be poor, the Middle East over there will be a hot spot. Over there, I've placed a continent of white people and over there is a continent of black people".

God continued, pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot and arid, while this one will be very cold and covered with ice."

The Archangel , impressed by God's work, then pointed to a beautiful land in the center of a large mass.  "What is that one?"

"Ah," said God. "That is Oklahoma , the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful lakes, rivers, streams and prairie. The people from Oklahoma are going to be modest, intelligent and humorous, and they are going to be found traveling the world. They will be extremely sociable, hard-working and high-achieving and they will be known throughout the world as diplomats and carriers of peace. I'm also going to give them a super-human football team, "the Sooners," which will be admired and feared by all who come across them."

Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then proclaimed, "What about BALANCE, God? You said there will be BALANCE."

God replied wisely, "Wait until you see the loud-mouth morons I'm putting next to them. I will call it TEXAS ."