. The 84 year old man driving his car had a problem with his pace maker and he passed out, causing him to lose control. His car careened across the median and ended up in a five car crash and his passenger, his 82 year old girlfriend, died two days later from her injuries. He survived and no other injuries were listed in the news report. This was no doubt a most frightening experience for all those in the cars involved in this crash, and a sad day for this man and the family of this lady. However, something about this story spoke to me. Think about it. God bless this couple. He is 84 years young and still dating. Sure, it's not a happy ending but it does tell us that life is not over at 65 when Medicare comes calling. It tells us that love and romance lives on. Boyfriend and girlfriend out for a ride. We can say a prayer for those involved in this accident and for this lady's family but at the same time be encouraged by their testimony which will likely go mostly unnoticed in a short news blurb.She did it again. She left me. Her and her sister are teamed up over in Louisiana to teach a music school (Singing School) in a small rural Church. She will be away all week. I
may need one of those ankle bracelet tracking devices like they put on prisoners and probationers. You remember my wife's sister. They are identical twins, born 18 months apart. They are very close and their sister-sister relationship in our family is legendary. When they are together they tend to be a little on the smirky side. It most likely comes from their joy. I can always see it coming on before she even leaves the house. It must be the anticipation. It's like she's warming up already. They will have a ball teaching others how to use their musical talents for the Lord. They will have a ball just being together. I will have whatever week I will have and that will be the way it works out. But don't feel sorry for me. I love the fact that she will be enjoying her time away and the Lord knows she does need a break. Perhaps even a break from me. I know you are wondering how in the world that could even be possible. Thanks. This, however, doesn't solve the problem with you-know-who and he has never bought into that adage about how that absence makes the heart grow fonder. I like routine. I am routine. This time of isolated reflection granted to me by these changed circumstances reminds me of that well known Serenity Prayer. Yes, it is the prayer adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous but it was actually penned in 1934 for a sermon by the famous theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr. While the short form is the one we hear most often, his longer prayer is pretty neat: "God, grant us the Serenity to accept things we cannot change, Courage to change the things we can, and the Wisdom to know the difference, Patience for the things that take time, Appreciation for all that we have, and Tolerance for those with different struggles, Freedom to live beyond the limitations of our past ways, the Ability to feel your love for us and our love for each other and the Strength to get up and try again even when we feel it is hopeless."
I was not joking. I did think about that prayer in relationship with her leaving me again, but until I did a little research I was not aware of its history or the actual longer prayer itself. But I will tell you, it is an amazingly simple but profound expression that could well speak to us all as we deal with the ordinary as well as the extraordinary that fills our days. Meanwhile, I will do my best to keep on keeping on until that lady returns. You know the one I'm talking about. She's the one that used to go riding with me when everyone called us boyfriend and girlfriend. Have a blessed week and, no, I do not want to borrow your electronic ankle bracelet. Until next time may God bless us all as we seek to honor Him in our day by day living. Amen. ......More later.
No comments:
Post a Comment