Wednesday, June 1, 2011. Right? Wow! Seems like it was only yesterday that it was May and all of that. But here we are and it is a good day to pause, think about it all, and as a result, to offer up our praise and worship to our Great God. Amen. Memo to self: Be careful wearing red at any time because they will call you out, Jolly Old Elf! Now, I ask you, how funny is that? Here I am going about my business, pushing my grocery cart, and some of the little kids start acting odd when I pass them by. One older Hispanic lady pointed me out to her two granddaughters and called me Grande Santa. I looked up that word grande and one of the meanings is this: "a title of honour borne by the highest class of the Spanish nobility." I'm not exactly sure where Santa fits into that but I will take it as a compliment and be thankful for the toothy smiles from those little girls that accompanied it. I did see them again on my way out and had to stop and give each of them one of my Santa cards. They were thrilled and it was an okay experience for me as well. Then on this past Lord's Day Sunday, serveral of our children ran up to me to inform me that I had made their school yearbook. It took me a moment to remember but then it hit me. Yeah. I remember that Saturday morning at Broadway Elementary. We didn't count the kiddos but there had to have been over 300 that day and we all had a blast and it was there that I learned just how demanding this little sideline endeavor could be. I'm glad they were glad that I had made their yearbook. I'm sure you will agree, it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
We only have 206 shopping days until that Grande Day but for some they've already done their shopping. That has never appealed to me. Maybe I kind of like the pushing and shoving and getting an elbow or two as I franctically go about my hunting and gathering exercise each year. I remember someone talking about getting all of their shopping completed during the after Christmas sales, they also wrapped them all up, but did not label them properly and when they pulled them all out they couldn't determine to whom each package should be given. They ended up unwrapping them all, and even then, they couldn't remember exactly which person they had in mind for each present. Oh how I love a story that has such a sweet ending! Sorry. That was my advanced procrastination disorder cheering from the back of my head. My wife is very much less oriented around waiting until the last minute but we have found ways to compromise over the years which has given her some limited opportunities to shop early, say November, while reserving the last two weeks of December for me. I hear those murmurrings out there. No. My approach does not qualify under the domestic abuse laws, at least not in this state. Can't you see someone standing up for principle here? Instead of all that sympathy directed towards her, how about a little recognition for someone willing to expose himself to the perils of the mall during the most difficult time of the year? Yeah. That's what I am talking about! |
| Newly weds, Forrest and Rose! |
As we make our way forward doing this old age two step, it is good to find encouragement wherever you can. I read about one Mr. Forrest Lunsway. What's special about him? His headline read like this: "On 100th birthday, he married the woman of his dreams." His bride's name is Rose and she is 90 years young. I sure hope their age difference doesn't cause them problems, don't you? This California couple are on their way to the Guiness Book of Records. When asked how it feels to have become an internet sensation, Forrest replied, "Exhilirating, and exhausting!" Rose says her new husband can't get over all the fuss that's being made. They get calls night and day with requests for interviews and personal appearances. Folks, it looks like the public would just leave this newly married couple alone long enough for them to settle down. Some of my younger readers may think this story to be rather silly. Wait a few years or decades and that kind of headline just might capture your attention too. We wish them well and know that many will be encouraged by their story. I am very much certain we will be hearing more from them in the future. The number one question: What is the secret for living a long life? That's what the masses want to know. How about asking it from God's point of view? Here's what the Old Testament Prophet Micah had to say from his book, Chapter 6, Verse 8: "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?" If we focus our time and energy on answering the question embedded in this calling, the number of years will become much less important. Something for us all to think about. Amen. ....More later.
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