"The things that have always been important: to be a good man, to try to live my life the way God would have me, to turn it over to Him that His will might be worked in my life, to do my work without looking back, to give it all I've got, and to take pride in my work as an honest performer." ~ Johnny Cash

Okay. Time to hit the ground running on this day where many will be doing their thing for Halloween, on this Thursday, October 31, 2013. I don't know if you saw these recently published photos. The one on the top was made by Ringo Starr when he and the rest of the Beatles made their first trip to the United States in 1964. With the help of the NBC Today Show they were able to locate these same folks and have them pose for the bottom photo. I never got into the Beatlemania craze that swept the nation but I can very much identify with these before and after shots. I would have been 17 years young and getting ready to graduate from high school when that first photo was taken in February of 1964. I had finally gotten my salvation straight in January and was going steady with the Preacher's daughter who would become my wife in December of that same year. Mr. Serious was what many folks called me, therefore, I suppose I didn't have time for the so called British pop invasion. I don't look back and say what if because I know this one thing, somehow the Lord God of heaven blessed me with the life I've been given. Sure, I would do many things differently than I did, but as for the wife and family I have, I was and continue to be a blessed man, period, and that's a fact Jack. (Sorry, too much Duck Dynasty.) Amen.

That first photo reminds me of us cruising around with a carload as we went here and there. Even as I sit and write this I can easily recall at least three or four who might have been in that car with me, but have gone on to their reward. It's amazing those folks were all still around for that 'after all these years' reunion photo. Since I intentionally turned onto this street marked memory lane, I can hear a song playing in my mind's ear that pretty much describes this little journey through time: "Time has made a change since my childhood days; Many of my friends have gone away, Some I never more in this life will see Time has made a change in me." Chorus: "Time has made a change in the old home place; Time has made a change in each smiling face, And I know my friends can plainly see Time has made a change in me." And, I have the scars to prove it! Joking only.

Speaking of time and change, here's some good news we all can look forward to. This coming Saturday night, (actually in the wee hours of Sunday), the powers that be will once again rearrange our lives with the semi-annual adjustment to our clocks, the Time Change. The good news lies in the fact that it is fall back as in the Fall Season, therefore, we gain an hour as we set back our clocks. I know a few people who have somehow figured out a way to get it wrong in both the Spring forward and the Fall back procedures. I do hear folks speak dreamingly of that illusive one extra hour of sleep. Others see it as a free additional hour to use up before bedtime. Whatever floats your boat, I suppose. Of course the reality of it is found in the fact that if we are still breathing air on the planet, we need to make the best of each day we are given in proving our love for the Lord in how we treat others. Thanks. I probably could do better in that area. How about you? Amen.  ....More later.