Happy Birthday to our Jimmy!

The photo was taken on Resurrection Day Sunday. The twins, Alesha and Amanda are now 15. Alexander Benjamin is 8. And, Jimmy Jr. is 17. Good morning and welcome to another one of the many days that we set aside to honor a family member as we remember the anniversary of their birth. Today is Wednesday, April 30, 2014, and our Jimmy was born on this same calendar day, on a Tuesday, back in 1968. Jimmy has been living with us the past several years due to his disability status. He is a very intelligent person with a whole lot of know how. God has blessed him with four wonderful children, two of which also live with us, and the other two we get to see often as all of them stay with us every other weekend. Jimmy suffers from a severe Bi-Polar disorder along with other health challenges. He has recently met a lady and they are currently making plans for their future together. We pray for him and pray that God will under gird the decisions being contemplated. Happy Birthday son and may God bless, from your mom and dad.

I looked over the recent Gallup polling that was done to gauge what people think about the states where they live. Montana and Alaska have the highest ratings.The state where we live here in Texas was in the top five. Most of the states in the East did not get high ratings at all. My point? These are often the folks who typically want to pontificate about and dictate their version of how life should be lived and regulated for everyone here in our nation. They tend to want to export all of their ideas and often are seen trying to impose them on others. Hello? Many of the states that receive high ratings in the poll are those that do their best to leave people alone and allow them to function and operate with freedom and liberty. No. Gallup didn't say that, it's my summary of what I saw. I'm not attempting to stir up division here but it would seem that some of these social engineers would be better off trying to figure out ways to improve the lives of folks who live in their own backyards. That would be my way of seeing it as in The View From Here and I might add that no keystrokes were killed in the preparation of this analysis, mangled a little maybe, but they do live on to fight another day.

This week is also a time of reflection as I think about the birthdays of two men that certainly made an impact on my life. I'm talking about my dad and my mom's dad, my grandfather. My dad was a part of bringing me into this world. I only have the briefest of images of stored in my memory bank from my childhood days. He died in January of 1954. I was seven years old. It was the most trying of times for my mom and my other five siblings. Yet, I am who I am today and he had something to do with that, therefore, I thank God for him. Anyone who knows me, anyone who has read my blogs, anyone who has heard me teach or have talked to me at any length know about my granddad. He was a larger than life figure to me and while I would be the first to recognize that he was thoroughly human and imperfect, at the same time, I know in my heart of hearts that he portrayed for me the model of integrity that I have sought to reflect in my own life. He was funny without realizing it. He was a man who always believed that action dictates substance, not talk. I miss him. He went home to his reward in 1971. Some say it was tragic but I have come to believe he was granted an early promotion. He lived only by the grace of God but if anyone ever earned an early promotion through the things he faced in life, well, my thought is that he would at least be on that list. (Hebrews Chapter 11) We all get to be who we are based on those who preceded us. I'm thankful for these men. I also know that I have much work to do to leave a lasting legacy for those who will one day think about me and my life. Amen.   ....More later.