"A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love." Saint Basil, Greek Bishop, (330 AD - 379 AD)

Wow! Wednesday. Already? Yep. This one happens to fall on August 26, 2015. People remember things that you were involved with even though you have no recollection of it. I've had a number of those types of encounters over the years. I read one from a fellow Santa, (Walt, friend on Facebook, in the photo), the other day that can be an object lesson for us all. This fellow is retired after thirty five years as a narc cop out in California. He is also an Army veteran. He and his wife travel in their RV for most of the year. This past week he met up with a fellow he served with in his Military Police unit in Germany. They had not seen each other in forty five years. They had dinner together. During their conversation the fellow he served with brought up something from a long time ago. He said he had never forgotten that when he had received word of a death in his family that the Santa fellow had volunteered to take his night duty so that he could have some time alone. The Santa fellow couldn't even recall that it ever happened. The other fellow could. He said he often thought about what that simple act had meant to him. See there? The Santa fellow closed out his little story by reminding us all that while we might not give a second thought to performing a random act of kindness we just never know what it might do for someone else. Lesson heard. Now it's up to us all to see what we will do with it. Amen.

This past Saturday I was reminiscing with my wife's eldest brother Cleon. When we got married we went on a very abbreviated honeymoon and then we drove directly to Cleon's to celebrate Christmas with the Rawles Clan. That was back in 1964. He had forgotten that but it reminded me of the blessings that God has provided to our two families through my great fortune when He allowed me to find that little girl in the top photo, Marilyn, and have now been privileged to call her my wife for nearly 51 years. She may have been called 'Lil Bit' back then but she packed a wallop. I can still remember that safe that fell out of the building and hit me on top of the head when I was first attracted to her. That was a long time ago but I can remember it like it was yesterday. Nowadays I have to put up with hearing people say how that she still looks the same while looking at me and saying 'Hello Santa'. They actually lower their voice when they say that. They must not know there really is a list. I am, after all, the Head Checker! Twice!

The other day one of the people I'm friends with posted the first 14 verses from the 139th Division of the Psalms on Facebook. No commentary, just God's word from that passage. It was interesting that the very next posting was a from a young man speaking about the presence of God in our lives and he also used that same passage to point out how that God knows everything, every bit of it, before we even formulate the thought or word, He knows us. Okay. Back to back written by people who don't know each other. Probably just coincidence. Right? I'm not so sure. Maybe God wanted me to look more closely at Psalm 139. Maybe He has something for me to learn from that passage. He does know what each of us stand in need of and I am thankful that He acts to let us know where we can hear from Him. It could actually be a coincidence but here's the way I see it. You can never go wrong when you respond to a call to seek God's voice through His Word. Amen. I don't know why but I am still chuckling about that young lady demanding to know who Amber Alert is that keeps appearing on her husband's cellphone. Why is that funny to me? I suppose it is different strokes, but, I want you to go out there and have yourself a blessed day, and I'll do my best to keep the home fires tended to here. Amen. ....More later.