Yes, Virginia

September 21, 1897

Dear Editor: I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.' Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia O'Hanlon, 115 West Ninety-Fifth Street.


"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."

Thus begins the most well know editorial ever written in a newspaper. Most editorials are tossed out with the trash or end up at the bottom of a bird cage. Some of them may be stashed away for future reference, but are often lost and forgotten as generations pass. However, this one, written by Francis P. Church, over one-hundred years ago is read over and over every single year. There's at least one movie about it and thousands of printings can be found folded in books, tucked away in drawers or neatly preserved and brought out every year in sermons or parties or blogs like this one. Search the Internet and you'll find page after page of references to it with all sorts of stories behind the story, some true, some fictional, but all based on this one little letter by an 8 year old girl.

In their innocence and purity children have the uncanny ability of making adults stop and think about things they have ignored, taken for granted or about which they just outright hadn't given too much thought. How does a lightning bug make light? Where do the stars go in the daytime? Where to babies come from? Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why doesn't God just keep the old ones? In Bible times did they really talk like that? I was at a wedding and they kissed. Is it okay to kiss in church?

At what age do we stop believing? At what age do we quit asking questions? At what age do we just become apathetic to the world in which we live? When did church become boring instead of a chance to talk about God? When did Christmas become a chore instead of a time to which we looked forward with eager expectations? When did life become more mundane and less of an adventure?

"You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."

Jesus told us unless we become like little children we will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 18:3). Humility, purity, innocence, goodness and seeking to learn are but a few of the traits that are a part of each at every one of us at birth, before the world starts to take hold. It is only when we begin to look at the world through the eyes of a child that we can truly see what it looks like.

Christmas is a time to think about what life is really all about. It's a time to focus on a baby born thousands of years ago in a purity that would never be tainted by the ways of the world and man. It's a time to gather again those things we lost from our hearts. It's a time to start believing again.

"This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in rags and lying in a manger."

Family Reunions

This past weekend I went to the first family reunion I had been to in over 10 years. Like many families the Minton family has always made it a point to get together on a yearly basis to keep in touch. I believe this is an important part of a family's legacy and should be a practice that every family should make a part of their tradition.

While driving home my mind raced back to reunions of years past. I remember the Fourth of July reunions that took place in I believe my Uncle Carl's back yard when he lived next door to my Granny Minton. I remember when the cousins went around to all the uncles gathering everyone's change together and then being carted off to the fireworks stand returning with a treasure box of exploding missiles, bottle rockets and Roman candles.

I thought of all the Christmas' that the family would get together in Granny's house. I remembered the joking and laughter of my aunts and uncles and the cousins racing through the house and being made sure their every need was met by Granny. I can still hear the knock on the door as my Uncle Clyde came in dressed like Santa Claus. "Where's your reindeer?" several of us shouted. Without a pause he quickly told us "You didn't have a chimney so I parked them down at the corner." Of course we all believed him.

The sounds of dominoes shuffling as my uncles played "42" at the kitchen table are still clear in my head. I see my Aunt Mary enjoying and doting over every niece and nephew. I hear the distinctive laugh of my Uncle Troy. I listened to my Uncle Carl talk about the antique Ford he was restoring in his garage. In fact as I remember it, every single aunt and uncle had a great fondness for every niece and nephew. I can still see the presents, taste the food, hear the stories, smell the tree and feel the presence of love in the small house in Dallas, Texas.

Years later as I returned it was all still there. Yes, most of my aunts and uncles are now gone, but their spirit lives on in their children and grandchildren. There were familiar and not so familiar faces yet there was still a bond that pulsated through the room. It was the bond of family. A bond of love that had been started years ago by a hard working matriarch. A woman who after the death of her husband was left with a house full of children for whom to provide. A woman who I watched iron clothes for a living at 10 and 15 cents a piece when most women her age were sitting in rocking chairs on the front porch. As I look at the house full of people I thought to myself, "What better legacy to leave than a family that continues to love each other and want to be with each other decades after you have left this earth." I felt the ever present remnants of family love that remained from years gone by.

I'm also reminded of a second family reunion. This one is not yearly but weekly. It's the reunion we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we gather together with Him on Sunday mornings. It's a time of joy and love provided by the our most great and wonderful Patriarch. The one who loves us and takes care of our every need. I'm reminded of the church in Acts 2. "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." It is there too in this setting that you will feel the presence of the love , the love of our Lord and Savior and our God, our Patriarch.

Memories and Mementos

Sitting on my office desk is a glass case with a football from the 1965 AA State Game inside. Resting on the case is a book entitled "The Best High School Football in the Country". One step higher lying on the book is a baseball glove from my little league years some 50 years ago. Move down to the desktop and you'll find a homemade paperweight with a piece of fool's gold neatly encased within its clear acrylic shell, a memory from a trip to Apache Junction, Arizona many decades ago. On the other side of the room sitting quietly on a table is a piece of the original deck of the USS North Carolina, the ship my father served on during WWII and behind it a maroon songbook from the same place and era. Turn to the right and you'll see a pink camera, one of two that were given to my brother and me as we prepared to take a family trip to the Alamo and Corpus Christi. Further right you'll see on a shelf a set of baskets that belonged to my Granny Minton.

If you come to my house you'll find hanging on a hat rack a nice Stetson hat worn by my Uncle Carl. If you'll ask I'll show you the Civil War writings of my Great-Great Grandpa Hazilip and you'll even see the shaving mug used by my PaPa Tom or the porcelain cow from my MaMaw.
On a glass shelf by the kitchen is my first cup from... well we won't go there. In the bedroom is a chair that belonged to Kathy's Granny Brew and in the den a clock left to us by her mother.

In my closet you'll find a box filled with items of days long gone past. There are letters from well wishers when I broke my neck playing football years ago. Among the other items are chin straps from Junior High and High School football days, my high school diploma and a book containing cards with my high school classmates names printed on them. Shuffle through it and you'll find a pair of cuff links (a gift from a friend), a small trophy with a plastic football that Kathy gave me while we were dating, a high school pennant and my baby blanket. Then there are the boxes of photos of our boys, family and friends, hundreds of them.

There are other items too numerous to list, but they are all reminders of good memories that have embraced me in the past. As I look at each one it reminds me of the many friends and loved ones who have been a part of molding my life. There is little or no monetary value to any of the things I've mentioned, only sentimental value. If you picked it up at a garage sale you would probably set it down and say "I wouldn't even pay a nickel for that". To me, however, they are priceless. Memories are something on which you can never put a value. They are great treasures to the one who holds them dear and close to their hearts.

Oh, by the way there is another reminder I have. I have 30 or so of them in different colors, shapes and sizes. Some of them are red, some brown, a couple are white and several black. Three or four of them are so big they are bulky to carry and one is small enough to carry in my shirt pocket. They are at the office and at home and I even carry one on my cell phone. It's God's Word. A reminder of whose I am and how much He loves me.

The Blind Side

Kathy and I go to the movies once in a "Blue Moon", so when we go we try to pick one that is worth the money and time. We decided on my birthday to go see "The Blind Side" since I had seen the story last year on one of the college football games. Since I like sports movies and especially those that are true this was my obvious choice.

Before going I did something I don't normally do and that was read the reviews. I was surprised at how many negative comments were out there by the "critics". It was criticized by some as being another "upper class showing superiority by helping a poor black boy". Some didn't like the way the characters were portrayed while others thought the story was just too "goody-goody". This is why I don't pay attention to a lot of reviews. As for this film, however there were tons more positive than negative viewpoints.

Like the movie "Rudy" this is not really as much a sports movie as it is a movie about people. It's a great movie on what happens when people decide to help someone who needs something positive in their life. This story has little to do with race and everything to do with opening our eyes to someone who is in need. You can't ignore the race factor when a young black teenager moves in with an upper class white family, the by far it's a story of someone helping a fellow human being get their life on the proper track.

I would recommend this movie to everyone. With the exception of one conversation toward the end it is good clean movie with a great lesson. It's the story not as much of a rich family helping a poor young man but of a caring family helping a homeless young man by giving him a home to stay in and the opportunity to reach his full potential.

It's the story of Michael Oher and the Tuohy family. Michael Oher was recently drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. If you've read the book, Micheal Oher has said it is pretty accurate with the exception of the book questioning his I.Q. Which I'd have to agree with him since he was able to accomplish so much. The story actually tells us that many times we are the product of our environment and a situation that leaves no room for growth.

This is the story of a young man who has shown that he is able to get his life together and move forward in life leaving the past behind. The story of a man who will not let the downside of yesterday deter him from fulfilling great dreams.

It's also the story of a family who felt moved by God to help someone in need. It's the story of what can happen in a world where people care.

If you only see one movie this year or as I said once in a "Blue Moon", I'd pick this one. You won't regret it. You might take along an extra tissue though. By the way the movie next door was "New Moon", a much more popular but I'm sure much less uplifting than "The Blind Side".

When Worlds Come Crashing Down

There are times in a person's life that are suppose to be moments of euphoria. They are those times that we want to remember and relive over and over. Maybe it was a great athletic feat that won the big game or receiving an award in front of a large assembly. It could be your wedding day or the day you went forward and picked up that diploma that seemed so far away.

To parents it's when you see for the first time that small son or daughter that has come to live in your home. We've had the privilege of going through it twice. Both times were filled with smiles and laughter. But sometimes the smiles fail to last. Sometimes your world crashes down around you.

When our first son was 5 months old, Kathy took him in for a checkup. The pediatrician in a cold way blurted out to her, "your child is severely retarded". Since he was adopted and the adoption not yet final he urged her to give him back since he'd never be normal.

When your world comes crashing down and you are only 23 and 25 it's devastating. All your dreams seem to vanish into thin air. All your plans must now take a different orbit and move off into realms unknown. You cry, you get angry, but most of all you wonder "why" did this happen to me.

But somewhere along the line you have to decide that life goes on. Decisions have to be made. New plans have to be drawn up. You have to remap your life so you can keep going. You end up relying on God more than ever.

This year Scottie turned 36. Things haven't changed much in the last 36 years except that he is bigger. His mind and abilities are very little beyond the 5 months checkup. But we've made it through. It's been tough. It's still hard. But along the way there have been other smiles.

We have another son with a loving family that brings joy to our lives. He and his wife have a beautiful little girl that will make you smile. And when Scottie laughs it makes you feel good that he's enjoying something in this life.

When our worlds come crashing down, when our dreams fade away and when life gives us more than we think we can bear it's time to step back and look again. In doing that we can go down new and different paths. We can seek out other moments of euphoria.

When our worlds crash it doesn't mean our life has to die. It just means we have to rebuild.

Nehemiah once went outside the city of Jerusalem to inspect the walls. Upon reentering the city he spoke to the people saying, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace."

When our worlds come crashing down, the only way we can survive is to rebuild.

On Forwarding Email

Hardly a day goes by that I don't get an email that at the end wants me to forward it to 5 people or even everyone I know. They come in different forms. If I really love Jesus I'll forward this email on, indicating that if I don't forward it then I don't love Jesus. Others tell me if I'm patriotic then I'll send them on. Again it indicates that if I don't somehow I'm not a true American.

Next, there's the email that says I'll have good luck if I forward it to a certain number of people. Some of them even tell me the time the good luck will happen. On the opposite end are the ones that say I'll have bad luck if I don't send it on to someone else.

I've wondered, who is it out there that is determining if I love Jesus or if I'm patriotic or how lucky I'll be or not be by sending or not sending their email? What did they do before email to show love and patriotism? I don't ever remember sending a letter to prove my love or American pride. I do however remember getting a chain letter that threatened me with bad luck if I didn't send it to 5 people. I have had a little bad luck during the past 50 years or so. I guess I should have forwarded the letter!

Just to let you know, only on a rare occurrence do I forward an email and then only after I've removed all the meaningless threats at the end. But let me tell you something. I still love Jesus. My eyes still swell with tears when I hear the National Anthem at the Olympics. I've had all kinds of luck both good and bad and suspect I always will.

Simply put, forwarding an email gives us no assurance or promise whatsoever. We can share them if we think they are good, but not link them to who we are on the inside. We show we love Jesus by how we live every day. We show we are patriotic by flying our flag, by putting our hand over our hearts during the singing of our anthem or voting for our leaders. We realize that luck, bad or good happens, but by just living a good life we'll have more good than bad.

So next time you send me an email it will probably just stop right here on my computer. But you know what? I still love Jesus and my country and I still love you.

Oh, and by the way you might check Snopes and Truth or Fiction before you send me that 3 year old email about the non-existent virus that is going to wipe out my computer!

Tapley Holland

Who is Tapley Holland? That's the question that the majority of people who read this are probably asking. He's not a household name. He was not a movie star or great sports figure. He was never elected to public office or nominated for some political post. His chest was not covered with medals, nor was he in command of a great military regiment.

Tapley Holland was born in 1810 in the state of Ohio, the son of Canadian immigrants to the United States. Tapley's family moved to Texas in 1822 as part of the "Old Three Hundred" settlers.

On March 5, 1836 Col. William Travis knew that the fate of the men of the Alamo was sealed. For twelve days they had held off Santa Anna's slowly tightening assault. Now with the Mexican army a mere 200 yards away from the Northern wall, their fate was dim. Col. Travis vowed to stay and fight, but that was his choice. On that day he took his sword and drew a line in the sand. Looking across at the 180 plus men, mostly volunteers he told them that whoever wished to stay and fight should cross the line. No man would be shamed or looked down on for not staying. All the men crossed but two. One was Jim Bowie, who lay sick on his cot. He requested that he be carried across the line and four volunteers helped him over. The other was Louis Moses Rose.

The first man to cross did it as soon as Travis made his charge. The young man was 26 year old Tapley Holland. Upon crossing the brave volunteer stated, "I am ready to die for my country". Over 180 men crossed the line knowing fully that they would die within days, maybe hours. However they took the challenge led by this brave young man.

With such great names as Crockett, Bowie, Bonham, Dickinson and Travis an ordinary soldier's name can get lost in the crowd. Yet what he did on that cold March day of 1836 showed great bravery and love for his country.

Centuries before Jesus stood before a group of hand picked volunteers and figuratively drew a line in the sand. "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." They are told they will face persecution, insults and even death. Yet they accepted the challenge because they knew the cause and were ready to die for their savior.

God needs men who are willing to serve. it doesn't matter to him whether we are a leader or a follower. What matters is are we willing to make the sacrifice. Do we have the courage to say, "I am willing to die for my God?" Do we have the love to say, "I will die so that others can be free"?

When was the last time you stepped across the line?

"Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down hi life for his friends" (John 15:13).

What Difference Do It Make

One of the most inspiring books that I have read over the past few years is Ron Hall and Denver Moore's book, "Same Kind of Different as Me." I've just finished reading their new book, "What Difference Do It Make?"

This book tells of how the story they shared in the first book changed the lives of people who read it. In addition it is a heartwarming story of Ron Hall and dealing with a tough relationship with his father. It's another book that you'll have a hard time putting it down.

What I like about it most is how it shows that the principles of dealing with the homeless should also be used in dealing with all others around us. Love, compassion, encouragement, devotion and the like are qualities that should be a part of us no matter who we are around.

Isn't this exactly what Jesus and his follower taught! "Do for others as you would have them do for you." "Love one another." "Let us do good to all people." "For we are God's workmanship created in Jesus to do good works." "Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good." "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

It's amazing to see how one woman, Deborah Hall, is changing the world because one day she wanted to go work at a homeless shelter in Ft. Worth, Texas. We just never know how God can use us for His glory.

The Blue Butterfly

"The Blue Butterfly" is probably one of those movies that when you see the title you keep on scrolling down the menu. It's not a real exciting movie. There are few action scenes and basically no violence.

But it is a love story. It's the story of a mother who wants her 10 year old terminally ill son to be able to travel to the rain forest to capture a rare blue butterfly. He has heard an entomologist say how that when you hold the blue butterfly it unravels the mysteries of the universe.

The young man is determined to capture the butterfly before he dies from a brain tumor. He actually is obsessed with obtaining this one certain butterfly. Along the way he meets a young girl who questions why he wants to find this butterfly so badly. After his explanation she tells him "the blue butterfly" is really everything. The idea is to look around and see all the things he is missing by being so focused on one single insect. He is in the middle of one of the most beautiful places on the earth where life and color abound, but passes it all by with little interest.

Then one day he opens his eyes and notices a scarab. He realizes that there are things in this world more important than the elusive blue butterfly. There are people who care. There are unnoticed mysteries that come to life. He realizes he is trapped in a world of which he wants to be freed.

When he finally obtains the blue butterfly he sits outside on a bench, opens the cage, removes the butterfly and sets him free. He tells the butterfly instead of being trapped it will live.

Unfortunately, that's the way a lot of us are today. We are trapped in worlds headed in the wrong direction. We may be obsessed with making money, climbing the corporate ladder or some personal goal. We become so entangled in our obsession that we fail to see the world around us. We let life go by in a desire to reach a goal that in the end gives little satisfaction. Once we realize where we're headed and the emptiness it holds we long to be free.

Jesus had the answer when he said "Seek first the kingdom of God and then all these things will be given to you." Very simply to be free we must be obsessed with seeking God.

By the way the movie is based on a true story. When the young boy returned home his tumor was gone. He was set free from his illness to live a long life.

Yale vs Harvard

It was in the early 1920s and Yale was preparing for it's big game against rival Harvard. These schools along with Princeton were the powerhouses of the early years of football, dominating the game until 1919, and this was always a big game. The quarterback and one of the captains was Charles Buell. Charles along with teammates George Owen and Charles Hubbard had been selected to the consensus All-American team in 1922.

In 1921 Charles along with Owen were named team captains. On the night of one particular game between Yale and Harvard Charles Buell was injured. He had injured his shoulder in a previous game but was going to play in this particular game anyway because it was so big.

The sentiment going around the Yale team was that a few good hits on Buell's shoulder and they could knock him out of the game giving Yale a decided edge. Coach T.A.D. "Tad" Jones then spoke to his players. Earlier in 1916 when he coached Yale before going off to WWI before a game with Harvard he challenged his players, "Gentlemen, you are now going to play football against Harvard. Never again in your whole life will you do anything so important."

But this was 1922. Coach Jones stood before his team and told them he was aware of the injury to Charles Buell. He then admonished his team telling them that any member of the team who deliberately hit Buell on his injured shoulder would be pulled from the game. If they were to win it would not be by taking advantage of injured players with cheap shots.

Late in the fourth quarter the score was tied 3-3. Charles Buell then took the ball and made the winning touchdown for Harvard with the game ending, Harvard 10, Yale 3.

However, while the winner on the field may have been Harvard the true winner was the man in the Yale locker room before the game. T.A.D. "Tad" Jones had shown his players that there is much more to football than winning the game on the scoreboard. True athletes know the value of sportsmanship. When you loose that you lose the game no matter what the score.

Sportswriter Grantland Rice is credited with coining the phrase "It's not whether you win or lose. It's how you play the game." At the time he was referring to a golf match and the gentleman atmosphere. However, it does hold true in all parts of life, although there are those who disagree with the phrase. It does tell us that in life there are more important things that always being first.

"For to me to live is Christ." Philippians 1:21

Clean Dirt

I was traveling down one of the commercial streets here in Abilene one day and saw the sign, "Clean Dirt". That struck me odd since I was always told that dirt was "dirty". I was told to wash the dirt off my hands before I ate. I washed the dirt out of my hair and my mom cleaned my "dirty" clothes.

There was a time that I had my "dirty" mouth cleaned out with Lifebuoy soap. I listened to guys tell "dirty" jokes and even saw them pass around "dirty" books. I had to take off my "dirty" shoes before coming into the house and couldn't sit on the couch until I had taken a bath to clean my "dirty" body.

But one thing I never did was try to clean dirt. When we try to clean it it just becomes mud and then when it's dry it is harder than it was before. After it's hardened it's even more difficult to get rid of. In reality it's impossible to "clean dirt". Dirt is always dirty no matter how much you wash it.

That's the way it is with sin in our lives. If we allow our lives to be mired in sin it will keep us from being clean. As long as we live in sin we're going to be dirty. We can hide it from everyone else, but it's still there. We can disguise it, but it's still there. We can ignore it, but it's still there. The more we hide it or the more we disguise it or the more we ignore it trying to make it look okay the harder it becomes and more difficult to remove.

The only way to get rid of the dirt is to wash it away completely, for in reality there is no such thing as clean dirt just as there is no such thing as good sin. They are both an oxymoron.

The Word as recorded in Isaiah "Wash and make yourself clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. "Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord. 'Though your sin are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'" Isaiah 1:16-18.

"Clean Dirt" simply means no trash or impurities. So it should be with our lives.

Devil in the White City

The 1893 Chicago Columbian Exposition World's Fair was to be one of the greatest events of the 19th Century. The previous fair in Paris highlighted by the Eiffel Tower was to be nothing compared to what Chicago had to offer.

There would be grand buildings all whitewashed that gave a gleaming portrait when the lights were turned on at night. It was labeled the "White City". The fair would introduce a host of new products. The first dishwasher would be displayed. Cracker Jacks, Wrigley's Juicy Fruit Gum, Aunt Jemima Pancake Syrup, Cream of Wheat and picture postcards would all be introduced to the public. In all there would be more than 65,000 exhibits.

The biggest attraction meant to "Out Eiffel, Eiffel" would also make it's debut. It was a gigantic wheel support by two steel towers. Around the wheel were 36 wooden cradles each with a capacity of 60 people. For 50 cents a person, one could take two complete revolutions on the 26 story high contraption built by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., the Ferris Wheel.

However, in the midst of the excitement only a few blocks away from the "White City" stood "the Castle" as people called it. It was a ominous looking building designed and constructed by a man named Herman Webster Mudgett aka. Henry Howard (H.H.) Holmes. In a world of wonder and amazement where people were laughing and enjoying the sights and sound of the world's greatest fair the first know American serial killer took the lives of 27 by his confession, but the number is said to have exceeded over 200.

Erik Larson details the story of both in his book The Devil in the White City. Holmes is quoted as saying of himself, "I was born with the devil in me. I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing -- I was born with the "Evil One" standing as my sponsor beside the bed where I was ushered into the world, and he has been with me since."

In a way this is exactly how Satan works in today's world. His ways are subtle and hidden and often go unnoticed by the world until it is too late. When things are going well , life seems smooth we become complacent with what is happening around us he reaches out and drags us down with his sly, evil ways. It can happen when we least expect it.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians "the Lord is faithful and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3. As we live our lives we must learn to be careful of becoming complacent in life and to always be aware that there is one who is always watching over us to protect us from the one who is working against us.

A Message From Space?

As you look through the Hubble Telescope you view many wonders of the universe. But there is one galaxy 23 million light years away called the Whirlpool Galaxy. Located at its core is what astronomers call an "X" structure. However when you look at it at first glance it doesn't look like and "X" but a cross. In the depths of space a message is sent to us. It's a simple message. "No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) It's an interesting picture deep in space. I suggest another name for it instead of "X" structure. How about "Heaven's Gate"!

Photo courtesy of www.hubblesite.org

Cornbread

When Kathy and I first got married we lived in a little house on Orange Street in Abilene. We didn't have much. She was working for $50 a week at the Public Relations department at Abilene Christian. I was going to school and working part-time at Gibsons Discount Center.

We didn't have a lot of bills, but it was enough for a young college couple, I was 21 and she was 19, to have to struggle to make ends meet. Our rent was $60 per month and we were paying one of our old high school teachers $50 per month for a used car we had bought from them. I was able to purchase an old window air conditioner for the bedroom. We also splurged after the first six months and got a telephone. The biggest mistake that probably put us in a bind was buying a stereo and charging it. That was an extra $10 per month that we put out. Now days that doesn't sound like a lot of money, but remember to us that was a full days pay for Kathy or a couple of days of my part time pay.

There was one month that we got down to the last couple of days and we were out of funds. The bills were paid, but we had absolutely no money to buy food and it was a couple of days before either of us got paid. We had very little food in the house. There was notmeat or vegetables only a few eggs, a little milk and cornbread. So I remember the night before we got paid the next day, our supper was simply a plate of cornbread. That's it. There was no meat, no vegetables, no desert only cornbread and water to drink.

As I look back I guess we could have called our parents and gotten some help, but we didn't. We could have gone to the church and I'm sure they'd have helped us out, but we didn't. We even had friends that would have fed us, but we didn't ask. We even could have gotten an advance on her paycheck, but we didn't think of that either.

I guess we were college student poor. But you know, I believe that those were some of the happiest times of our lives. Happiness wasn't centered around the things we had or didn't have. Oh we wanted these things, but weren't obsessed with obtaining them. I was going to school to be a preacher. We wanted to share Christ with the world. We had cornbread, but more importantly we had each other.

When our priorities become the things of this world we easily lose focus on the things that are important. Our wives, our husbands, our children, our families are much more important than the physical things of this world. They are our treasures. Happiness comes, not from the riches we can obtain in this world, but from the loving relationships that we can grow with each other.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matt. 6:19-21

Sometimes in my hectic world I think it would be nice to go back and have cornbread for supper.

Up and Over

Growing up I played a lot of sandlot baseball. In the summer every week we'd get a group together and head to the field behind the old high school building. Sometimes we'd have a dozen or so and other times we'd have only seven or eight.

It was when we had so few that we'd play scrub baseball with three batters and the rest would play the field. It took a lot more running and better play to move around, so the bigger boys were at bats a lot more than those of us who were smaller.

I was short and weighed about 60 pounds in those days. The first time I came to play with the big guys I wasn't expected to do much. During this first game it was my turn to bat. I remember it well. The fielders felt so threatened by me that the infield moved in right behind the picture and the outfield moved in to the edge of the infield sand area. You can imagine how embarrassing it was to see this. Everyone was so close I could have thrown my bat and hit any of them easily.

I was always a first pitch hitter, so when the pitcher threw the first pitch I swung hard. More action took place in the next few seconds than the entire time we had been playing. You see, not only did I hit the ball over everyone's head, it sailed out to where they would have been for any other batter. From there is was a mad dash around the bases for me as the outfielders were racing as hard as they could to get the ball as it rolled toward the street behind left field.

A scrawny 60 pound little kid had embarrassed them all. I can still remember it clearly. The next time it was my turn to bat no one moved in closer. The outfielders held their place ready to catch a fly ball that came their way.

Paul wrote to the Philippians, "I can do everything through Him, who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:13) Failure comes when we convince ourselves that we cannot succeed. If we believe in ourselves even when others don't we can do great things. Take notice that Paul did not say he could do anything, but that he could do everything. There is nothing that I can't accomplish with God on my side.

I was never a power hitter, but good enough with enough confidence that no one every moved up on me again.



Image courtesy of http://www.iloveclipart.com

It Seems Like Only Yesterday...

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When I received the call, "how would you like a baby boy?";

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When the caller asked excitedly, “do you want another boy?”;

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When I held my boys, rocking them to sleep at night;

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When I watched my son take the field at his high school football games;

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When I stood cheering on the sideline at soccer games;

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When there were Star Wars and E.T. packages under the Christmas tree;

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When there were light sabers and miniature cars and crayons on the floor;

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When I dried the tears caused by a scraped knee or overturned bicycle;

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When I could hold both sons, one in each arm;

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When there were crying babies and bottles in the middle of the night;

It Seems Like Only Yesterday…

When there were goodnight hugs and kisses;

Time goes fast and as I reminisce it seems to have raced by. Where did it go? Did I ever think I’d miss all the little things? As I look back I can remember a time when I told myself “I don’t want these boys to grow up.” But time was something I couldn’t stop. There are times now that exist only in my memory; times that if I could relive I’d cherish much more.

It’s tough being a parent, but there are so many more good times to remember than there are struggles. We just need to take the time to take hold of them. We should cherish the todays and look forward to the tomorrows. For before we know it, one day we’ll open our eyes and all our todays and tomorrows will only be our fond memories of yesterday.

The Almost Home Run

We were behind by two runs with two outs and a man on second base. I was the third batter in the lineup and was on deck. Bill, our second batter was one of our best hitters and capable of hitting long balls.

The dilemma the other team faced was to either pitch to Bill or to walk him and pitch to me, someone who didn't seem at least to be a power hitter. I think it took all of two seconds before they decided to pitch to me and threw four balls intentionally walking Bill.

The outfield was in some to try and get a cut off at the plate just in case I hit it their way. The first pitch was a strike that I took a swing at and missed. On the second pitch I connected as well as any ball I'd ever hit. The ball went sailing high over the left fielder's head and into the edge of the woods. We didn't have fences so home runs had to be run out. I rounded first and headed for second, then third and easily crossing home plate for a home run.

Then it happened, the ball came in to second and the second baseman touched the base. The umpire called me out saying that I'd never touched second base. I was furious. I had touched the base. The coach was mad and our team was mad. It was a really big deal. In fact the coach almost quit over it. The home run I almost had was nullified. We lost in the next inning and were devastated.

The secret that I hold in my heart and I alone know until you read this is that I never touched second base. The second baseman was right and the umpire was right. This has been my secret for almost 50 years and one that I still feel ashamed about. It was a lie that could have hurt relationships for a long time. But instead of admitting that I messed up, I covered it up for all these years. Now, the coach and umpire are both dead. Actually, they probably forgot about it 49 and 1/2 years ago, but I didn't and now it can never be corrected.

Lying does that to us. Many times we're the only one who knows the truth, but that doesn't make it right. Once it's done it at times is impossible to correct the damage that is done to others and or to yourself.

Today, I cherish my integrity. I'm not perfect, but I try to be truthful with everyone. Sometimes it's hard and it hurts to face it, but not as much as keeping it buried in your heart.

Proverbs 6:16ff - There are six things the Lord hates one of those is a lying tongue.

Clip art courtesy of http://www.iloveclipart.com

The Empty Room

Well, for the first time in 36 years Kathy and I stayed at home without anybody but ourselves. For 18 years it was the two of of us with our two boys and the dog. When our youngest went off to college that left us with just our oldest, who has cerebral palsy and our two dogs. Two years ago one of our dogs died and a few weeks ago our second dog died. That left the three of us.

Last week our oldest developed pneumonia and had to be put into the hospital. With him in ICU we came home to a dark quiet house, no kids, not pets. It was just the two of us. It was an eerie feeling to walk into the boys' room and know nobody would be sleeping there that night or the next few nights for that matter.

I turned off the monitor in our bedroom for the night for the first time in years. There would be no getting up 2 or 3 times a night to check on our son. There would be no dog scratching the side of the bed in the morning to take a trip outside. There would be no feedings of son or dog during the day. The TV would remain quiet. Fewer clothes would be washed. It would be quiet for the next several days.

But, you know, it really wasn't peaceful. You'd think that it would be nice to be in the quiet atmosphere without as many responsibilities as before. The nights were filled with concern for our sons. Our youngest was in the middle of a move and he and his family were all sick. The oldest was lying in the hospital. We'd come in late and arise early to get back up to check on him.

I believe God's kind of like that. There is really no rest while his children are hurting. He lives with a constant concern for them and their well being. He cares for us every sleeping and waking hour that we live. David wrote in the Psalm 55, "Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice."

Jesus talked about the rooms in His Father's house in John 14, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you".

It's comforting to know that God will never rest as long as there is an empty room.

Last night I slept better. The monitor was on and the room was no longer empty.

To See Tomorrow

Have you ever wished you could see into tomorrow to find out what it holds for you? People spend lots of money to try and do just that. Palm Readers, Fortune Tellers, Ouija Boards, Tarot Cards, Horoscopes and the list goes on, are all ways that people want to see what their future holds. In reality you can see into tomorrow. That is if you are in the right place.

Between the Russian mainland and Alaska there are a couple of islands. They are the Diomede Islands. The larger one "Big" Diomede is part of Russia. The smaller one "Little" Diomede is part of the state of Alaska. They are about two and a half miles apart. The interesting thing is that the International Date Line runs between the two Islands. Therefore, you can stand on the shore of Little Diomede and cast your eyes on Big Diomede. When you do you are looking 21 hours into the future. You are looking at tomorrow.

In fact, with permission of course, you could get into a boat head out from Little Diomede to Big Diomede, check out tomorrow and then come back to today. That's about a half hour trip there and back. While on the big island you can look back at yesterday and come back to today on your trip home.

Of course you can't predict what will happen to you on that island, but there is one lesson that can be learned from visiting tomorrow. There is one constant that you can always count on. That is that Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, and Today and Forever. (Heb. 13:8)

With this in mind we can always look into tomorrow with the confidence that our Savior will be there to meet us.

All I Have to Give

It used to be popular for traveling missionaries to go through areas of the African jungles and establish congregations of Christian worshipers. When first converted many of these congregations were very strict and serious about making sure that they followed the way of the New Testament.

It was the practice at these meetings to carry a large basket during the offering and pass in front of each individual for them to place whatever offering they had brought to the Lord. Everyone was expected to give a gift to God for his work to be done.

At one particular meeting the basket was being carried down the aisle with people placing what they could in its coffer. Finally the two men came to a young teenage boy who had nothing to put in the basket. All he had was the clothes he wore. The men stood in front of the lad waiting, but to no avail. In order to make an example of him the two men sat the basket down and stood silently staring at the embarrassed young man.

The scene lasted for several minutes with the entire congregation focused on the young man as he stood, head bowed with tears rolling down his cheeks. As the two men decided it was useless , but their point being made, they started to pick up the basket. Suddenly, the young teenager raised his head, smiled and stepped into the basket. Proudly he proclaimed, "All I have to give is me, so me I give to God."

Amazingly that's what God really wants as a gift from us, the gift of ourselves. We can give of all the riches we have, but none of it means anything to God unless it is from within our hearts. Our primary gift to God should be our very lives. If we do this not only will God receive what he wants from us, but a heart given to God also turns over not only token gifts of our riches, but all of what we possess.

Jesus told the rich young ruler that if he wanted to do God's will, he must go sell everything he had and follow Him. In other words, Jesus must mean more to us than any worldly possession we have.

Now, when was the last time you stepped into the basket?

Young at Heart

This message is to those of us who are growing older and those who will get there before you know it. I'm always hearing people complain about growing old. I see them "give up" on life and act old when there is still usefulness in their lives. As I get older my knees pop when I get up, my back aches, I need glasses to read, my hair is gray and a little thinner and the joints in my hands struggle with arthritis. However, in reality as we grow older our age is really in our minds. Of course we are physically limited and can't do at 60+ what we could do at 20, but that doesn't mean we have to act old. To be old doesn't have to mean to be useless. It doesn't have to mean outdated. We don't have to be seen as people caught in the past.

Jimmy Durante (I guess this shows my age even mentioning his name) sang a song written by Johnny Richards with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh entitled "Young at Heart" Here are the words:

Fairy tales can come true,
It can happen to you,
If your young at heart.
For it's hard you will find
To be narrow of mind
If you're young at heart.
You can go to extremes
With impossible dreams,
You can laugh
When your dreams
Fall apart at the seams.
And life becomes exciting
With each passing day,
And love is either in your heart
Or on it's way.
Don't you know
That it's worth
Every treasure on earth
To be young at heart.
And as rich as you are
You're much better by far,
To be young at heart.
And if you should survive
To a hundred and five,
Look at all you'll derive
By just being alive.
Now here is the best part,
You have a head start,
If you are amongst the very young...
At heart."

Following is a video sent to me of a couple in their 90's at the Mayo Clinic. It shows life can still be fun as we continue to grow older.

Remember: "The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old." Proverbs 20:29

The Farmer and the Lord

In this life many of us have the tendency to dwell on the negatives of life, how bad things are getting, things we don't like or don't have and so on. We ignore the positives as a result fail to see all the good that's happening around us. I've always liked this little poem by Jim Wilson. It makes us stop, think and be grateful for what we have and not just whine about what we don't.

THE FARMER AND THE LORD

(by Jim Wilson)

(Words as performed by Jim Reeves on the Grand Ole Opry Show)

While restin' one evenin' by the side of the road.
I saw an old farmer in a field he'd just hoed.

His face was all wrinkled and browned by the wind,
And he was talkin' to the Lord, just like you'd be talkin' to a friend.

Well, Sir, he said in a voice calm and quiet.
Them corn tassels need sackin', but, uh, got no string to tie it.

Had no rain in so long the fields are mighty dusty,
And it's been so unbearable hot that the kids are even gettin' fussy.

Now that grass down in the pasture, should be knee high.
If we could just have a little shower Lord, It might keep the cow from going dry.

Aw, but listen to me talkin' Lord, you'd think I was ungreatful.
Why, if you didn't know me so well, you'd think I was downright hateful.

You'd think I'd forgot about the new calf you sent,
The money in the mail that took care of the rent.

Ma's cold's better and Johnny's home from the Navy,
And that good Sunday dinner of chicken, dumplin's and gravy.

And the new preacher you sent us Lord, he's sure a fine young man.
Why he's just been convertin' them sinners to beat the band.

Well, guess I'll be moseyin' along Lord, won't take no more of your time.
Guess there's pleanty of folks hereabouts waitin' to ring your line.

Evenin' to you Lord and watch over us tonight.
And don't you worry about us none Lord, cause everythings gonna be alright.

The Ordeal

At 8:30 on December 11, 1965 I began an ordeal that would last for the next six months. When I couldn't stand up without help on the sideline Coach Gray called for the doctor to come down. After some preliminary tests Dr. Apple decided that I should go to the hospital for x-rays.

At the hospital, not really knowing the extent of my injury I was put in a wheel chair with my jersey and shoulder pads removed over my head without regard to what injury there may be. I was taken to the x-ray room where the technician moved me in all sorts of directions to get pictures of my shoulders and neck. Then is was back to a stretcher where I lay on my back waiting for the results.

The next thing I remember is a doctor coming up to me and saying, "lay very still and don't move." This was an odd request since I had been moved every which way since tackling the player on the field. Then I heard the doctor say that I had crushed the fifth cervical vertebrae. I was wheeled to an operating room where they prepared to drill a couple of holes in my head and put me in traction. While waiting a group of doctors came in and moved me to the side of the room while they rushed in a man from an automobile accident into the same room. As they frantically worked on him I heard the final comments "It's no use. He's dead."

For the next 7 weeks I was in traction in a foster frame. To turn me over I had to have a canvas bed like the one I was lying on placed on top of me, bolted to the bed and the whole bed turned, removing then removing the part that I had been lying on. It was 7 weeks of lying flat on my back or stomach.

At the end of this time I was taken to an operating room where I was put in a plaster cast. It rested on my hips, covering my back, chest and head. The only openings were for the arms and then around my head for my face, ears, throat and top of my head. This 20# plus cast would be with me for the next 6-7 weeks. The only pivot place would be my hips. This was the only time I cried during the entire 6 month ordeal. At this time I felt trapped. The only good thing was I could now walk around and sit in a chair. Of course whether lying down or sitting, I was always on a rock. I'm sure I was scary looking, looking like a zombie. I know I was to my youngest brother when I first came home.

The day finally came when I went into have the cast removed. That was the happiest day of the entire ordeal. For the next several months I'd be in a neck brace, but when I sat down on the hard vinyl seat of our Falcon Futura I felt like I was sitting on nice fluffy pillow. Now I could take a shower, get my hair cut, drive a car and lie on a nice comfortable bed.

Then in June of 1966 I was able to take off the brace and resume a more normal life. My future would be changed however. There would be no college football, no military service and arthritis in my neck whenever the weather changed too drastically. But there was no more paralysis and I was able to move on with life.

Every day I realize how fortunate I was to be where I am today. Every once in a while I look back I wonder at times how I made it through this ordeal so easily. Then the answer comes as easily as the question. It was the support of friends and loved ones. I received hundreds of cards and letters from the people of Plano as well as places far away from my hometown. I knew I was in the thoughts and prayers of thousands of people, most of whom I had never met and never would.

The week following my injury the Plano Wildcats went on to win their first state championship and was on the road to become one of the best high school football programs in the state of Texas. Upon returning my teammates presented me with the game ball from the state championship. I'm looking at it as I sit here writing this blog. It's a Spalding J5-V. It's just a football to most people, but to me it's the love of group of my brothers that I'll never forget.

"If one falls down, a friend can help him up. But pity the man who fall and has no one to help him up." Ecclesiastes 4:10 I survived because of those who were there to help me up.

A Night to Remember

Many of us, and we all will at some time, have had a life changing event occur in our lives that changed the course of our destiny. These events usually make us step back and look at life differently than before. They sometimes give us wisdom and a strong desire to succeed in ways we could never had imagined. Others send us into a downward spiral that infiltrates every part of our lives. In many cases the same event could be the cause of either scenario. That's all determined on how we personally choose to use the event.

One such event happened to me on December 11, 1965 in Wichita Falls, Texas. Our high school football team, the Plano Wildcats, was only one game away from reaching the state AA championship game. We stepped on the field that night against a strong, highly favored team, the Iowa Park Hawks. Most papers were picking the Hawks by two touchdowns and to be the northern Texas representative in the title game.

The year had started out rough for me. I had had three injuries, a bad ankle sprain that hobbled me in the first game, a broken collar bone in another game kept me out another 6 weeks and a bad hip bruise that sidelined me in yet another. But this was my senior year and I loved football so I'd try to get back in the groove in the midst of these trials. As a result of all the injuries and having to be replaced at tailback I was now placed in the position of offensive and defensive end. I must have been about the smallest defensive end in the state at 5'7" and 150 lbs. (Of course the 150 lbs was what was on the program which was a slight exaggeration of 7 or 8 lbs.).

The event that changed my life happened in the first quarter with the score tied 0-0. On this particular play my job was to cover the split end to my side and turn any runner to the inside to trap him in the midst of our pursing line. On this particular play Iowa Parks top runner came around the end and I held my position to turn him inside. As he came around the end the runner didn't have much of a choice. He could either turn up field into a group of 6' 190 lb. linemen or challenge me and my much smaller stature. I held my position, planted by cleats in the sod and took him on planting my head firmly in his stomach.

The next thing I remember is a slow motion fall backwards. I don't remember being knocked out, but when I opened my eyes the first thing I saw were coaches hovering over me. To the best of my recollection the first thing that I said was "I can't move coach". There was no panic, no fear and oddly enough no pain., but I was paralyzed from the neck down. The coach's response to my comment was "You're just scared". Looking back on it I think he was the one scared. I just couldn't move.

The paralysis lasted a short time I'm guessing since before long I could move my leg. My concern at the time was holding up the game so I asked the coaches to carry me off the field. This act in itself could have been devastating due to the later findings. At the sideline our manager helped me to the bench. A short time later the coach asked if I was ready to go back into the game. I raised about 6 inches off the bench and sat back down. I had no strength to stand up. It was then that the doctor came down and decided that I needed to be taken to the hospital.

I had broken my neck, the 5th cervical vertebrae. The word I heard from the doctor was "crushed". I was lucky to able to move at all. Football was over. The ordeal that followed would be tough for an eighteen year old. I'll discuss that in the following post. Yet I'm blessed with a full recovery. So many others have not been as fortunate. To this day when I see someone hurt on the football field the first thing I look at is their legs. As they lie still on the turf I look for sign of movement. If he moves his leg I have a sigh of relief.

I have seen other boys loose the ability to use their arms or legs because of such an accident and I hurt for them and with them. I always think, "that could be me!"

I do not know why I was so fortunate. I do know however that it changed the way I view life. God gives us this short life and we can use it for all sorts of things. The one thing we never know is exactly how long we have to accomplish them. We can use our life to make a difference or we can waste it. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3 that there is a time for everything.,"a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and an time to laugh, at time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, at time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."

The decision on how we use life changing events is up to us. They are a time to pay attention.

Oh, by the way we won the game 40-8!