Birthday Boy

Today, about an hour from when I’m writing this, I officially become 76 years old…er, “of age.” I have a hard time thinking of myself as old. I’m not complaining about the years, I enjoy 7 decades of memories (most of them); and I seldom feel the age. Because of where I go most days I talk with a lot of folks who are aging  a bit more harshly than it seems I am. (I recognize I might be delusional.) So, I’ll just thank the Lord and my parents and my wonderful wife for good health and just get on with it!

Gonna be out and about for a while today—it’ll be a freelance day for me. Sarah is graciously giving me a day off from her store, Barb doesn’t want me under foot as she prepares a birthday meal for me and the whole family, leaving me to do whatever is before me to do. Gonna make it enjoyable.

SIMH today came almost immediately after I awoke:

“One sat alone, beside the highway begging,

His eyes were blind, the light he could not see.

He clutched his old rags, and shivered in the shadows.

Then Jesus came, and bade the darkness flee.

“When Jesus Comes” the tempter’s power is broken

“When Jesus Comes” all tears are wiped away

He takes the gloom, and turns it into glory!

For all is calm, “When Jesus Comes” to stay.

In case you never heard that before, it was one of Lester Roloff’s two theme songs on his daily radio station. When I first began to study the bible(44 years ago), Bro. Roloff was one of the first radio programs I would listen to in the car each day. His other theme song was equally memorable—perhaps on another day.

Just a further thought about listening to radio preachers while spending several hours each day studying. The radio playlist gave me about 8 or 9 differing voices and doctrinaires to argue with while being alone and neither winning nor losing an argument. It was a great learning tool. I’d drive along saying, “No, that’s not right, you’re not considering this or that and what about that verse!!”  or sometimes just saying “Amen!” Then, when studying on my own, I could either correct myself or feel thankful I had seen some truth to which the poor radio preacher was blinded. Some of them taught me a lot, some didn’t. But I learned a lot about what was an important difference and what was not, what certain denominations believed and what they didn’t. Part of a great informal education.

Thanks for reading, the Elder.