SOMETHING FUNNY, ONCE / Time on our hands
We elderly often get blamed, even laughed at because we start conversation by saying, “One time when I…” and the tittering begins, often by those who believe their voices are not being heard. But us old guys, we don’t care! We’re gonna tell our story anyway! So, by gosh we do. We don’t even care if they’ve heard it 304 times in the last 5 years, we’ll tell it again and again and again!
I might be exaggerating a little. Perhaps I am the prime example of the verse of Scripture that says, “…all men are liars.” Well, not prime, but since the verse says “all men” I’m pretty sure it means what it says. My father would sometimes (not often) get into a joking mood and love to cause even just a little rise or laughter or embarrassment, maybe. Once, we were standing in a Sears, Roebuck in Indianapolis and Momma was trying to buy something while me and one brother were standing near a mannequin, a male mannequin. Daddy started talking to the mannequin, we laughed at him. He said,…to the mannequin, “These guys think I’m bein’ foolish. Do you think I’m foolish? If you do, nod your head.” The mannequin never even twitched. He looked back at us and said, “See, that dummy thinks I’m smart!”—-was that a lie, you might ask? Well, it was a fabrication, of sorts, right? Foolish jesting? Or just entertaining a couple of boys who wish they didn’t have to stand there waiting on Mom, maybe.
Memory stories, those short happenings we witness, whether very funny or deeply serious with poignant after affects are part of our lives and, for me at least, enjoyable to remember and jot down while freshly floating through the memory river-(banks.)
But! It is August 1 and I have procrastinated enough about the rest of what I wanted to say in this blog—The importance of the rest of this year! We’re going to do another September Adventure, only this time without a rented RV. Turns out that was a one time only event….as of right now, ya never know, next time we’ll haul a car behind an RV, hire a driver, then spend longer and go further ……. Naw! what am I thinking! O course that last September journey to (finish) seeing all 50 states was completed.
We have, however, picked out some places we’ve never seen, things and people we want to see. That’s a plan being formed and a reason to go to Indiana for the ELVIN & LENORA LOCKHART FAMILY REUNION in late September. Sooo, we’ll extend our trip to include 4 or 5 of those special things. More reporting afterward and, as they say on WKRP, “film at 11!”
October brings us to a really great time and place for a bible conference in Chattanooga, Grace Bible Church, and I believe it is the 45th! That’s a truly blessed weekend and has become a reunion for old and new friends, filled with great Bible teachings and fellowship. Hope YOU are planning on being there, October 3,4,5th.
In November a pleasure trip (elongated weekend) to Texas for the marriage of some dear friends, one of which I’ve been friends with since 1986, nigh on to 40 years—(hmm, he must be getting old.)
This will cause me to miss the Pensacola Bible conference for the first time, I believe. But, ya know, sometimes people actually schedule their events and don’t ask my permission. A slip up on their part, but hey, ya just can’t control some people’s schedule, ya know?
December brings us back to Texas again — this time for a new Corpus Christi Bible Conference! — first weekend, but as yet I don’t have the location. It’ll be great to visit there again. When we went to Texas in 1986, I drove to CC for a weekly bible class constantly for 13 years. The faithfulness of that class shall ring through eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I have much to be thankful for in the memories from that class.
What else might come our way in the remaining months of 2025, we shall leave in the hands of God our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit which teaches us His word and will. I know this about that: if you are saved, having put your eternal life into the Hands of the One who bought you with His blood—knowing “..how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, and was buried, and was raised again the third day, according to the scriptures..” —that makes you in the same church as us. There’s only one valid church in God’s perfect will for us. It’s called the “Church, which is His body” several times in Paul’s epistles.
You know, getting saved gives us eternal life, but there does come a judgment before the specific eternal inheritance is meted out. the Lord looks at our works in His name. He refers to these as either containing “Gold, Silver or Precious Stones” or conversely, “wood, hay, and stubble.” then he uses fire as the judgment trial. Obviously, the latter 3 are going to burn up leaving nothing but worthless ashes. Likewise, obviously the first three will go through the fire and come out more glorious than before! And that will determine our reward.
Our task then, is to understand God’s will for us and tend to it while we are here, leading to the day which will “tell all” and we go into glory with whatever our time spent with the Lord while here has produced. the “reward of the inheritance” should not be our goal; pleasing the Lord should be our goal. So, His instructions for us are in one plain but often obscured verse: read it in your KJB—2 Timothy 2:15. Let me know if I can be helpful in any way.
Thanks for reading, the Elder
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