I love that!

THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Think of all the people you love. Then think of all the people who love you! My parents loved me, but never expressed it verbally or with hugs. My mom spent a major part of her life putting my needs ahead of her needs (pretty much spoiling me!). My dad worked 50 hrs/wk to provide for me: he took me fishing a lot and watched every baseball game I ever played in. But neither said “I love you” or hugged until my dad was 72 and was given 2 years to live (lung disease). Both said “I love you” a lot more after that. I still struggle with loving her b/c I am so selfish, and I struggled with showing emotion. My poor wife has lived with that for 54 years now. Unfortunately I am like the old man whose old wife asked him why he never tells her that he loves her. He told her, “Woman, I told you I loved the night we got married; I’ll let you know if I change my mind”. You’ve heard that one, huh? I do try to express love and hug, but it is still difficult. I’m thankful that my wife and 3 children are far more loving than I am. I’m thankful for all the people that have loved me along life’s journey. They all kinda tolerate my grumpy disposition! I know the Spirit of God can help us do and feel things that are not in our normal character and disposition. When you love someone whom you normally dislike, then God is glorified for what His Spirit is doing in you. I’ll keep working on it. I thank God that He has put so many people in my life that loved me.

THE PLACES YOU’VE SEEN

Again, my poor wife. I don’t like to travel. I get stressed out easily about every little thing or situation or “what if” that might happen or happens on a trip. My family dread traveling with me b/c fo that. I’ve gotten a little better, but still I really don’t want to travel. My wife loves to travel. Anywhere, it doesn’t matter where. Fortunately, the Lord pushed me out of the nest, and instead of going to Vietnam (I almost was drafted, I was 1A when I finished my engineering degree) my wife and I went to Trinidad, West Indies for 3 years (maybe the best years of my ministry) and then 2 years in Colombia, South America. Since then we have made trips to Vancouver, Italy, Honduras, back to Trinidad with some of my kids, Costa Rica (20 years ago), and Baja, Mexico. Recently we have made trips with our entire family to Puerto Rico and to Costa Rica. Each of those trip created memories that I hope I never forget. (AI) “Travel Is Fatal To Prejudice, Bigotry, And Narrow-Mindedness. So Is Returning Home. Mark Twain wrote, “Travel is fatal to prejuidce, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” I needed those trips to get me to experience some great things in life that I would have missed otherwise. I got to see the Coliseum in Rome where Christians were persecuted, Pompeii where Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, the Butchart Gardens in Vancouver, Volcano Arenal in Costa Rica, and many other places. I thank God that he pushed me out of my nest to go to all these places.

MEMORIES YOU’VE MADE ALONG THE WAY

God has given me many good memories during my 75 years (along with the travel memories). As stated, the travel created many memories: snorkling among coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, the Butchart Gardens in Vancouver, a lady peeling tomatillos in a barrel of freezing weater for $1/hr in Baja Mexico, visiting Hugh and Dorothy Minor in Vancouver, teaching in a Saturday school of preaching for local leaders in Trinidad, our parents visiting us in Colombia South America, driving to the beaches in Vieques Island Puerto Rico with the kids, the family staying on the beach in Tamarindo Costa Rica, eating a great breakfast with family at our very nice place right at the foot of Volcano Arenal in Costa Rica, the wedding ceremonies of our 3 children- all finding godly mates, as a principal at a fledgling but great Christian school in Birmingham Alabama, courting and dating my current wife from the time she was in the 9th grade, playing baseball at the famous Rickwood Field in Birmingham (180 Hall of Fame MLB players have played there), fishing at Smith Lake where we built two cabins and spent most of my high school weekends, 2 years of nothing but bible study at a school of preaching in West Monro Louisiana, and on and on I could go. It is Thanksgiving, 2024, and I want to thank God for all these memories. I have several bad memories, but the good far outweigh the bad.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

This article is all about me with people, places, and memories that mean nothing to you, the reader. But I have enjoyed thinking about the people I love (and those who loved me), the places I have been, and the memories made along the way. I would encourage you, right now after reading this article, to write down your people you have loved, places you have been, and memories you have made along the way. I assure you it wil make you even more grateful during this Thanksgiving season.