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May 15

Thursday, May 15th, 2025

Everyone likes a celebration.

Birthday. Well some. I guess it depends on the age. 🙂

Promotion at a job.

Graduation (whether high school, college, trade school or whatever).

We will enjoy a celebration this Sunday. Our grandson will graduate from Worthington Kilbourne High School in Worthington, OH.  It has been 18 years in the making.  Let me rephrase that because it sounds like it took him 18 years to get through school. 🙂 🙂  He turned 18 last October and will graduate Sunday. It is hard to believe-for Jo, Tami, Janna (his mom), and me that we are at this point. From the little baby I held in my arms when they brought him home from the hospital; to the little boy I used to throw the football and ultimately, baseball with in the yard; to attending multiple games of both football and baseball; to watch him go from eating nothing but rice at Chipotle to eating anything in front of him; to meeting Cameron his first and only girlfriend (that phrase is so ’90s as he says); to the time he had long blonde hair because he had gotten into skateboarding and had to have his hair long; to getting a mohawk when he finally cut it; to hearing about passing his driver’s test; to this moment in time. Lots and lots of memories cloud my mind. At this point the tears of joy and remembrance have not leaked.

This Sunday he graduates from high school with a 4.2 GPA and plans to attend THE Ohio State University and major in finance and business. His first plan was to be a sports agent, but that changed to a sports analyst (tells what players and teams need to do to get on the right track, etc). At this point, I have no clue what his ultimate goal is…and I’m not sure he does either. Part of his education track will involve some classes in law. So, who knows?

What I do know is that this weekend is a celebration for his mamaw, his aunt, his mom, his friends, himself, and me.  This will be my last post until Tuesday. We will leave Saturday for Ohio and return sometime Monday. Your prayers for our safe travel would be appreciated. Your prayers for Braden, my grandson, and his future-spiritually and career-wise- would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ahead of time.

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March 26

Tuesday, March 26th, 2024

I had someone say to me the other day, “Getting old s**ks.” (I can’t stand that word hence the astericks.  However, it is a quote so…). While I hate the way he said it, I can’t totally disagree.

At age 71 I’m getting older. Well, so are you, but let’s think about this for a moment. As we age, lines develop on our face. We call them crow’s feet. Some develop “wisdom wrinkles” which become more prominent as one ages. Depending on your body fat, skin will hang and wiggle. Skin will get crepe-y. Bruises (blood) will show up in the arms and forearms or skin nicks will show up when you can’t even remember bumping or scraping them. Your stamina is not what it once was. For example, I used to ride 20-30 miles a day. If I do that today, I need a day or two between rides to recover. I might do 20 miles for 2-3 days in a row, but then I have to give myself a day or two off the bike.

Getting old is an adjustment, that’s for sure. That’s why I have issues with the “preacher” i.e. self-help guru who tries to tell me my best life is now. No, Joel, no it is not.

My best life is yet to come. I recently held the funeral service of a man whose last 2-3 years were spent fighting the effects of diabetes, a nasty bed sore caused by neglect of a rehab facility, the amputation of a leg at the knee, and a couple of strokes which affected his right hand strength and his communication (he could communicate but was slow in responding and putting sentences together). His best life was not now, laying in a bed. Not here. He is enjoying his best life NOW, living in the presence of the Savior he loved so much.

Do not look at your present or even your past life, as the pinnacle..as your best life. It’s not. For the follower of Jesus, the best is yet to come! That, by the way, is what the story of “Easter” is all about.

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