New Resolutions

Gotta get back to writing regularly. I know how my fan base is devastated by having nothing to read....... uh, yeah. right....

We travelled this holiday season to visit family in Kentucky and Tennessee. It was a journey through six states, but it was a wonderful time. It is a good thing that I have unusually good mechanic skills....

As we were prepared to leave the garage on Monday, December 22, the car wouldn't start. The battery, my wife said. No, I said, drawing on my vast knowledge of automotive detail, function, and diagnostic skills. It is the alternator. We'll jump it off, take 'er to Auto Zone, test it, and I'll prove that I'm right.

So, we finally got the car started; drove to Auto Zone and put it on the tester. Of course, I was right- the battery was nearly completely dead. So, after spending $105 which included a battery and some other odds and ends, we headed for Kentucky.

The rest of the trip was uneventful.

However; I must tell you of Jane's parents- they are the best! Jane's mom Frances is so careful to take care of all our needs- she works in the kitchen to make sure our favorite dishes are served (really that our favorite foods are served- I could not care less what dishes they are served in). She makes sure we are warm and comfortable when we sleep, and would do just about anything we ask. She is gettin on in years, but still lets us know how much she loves and misses us. Well, really she loves and misses Jane and the kids; but she's nice to me....

And Jane's father George is a beautiful man. He served during the great War, and is as patriotic and tender a person as I have ever known. George has many health issues and problems related to a motorcyle accident when he was in his 60s (go, Grandpa!) He gets around quite well with a walker and is a music lover. He also loves his children and grandkids, and after 22 years of my being married to his youngest daughter, he has developed a tolerance for me that looks alot like friendship.

Really, we are so blessed! Jane's parents are so loving and kind. And the more people I meet, the more I cherish Godly parents. We are blessed- and indeed, life is good.



I was blessed to spend some time with my sisters and their husbands as well. We had our family Christmas at my OLDER sister's home (dang these computer malfunctions) and we had a wonderful time! I cannot remember laughing that much! I long for that. We spent the next day together at our Ponderosa, 65 acres of timber and food plots with a cabin and an outhouse. We rode 4-wheelers, shot multiple caliber firearms, and reminisced about Pops, our Dad who died from that evil disease cancer on Easter Sunday of this year.

The next day, we worshipped with my younger sister and her hubby at their church, then lunch with my beautiful stepmom! God has been good to all of us- better than we deserve.

It is easy to lose sight of what is really meaningful in times of frenzied busyness and frenetic pace. In 26 years of serving churches, I have never taken more than a week of vacation at a time. However, this season, I took 2 weeks off from church. And they had worship without me; everything carried on as planned. Those two weeks were such a blessing to me- to get to visit family I haven't seen in months (some in over a year); to have the opportunity to slow down, to live a litte, to laugh a lot, and to be reunited with people and places and things that really matter.

I'd encourage you to do the same....

After all, Life is Good....