September 24, 2012 (Monday)
When I was 5 or 6 years old, I had a “revelation” or a “vision” or whatever. I was riding in the back seat of a car at night. When we reached our destination and got out of the car, I remember telling my grandmother, “While we were in the car, I found out when I will die. I will die when I’m 26 years old.” At that time in my life, even if I was destined to die at 26, it seemed like forever. Well, vision or not, I’m still kicking–today’s my birthday and I missed my passing by at least 55 years so far. I’m 81 today. So much for visions. Or revelations. Or whatever.
If I had made it only to 26, just think what I would have missed. Three of my children would never have been born, and the world would be the poorer for that. The same would be true of five of my grandchildren, and how sad that would be.
I would have missed the thrill of graduating from the seminary, pastoring several churches after that, meeting all sorts of wonderful people from just about everywhere, baptizing perhaps a thousand or more converts, performing hundreds of weddings, offering comfort to nearly 900 grieving families, preaching thousands of sermons presenting Christ to the people, working alongside many dedicated coworkers and doing all kinds of exciting things that God calls ministers to do. What a privilege. By God’s grace, like George Bailey, I have had a wonderful life.
If my childhood revelation had been true, I would never have seen a microwave oven, a color television, astronauts in space, jet passenger planes, computers, the internet, cell phones, weather satellites, live video news coverage world-wide, etc. etc. What an exciting time to be alive.
Thank you Lord, for these 81 years here in your world. Thank you for all the people you have brought into my life. I wish there were some way I could name in this blog every one that has blessed my life. Rest assured, dear loved one and friend, your name would be here.
As I read over the above blog, it seems woefully inadequate as an attempt to thank all you for what you mean to me in my journey through this world. Words make an attempt, but I feel in my heart so much more.