That other Christmas memory

Both of my friends have asked what my other Christmas memory that I never did write about was.  So I thought I would share it if my DSL will last long enough for me to get it typed.

I can't remember exactly what year it was but it was about maybe ten years ago or so.  Our youngest son Lee was living on his own and was experiencing some hard times financially.  It was Christmas time and he was planning to come home but he told us he was not happy about it all because he could not afford to buy gifts for anyone.  We assured him that no one would be offended and that he should know that everyone here would love him just the same. He did come but sort of looked as if he were depressed.  He talked very little even though that was not his usual nature.  Normally he was the life of the party.  He received several gifts and just held them without opening them.  Then, in the midst of everybody talking at once, he asked if all would give him a moment to say something.  We all stopped our present opening and talking and gave him our full attention.  He stood up and opened a large piece of paper and began to explain.  He told us that this was a time in his life when money was not a part of his life.  So as his gift to us all he had written a poem.  As he read the poem it became obvious that he had labored a long hard time to give us his best.  The poem was a cute goof that included each one of us here, as well as some who would be here later on.  We were all aware that the poem was not a trivial thing, but rather a true work of art.  When he finished reading there was not a dry eye among us.

Today there is never a Christmas time when I do not remember that day and it brings back a feeling for Lee that I really think everyone in our family also feels. We all knew and still know his true feelings for each of us.  As I think back I wonder if anyone who was there that day can remember any gift they received.  But I am ready to bet that all will remember that poem and the devotion Lee placed in it.  It was a precious gift to me and I am certain that it was for the others as well.

Love finds a way in many ways.  Some love finds a way into our hearts that stays there.

Thank you, Lee for that memory!   I truly love you!

New Picture

A short note:  Comcast will be here a week from tomorrow to finally release me from AT&T.  My DSL is working at the moment so I am trying to write this as fast as I can before it quits again.

I also am taking this opportunity to put my picture up so that you can have a good laugh.  So come back after next Thursday and we will have fun together.  In the meantime be good to somebody, preferably me.  I need you right now!

Hugs and kisses, depending on whether you are male or female.

Bill (or Willy)

My sorrow

Hi, anyone reading!  If you are here every once in a while then you may wonder why I have not written much in the last three weeks.  Well it is because I am still in a fight with AT&T.  I will be writing and all a sudden my DSL quits.  I then lose what I have been writing.  I call and call but nobody there seems to care.  I know what the problem is and they do, too, but it would cost them to put in a new line that works so they keep telling me it is fixed when it isn't.  So today, dear friends, I am calling Comcast .  I have already decided on the plan I want with them.  I have done my homework about the change.  So I will probably be off line for the next few days.  I hope to be back after that with a new smile on my face and a new attitude.  I plan to thank AT&T for all of their helpfulness and then wish them well.  I really think that they will be better off without me.  I have no regrets.  I have been patient with them for in fact many years.  And now I quit!

Please come back in a few days.  I have a lot of good memories to share with you.  Christmas was wonderful this year as always.  We were all together except for Lee who was with his wife's family as he should have been.  Together here we celebrated the birth of of Saviour and what a wonderful time it was.  So you see it is not all bad.  I even sincerely hope that the ones at AT&T had a fine Christmas as well. 

Love is a wonderful thing.  Share it with someone, won't you?

A Christmas Memory

Our 7:14 Group met last Thursday for our annual Christmas meeting. We met this time at Charley and Shirley's home and Charley cooked salmon and a turkey on his big green egg thingy.  Man was it good!  The rest of us brought good eats to supplement Charley's feast and fun was had by all.  After we ate we gathered in their living room around the piano and Shirley played Christmas carols while we sang.  Another blessing!  Then Shirley asked if anyone would share their favorite Christmas memory.  I had two but didn't want to take up other people's time so I only shared one.  It is my plan to share the second one with you here and now in the next paragraph or two.

It was the Christmas of 1946.  I was fourteen at the time.  It was my duty to keep the four fireplaces that heated our house going at all times, including some times that l had to rekindle in the middle of the night.  Believe it or not I loved that chore.  I sometimes would get the fires going and then sit in a rocking chair we had and dream in front of the fireplace in my room.  I learned to enjoy solitude at that early age.  And I thought that it could not get any better.

But it did!

You see that was the year that my first niece was born.  On that Christmas Eve Marjorie Jean Nelson came into my life.  Her dad was in the navy and could not be with us that time and her mother, my sister Bette, was living with us.  Her crib was in my room.  So when I would get up at night to tend to the fires I would then go to Marty's crib and check on her.  If she was fussy I would pick her up, change her diaper, wrap her in a warm blanket and sit with her in my lap as we both dreamed together.  She was (and still is) beautiful.  She would look up at me and smile.  I was certain that it was because she loved me. She would cuddle in my arms and sort of coo as she would fall back to sleep.  I would hold her until my arms could no longer take it and then gently lay her back in her crib.  I would wrap her in another blanket until I was sure she was warm enough, kiss her sweet cheek, and then hum an almost quiet song until her eyes were completely closed for the night.  She was my little girl and I loved her more than I can explain here.

So where is she now.  Well she grew up, married well to a very caring man and is now a great grandmother.  I am certain that everyone who knows her loves her but she is still my little girl.  

So there you have my memory.  Now each year on Christmas Eve I celebrate the birth of a baby that has meant much, much to me and then the next day I celebrate the birth of the Christ child, the most important baby ever to me.  I think that is why I love children so much today.  I am foolosh enough to think that they love me as well.  Isn't life a wonderful thing?

My Apology

If anyone has wondered why I have not written anything in a while it is because my DSL line suddenly quit.  I was in touch with four different tech support people and none seemed to be able to help.  They finally after four days agreed to send someone here to fix the problem.  He came and it worked for about an hour.  Now it goes off and on.  I am trying to complete this apology before it kicks off again.

I think I have figured it all out now.  My first call was answered by a man who said he was in Northern Indiana.  The second attempt was with a woman in the Philippines.  She said it was a dead modem and sent me a new one.  It didn't work.  The third was a young man in Alabama.  He talks just like I do.  He had about the same intellect, too.  He didn't have a clue as to what was the matter.  So he said that he would arrange for someone to come here and fix the whole problem.  He said that his engineer boss was going to call me within an hour and tell me when help would arrive.  After the second day had passed I decided that he wasn't going to call so I called again.  This time I got a woman in Louisiana.  She was about three watts.  She said that she could have someone here in about a week.  I threw a fit and told her that that was not O.K.  I asked to speak with her boss who actually came on the line.  She was about four watts.  I told her that I wanted someone here TODAY because I had waited long enough and if they were any kind of decent company they would take care of the situation NOW.  The guy showed up this afternoon, said he had it fixed, got into his truck and left.  It went out before he was out of sight.  Linda and I went to a show tonight and when we returned it was working.  So I have to be fast and get this done before it quits again.

Please be patient with me.  I don't get angry often.  I know they are all trying and times are hard right now.  So I forgive them one and all.  And I hope they don't get paid this month, the .........!

If it works tomorrow I will write something nice, so maybe we will all feel better.  I love you, whomever you are, and that includes the crazy people who work for AT&T.

Its Thanksgiving, is it?

They tell me that tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  So I got to thinking:  What do I have to be thankful for?  I am blind in one eye and have about 40% blockage in the other.  I can only hear about a third of what people are saying.  I try to remember things but that becomes a problem more than I would like to admit.  I was even trying to introduce Linda to someone recently and I couldn't remember her name.  Then there are some things I can't do anymore that I would rather not mention here.

I am still thankful, however.  I still have my drivers license.

But tomorrow morning I will get up and have a whole different attitude.  As people arrive for the feast we are going to have, it will dawn on me that God has filled this house with love.  Yes, the food will be scrumptious, the smells will fill the air making all of us slobber, the laughter will make us all feel better, but these are not the important things.  The best are the things that we really do feel thankful for.  You see those smells are from the wonderful things that my wonderful wife has prepared because she loves us.  The laughter will come from the family and friends who have gathered together here to enjoy each other and be thankful together. I know what God has done for me and the ones I love.  He has given Linda and me three fine boys to raise and who have become men who anyone would be proud of.  He has given us daughter-in-laws to also be proud of.  He has given us three granddaughters and one grandson, two great grandsons and one great granddaughter, all of whom we are forever grateful. 

So who needs good eyesight?  I see well enough to see the love.  Who needs to hear everything?  I hear well enough to hear the love.  And anyway, if I don't hear everything I can miss all the trashy gossip.  That is if there is any, of course.

We are not perfect people.  We are just a family who loves each other and who has friends to share it all with.   We will all gather around the table and hold hands while each one remembers all the things that we are honestly thankful for.  And the list goes on and on, too much to record here.

I sincerely hope each of you are happy tomorrow because I am certain that you, too, have much to be thankful for.  And I also hope and pray that that sort of feeling will stay with you forever.

One last thought.  Thank you for reading this stuff I write.  You are truly a friend and I do love you!

How generous are we?

Linda was playing bridge and I was home and bored.  But I didn't have to be for long.  A very good friend of mine dropped by and we talked for a long time.  I can't tell his name because I plan to tell a true story about him.  I will just call him Edgar because I don't know anybody by that name really.

Edgar knew I had been in Kentucky for a while so he was here primarily to catch me up on all the juicy news of this area.  He did, too.  And during the conversation he was sharing a time with me about some people who needed some financial help big time.  He had compassion on them and donated what he felt was a generous amount.  But he then realized that the amount he had given was not nearly enough.  On his way home he was bothered by their need.  He was very much aware that he had given all he could reasonably afford but something  was telling him to give even more.  Enough to satisfy the need.  So he went back and gave them what they needed even though it was going to leave him in a spot himself.  After all, he had to tell his wife what he had done.  He did that and was rewarded with the warmest hug he had ever received.  Together they agreed that everything would work out all right.  Let's see now.  He had given most of his money away and they were looking for the best.  Never going to happen!

But it did!  It was early the next week when out of the blue a new customer came into the picture.  It so happened that it was the largest contract he had ever signed.  Are you crying yet?  I am.

That story made me think of a man I knew at Madisonville when I was growing up there.  His name was Frank.  Frank was always doing for others, even when he thought he couldn't afford it.  Many people turned to him for help and he always came through. I think maybe he was the happiest man in my home town back then. The preacher at our church asked him one time, "Frank how can you afford to give so much?"

Frank would simply look at him and say, "Well, preacher, you see I shovel it out and the Good Lord shovels it in and he has a bigger shovel."

I guess it is true that the Good Lord does look after good people like that.  I remember that I loaned a guy five dollars once and he still owes it to me.  I think I need to be more like Edgar or Frank.

For what its worth, He really does have a bigger shovel.   And He shovels a lot of love, too.  We can all share that!

Back in Florida

Well, we are back.  I have often wondered why it is that I enjoy returning either way.  Maybe it is the trials we face when we get to the other place.  We arrived here to find that for the third straight year we had no phone.  Linda called AT&T on her cell phone and the woman she talked to told her right away that our phone was working because her computer said so.  Linda said that that was strange because she was sitting right next to our phone and it did not ring when the help desk called.  After four days we had a tech man come and after an hour or so he said that it was a problem in the line and that he didn't fix those sort of things.  He called the office and they said that there would be another man here in two days.  He was.  And after several hours he said that the line to our house was shot but that he had fixed it.  But the phone still didn't work.  So he called the office and they said that there would be a third man here the next day ti fix the problem. He came and he fixed it.  Folks, I am really thrilled with the efficiency of AT&T.  Today I plan to talk with the AT&T people as well as Comcast to see where we can get the best deal.  But to tell the truth we are not expecting either to be very cooperative. I think that I will apply for a job with one of them.  It is obvious that you do not have to be very smart and laziness seems to be a prerequisite for working there.I think I may qualify.

I wanted to be nice to the people I talked to so I told one of them that I thought that she sounded so sweet to be so stupid.  I am sure I made her day.  And you thought I was a nice person, didn't you?  I can clear that up, too.  Just ask my wife.

I promise to behave when and if you come back tomorrow.  I am going to make a special effort to be kind to someone today.  Right now I am going in and thank Linda for the wonderful breakfast she cooked for me this morning.  Then I will give her a big hug and kiss and go on and feel guilty all the rest of the day.

I love you,too, whoever you are! 

What do you think?

Linda and I just got back from Kentucky.  We were greeted by a lot of friends already but I still miss the ones in Kentucky.  The summer went by too fast for me.

We were first greeted by Clif.  He is leaving town to see some of his family but he stopped by here to give us our new study book for the 7:14 group.  It is on prayer.  I read a bit of it and it brought up some really good memories of an experience in my life.  Would you like to hear about it?  Well, if not, please quit reading now because I am about to share it. 

When I was around sixteen years old I wanted to talk to my dad about something. I don't remember now exactly what it was but I remember thinking at the time that it was very important.  It was sometime around income tax time so I knew he would be very busy if I went to his office.  But I went anyway.  When I got there it was what I had expected.  He was in his office surrounded by several busy looking people.  I was certain that he would be too busy to listen to me.  His secretary wasn't there at the moment so I peeped in to his office to see just how busy he was.  He saw me over the shoulders of the ones in there with him.  And this is what I remember his saying:  "Gentlemen, you must excuse me for a few minutes.  My son is standing outside the door and I think he wants to talk to me about something."  Then he stood up and walked to the door and came out to see what it was that I wanted.  I all of a sudden realized that I was more important to him than the business that he was conducting.  And I recall now what a wonderful dad he was.  I came first as far as he was concerned.  As I was reading the lesson for our group and recalled that story it dawned on me that that is the way our Heavenly Father is.  Whenever we want to talk to him he is ready to listen.  As hard as it is to imagine we are more important to him than we can ever believe.  And so now I talk to Him the same way I talked to my earthly dad.  And He listens. 

This blog is not meant to be a sermon but things I just wish to share. It is just that I like talking to God and think maybe you might enjoy it, too, if you don't already.

Tell someone you love them today.  I really believe that is what God really wants to hear from us.  And that is a good way to show our love for him as well. 

A wonderful gift

Last night there was a knock on our door.  We welcomed in Ed Johnson and his son, Cameron.  He didn't stay long.  He was only here to loan me a DVD that I had asked about.  It was the DVD of the last year's Christmas activities.  Linda and I watched it until it was over around midnight.  We both were awed.  It was wonderful watching and listening to people we knew singing and reading together.  We saw four very special children playing a song with the bells.  What a blessing!  We laughed with the ones who were putting on the show in their pajamas.  And then that tree.  I could not imagine the work that had to go into constructing that tree.  It was strong enough to hold David Williams at the top.  And the lights.  I assumed that they were computer driven but then it may have been Doug working his fingers to the bone changing the colors in sync with the music.  

 The music was the very best!

Isn't it good to be a part of a church that is small but still does productions that would compete with much larger churches.  Just think how good it will be when we win all the new members and get them active.  Think of all that has been given to this community and look forward to even more that we can give together. And as you have given to the least of these you have given unto Me. 

I look forward to the time when all churches will join together in the common cause of showing God's love as he has asked us to do.  Without quibbling!

I think I will start by telling you once again that I love you.  And I am proud of the things you are already doing.  And I will not see your warts.  Will you forgive mine?

      

They are building!

It is almost finished.  The new sanctuary for the Munfordville Methodist Church is probably going to be ready by Christmas.  I have enjoyed watching it go up in almost every detail.

Most of my life has been in building.  Only thing is all of the building I have ever done was done either on the drawing board or on the computer.  I never really worked with bricks or mortar.  But I have always enjoyed visiting the jobs that were originated by my pencil.  Most builders feel as if those of us who worked in architecture are simply creating monuments to our own bad taste.  And perhaps they are right.  But I sometimes wonder what the world would be like if there were no dreamers. 

The number one law of architecture is: One man's eye for beauty is another's eye sore. We all do not agree about exactly what is beautiful or what is good.  So we create committees so that we can argue about it.  The second law of architecture then is: A zebra is a horse designed by a committee.  But in the end we find that if we join the dreams of the architect with the practical thinking of the builder we end up with a compromise that is usually what we wanted in the first place.

While I was watching the sanctuary go up I was aware that there had probably been many discussions about how it should be done.  And many disagreements.  But now, because I am retired, I am able to simply enjoy what I see and look forward to that time when all those involved in the planning will sit back and say to themselves, "Look what I did! Isn't it good?"

As I was watching the brick masons do their thing I was so impressed with their work that I felt thankful.  I stood there in the yard and prayed.  I thanked God for building this fine building.  But I remembered that it is not 'our church' but it is 'His church'  It is not a social club to serve the ones who have always been coming here but a worship center where the members can reach out to others in our community and show them the love that Jesus taught.  We can invite them in, welcome them, tell them that we do not own any seat and they can sit where they like.  They can park their car where they want.  They are to be welcomed and loved.  It is for God's people, not our people.  There is already a lot of love in that place and now it will be easier to share it.  God has given us much.  Let's give back!

Back to Florida

Linda tells me that we are going back home to Florida next week.  I hope we get back in time to vote but I don't know now.  The truth is, however, I am not ready to leave Kentucky.  This has been a fast summer with too much to do and I don't feel like I am through yet.  I enjoy it here.  This is the place where I grew up and still call home even after living in Florida for forty years.  But Linda keeps reminding me that we have many friends in Florida as well so I should be glad we are about to return there.

That got me thinking about friends at both places.  Each one has at least one special quality. This morning while at the liar's club I glanced around the room and stopped at each friend there.  Roy always has a cute story to tell.  Jerry laughs a lot and told everyone there that they should buy a meal ticket from me for our church's chicken dinner this weekend.  John Ray just sits there smiling at all the things he hears others say.  John Freeman was especially happy about something but I could not hear what he was talking about so I can't share that with you.  I went home feeling good.  A lot of fine people there every day.  Maybe one of them should run for president.

When we get back to Florida there will be a similar group to visit with.  Bob the builder will be telling me about his latest pieces of furniture he has built.  Jack will show me the latest things he has added to his wood working shop that he created after he retired.  Charley will maybe want me to go fishing with him.  I hope so.  That is one of my favorite enjoyments.  Barb, Dee, and Shirley will greet us with hugs and smiles that I really enjoy. We will all get together and sip a bit of wine and tell stories of our summer experiences. 

There is the 7:14 group, too.  That is our fellowship group that meets once a week to study and discuss things that we think are important.  We seldom agree on everything but we have remained friends for over fifteen years.  In case you are wondering the 7:14 comes from II Chronicles in the Old Testament.  Read it. You may enjoy it, too.

Then there is our church choir.  I have been with them for over thirty-five years and they still are not aware that I am unable to sing.  I just like the people there.  I did sing a solo once, however.  It was two words long.  I was a hit, or at least that is what I told everybody.

I will miss Kentucky and I will be glad to see Florida. And I want to go to Japan to see my beautiful great niece whom I have never seen other than pictures.  One life is not long enough, is it?  I think I will just continue to love everyone I meet.  Who knows?  I might make another friend.  Let's all spread lots of love.  Its worth it!

Zija night

This Thursday night there will be a zija meeting in Bowling Green. Dr. Russ Bianchi will be there to explain all the things I have trouble explaining to people.  If there is anyone who wants to go with Linda and me please give us a call and we will be honored to take you. So why would you want to go or even to know anything about what I am talking about?  Well, zija has pretty much changed my life and the lives of many of my friends.  They feel much better and some are making money to boot. 

Last year Linda and I went to get our hair cut by Jennifer.  When we got there we saw a woman who was forty or so pounds lighter and who had a step in her life that was noticeable. I asked her what she had been doing and she simply said,"Zija."  I asked her what that was and she explained as best she could.  When she told me that it was sold through network marketing I thought, "Oh, yeah. A pyramid scheme that sells snake oil.."  I dismissed it at that point.

We went to visit Jennifer's mother and there she was some forty pounds lighter, too.  She had a smile on her face that said how good she was feeling and she seemed to have more energy than I could remember her having.  I asked her what she was doing and she simply said. "Zija."  I dropped it at this point and said no more about it.  Then I noticed a strange thing.  Neither of these fine people tried to sell me anything.  When I asked them they would answer quickly but they never tried to convince me that it was something I should try.  But I wanted to know because I was seeing the results. 

I agreed to try it for three months because they told me it might take that long to get my body like it was supposed to be as far as nutrition was concerned.  It turned out to be the best decision I have made in a long while. 

I do not wish to sell anything to anybody.  I simply want you to feel like I do.  Yes I do make money telling this story and you can as well but that is not my motivation.  Perhaps it is yours.  It for me is like going to a good restaurant.  If the service was good, the place ws clean and the food was good why not tell others about it?  That is what I am doing about zija.  It is good.  It works if you stay with it.  You will be glad you tried it. Call me or e-mail me and I will answer all the questions I can and put you in touch with others who can answer the rest.

I love each of you.  Thank you for reading this far!

wilkinsw@bellsouth.net      561 842 3869 (Florida) or 270 524 5172 (Kentucky) or 561 389 6695 (Linda's cell)

Emmaus Walk

Linda and I just got back from three days at Gatlinburg, Tn.  We had a wonderful time but had to hurry back on a Thursday so that we could take our friend J.T. to a sendoff for the Emmaus Walk.  And, as always, there was a lot to learn if only we looked and listened.  J.T. was excited about going but on the trip to E-town he was quiet and in thought.  He didn't say much but kept up his usual good nature.  As we talked to him we asked if there were any questions about the weekend.  He didn't have any.  We knew he enjoyed smoking and had wondered if he was wondering about whether or not he would be asked not to smoke there.  So we told him that they had many breaks as the weekend progressed and that they were allowed to smoke at those times.  He then shared something with us that has left its mark on me.  I keep thinking about it over and over.  We had all been watching television about the saving of the miners in Chili.  J.T. said that he had watched and prayed a thanksgiving prayer as each miner had been lifted out of that awful pit after sixty seven days there.  He recalled the trials they endured while there.  They had very little to eat or drink at first.  They could get very little exercise.  Their problems went on and on.  And we all said a prayer of thanks for each one as he was lifted out of that dark hole.  We were thankful fot the safety of each one.  One man said that he had met God and the devil while down there and God had won.  We were all impressed at that. 

When we told J.T. that smoking was allowed to those who chose to do so he simply patted his shirt pocket where his cigarettes normally were and smiled as he said, "If those miners could stay down there in that hell hole for that long with that little food and drink then I certainly should be able to go without smoking for three days as a tribute to my God who also wins." Linda and I were both speechless.  We knew how much of an enjoyment smoking was to him and felt as if that were a fine gift he wanted to give to God.  I am certain that God is surely with him during this special weekend and the time after that.  We all have habits that we wish we did not have but we can learn something here about what a wonderful time in life it is when a friend makes an effort to better himself in order to please God.  Cannot we all benefit by copying this kind of struggle?  I am thankful to God for many things, one of which is for His bringing friends into my life such as J.T.!

Let's spread the good news.  I love my neighbors whomever they are and you are one of those, aren't you?

WOW!

It doesn't take a lot to make me happy. When Linda and I went to Sodus, New York recently to see our great grandchildren our granddaughter Shannon told us right away that we might have a hard time bonding with the youngest boy. He is one and a half years old.  His name is Gavin. He is sort of chunky and built like a bowling ball. You know what I mean.  He is the same size any way you happen to measure him. He is really good looking, as all of our family happens to be, and he laughs a lot. When we got there I told Linda that I would take my time trying to win him over. After all it was the first time either of us had ever seen him. So when we arrived we walked into their house, Gavin looked up at us while he was sitting on the floor, jumped up smiling and ran to me with both arms stretched out wanting me to take him.  He stayed in my arms almost the whole time we were there. Does that give your heart a lift?  It did mine!  I have always loved children and this was a very special time in my life. I knew that there could never be a time any better that would happen to me in my lifetime.  Or even be as well.

But I was wrong.  Today we went to see Bobbi Logsdon. We love Bobbi and wanted to see her but the real reason for the visit was to see Rebekah, her one year old granddaughter. We saw her the first week of her life and Julia, her mother, let me hold her for a long time.  That time she didn't even wake up. But today! We walked in and there she sat on the floor playing with some toys. She looked up and ran to me the same way as Gavin did. She jumped up into my arms and snuggled as if to say that she was very happy to see me.  Now don't try to pop my bubble and say she would do that for anybody. Each time I put her down to play she would sort of do some little something and then turn around and come back to me with those little arms stretched out for me to take her again. I can't speak for you but I do know this: children are wonderful and if you let them they can make you very happy. And all without saying a word.

Don't you wish we could all be like children?  I do. I guess that is why I do not really want to grow up.  Children love anyone who is kind to them.  So today be kind to a child. Their smile and hugs will more than pay you for that little bit of time well spent. 

I love you, too, whether you want me to or not, and there ain't nothing you can do about it.  So there!

The Reunion

Although it is hard to believe I just returned from my high school graduation reunion.  Oh that is not hard to believe.  What is hard to believe is that it was my sixtieth.  Most people don't even live that long. There were seventy-four in our class, out of which twenty-seven have died. Two died last week. This could very well be my last blog.

So what did I learn? Well I got to visit with a lot of old friends I have not seen since our last reunion five years ago. Most of us who are still living are trying to keep living until we have something to brag about at those affairs. Not an easy thing to do. So some sort of made things up to talk about. I was one of those of course. We together remembered things that happened when we were in high school, most of which never happened at all. I recalled for them the time I hit the home run in the final game of the regional tournament. No others could remember that. I can't imagine why. I think the best part of the day was when one of the women got up and told the story about the time she farted in church. Then she swore us all to secrecy about it. So I won't tell who it was. It was funny, though.

I really did learn something, though. I learned that old friends are precious. I think maybe all friends are precious. And I learned that all memories are not good.  But there are enough good ones to offset the bad. I hugged all of the ones I talked to and not a single one complained. Madisonville, Kentucky is the Best Town on Earth and I am glad I went to high school there. Why don't you call some of your high school classmates right now and tell them that you love them. You will both feel better for it.

The helper

At the liars club this morning I sat across from J.T. Joe sat next to him.  Joe and his son were telling about a project they were building.  I didn't understand exactly what they were doing but I got enough to know that it was a difficult job. I sat there feeling sorry for them. But J.T. asked if they would let him help. What a difference! As J.T. listened he kept coming up with specific ways to help them. He was serious. He obviously really wanted to give them a hand. I know J.T. He is able to help. And what was he asking in return? NOTHING! As I sat there I kept wondering why I don't think like that. I never offered to help at all. I could have but I didn't.

I recalled a time when I was visiting a friend who was dying. There were others there as well. We all felt bad about our friend. But Shirley was home cooking chili for their family. Actions really do speak louder than words. The family has long forgotten the ones of us who were just there to pay our last respects but they will never forget the Christian love Shirley showed.

Each day my prayer is for God to place someone in my path that I can have a kind word for. Or a hug. Or better yet a real act of kindness. I am sure that He answers that but I am often too oblivious to recognize it. It does make me happy however to know that there are J.T.s and Shirleys in the world. Spread some love today, O.K.?

Same ol' Stuff. Don't waste time reading it.

I am seventy-eight years old and I feel like I am forty-five. Why, you ask?  Well I drink Zija every day. I also take the XM3 capsule and am loosing weight and have more energy.  What is all this I am talking about, you ask again?  I do not have enough space or time to write it all here but if you really want to know ask me and I will either write you or e-mail you or call you or come to see you or meet you on common ground.  In just a few minutes I can show you how to feel really good and healthy and make money at the same time.  I thought this was a scam and I am sure some of my friends will agree that that is the case, but I feel better than I have in years and wish the rest of everyone I know would feel the same.  Is that a wrong thing to want? So maybe I am off my rocker but I think I am ready to go bear hunting with a switch. How's that for a start?  I love everybody!  See you tomorrow. Thanks for droping by!

Its me again

I went to breakfast this morning at the local gathering place for the locals.  They all enjoy telling stories, most of which are lies, and playing jokes on each other. A wonderful place to go. I call it The Liars Club. I have listened carefully and have yet to hear anyone say anything about any other that would be offensive or hurtful.  I think they must have accepted me, too, because they now play tricks on me as well. I now see them all as friends. Isn't that a fine way to feel?  I am looking for someone to be good to today if I can. That would make it a perfect day. Would you like to join me> Then do something nice for someone today. Happiness is like jam, you know. You can't spread it without getting it all over yourself.

Willy's Thoughts again

I was privileged to go with Linda and two of my very favorite other people to a flea market in Nashville yesterday.  God gave us the most beautiful day of the year for us to enjoy the time.  So what did I learn?  Well it became clear to me that when the weather is really beautiful people tend to treat each other better.  I have not seen that many smiles in a very long time.  I bought a pair of clip-on sun glasses, wore them for about an hour, leaned over to pick up something and they fell apart.  I went back to the lady I bought them from and showed them to her.  I fully expected her to accuse me of breaking  them but she did not.  She smiled as she opened another package and removed another pair of glasses.  She even apologized to me.  She took my glasses and put the snap-on lens on them.  She showed me how to fix them if it happened again.  And then she thanked me for buying them.  Her husband was there and he apologized as well.  These people will probably never realize just how good they made me feel by their simple act of kindness.  What a learning day!  I sincerely hope that I learned enough to follow suit.  Be happy!

Willy's Thoughts

This is my first blog so be kind.  Each day I plan to share something that I have learned over the years.  A clock that doesn't run at all is right twice a day so I could possibly have learned something to be shared along the way even if it doesn't make sense.  Come back often and let me hear from you.  We can learn together.  Oh! And I love everybody, even the silly ones who do not agree with me.  Ain't that nice?  See you tomorrow.