Wednesday, the 20th of July! Happy birthday to me. Yes, I turned 72 years old today. I find that amazing because I always talked about those old guys, "you know, in their seventies." And now I am starting my third year into my seventies. And, yes, I am getting ready to retire for the second time, I don't really feel "old"; which only goes to show that age is as much a state of mind as it is anything else. Of, course, being blessed with pretty good health is certainly a blessing, and I know that I should lose about forty pounds to help maintain that health. But I give praise to God above for the blessed life I am allowed to live.

In my 72 years I have come from being an orphan in an orphanage home; (the reason for which will never be known because the records were sealed), to being adopted along with my sister into a middle income home. I served my country twice -- once for four years as an enlisted airman and then again for 28 years as an officer where I retired as a Colonel.  I fell in love with the cutest young girl (Ms. Kate) at Reitz High School at the age of 17 and married her when I was 21. And --- she still loves me and puts up with me 50 years later. We've raised three beautiful, intelligent, successful daughters and quasi-raised a fourth one who is the BFF of our daughter Heather and adds so much joy to our lives. We are the very proud grandparents of five wonderful grandchildren of whom we could not be more proud. In 2001 I promised Ms. Kate I would retire and we would settle down and enjoy life --- and then promptly started a whole new career and became a Licensed Minister for the United Church of Christ and have now been successfully serving two churches as their full time pastor for over twelve years. Over the years I have become a fairly proficient musician, writer, woodworker, traveler, and avid reader. ------- Am I bragging about my life? -- No. But some times we wonder where the time has gone. How did we get to be this old and when did it happen? The answer of course is --- one day at a time. One day just blends into another and time marches on. One day you are having babies and the next thing you know, you are holding grandchildren. For me, --- the cable of steel that strings all of those days together is prayer and a relationship with God. The neat thing about that is that there are many periods in my life that I didn't think about my relationship with God --- but God  never forgot His relationship with me; hence the life full of blessings, unearned and freely given.

So, Happy birthday to me. I have birthday gifts beyond imagination: Ms. Kate is in the other room, I've heard from all of my kids, I have a home, I have health, I have friends around the world who care about me, and I have a faith family that I love. God allowed me to wake up this morning to start a new day and a new year. I promise to do my best to use that gift to my full potential.

Stop and take stock of your life; you'll quickly realize just where the time went. Peace.