January 30 – “An early start”

OK.  I’ll acknowledge it right off the bat.  Today’s the big day.  Retirement 2022.  Details to come … tomorrow.

 

I woke up yesterday at 5 a.m., bright and early.  I knew it was pretty cold out there.  Aw, it was only 47.  “Only” 46.  But it felt like about 30 to me.  All right.  All right.  I admit it.  I’m just a cold wimp, if you haven’t figured it out by now.  Being that early did have its plus side, though.  It gave me a chance to do the final edits on the final sermon. 

 

And speaking of the final sermon, we got our weekend of retirement celebration started a little early yesterday.  Our good friends from the Arlington/Mansfield area, the Winkle’s and the Huntley’s, came down a day early and took us out to lunch.  Shrimp and Stuff … yes, please.  We had a great visit.  They gave us a Dr. Suess book – The Places You Will Go.  Great choice in its own right.  But to make it better, they added some edits to reflect specific trips we have already taken, as well as the nest one we have planned toward the West.  And then, as they were heading out the door to return to their hotel for the night, another good friend from the earliest of Seaside days, Ken Fryer, walked up.  He now lives in Austin.  Of course, he had to have a pizza from Mario’s – his all-time favorite.  It was really good catching up with him as well.  And He gave me a t-shirt from the catering business he works with.  Apparently, Cabo Bob’s in Austin, Texas, makes the best burritos in the world.  We’ll have to try them sometime.

 

And not to be outdone, later in the evening, Josh and Christi and all their kiddos arrived.  And good ol’ MaddieBelle was with them.  Freddy greeted them all at the door.  That was a comical sight to behold.  She walked right past MaddieBelle, doing her best to ignore the youngster’s efforts to play.  Freddy couldn’t be bothered with such childish canine antics.  She wanted to greet the new humans.  That was OK with AnnaGrace.  The two exchanged hugs and kisses before our presence was ever acknowledged.  You know, you just can’t beat the connection experience of a child and a dog.  It’s a wondrous thing to behold.  Not so much that dog to dog thing, though.  Freddy is simply not that great around large creatures that walk on four legs.  I can’t imagine what she would do around a cow.

 

Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

 

Father, thank you for the friends you have blessed us with who would go out of their way to arrive early.  Amen.