Sleepy

 

The summer of 1969 I worked at Bata Shoe Company on Belcamp, Maryland.  My Uncle Damon got me the job.  Bata had two shifts of eight hours each with a half hour for lunch.  That left only seven hours for third shift (my shift).  In order to get forty hours in, third shift had to work twelve hours Sunday night starting at eight and ending Monday morning at eight.  Since Monday was my first shift of the week, and twelve hours long, Monday morning I was washed out.  I had a six-mile drive home and could barely make it without falling asleep.  In fact, one Monday, I just couldn’t make it.  I had the window rolled down with my face in the wind, but just couldn’t stay awake.  I pulled over and slept for an hour - three miles from home!  And I’m glad that I did.  Driving drowsy is as bad as driving under the influence.  David said in Psalm 4:8, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”  I was afraid of falling asleep at the wheel.  And thank the dear Lord that I was able to think clearly enough to pull over and get a little nap.  Hey, don’t take chances in life.  Don’t take chances driving and don’t take chances with your eternal soul.  Don’t risk entering eternity unprepared.  Trust in Jesus while you can.

Blessed

 

Just got a cute picture of my son-in-law, his daughter (my granddaughter) and his new grandson (my first great grandson).  This picture says it all!  Alex is so proud and awake.  Mary Kate is a typical new mother sleeping whenever and wherever she can.  I told her that it’s best for her to sleep when Titus sleeps.  That may be the only time that she gets any rest.  And Titus is sleeping contentedly in the arms of his grandfather. (Opa in Dutch).  I’m proud of all three!  I’m not sure who took the picture; probably Alex’s wife, my daughter, Rebekah.  Thanks for the picture; thanks for the memory; thanks for the next generation for me to celebrate!  III John verse 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”  How true.  Hey, walk in truth today, and be a blessing to your parents (or to their memory if they are deceased).

Before and After

 

I enjoyed visiting the trial garden at Metrolina Springfield this past week.  My daughter was looking for some perennials to fill in some spaces around the outside of her house.  They had bays with new bedding plants across the way and then the mature plants in the trial garden.  Reminded me of “before” and “after” pictures that might appear in a greenhouse trade magazine.  I wonder if the Lord has His angels recording “before” and “after” pictures of me?  Am I as nice toward the end of my life as I have matured or did I fail the Lord?  I want to be a success story for the Lord, don’t you?!  Paul said in II Timothy 4:7&8, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”  So, if you want to be a good “after” picture, start working on serving the Lord today.  Put God first in your life, and you’ll never have regrets.