Memories          I remember Gin Creek. I assume it was named Gin Creek because at some point in time and someplace in its travel it must have powered a cotton gin. I remember a smooth path alongside this creek where I would walk. I remember crawfish running backward and minnows threading the quick current.           Long before cell phones and computers, there were creeks with elm leaves and water snakes floating in them. Long before boys entertained themselves with video games, they kept themselves busy damming up creeks to make swimming holes. They also rode bikes with no brakes down steep hills. And now old men have scars and aching bones as a result of the glorious crashes that occurred at the bottom.           I remember cane poles and catching bream. In those days there was nothing to worry about. As we rambled through the woods, ticks did not bite and people were good. Also in those days, flat screens were used to keep the bugs out of the house and the net was used to catch fish.           I remember going to church. And preachers who gave out bubblegum and the love of God to children. I remember Vacation Bible School with white-haired ladies and crafts. I also remember Kool-Aid, cookies, and the gospel being served. This is where I decided to follow Jesus.         I remember Sunday School and a teacher who took his boys squirrel hunting. I remember a pastor who walked with Jesus daily and modeled humility. And the legend of Brother Jack lives on today. He and others like him are the type of preacher that I hope to become someday.         Memories. I don’t press them in the pages of my mind. Instead, they are running on the screen saver of my heart. They tell of simpler times and sweeter pleasures. They remind me of places and people who have shaped my life. But most of all they remind me of how much Jesus loved that boy who used to play in the waters of Gin Creek.

Memorial Day             3,000,000. If Google is correct, this is the approximate number of American Soldiers who have died in service to this great country. These are the ones we honor on Memorial Day.            Now this may shock you, but listen carefully. The sacrifices of these great heroes were not made in defense of our freedoms. In their Oath of Enlistment, every American soldier swears to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and bear faith and allegiance to it. You see their great sacrifice was made for a document. Oh, but what a document it is.            In its preamble, we read that the Constitution was ordained and established in "Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity."  So yes they did die for our freedom because they died defending the Constitution and the Constitution secures our Blessings of Liberty.            Now consider this. The Constitution is not the source of your rights, no it only secures them. When we read about "The Blessings of Liberty,” we must understand that blessings can only come from a Gracious God. The Declaration of Independence says; "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” This truth is evident. Our rights are declared by the Declaration of Independence, secured by the Constitution of the United States but they are given to us by our Creator and God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.             On Memorial Day I pledge to remember and honor over 3,000,000 great men and women who sacrificed greatly in defense of the Constitution and for my Blessings of Liberty. Also because I am free, I will never stop glorifying my God and Savior Jesus Christ. He has given me the Rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness found in the Hope and Promise of Eternal Life.

Call Your MamaAmong the last items of business that Jesus took care of, even as He hung on the cross, was to make sure that His mother would be cared for. His mother’s life was turned upside down at His birth. She was there while He grew, changing His diapers and kissing His skinned knees. She worried when He was left behind in the temple and tried to understand when He said, “I must be about my Father’s business.” For this reason, before Jesus said “It is finished,” He looked at John and said, “Behold your mother.”            Jesus was His Father’s son, but He was His Mama’s boy. In the Bible, it seems as if He performed His first miracle to please His Mama. Like Jesus, we should always try to please our mamas. Just like all Mary, all mothers make great sacrifices for their children, and like Mary, all mothers should be honored and loved by their children. Here are a few ways that you should love your mother.Love her verbally. Tell her how much you love her. Love her physically. She needs and deserves your hugs. Love her patiently. Goodness knows she was patient with you. Love her with your ears. Remember all the time she stopped what she was doing to listen to you. Take the time to sit and listen to her. Love her generously. There is nothing too good for your mama. Remember all the sacrifices she made for you. Be generous with your love and money, but most of all be generous with your time            It does not matter who you are, what you do, or how much money you make. If you honor your mother, she will be proud of you. Love your mother with all your heart. Love her so that she will be thankful for all the time she invested in you and all the sacrifices she made for you. Remember whoever you are, you owe a lifetime of love to your mother.So, call your Mama!              Honor your father, and your mother that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.  Exodus 20:12

How magnificent is the Power and Authority of the Lord my God! His shining glory illuminates the highest heaven. From the mouth of children, He ordains strength. A bloodthirsty fool may rise against Him, but He destroys the enemy with vengeance.            On a blustery day, I hear the wind howl and watch the tree sway back and forth. When the sun goes down, the light abandons the sky and the moon rises, to stand guard over the night.  In the distance a whippoorwill cheers as the stars begin to decorate the purple sky. All of this makes me wonder who are we that God would have us on His mind. He made us a little lower than the angels. Yet, He has given us a crown of glory and honor.            He is the great and awesome God and He has given us authority over His creation. He has placed all things in our control, the cattle in the field, the beast in the woods, the birds in the air, and the fish in the water. We are just sons of men and yet the Son of God has visited us to give us the right to become children of the most high God.             How magnificent is the Power and Authority of the Lord my God! His shining glory illuminates the highest heaven. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth! Psalms 8

A Call for KindnessI am committed to treating everyone with kindness, regardless of their background or lifestyle. I believe that good manners can revolutionize society, and as such, I will always use polite language when speaking to others. Even if I don’t agree with their views, I will use words like "yes sir," "no sir," "please," "thank you," and "excuse me." I'm also convinced that crude, vulgar, and offensive language has no place in a civilized society. People who persistently use such language are to be pitied, as it can give others a low opinion of them. Also, using good language can go a long way toward improving one's standing in life. The Bible teaches us that we should put away bitterness, wrath, and evil speaking, and instead be kind to one another, tenderhearted, and forgiving. It also tells us that the meek shall inherit the earth and that a gentle answer can turn away wrath. Despite the foolish celebration of rudeness, cruelty, and vulgarity in today's world, I believe that true goodness lies in being kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, meek, and gentle. These are the qualities that God is pleased with, and as someone who loves God, I am compelled to treat everyone with kindness. God has commanded us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. So, Because I love God with all my heart, His love compels me to be polite to everyone.  So, it does not matter who you are, what color your skin is, or what lifestyle you have chosen I will treat you with kindness.Douglas & Deborah Huffwww.pavementendsministry.comemail-pavementendsministry@gmail.com

The Last Star            It is early. The sky is clear. The night is fading as the darkness gives way to the rising sun. There is one last pinpoint of light in the southeastern sky. Is it a stubborn star or a distant planet?  I don’t know. But I do know that as the sun rises it will disappear.               God has appointed the moon and stars the task of being lights in a dark sky. Their beauty and brightness silently sing of His Majesty. But they always give way to the rising sun.However, this last stubborn star seems determined to hold its place in the night sky. Why? I don’t know. Maybe God is using that star to teach me a lesson.             I am a child of God and a preacher of His gospel. He has appointed me to be a light in a dark world. My calling is to let my light shine before all men and glorify my Father in Heaven. Jesus has promised that soon He is going to return. When He does, His light will shine in the darkness and the darkness will be overcome. Then my little light will no longer be needed.             Some people have tried to tell me where, when, and how my light should shine. The opinions of these people mean nothing to me. I have committed my way to the Lord. I trust Him. It is His Holiness that makes my light shine in the darkness. His glory is my purpose.             It is late. The future is clear. This dark world is going to give way to the coming Day of the Lord. My prayer is that like that last star, I can continue to shine my light in the darkness. I will give way only to the coming of the Son of Righteousness.

This Old House             On April 16, 1978, Deborah and I were married. In 1979 we purchased a house and it has been our home ever since. In this house we have laughed and cried, fought and made up, celebrated and mourned. This is where we live. In this house, we raised our family, and every inch of it is coated with memories. It is our home, but it is not us, it is not our marriage            This house greatly reflects our personalities. We are familiar with all the creaks and pops and every crack in the walls. There is contentment to be found in its every flaw and there is no more comfortable place than our house. But if it is taken from us tonight and if tomorrow we are homeless, we will still have each other. You see this house is our home, but it is not us, it is not our marriage.            All over this land, there are buildings that people call churches. Some are beautiful brick-and-mortar structures, while others look more like metal warehouses. In these buildings church members have laughed and cried. They have fought and made up and they have celebrated and they have mourned. In these buildings, the family of God has grown and they are filled with memories. But we would still gather if all these buildings were destroyed today and we had no place to gather. We would still worship God. These buildings are not the church, they are not our salvation.             The church is the bride of Christ, and Jesus is the Bridegroom. He loves the church and He gave His life for her. But when Jesus said," I will build my Church” He was not talking about brick and mortar. No. He was talking about us. We are His bride, and we are His church God has chosen us to be precious, living stones in the spiritual house that Jesus is building.             One day all these buildings that people call churches will rot and burn. They were never meant to be permanent. However, the church that is the bride of Christ is built on a firm foundation and will never fail. Christ loves the church and gave Himself for us. He has sanctified and cleansed us. One day we will be presented to Him as a glorious church, holy and without blemish. Because we are the Church that Jesus is building.

A Tale of Two Men             In the fourteenth chapter of The Gospel of Mark, we find the story of two men who betrayed Jesus. One of these men betrayed Him for money, and the other one was afraid. One of these men betrayed Jesus with a kiss, and the other one denied Him with an oath. The first one had maliciously schemed to sell Jesus and the second one had boldly proclaimed that he would never deny Jesus. But he did. They were both guilty.             Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Peter denied Jesus because he was afraid.  Both men felt shame and regret for what they had done.  The name of Judas will always be synonymous with treachery and deceit but Peter will always be remembered as a saint. What was the difference?              When Judas saw that Jesus was to be crucified and he was sorry for what he had done. So, he tried to fix it. He tried to take it back. But a sin that has been sinned cannot be unsinned. It cannot be taken back. Judas could not live with the devastation of his sin, so he took his own life.  Thus, he will always be remembered as the man who sold the Savior for thirty pieces of silver             Peter also was devastated by his sin. But he did not try to fix it himself. He knew, that His sin could not be unsinned and it could never be taken back. But unlike Judas, Peter received forgiveness for his sin, not because he was sorry for his actions but because he repented of his sin.  Later as they shared a breakfast of fresh fish Jesus forgave Peter and cast his sin as far away as the East is from the West.              At some point in time, we have all betrayed Jesus. Don't say you haven't, that would just be a lie. We are all sinners, and the sins that we sin cannot be unsinned. But Jesus has promised that if we repent of our sins, He will have compassion on us and will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.              Our sins cannot be taken back and you and I cannot fix them. But when Jesus forgives us He also forgets about our sin and it is just as if we had never sinned. The Bible says “Happy is the person whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. Happy is the person whom the LORD does not consider guilty." Psalms 32:1-2 NCV

The Tomb Was Not Empty            In none of the Gospels are we told that the borrowed tomb of Jesus was empty. If someone had stolen the body of Christ, the tomb would have been empty. If the body of Jesus had been left to rot, the tomb would have been worse than empty. If the tomb had been empty, then Christ would not have risen and we would be most miserable. But Christ is risen and the tomb is very full.             On that Sunday morning, the ladies came to anoint the dead body of Jesus. Instead, they found the tomb full of the Glory of God. They were met by angels who said “He is not here. He is risen.” When Peter ran to the tomb, he did not understand what had happened. But later he would realize that the tomb was permeated with peace and forgiveness for his troubled soul.  Indeed, on Resurrection morning the tomb was enveloped in the settled hope of eternity and saturated with the power of God that brings salvation.                         So often we find ourselves in a field of headstones. Heartbroken we watch as a loved one is lowered into the grave. But when we are in the valley of the shadow of death we are not without hope. Without a doubt, we can find comfort in the knowledge that our Savior has already traveled this way. Fear not. Jesus’ tomb is filled with victory. Death has lost its sting and the grave has lost its power. The stone was rolled away proving that the grave could not contain the Son of God and will not hold the child of the King.              On Resurrection Sunday we celebrate our risen Savior. An angel rolled the stone away to give us a look inside the tomb. There we see a folded napkin and crumpled grave clothes. But that is not all we find. You see the tomb of Jesus is filled with a promise. This is the promise Jesus is alive, death is not final and life in Christ is eternal.

Triumphant            “A great multitude, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!”  John 12:12            Most triumphal parades are for the benefit of those who understand them the least. This one included. Most of the people along this parade route did not know why they were there. They just happened to be there and a parade broke out.  The people who enjoyed this parade the most understood it the least. They would shout “Hosanna” today, but cry out, “crucify Him” next week.             Someone asked, "What are we here for?" Well, we are here to see Jesus, the Messiah. He is going to be the national Liberator, and that is why we are waving these palm branches. You see, Jesus is going to save us from the Romans.        I believe Jesus had tears flowing from His eyes that day because these people were looking for the wrong thing. You see, Hosanna means save us now, with an emphasis on “now”. The freedom they wanted was temporary and fleeting.  But Jesus came to give us eternal peace. He came, not on a great white horse as a conqueror, but on a lowly donkey as a Suffering Servant.             The Suffering Servant on a donkey brings peace and drives away fears. He says to us today, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27).              Things taught by men are often wrong but things revealed by God never are. What is revealed to us by this story of Jesus riding on a donkey?  This simple truth, kingdoms won by victorious conquerors are temporary but Life given to us by the Suffering Savior is eternal.

Preacher Jack’s Kids            Their age is around the half-century mark. They were raised in a small country church called Falling Creek. Some are in heaven today, but most are still making their mark on the world. They are a small but highly privileged group. They were and are Preacher Jack's Kids.             During the Sunday morning worship service right after the offering, Brother Jack would call his kids up. Then he would sit on the edge of the platform while the children gathered around him in a wonderfully unorganized fashion. Using his homespun wit and some object he had found that week, he would tell them about Jesus.            Jack and his children were unpredictable. You never knew what he might say. But you especially could never tell what the kids would say. Many times, Jack and the parents would end up red-faced and embarrassed. But the congregation would howl with laughter.            It seems that today our churches have lost something precious. Most preachers are too dignified to sit on the floor and teach kids. Most congregations don’t want the flow of the service to be interrupted by a bunch of children. Meanwhile, the bulletin contains an order of Service that does not have space for the Holy Spirit or Kids.              Jesus hinted at a true worship service when He said, “Let the little children come to Me, for such is the kingdom of heaven.”  Do you wonder why church attendance is dwindling? Maybe we need more pastors who have time for the children. Maybe more children need the opportunity to learn like Preacher Jack’s Kids did.            Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:2

Time Ain't on Our SideTime slips away. How often do we look at the clock and say, oh no,  I'm late.? How often do we wish that we could manage our time better? But then, who can manage time?  Like a great threshing machine, time is mowing down the days of our lives.  Time marches on and it has no concern for our plans or desires.  No, we cannot manage time.  But we can manage our actions. We can learn to make better use of our energies and activities.  The important thing is to prioritize. Decide what matters and don't waste time on things that don’t.I have found that the energy spent trying to impress people is energy and time wasted.  Entertainment can also be a stealer of life.  The hours squandered in front of the TV, on video games, or even reading meaningless books are gone forever. And I know this is true because I often wish that I could have my hours back.Yet these are not the only time thieves. Sometimes things that are good and important steal our time.  Jobs are important. But there are times when a job will rob us of valuable family time. Hobbies and sports often take us away from the more important things and yes, even church can have a detrimental impact on the wise use of time.  But know this,  God has a plan for us. We need to seek His will for our time. Every minute of it. We are not here to please ourselves or others. We are here to glorify God.  Think about this we don’t know the number of our days!  Any second now our life here on earth could end. When it does you will answer to God for, “among other things” your use of Time.   If He calls you today, would you be ashamed of how you spent Time?

God Still Says, “It is Good”In the first chapter of the Bible, we read about the creation story. It is a simple yet magnificent record of God, who came from nowhere, stood on nothing, and spoke everything into existence by the power of His Word. After creating everything, God created rest. On the day of rest, He looked around at all things and said, "This is good."Deborah and I once spent a weekend on Lookout Mountain. From the top, we could see the beautiful and majestic world that God created. The grandeur of the river and woods is a testament to the goodness of God's creation.From the top of the mountain, we could also smell the smoke of a distant fire and hear the lonesome whistle of a faraway train. Looking at the cities and towns with their busy factories and highways, I realized that this was God's plan. After creating all things, God turned to man and said, "This is yours to have dominion over." I believe when God looks at the works of man, He smiles and says, "This is good also."Sometimes it's good to go up on a mountain because from down here the world looks messed up. Wars, rumors of wars, and the wickedness of man make this world look hopelessly bad. But on the mountain, you can see the world as God sees it. He is The Great I Am. He has said, "I am God and I change not." Because He does not change, His creation is still good. Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, and God the Father still says, "It is good."

There is No Fear in Love             The Bible says; "There is no fear in love; for perfect love cast out fear, --- he who fears has not been made perfect in love."The words, “There is no fear in love” may conjure up images of white doves fluttering away in the sunset while violins play in the background. But really, what does this verse mean? How is it possible that love can drive away fear?            Love, what does this mystical word mean? The Greek language has many different words which translate as love. There is erotic love, brotherly love, and then the word “agape” which translates as Godly love. This is the word that is used in this text which we read. The word “agape" has a fascinating meaning. The love it describes is a love that drives away fear. It is a love that is not victim to whimsical human nature; it is a love that conquers all. This love has a unique origin. Its origin is God Himself.            This love is based on a Godly decision that overcomes all fear and anguish and is not made on emotions or feelings. For this love is not a feeling, it is an act of your will. Love is a decision made by your will, which goes over into deeds. I will repeat it; love is a decision leading to action and deeds.            Yes, love is a choice to be made. Make the choice to trust God, follow God, and be obedient to God. Choose to love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might. And choose to love your neighbor as yourself. Do this and you will find that love will cast out all your fear. Douglas & Deborah Huff

Valentine’s Day            February 14th is Valentine’s Day. It is a day of celebrating the romantic love between men and women. It is also a day when Jared, Hallmark, and FTD Flowers celebrate an increase in their revenue. I do not think many people know the real story behind all the candy, flowers, and heart-shaped cards. While it is good that we celebrate love and marriage, we need to remember the man who was Saint Valentine.             Valentine lived during the time of Claudius II. This evil Roman emperor persecuted the church and outlawed marriage. The time in which Valentine lived was much like today in that it was a very permissive society. All lifestyles were permitted and encouraged, except traditional marriage. Valentine refused to submit to laws that subverted the will of God. He was eventually imprisoned and tortured to death for performing marriage ceremonies against the commands of Emperor Claudias.             We know that there are many similarities between the time of Valentine's life and ours. In the permissive society that we live in, traditional and Godly marriage is under attack. Today the government and the court system have proven to be anti-God and anti-marriage. For this reason, now more than ever, we need people like Valentine who will stand and say no to an evil and corrupt culture. Remember this, when loving righteousness and serving God becomes a crime, being an outlaw will be honorable.

But God Did         It was Friday morning. The last day of Vacation Bible School. On this day, before we could eat our cookies and drink our Kool-Aid, we had to listen to the Preacher. Pastor Suttles talked about how much God loved us. He asked us to trust Jesus and give our lives to Him. That day I decided to follow Jesus. I asked Him to save me. I was only nine years old. I didn't understand everything about salvation. But God did.            It was a Sunday afternoon. The middle of April. She and I stood at the altar in a crowded church. Her Pastor and my Pastor stood before us. Preacher Jack prayed and Preacher Charles officiated. He asked us if we would love and honor one another until we were parted by death. We both said we would. I was 21 she was 18. We were just babies. We didn't know everything about love or marriage. But God did.            It happened twice in the next few years. I stood in a hospital delivery room. I knew she was a maker of miracles as I watched my babies being born. I felt overwhelmed by the responsibility of fatherhood. I didn't know much about being a daddy. But God did.             I was 29 when I was called to preach. Shy and backward, I was afraid to speak in public. I asked God, “Are you sure you know what you are doing?”  He said, “I do.” I told him, I don't think I can do this. He said, “You can't, but I can.”            My life has been full of situations where I did not know what I was doing. Because I am hard-headed, I often make a mess of things. At these times, I learned to say to Him “Lord, I did it again, and I can't fix it.” That is when God says, “Just give it to Me and I will.”            I have found that when I am afraid, the Lord is with me. When I am weak, God is strong.  If I stumble, it is He who catches me. Sometimes in the darkness, I cry out, “Who is my help? “Then God whispers loudly in my ear, “I AM and I will.”

He Is Enough             Last night before I went to bed, I stood in my front yard looking up at the sky. It was a clear night. As always, the stars were beautiful and awe-inspiring. Now, I have a limited knowledge of the science of the stars. I know a little bit about light years, galaxies, and solar systems. However, I often imagine the stars I see are pinpricks in the floor of Heaven. I think of these pinpricks as a gift from God that allows me to see tiny glimpses of my home in Glory.             Later as I lay in bed, this simple phrase came into my mind “If you have everything, you have nothing and if you have nothing, you have everything.” What does that mean? As I lay on my pillow, I tried to parse this thought out. Eventually sleep took over with the thought still unresolved in my head.             Today I am reminded of a truth that I learned as a result of my ministry. Serving as a pastor I was often called to minister to and pray for people approaching death. Sometimes I would go into the homes of relatively wealthy people. At other times I would go to people who lived in extreme poverty. The truth I learned is that wealthy or poor it does not matter, death treats everyone the same way.             Life on earth is as permanent as the frost on an early autumn morning. It is going to melt away. When you were born you had nothing, when you die everything, you own will immediately belong to someone else. Those who live only to gain wealth will find their wealth to be a destructive trap. The greatest thing you can gain in this world is the contentment of living a Godly life.             If you have everything this world can offer but don’t have Jesus, you have nothing. If in this world you have nothing, but Jesus is your Savior, you have everything. The bottom line is this, wealth and poverty are only temporary but God is eternal, and He is enough.

Do The Right Thing “Today is the sum total of all your yesterdays and today is the common denominator of all your tomorrows.             What you are today is a result of all your past decisions. The things you said or did not say, the things you did or did not do have shaped your life today. Everything you have seen or heard and everywhere you have been or refused to go has been working in your life to form the person that you have become.  Listen to the local news. You will hear how illicit drug use and alcohol abuse is fueling the foolish choices that people make. No doubt most people will say they cannot help themselves. Most will try to blame others for their actions. They will say their lives have been shaped by their circumstances.              That is bull. Circumstances do not shape anyone’s life. Circumstances do not cause people to be what they are. The course of a person’s life is determined by what they choose to do with their circumstances.  History is filled with stories of great men and women we all admire and call heroes. However, our heroes became heroes only because they overcame their circumstances. Ordinary people become great when they reject drugs and alcohol. They become great when they make wise and good choices. Great men and women do not do great things, they simply make it a habit to do the right things.             Now it is a sad fact that you cannot change yesterday. You have to live with the consequences of your past. But God in His mercy has given you a gift. He has given you today. And today is the common denominator of all your tomorrows! Today you will impact your future, so this is your chance to make good choices. This is your chance to speak good words and see good sights. This is your chance to do the right thing. Your actions yesterday may have made you a loser today, but your actions today could cause you to be tomorrow’s hero. And here is the first right thing you can do, trust God! He is the one who made you and He knows about your future. If you ask Him, He will forgive you for your yesterdays, and be your guide for tomorrow.

The Door            The door separated the waiting room from the examination area of the doctor's office. As he stood there looking out, there was a look of confusion on his face. She saw him standing there and her heart broke. Wise, gentle, and strong, she had always leaned on this man. But now, fear was on his face. A nurse spoke to her and said, “The doctor wants to see you.”            After several visits to the doctor, the issues were worse. This morning he had been adamant that she did not need to go with him as he talked to the doctor. Watching as he followed the nurse back, she began to pray. Now he stood at that door looking so scared and small. She already knew what the doctor was going to say. She whispered, “God, I love you but I don't like how you answer my prayers.”            It was Alzheimer's. This explained the memory loss, confusion, and flashes of anger. There was medicine to take. It would slow the progression of the disease but not stop it. It was going to get worse. Ahead of them were years of heartache and tears. The disease would rob him of many things. But it would never take away her love. Ronald Reagan had rightfully called it, “The Long Goodbye.”  This was only the beginning.             Now he stands at the last door. He is almost home. The journey had been long and hard. She had been by his side the whole way, praying and crying. She whispered, “God, I love him, thank you for hearing my prayers.”         His family was gathered around him as the struggle became a victory.  Clouded eyes became bright. Confused thoughts suddenly became clear as his tangled memories were unraveled. With tears of grief and joy, his loved ones said goodbye. But all of heaven stood and applauded when he stepped through the door that separated Heaven and Earth

The Speed of Yesterday              At five years old, the days seemed to crawl by. He didn't think Christmas would ever get here. As a seventeen-year-old senior, he couldn't wait for graduation. At twenty-two, she said yes, but the year-long engagement seemed to last forever. In his twenty-fifth year, the nine months he waited to meet his baby was interminable. As a young man, his tomorrows were always slow in coming.            Then middle age breezed in. While his children grew, he often attempted the impossible task of being in two places at once. Forty-hour work weeks often required fifty-five hours. Vacations, when they were not postponed, seemed to be something to endure not enjoy. Today, well today it seems like the beginning and end run together. He hasn't noticed it yet, but he's not waiting for tomorrow anymore.      Old! He wonders, when did I get old? He remembers things he did yesterday, but wait, that was twenty years ago. Now, he watches as his children try to be in two places at once. His house is not one of those two places. High school reunions, well they happen mostly in the funeral home these days. And last week was their fifty-fifth wedding anniversary. He celebrated by putting flowers on her grave. He knows now that life travels at the speed of yesterday.             From Psalms 39 we are taught to say “Lord, make me to know that my end is near. Teach me the length of my days so that I may know how frail I am. You have made my days short. And my age is as nothing before You. Every man at his best state is but a vapor. Every man walks about like a shadow. We busy ourselves in vain. We pile up riches, but we don't know who will gather them. So now Lord what do I wait for? You Lord. My hope only is in You.”