Reflections on Past, Present and Future

Got his from my first cousin Greg Turner and thought it was worth sharing.  The author is anonymous.

I grew up with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.
Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away..
I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things.. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep.
It was a way of life, and  sometimes it made me crazy.. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there would always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.
Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return.. So... while we have it..... it's best we love it.... and care for it... and fix it when it's broken......... and heal it when it's sick.
This is true for marriage....... and old cars..... and children with bad report cards..... and dogs with bad hips.... and aging parents..... and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.
Some things we keep. Like a   best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.
There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special........ and so, we keep them close!

I received this from someone who thinks I am a 'keeper', so I've sent it to the people I think of in the same way... Feel free to share this with those who are "keepers" in your life.  Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.  Keep them close!

TEN THINGS GOD WON'T ASK ON THAT DAY.
1.... God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation..
2.... God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
3.... God won't   ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
4... God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
5.... God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
6... God won't ask how many friends you had. He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
7.... God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
8.... God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.
9.... God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.
10.... God won't have to ask how many people with whom you shared this article.  He may asked how many people you you shared him with.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  Only through better people will we become a better nation and world.

People I Admire - Mr. Mo'

I had the good fortune to see my good friend Don Moore at church last night. I met Don 30 years ago when Carolyn worked for him at Keowee Elementary School. He is quite possibly the nicest man I have ever met. Ever jovial, he is a master story teller and has a quick, engaging wit. He is smart, too. I know this because he married well. His wife, Peggy is a retired school principal, as is Don. He has two adult children, Trent and Bess, both of whom are married with children.

We have been members of the Carol Barner Sunday School Class at Saint Mark United Methodist Church together since 1993. We have traveled together to Lake Junaluska, New Orleans, and Phoenix. Don is the same wherever he goes. What you see is what you get. He does not put on airs for anyone. Once we were eating dinner in the Court of Two Sisters in New Orleans when Don asked for bread before dinner. The waiter told him no, because he did not want us to fill up on bread. Don asked again and got the same result. Many people would pitch a fit to get their way, but not Don. He just shrugged and waited for the bread that came with dinner. He is gifted with a common touch that will allow him to relate to anyone from a university president to the parent of a troubled child.

One thing I have learned about Don is that he can cook some mean barbecue. A pig-pickin' at Don's is an event not to be missed. The vinegar and pepper sauce is the best I have ever tasted. After one such event I didn't eat BBQ for a while, because it all tasted tame. Don is also a golfer. Having played with him on several occasions, I can vouch for the fact that he can flat out hit it. He has the ability to coach less skilled players as well. During one of our golf outings, I hit into some trees off the the tee. The ball ricochet backwards and rolled to a stop at my feet. In his most earnest and thoughtful vice Don says, "Dickie, I know what you are doing wrong. You're standing too close to the ball." (long, long pause)"after you hit it." Obviously, we all just fell apart and laughed the rest of the way around. None of this beats what is to follow.

Don is also a cancer survivor - pancreatic to be specific. More that two years ago, Don Moore was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. During his treatment and recovery, we saw less of him, and when we saw him he looked sick. That's what makes seeing him last night so special. He looked healthy and more like himself than he has in a long time. He has lost bunch of weight still, but that twinkle was in the eye; that smile broke across his face; and that quick wit were all back. He persevered and beat pancreatic cancer. Thank God for his recovery, for he is one of those people that everyone who knows him would like to emulate more. If we all did, this world would be a much nicer one in which to live.