Have just awakened from a crazy night of dreaming all linked to a memorial service of a great and powerful Four Star General I have written about in the last few days, Donn Starry. As my mind unwinds from a night of some degree of sleep and the still darkness of the night abounds outside my windows. I cannot escape the parallels of life and the poignant shades of meaning that resides with each. This week I have started a new class with twenty-four students. This week I have attended a memorial service of a tiny, sweet, gentle 92 year old precious lady from my church and this day I will attend the memorial service with full military honors along with my precious daughter where this General is the common link now nearly four decades ago. This week I will sing a Southern Gospel concert to lift praises to our God as those praises touch those that will make their way to that event.
This morning I find myself thinking deeply about life, death, permanent impressions, lasting experiences and find myself reflecting on the many things I have been given the opportunity to do in my own life and yet feeling inadequate that I yet not done enough. My brain is running an eclectic slide show of missed opportunities to positively affect many others that have and will be put in my path on this journey of life. I guess that is what memorials do is cause you to stop and reflect. A tiny lady and a great warrior. A new crop of students fearful yet eager to learn under my influence. Those are three adjoining parallels that have come full force in my slumbering mind this night. What does it all mean? Honestly, I am still pondering that but here are a few things I know if I may share with you this early morning ...
God has granted me audience with many great and powerful leaders and many gentle, caring, loving people each of which have touched my heartstrings in so many ways. God has given me a family that is close, love each other and we care for each other. As each day passes I realize the phenomenal value of God's greatest creation which are His people. I love people. I love to be around people. I love to watch people and how they choose to deal with the events in their life. I love that I get to teach people and to get to sing to people via that amazing power of a message in song.
As this day begins here in Northeast Ohio, it will be yet another amazing journey no doubt. I know now sitting in the memorial service for the great warrior general next to my daughter will be a memory made I will carry for me the rest of my days. I know this week of amazing interwoven parallels of this life will be burned into my hard drive. Shedding tears at the memorial service for this precious 92 year old lady that loved me earlier this week in the same week where a spectacular ceremony will be witnessed with full military honors. In this same span of a week meeting twenty-four young, fresh minds of some great young people I will work closely with over the next fifteen weeks and then into their future and then getting to sing in concert Friday night; wow, talk about a filled week!
Poignancy, Praise and Preparation ... my Three P's for this week in this life. Every moment is a chance for preparation. Never waste a moment for you are wasting time and time is a great gift as I am sure you know. So regardless of the size or number of the alligators in your swamp this day, find a way to affect someone's life around you in a positive direction.
I know this will be an amazing day, yet another amazing day for me. Sitting with my beautiful daughter in that memorial service for GEN Starry's home going will be stunning for it was she that was the nucleus that drew she and I and GEN Starry together in a Commissary at Fort Knox as I frantically found my lost two year old under the protection of this same general thirty-five yeas ago. This will be an emotional and yet inspiring day and to just get to be part of it is simply humbling to me.
Today; make a difference in somebody's life for that difference will change a direction of that life; that is pretty powerful stuff isn't it. THAT is why I love getting to teach and to sing; it changes lives!
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