Well, Pastor Tony’s office is now empty.  Man, it is so sad to walk by and not see him in there with music blaring, students laughing, and him typing away on his lap top.  I will forever miss stopping by to see the latest blog he found or something funny on UTube.  I am thankful he and the fam will be around a year or so so we can stay in touch.  Staff meetings will never be the same.

We all went to Brittney Kapp’s wedding yesterday.  It was really nice, we had a great time at the reception too.  Lots of dancing !   It was funny to see all the Pastors dancing with their wives – that’s a rare sight you can be sure -  It sort of blew my mind actually.   I thought that Andrea would have loved to have been there and she and I would certainly have danced to a few songs.   I hear she’s learning some new dances in a class she’s taking in Equador – maybe she can teach me some new steps when she gets home. 

 I bought some new clothes with birthday money today.   My daughter said my jeans had to go.   So I went to Gap and a guy we knew named Adam waited on us.   I told him I wanted to look more modern, but not like one of those 50 year olds trying to look 25.  He smiled and helped me out.   Lindsay approved of my choices.  At least I don’t look like a 53 year old trying to “grow old gracefully”.  Blecht!   Who wants that?    So my birthday is Tuesday and I will be 53.  Wow.  I remember when my Dad was 53 - he seemed so old to me.  At that point in his life he had raised 7 children and he had 4 grandchildren,  he had served in the Air Force in WWII, he successfully ran 2 businesses, and was off to Minneapolis to run a retreat center.  Whew!   now I don’t feel so old.   You know, when you reach your 50s you start to wonder about your life and how you’ve invested it over the years.  It doesn’t make sense to have a lot of regrets in my opinion.  I think it makes more sense to look back and thank God for the many blessings He’s given.  I think it also makes sense to look forward to how you can use all those experiences in life to bless others.   So on this anniversary of my birth I remember the words of CS Lewis who said:  “Don’t ever have on your tombstone the following carving:  “He had the experience – but missed the meaning”.  So go ahead and live life on purpose – I know I plan to.