People and Opportunities, April 24, 2009

After a week stay in Savannah (Tybee Island) and preaching in FPC, Savannah, we are parked on this Friday in a Forsyth, GA RV park, getting ready to head for Talledega and the NASCAR race there Sunday. Then, Monday, we go back to Atlanta for a two week stay before heading WEST.

While travelling the last few weeks I have wondered how God would have me use my retirement days, other than travelling this wonderful country with Helen, seeing 'stuff' this boy from the Mississippi bayous has never imagined, and doing the little fix-up items around Molly II that always needs attention.

I think a lot about our nation's future amid this economic condition, the ridiculous and truly sad political shannigans going on in Washington, the slow deteriation of my PCUSA denomination, the geo-political mess fronting the USA on all fronts and, then, of course, my grandkid's futures.

Besides enjoying life with Helen in retirement, God seems to be placing on my schedule, or in my almost daily path, many and varied persons to whom he wants me to be a friend. Maybe that's my professional calling now -- meeting and relating to strangers, many of whom I likely will not see again, some I will. I've had opportunity to share my faith (in varied simply ways) with others who, it seems, are struggling with their own issues.

We just left Tybee Island where we parked next to 'Dan', a 20 year career soldier recently back from Iraq. He is working part-time at the RV park, waiting for his discharge so he can get back to SC and his wife and family. He, too, is uncertain of his future. But what a nice, kind man, talented immensely in so many ways.

And then there was the fellow two RVs down from us. Eric. Long, straggly hair to his shoulders, a winter knit hat pulled down over his ears, a week long beard. You'd think initially that he was a bum. But I learned differently. He works 12 hour days on a construction site, six days a week. I spoke to him the other day, engaged in some conversation. Later that same day he brought us Vidalia onions complete with their tops, fresh from the field. No reason to do that except for his kind spirit. (By the way, we prepared the onions by covering them in maple syrup and real butter...baked for an hour at 350. Wow, were they some kind of good!)

Across the drive was a couple who arrived with the woman driving the large 5th wheel. She did all the manuevering to get the RV backed in and unhitched and hooked up to necessary fittings. The husband watched and I thought, 'that's not nice'. Then I discovered, in conversation with them, that he was suffering from a brain tumor and undergoing experimental chemo treatment. She said she has had to learn how to do everything because he is so weak.

All these and others I have tried to encourage and promised to pray for them in their various situations. Is this what God has ordained that I should be doing? I think, yes, in part.

Enough...on to Talledaga and 220 mph! Go 24!!!