Thoughts on this day of Jubilation

It is early morning and the sun has yet to shine.  Up at 5:00 and full of thoughts, prayers and memories as I celebrate my Diamond Jubilee - the 60th anniversary of my birth.  A string of lights hang on the railing outside the window and as I sit and wait for the dawn those lights shine in the darkness and cause me to stop and reflect.  To see the gems of bright memories and blessings that are mine.

There are, of course some times of darkness, sadness and yes, even hurt and pain in any life, in my life.  Even in those dark hours just before dawn, in those coldest days when the soul cries out, "Come Sweet Spring", even on those days there is joy, comfort and blessings.

I am blessed by family.  Surrounded from my earliest days by family, Daddy and Mama, younger brother Mike and such a wonderful extended family of Grandparents, an army of Aunts, Uncles, Great Aunts and Uncles that all loved a skinny little boy with glasses and dreams and an imagination bigger than his britches.  Blessed now by a wife, Oh My Darlin', who loves me unconditionally, who told me recently as we talked, "yep, you are eccentric".  Blessed by our kids... yes, we will live through their growing up.

My blessings include dear friends, loyal and steadfast, true through the hardships, walking as yoke-fellows through the joyous days, laughing and weeping as I laugh and weep. I am blessed by you and hope you receive blessings from knowing me.

I am blessed with a wonderful home, have had great jobs and have the best job of all... I can follow my dreams and tell stories, write, sing, laugh and make folks smile.

I can share dreams, photos and memories of home and the mountains and remind you of a time and place precious to all of us.  A place just down the holler, just there, see it?  Where the hill sides are green with new growth, the sourwood trees are a-blossom and honeybees sing and buzz as they work the blooms.

A little ol' creek glugs and giggles as it wanders through and look yonder, look into the dappled waters and see minnows darting one way and another.  Your eyes blur as you watch and and almost hypnotized you realize they are spellin' your name... spellin' my name and a message to each of us in a language as old as the hills.

The mountains, ancient mountains groan and creak with age.  The rocks and rives whisper and call.  They call to me, to the ancient memories of hearth and home.  Perhaps they remind me, remind us of other mountains deep in ancestral memories, green hills and heather, peat fires and tartans.  Ancient homesteads and Celtic ancestors.

 But as I sit in the quiet darkness I smile as I know with certain knowledge that soon it will be dawn.  Soon Spring will rush in, flowers will bloom and new life will begin as it always has.  I revel in that knowledge because it reminds me again of my many blessings.

Know this, dear Cousins, I smile this quiet smile and look forward to this day.  I know, as a singer once said, that there are more days behind me than are before me.  Though most outlive their designated threescore and ten, if I should die before I wake tomorrow, I know where I am going.  I know Who I belong to.  I know I am His and He is mine.

For you see, this place, these blessings are but a shadow, a glimpse and glimmer of that place He has prepared for me.  I am a Child of the King, joint heir with Jesus, who is the Christ.  I know in my heart and am secure in that promise.  I am not one to push myself or my faith off on others to offend.  Just know on this day I need to speak, to sings of the blessings that fill my life.  I need to say this to honor and magnify Him

I know that a place is prepared for me, though I hope there are some hills and hollers in Heaven.  An old gospel song speaks of "a cabin in the corner of Glory" and I would be fine with that.

I am thankful today.  I am blessed and you bless me by taking a moment to share these thoughts.

Stephen