Outlook

They say “that time flies when you’re having fun.” Well, I must be having a heap of fun because time seems to have gone by more swiftly in these past few days. Now, whether or not I have been “having fun” is kind of debateful - if you consider that the past week included a visit to my regular doctor and a follow-up visit to our local hospital to have a cat-scan. And, I was allowed to return home afterward, so I am assuming that nothing too alarming showed up in all the testing. My sweet daughter-in-law, Linda, accompanied me in and through all the testing process. (That’s when I really appreciate that my son, Kirby, is married to a nurse and that gives me some extra security. There’s nothing quite like keeping it all in the family.)

And returning to the present time, I now have to realize that the big, yellow schoolbusses will soon be rolling as our children return to school in just a short time. It’s still difficult to believe that the children’s summer vacation is about over. As, I have said before, when I went to school we didn’t get underway until at least the middle of September. (This was due, in part, to many of the children having to pick cotton to help out their family.) Then, school was out for summer vacation toward the end of May. (But, the kids get out of school now for so many official reasons that the length of the school term has to be extended to allow them to get the required number of days in school.)

Also, since I live just behind the school board office where many busses are parked overnight and through the summer, I am very much aware of the coming and going of the big yellow vehicles. My gosh, I wonder how many children some of those extra long busses can carry? All through my years in grade school and then high school in a nearby town, we had the same bus (we called it the “Blue Goose”) with the same driver, Mr. Eugene Greenway. He was a real jewel, such a nice fellow and we respected him. It was very rare for any of the kids to get into any kind of squabble - I don’t recall more than one or two (and they were minor) in all those years.

CHUCKLE #1 - Three churches in a small, southern town had been over-run with pesky squirrels. After much prayer, the elders of the first church determined that the animals were predestined to be there. Who were they to interfere with God’s will? they reasoned. Soon, the squirrels mutliplied.

The elders of the second church, deciding they could not harm any of God’s creatures, humanely trapped the critters and set them free outside of town. Three days later, the squirrels were back in the church.

The third church was the only one succeeding in keeping the pests away. The elders baptized the squirrels and registered them as members of the church. Now, they only see them at Easter and Christmas time.

I must tell you about the wonderful time I had this past Saturday. As many of you know, I have always loved to poke around at “garage sales” which are usually held on Saturdays over this area. So, I left home about 9AM and checked out the only sale listed in town. Didn’t see anything there that I wanted or needed; so, I journeyed on out to the Start area, where the Start Assembly of God Church was having a special day to let the folks of this area know that there is hope in these hopeless times. They also wanted to let people know that they do not have to join their church in order for them to pray for this community and/or reach out a helping hand to those in need.

There was a band playing mostly gospel-type music and a young fellow singing some of the long-time favorite numbers. And, I met a very nice older lady and sat at a table with her while consuming the hamburger I was offered along with some really good, sweet tea. Later, I was handed a hot dog and more tea. (wrote down the lady’s name and I have it somewhere at home along with her telephone number; but, I can’t recall it right now.) She lives in Rayville - up on the north side a few blocks from the railroad tracks which run east/west here and I do plan to get in touch with her real soon. I believe the two of us have a lot of things in common. I know we “talked up a storm” at our first meeting.

So, I want to personally thank all the folks from the Start Assembly of God for the wonderful outing they provided for the public this past Saturday and remember, it was all free to everyone with no limit on how many hot dogs and/or hamburgers one consumed nor how much tea, Kool-Aid or soft drinks were handed out. I truly felt welcome and I do pray for this church and for their success in reaching out to those who need a church home and a special place in which to worship God. In times like these, we all need to know that someone cares for us and wants to get to know us better. So, let’s call off that “pity-party” which some of us may have been having or may have been bordering on one. Instead, I”m going to lift up my eyes and try to see more opportunities which the good Lord may be placing before me and and expecting me to take some action on some of them. I find it comes back to me in just about the same measure in which I have given and usually it’s multiplied many times.

CHUCKLE #2 - A fellow, well known for his drinking sprees, was proudly showing off his new apartment to a friend one night. As they entered the bedroom, the friend noticed a big, brass gong on the wall.

“Why do you have that brass gong?” asked the friend.

“It’s not a gong, It’s a talking clock,” the drunk replied.

“A talking clock? How does it work?”

“Watch this,” said the drunk as he took up a hammer and gave the gong an ear-shattering blow and waited.

Someone on the other side of the wall screamed, “Hey, you jerk. It’s 3 in the morning!”

It looks as if much of the work has been done to provide better water in our fair little town. I have certainly seen a lot of dirt turned over in the past few months; but, I think there’s still much to be done. It’s going to take a while for the “scars” to heal and new grass to grow where it was all scraped off and/or covered up. So, just hang on a while, folks and bare with it - hopefully, it will all be “better bye and bye.” And also, remember, “Rome wasn’t built in one day.” And, good or bad, plain or ugly, old or new, warts and all, Rayville is my chosen place to live and I’m planning to stick to it until the good Lord calls me to my eternal home in heaven

in about twenty or thirty years. Ha! Just kidding....but, I do hope to set a new record for longevity....Yes! Yes!

Time will tell in that matter, won’t it?

Birthdays are fast approaching for: Wade Morgan, Grant Blakeney, Savanna Madison, Rose Mulhern and Jim Berry on 7/29; for Randy Pierce on 7/30; Gerald Jordan on 7/31; Daisy Smith on 8/1; Charlie Gammill. Kristi Brown and David Williams on 8/2; Beth Milby, Carla Franks and Mecca King on 8/3 and for Sherry Thames on 8/4. May all of these good folks enjoy a very special celebration of their natal day and we wish them many, many more......May God bless each and every one of them with continued good health in the days ahead.

And, that wraps up another Outlook for one more week. Hope you enjoyed reading it and I look forward to visiting with you again next time through this column.

PARTING THOUGHT: Too many people spend money they haven’t earned; to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.