“What In The World Are We Doing Here??” 

—The Colony House

I spent most the day building my son a bed.  It was his Christmas wish and I am obviously four months late. Better late than never, right??  I chose cypress because, well, I like cypress.  It's naturally rot-resistant, just in case Jack decides to move his bedroom outside....you never know.   After that I took a nap in the yard because the weather was so amazing. 

Yesterday, I spent the day in Pensacola with Ashlyn and one of her friends.  Ash just needed a fun day, and I was so happy she asked me to take her.  It was the first time I'd ever been in an Ulta store. I guess makeup can indeed cost as much as all the things I like to look at at Cycle Gear. Man, that Sedici Strada helmet with built-in Sena communication is only like $11 more than the eyeliner at Ulta!  

A long-time friend of mine's mother died recently and her funeral was today.  God willing, I'll play music for his wedding to another long-time friend of mine come next January.  

Another friend of mine is getting ready for his oldest son's wedding and his third son's high school graduation and shortly after that, his leaving for boot camp for the National Guard.  

Another friend informed me today that he bought his wife a new car...a Tesla, in fact.  I can't wait to see that thing.  

Another friend of mine, Garrett Pass,  was cleaning out stuff today and found this pic.  

Garrett texted the pic to me and Robert McGhee and then to Mark Craig, and then I sent it to Alphonso Simpson and Jason Walker.  I don't have cell numbers for the others.  How amazingly random that just as I started walking this evening, I got a photo taken 33 years ago in my inbox.  In case anyone is wondering... front row, L to R:  Robert McGhee, Jason Walker, Donnie Weaver, Doyce Colvin.  Back row:  Alphonso Simpson, Mark Craig, me, Garrett Pass, Demond Mott, and Clint Veasey.

At some point today, as I lay in the grass looking up at the sun, the thought crossed my mind:  "what in the world am I doing here??"  Seriously.  How is it that I am 46, with three kids, 4 years from retirement, building my son a bed, on the day before Easter???  Of all that could have happened in my life, this is what happened.  And no, I'm not complaining!  I'm just fascinated by life, and by how we never really know what is coming down the pipe on a given day.  I built a bed.  Someone buried a mom.  Someone no doubt spent much time in thought about his sons' futures.  On any other day, the roles we three played could be switched out.  Is is random?  Is it like roulette? Is God's providence at work?  Do we have free will?  Am I here randomly? Or am I the product of every choice I've ever made??

Russell Crowe said in some movie that "what we do echoes in eternity."  Just....good God.  Let that simmer a bit....

#'s 42, 24, and 34 in that pic above....their dads all took up a lot of time with me when I was a kid.  Boyd Pass and Vernell Craig coached me.  Philip Mott fixed my bike more times than I can count.  I don't know if they ever thought about the effect they were having on me and many others, but their choices will echo in eternity, even if by no other means, through me.  

Dave Matthews said it this way.  "Lying in the park on a beautiful day, sunshine in the grass, and the children play;  sirens pass, a fire engine red, someone's house is burning down on day like this."

John Bradford, upon seeing someone being led to execution out his cell window, said it this way:  "there, but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford.  

I could further illustrate the point, but it's clear enough: on any given day, it could be our day to lie in the grass...or deal with tragedy.  It could be our day to relive basketball 33 years in the past...or attend a funeral.  And because I never know which day it will be, I must always be thankful for the good days, and live in the good moment when it comes.  And I must always try my best to remember God in the tough moments.  He makes it rain on the just and the unjust.  

Yes, I believe I am the result of my choices.  But, I'm also the result of choices made by others, namely Christ.  Without Him, it wouldn't matter what I did today.  Or 33 years ago when I attempted to be a basketball player....I mean, look at those socks!  His choice--which we will celebrate tomorrow as Christians--gives meaning to all the meaninglessness.  It gives focus to the blurred.  It gives prominence to the obscure.  It gives hope to the hopeless.  And it echoes in eternity.  

Have a great Easter, folks.