Turning 40

It really caught me off guard.
My father was leaving the hospital again, I was going to bring him home. Neither of us knew that in a few short months he would be gone.
He was dressed and ready to go, all but his shoes and socks. He got himself to the edge of the bed, looked down, and asked me something that he had never asked me before.
"Could you put them on for me buddy?"
I paused for a second, and began to put my dad's shoes and socks on his feet.
It's hard to explain what I felt. This was my father, the man I never could beat arm wrestling, the man who could lift anything and work from dawn to dusk with energy to spare. He had been growing weaker as time had past and I knew that, but I was jolted by his request. How many times had he put my shoes and socks on when I was a boy, and now I was doing it for him. It just seemed strange and foreign to me.
I have not looked at life the same since.
I guess as you get older you start to understand the life cycle more, as a Christian you begin to understand God's plan for a man's life. You really start understanding the "life is but a vapor" verse.
Now I'm not whacked out about turning 40, I'm not going to buy a sports car or anything like that. In fact I feel the same now as I did when I turned 30.
But there have been some changes.
My hair certainly is grayer, I have strange spots on my face and I have noticed a few more aches and pains, but other than that, I'm okay.
If anything is bothering me it's the speed at which time flies. My next 40 years, if the good Lord grants me that, probably will not be as much fun. Will the next 40 go as fast as the first?
Well enough of that, since I have become wiser in my years, I would like to make the following observations about life.
1. I have become content with who I am. I don't mean that in the "I'm perfect and don't need to improve" way. I mean that in the "I'm not sorry I wasn't a rock star" way. I made my life choices, for better or for worse, and I'm okay with where I have ended up. God has taken all of my questionable choices and turned them into blessings. God does that kind of stuff.
2. We are a people of extremes. Some might say that this is a recent thing, but I'm not so sure. As I study history I find that free people sometimes take extreme views. Freedom allows that.
If you think I'm wrong, think about the civil war. Talk about extremes. I think we just have more media outlets and talking heads who want to talk about their views.
3. People don't listen. Listening is a lost art. Everybody wants to talk, share what they think is right, but they refuse to listen to any other view. What's worse is that we don't even let people share their views because we have made our minds up that we are right and they are wrong. Let's have some conversation, and then decide how we feel about it.
4. I have become amused and saddened at the lengths men will go to find happiness.
5. I am neither Democrat or Republican. I vote for the man I feel will do the best job.
6. A bad day at the ocean is better than the best day at work.
7. A great wife and great sons bring their husband/father much joy.
(I'm starting to sound like King Solomon)
8. If you want to help your church, start by getting yourself closer to God.
9. I really don't think Phil Collins has that great of a voice, but he is one of my favorite singers.
10. I'm not an ultra conservative, but I have to admit I read Ann Coulter and Mike Adams.
11. I don't understand some pastors who think they have to use vulgar language to get their message out. Did Jesus do that?
12. While I'm on pastors, were does it say that all Christians will and should be healthy and wealthy?
13. The homosexual lifestyle is NOT pleasing to God. If you think it is, your reading the wrong Bible.
14. I am willing to admit I have made mistakes in my life that have hurt people.
15. Christians are not perfect, but somehow the rumor got started that we are.
16. The 69-70 Dodge Charger has got to be the coolest car ever built.
17. Life goes by so fast, but we continue to live like we will be here forever.
18. Never say crazy things that will get put into your class yearbook. Those things live forever.
19. I have only taken one good picture of myself in my whole life, and by the way what are those humps above my eyes?
20. I am one of the few people who can give Brian Miller the neck slash sign and live to talk about it.
Well that's all for now, look out big 50!