Rosie told me this morning that I had a good tan. I seldom ponder that I am outside a lot. Walking in my Woods and my passion for photography place me outdoors daily. So I looked in the mirror and noticed I had quite a shock of white hair. Now I know why young people speak to me with deference.

When Samuel heard God call out to him he thought it was Eli. Upon taking Eli’s admonishment he learned that God was calling him. A former pastor told me he thought of Samuel when he saw me. This comparison meant much to me as a youngster and Pastor Kerry’s message this morning reminded me of the comparison years ago.

The old Mission Impossible television had the catch line emanating from a little reel-to-reel tape recorder for the spy team of the program that said, ‘This is your mission should you choose to accept it.’ Then the taped message self-destructed in a billow of smoke. So it goes with us humans as we hear the message and then forget it after the smoky demise of our duty.

I have spent my life endeavoring to complete my mission.

‘I love the Bible Story Books I read each time I am at Ferrel Hospital,’ Billy B said. ‘What a magnificent time to live and witness David and Goliath, King Solomon’s Temple, and the journey of Moses and the children of Israel through the desert for forty years,’ he continued.

‘I am fascinated by Jesus healing the blind man with mud and spit,’ Chet said with a grin. ‘Compelling is the account of Jesus forgiving the woman that the crowd was preparing to stone until Christ began to write in the sand while one by one the stoners walked away, I wonder what he wrote,’ he noted with a knowing wink.

‘Abigail is coming for dinner this evening be sure that you do not refer to her as ‘One Eye’ due to her infirmity, she is my friend,’ Neva J said.

‘You know I despise bullies and believe they must be defeated like David defeated Goliath,’ Jane attested. ‘I had lunch with Tommy L yesterday and he is such an interesting person it is criminal how the kids make fun of him,’ Jane continued.

‘We are all different and all the same in God’s heart,’ Neva J said quietly. ‘It is not the showhorses of the world that make life better it is the workhorses, Neva J continued.

‘Pat is at church every time the doors are open he sits alone because he fears rejection,’ Daryl mentioned. ‘He told me that his Dad called him slow but he he hangs on every word of the sermon and is insightful,’ Jane said.

‘He told me that he was never picked for any of the games that involved teams because he was slow to ‘Steal The Bacon’ when he was playing the kid’s game in school,’

‘My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you,’ the sad-eyed son of the carpenter said…

‘The movie The Ten Commandments fascinate me to see Moses come boldly before Pharoh and speak for God to ‘Let My People Go’ caused me to get a long walking stick and imagine myself as Moses,’ Billy B said wistfully. ‘What if we all carry Moses Rod and use it to make the unheard heard and unloved loved,’ Billy B asked with a tear in his eye…