Its Labor Day at our house and it seems that we work harder today than any other. You know, all the odds and ends that need to be taken care of before school starts that must be done or they'll never see completion! Well, for us its not all work and no play.
In fact, we got a jump start on the pre Labor Day schedule by getting together with some of our dearest friends last night. We hadn't been with them for a while, so it was good to be at their home and to swap stories, see all the things that they've been doing over the summer, and to make tentative plans for some further get-to-gethers.
When I'm with my friends I always think of my dad who would get me to sit down with him at the piano and together we would plunk out some of his favorite hymns. (One of them you may listen to while you read the rest of this brief note.)
13 What a Friend We Have In Jesus
I think of my father often and wish that I could remember even more than I do about him and how he was. Sometimes I'll dream about him and the things that we'd do together. Some of my most cherished memories of him have to do with the example he set for our family. He was hardworking. He was tenderhearted. He was a good teacher. He was strict in the best possible way. And, as I reflect back and research his life, as much as I can tell, he was faithful to my mother and he was faithful to the Lord Jesus.
The hymn you're listening to right now is one that he loved and played often to our great delight. He told me that Jesus was his friend and that he loved thinking and hearing about him
His favorite time of the year was Christmas. And even though he worked as a fireman on the Great Western Railroad, he always made it home for Christmas. As a young lad I looked forward to those Christmases with excited anticipation because it would be the time that I would be able to do him proud by reciting publicly in church his favorite passages. Since I was in youth choir he always loved it when my sisters and I would sing the hymns he loved.
I know its only September, but, at our preschool we've already begun to think ahead and plan for Jesus' Birthday Party.
I hope you will plan ahead to be with us!
The 24th of December is a Saturday and Christmas Day is, therefore, Sunday, and it will be a major festival!
Oh, yes, one more thing about my dad. He died on the Saturday before Easter of an aortic aneurysm. Just before he lost consciousness he gave me one word of instruction..."Son, tell people about Jesus." That's quite a commission coming from both of my best friends.
God bless you ...remember, Jesus is your friend too!
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