This afternoonI began to thinking about life, death, infinity, and all those mysterious things that remain beyond our understanding.

Here I sit on this relatively small, wobbling planet spinning around a minor star on the edge of one of a billion galaxies, each composed of billions of stars. These thoughts make me feel very small.

I have experienced life for almost 96 years. When I was a child the automobile, airplanes and radio were relatively new inventions, and television, computers, cell phones, the internet, and space flight and were only seemingly impossible dreams in the minds of of a few.

My paternal grandfather fought in the American Civil War and was wounded in Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. One of my grandfather’s, grandfather’s, grandfather arrived in America in the 1600s, long before there was a United States. It’s strange to think about how brief is the time of men and nations. All will someday be like Nineveh and Tyre.

My parents, brothers and sisters are beautiful memories to me, and I have outlived many of my nephews and nieces and almost all of my childhood, school and work friends. I miss them!

I thank God that none of my chldren and grandchildren have predeceased me and that I still enjoy companionships and reasonably good health, but I know that my time on Earth is moving towards its end.

I often ponder the meaning of it all. What lies beyond the horizon?

I know not what you believe, but as Joshua said, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

My hope lies in nothing less than God’s love and righteousness.

“I am the resurrection and the life,” said the Lord.

David wrote, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom the shall I fear?” Also in the words of David, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

And remember the Lord’s commandment, “Love God and love one another.”

God bless you all!