It’s a 1945 model, from North Carolina, and like me, still running strong!

June the 27th of 1945 my daddy was in the tobacco field when my mother started into labor. He threw down his hoe and as quickly as possible made the 25 mile drive to Spruce Pine to the doctor’s office. He was the closest who could properly deliver a baby and even had 8 beds in the back room of his office for expectant moms and those who were new moms. I entered the world at 11:oo a.m. that day. My father met me the next day. He dropped my mom off and went right back to the tobacco patch to get his work done.

If I can live my life as humble as my beginnings I’ll be OK. I was born to mountain people in one of the poorest parts of the country but my people were some of the greatest people who ever lived. They were honest through and through, worked very hard, and had faith in God. At least some of that rubbed of on me and now 65 years later I can say that I wouldn’t change much if I could.

My life has given me a generous helping of hard times, disappointments, rejection of some of those I loved most, and as is true in every long life, I’ve been to far to many funerals. The most significant was the one for my Jeanine in 1997. And, I’m happy to report, I have been blessed by God and treated very well by most of the people I have ever known.

I have arrived at age 65 in excellent health for a guy my age. Even with low maintainance and very high mileage, with the exception of  some cosmetic flaws and some joints that are reminders of too much fun in my youth, I am running straight up and into the wind.

I have not blogged much in the past couple of weeks. I have had grandsons here, my daughter in the hospital (a wonderfully successful surgery behind her now, thank God!) and other responsibilities that have taken me away from the keyboard.

Writing continues to be a blessing to me personally and so I’ll continue to blog some, write some letters to old friends and a few who need a friend, and do what I can to point people to Jesus.

If I could hit the rewind button on the reel of my life….. I would surrender more fully to God, strive to become more holy, and better represent Christ to a watching world. Had I done that well the other parts of my history that I’m not proud of would likely not be there.

God is faithful! Christ has rescued me from myself and my moral failures and has given me life that doesn’t flinch at the undertaker. Christ is my life, my blessed hope, my assurance, my peace, my joy, and my constant and consistent advocate in heaven. I am safe in Him, saved.

Some day if the Lord doesn’t return first, I’ll make my last ride in a Cadillac or a Lincoln but I’ll be horizontal. I don’t look forward to that day but neither do I fear it even a tiny bit. So, I look forward to many great years ahead with joy and blessing watching my grandchildren grow up, enjoying the beauty of God’s creation, catching lots of fish, and loving the people God puts in my pathway.

So, like a good old pick up that stands the test of time, I’m not what I once was but I’m ready for the next trip.

May God’s best be experienced in your life for Jesus sake.

Royce