Friends For a Long Time

It is interesting to visit with someone from years gone by. This week has been such a time. I have known Wayne Nelson for many years. He has been a pastor and then took the training to become a hospital chaplain. Wayne has always had a great disposition. In fact, I have felt that if there was anything wrong with our relationship, the problem had to be me. Wayne lives in Georgia and he and his wife, Mary came through St. Charles on their way to her high school reunion. Sue and I took them to dinner on Tueday evening and enjoyed a good time with them. Yesterday the time was spent on the golf course with another long-time friend, Dr. Tom Trimble. My relationship with Tom goes back in time and he and Wayne went to the same high school in Columbai, Mo. Tom is president of Christian Psychological and Family Services with offices in St. Louis and Nashville. He was the one who told me about Sue and that she was expecting me to call. Whenever we get together, we take up where we left off as though time and distance are non factors. That is so special.

Next week, Sue and I will take high school friends of mine to a Cardinals' game. Dave and Bitty (real name Martha) Fay are huge Cardinals' fans. This has become an annual event for them and us. I have a standing invitation to stay with them whenever I am in Springfield. We will be having a high school reunion in September and I have asked Dave to draw what the public squrare in Springfield looked like when we were in high school. As an exercise for the old folks at the reunion, I will have them locate the businesses on the square in the right place when we all lived in Springfield. That will be a lot of fun.

On Thursday, I have invited another long-time friend, Dr. Arthur Mallory to come to St. Louis and have a workshop for the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA). Arthur has been president of Missouri State University and the commissioner of education for the state of Missouri. He is a very strong Christian, having been the past president of the Missouri Baptist Convention. I have asked Arthur to lead us in sharing "What a Great Organization Should Look Like." Arthur is always inspiring. This should be both informative and fun.

God has always been faithful in placing the right person in my life at the right time. This was never a conincidence. It is just the way God works. There was a time when something happened to me that should not have happened because it was against the law, but God supercedes American law for His purpose. The result of this was having a relationship with just the right person who opened the door for me to go to Baylor. What a powerful God!

Sue goes to Dallas on Wednesday to be with our son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. Rick is facing surgery and they wanted us to help them. I will drive down on Friday evening and be there until Wednesday of the following week. I am driving to take Sue's car to her so she can drive to Nashville on Monday.

I have to announce two high school all-star baseball games on Saturday. As always, I need prayer.