Dr. Ivan Raley served for many years as my predecessor. Each morning he sends our staff a thought for the day. The following was an addendum to today's thought. I emailed him for permission to post it here. It is just another reminder about the importance of the journey.

Just a Small Part

When you get to my age in life you often wonder what you have accomplished. If you have done your best, made any kind of mark, and made any difference in the lives of others. That sometimes troubles me. I have been the father figure, more or less, for six children. I sometimes wonder what kind of job I have done in that awesome role. Last night I sat in a theater in Green Hills in Nashville and watched a short documentary written, directed, and produced by the youngest of those six, Jim. It was a tribute to Ken Berryhill, who gave the dream to Vanderbilt to start their own radio station and now in his late years has returned to be what he calls the 'Oldest Country D.J' in the world. It was very well done and if they had given awards for this type of film I am certain that it would have won. As I watched it I realized that I had given to Jim non of the talent, non of the ability which crossed that large movie screen, that came out of a talent he possessed. He used it well and I understood as I watched it why the Nashville Film Festival board of Governors had placed it in their schedule. While I had nothing to do with the talent that lit the screen maybe, just maybe I did give to Jim some of the belief that he could do anything he put his heart to doing. Now really that is enough for me, not to know, but to think that maybe, he received some words of encouragement from me along our journey together that gave him the heart to reach for his dreams. Being a father is a great responsibility. I could speak of the others and the joy they have each given to me but last night belonged to Jim. I am pleased to have had a small part in the lives of others.

Three Wooden Crosses

A few years ago Randy Travis sang a song about three wooden crosses along the side of the highway. The song told the story about the lives represented by those three crosses. As I drove home the other day, I too saw several crosses marking the end of life. I thought about the people whose lives were represented by those crosses as well. For them, that particular trip down the interstate was the end of the journey. I take arriving safely each time I travel for granted. There are no guarantees. Each trip could represent my last.

As I thought about that I had to ask what would that cross remind people about me. Would it be something that matters or just another cross? I have avoided referencing my faith in this blog, but now is the time for complete honesty. The cross on the side of the highway would matter because of the cross of Calvary. My journey is made easier because of the one who led the way. Each time I see the cross I am reminded of His journey for me. I am encouraged, and am reminded how safe my eternal travel will be thanks to Him.

A Long Pause

I am reminded of a scene from the movie "Driving Miss Daisy" in which Miss Daisy and her driver are on their way to visit relatives. They pull over and spend a leisurely afternoon eating sandwiches and drinking soda. It seemed so peaceful there. A place where time stood still. Unfortunately most of life is nothing like that. Since my last entry a lot of life has past me by. Where did the month of March go? And now April is here with no indications that it will be any slower than the previous month. Perhaps its time for a long pause. Maybe its time to find a place to simply pull over and enjoy the scenery.

Finding ways to enjoy the moment is sometimes difficult to do. Someone ask me the other day what I enjoyed doing for fun. It was hard to come with an appropriate response. I do enjoy walking, which I do mainly for exercise. Sometimes I walk simply to clear my head and think through things. Hobbies have never really been a part of my life. I enjoy a number of activities, but have never really adopted one as my own. Maybe that should be a side road to my journey, finding something that I enjoy doing and making it a point to participate in doing it more often.