Today is October 18, 2011.  Yesterday I received a letter in the mail dated November 12, 2010.  It stated I had been named Past President of the Procrastinators of America for the year 2009.  My wife thinks that title is appropriate for me.  She says it amazes her that I don't soil my pants everyday by putting off going to the bathroom.  I can't believe I haven't written on my blog since April.  I guess I could blame it on my heart surgery but the truth is I haven't felt this good in twenty years, so that excuse won't work.  How about "I've been so busy doing art shows and building birdhouse I haven't had time?"   I don't think so.  You see, we generally make time for things we really want to do.  I never put off eating as an example.  I guess my only real excuse is that  I've procrastinated.  There,  I've said it.  I'm a procrastinator.  That's something we don't like to admit about ourselves.  We like to think we are organized and do things in a timely manner but in truth we all put off things we need to do.  Now me not writing probably didn't hurt anyone but me, but in reality, it may have had an effect on someone else.  You may think that's a really self-centered statement but I don't mean it to be.  I know I'm not any great writer sent to save mankind, but I have had many of you ask me to please continue to write on my blog. 

I've been thinking about writing again for a while but what inspired me was a small quote I read in the paper this morning by Bill Curry,  the football coach at Georgia State and formally the coach at Georgia Tech.  He was talking about coaches but his statement could be applied to all of us.  He said "“Everything we say is potentially life-changing.”   Think about that for a minute and expound on it a little.  Everything  and anything you say is potentially life changing.  Now I don't say this to make you think that what I say on this blog is going to change the whole world, but.....I possibly could inspire someone to change some part of their life.  What you say to someone at work or school or church or even at the grocery store has the potential to change someones life.

Think about Paul for a minute at the Church at Ephesus..  This was a new church with new believers of what was really at that time a new faith,  Christianity.  How easy would it have been for these new Christians to get distracted? To get discouarged? To get on the wrong path?  Paul knew this so he made a simple statement that was probably life changing.  Paul told the people to "edify one another".  To encourage, to build up, to hold up, to inspire one another.   He let them know that the least of them was as valuable as what we would call the most important.  We at times all need this.  In fact we at all times need this.  So you, that have encouraged me to continue to write,  Thank you for edifying me.

Now I have one other person to thank and  I have put off for 50 years.  A man who I am a friend with on Facebook that probably doesn't even remember me but was kind enough to accept me as a friend a few months back.  A man that in the last few months by reading his comments and reading his links I have discovered has not changed but has only grown in character.  First I must tell you the story.  I was a 13 year old freshman at Murphy High School and he was a senior.  I was a B-team linebacker and he was one of the stars on the team that would play for the State Championship.  In those days the coaches would let some of us B-teamers dress out with the varsity and in runaway games we may even get in for a play or two.  We would practice together everyday which made our B-team a much better team because we were use to playing against much better players at practice.  One day at practice, if memory serves me right,  I had a very good practice for a B-teamer and had made a couple of good plays against the varsity.  When practice was over and we were sitting at the door taking our shoes off before going into the locker room this senior star of the team came up to me, slapped me gently on the head and said " Good practice man,  today you made us a better team,  keep up the good work and you're going to be a great linebacker."  I had not only been edified by this senior,  on this day I had become a varsity team mate by him.  More important than any of that I had learned what makes a good team is to be a good team player.  In life, in work, in family, in church....be a good team mate and a team player.
And so...50 years later, but thankfully not to late.....thank you from the bottom of my heart Roy Jarrett.  May God continue to bless you.

Now one less thing to do..........

Remember to love one another!!!!