A time to weep and a time to laugh…
Filed in General |Journal,
I’ll lighten up a bit with this entry and share some on a personal note.
The writer of wisdom said,
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven– A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted…
“…A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away.” - From Ecc. chapter 3 NASB
The reason I ‘bolded‘ ‘a time to weep and a time to laugh’ is because this past week I’ve carried laughter in 
one hand and weeping in the other. Sometimes laughter and weeping are nearly impossible to separate.
Ok, here’s the story. Thursday, August 21st, was my sixty-eighth birthday. There is really nothing great about that, that is, until Nathan, Betty, and the church decided to have a surprise birthday party for me the evening before my birthday.
The party took place at the end of our Wednesday evening service. This was our final Wednesday service before the Community Groups kicked in.
Anyway, during the service Nathan ask folk to share memories from our Wednesday services, and they did. I even shared. Then at the end, Nathan picked up his guitar, had the church sing ‘happy birthday’ to me. I thought that was such a warm thing to do. We’ve done it for others. What happened next caught me completely off guard.
That was when Nathan did something extra special. This something extra special was the keynote for the weeping and the laughter. Betty had asked Nathan to sing a special song to me. He did and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the congregation, certainly not mine. It was a very humbling moment for me.
I wanted to share that moment with you, but first I also need to put a disclaimer on it. The purpose of Nathan’s song was to honor me as founder of Christian Challenge. It was entitled ‘A Faithful Man’. Yet in my heart I have never felt that I was much of a faithful man. I’ve never felt worthy of my role as a preacher of the gospel, nor have I ever felt adequate to that role. I am too acquianted with my own failings in life. Just like everyone else, I needed and still need a great Savior.
But be that what it may, I still wanted to share that special moment with my readers. Some of you will finally get to see what Betty and I really look like. Here it is – The moment of tears…
Of course that wasn’t the end of things…
Kids and grandkids gathered to our home the next evening to have a family celebration of daddy’s birthday. There is no greater joy in our earthly journey, than to know and experience the love of a family, especially when the family consists of believers. Of course the Martin family needs no encouragement for a celebration. Every birthday from kids to grandkids is a major production. Mine was no exception.
André did the grilling and my sweet love Betty prepared a spread that she knows I love. And once again laughter and tears were in place. Betty shared how that August, a year ago, no one knew if daddy would be here for another year. Those who have kept up with my blog over time, you know of my miracle healing from cancer.
Sure I received gifts - But the greatest gift for me has always been ‘family’. Thank you Lord for my children, my fifteen grandchildren, and the two great-grandchildren who are on their way.
Ok, nuff about me and the Martin plantation.
Remember the song, ‘School Days, School Days?’ Sure you do. It was written in 1907. See if you remember some of the lyrics:
School days, school days
Dear old Golden Rule days
‘Reading and ‘riting and ‘rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hick’ry stick
You were my queen in calico
I was your bashful, barefoot beau
You wrote on my slate, “I Love You, Joe”
When we were a couple o’ kids
Now you are wondering, ‘What does that song have to do with anything?’
Very much indeed. It is that time again.
It is time to enroll in the CCI 40th School for Christian Workers…Here is the schedule:
If the chart to the right is a bit difficult to read, take note – School begins September 7th and 8th, 2008.
Classes offered:
The Disciple’s Heart Training Program, Sundays, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
(2nd) Disciples Heart Training Program, Mondays, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The Shepherd’s Heart Minister’s Training Program, Sundays, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Old Testament Bible Survey, Mondays, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Conversational Spanish, Mondays, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Well, thats it for now.
Much love coming your way,
Buddy
