My son and I were going home from church last Sunday and I was just looking around the neighborhood. I saw a woman teaching her little boy how to drive a tricycle and a long lost memory entered my head. Memories can be both bad and good, but it’s one of God’s gifts to His children. This one is the one I’ll share with you at a time our country is in a total mess, and it’s good to have something good to read.

Ronnie stood staring at the dream which had suddenly come true, his chubby four year old arms folded tightly against his chest. I watched my son’s big brown eyes light up with joy. Still, he stood motionless, not even touching his brand new red and white tricycle. Finally, he walked all around the precious thing now within his grasp. He looked up at me then and asked: “Is it really all mine, Mommy?” I assured him that it was, but a minute or two passed before he sat down on the seat. Even then, he didn’t pedal, I guessed it seemed important to savor this beautiful moment.

Fourteen years passed. I went outside to see Ron and his Dad returning home with Ron’s new pale green pickup that they both agreed “didn’t have too many dents and creases.” Ron just sat there, again savoring another beautiful moment. There was something about the sparkle in his brown eyes as his hand lightly gripped the steering wheel that brought back the almost forgotten memory and I saw him again, not as the strong, responsible 18 year old he is, but as the little four year old boy with a new red and white tricycle.

So I stood there that day, watching him from my window. I knew he was waiting to take me out for a spin. before I grab my jacket and go out to my son, I will pause for a moment to pray for a very special 18 year old boy and his pale green pickup, and for his mother who must allow her son the rights and privileges of growing up.

“Yes, I know he is ready,” I said out loud. “But, am I? I hurried out to my son and his pale green pickup.

This memory was a good one, and I treasure it. “Thank you God, for memories!

We all have said “God is in control” so many times, yet we go on being afraid of the way Our country seems to be heading toward, more and more evil. Now we are hearing more and more about artificial intelligence! Are we still saying “God is in control”, or do we really mean it? He may be waiting until all of us know, without a doubt, that we do believe Him. I’m going to tell you a little true story about my Mom and Dad. When I am done, I’ll ask you two questions.

My dad was a pastor for over 50 years. He retired and went on being a pastor in churches who are waiting for a full time pastor. He was called to a church in Hudson, New York, and he was not well. I tried to tell them he couldn’t come, but he said he had to go because it was a call. I watched them get on the train. Mom was carrying their two suitcases and Dad was just carrying his pipe and pouch full of tobacco. I felt sick. Anyhow they got to New York cit y. Mom was sure there would be a shuttle bus to take them to the other terminal which would take them to Hudson. So she went up to the desk to ask where she should go. All she could see were hundreds of taxi cabs outside the window. She was told to call on one of them. She went over to Dad and told him they would have to go out and stand on the sidewalk while Mom got a taxi. Out there, the place was a mess. People were yelling and waving anything they could find. And the taxi cabs were all running, adding to the confusion.

Two young men came from who knows where. Mom would call them “Good looking young shavers.” They came over to Mom and said, “We’ll help you.” Right away one of the young men took Dad and nearly carried him to a place that was very quiet. A taxi was standing there. He put Dad in the car. The other man was helping Mom with the suitcases and brought her to that quiet place too. As she was getting into the taxi, she turned around to thank the men. They were gone! She couldn’t understand it, but the man driving the taxi said, “I’ll take you to the other terminal, it’s okay. He brought them there, helped them get organized, but disappeared. just like the other men did.

Now, was that just a co-incidence? (1) Did God send angels to help them? (2) Or did Mom and Dad make up the story just to tell us kids? (3)

If you picked question number 2 , You know that God really loves all of us and will put our world together. Our country was organized to be one that made the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and certainly God doesn’t want us to end up being Socialist, or anything like that. The God who created everything will fix us up again. Don’t be one that says God is in control without meaning it. He is waiting for everyone to say. “God is in control” and knows, without a doubt that he or she really believes it.

a