The Richest Man In Town

It is hard for me to put into words how blessed I've felt this Christmas season. It really had nothing to do with gifts exchanged. It had everything to do with the people I shared the season alongside. Namely those people areBrenda, Taylor, Tanner, Tucker, Turner, Linda Ortiz, the Adkins family and the Dunham family.

Rich relationships made this one special Christmas for this prophet-pastor. I cannot remember a time when I have enjoyed my family more than these past couple of weeks. My heart has been blessed watching all the boys pile into Tucker's and Turner's room to play video games together. We enjoyed a few family movie nights. We ate family dinners with every reserved seat filled. We laughed together. We enjoyed warm fires in the living room on cold days. We told stories and relived a few memories from years gone by. We even talked about the future when all the boys will be married and will have families of their own. Taylor was sure to tell me he would still planned on coming home for Christmas with his family. I reminded him that his future wife will also have a family and we will have to share him with her family as well.

Sadly it is coming to an end. Taylor leaves for college in four days. The other three start back to school in the morning. Tanner has already had several basketball games over the break and his first powerlifting meet comes up on Saturday. Before Taylor heads back to Brownwood we took him to one of his favorite restaurants. All six of us sat around a round table. We laughed at one point because none the boys talked as they busied themselves scarfing down Mexican food.They were starving after weight workouts. I enjoyed our being together. Tonight was our only free night for the rest of the week. I'm glad we paused and enjoyed it together.

Brenda and I followed up dinner with a date to the grocery store just the two of us. We held hands as we drove. We talked about our day and about random things. Going to the grocery store is far from romantic. It did not matter. We were together.

 I joked to her at one point about kidnapping me. I thought we were just picking up a few necessities. I soon realized we were on a FULL GROCERY STORE SHOPPING EXPEDITION. I knew this meant we would go down every aisle and check every price for the best deals. ARGGGGGGGGGGGGG!   I consoled myself with a few extra items thrown in the buggy. The price to be paid for THE FULL ON GROCERY SHOPPING EXPEDITION.

I am blessed. These past few weeks did not stress me out. I purposely slowed my pace and enjoyed the people God gave me to share this journey of life.

I know all too well from observing other's grief not to take these relationships and opportunities for granted. I am blessed. Like George Baily, in the fictional movie It's A Wonderful Life, I am the richest man in town and that has NOTHING TO DO WITH MY BANK ACCOUNT.