Sunday, October 17, 2010

Life In The 20th & 21st Centuries

How wonderful to be alive in this fantastic era! I have witnessed the advent of rock & roll, the transistor radio and early television. I saw Frankie Lymon, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, the Ronettes, the Shangri-la's, the Kinks, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, James Brown, Badfinger, Led Zeppelin and the Ramones performing live. I was at Woodstock, the Fillmore's east & west, Winterland, and Pepperland. I saw all of Peter Sellers' and Woody Allen's movies when they were first run. I lived in New York City, pop. 8,000,000 and Horton, Oregon, pop. 150. I married three beautiful women (not all at once), raised a family, and even bought a house. I worked in a movie theater, a hobby store, a radio station and in record stores. I sang doo-wop, soul music and rock & roll. I've traveled to and through dozens of US states and cities. I've owned an assortment of cars and trucks. I've been a Jew, an atheist, and a Christian; I've voted for Democrats and Republicans; I've voted for Dick Gregory, Timothy Leary and Mickey Mouse for president, as write-ins. I've flown in planes and rode on BART the day it opened. I witnessed the births of my son and daughter at home. Of course there were many bad or unhappy things in my life, too, but I can't imagine how awful it would have been to have lived in any other era. In other times I'd have been burned alive or stoned to death. Even only a few decades earlier I'd have had a leg amputated and died much earlier from cancer. Can you imagine me as a soldier or a farmer? Or a caveman? If I lived any other time I might never have come to faith in Jesus. By His blood sacrifice my sins have been forgiven and I get to live with Him in paradise. Yes, I've had a great life so far, and the future looks bright.

Friday, October 15, 2010