"The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected." -- Robert Frost

 

Every late December I look back over my journal for the year and try to pick out the best, most important moments. Some did not seem so when they happened -- but only do now, with a little time.

 

A SUMMARY

 

This was my 45th year as a pastor, and my 13th at First Baptist, Alexandria. I found much joy in my work, and experienced lots of great times with family and friends. I conducted 8 funerals and 3 weddings. My preaching came from Jude and Proverbs, and also included series on the Seven Deadly Sins, the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians, "Game-Changers" in the Bible, and we had a "little talk with Jesus" in September about some of the issues we face today.

 

I crossed the Atlantic twice. There was a week in Germany (1/30-2/6) where I spoke for a church member's military promotion and then for a base chapel service. I led a mission team to Central Asia (8/2-9). I was invited to preach at Virginia Baptist's Senior Adult Conference at Eagle Eyre, too (10/22-24).

 

Construction finally began on our multi-million dollar renovation project! We hope to finish it by spring 2020.

 

Audrey and I spent the year entertaining hundreds of guests in our home -- just as we have throughout all forty-one years of our marriage -- even as she faced a couple of tough health challenges. Our son and his wife moved from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Austin, Texas.

 

THE SUPERLATIVES

 

BEST FILM: "The Greatest Showman", 1/11

 

ROCKY: The name we gave the squirrel we had to relocate to a different neighborhood, 5/14

 

FAVORITE REGULAR LUNCH SPOT: Fairlington Pizza

 

BUT A SPECIAL LUNCH: In the White House West Wing, 12/21

 

THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW: Got a year old traffic ticket from Italy. €125 -- if I ever wanted to visit Tuscany again, 7/12

 

SUMMIT CONFERENCE: Arranging lunch with two of my mentors, JC Mitchell and Vander Warner, 3/24

 

RE-BOOT: Another positive vote to proceed, 1/21

 

SO PROUD: Audrey is named most valuable employee in her company, 9/22

 

BEST MUSICAL: "Ain't Too Proud", the story of the Temptations, at Kennedy Center, 7/10

 

THE SUPREMES:  Sitting in on a session of the U.S. Supreme Court, 11/1

 

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN:  Daniela finally gets her "green card", 7/6

 

IN THE PINK: Strolling with Audrey among the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin, 3/31

 

THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC: Spending three days with Ken Medema in Daytona, 11/10-13

 

LORD, LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN PRAYING: 250 people of all ages gather in the FAC to pray for young Jack Pessaud, 5/6

 

ROLL OVER: Beethoven's birthplace in Bonn, Germany, 2/3

 

IF I HAD A HAMMER: The ceremonial ground-breaking, 6/10

 

FAVORITE NEW BOOKS: "The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold" by Joyce Lee Malcolm, and "The Soul of America" by Jon Meacham

 

BIGGEST ONE DAY OFFERING AT FBCA: $257,283., 12/2 (tying the record set in 2016).

 

BUT AN EVEN BIGGER ONE: $200 pressed into my hands by two Central Asian women. A gift for our church, because they do not have a church in their closed country, 8/6

 

FAVORITE TV: "Longmire”, a modern western series on Netflix

 

DALLAS: Attended Southern Baptist Convention and witnessed a generational shift, 6/10-13

 

BEST MASSAGE: Going through airport Security at Daytona International, 11/17

 

IS THIS THING ON?: Driving my new hybrid car, a Prius, 5/4

 

PAYING MY RESPECTS: To Billy Graham in the Capitol rotunda, 2/28

 

ASHES TO ASHES: Conducting my first-ever Ash Wednesday services, 2/24

 

BEST RESTAURANT: Taverna Cretekou in Old Town, Alexandria

 

THE SUN NEVER SETS: Visiting with FBCA friends now living in Heidelberg, Darmstadt, and Wiesbaden, 1/31-2/6.

 

LET ME DEMONSTRATE: Momentarily joined a street protest in Bonn, 2/3

 

MOST PERFECT DAY: With favorite house guests from England, the Robertson girls, at Mount Vernon and then pizza on our deck, 8/19

 

As we wrap up this year and get ready to start a new one, I encourage you to keep a journal or diary of your own in 2019. Thoreau once gave this advice:

 

"Pursue, keep up with, circle round and round your life...Know your own bone, gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it and gnaw at it still."

 

That's what I've just been doing!