Art Johnson, my so very valued friend in San Marcos, in his market report today [should be called his preaching moment] talked about how life can be ordered in a meaningful way. His thoughts and wisdom also brought focus upon the marriage Diane and I celebrate. Let me share.
For Diane and me, today is our 16th wedding anniversary, 17 years after we first met in the Denver Airport, because the flight from Denver to Austin had been cancelled, with only one flight left. Standing in line for the last plane “out of Dodge, I mean, Denver” was Diane, whom I had never met, but I knew she HAD to be from Texas or Kentucky, because of her southern speak. We both got on the plane, she second to last. I had found a seat way in the back. Landed in Austin.
We stood together at Baggage #4 in the Austin Airport. I was returning from Oregon where I caught lots of salmon. That was my therapy following heart angioplasty. Diane was returning from Vail from an Information Technology Conference.
So glad she likes salmon, because I had a large bag of filleted Chinook and Coho salmon. Even more grateful when I asked, “How many in your family?”, she answered, “I live alone with my son.”
Well, well, well. Almost a year later, to the day, we got married by my best clergy friend and mentor, Fred Trost in Cannon Beach, Oregon. And the rest, to today and with a vision for many years to come, as they say, is history. Happy 16th Diane!
To this Art Johnson shared his McCoy Marketing report for Friday, but in less than 3 minutes, it’s as good a sermon as I’ve ever heard. He spoke about an employee with a 40-year anniversary with the company. He remembered, waaay back, Steven, a fellow employee showed Art a picture…of one of their stores, a bright rainbow centered in the back of the store.
He then shared, the message in his living…of his friend: “Steven shared a picture with me. It said a great deal. It said in life we should have hope, indicated by Steven walking with his head up, he slowed down to take a picture, indicating he was grateful and he shared the picture with others, a sign of caring.
Three dynamics in life: HOPE, GRATITUDE AND CARING.”
Art? That will preach, perhaps especially in this day…for our world swirls more today for many of us. If we can concentrate and prioritize our own walking the human landscape, ah, that will bring rainbows. Yes. It will.
Mark H. Miller's Blog 