The Ballestero Blog

Written By My Dear Friend, Pastor Dennis Morris.

Guest Contributor

If You See Me At A Distance…

If you see me at a distance, just wave…

You don’t have to come my way, just a gesture of recognition and maybe a smile will be enough to make my day.

Your youth and vitality shouldn’t be wasted, because, I know it won’t last forever. Use it wisely and with precision, I could tell you how wasted time leaves many regrets.

Really!  I love to just observe from a distance the interaction of folks like you who are full of life and enjoying life with others of your ilk. You know, if you try, you and them together could accomplish a lot for God.

No, I’m no one of importance. I can’t offer much but maybe a little experience, I don’t have the energy to run with the big dogs anymore so I’ll just stay on the porch and bark a little now and then so the man with the shovel doesn’t get the wrong idea.

I can’t finance your project or do very much to support your burden but I’ll encourage you if I can to be the best example of a child of God possible, the rest will be added as God sees fit! God is the driver, we’re just along for the ride.

The so-called “Social Ladder”, never made it down this far, so hanging around with an old fella like me won’t boost your standing with the “In-Crowd ” anyway, so just a wave and a smile is good.

Oh yes, I used to rush there and then here and back to there again. I confess I was impressed for a little while by the “In-Crowd “. While I rushed right by a few Great men and Godly ladies that could have and likely would have given me some good advice about wasting my productive years on pursuits that did not profit anyone. Someone told me that the so-called “Upper Crust” was just a bunch of crumbs held together by their own dough! Hmm maybe so…

Oh, don’t take me wrong I didn’t ignore the good folks but what I did amounted to the same, from a distance I waved and smiled. The amazing thing is the big smile that came to their faces when I did take a little time for them.  I wasn’t completely unthoughtful but not thoughtful enough.

It wasn’t them that missed it, I was the loser.

Now I know how much I shortchanged myself.

It may sound like I’m having myself a pity party but, emphatically No, I’m not! I’m not being neglected or pushed aside, I pastor a wonderful church and I have wonderful friends and we communicate often. In fact, I feel very blessed.

I miss getting to go to many of the meetings that I always attended but because of life circumstances, I can’t. In fact, it’s as though God has sidelined me. Again, no complaints. I’ve traveled to mission fields more than most and had and still have some wonderful friends.

I heard it said one time that some preachers couldn’t preach their way out of a wet paper bag, I was probably included in that bunch but that’s alright, God has blessed me abundantly.

Besides all that, I made vows to my sweetheart over 53 years ago and I’ve never regretted it! She’s still my sweetheart, sickness and all.

I’m serious, when I say, I don’t expect sympathy for my situation or recognition for my small accomplishments, which are few and my victories that have never reached Goliath Giant per portions.  I’m just a bystander for the most part now, so just wave and smile, I’ll understand and give you the biggest smile I can muster, I promise!

God Bless!

Dennis Morris