Ten Minute Musings

This is one of our favorite diversions for the dry season. Safari ventures in Pendjari await us only a nine hour drive and border away in Benin. This is our chance annually to see how close we can get to lions and elephants and we love it. This year’s adventure did not disappoint any who went. Lions and elephants abounded along with all the other usual suspects. One group this year did observe jackals which was rare. As always we got lots of in the car time with family and friends. We had a total of 36 go on the trip. 36 did come back as well, although we did have one visitor actually get out to take a picture of the male lion who was protecting a recent cape buffalo kill. We didn’t think he would make it back to the car as the lion reacted to this brilliant move by crouching, tensing as they do when they are about to put someone or something in the permanent horizontal. The kids had a great time both young and old observing God’s incredible creation. You can see many pictures of this safari at http://harding.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2000176&id=1013940033.

Well, it happened and I was surprised.  Bryan Ries conspired with my wife and shocked me with a birthday party while in Kara, Togo on our way to Pendjari, Benin.  It wasn’t my birthday yet and they tricked me by saying we were on our way to a devotional.  They’ll need to repent for that, surely.  That is a great idea, by the way, for throwing a surprise party, have it a few days early.  I guess up to a year in advance would work although that might be overkill and you might get in trouble for trying to do multiple celebrations at once.  It can appear as one who is rather lazy.  We went to sing a bit and the first song was Happy Birthday which I readily sang as all eyes trained and fixed on me.  I was a little slow only two thirds through the song did I realize that it was for me.  After the embarrassment of this it was only compounded by a slide show that Louise had made for me.  It was a job well done.  She could make anyone look classy and popular.  After watching it, though, the realization came to me that I have led a full life.  At forty, I’ve really lived, already.  It excites me to consider the next forty years.  What will they be like?  How will they be filled?  How can God bless me anymore than he already has?  It is something I am looking forward to and by God’s grace, it can only get better.  Thank you Louise for a wonderful birthday celebration and thank you Jesus for giving me life before and after forty.