If you were ever in the military, that’s a familiar term to you. I remember from my days in the Navy the attention that was paid to short timing. Career mentality frowned upon short time displays. Flagrant abuse could get you a reprimand.

At New Hope Baptist Church I’m definitely on the short end of the calendar. More and more next to LASTS are cropping up.

Tonight will be my next to last midweek service. Sunday morning will be my next to last worship service and Sunday night will be my last candlelight service.

My emotions, my excitement, my stomach all remind me of experiences in the past. Some not too important I guess in the scope of things, but others that are life-changing. I think of the nervousness and angst that I felt at athletic events, some social events, and even some calendar events. Most of those have dimmed in my memory with the passage of time.Not necessarily, in order of magnitude of impact event, invoking a strong emotional response; graduation, enlisting in the Navy, marriage, birth of children, decision to move to Florida, Pat’s cancer and ultimate death, my day of spiritual rebirth and finally retirement.

I know that many people have experienced in walking the same time, but even show the new experience everyone as they begin as unknown journey. Don’t matter what preparation you have made, it still looms as unknown

Most of the time we describe the feeling that I’m experiencing now as Butterflies in the stomach. very picturesque but an inadequate description.

It is fair to say am I am nervous. I have a a small case of nervousness but I also have a big case of excitement and anticipation.

It’s fair to say that I think I will have the time to visit on this page more often so I will keep you up-to-date as time goes by probably starting after the 31st of December 2023. My last day of gainful employment.

God is good. Shalom.