Could this be my 80th birthday celebration? Am I that old? You must be
surprised that I'm taking 40 years to celebrate my 39.99th birthday.
Actually I have quite a number of friends from high school and at church who are
turning 40 this year. So just for fun Katharine and I decided to hold a combined
birthday celebration with our extended church family.
Ode to Our Forty-somethings
(sung to Beethoven’s "Ode To Joy")
1.
Kathy, Stephen we adore you
We stand with you in this hour
Nineteen-sixty was a good year
That’s when Ike was still in power.
Now you’re forty, act your age now, Stay off tables, work out slow.
Ten more years to A-A-R-P
Twenty for your IRA dough. (1)
2. (for Katharine)
Wife and mother, LAS’s (2) lawyer
Senior seminarian,
Baptist biggie, Sunday teacher,
Caring soul and faithful friend
(for Stephen)
Intel oldie, friend to homeless,
Lighting candles, hot pots, grills,
Husband, trav’ler, golfer, helper,
Trained to do what Rondo wills.
3.
God has made you, God has blessed you
As you’ve followed Christ our Lord,
With you we will journey onward,
Upward, toward our great reward.
Don’t look back now, look ahead now, Thus ends our en-co-mi-um. (3)
Rest assured that God is with you And the best is yet to come!
Notes:
(1) Actually 19½, but who’s counting?
(2) Legal Assistance for Seniors, 614 Grand Ave. #400,
Oakland, 94610, 510/832-3040
(3) Encomium: A tribute or formal expression of praise
So now Theresa and I have warmed up to our Maui adventure...
