You folks who get the Kansas City Star newspaper…had you noticed? They’ve changed the name of the obituaries to “Remembrances.”

I didn’t notice at first, so I don’t know when the change was made, but I like it. Like from changing from cold to warm.

Not long ago…I already don’t remember exactly when…I talked to you about remembering only one sentence that someone said to you in the distant past…maybe even a very close friend, and that’s the only sentence you remember from them. I have many of those.

And here’s another: I’ve told you that I was fortunate enough to be at the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy in January of 1961.

All the big wheels were there; Eisenhower, Nixon, Truman, LBJ and many others, and perhaps that drew me away from some of the things incoming President Kennedy said. Near the end of that speech was when he said the now-famous words, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” And do you know…I didn’t even notice, as he said them. I was listening to history and my mind was wandering…perhaps over the ten-inch snow all around the grandstand seats on which the crowd and I were hovered.

And there’s another sentence, as he closed his speech, in which he mentions God. He said, “Asking His blessing and his help, but knowing that here on earth, God’s work must truly be our own.” And back in those days, when God was still welcome in our schools and throughout the land, his mention of our God was just a natural thing to say. It wasn’t “politically incorrect” back then. Surely that’s why we think back and talk about the “Good Old Days.”

But we still have the right to worship Him, and you still have time to give your heart to Him. I say again: “I recommend it.”

37BT Bill Thornton December 10, 2006