Just Rambling: James 14:4—“For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” Do you ever think about this scripture in James? I find myself thinking more about this scripture each day as I get older and as my children are getting older. I so often reminisce about my childhood and my children’s childhood, wondering how did the years pass so fast. My thoughts on the brevity of life have really dominated my thinking during the past few weeks. These thoughts were provoked by a combination of events. First, my wife and I put our son, Cody, on a flight to Freiberg, Germany where he will teach for a year without opportunity to come home during his year of teaching. Next, my daughter, Dana, will move back into her apartment in Ruston to start her second year of college. My youngest daughter, Blair, is now a junior at Cedar Creek High School in Ruston, but she now drives herself rather than depending on us or the bus to carry her. My oldest daughter Velvet, and her husband Johnny, now have a son, Dusty, that is also a junior in high school and like Blair, is driving himself to school. My second daughter Brittany, and her husband Chance, have a daughter, Katy, that started junior high this year—you know this is the age they really start to grow up. Last but not least, my baby granddaughter, Savanah, (belongs to Velvet and Johnny) is now in the second grade. When school was out in May, Savanah informed Nana and Paw (my wife and I), that she was moving in, which she did, spending practically every night with us this summer. She only lives across the pasture from us but still she moved in. Now that school has started she has moved back home and is becoming really independent—you know that comes with growing up. Do you understand my thinking now? I’m sure most of you do—if you don’t , you will in time. I see my life rapidly fleeing before me while I see my children and grandchildren spreading their wings to continue to fly, or start to fly, to build their lives. This is what life is all about. It is so exciting to see the dreams, aspirations and accomplishments of our children and grandchildren, realizing as they grow, a part of us goes with them. Yet, there is a little part of me that would like to hold time still, but that isn’t in God’s plan. All of my children, including my third daughter, Avery, and her husband Jerome, (who don’t have any children) are such a blessing in my life. Often as I think back over past years, I wonder how and why the Lord has blessed me with six wonderful children and three Grand children. I really am undeserving of such blessings. Life on this earth is truly like a vapor and as my life begins to vanish as a vapor, there are no better memories than those of my family and no better times than those when my children and grandchildren are all home together again. How wonderful is God’s earthly plan of family, but it cannot compare to his heavenly plan for those who love Him and follow His Holy Scriptures. In 1st Corinthians 2:9 God tells us that “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” As your earthly life beings to vanish, never forget the blessings of home and family, but most importantly, never forget the heavenly home and family that God has promised those who love and obey His Holy Word. —Van Bennett