Gifts

Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.
James 1:17

Over the years, there have been gifts in my life from family members that have stuck with me. Some big, some small, some just acts of love. With the holiday season in full bloom, I thought I would share a few of these memories.

I am the proud owner of a vintage 1966 Philco "Eight Transistor" radio. My dad gave my brother and me matching radios upon his return from his first tour of duty in Vietnam. (My first blog, "A Defining Moment"--July Archives, describes this time, and the gift my mom gave to me.) Wow, what a plethora of goodies, topped off with those famous ceramic elephants that were big enough to use as end tables. It seemed that just about all of my Army brat’s parents had at least a few of these in their homes!

One wonders how I kept an AM radio all these years, in perfect working condition.. I can remember wearing out so many 9 volt batteries because I was fascinated with "night radio" and listened to it constantly under my pillow. Stations from all over America, fading in, fading out... I was as full of wonder as old Marconi himself. That little radio was the spark that developed a major hobby in my life, Amateur Radio. I currently hold an Extra Class license, the highest class offered by the FCC. My only "ham radio" activity now is in my truck, but at one time, I had a nice station and made contacts all over the world, both by voice and Morse Code. Here are a few of my QSL cards, a kind of a post card to confirm a contact. It all started with a little eight transistor radio! A small gift that brought me a great deal of joy; it is never too far from my side, and I turn it on occasionally to listen to the local sports talk show.

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Around 1986, I got a wild hare to rebuild the motorcycle of my youth. I got this little Honda when I was 14, paid for it by working a paper route, and even had it at Auburn while AllieCat and I were in school together. It had been sitting in a barn at my folks for years but I had a problem: We lived in an apartment in Montgomery at the time and I had no place to work on it.

My brother and his wife and young toddler ( A freshman at Auburn now) happened to live around the corner from us and offered to let me use their backyard for my project. Now, you must understand, I am no mechanic, and this "project" went on for much longer than I (and they, I am sure) anticipated. Never a "suggestion" for me to get this junk out of their backyard. I was going through a rough time then, and their gift of acceptance of my constant presence in their lives, along with my junky but eventually beautiful motorcycle, is one I will never forget.

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Fast forward, Feb. 2001. Both SteveO and my birthday falls in this month. We get this cool card from my sister, letting us know that she and her husband, John are going to take us to Wrigley Field during baseball season, plane tickets, hotel, the works! We were stunned and giddy; as baseball fans, a desire for years had been to see the Cubs in this beautiful old park. We met my sister LeeAnn and her husband later that year in early September and enjoyed a great weekend in Chicago, topped off with a game between the Cubs and the Braves. Chicago Pizza....Chicago Hot Dogs...What a nice time...memories that the AllieCat, Steveo, and the Hatter will never forget!

My sister is a generous soul. Recently, Annie had a business trip to Austin, Lee's home. She and John treated Annie like a Queen, and she is still talking about how wonderfully hospitable they were.

One final note. Sadley, this pic of an eleven year old SteveO was one of the last of this type taken in America. We returned home from Chicago only to witness the horrific events of 9/11/2001. Folks just like us, getting up, going to work, never to come home. Traditional shots of kids in cockpits, a thing of the past. So many things have changed since then...It is with a sober heart that I ask readers to embrace the gifts in you lives, not necessarily the material ones, but the good and perfect ones, your family, your friends, your God. His Gift is the greatest of all.

Mark
Prov. 17:22