First Book Signing......Done

This week I went to my hometown, Ft. Smith, Ar., to launch my journal book, HIS Way, Notes from a Journey through the Wilderness. On Sunday, the TIMES RECORD newspaper, in which my His Way column has run for 32 years, published a wonderful picture and article which gave the book's background along with mine. The article also noted that I would be at a book signing at the Fort Smith Public Library on Tuesday evening, March 7th and the fact that it would also be my 76th birthday. The book signing was a great success in that I was privileged to meet so many people I did not know, but who knew me from reading the His Way weekly column in the newspaper. Most of them had been readers for many years and they were excited to have a collection of them in a book. I signed and sold 76 books on my 76th birthday...just a little gift from God wouldn't you say?

Then I had the huge surprise of having six of my children show up at the book signing to celebrate with me and give their support as I set out on the next journey of my life. They all live, work and go to school in Texas, but planned to come to surprise me by having son in law Andy fly them up for the afternoon and evening. It was such an outpouring of love and family and friends that I am still basking in the glow of it. Only God and His love could have given the gift of my magical birthday. After the book signing we all went to Olive Garden restaurant and had a wonderful party of family and friends, topped by a beautiful cake my daughter had baked and brought on the plane with her from Texas.

Again I say, it was a magical day and the best birthday I can ever remember. It was a brand new beginning for me into the first year of the rest of my life as just me and God. Truly, wherever He leads me, I will go, with full faith that i am walking His path of righteousness for my earthly life.