Birthday Party for 3…part three

I’m officially in a chapter of life my dad never got to enjoy.

[QUICK REVIEW: Charles Wesley, Keith Richards, and my dad were all born on December 18.]

“I see myself in both of those sons,” says Steve Brown, a Reformed Presbyterian whom I greatly admire. He credits Henri Nouwen with noting that in the Prodigal Son Parable (Luke 15:11-32), “the father is given as an example to the old of the gift we are to give the young.”

Specifically, “The father in the parable gave grace, love, and mercy to both of his sons, and neither one of them deserved it.”

Like Steve, “I see myself in both of those sons.”

And I see myself in all three of my birthday boys of December 18. Or maybe I see parts of them in me. Or maybe there are elements of them stashed away in here somewhere, for better or for worse.

Regardless, I’m finding that Steve Brown’s notion of being prodigal with “grace, love and mercy” is an essential part of this stage of life.

Starting with myself but extending, and reaching, and then even, yeah…all by the grace of God.

Who are some of your ancestors/influencers, and what have they taught you? As always, I’d love to hear from you in any of our usual ways, and I hope to see you back here tomorrow.

Oh yeah — just to complete the set, here’s a 2019 picture of Keith Richards —