Lyfting Me Up

Birthdays are usually something I enjoy. When I turned four I had a “firecracker” 💥💥💥””” cake 🎂, and a

backyard full of kids playing in plastic swimming pools. The day I turned 16 I passed my drivers exam, and I had already saved up enough money to buy a car. I turned 18

in Belgium$ , where the Lecocq family hosted an

amazing dinner in my honor. I realized on that 2nd day in Europe that the world was way bigger than Pueblo. I turned 21 in Boulder, and let’s just say it was a “Rocky Mountain High”. I still remember the fresh hot baked sunflower bread at the local bakery named (I am not making this up) “Magnolia ThunderPus___y’s”. 30 – on Gerald Ediger’s farm, he had taken in this ‘recently made single’ dad and his two kids, two and five. We had a tire swing hanging from a huge tree. 40 – was a real gift at our mini farm in Alamosa, I was two years in recovery and I was present. 50 — I was rebuilding a community center with a group from South Broadway CC in El Salvador. 60 – I don’t remember (a sign of things to come). 70 – this past Tuesday, where I went on a great hike in Eldorado Canon State Park. My day was made by the folks at my credit union who told me that I looked great for an old guy. Yes, turning Seventy is messing with me.

70 is—

***A great golf score (never come close)

***An average basketball score for college

***Just getting started for a Galapagos Tortoise

***20 ft for a Sequoia

***Times 7 for how I have to forgive

***The decade of without a doubt “THE BEST MUSIC” ever!!!

***The passing score for Dr. Glen Rose’s Biblical Content Exam, which was my exact score — you had to pass it to Graduate

***The only temperature MK and I can agree on

***The number of Hot Dogs Joey Chestnut shoots for in the world hot dog eating contest

***1-70 construction project— a never ending nightmare *** a gift

I am aware that I am living an amazing life. Statistics say that a man has a really great chance of making 80 if he gets to 70. That will only matter if I make today count.

Onward and Upward, Mark