So I’m reading this good book a good friend sent me for my birthday a couple of weeks ago.

Notice the color?

Yeah, I did too.

It’s like a sign, right?

Anyway . . . the author says that THIS is his favorite of the invitations given by my possibly imaginary Friend, Jesus Christ.

“Come to Me . . .

ALL you who are weary and burdened . . .

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you . . .

and learn from Me . . .

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy . . .

and My burden is light.

At long last, at sixty-six years of age . . . I’m just beginning to learn and to practice this Truth.

Last week, I went to see our now former pastor who I love to get a hug and a handshake from him after I’d texted him that Karen and I were leaving to go to a church with orange pews.

You remember, I wrote about this last week.

When I went in for the hug, our former pastor jokingly said, “C’mere, Loser!”

We both laughed like guys do and hugged each other good like guys who love each other do.

Later I thought, “Much truth is said in jest.”

And I began to wonder, “AM I a “Loser?”

The answer is in the question, right?

I mean, only “Losers” ask themselves this question, huh?

And . . .

well . . .

I AM a “Loser.”

But at least I’m man enough to admit it.

I am a “Loser” outside of Jesus Christ, my possibly imaginary Friend, who has called me “friend” and “brother” and traded places with me so that He would lose and I would gain. He has seated me with Him in the Heavenlies where He is seated at the Right Hand of God, and when He soon returns to this ol’ world as “King of kings and Lord of lords” to re-create all of His Creation, He has promised that I and everyone like me who trust Him and have built our lives on Him WILL reign with Him forever and ever.

And even in this so-called life before the one that is Eternal, He has given to me, a true repentant prodigal, my beautiful bride of now almost forty three years, our children who love us and we them, grandchildren who love us too and we them too, a lifetime of prosperous and productive work, art, music, faith, hope, love, and more joy than I can even, maybe ever, describe . . .

Not bad for a “Loser.”

Huh!