As we near Thanksgiving, many people think of sage as a spice for flavoring their holiday turkey and stuffing. At Messiah Village, we celebrate the SAGE Awards in early November — complete with a delicious meal! This year, we will gather for the 6th time, on Thursday, November 4, and honor 8 outstanding folks. These individuals are savvy, active, growing and enlightened. From Chambersburg to Harrisburg, this year’s recipients are volunteering and giving back in unexpected and inspiring ways. If you’re feeling blah and need to add a little spice to your life – consider coming to the SAGE Awards Celebration on Thursday night. A few seats are still available but tickets are required in advance (check MessiahVillage.org for details). You’ll enjoy a reception, decadent meal, and keynote address by the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra’s beloved and energetic Maestro Stuart Malina. You’ll also hear the wonderful stories of 8 older adults who age with purpose, zest, and passion! Come out and be inspired. (But please don’t delay, reservations are required and no tickets will be sold after Tuesday, November 2.)

Stuart Malina will serve as keynote speaker for the 6th Annual SAGE Awards at Messiah Village!

Do you read the Peanuts comic strip?

Back 50+ years ago Charlie Brown was telling Patty about how he felt and when they were sitting on the curb she asked “What’s the matter, Charlie Brown” and he said “I think my soul needs a Band-Aid!”

Years and years ago when our Christian Endeavor was planning devotions for a meeting we looked for scripture that might relate to the comic and selected, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together”, Colossians 1:17 RSV. Because a Band Aid can hold a small wound together we could relate this to Jesus in whom the verse says “all things are held together.” So on a group of index cards we quoted Colossians 1:17 and pasted a Band Aid to the card and gave them out to people at the meeting. It seemed to go well so in a couple of weeks when we were asked to do devotions for a Salvation Army woman’s meeting we decided to make some more Band Aid cards with the scripture verse.

After the meeting the cards from devotions prompted some chatting and so when the church youth group was to do devotions on a Sunday afternoon at the county jail we did a little revision, made more Band Aid cards and young people gave them to prisoners. As we were leaving a guard asked youth for some cards to give to four women prisoners who could hear the service but could not attend. Then an adult Sunday school class at the church was scheduled to lead devotions for retired folks at the county home and when they heard from youth about the Band Aid devotions at the jail they decided to do the same thing at the retirement home and some of the youth went along. Devotions were held in the chapel and broadcast to the rooms of folks who could not attend. After the card with the scripture verse and Band Aid was given out in the chapel a nursing aid asked if students would go to the rooms, say hello to people and give them a card also.

So, this is a long ago story but the thought “I think my soul needs a Band Aid” can still relate us to Jesus who in our lives will hold all things together.
Peanuts is celebrating the 60th anniversary. You can go to http://comics.com/peanuts/ and put in dates for comics you would like to view. The Band Aid comic was printed October 9, 1956.

You know that we LOVE a parade.  Residents, our team from Community Services, some friends from Grounds and Marketing got to participate in the annual Halloween Parade in downtown Mechanicsburg.

Getting ready to ride in the parade

It was a blast to get out and wave to all the kids and parents. We wanted to share a picture with you from the event.

As a young(er) man I dreamed of the day when I would come home from a hard day at work and be greeted by a beautiful wife and precious little children.  Now, as an old(er) man I dream of the day when I will come home from a long day at work and be greeted by my beautiful wife and a home full of silence.

Don’t get me wrong, I love being a father.  I am grateful for the many people who have shaped me into the person and father I am today.  And during times away from the kids I often think of how boring my life would be without their joy and energy.

The lesson that fatherhood has taught me most is that children truly can be a reflection of their parents, for good or bad.  The things that annoy me about my kids usually annoy me about myself; impatience, selfishness, greed….okay, you get the point.  On the flip side, their passion for life and love reminds me of how truly blessed I am to be in the role of a father.

My wife and I were always convinced God would bless us with little boys.  Daddy wanted boys to hunt, fish and play sports. And Mommy really didn’t want to deal with teenage girls and all the emotions they bring.

So God, in His infinite wisdom, blessed us with two beautiful girls.

And to make life even more interesting, he gave us polar opposites to keep us on our toes.  Our oldest is passive, a people-pleaser and aspires to be a cheerleader one day.  The youngest is a spit-fire that will most likely be the first female NFL player!

I’m not always sure what to expect in life or how to measure success whether it’s as a father, worker, husband or friend.  Life keeps me on my toes that way and to be honest I find that refreshing.  So to end my rant I will quote the great Ralph Waldo Emerson……

“To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded. ”

While we enjoy this beautiful season of fall with its magnificent foliage, we can also relate to the fascinating stages of human life.  During our childhood and teenage years, we are “tender and green” like new leaves, always learning and having a world of new experiences.

As we move into young adulthood and beyond, like leaves…our natures continue to change in both color and texture.

If we remain open to new experiences and learning throughout life, ultimately we can become something like the richly colored russets, golds, and reds of fall leaves!  These glorious colors can also represent God’s wonderful gifts to us of wisdom, humor, compassion and understanding.

As these qualities are developed and revealed in us, they enrich our own lives as well as the lives of others…and indeed, we reflect the magnificent colors of the fall leaves!