Folks, today as I write this there are very few days left in this year. Where did another year go? So I thought maybe it was time to do a bit of reflecting. Go back in my mind and do a bit of looking back over this past year.

The first thing that came in my mind, is a plan to eat more donuts! I’m not picky. Any kind…Just so it is a donut. Oh yeah, and more ice cream! Any kind. It can be in a dish or in a cone or on a stick. Maybe even a shake.

Now, seriously, yes, I’m going to get serious. I’m grateful for so many good things and especially good people. Good people and good family that God provided for me in the yesterdays and todays of life.

I’m told of a short film called “The Giving Tree.” I’m told it is a simple piece about a tree who loved a boy. They played hide and seek in his younger years. He swung from her branches climbed all over her, ate her apples, slept in her shade. Such happy, carefree days.

The tree loved those years of the boy’s childhood. But the boy grew and spent less time with the tree. On one occasion the man returned.

“Come on let’s play” invited the tree…but the lad was only interested in money. “Take my apples and sell them,” said the tree. He did and the tree was happy.

He didn’t return for a long time, but the tree smiled when he passed by one day. “Come play, my friend, come play!” But the boy, now grown, wanted to build a house for himself. He did, and once again the tree was happy as he cut her branches.

Years dragged by. The tree missed the boy. Suddenly she saw him in the distance. “Come on, let’s play!” But the man was older and tired of his world. He wanted to get away from it all.

“Cut me down. Take my large trunk and make yourself a boat. Then you can sail away,” said the tree. And that’s exactly what he did. And, the tree was happy.

Many seasons passed, summer and winters, windy days and lonely nights. And the tree waited. Finally, the old man returned.

Now too old, too tired to play, to pursue riches to build houses or to sail the seas. “I have a pretty good stump left, my friend. Why don’t you just sit down and rest?” He did, and the tree was happy!! The end!

Can you identify with both? I can, on the giving and the taking. And, since I am fastly becoming an old fuddy duddy, yet maybe I can still be a giving tree, occasionally.

He said, “How’s the new girlfriend?” He answered, “She said she wanted to walk down the aisle.”

He said “What’d you do?” He answered, “Sent her grocery shopping.”