Do you hear the warning?

My family and I took a little R & R this weekend. Sunday after church, we took off for Orlando, a favorite spot of ours in Florida. We had a place in Downtown Disney to stay for the night and did a little shopping, a little eating, and a lot of walking! Then, on Monday, we lazily got out of bed, found a GREAT all-you-could eat breakfast buffet (which I did!) and then went on to meet Courtney at her place of employment ... Universal Studios.

I called her from the parking garage just to let her know that we were there and then we began the long journey (if you've never been to Universal - there is about a mile or so seperation from the parking garage to the actual parks)



As we neared the security check point ... that wonderful little place where a complete stranger rummages through your belongings ... an alarm sounded. Not just any alarm, but the fire alarm. It was accompanied by the pre-recorded message that people needed to proceed to the nearest exit in an orderly fashion. I paused for a moment, checking to see if this were in deed an actual emergency.



The guards never missed a beat in their searches ... the visitors continued to stream on, only escalating their voices a little more in an attempt to talk over the still-blaring alarm. I called Courtney and she said it was probably only in the City Walk area ... "probably someone burned the popcorn in the theater."

I suppose that could be ... but what caught my attention was the absolute absence of any concern whatsoever to the sounding alarm. No one even seemed to notice.

Hmmmm ... that sounds so familiar. Where have I heard an idea like that before? Let me think ... let's see - wait ... I think I remember now ... something about a warning that no one listened to ... now where was that? Hmmmmm........

A New Day

Sunday was a new day for me. I never woke up that way before. I've awoke to the sounds of deer rustling outside of my tent ... I have awakened to the thunderous applause of the heavens that the night is over and the new day has dawned ... I have even been startled awake by the ringing of a telephone in the wee hours of the morning. But this past Sunday was a first for me. Never have I awakened that way. In fact, it is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Oh sure, I will always awake that way from now on ... in fact, there will come a day (in the not too distant future) when my 'condition' will be doubled! And then - someday - possibly - tripled ... and then, believe it or not ... quadrupled!!!

I know that all three or four of you who read this probably really don't care that for the first time in my life, I woke up as a bonafide "Father-In-Law" but to me, it was pretty cool! Oh sure, I know there will be more 'firsts' in my life - but this is one of those that will never be repeated and I'm sure I'll remember it for a long time!

What are some of your 'once-in-a-lifetime' firsts that you recall? Your wedding? Your first born? Your baptism? Relish those thoughts. Don't ever let them slip by. They are precious to you!