A New Friend

At lunch yesterday Gloria and I saw a customer hand a book to our waitress. I asked her whether the customer had written it. “No,” she replied, his daughter wrote it. She is a famous Christian writer.”

“Who is she?” I asked.

“Beverly Lewis.”

“I know who she is.” I explained, “She and I had a book signing at a Christian bookstore, but the line at her table was much longer than mine.”

The waitress wanted to know what books I had written.

“Mostly biblical, theological books, but I have written a couple of others—one for golfers and another for dog owners. Do you play golf or own a dog? If you do, I’ll give you a book.”

She answered, “No, but I would like one of your other books. I use books like that for the papers I write for my classes at Pike’s Peak Community College.”

“Okay! Next time we eat here, I will give you a book.”

Soon we were chatting with Bev Lewis’s father. He explained that they had lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, so Bev’s books based on Amish life were authentic. He also told us he is writing a book.

We learned he had lost his wife about a year and a half ago after 58 years of marriage. He had been a pastor for many years, having gone into the ministry in 1948.

I shared with him that Gloria and I will celebrate our 50th Anniversary June 7 and I am currently serving a church in Penrose, having entered the ministry in 1958.

So there we were, a couple of old preachers swapping stories while our food was getting colder with each story. It was a good lunch!

Later yesterday, several anniversary cards arrived in the mail. One was from George and Laura Bush.

It was a very good day.