“The Real Derby”

Well today is the 149^th running of the Kentucky Derby. The “Run for the Roses” is the first leg of the Triple Crown and the most famous and prestigious. Some 150,000 people attend the Derby with ~80,000 located in the “Infield”. Judy and I “saw” the race from there in 1969… it was pretty crazy with two guys actually parachuting in before the race. 

In 1970, we “saw the light” and sat with her parents drinking our mint julep, the traditional iced drink consisting of bourbon, mint, and sugar syrup, served in ice-frosted souvenir glasses. I didn’t remember that “Dust Commander” won the race in 1970, but I do remember that three years later, the famous “Secretariat” won the Derby in under 2 minutes; “Big Red” also won the Triple Crown, setting and still holding the fastest time record in all three races. Wow, what a great horse.

So where are we going with this BLOG? I guess one thing that strikes me is that this memory seems like yesterday, but it was over 50 years ago. While Judy and I were just beginning our life together, her parents were moving into the retirement years … her dad Emmett had just sold his trucking business and they would be spending a lot of their coming years in Florida. Life is so fleeting.

Emmett passed away almost 30 years ago at 82. I just visited my older sister who will be 87 this year. I also saw my cousin Joe who is 92. My brother Neal just passed at 83. Yikes. Even though in my mind’s eye I can put myself right back to 1970 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, it’s a distant memory and most who were attending that day are no longer with us. 

So I guess the moral of the story is let’s  “use our time well, knowing that time is precious,and it’s also fleeting”. Let’s use it well now in serving and loving the Lord and one another; but, let’s also use it to prepare well for the next world. The good news is that we don’t have to sacrifice one for the other. The best way to enjoy this life in peace and true joy is to love the Lord and follow his word and ways in loving one another. In doing this, we will prepare well for the day when we begin our next life.  It’s a “Win-Win” proposition…. better than having the winning ticket at the famous Kentucky Derby…. it’s winning the “Real Derby”.