We've/I've had two birthdays in the past few days. Our first birthday was being in the newspaper business for 111 years. That was last week's edition. My second birthday was Sunday, December 21, when according to the records, I attained the ripe old age of 73.

I thank my Lord most nights and every morning for leaving me here one more day. We, me and my Lord, have a sort of onesided agreement that He will leave me here as long as He needs me to do something. In the past few years I have begun to wonder if I had about used up my usefulness, but like the rabbit with the drum, I keep on ticking.

Even with continuing the fight with diabetes from getting to fat, four eye operations, high blood pressure, poor circulation in my feet, removal of carcinoma and melanoma cancers, I'm in good shape for the shape I'm in.

Compared to some of my friends, who are still here, I'm in great shape. I am privileged to get up and work six and one-half days a week. I usually get my 40 hours in by Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning of each week. Then we start on another edition. It seems to be getting a little more challenging each week, but since I enjoy doing what I do, it doesn't seem like work.

My first wife had rather me quit and take her places, but many of my friends who quit, either die, get sick or go to the nursing home. The rest have to work harder than I do with that list of "honey-dos" they get every morning.

Lord, I hope You keep my deal.

I've told this before, but my only brother, Sammy, called me about a week before he died. He said, "Brother, I think I want to do like you want to do, die while I'm working."

He got his wish just a week later. He opened his store and was doing some work at the counter, and dropped dead.

Being the coroner for 22 years, I've seen almost all types of deaths. Other than those who are left behind, to just drop dead or not wake from a sleep is the way I would like to go. Not in any hurry, but since we all must die unless the Lord calls us early, to go quickly or not wake from sleep would be my personal preferences.

Now how did I get off on the subject of dying? It seems that people seem to die more in December than most any other time.

We went out to give our condolences to some good friends last week. Walter and Margaret Ann Daniels lost a daughter in a tragic auto accident. This is something that no parent can ever imagine happening. There is no way that anyone could feel what they feel unless you've been through the same loss.

Over the years, I've found that about all anyone can do is to say as little as possible and show as much love as possible.

We were invited to eat at our friends' home, Pat and Spud Bush, for my birthday supper, and then we were all going to the visitation for Regina Daniels. We were called to come to the hospital to Betty Jo's uncle's final minutes. We went by the house to pick up my mother-in-law, Uva Mason, to go with us to her brother, Talmadge Sander's last minutes of life. That was hard to see her last sibling leave this world, even if he was 91. Uva is a Christian and knew that "Buddy" had suffered long enough. He had been ready long before his body would give up.

One of Talmadge's girls told me as I was taking Uva home, "This is not a good way to celebrate your birthday."

I answered, "It just might be the best. You don't always get to see someone who is ready, go on to Heaven. Talmadge was ready."

The moral to this all could be if you're 33 or 91, be ready. Knowing these two people, they were brought up to know who is in charge. They were good people who did good to others. As a sign I put up at our church said, "Christians are not perfect, just forgiven."

You can always tell when everything is all right by the way those who are left act about giving their loved ones to eternity.

The best Christmas is to know that our loved ones and your loved ones are ready for eternity when our time is out on this earth.

We celebrate Christmas for Jesus coming to give us our choice for eternity. We have two choices.