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Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
by Tom Kelley
My grandkids are crawling. They're just a little over eight months old now. Actually they were born six weeks premature so I guess you would say they crawled at seven months. It's exciting to see them doing different things and beginning to develop. Now I wonder when they'll sit up independently, pull up on stuff and ultimately stand and then walk. It has made me wonder how my grandkids stack up with other children. Maybe you'll find these of interest.
Thomas Wolfe, the noted writer, was reading at the age of two. Guess that early reading spurred his interest in writing. Philosopher-to-be John Stuart Mill read in both Greek and English at age three. However, the king of all the readers has to be mystery writer Rex Stout. Stout is reported to have read the entire Bible by the age of three (some have never read the entire Bible period) and Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by the time he was four.
Tracy Austin, former tennis pro and star, began playing tennis at the age of three. One year later she was good enough to be on the cover of World Tennis Magazine. Wolfgang Mozart and Sergey Prokofiev began composing music at the age of five. Gustav Mahler beat them both, having composed his first music at age four. However, the greatest at starting their career before starting school was Muhammad Ali. Eighteen month old Cassius Marcellus Clay knocked out one of his mother's teeth with a straight right hand.
Those who took their lifelong place in society at an early age include Fred Astaire who landed his first job in show biz at the ripe old age of five. The Dalai Lama was also five when he ascended to the throne of Tibetan Buddhism. However, Louis XIV, the Sun King, was crowned King of France at age four. The one that holds my interest the best though is Dutch inventor, Zacharias Janssen. He is the designer of the world's first compound microscope. He presented it to the world not long after his tenth birthday.
But my favorite of all time has to be a precocious twelve year old who stayed behind in Jerusalem after his family had left for their home in Nazareth following the Feast of the Passover. You can find his story in Luke 2:41-50. My joy is in the fact that, at an early age, this boy was already prepared to do the business of his father. When Joseph and Mary finally found Jesus in the temple confounding the Rabbis Jesus thought that it would be the logical place for them to look. He was ready to get involved in His Father's purpose for Him. He remarked, "Why is it that you looked for me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" Luke 2:49 Few twelve year olds prepare themselves to die a premature and horrible death, but Jesus knew about it and started getting ready early.
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...He was the Minister of the Minorsville Christian Church located near Stamping Ground, KY.
...Becky and Tom have three children; John, single and in worship ministry in Nicholasville, Kentucky; Sean, married (Jennifer, elementary school teacher) with twins (Grace and Patrick, b.d. 10/31/04) and regional director of Papa John's Pizza in Central KY; Kara, married (Vince Taylor, prison guard) and working with Hospice East in Winchester, KY.
...Tom went to be with the Lord on November 13, 2009 after a lengthy battle with cancer. If you have been touched by Tom's writings please send an email to Tom's son at jkelley@catalystchristian.net
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