I like living in Mayberry for lots of reasons. Two of those
reasons are called Kenny.

Mayberry has two famous Kennys. Both are handicapped
and work at the sheltered workshop. (BTW I am on one of
the sheltered workshop boards because my older sister
works there. My dad is on the same board that I am and
my mom is on the other board.)

Kenny M. goes to my church. He is in his early 50's and is
very beloved around the town. He is a little heavy and has
this huge fuzzy beard. We tease him that he keeps his beard
like that so he can go digging around in it if he gets hungry.
He is quite an icon around town. He gets to play Santa for
the yearly town visit and the kids love it. He stands in front
of his boarding house, which is on one of the main Mayberry
drags, and waves to all the passersby. Usually he has a huge
hat on which tickles us all a lot.

Kenny M. got hired for a side job this year which suited him
to a T. He got to dress up in a Statue of Liberty suit and
wave at people to advertise an income tax office. I think the
name of the business is Liberty Tax (that would be appropriate!)
Can you imagine a heavily bearded Statue of Liberty. His pointy
hat was a riot. People loved it and he got such a kick out of it.
He did it from the middle of January through April 15. Next
year they told him he could be Uncle Sam if he wanted to. He
will be the heftiest Uncle Sam I have ever seen.

Kenny F. is our other friend. He is a lot older, I would guess in
his seventies. He goes to one of the grocery stores and hangs
out after work and on weekends. He wanders through the
store and tells everyone "Hi" and gets and gives lots of hugs.
Sometimes he plays his harmonica, and is much admired, even
though no one can figure out what he is playing.

The churches in Mayberry take turns having services at the
nursing home and the two boarding homes on Sunday afternoons.
We are scheduled once a month to visit one of these three places.
When we are at the Colonial Home, Kenny F. never misses, and
Kenny M. is always there when we hit the Walnut Street Home.
Both are believers, and I felt such joy the time Kenny F. gave
a testimony and shared his faith that when he goes to heaven,
he will be "like everybody else."

Kent and I gave both our dads the book "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn
for Father's Day this year. As he was reading through it my dad
said to my mom one day, "You know, when we get to Heaven, Tandy
will be able to relate to us just like our other children do. We'll be
able to communicate on such a deeper level than we can now."

Wow! My sister, able to relate; my son, who has epilepsy, will leave
that handicap behind. All of creation will be released from its burdens.

Romans 8:21

...because the creation itself also will be delivered from
the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of
the children of God.

Wow!