October 1, 2024 - Good Morning! It's Tuesday, October 1.
Today, former President Jimmy Carter will accomplish something that no other president has accomplished in U.S. history. He will turn 100 years old. In the fall of 1976, there was another historic occurrence, as David Mathis voted for the first time in a presidential election and cast his ballot for the peanut farmer from Plains. Well, it was an historic moment for me!
Jimmy Carter was just 56 when he left office. In comparison, Joe Biden will be 82 when he leaves the White House. And so, Carter has had almost as many years after his presidency as he did before it. And he has certainly made the most of his "second act".
During the last 40 years, he started the Carter Foundation, protecting human rights across the world. He has led the fight to eradicate infectious diseases in third world countries. He has traveled the world as a conflict negotiator and election monitor. He has been a leader in the non-profit housing organization, Habitat for Humanity. And in 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Historians usually rate his presidency as below average, but Jimmy Carter, arguably, has been the greatest ex-president in our nation's history.
Carter did something else after he left Washington. He taught a Sunday School class at his little church in little Plains, Georgia (population - 600 souls). Often, his wife would be at his side. Rosalynn went on to heaven last November. His niece, Kim, teaches the class now. It is said that no matter what the lesson had been about, at the close, Carter would encourage the crowd to "do something good for someone else this week".
A good lesson.
Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
I am always blessed whenever I get a message from a faithful reader. You can email me now at cindertex50@yahoo or text me at 979-533-1575.
