By now you have received hundreds of cute stories from your email that sometimes you wonder if the stories are true or not. I try to find out if the story is real or fictional. If I can verify it, it will put it in the Guest Writer page of our web site.

In the late 60's, when I was 17 years old, my father told me to go by and visit my 80+ year old great uncle. Dr. Waldo Emerson Wood. In his life, he had been the President of Danville Normal College in Indiana. He owned farms, houses, etc. and he was known as wealthy man. He was also a kind man, I always enjoyed his smile. He was almost a Harry S. Truman look-a-like.

My name was Craig E. Strain. I always wrote it that way. I didn't want people to know that my middle name was EMERSON because it was kinda dorky. Poetic if you have ever heard of Ralph Waldo Emerson. But I didn't want to use that name.

Well, my father told me that Uncle Waldo had something to give me because I was his namesake. At 17 years old, I knew what it was going to be. I figured a new 1967 Corvette Stingray. I hoped it was Marlin Blue. A real deep blue that was used only on the Corvette and the original Pontiac GTO. I hoped it was the 4 speed and I wanted the 327 with Fuel Injection worth 350 hp. That would be great! It wouldn't be expensive for him, and I could really use it now that I was going to college!

So I stopped by the 3 story house on Jackson Street. As I walked into the home, it had an old book smell to it. Several walls had bookshelves that were completely filled with books. Books were on the tables next to the chair. It was obvious that these books were read and not just to impress you that he had a lot of books.

Well we did the small talk thing, you know, what does a 17 year old kid have to talk about with a 80+ year old man? Sports? Weather? How about those Packers? Just small talk.... Youthful vanity talking with ageless wisdom.

Well, after a while, he smiled and told me I was his namesake and he had something very special for me. As he rambled over to the bookshelf, he reached for one book that was evidently special to him. It was in a box protected from the elements, not like the other books that braved the breeze on their own. No, this book was special. As he handed it to me, I was kinda amazed. Just a book? That's it?

Thanks were in order, it was very nice. I opened the box and saw that it was a Bible that he used when he was President of the College. This name etched on the front.

Dr. Waldo Emerson Wood

President, Danville Normal College.

It was a nice gesture. A really nice Bible. But youth called from deep inside me that said "tell him thanks and get out of here!"

As I went to the car, I knew that there was a trick to this, you know, the title to the Corvette hidden in the pages. Maybe six five-hundred dollar bills hidden at the front of each chapter. As I turned the "book" over looking for the "treasure", nothing fell out. No keys, no title, no dollars, just reality. A really nice Bible from my Great Uncle.

I now look back on the gift that Uncle Waldo gave me and thank him from my heart. No gift would mean more to me than the Bible he gave me that day. Only five years after that, when I opened the "book" that he gave me. I saw the scriptures that he underlined because they were meaningful to him. I met the man named "Jesus" that my great Uncle drew lines under. I got more than a "name" that day.

Mat 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Now I willingly use the name of Craig Emerson Strain. I don't use it to sound fancy. Some people call me Brother Craig, some call me Bro Strain. Some people just call me Emerson. I love it because my Great Uncle gave me the best that life has to offer.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Eph 4:4-6