Today my father would have been ninety years old.  He was born on the 22nd of February, 1927.  It used to be celebrated as George Washington's birthday.  Today, Lincoln and Washington are remembered on President's Day; fixed as the third Monday of February.  When my father was born, Babe Ruth was gearing up for his record setting home run season with the New York Yankees.  Ruth would hit sixty home runs in 1927.  That record would stand until Roger Maris hit sixty-one in 1961, thirty-four years later.  Calvin Coolidge was our President.  1927 saw the birth of the Harlem Globetrotters.  The first trans-Atlantic phone call was made.  Charles Lindbergh flew non-stop from New York to Paris.  Anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti were executed for murder in Boston.  And the Ford Model T gave way to the Model A.  1927 saw Lizzie Borden die and Coretta Scott King born.  Every day in history has memorable news.  Some worthy of the history books, some worthy only as ephemeral knowledge usable on Jeopardy.  I miss my dad.  He died on May 17, 1977; just three days after Julia and I were married; almost forty years ago.  Plenty has happened in the nine decades since his birth and four since his passing.  Keith Eugene Henry was born in Elwood, Indiana, was graduated from Purdue University in 1957, and has seven grand children (whom he never knew), and one very precious great-grand daughter named Audrey Isabelle.  Rest In Peace, Dad.

Valentine's Day came too late to be the focus of this week's Pastor's Memo.  The 14th was yesterday.  One day short.  So the topic for today?  The sentencing of Socrates to death by the city of Athens.  In 399 BC the Greek philosopher was condemned for corrupting the minds of the youth.  A further charge of impiety was added to insure his execution.  The story is he drank hemlock.  He was allowed to pick his own poison.  Just imagine how many others, in this generation, could be likewise condemned if corrupting the minds of the youth was still a capital offense.  Those responsible for "beyond unsavory" song lyrics; too easily available drugs; cell phone apps for unbelievable information; cell phones, period.  We all have our list of reasons why the world is going to hell in a hand basket.  And none of us want to climb in the one waiting for us.  So, on this day of such an august man's conviction, let us remember what is perhaps his most memorable saying: "The unexamined life is not worth living."  Wise words, indeed, from more than twenty-four centuries ago.  O.K.  If you insist; Happy Valentine's Day.

I have a confession to make.  I did not watch Super Bowl LI.  I haven't watched the Super Bowl since the Colts played in it ten years ago.  And if the Miami Dolphins don't make it to the Big Game, I'm not interested at all.  That probably makes me among the very few who didn't arrange their Super Bowl Sunday around chicken wings, guacamole dip, and Budweiser. I ate Chinese with Julia and snacked on peanuts and popcorn the rest of the day.  I understand there were a few TV commercials worth watching but, alas, none worth remembering.  Political partisanship was mercifully kept to a minimum and Lady Gaga was more than passably entertaining at half time.  President George H. W. Bush presided at the Coin Toss.  He and Barbara were received with tumultuous applause.  The game was a rout until the Patriots came roaring back in the fourth quarter to tie and then win the game in overtime.  All this I learned from the news.  It was unavoidable.  The coverage was "wall to wall," after a manner of speaking.  Now that the 2016-17 season is completed, whatever will I do with my Thursdays and Saturdays and Sundays and Mondays?  Well, Major League Baseball's Spring Training begins in about a week and Valentine's Day will find me buying chocolate and perhaps flowers.  I'll stay busy and entertained.  And life will go on.

What do Groundhog Day and Super Bowl LI have in common?  To me, it's a bit bizarre.  CBS Philadelphia reports hotel room rates in Punxsutawney for February 2nd are higher than they are for Super Bowl LI in Houston.  It's reported a room for two for Groundhog Day will cost you $450.  The average room rate for this week's festivities in Houston is only $340.  That's the average rate.  Most rooms in Houston are booked for a minimum three nights.  When you add all the other stuff one would buy on a Super Bowl excursion it gets to be a very hefty total; food, drink, travel, nick knacks, parking, and those very costly tickets.  The package would be a couple thousand dollars.  What's $450 plopped down in Pennsylvania for a good night's rest?  And while you will incur travel costs and drinks while there, my guess is the Groundhog isn't nearly as pricey as the lobster or the Porterhouse or the Shrimp de jonghe at Houston's finer restaurants.  Unless of course, you like your Groundhog...oh, never mind.  Enjoy the game and pray God you don't wake up over and over and over and over again with the sky line of Houston visible out your hotel window.  There's work to do back home; wherever that is.