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Turning 60… and Picking Up the Sword (Again)

Sometimes a season sneaks up on you.

Turning 60 was one of those moments.

No fanfare. No big announcement. Just a quiet realization that I’ve stepped into a different phase of life—whether I was ready or not.

And the truth is… I think I am.

The Samurai Years

I’ve come to think of this stage as the “samurai years.”

Not in the sense of fighting battles every day—but in the discipline that comes from having already fought a few.

By 60, you’ve seen enough.

You’ve had success. You’ve had failure. You’ve been tested in ways you didn’t expect—and you’re still here.

That changes you.

You don’t react as quickly.
You don’t speak as often.
But when you do… it tends to matter more.

There’s a steadiness that shows up if you’ve been paying attention.

And if I’m being honest, a lot of that steadiness doesn’t come from me.

It comes from a lifetime of being guided—even in the moments when I didn’t fully recognize it at the time.

A Gift I Didn’t See Coming

This birthday, my wife Amy gave me something I didn’t expect.

It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t something you unwrap and set on a shelf.

She had reached out to a group of close friends and family and asked them to write letters—just a few words, memories, thoughts… whatever they felt led to say.

Then she took those letters and had them placed in a simple leather binder.

That was the gift.

I’ll be honest—I didn’t quite know what I was holding at first.

But as I started reading through them, one by one, it landed.

Hard.

These weren’t casual notes. They were thoughtful. Personal. Honest.

Some made me laugh. A few hit me right in the chest.

All of them mattered.

I’ve received a lot of great gifts over the years. But this one… this is probably the best I’ve ever been given—not just from Amy, but from the people who took the time to write those letters.

Those people are my world.

And what they put down on paper is something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.

It also serves as a quiet reminder of something Scripture tells us—that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

That binder made it pretty clear where mine is.

In fact, I told Amy—half serious, half not—that one day, when the time comes, they can just put that leather binder in the casket with me.

I’ll take those words along for the ride.

From Leading to Letting Go

One of the biggest shifts at this age isn’t professional.

It’s personal.

Your kids aren’t really kids anymore.

They’re somewhere in that “semi-adult” phase—making their own decisions, building their own lives, and yes… making some of their own mistakes.

That can be tough to watch.

There was a time when you could step in and fix things. Offer direction. Set the course.

That time passes.

Now, the role is different.

Now it’s about being available—but not overbearing.
Present—but not controlling.
Supportive—but not steering every decision.

That takes discipline of a different kind.

And maybe a little more faith than we’re used to.

Faith that they’ll find their footing.

Faith that the foundation you helped lay will hold.

And faith that God cares for them even more than you do.

Strength Looks Different Now

There was a time when strength meant pushing harder than everyone else.

Outworking. Outlasting. Outperforming.

There’s still value in that—but it’s not the whole story anymore.

At 60, strength looks more like restraint.

It’s knowing when to step in—and when to stay quiet.

It’s having the experience to recognize a problem early… and the patience to let it play out if that’s what’s needed.

It’s being steady when others aren’t.

There’s a quiet confidence that comes from knowing you don’t have to carry everything on your own anymore.

Clarity Has a Way of Showing Up

One of the benefits of getting older is perspective.

You start to see what really matters—and what never did.

Some things just aren’t worth the energy anymore.

And that’s not a sign of slowing down.

It’s a sign of getting focused.

Time is a little more precious now. So you spend it differently.

On people.
On purpose.
On things that actually matter.

And you become a little more grateful for the time you’ve been given—and the grace that’s carried you through it.

Still in the Arena

Let me be clear—this isn’t about winding down.

At least not for me.

There’s still work to do. Still opportunities to serve. Still chances to lead when it counts.

But it’s not about proving anything anymore.

It’s about being useful.

Being steady.

Being someone others can count on when things get uncertain.

And trying—imperfectly, but intentionally—to live in a way that reflects something bigger than yourself.

Final Thought

If there’s one thing I’m learning about turning 60, it’s this:

You don’t put the sword away.

You just learn when to use it.

And more importantly… when not to.

And if you’ve been blessed, as I have, with faith, family, and people who will tell you the truth—

You realize you were never carrying the weight alone to begin with.

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Sometimes a Community needs to come together for all the right reasons…

Habersham County’s first “Swim Safely Day” is August 19th at the Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center

If you live in Habersham County, or even Northeast Georgia, you’re probably familiar with our incredible recreation area called Lake Russell and the adjoining Lake Russell Wildlife Management Area. The lake is an under-utilized thing of beauty and, unfortunately, was the site of a drowning tragedy over the summer. Through God’s Grace, however, we’re going to turn the tragedy into triumph, but we’ll need some help.

The young boy who drowned was a blessing to his family and his many friends. His loss of life sent shock waves through our community and gave cause for many Moms and Dads to give extra hugs to their children. We have grieved, collectively, with this young boy’s family over the last few months.

Now, through the inspiration of this family’s loss, our community is coming together to facilitate a Swim Safely Day at the Habersham County Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center. The date is August 19th,which is only two weeks away.

Ruby C. Fulbright Aquatic Center

The goal of the day will be to build awareness of how to be safe in and around the water. We feel this event is vitally important, especially given the upcoming end-of-summer Labor Day weekend. 

As a reward for participation, all participants who complete the 3 station “training course” will receive their own USCG approved Life Preserver. The “target audience” are kids from kindergarten to 6th grade. We do, however, have plans in case there are older kids, or even adults, who would like to take part in the course. We plan to welcome anyone who would like to participate.

Worth noting is the fact that this Swim Safely Day is being offered free of charge to participants and is also at no cost to the taxpayers of Habersham County.

Our future plan is to increase the regular availability of actual swimming lessons. One goal is to offer these lessons free of charge, as well.

To make this initial event a success, we need your help.

Most importantly, we need participants. Our County Recreation Department Director, Brooke Whitmire, and her team, have put together a partnership and a plan. The Department is partnering with Piedmont College, Tallulah Falls School, the Habersham County School system, along with many others, to help make the day a success. We’re planning an informational “blitz” to get the word out, but word of mouth is one of our best forms of advertisement. Please spread the word and mark your calendars for Saturday, August 19th.

Funding- many of the swim instructors will be volunteering their time for the Swim Safely Day. There will be costs, however, and one over-arching cost will be the key to making this event a total success.

To register for the event, or even donate, here’s a link:

https://habershamga.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=563

We estimate we will need between 250 and 500 USCG approved life preservers to give to the participants. Personally- I’d like to plan on the high end of that number. If we end up with extras we’ll begin planning for the next swimming event and give away.

Brooke and her team have done the research and they estimate that the life preservers will cost between $20-24 each. We’re asking our community to come together and begin a fund raising effort to cover that cost. I’ll be posting more info on that soon, including another link to facilitate donations.

We’d also like to ask local businesses who might be interested in partnering, financially or otherwise, in this effort to please get in touch. As I mentioned, we will need many volunteers to help make this day a success. 

Additionally, I envision part of the “payback” for these life-saving and life changing volunteers could be in the form of a gift card (or two) for a good lunch meal or a nice evening out. Your help with these gift cards and “love offerings” would be appreciated. 

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me, through my contact link on this site, or Brooke Whitmire and the HCRD Team at 706-839-0234 or bwhitmire@habershamga.com

I’ll post more info soon. Thanks for reading and taking an interest in this amazing opportunity to save lives, right here at home.

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#Godspeed in your journey, Matt

You may have seen my previous post about Matt Speed and his battle back to health. Long story short- Matt went to Heaven yesterday.

As you pray for Matt’s family, please also consider donating to their Gofundme:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/speed-family

Also- Matt loved life and he smiled a lot. I’m sure, if he was here, he’d remind us all to do the same.

Godspeed, Matt. You’ll be missed by many but we know that, through God’s Grace, we’ll see you again someday. All the Best.

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Please consider praying for, and donating to, Matt Speed’s Covid recovery

#GodSpeed, Matt!

There are people, there are good people and then there are people who just become instant “longtime” friends. For me, Matt Speed is in the latter category… and I need my friend back.

https://gofund.me/2a97733c

Matt comes from a north Georgia family of just good people. His immediate family includes bankers, a Sheriff, entrepreneurs and, most importantly, a wife and three children who love him dearly.

A while back, Matt went all in on his dream business and started Custom Combat Trucks. He’s a man’s man and does what most of us “Type A-s” would love to do: build (and rebuild) really cool, beastly looking trucks. Like I said- instant friends, right?

http://www.customcombattrucks.com/

Today, however, Matt is trying to rebuild something a little different- his own body. Covid has wreaked havoc on his lungs and he needs our help.

How can you help? Pray for Matt and his family. Next- Pretty simple- either go buy a Humvee from CCT (a stretch, I know but I thought I’d mentioned it), donate to help alleviate some of the family’s costs, share their Gofundme, or share this blog post. You truly never know who might see your social media effort and go all in with some help.

Also- let’s make #GodSpeed, Matt! Go viral. It’ll be a journey for the Speed family. Let’s show them that we’ll be with them the WHOLE way.

Come on, Matt. We have stuff to do! #Godspeed, Matt!

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On Lindbergh, history and summertime

I’m reading Charles Lindbergh’s biography. In my line of work of flying airplanes it probably should be a requirement to read about him. He was a lot more than a lucky aviator who found his way to Paris. Much more.

When you study his life you see that, for him, everything prior to flying across the Atlantic by himself was preparation for that flight on May 20 and 21st of 1927. From a less than ideal upbringing where he grew up, to some degree, a loner, to flying night flights in the late 1920s for the US air mail, Lindbergh was “made for this“.

After he landed in the dark in Paris he quickly realized that his life would never be the same. Time and history quickly forgot that he came home from France and engaged in a 48 state tour advocating aviation. Time forgets that he then began touring Mexico, Latin America and even parts of South America. All in his Ryan aircraft which he crossed the Atlantic in. Time forgets these things but his fingerprints are all over the modern era of aviation.

He became acquainted with the Morrow family while in Mexico and, after a long distance courtship, ended up marrying Anne Morrow. The two of them set off on a life adventure which all but required Anne’s total commitment to Lindbergh‘s adventurous soul.

After designing and having his own aircraft built for the two of them, they toured the world, literally.

When Anne’s sister began to show signs of heart problems, Charles Lindbergh began working with a doctor at Princeton and together they designed a profusion pump which assisted in maintaining organs outside the human body. In short, it seemed, there was nothing Charles Lindbergh could not do.

In spite of his valiant efforts, the Lindbergh family was plagued by a media that followed them incessantly. The world thirsted for news of Charles and Anne Lindbergh and if there wasn’t a headline which was factual then the media would make something up. He came to despise the press so much so that, for a while, Charles Lindbergh, American Hero, quietly moved to England. It must have been an incredible time to be alive.

It seems that history quickly forgot many of the contributions Charles Lindbergh made. His childhood home in Minnesota is rarely visited and the home which he and Anne built in rural New Jersey is now a halfway home for wayward young men. Indeed, time marches on.

As I have pondered the contributions he made, and the many things now forgotten, I have been forced to slow down and realize that nothing lasts forever, not even the indelible marks we try to make on this world. The real things we leave, probably for a generation or two, are sweet memories and kind smiles. Reminding ourselves of that fact grows more important to me every day.

Harvesting the Laurel Springs honey

And thus we find ourselves here in Summertime 2021. If you pay attention to the modern day media which so forcefully chased the Lindbergh family back in their time, you would be led to believe that we are a country divided with leadership that tries and fails to unite our country back together.

In reality, it seems, the unity message only rings true for those who are willing to accept a rather diverse and liberal agenda. For me, I choose a more conservative path. So where does it leave the seemingly large part of the country that prefers respect, conservatism, the Grand Old Party and limited foul language? Some things are just better left unsaid, I’ve decided. Simple as that.

And, (my 12th grade English teacher would be very disappointed in me for beginning a paragraph and sentence with and) thus we revert back to what we can control, have an impact on and appreciate. That being the immediate world around us.

Simpler times, it seems, during The late 20s and 30s. Or was it? For some, maybe so. For others, not so much. So we move forward in life knowing that God is in control and His plan is perfect. There’s definitely solace in that.

The picture above? That’s the Farmhouse at Laurel Springs. We’ve been restoring it for several years and it’s almost finished, once again. When was it first built? Oddly enough- 1927. The year Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic, for the first time, on his solo flight.

Life is Good.

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Commander W. Newby Kelt, 6 Oct. 1928 – 6 May 2021

The Newb

My cousin (who I called Uncle) Newby has gone to Heaven. He was as fine and memorable as he was kind. He was from “good stock” in Georgia and he packed a lot of life into his years of living. Today his family and the United States Navy are sending him home.

I grew up with an extremely colorful extended family. There was Aunt Al and Uncle Joe. Robert Newby always had a corvette. He took my cousin John and I for rides in it and made us promise never to tell our Moms how fast we went. He had a laugh you could hear for miles. Royce, Johnny and Will Pharr were all brothers and had smiles that you’d never forget. These are just a few of the personalities. And then there were the Kelts.

We didn’t know them as “the Kelts”, of course. They were Newby, Dottie, Patti and Marci. They always had atleast one dog with them. They were the epi-center of any family gathering. The stories and laughs couldn’t really start until “The Newb” showed up. He would usually announce his arrival, “It is I” he would say, as he walked in. His wife, Dottie, was always close beside or behind, smiling with her effervescent beauty all the way.

As The Newb and Dottie entertained, Patti and Marci were usually engaged in unpacking dogs, shotguns, perhaps a few beers or some other traveling requirements of the Kelt crowd. They knew the process. Shortly afterward, they would arrive with their inner and outer beauty taking over the room. As a kid, I would usually be dismissed shortly thereafter, as the crowd became more boisterous. This was usually how the Annual Newby Clan Opening Day Dove Shoot (or ANCODDS) would begin. Ah- family memories.

Legend has it that Newby played football, for a while, at the University of Georgia. As the story goes, he became acquainted with Wally Butts’ daughter and they dated for a while. Apparently he fell out of favor with the young lady and then Coach Butts, as well. He finished his college athletic career at Georgia on the wrestling team.

As a kid, I didn’t realize that Newby had flown in the Navy. I didn’t learn until later that he was one of the first RF-8 Crusader fighter pilots who found nuclear missiles on the island of Cuba. He never bragged about being awarded the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross for “single acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.” He didn’t need to, ofcourse. He lived the heroism and achievement every day.

The Newby I knew was all about family, big smiles and love (and maybe a Bloody Mary, as needed). He once told his Mom, in response to her question about how he would summarize the sermon on that particular Sunday, by stating: “It was about Love, Mom.” That has become a general summary over a Sunday lunch for my family ever since. “That was a great sermon about love!”

The Newb, his daughters Patti and Marci, and their families.

Over the last few days Marci and I have shared stories and pictures about our Dads. We’ve promised to reunite our family and tighten the bond, once again. I shared how my Dad thought hers had hung the moon. In return Marci shared similar kind words, asked us to come visit and promised that, when we do, we’d be sent home with atleast one chicken, goat or dog. I don’t doubt that.

Marci’s ‘49 Willy’s

W. Newby Kelt’s life was one well lived. He served proudly, loved kindly and lived boldly. He leaves a family who will miss him dearly and will also carry their Mom and Dad’s legacy proudly. Godspeed, fair winds and Calm seas, Commander.

Newby and his wife Dottie are being buried together at the Jacksonville National Cemetery. You can read Newby’s apropos “official” obituary here:

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesunion/obituary.aspx?n=william-newby-kelt&pid=198633168&fhid=11103

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2/3/43… The date that will always roll off my tongue.

Today, for the first time in 78 years, February 3rd will come and go without my Dad celebrating his birthday here in this world. I know he’s celebrating, though, and not just today.

Licorice and daffodils. Two of his favorite things.

Dad was born in 1943, on February 3rd, in Marietta, Georgia. You can find a little more about him in a previous post, one that I wrote shortly after he went to Heaven last March.

It’s been a long year without him. My family has seen me cry plenty. I quickly figured out that it’s ok for them to see me cry. Of course on most occasions, I couldn’t help it. Sometimes the grief just comes in waves. Time has helped the healing, though.

I’ve gotten a lot of good advice about death over the last year. I’ve been given books, sayings and philosophies. I have had some good experience shared about how to manage this next chapter of life. One comment that I could relate to is that “A man doesn’t really grow up until his Dad passes away”. As cold as that sounds, that one seems to be a little more true every day.

The only thing I wish I had more of from my Dad was time. Time with him. Just a little. I’ve dreamt about it, literally. There’s some great comfort in knowing that’s the only thing I miss. After he was gone, I realized I didn’t want or need anything else from him other than a little more time. Other folks don’t, and apparently can’t, understand that. As it turns out, they wanted a lot more than just his time. For me, though, that’s the part about death and my Dad that I’m going to need to ask Jesus about, if St. Peter lets me through the gates. Why couldn’t we have just a little more time? That’s a tough one.

I regret my Dad leaving this world when he did. Maybe that sounds odd, maybe not, but I do. What I mean, though, is that my Dad was very young, relatively speaking. Not only in years but in spirit. Perhaps that’s why God called him home when he did. He’ll always be young. Forever. That’s how we’ll remember him. Young in spirit, young at heart. With a big mustache-highlighted smile.

I’ve lost count of the number of people who have told me stories about how he helped them. As time has passed, the stories haven’t slowed down, and it amazes me. I love hearing every single one. Some are new. Some aren’t. It has made me realize that I have a lot of work to do if I want to even get close to measuring up. He had a lifetime of service and love, and that’s how he’d want to be remembered.

Feb 3, 2020. I sure do wish I had combed my hair!

So Happy Birthday, Pop Jim. It seems like just a few minutes ago we celebrated your 77th. We talked about birthdays and family and life. This year we’ll still have some cake and ice cream for you. Sure do wish you were here to have some too. I know you’re celebrating where you are, though. I’m sure it’s joyous. Every day, and not just today.

As you always told me, “Have some fun”. Please tell Jesus we said hello, and all of those other wonderful people we’re missing, too. I still Miss you… a lot.

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I think Covid-19 will make us stronger… in more ways than one.

Before I share my opinion on this highly political and sometimes controversial topic- allow me to try to diffuse the most heartbreaking: this virus has caused deaths. For those who have experienced this with family or close friends, please accept my condolences. I’ve experienced losing a loved one recently and it hurts. My thoughts aren’t meant to take away from that.

On the larger scale, however, I’m beginning to believe that this virus will ultimately make us all better, if we let it.

First- a personal note- I had “the virus” back in August. it was more of a head battle than a heart, lung or any other organ battle. By that I mean when I received the impersonal text that I had tested positive, I almost immediately began to feel like my breathing had become constricted. “Is this it”, I thought? As it turned out, the flu I had at Christmas of last year was exponentially worse than the -19 turned out to be. The one thing that helped the most, it seemed, was rest, rest, rest.

Jump to Sunday, 22 November, and I’d like to share that last week I had a sinus infection. I went to see the experts at ExpressCare in Cornelia and they confirmed that it was “probably” a virus- induced sinus infection (not covid-19) and the best I could do was minimize the symptoms and ride it out, hopefully for 5-7 days. Understood, I thought, I’ve heard that before.

As I’ve gotten “older” (I don’t think 54 is THAT old) I have noticed that sinus infections have taken longer to recover from. For me, they have typically started as a tickle in the throat, progressed to my sinuses and ended up in my chest. Typically my experience has been two weeks, and sometimes longer, for a complete recovery.

But… in what seems to be a post covid-19 (for me) recovery miracle, I’m typing this post, 5 days after my trip to ExpressCare, while riding on the stationary bicycle at the gym! I actually read a post in the New York Times (not often that I quote the NYT) that after recovering from the virus, immune systems may become smarter and more immune to Covid-19, as well as other maladies rather than less. You can read the article here.

So… I’m no scientist, but that’s my personal experience. I think hope it’s symbolic, too! I truly believe that we CAN benefit from the experience of this covid-19 experience. I believe everything happens for a reason, even this. How we handle it from here is up to us. Let’s make the most of every day and get stronger as a result!

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Instead of flowers…

Our family has been truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, kind remarks and heart warming stories in the loss of my Dad. We knew he covered a lot of territory. Apparently we really didn’t have any idea. Thank you all for sharing your love for him and for us. Thank you for also sharing the many stories about him. Please keep them coming!

We’re finalizing arrangements for my Dad’s funeral. Unfortunately the ceremony will consist of only a graveside service. Immediate family will only be able to attend. We’ll plan a more appreciate Memorial at a later date when the situation allows.

The graveside ceremony is scheduled for this Thursday at 1 o’clock. We’re working on a way to live stream the ceremony, as well. I’ll send a link as soon as we finalize a way to live stream the ceremony.

Like many other projects Dad was involved in, Dad had begun helping revitalize the Demorest Woman’s Club. He had helped Re-authorize a tax exempt status, among many other things.

The Demorest Woman’s Club building is also in need of revitalization. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and needs attention. He would have loved the thought of a community coming together to help restore the building itself.

Here is a link to a GofundMe page that my Brother-in-Law just created.

Demorest Woman’s Club GofundMe

Any donation you can make will be tax deductible and this, I know, would have made him very happy. If you would also take a second to share the GofundMe page with friends and family and ask them to donate, too, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you again for your love and kindness. We know that God is good and that Dad is resting easy in the presence of Jesus.