GRAND OPENINGS reposted from 2010

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San Francisco Bay Bridge
courtesy photobucket.com

My father was more adventurous than I ever was.  We arrived In California In the summer of 1936, driving a new 1936 Plymouth my dad had picked up in Detroit.

There was four in our family my brother being about 8 months old.

The big news was that the new San Francisco Bay Bridge was soon to be opened, and everyone who possibly could was making plans to cross it on opening day. This included my family, for my dad felt this was mandatory. There would never be the first day again.

So on Nov. 12 1936 we joined all of the other people in Oakland and headed west. The citizens in San Francisco headed east.  It was an exciting day for the Bay area. There was a slight problem, due to the fact that the bridge didn’t open until sometime after 12:30 PM the crowds crammed each side of the bridge.  The streets were filled to capacity the intersections were gridlocked, and nobody could move in any direction.

The police had to start miles from the bridge and back people up so they could clear the intersections enough for traffic to move.  Adding to the problem were those from San Francisco coming back home and further crowding the streets.  We got home about 11 o’clock that evening, but some didn’t get home until the next day.  Adding to the stress was the fact there was no porta potties along the way.

By May 28 1937 the following year, we had forgotten about the problems of the Bay bridge opening and were ready for the Golden Gate first crossing.  The day prior, on the 27^th the bridge was open for people to walk across it. 

This lessened the crowds on the next day when we could drive across. So my family loaded up and headed out to cross over the new Golden Gate Bridge, and this was more enjoyable for traffic was not as jammed up as before.

The Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island opened on February 18 1939, and we were in line for the first day it was opened to the public. My father had put in one of the exhibits for the California cotton mills.  It was interesting in as much that the machines would take cotton at one end and a towel advertising the fair on the other. One of the perks my father got was free passes for the expositions.

Being first has its good and bad sides. The first man to sin (Adam) had devastating consequences to the entire human race.

While the sacrifice of one man (Christ Jesus) has provided redemption to the whole world

As one man chose to sin, even now each man must accept his own redemption. One of the most important things in life is choice and the act of choosing brings it into fruition.

There is another event coming and the particulars are found in

1 Corinthians 15:50-55
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

That day of the resurrection will come, and I look forward to being in line waiting for the day, the hour, the minute, the second when the trumpet sounds and the scripture is fulfilled. Each day I am getting nearer to the time when I need that new body.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq3r7eclk4c

 

This post is Shared with Laura at The Wellspring

Also shared with Hazel: Tell Me a Story