Clarion had its annual community celebration, Festival in the Park, last weekend. One of the highlights for me was my giving Danny Schnell a framed certificate from Keep America Beautiful for his contribution to "beautifying" Clarion. Danny works every day in Clarion picking up bottles and cans. He takes them home, cleans them up, strips off the pull tabs for contributions to Ronald McDonald House, takes the cans and bottles for refunds at recycling centers, and enjoys the money he gets from his efforts. Clarion is the winner, too, because we have less "junk" lying around town.

Danny didn't know he was getting this award. His family said when he heard his name announced from the stage, he jumped out of his chair and nearly ran on to the stage. In the few days since the Festival, Danny has been showing off is award everywhere he goes. And knowing our town as I do, this won't be the end of Danny's recognition. He will probably receive a number of congratulations cards and notes from others. The local newspaper carried a front page picture and story about Danny in this week's paper. A bank or two usual clips out and mails newspaper clippings to people who are in the news.

In the few days since his good news, I have thought about Danny. During his school days, he would have been in special education classes. Now moving through his 40s, how many years had Danny watched as others - who were able to play sports, do jobs that he wouldn't be able to do, get plaques and recogitions?

Maybe for the first time in his life, the stage was his!

And then I thought about us: how many times have we been picked toward the last when teams were chosen when we were school-aged kids; how many times were we overlooked by the "popular", "more attractive" or "smart" ones; how often were we rejected by after a job interview as a "better" candidate was picked; got the short end of the stick when it came to financial opportunities, or........

Jesus knew that was the way this life was going to be, but He is the great equalizer. He tells us that the first will be last; the last will be first. The weak will be strong. The poor will become rich. Some of the changes are made in this life. Others are saved for a life that is coming. How is He going to that, you might ask. I don't have a clue! All I know is that He spoke and the world come into existence. So He can handle all of us who are last now, but are headed for first another day.

And Danny; well, we'd better step aside, because he will be moving fast.......and he might be just a little closer to the front than we are.....