Karl's Kolumn

RIP MARK BOLIN, your loyalty and dedication to the City of Watervliet will not be forgotten!

Mark and I worked together on numerous projects and I always knew he was just a phone call away. Our condolences to his family.

YAY LIONS! Boy-o-boy, I’ve been a Detroit Lions fan as long ago as I can remember. Whenever it was, it was their traditional Thanksgiving bloodbath for their “black and blue division,” the Lions vs. the Bears… the Vikings… the Packers.

It could have could have been 1957 when the Lions won the division title. I recall Dad and my Godfather Gene had six tickets for the Thanksgiving game. The field was in the old Brigg Stadium; it was cold, we walked nearly a half mile. I don’t remember being cold, I was bundled up from head to toe. I don’t remember the score, but the Lions usually won, that’s all I remember. I was 11 years old.

I remember being the youngest. Brother Paul, God-brother Bobby, neighbors Paulie and Jimmy, were all teenagers, so I sat next to Dad. That was all right, I got dibs (first) for the popcorn, hot dogs and hot chocolate (that I remember)!

So last weekend, the Lions versus the Buccaneers was a barnburner. More than 200 hundred miles away I swear I could hear the bedlam in the stadium. Actually, Annie and I were next door watching the game with most of the Loshboughs. I recall all the excitement; we all had front row seats, free refreshments, and the game was a see-saw battle… right up to the 2-minute warning.

The Lions had a eight-point lead, the Buccs had the ball on the 5-yardline, Grandson Ben ripped off his Lions jersey and buried his head in a giant pillow, I could hear him moaning. The Buccs muffed their 4th down try. With four downs, the Lions took a knee and won the game 31-23.

Honestly, this is how I remember the play-by-play. There may have been some embellishments to it. But Ben did rip off his jersey in front of the TV, I recorded it.

I’ll take my jersey and have it signed by some local Lions and give it to him for the Super Bowl game.

GOD GIVEN TOOLS… Record friend and subscriber, Sue shared this from a friend. “I had a God moment today. I was in OKC and stepped out of my truck, looked down and saw a wrench. I bent over and picked it up. So, I looked around to see if I could find who it belongs to, but found no one. So, I put in my pocket and went about my day.

“Two hours later I stopped and got out of my truck in a residential neighborhood. So, I got back in my truck and turned the key, but it wouldn’t start. So, I popped the hood and started to investigate. I found loose cables going through my battery. I was thinking I don’t have any tools. I need a wrench. Then I remembered I had that wrench I had just found. I tried it. Perfect fit! Only one size would do and I had it in my

pocket.

“So, I gave thanks to God for making my day a little easier, then I realized the bigger picture.

“God gives us the tools to handle it. He gives us the tools to handle the good, bad and the ugly in our lives. I needed to sit down this moment today and that I have a little more faith and hope that I can handle what may come my way. It gave me peace knowing this.”