The "Toy for the Ages!" Story

It was an ordinary day. Searching the web for a verse that would go with the story I have for today. Found it ...... Corinthians 13:11 - When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. It's the deal about putting away childish things. Still haven't done that! Years and years ago, no, make that more years than that ago, I had an inclined marble run. Loved it. Put the marbles in the chute at the top and by the time they reached the bottom you caught them in a basket. So simple yet so much fun. I played for hours with that toy. Did cause some accidents when I would leave a few marbles on the hardwood floor and mom and dad would slip on them. Used to have marbles of all colors and kinds. Loved the cat's eye marbles the most. I never knew what happened to that toy that I had whenI was a child. Got lost or thrown away when we moved into another house when I was 19. Didn't play much with it at that age so mom and dad probably got rid of it. I KNOW HOW THAT IS! When I had children I was always searching for inexpensive toys for them. Watching The New Yankee Workshop one Saturday morning and the host was making an antique marble run. Later that day I was in the woodshop at school making one for the kids. So simple to make and so much fun to play with. Naturally had to try it out when it was finished and I had purchased a big bag of cat's eye marbles. Wow, did that bring back memories. Played with it all evening after the kids went to bed. Next morning I was the best dad on the block. They didn't even have time to get dressed before they were playing with it. Hours and hours of fun!! Well, when the kids were grown and Carol and I moved in the late '90s, the marble game bit the dust. Have no idea what ever happened to it. And then ...... yep, grandkids came along. Back to the shop to make another marble game. The grandkids are 9, 7 and 6 years of age, but guess what they play with every time they come to visit with Amah and Tampah; the marble run. They tire eventually of the computer games and the Wii and Nintendo and off they go to get the marble run. Play with it at the same place in the living room every time they use it. And sometimes they lose a marble and ... yep, Amah or Tampah will slip on it. Have to remember not to throw it out this time. It really is a game for the ages! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - top pix shows my son Derek and daughter Brynn playing in our dining room about 1977 while the bottom photo shows Caden, Camille and Courtney playing in our living room in 2011.