Herman's Hermits And Renewed Childlikeness

At the beginning of this year I renewed a decision I made a couple of years ago. The decision was to embrace whatever childlikeness I can find in myself. Not childishness, but childlikeness. I grew up way too early. Married at nineteen, becoming a senior pastor the same year, having four children by the time I was the time I was 28 years old. I’ve never regretted any of it for a moment, but I do have a credit due when it comes to playful times. So now I’m cashing in – and enjoying it now that I’m in my fifties.

When do we outgrow our childlike hearts? I don’t believe we ever should. Who said that maturity means we can’t laugh loudly and sing hard and be made to feel good by the simplest things? Whoever said it should be sent back to kindergarten and taught to be childlike again.

So, in keeping with my commitment to trust God to grow my heart back down to the size of a child’s heart, Melanie and I did something fun this weekend. We went into a time machine. Well, it wasn’t exactly that, but it felt like it to me. We went to Busch Gardens to see my all-time-favorite group from the sixties – Herman’s Hermits.

I thought Peter Noone and Herman’s Hermits were the greatest when I was a child. I liked “The British Invasion” in general, but nothing compared to these guys. At the age of ten, I received my first album (Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter) and I was hooked. To hear Peter Noone in person this weekend was really exciting for this middle aged man who hasn’t sung rock ‘n roll songs so loudly, clapped so hard or felt so much like an adolescent in a lot of years. Peter is a great entertainer with a wonderful sense of humor. He seems like an all-around nice guy.

The photos above are Peter Noone with me, Peter and Melanie, and Herman (Peter Noone) in concert. The top photo is him signing two albums he recorded that I’ve kept since I was a ten year old boy. I also gave him a copy of one of my books in the hopes that he might read it. I wrote on the inside cover: “It was great to hear you in person and to meet you. Who were The Beatles anyway? Herman’s Hermits rule!” I hope he’ll read the book.

When is the last time you did a childlike thing? I highly recommend it. I’m serious about things when it’s time to be serious. Sometimes, though, a man just needs to be a kid again – and I was one this weekend – and I loved it.

This video was recorded in 1964, the year I got my first Herman’s Hermits record for Christmas. I know some of you younger ones will think it’s corny, but some of you my age, who can already see the boundaries of Geezer-Land ahead may appreciate it. It sure makes me feel like “I’m into something good” again.