Life and Death

Pic of the day;

Crazy Headlines!

 

 For today:

LIFE...

There are many unconventional lives, mine has been one, from birth 'til now.  I was raised in a very fundamental church life.  When I was a kid our church had a list of ‘SINS’. Our church also were believers in the gift of tongues. As in when the Holy Ghost fell on the day of Pentecost and the disciples of Christ spoke in other tongues, Etc.

Oh yes, and of course many members became excited praising the Lord and were known to walk benches, run, dance, shout and roll on the floor.

THUS WE were given the slang term of being “Holy Rollers”.  We were shunned by many people as being a cult.  Now lemme tell you it ain’t no fun to be the son of a Holy Roller Preacher. I took a lot of ribbing because of my family’s religion, of course a few fights.

I want to clarify here. I have known some of the most honest good folks in the church world. I even met and married the most beautiful girl in the world in church.

I do thank God that our church moved into the mainstream now, and very seldom referred to as Holy Rollers. Of course I haven’t seen/heard much tongues, shouting or rolling since the 1950s. Although on occasion one will hear a message given in tongues.  I guess we grew and quit much of the demonstrations.  We are now just referred to as Pentecostals or Full Gospel.

My Dad was a farmer in Georgia, when he felt called to be an evangelist. In the Early 1900’s that meant getting a big tent and finding someone who would allow him to set it up and preach. He joined what then was called the Fire Baptized Holiness Church. He was very successful and won many to the Lord.

Once when a storm destroyed his tent, he said he had a vision or leading, to join a new organization called the Church of God.  He did that. In the 1930s he organized and built a large church in South Gastonia, NC. It still stands today.

My dad was never a dogmatic minister. His messages were about the Love of our Savior. Dad delivered a message and it was like a story, holding folks' attention. He was fond of the 30 min sermon saying that was ideal for the mind.

 I mentioned to Victor that I appreciate his creation of Father Ignatius in his books. When I read about Father Ignatius, that could have been my dad. The stories Victor writes show the Father as having great insight and common sense. Yep, that was my daddy.

I mentioned my sister Kat and her husband Dick. He was also a successful preacher; Kat was the perfect preacher’s wife. Dick died before Kat.

DEATH...

 I sang and talked to Kat most of the night before she passed away. In the early hours of morning, she slowly raised her arm pointing upward. I walked over to check on her then returned to my chair...... Suddenly it hit me. My dad pointed up, just before he died.  I went to her side, "I am sorry Kat, I know you were saying you are going home, right?" She blinked her eyes twice (yes). She could hear me but could not talk. She communicated by blinking her eyes.  She became ‘glassy eyed’ and listless come morning.

Sherry and I were by her side, her eyes were closed.. Suddenly she opened her eyes, they were clear, she appeared to be looking far off, slowly the sweetest smile crossed her lips and face: she held that for just a moment, closed her eyes and left this world.

We have wondered, “What did Kat see in that last moment?

Nite Shipslog

PS 

Thanks for all the visits. LOL Sorry to be so long I started this entry just to tell about Kat’s passing and elaborated too much.  Love y’all.