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.