I REMEMBER......

I Remember...

A man of faith

A heart full of love

The sparkle in his eyes

The day he had his heart attack

Holding Catherine up as high as I could outside so pawpaw could look from the hospital window and see her newly pierced ears

Playing ball outside

Crying the first day of kindergarten because I couldn't go to "work" with daddy

Singing  in the car on road trips.

Him jumping in the pool with his Sunday suit on to scoop me up because I decided to swim!

Going to American legion baseball games all summer long.

Calling him from Gastonia when I had car trouble.

His lesson to give the best you have, not "hominy"

Him going out on Christmas morning, to open the Toy Store to get batteries and Barbies for parents who forgot.

Cheering for UNC  in the stands with him!

Him talking to me before I got a spanking.

Running through a glass door and he finished putting a bicycle together before he came to check on me

Him helping me with math word problems and he always got the right answer.

Filling out my church envelopes on Sunday morning sitting on his lap.

My first paying job was filling up the drink boxes at Blanton's Variety Store

Him coming to my high school games.

That he was calm and reasonable.

The smell of Polo cologne he wore.

Going to toy shows with him and getting the royal treatment.

He came home from the hospital and died peacefully within the week, just the way he wanted.

He told me it would be okay and gave me money to get mother a Valentine's present because he probably wouldn't be here.

The  supply of black and gold crepe paper for antenna streamers at all the home football games at SHS that he donated.

He gave college students jobs to pay for their education.

The long and winding line at the funeral home and the full sanctuary upon his death.

A man coming by our house after daddy died to pay us what he owed my father.  He said, Bill trusted me.

Being angry that Catherine would never really get to know her Papaw

Going to Lake Junaluska with daddy who was a conference delegate for years


These are a few of the things I remember today, but most days I focus on the blessings of my Father because:


He was a Christian.
He was loyal.
He was kind.
He believed in being yourself.
He was fair.
He showed respect to everyone he met.
He loved his family.
He served his country and his community.
He was a good person.




Sent from my iPad

Senior Dinner 2013

 

Thank you for being here. It says a lot for you as seniors, parents, and youth workers that you want to be here to celebrate with your church family.

This is also one of those rare times when your parents say “they know how you feel” they really, truly do. Maybe it’s been 30 years but they know about alienation, separation, fear, loneliness. They also know about joy, new life, new beginnings and a value of a faith community that has remained faithful to them.

One of my favorite picture frames was given to me by the Mallonees.  It has a picture of my mother, me and Catherine, and the caption “His faithfulness endures for all generation.” Insert your own mental pictures in the frame and that’s what this night is all about, we are products of that faithfulness in our homes, surrounded by friends and a community of faith. The theme of steadfast love explodes in the wisdom writings especially the Psalms.

 

So enjoy tonight, because the next two weeks will fly by.

Traditionally, I use a song that the words and music fits each senior class. Tonight, I will be using a song from Wreck-It Ralph by Owl City, “When Will I See You Again.”

A question some of you as parents are already asking.

If I were to summarize the charge to seniors in this song, it would be

Go see the world

Cause your futures

Ready to shine

You are ready! It’s been fun but it’s time to go, life is as it should be.

If I were to summarize the beginning of the OT it’s as if God says:

Here it is, a big, beautiful fascinating world

“Do something with it”

 

Sort of like David says “God loves you and there is nothing you can do about it but you get to do something with it.”

Think about the times you have hiked Crowders Mountain, been to the waterfall at Valle Crucis, stood at the Jersey shore or washed feet from crystal clear Lake Potomac.

 

Think about the magnificent architecture of the St. Louis Arch, building something with your hands, writing a sermon, or art in the little houses and then finding it incredibly satisfying.

 

Have you ever helped someone who needed it-yard work, fence work, shelves, housing, serving meals, decorating shoes and been amazed how meaningful it was?

Of course, because you were doing your part to make the world a better place.

God gives us life and turns us loose with it. The song says life is a trip

Look at the mountains you haven’t climbed

It’s just a matter of time

 

But before you go, just a reminder that you are called as disciples to continue to be students of life. Parents you are called to keep learning from Him how to live in God’s world, God’s way, without your students at home.  Like David said today:  “If you’re not green, you’re not growing.”

I guarantee you that the people you must admire, the ones you saw in the picture frame are people who believe that each day is a gift and thank God for it. Often times we are not changed by what we know, but by the examples of others.  Look around you tonight at the many examples you have. 

 

Jesus doesn’t expect you to have it all figured out. (Like in the song) We are always learning to fly. We’re disciples learning how to be more patient, more kind, more courageous.

The key to being a disciple is to keep paying attention to what’s going on inside you live with the conviction (Sidekick) God is with you and has a purpose for you in the world constantly pray and ask him to give you eyes to see what the next right thing to do is (he will never ever fail.)  

Now, on to more practical truths about you and your role in the world. Jesus talked about seeking God’s kingdom. Do that and the rest would fall into place.

Here’s what he means:  It’s easy to get hung up on the specifics and find yourself really disoriented and frustrated. It’s easy when you’re a teen to get hung up on the details-when you’re going to go to college or whether or not you’re going to make the team or get a certain teacher next year. And these are incredibly important things that deserve and demand tons of our energy and time.

 

But when you follow Jesus, they aren’t first!

What’s first is you being open to letting God transform you into more and more and more the person you were created to be.

 

The Bible tells the story of a God who believes in people, including teens, parents and youth workers.

 

And Jesus tells his disciples to go out and make more disciples and then what does he do?  He leaves them.

Sounds like Graduation.

He leaves them to spread his message without him, because he believes they can do it.

We trust you to go and we don’t know when we will see you again. Probably not ever exactly like this. But we believe in you-you can be courageous, generous, loving, kind, creative, daring, compassionate and honest all on your own!

 

Don’t ever forget that.

The Class of 2013 along with their families and this church are the kind of people who bring heaven to earth.

 

In a moment, your parents will wrap a blanket around you with the cross and flame. Let this remind you of our evening and our love for you.

LOL-Lord of Life. Working together to live Christ every day.

 

 

Style Your Soul

By Luke Christy

Today I was lucky enough to be a part of the “Style Your Sole” party the youth of the church put on for the local Boys & Girls Club.  This is just another creative way that FUMC Gastonia serves this community.  The idea really emerged last year with the youth director, Becky Greene. She purchased TOMS shoes for each member of the youth group, and on the group’s mission trip to Philadelphia the youth decorated their shoes.  This year the idea evolved even further.  The youth group decided to put on their own “Style Your Sole” party for the local Boys & Girls Club.  The church bought a pair of TOMS shoes forthe girls at the Boys & Girls Club and had the girls over this afternoon to let them decorate their shoes with paint.  The youth explained to the girls that they were doing this to allow them to be creative and express themselves as individuals.  This was an awesome opportunity for the youth to spend time with these kids and for the kids to do something that they otherwise would not get the chance to do.  The coolest part of the whole experience for me was at the end when a couple of the youth and I went from room to room and washed the girls’ feet.  I talked to the children about why we were washing feet and told them the story about Jesus washing his disciples feet.  I explained to them that Jesus loves everything about us, even the most nasty, stinky parts, like our feet.  Then, I told them that we werealso going to wash their feet to show them that we love them just like Jesus loves us.  

​What these youth did for these girls showed me what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.  It does not mean onlyreading about how cool a person Jesus was, or how he washed his disciples feet once.  It is about DOING what Jesus did and trying to live like he lived.  I have spent a lot of time at school in class, and Bible studies trying to learn more about how to follow Jesus. Those things are great, but it does not mean anything if I am not LIVING it.  This party is a way the youth group is “DOING” their faith in Jesus. The “Style Your Sole” party not only showed Godly love to those girls, but also reminded me of what being a follower of Jesus looks like, and means.

I was also reminded again today how this church helps reach this community in big ways more often than I might realize.  For weeks the youth had been collecting money from the congregation for the cost of the shoes for these girls to design and have.  It was interesting to see how the church supported an idea that the youth group had to serve others.  This youth group is blessed with such a willing congregation that they are able to serve the community in new and exciting ways like this.  The youth had a great idea and were willing to work, but they could not do it alone.  The church is all about using the gifts of one another in order to show the love of God to the world, and that is what I saw this church do today in the “Style Your Sole” party.