Marching Along

It's been too long since I've posted anything here on my blog. Blogging has been neglected for the joys of Facebook! Facebook is a kind of virtual social gathering place which I compare to a coffee-house, or club, or place where one can pretend he/she is someone of importance. At my age, I'm sure part of the appeal has been that there I can believe myself to be young and strong again. One gets compliments from his "friends", plays games with "friends", and debates issues with "friends"! Another appeal there is that you do "meet" old friends from your childhood, share pictures, share stories, share everyday life, and in general fulfill what man was created to be. We are social creatures. We thrive on it. Nothing wrong with it. I'm just saying it takes a lot (I should say, capital L, capital O, capital T!) lot of time! I even saw today on Facebook an entry from one of the games suggesting what to do if you are addicted to their game! That's right. You guessed it. It's Farmtown!


Now - for the record - On March 4th, 2009 we took Frances to Skyridge (local hospital) where we expected a heart catheterization and probably a stint or maybe even two. The results of the heart cath caused the doctor to send her by ambulance directly to Memorial in Chattanooga where she was to have open-heart surgery. Due to an over-load of Plavix administered by the Skyridge Hospital in Cleveland, the doctors felt they needed to give time to reduce the results of the Plavix. The Plavix, which made the blood flow more freely, was not a mistake but was the normal procedure to give for what we anticipated the problem to be. Now - after we were in the pre-op room awaiting surgery - the Doctor recommended we wait until Monday before the surgery because the blood was flowing too freely. Therefore on Monday, March the 9th, we were the first case for surgery done by Dr. Morrison and his team.

Let me tell you that there was an out-pouring of love and concern by family and friends. So many visited us in the hospital to pray. Frances family, Frank and Jan, Elizabeth and Curtis, Joe and Sandra, Dewain and Debbie, were all so supportive and were with me during the most difficult and apprehensive times, encouraging me with their prayers and love. Our pastor from Lenoir City, Dr. Ernie Varner, drove down and stayed with me through the entire surgery. Our General Director of World Missions and his wife, Doug and Wanda LeRoy, and also Calvin Wood, Missionary Advocate, stayed the full time until the surgery was over. Of course our good friends, Ed and Irma Williams, came and stayed - plus they brought food to feed all who were waiting with me in the surgical waiting room. Travis Porter, from North Cleveland Church, Wendell Smith from Westmore, Edmond and Mildred Stallings from Ooltewah Church, our personal friend Max Morris, founder and director of His Hands Extended, and many others came and prayed and were such a source of encouragement to me during this time. David Stephens, the Administrative Bishop of the Church of God in Tennessee called me and prayed with me over the phone. I'm sure I am forgetting some minister who came - and if you are one of those, be assured that every one of the visits were important to me and blessed me. Also - I must say how much it meant to Frances and to me that our family came and stuck with us during this time. [As per reminder below, I forgot a very important visit/s -- from Ruthie's Pastors -- Pastor Steve Lewis and Pastor Smalley and Pastor Lowell Brannen.] Our three daughters and their husbands and children were all so supportive. The girls were very "in your face" protective of their Mom. They pitched in and helped not only in the hospital but also here at home after hospitalization. Frankie Lynne, our first-born, was very insistent with her Mom when Frances wanted to go home before the surgery. Ruthie, our middle daughter, stayed by her Daddy's side and went beyond the call of duty in being there for me. Tabitha and her friendship with Dr. Mitchell (one of the heart doctors) got us information we might not have otherwise had. And I cannot forget my Mother and my brother Lowell and wife Janis - Sisters Bonita Landrum and husband Mike, and Sister Donice Brown and her husband Raymond. We are so blessed to have them all living near us.

After surgery we returned home and still had cards and phone calls and people bringing food and messages by e-mail and on Facebook giving or offering support. Jean Moore, a neice of Frances' and her daughter, Hannah, cooked and brought food and encouraged us. Jean is a Registered Nurse and has worked for Home Health Care in the past. Her information and input about Home Health was priceless. Josh Beslisle and Shannon, a great-nephew of Frances, also cooked and brought food and encouraged us with their love. What a wonderful feeling it is to have young folks like these loving you. God Bless 'em! We had flowers received by Fed-Ex from missionary friends Gordon and Glenda Bloodworth who live in Kenya, East Africa, and also flowers from friends who are like family - Rob and Kathy Davis who live in Colorado - sent by Fed-Ex.

Now - it is June 11, and we have passed our 52nd wedding anniversary! Frances medical readings in all departments (i.e., blood sugar levels, Hemoglobin, Cholesterol, Blood-pressure, heart rate, etc.) are better than they have been in ten years! That is documented fact. Thank God for ALL His goodness. His mercies are new every morning. Frances is now driving herself to cardiac re-hab three times a week and is doing really, really well! She is still tender and sore and needs extra attention -- but that will soon disappear and we will travel to Branson, MO for a little vacation in just a couple more months! Ain't God good?

Frances is Back at Home!

Doctors/Staff

Yesterday, Sunday, March 15, 2009, I brought Frances home from the hospital after open-heart surgery. She had triple-by-pass surgery last Monday, March 9th. After three days in ICU she was moved to a room on the 2nd floor of Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga. Every person we came in contact with was intense and passionate about their ministry to the sick. Dr. Morrison, the surgeon, had a great "following" among all the staff people. Several of the nurses prayed fervently with Frances for healing before the surgery.

The

Vision

Last night I heard another message on Proverbs 29:18! -- But the preacher only read half of the verse. To me, this is taking the scripture out of it's context. The first part of the verse says: "Where there is no vision the people perish..." Based on this partial verse of Scripture, the preacher encouraged people to "have a dream" and to "dream big". Now - It is great to have good and positive goals which one wants to achieve in life. If we don't know where we are going we are not likely to get anywhere. If we are going to make a trip we need to know where we are going. If we do not plan ahead we will not likely achieve much in life. When an artist paints a picture, he usually visualizes the end results before he makes the first stroke on the canvass. If we build a house we must plan ahead so that we have enough materials to finish the job.

While I agreed with all of these things, most of which the preacher said well, I have to say that there is an important truth in this passage which most preacher's miss. We need to get the whole verse because the second half of this verse qualifies the first.

Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

What does it mean when the Bible says, "He that keepeth the law, happy is he."? I submit to you that if you do not have the law you do not have clear vision. It is the law of God that casts light on all of our plans. As the Bible says in Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." And again in Psalm 119:130 "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."

I have heard men say things like, "God gave me a vision and told me to do this but I don't see how I'm ever gonna pay for it!" I submit to you that if you cannot see how to accomplish it then you don't have vision. You cannot see - you are stumbling in the dark. You need to go and bury yourself in the Word of God until his law casts light upon your pathway and it gives you some know-how!

Let's say an artist is planning to paint a picture of Niagara Falls. He gets his large canvas ready. He has his painting coat on so as to get no paint on his clothes. He takes his stool and his easel and places them so that he has the view he wants of Niagara. Everything is in place ... but he has no paint! He had purchased everything needed to do this painting with - but without paint he cannot produce the picture he has in his mind unless he or someone purchases paint. There is a law for painters. If you are to create a painting, you must have paint. If you forget that law you cannot produce the picture.

Let's say a professional driver has the desire to drive from Miami to New York. He maps out his route, he gets his lunch, he plans his rest stops, he knows how to calculate his speed and knows how much fuel it will take to reach his destination. Yet, when the time comes, there is no fuel available. This law says when there is no fuel for your vehicle you had better not travel.

Yes, plan big! But please do not become a visionary. Look up the term in the dictionary.

I know this thought needs work - but I'm leaving this with you as is for now. If you want to, please feel free to study this subject and share your criticisms with me.

Happy Birthday Chloe Jean Crockett

Four Years ago God gave us Chloe Jean Crockett - our youngest grand-child. Yesterday we were invited to help celebrate that birthday with a party in Chloe's honor. She is such a special child! She loves everyone - and loves Jesus most of all. Her spirit is so up-beat...always. If you are down she will sense it and try to encourage you with a smile and/or hug. This blonde headed little bombshell will pray for you to be healed if you are sick - and testimonials are that Jesus answers her prayers. Last night, February 12th, she was so excited when she opened the box containing a bike helmet, knee pads, and gloves from her Memaw and Poppaw. While holding them up proudly, she said, "NOW Daddy! I'm gonna need a bicycle!" To which her Daddy replied, "Well! We'll just have to see what we can do about that!" So saying, he turned and went in the next room where he and our daughter had hidden the bike. Wish all of you could have seen her face when he re-entered the room!!!

Our friend and book writer, Irma Williams, had sent her newest book and companion CD as her gift to Chloe. The new book is the sequel to "Mama Said" and it is called, "Grandma Said". Others also brought gifts - but my poor mind can't remember them all. God is good. Life is good.

C-H-U-R-C-H

This morning my Mom called with a new acrostic for preaching purposes. She said she had been preaching it in a dream and awakened from sleep with this thought:

C - Christ's
H - House
U - United
R - Really
C - Can
H - Heal

Brother, Lowell, said, "Reaches Common Homes"
I really cannot remember what My first response was. But when I called her back to ask what she had said the first time, she came up with a new one again -- Reaches Children's Hearts.
I thought of posting this here and getting some input from some of you good preachers! Just jump in here and lets build a sermon outline.

Retirement Activities

Here is one of the few things I'm involved in as a retired person!

2008 -- A Wonderrful Year

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

I am thankful to God for the most wonderful year of my life, 2008! In August I retired. It is wonderful to be retired and to know that (if the bottom does not fall out of our economy) we will have a decent check for the next 19 years from our 401K retirement plan through the Church of God. I started to work for the church in 1961 and built 47 years of un-broken service. The first few weeks my pay was in the single digits per week. Frances graduated from UT and started teaching in the fall after we were appointed. Of course that helped us get by. While we were missionaries the salary was always very low but for the last ten years it was much better. (to say the least.) During these years I was privileged to serve at one of the highest appointed officers in the entire COG World Missions Department, which was called Field Director. What a wonderful journey.

First I served as evangelist and did the required "two successful revivals" necessary to receive Exhorter's credentials, the first rank of ministry in our organization. After pastoring my first church at Tellico Plains, Tennessee beginning on March 1, 1961 where I served for five years, I was appointed as overseer for our churches in the nation of British Guiana in 1966.

I enjoyed the strong support of the Superintendent, Reverend T.R. Morse who became a part of our family. I was honored to be asked by his family to be one of three speakers at his funeral last year. Our children still refer to him as "Poppa Morse" and to his widow as "Granny Morse". When I finally reached the age of 30, Brother Morse came to our home in Guyana and left me a blank copy of the Ordained Minister's (Bishop's) exam with instructions for me to "take Bible and Minutes Book and fill it out before he came back in a couple of months." When he sent the test results and application to headquarters the offices sent the results to the overseer of Tennessee. That's why, instead of being ordained in Guyana, I was ordained by proxy at the Tennessee Camp Meeting. I've been told by two different men that they stood in for me when I was ordained.

The journey has not been without it's difficulties, especially during the last ten years while I served the Church as Field Director for Western, Central and Eastern Africa. There are only 8 Field Directors in the entire Church of God denomination at any one time, so I felt honored to have been selected by our leadership to be one of them. I was a member of the International Council. I was a member of a special African Committee composed of Church of God and Full Gospel Church of God persons. My area covered 32 countries, close to 5000 churches, and close to half a million members of the Church. I was a member of the Ordained Bishops Council for 40 years. As I told the Missions Board the last time I met with them, "God and the Church of God has been good to me!"

A few nights ago I ran into a much respected fellow minister while out shopping. He has served in a much higher position than I and was elected by his peers more than once to high office in the church. This brother is still working and still drawing a full salary as far as I know. When I enquired as to how his Christmas holiday had been, he replied, "Brother! It has been a tough time - but we finally made it through! I'm so glad it's over." I was thrilled inside as I smiled and said, "Brother, I believe that this has been the best Christmas we have ever had." Then, as an afterthought, "Well, if not the best, then one of the best!" Now, please know that I was not rejoicing in the pain of my brother - but was rejoicing that God has given me a sense of peace and satisfaction and I no longer struggle with some of the things the men on "active duty" struggle with. If this is a carnal thought on my part, just forgive me.

Another thing - my family has been blessed in their journey. We have three daughters, 7 grand-daughters and 1 great grand-daughter plus 1 great grand-son! Our oldest daughter and her daughters have joined the South Cleveland Church of God and both sing in the choir. This daughter is also a Sunday School teacher at their Church. Plus, she teaches 2nd grade at a respected elementary school in this city. Her husband is the son of a preacher and is a trusted security guard. Our second daughter has joined Grace Assembly of God and she and her husband and their baby daughter actively participate in the life of that church. Her husband is a skilled craftsman in the house-building trade. Ruthie's firstborn daughter is the mother of our great grand-son and they live in our city. We have a loving relationship with them and get to see our great grand-son frequently. Our youngest daughter is the wife of the pastor of an Independent Church called Hope Outreach in Jefferson City, Tennessee. This is a Pentecostal Church with a ministry to the less-fortunate in Jefferson and Hamblen Counties. Many of the converts to Christ come out of the housing projects. I feel honored and blessed that my children have this kind of love and compassion for people regardless of their race and/or social status and are sharing their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the God of the Bible with them. In addition, we have two more step-grandchildren and 8 step great-grandchildren whom we love very much. They were all with us for Christmas on December 20, 2008. In addition, Mom is here in Cleveland, TN and enjoying relatively good health. I have a brother and two sisters who live in this area. The other brother has bought a place and plans to move here upon his retirement. We have a great relationship with each other. Also my wife's brothers and sister with their spouses frequently get together with us. What a blessing to have family close and to have a close relationship with one's family.

Another Blessing is the fact that we have good friends. This may be the subject of a future blog.

I'm also blessed to be a citizen of the United States of America. I lived in Africa for ten years and for the last ten years (while living here) have worked in Africa. I have seen there that nations who are ruled by dictators (even the benevolent ones) operate in uncertainty. Corruption among leaders leads to corruption at every level. Yesterday, here in America, we saw the peaceful installation of our 44th president, Mr. Barack Hussein Obama. What a privilege to live in a land where leaders are not chosen because of their name nor race but because of their leadership abilities. I think one of the most important principles of democracy was expressed by President Obama in his speech yesterday when he said, "We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."

This expresses some ideas that I certainly believe in:
1) Don't meddle in your neighbor's business as long as he does not harm you.
2) If you do things that create crisis for us, we will work tirelessly to stop you.
3) We are concerned about the space around us (our environment) and want it to be orderly and conducive to living well.
4) Believe in the way you live; live in the way you believe.
5) Make a strong public declaration of your faith in the outcome of your lifestyle.

In conclusion: This has become a more lengthy blog than I intended it to be. Still I have not covered all of the reasons that 2008 was a wonderfully blessed year for me nor have I adequately covered the few things mentioned here. My prayer for you is that you will be blessed with God's great mercies as I have been. May you have assurance today that God is God; that God is Good; that God is in control of your life.