A Moment with the Pastor
Not too long ago I was at the lake house by myself. It was raining and I was sitting in my hammock on the screened-in porch just enjoying the day. I found out that that’s the best time to just sit back and let God speak to you. In Isaiah 30:15 we are told “In the quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” Well, on this day I began to think about the blessings of God in my life. How I had been blessed for forty-seven years (this August 15th) with a loving, caring and beautiful wife. I thought of how had it not been for her during those early years when the boys were born and growing up, and with me not knowing what being a dad required, I would not have made it. Sometimes I wonder how I did make it with the church, school, and all the other responsibilities that came along. Then came the blessings of the boys. What a day when our first son (Mark) was born, no one could have been prouder. To be a dad and the first one a boy! Well, I was going to teach him all the “daddy things" my father had taught me. Was I in for a surprise. Then the next blessing of the next baby, (Todd) which by the way I was certain was going to be a girl, but God had other plans. Only one man in the whole entire church knew it was going to be a boy and bought the only boy gift out of three baby showers we had, a tinny pair of cowboy boots. The next twenty some years were more or less routine with college for me, Mrs. Norma as well as school for the boys. Then another special blessing happened in my life, not that there weren’t many others along the way. This one was the beginning of our grandchildren. Like the first child, our first grandchild was something to experience. I’m just grateful they lived only a few hours away so that we could be there when each big occasion happened. I had no idea that God was going to be so blessing during the next eleven years as the other five grandchildren came into our lives. Grandchildren are so special. As one of my deacons years ago taught us to say; “If I had known that my grandchildren were going to be this much fun I would have had them before I had my own.” I remember I had made such a fuss over them for the first few years that a lady in our present church, Kay Swofford is her name, came up to me one day and said; “Preacher, just wait the time will come when the best part of your grandchildren’s visits will be seeing the taillights of the car going out of the driveway.” Now I admit that there are times when that is true, but for the biggest part I’m still thrilled and feel blessed when they all come to visit, although usually it’s to be around Nana and all her love and treats she hands out.
God has been so good to me it would take everyday for the rest of my life just sitting on the porch in my hammock to thank Him for the blessings He has given me through the years. Oh, and one of those blessings is being your pastor! You are a great people, we love you and thank God for that special blessing He has put in our life.
Preacher Brown
