Well this week was a most difficult week for me. Not really but I made it difficult and I knew I was the entire time I was in the middle of it but I just could not completely shake myself out of it. But I finally reminded myself of one of my most favorite quick choruses:
There is no fear in love but a perfect love casteth out all fear… for fear hath torment – and he that feareth is not made perfect in love – we love Him because He first loved us and I will not be silent – I will praise his name forever because My God is Love!
So I made myself sing those scriptures over and over – reminding myself that LOVE will get me through this week – and it did (I had to stop being fearful of all the things I was imagining… ridiculous!)
I loved growing up in Perrin, Texas and I loved the First Baptist Church of Perrin. I remember the “old church building” – the one where I was baptized – the one where I was married – the one where we had Sammy’s service – I remember that wonderful building. The church had a basement and we have awesome memories of that basement. I can “see” myself singing those scriptures from I John downstairs – we also sang the ones from I John 4:7-8 too.
Beloved let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God – he that loveth not, knoweth not for God is Love – so beloved let us love one another (I John 4:7&8 – the King James Version…)
LOVE – who all did I learn love from – of course Bob & Jean Cannon – they were the first – they of course loved me enough to adopt me and give me an incredible home. Then there’s my brother – oh how I love that kid (okay he’s not a kid anymore – he is just 5 years younger than me….) – and of course there are countless other people from growing up in Perrin that showed me love, taught me love. And there’s Mama Shirley and her family. Papa Sam & Mama Shirley were my parents’ best friends. We hung out at their house so many times – I really cannot even count. They would play canasta – and SuSu (Stephanie), Sammy, Chris and me would play, play, play. Often times on the CB radios -------
We lost Sammy in 1986 – I am not sure when Papa Sam & Mama Shirley went to be with Jesus but that family showed me love and I still love SuSu as if she really is the sister that I think of her as….
That family taught me not to see color – I look back now and realize that for some outside our wonderful town of Perrin that Hispanics and Whites hanging out might have seemed different. Kerry & I never saw color – we have had friends of all colors and perhaps most importantly we raised two boys who never see color.
This past year we had a completely new experience with that whole topic. Son one lived in Montgomery, Alabama – unfortunately there are still many that see color in that town. That was difficult for our family because for us – it can best be summed up by the last part of I John 4 from The Message
If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.
Don’t you love that part….If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see?
Wow. Happy Mother's Day - Momma, Mama Shirley & SuSu.....
Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.
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