He was a kind, compassionate, loving man always seeing the good in people and not judging them. This intrigued me because I have a judgmental nature and can easily point out the things other people do wrong. In the pageant world, we sometimes refer to this as "pageant trash" where we pick the girls apart while "judging" the girls. For me I have always had this nature in church, school and work so it is a personal thing I work on but that is for another blog.
I met Brother Joe when I took Karmyn to the Vacation Bible School at Nash First Baptist Church. We had just moved to Nash from Lonsdale and were attending another denomination but I wanted her to have a break from nursery school and learn about Jesus so I put her in a lot of VBS in the summer. I dropped Karmyn off and told her I would pick her up at lunch when they were finished. The first day I picked her up and she was so excited and had a wonderful time. The second day I went to pick her up and "no Karmyn". I was panicked as I am sure the lady at the church was too although she said everything was fine and maybe she got on the bus. I said she would "never get on the bus", she knows I was to pick her up. I went back home and told Odis "Those Baptist people have lost my child" (heehee) He was not concerned and so we started looking for her, me in a panic and him calmly.
Karmyn was about 6 or 7 and had never ridden a bus before and was fascinated by it and she had just gotten on with the "other kids" for the experience of a bus ride. Poor Brother Joe, he drove all over Nash up every street trying to help her find her house. She was probably enjoying "riding the bus".
Several months later, one of Diane's friends, who went to Nash FBC, told her about a children's program they were having so we went on Easter Sunday night. I was so impressed by their approach to teaching the word and we started attending. (Odis said I "saw the light" ha ha)
Nash was really having a "growing spurt" and baptizing every Sunday night. Karmyn took it all in and could quote Brother Joe word for word "Buried in Baptism and raised to walk in the newness of life with Jesus Christ". She said that she had Jesus in her heart and she wanted to be baptized. I talked to Brother Joe and he was a little uncomfortable baptizing at that young age but he would talk with her. After he did, he said she knows and understands better than a lot of adults so he was satisfied with her experience in Jesus.
There were several times down through the years that even after he left and went to another church to pastor that he would give me good words of advice and encouragement. Even though I didn't see him on an everyday basis, I will miss him just knowing I won't see him on this side of Heaven. He has made it over to his Heavenly abode and so he really can "rest in peace" Love you Brother Joe.....
No comments:
Post a Comment