I am grateful... For so many good friends who took the time to call, text or send cards after the loss of my dad. That is a hard time to be alone.
I am grateful... For being a part of a loving church family that shares the burden when things are hard to bear and shares the joy when your life is blessed.
I am grateful... For our elders being so supportive of our needs and so generous with both time and financial resources required to provide for the necessities of life.
I honestly don't know how many situations came up over the years that required me to make unexpected trips to help either my children or parents, most with very little notice. But in all of the times I approached the Maysville elders, present and past, about family matters, I got basically the same response, "Do what you need to do to take care of your family, we will manage until you are back." It may come as a surprise to many of you that such a response is definitely not always what preachers are told.
I am grateful... For so many good memories with my dad. His quick humor and universal wisdom made so many days brighter. I am filled with fond memories of helping mom and dad do things around their house in Texas that would be their final home together in this life. I hope it brightened their lives up in some way but I know it brightened mine.
Shortly after they moved out to "the farm" in 1989, it became obvious that the little house they had bought was going to need a lot more "fixing" than they expected. Libbie and I pulled the wood stove out of our fireplace in Meridianville (literally!), loaded it on a trailer and took it to Texas. For many years it heated their whole house. It brings me great joy to remember watching dad on a cold winter day standing in front of that stove, soaking up its warmth! And I get an equally big chuckle out of remembering mom standing, at the same time, in front of an open window in the kitchen, fanning!
I am grateful... For having a front row seat to watch a lifelong love story! One of the greatest gifts that my parents gave to us was that they deeply loved God and each other. Mom and Dad, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you." (Phil. 1:3)
- Tim Orbison