Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I hope things are going well. Or as they say in the country, "I hope thangs is aight."
I went to see my pops for Pops Day yesterday. I hope some of you got to do that. I had dinner in Hartselle with my folks. It was good.
I actually got wished a Happy Fathers Day twice this weekend. One was funny. The other was someone who just called to say thanks.
We were at the Brave's game. All five of us were searching out for a better seat. We got the cheap tickets, the one up where the planes fly. So, we started looking for a better spot. All five of us were walking behind the section that is behind the dugout. Riley Sanderson happened to be standing by me when we passed this lady who was a seat helper, or whatever. You know, it's the woman or man who tells you were you are supposed to sit. Maybe they are called ushers. That sounds good. Maybe churches should have ticket seating. Then the expensive tickets would be in the balcony. Folks would be buying tickets a year in advance. You could get season balcony tickets. Anyway, back to the story. Riley and I passed the ticket seat helper lady. She looked at him then me and said, "Happy Fathers Day." I thought it was kind of funny.
There was this kid in my youth group in Jasper. His name was Ralph. Ralph had some disabilities. He was extremely learning disabled. He may have even suffered from brain damage due to his mom using drugs. Either way, he was a great guy. He didn't know his dad. I used to get so tickled at him. He would say and do some of the funniest things. Some of them I can't tell you. But, I will indulge you with a couple of stories.
One time Ralph came up to me at church. I think he had missed the last Sunday. So, I asked him where he was. It is important to note that Ralph was a bit hard to understand. He had a cleft pallet as a child. Sometimes it's called a hair lip, I believe. He said, "At the races." I said, "At the races?" His response was,"Yeah." I said, "What were you doing at the races. I wasn't quite ready for the answer to this question. I thought he was just hanging out there. Note also that Ralph was 15 and mentally deficient. He answered, "I was driving." My head snapped around. I looked at him and said, "You were what?" Ralph, "I was driving my uncle's car in the race." I stared at him in disbelief for a few moments. I could see Ralph peeping over the steering wheel, with a helmet. I envisioned him looking with intensity as he careened around the track. Then, I was struck with grave fear for the other men driving that had no clue Ralph was behind the wheel. I said, "You were driving?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Ralph, do you even have a license?" With a grin from ear to ear he said, "Nope." I just left it at that. I figured if everyone survived, it was none of my business.
Another good Ralph story: Little Ralph's mother died. It was a sad funeral. I am not sure Ralph had the emotional ability to grasp it all. I went to the funeral with my dad. You need to understand that all of Ralph's family members were not exactly running on all four wheels. I know you may think it cruel to say that. But, I am actually speaking with great tenderness about them. Backwards or redneck would be insufficient descriptions for these people. May I illustrate.
Ralph's sister enters the funeral home. She is dragging a kid behind her. It is her little girl. The little girl has on this yellow dress. It is one of those that has a poofy skirt. Sorry ladies, I don't know what else to call it. It stood out. It looked like it was made with that lacy netting. I'm lost here. Anyway, it was older and cute. But, it was not what you would probably wear to a funeral. Didn't matter, they were poor. That didn't concern me. My dad was standing with me when they walked in. He is the consumate encourager. So, he was about to attempt a compliment that we would discover to be an utter failure. He looked at Ralph's sister, then to the little girl and said, "That sure is a pretty dress you have on." No one could have been prepared for the loud and out of place response that followed that compliment. Immediately, without hesitation, Ralph's sister looked up at my dad and shouted out, "Yeah, she wanted to wear the pink one, but it had do do on it." At that moment, my breath left my body. I looked at my dad; his face was priceless. I never thought I would hear the word "do do" shouted across the funeral home.
One Sunday we had a Fathers Day recognition. Everyone was asked to go to their fathers and give him a hug. I was on the platform. Ralph walked up to me. He wrapped his arms around me and said in his slurred way, "Happy Fathers Day." I began to cry.
When I was in high school there was a girl in my class. She spoke one night at a youth revival. She told about not knowing her father. Then, she gave us this verse: "The Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and teh widow..." (Psm. 146:9).
God fills the needy spots of our lives with Himself. He gave Ralph people to love him. He gives His children whatever they need. Be encouraged that God will always provide your every need.
I love you, your servant, your friend,
Tim
I went to see my pops for Pops Day yesterday. I hope some of you got to do that. I had dinner in Hartselle with my folks. It was good.
I actually got wished a Happy Fathers Day twice this weekend. One was funny. The other was someone who just called to say thanks.
We were at the Brave's game. All five of us were searching out for a better seat. We got the cheap tickets, the one up where the planes fly. So, we started looking for a better spot. All five of us were walking behind the section that is behind the dugout. Riley Sanderson happened to be standing by me when we passed this lady who was a seat helper, or whatever. You know, it's the woman or man who tells you were you are supposed to sit. Maybe they are called ushers. That sounds good. Maybe churches should have ticket seating. Then the expensive tickets would be in the balcony. Folks would be buying tickets a year in advance. You could get season balcony tickets. Anyway, back to the story. Riley and I passed the ticket seat helper lady. She looked at him then me and said, "Happy Fathers Day." I thought it was kind of funny.
There was this kid in my youth group in Jasper. His name was Ralph. Ralph had some disabilities. He was extremely learning disabled. He may have even suffered from brain damage due to his mom using drugs. Either way, he was a great guy. He didn't know his dad. I used to get so tickled at him. He would say and do some of the funniest things. Some of them I can't tell you. But, I will indulge you with a couple of stories.
One time Ralph came up to me at church. I think he had missed the last Sunday. So, I asked him where he was. It is important to note that Ralph was a bit hard to understand. He had a cleft pallet as a child. Sometimes it's called a hair lip, I believe. He said, "At the races." I said, "At the races?" His response was,"Yeah." I said, "What were you doing at the races. I wasn't quite ready for the answer to this question. I thought he was just hanging out there. Note also that Ralph was 15 and mentally deficient. He answered, "I was driving." My head snapped around. I looked at him and said, "You were what?" Ralph, "I was driving my uncle's car in the race." I stared at him in disbelief for a few moments. I could see Ralph peeping over the steering wheel, with a helmet. I envisioned him looking with intensity as he careened around the track. Then, I was struck with grave fear for the other men driving that had no clue Ralph was behind the wheel. I said, "You were driving?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Ralph, do you even have a license?" With a grin from ear to ear he said, "Nope." I just left it at that. I figured if everyone survived, it was none of my business.
Another good Ralph story: Little Ralph's mother died. It was a sad funeral. I am not sure Ralph had the emotional ability to grasp it all. I went to the funeral with my dad. You need to understand that all of Ralph's family members were not exactly running on all four wheels. I know you may think it cruel to say that. But, I am actually speaking with great tenderness about them. Backwards or redneck would be insufficient descriptions for these people. May I illustrate.
Ralph's sister enters the funeral home. She is dragging a kid behind her. It is her little girl. The little girl has on this yellow dress. It is one of those that has a poofy skirt. Sorry ladies, I don't know what else to call it. It stood out. It looked like it was made with that lacy netting. I'm lost here. Anyway, it was older and cute. But, it was not what you would probably wear to a funeral. Didn't matter, they were poor. That didn't concern me. My dad was standing with me when they walked in. He is the consumate encourager. So, he was about to attempt a compliment that we would discover to be an utter failure. He looked at Ralph's sister, then to the little girl and said, "That sure is a pretty dress you have on." No one could have been prepared for the loud and out of place response that followed that compliment. Immediately, without hesitation, Ralph's sister looked up at my dad and shouted out, "Yeah, she wanted to wear the pink one, but it had do do on it." At that moment, my breath left my body. I looked at my dad; his face was priceless. I never thought I would hear the word "do do" shouted across the funeral home.
One Sunday we had a Fathers Day recognition. Everyone was asked to go to their fathers and give him a hug. I was on the platform. Ralph walked up to me. He wrapped his arms around me and said in his slurred way, "Happy Fathers Day." I began to cry.
When I was in high school there was a girl in my class. She spoke one night at a youth revival. She told about not knowing her father. Then, she gave us this verse: "The Lord protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and teh widow..." (Psm. 146:9).
God fills the needy spots of our lives with Himself. He gave Ralph people to love him. He gives His children whatever they need. Be encouraged that God will always provide your every need.
I love you, your servant, your friend,
Tim
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