Something, Someone, Everything

"212 degrees of Fidelity, Today and Beyond"

This has been an extremely hard week. One of my dogs David had cancer and we had to put him down yesterday. As my wife, daughter and I spent the remaining time with him we remembered all of the joy he brought into our lives. My wife is an elementary school teacher and all of the children the past 14 years knew who David was and enjoyed hearing stories about him. I have learned a lot from people, and from my dog David I learned unconditional LOVE. I am going to miss watching UNC and March madness with him, I would yell and he would bark and my wife would go upstairs. Since the beginning of time, dogs and humans have established the bond of man's best friend. Dogs are playful and silly loyal companions who completely change the daily routines of the people who open their lives and homes to them.

As I think of my friend and perhaps you think of a pet you have, I would like to ask each of you 5 questions.

1. Do you have something to do?

2. Do you have something to hope for?

3. Do you have something to believe in?

4. Do you have someone in your life you love?

5. Do you fear death?

Something to Do

Do you have something to do? We don’t have to search for an opportunity to serve; all we have to do is embrace the first opportunity we see. Historians claim that President Roosevelt would never have been elected President of the United States had the American public realized the severity of his physical limitations. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt suffered from paralysis due to polio.  Polio was one of the most dreaded illnesses of the 20th century and had killed or paralyzed thousands of Americans during the first half of the 20th century. President Roosevelt saw an opportunity to serve his fellowman; therefore January 3, 1938, he had the vision to raise money for polio research and to care for those suffering from the dreaded disease. The name of the foundation would emphasize the national, nonpartisan, and public nature of the organization, as opposed to private foundations established by wealthy families. The disease spanned across economic lines and due to the enormity of those that were being stricken daily, each American would be needed to do something. He settled upon the name “The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis”. The idea was simple he would kick off the foundation with using the newest technology that was being used in the war…radio. Yes, it was settled that an appeal would go out over the radio asking every American to donate 10 cents to fight polio. In 1945 President Roosevelt would die in office. Talk soon began after his death and conversations began to circulate and a campaign started to place President Roosevelt’s portrait on a coin.

Divine Providence had been at work years earlier because every other coin save one had a president or founding father’s portrait upon it, therefore to put Roosevelt image on any other coin would have required displacing a president or founding father. The only coin in wide circulation which had a purely allegorical figure (Lady Liberty) on the obverse was the dime. Over the years President Roosevelt’s foundation's name would gradually change and in 1979 the name would change from “The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis” to “The March of Dimes”.         

In the post-World War II years, the number of polio cases in the United States increased sharply, making the cause even more urgent. Then, on April 12, 1955, the University of Michigan held a news conference announcing to the world that the polio vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk was "safe, potent, and effective” the research was largely supported by President Roosevelt’s March of Dimes. The largest clinical trial in U.S. history, involving 1.8 million schoolchildren, had shown the vaccine to be 80 to 90 percent effective in preventing paralytic polio. The March of Dimes rather than going out of business began to search for something else to do, and in 1958  decided to commit its charitable infrastructure to serve mothers and babies with a new mission: to prevent premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality. The March of Dimes has hosted The March for Babies, formerly known as Walk America, annually since 1970, helping to raise more than $1.7 billion dollars to fund research and programs to prevent premature birth. To date, the research and vaccines developed by The March of Dimes have been recognized through receiving 10 Nobel Prize winners. Yes, a cure was developed and birth defects and infant mortality rates reduced because one person decided to do something, can or should we do less?

Something to Hope for

Do you have something to hope for?  We have hope for a better tomorrow, yes many hope, few pray, and seldom has someone put their hope into action like a young girl from Baltimore. In the mid1800’s our country was growing fast expansion was moving as fast as a family could purchase a wagon load their belonging and travel west. Let us consider one woman of “great faith and a dreamer in action”. On May 24^th, 1900 she said: “I believe we have left a century of small things and are on the outlook for larger things, ways to work we never dreamed of in the past”. Annie Walker Armstrong was a tireless servant of God and a contagious advocate and supporter of mission efforts throughout the world.  She put hope into action by writing letters. As a prolific letter writer in1893 alone, she wrote almost 18,000 letters expressing her hope! Annie never hesitated to use her hands to reach out to hug a child, distribute food and clothing, and “the bread of life” God’s Holy Word to those in need. As she held her own Bible and studied to know how best to share Gods love with others her thoughts ran to those who didn’t have a copy of God’s word. One of her most vital qualities was that Annie was a woman of prayer. Annie would fold her hands daily in prayer to intercede for the missionaries and for those they were helping discover Christ by preaching and freely giving God’s word. Annie would see the immigrant’s fresh off the boats and their plight pulled at her heartstrings. Annie organized woman and help establish a new organization to help serve the Southern Baptist Convention. In 1888 the WMU (Woman’s Missionary Union) was established as a direct result of Annie’s hope and action. The WMU would serve all Americans and immigrants, red, yellow, black and white. Her hope and heartfelt work established change. Under Annie’s leadership, Southern Baptist women became a vital resource and a major supporter of home missions. The WMU established a week of prayer and self-denial, which is now The Southern Baptist week of prayer for North American Missions and they named it The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.

Annie looked for God in unexpected places…where do you see GOD?

Something to Believe in

Do you have something to believe in? Faith is personal, and must it must be real. There comes a time in everyone’s life when they must decide something to believe in. For me, this occurred 42 years ago. My father spent 30 years in the United States Air Force and this afforded our family to travel and be educated in public schools around the world. My mother’s family is from Greer South Carolina and after 20 years of traveling, she wanted to move a little closer home. My father only had one viable option, he volunteered for a year remote tour of duty so he could choose his next duty station, which would be closer to South Carolina. My father went on his remote tour. We were renting a home in California at the time. Our lease came up 3 months before Dad would return since we had a motor home it was decided we would camp out since we would be out of school. It was decided we would go to Harden’s Flat a campground just outside of Yosemite National Park. It was here that my near death experience would change my life. I was swimming in one of the Park Rivers with several friends. There was a sand bar in the middle of the river and it was a day of play, nothing electronic required for the day of fun. After a particularly long day of playing on the sand bar (I was 14 at the time) I swam back to the river bank with my friends, when I got to the bank I put my foot down in an attempt to climb out of the river. I searched for the ground with my feet to get a good footing and then it happened. My foot slipped into a crevasse and became trapped in tree roots. I was not more than 3 foot from the river bank and the water covered everything but my eyes. I was unable to call for help, just wave frantically for help. My friends thought I was joking so they gathered their things and began to leave the river bank. I determined then that I needed to remain calm and go down and try to free myself.  Through God’s grace, I was successful and made my way to the river bank, climbed ashore and collapsed with exhaustion, fear, and gratitude. I lay alone what seemed like hours before I had the strength to return to our campsite. I have thought often about that situation. I believe that many people see or neighbors like my friends beheld me floundering and never realize the severity of their troubles. I began that day to live my faith rather than to practice it. It is not enough to believe that Christianity is true! Having the Christian faith would mean following a Christian way of life. I determined then to stop looking at people and see the individual and meet their needs. Be it with a smile, to listen, give a word of cheer, a friendly handshake, and just let them know I see them and I care. Have you seen someone floundering and you stood idly by like my friends did 42 years ago on that river bank? Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish writer and a devout Christian who was unrelentingly critical of the church as an organization. He lashed out at the “crowd” for their forgetfulness of what it means to exist. One of my former Pastor’s Henry Stanford shared what his mother once said: “the church would be a lot better if we took all of the people out.” Mrs. Stanford, like Kierkegaard, was asserting that the church was more than people frozen to a church pew. It is when we walk out of our houses of worship that our work begins.  We are responsible as individuals for the choices we make. I challenge each of us to take a leap of faith and share the love of God with those floundering around us. Charity is not measured by the size of our gift; do you remember the widow’s mite? God does not consider how finite an act of charity you extend; he looks at the spirit in which you gave it. You may never know the outcome of your choices, but I assure you God knows and he will remember. Yes, a life spent in fellowship with God, believing in and acting upon the square in accordance with his Holy word, serving others and sharing the love of God will enable us to embrace life with no fear of death.

Someone to Love

Do you have someone in your life you love? God created us for fellowship, fellowship with him and each other. Do you tell your family, not in words but deeds that you love them unconditionally? In the hustle and bustle of life the times our families will remember is not the gifts we purchase for them, but the time we freely gave them.

There are three things that will change a person’s life:

·         The books we read

·         The people we meet

·         The memories we share

I would like to challenge each of you to spend family time with your spouse, your children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.  Perhaps you can read a book, or just spend time in conversation. Take a walk with a friend and enjoy God’s creation.

Yes, children are a gift from our Father and we need to cherish them and each moment we have with them. As the summer approaches the days will begin to run together with school work, homework, school activities, and community activities. Our families need us now more than ever!

I believe that the lessons we lay on our children’s hearts will enable them to face the trials of life and embrace life with no fear of death. 

Do you embrace life with no fear of death?

As a mason, I attend many funerals of our brethren. Each time I have been asked to attend it was my honor to stand with the family and support them as we remembered our beloved brother. Such was the case when I was asked by my dear friend and Brother R.W. Eddie Mitchell when the patriarch of their family Brother Ed Mitchell Sr. was called home. Masonic Rites were given by M.W. Jerry Carver and then I read a poem God gave me to share with the Mitchell family…perhaps God gave me the poem for you as well.

                                      The Master Called

I am not afraid of dying for this world is not my home

Many winters I labored searching, and often I have roamed

I am not afraid of dying; it holds no fear for me

When my dear Lord summoned, I bowed on bended knee

To receive his gift of love and grace which my Lord freely gave

Covering a multitude of sin and shame, that was buried in the grave

One day, two days, three days would pass until the Fathers call

Which broke the chains of sin and death, releasing Christ from the thrall

I am not afraid of dying; it holds no fear for me

My days are now filled with memories and a life well spent with thee

Once I was afraid of leaving familiar faces, beckoning me to stay

But this fear no longer binds me; I welcome death more each day

For I have bid farewell to family, friends, and brethren all

Now that host waits beside the crystal sea, patiently enthralled

The pull is greater to yield up the ghost than to remain and tarry here

Longing for days of yesteryear, of childhood friends with laughter and cheer

In youth, I stood erect and tall, with faith, great courage, and grit

But now the years have taken their toll on me, and it’s difficult to admit

For this world has left its imprint upon my hands and in my face

                                                      

My legs are weak and failing, they no longer hold my place

With eyesight dimming, I often gaze, though I see more clearly now

Than the fair-haired youth who ran and played with sweat upon his brow

My Father in heaven has sheltered me within his loving care

 I often retrace the faithful times I acted upon the square

All the noise of life can cause confusion, but His voice I will always hear

When the Master calls should I leave your side let there be no sadness there

In the twilight I dream and listen for the music, morning can’t be that far

The dawn as promised at Bethlehem, hope in a manger under His star

So hold me in your memories, where moth and rust cannot decay

The love we shared with each other, will shelter you each day

For I am going to a reunion where God’s love has conquered death

Unafraid of dying, for the Master called and I answered with my dying breath

Your friend and Brother from Inman

Jay Adam Pearson