Yesterday in my morning message, I gave an example using my papaw, Austin Emery. For you city folks, “papaw” is country for “grandfather.” He died in 1960, but I remember him well. I was his first grandchild, and for a long time, I was his only grandchild. Austin and Ruby Emery were my mom’s parents. They lived in Harlan County, Kentucky in a place called Shields. Back in 1960, the drive from our house in Cincinnati to Shields took seven hours just as hard as you could drive. My papaw Emery thought I was the greatest thing that had ever happened. I never had to ask for anything. All I ever had to do was just look at it, and it was mine. I wasn’t spoiled, I was just very well supplied. One time, we were at their house and a traveling carnival had come. Papaw took me to it, and they had a pony tied to a pole. They gave rides to the kids on the pony’s back. He would walk around in a circle, led by a man while tied to that pole. Papaw told the man to let me ride for as long as I wanted. I do not remember how many circles I made, but I remember I had finally had enough of the ride. I actually rode until I was sick. Papaw asked me if I had liked the pony, and I said yes. He then asked me if I wanted one. What five year old could turn down something like that? Absolutely I wanted one, and I knew I would get it. Remember, I had a pet chicken, so a pony should be no problem. Right? Wrong! Remember, I was a city boy living in the heart of the big city. City boys did not keep horses. They didn’t have pet roosters either, but we did. There was two obstacles to me having my pony. Number one, I have already mentioned; we lived in the city. We had a good sized yard, and to this day I believe we could have done it, but realism tells me no. My number two obstacle was even harder to overcome --- my mom. She said no pony. I couldn’t believe it! I told her, “You can’t tell him no, he’s your dad! You have to obey him!” I was taught I had to obey my parents, so why didn't she have to obey hers? All my arguing was to no avail, until papaw had a great idea. He would buy the pony, put it at his place, and I could come home with them for a few weeks. It seemed like the perfect solution. There was just one obstacle to overcome --- mom. She said no pony, no where. Even at age five I was flabbergasted. Now she is telling her dad he could not buy a pony and keep it at his house. I decided right then if I ever had any children of my own, and they told me I couldn’t have something at my own house, I would knock them into the middle of next month. After all, my papaw and mamaw did not live in the city. They lived in the country. The country is a great place for a horse. Right? Not necessarily! My family did not come from a farm, they came from a coal mining camp. Papaw’s yard in Shields was smaller than our yard in Cincinnati. I was not going to get my pony. This story took place fifty two years ago, and to this date, I have never owned one
One other thing I might mention: remember me saying what I’d do if one of my kids ever tried a stunt like that? Not too many years ago my grandson, Nathan, called me with a problem he was having with his mother. There was something he wanted to do and she had said no. He decided that since I was her dad, I could over ride her, and she’d have to listen. When he told me what it was he wanted, it sounded perfectly reasonable to me. So I spoke to Amanda about it. After all I am the dad, and I have veto power. Right? Wrong! Amanda told me why she had said no. It sounded perfectly reasonable to me, but I’m still the dad and I remembered what I had thought when I was told papaw Emery could not buy me a pony either in Kentucky or Ohio. I appealed to my daughter on behalf of my grandson. Amanda said, “Alright, load yourself on a jet and fly down to Texas, then you handle it.” Poor Nathan, he didn’t have his desire either. However, he did get something good out of it. He’s got some good material for his own blog fifty two years from now.
On a bittersweet note, we said good bye to one of our own this past Thursday. Mary Fields, who had returned to her home place in West Virginia, went home to be with the Lord. Mary had been sick for quite some time, but now she is whole, healed, and happy. Wiley, her husband of sixty one years, will miss her terribly. I ask you to pray the Lord’s comfort for him and their family during this time of sorrow. Remember, in the Bible, death does not mean cessation, it means separation. Although Mary has been separated from us, she has been ushered into the presence of her Lord, Jesus Christ. If that’s not enough to be joyful about, one day she and Wiley will once again be reunited. Although God might separate our loved ones from us, He also specializes in resurrections. As the old song says, “There’s gonna be a great gittin’ up morning one day.” Hallelujah!!
My sermon this coming Sunday will be, “The Most Quoted Verse From The Bible That Is Not There.“ What is it? Why don’t you e-mail me your guess. We’ll discuss it next week.
From the entire Cooper family, have a good and wonderful Thanksgiving this coming Thursday, and I’ll see you next Monday Morning With Pastor Vic
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