Forty-seven years ago today, I began at Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale. I was working for my friend Brent, laying carpet. I asked him if I could take a few minutes to walk to a payphone to see if I had a telephone call from SIU. When I called our pastor’s wife, she joyously told me that I had been hired at the University and was to be at the Building Services Office at 4:00 that afternoon. I was overjoyed and called MJ from the Payphone to give her the good news. Our lives had just changed. When I reported to the Office, the custodial supervisor spoke with me for nearly an hour. I finally asked him what the job paid per hour, and it was fifty cents more than what I had thought. Mr. Young told me that the fastest way to make a good name in the organization was to do a good job. I began that night to work on the Good Name part of the plan.

MJ was a school teacher, and I was a poor boy from Eldorado. I wanted to make a good life for us. We were able to trade our two junker automobiles for a new LTD Coupe. I could not imagine what it would be like to have a new car. The Christmas of 1978, I thought as we drove to see Grandma Neva J and Grandpa Earl, that I was bringing them Christmas gifts in our new car. In early 1979, we purchased a small house. It had a massive picture window and a concrete driveway. I thought I was a millionaire.

Some days define us. October 10, 1978, set us on a happy path. I watched as my Hare friends ran past me while I moseyed along. I was the tortoise, seemingly slow to get off the starting block. I took everything in for later use. I understood that the race was not to the swift or the strong. I knew my Guardian Angel was with me. I had faith that everything would be alright.

Significant days happen to us unawares. We have to look back to see. Many of us believe that God is watching. Since he has always been and always will be, he sees our lives from the beginning to the end. God must not linearly follow our story. He is present in all of the moments of our lives.

Looking forward and watching for what is coming around the corner. Christmas is coming. A time for family and friends. Love and good food. Gifts to commemorate the gift of Christ come to live with us. The old truths are the best. Not the muscular John Wayne Christian Nationalist philosophy. Not the get-rich scheme of the prosperity doctrine. I knew Grandma A was a Christian. She was not rich. She followed what her pastor preached and read her Bible daily. Grandma A’s house was open to all. If she had food, you had dinner. Neva J was like her mom. If you needed a coat, Neva J would give you one. If you had trouble paying your light bill, Neva J would pay it. The shunned of the town were Neva J’s friends.

‘Why must we gather in the Woods?’ Chet asked the Preacher. ‘Not long ago, we were welcome in the finest churches in the town,’ Chet continued. ‘The poor sat with us in the pews and we helped them get on their feet,’ Chet noted. ‘We were humble and thought little of our accomplishments,’ Chet said. ‘We considered others better than ourselves,’ Chet whispered. ‘We learned from others rather than preach to them,’ Chet considered.

‘Christians were a minority in Jerusalem in the days of Christ,’ the Preacher said. ‘Following the carpenter and his band of fishermen was not popular,’ the Preacher continued. ‘The Pharisees and Sadducees did not accept Christ’s message of love and sought to silence him,’ the Preacher said.