October 09 '04
Volume 436


Twenty Years Hesses Appreciated

The fleeting aspect of time is more recognizable to the elderly than to the very young. And, it’s more apparent to those of us over fifty than to those who’ve not reached thirty. I can mark most of my more than sixty years by decades. Of course, my six decades are not even a grain of sand in the hourglass of eternity, but at least I’ve lived long enough to see the relative brevity of a time span of twenty years, a span our forbears called "a score," and were it not for school children studying Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, the usage of "score" might be forgotten.

Barbara and I were in Vicksburg, MS, this past Sunday, to attend a celebration by the membership of First Baptist Church marking the twentieth service anniversary of Jim and Sheila Hess. Sheila is the church organist, and Jim serves as Minister of Music and Minister of Senior Adults. A couple of weeks earlier, we received an invitation from FBC, Vicksburg in which we were invited to attend one or all of the three events planned to honor Jim and Sheila, recognition during the morning worship service, luncheon provided by the Adult Choir, and a reception following the evening worship.

Prior to moving to Vicksburg, Jim and Sheila spent six years with the saints at FBC, Pontotoc and were greatly appreciated for their efforts in building a music program that continues to bear fruit in the lives of those of us benefiting from their leadership. In arranging our schedules to travel to Vicksburg, Barbara and I considered there might be other church members who would also like to make the trip with us. Several individuals came to mind, but none seemed more suitable than Ellouise Dallas, who, like Barbara and me, has maintained a friendship with Jim and Sheila in spite of the distance separating Pontotoc and Vicksburg.

In order to attend the 10:50 a.m. service we planned to leave Pontotoc before seven o’clock. Sadly, Ellouise, plagued with back pain, was compelled at the last minute to cancel her plans to ride with us.

"Be sure and tell them, I really wanted to come," she stated, sorrowfully. "But, I have the hardest time in the early morning, getting though the pain."

Ellouise will have been treated by a physician by the time this issue of RRN is in readers’ hands and hopefully is now improved.

My alarm was set for five o’clock Sunday morning, but being unable to dose off after awaking around four, I disabled the alarm at four-thirty and lay in bed a few more minutes before getting up to shower.

I remember sitting on the side of the bed, putting on my shoes, shortly after five o’clock and thinking, "Jim Hess is not worth this."

Actually, it was my stiff and sore muscles that suggested Jim’s unworthiness, for mentally I knew that I would go to whatever lengths necessary to join those prepared to congratulate his and Sheila’s twenty years of service at FBC, Vicksburg. All the hedges and shrubs that border the front and sides of our home in Dogwood Circle bore testament to my Saturday labors, as we backed out of our drive shortly before seven o’clock, while I considered the lack of wisdom in working so hard the day before a long trip.

With respect to traffic, our drive to Vicksburg was an enjoyable one. We didn’t meet a single vehicle from Pontotoc to Bruce (more than thirty miles), and there was almost no traffic on the Interstate until we arrived in Jackson, MS. Hawk watching was fruitless, for we didn’t see any hawks on our way to Vicksburg, though dead deer were plentiful (five). But, the weather was perfect – warm and dry – ideal for early October.

We arrived at the church almost twenty minutes early, but that gave us plenty of time to find the restrooms before entering the sanctuary. A couple of ushers jumped from their seats in the foyer to greet us and handed us a worship guide. Once inside the sanctuary, we found a seat in the middle section approximately a dozen rows from the front. Sheila practiced the organ music for the morning service, as other church members greeted us and graciously welcomed us when they learned we were friends of the Hesses and were from Pontotoc.

None proved more conversational than the church’s new pastor, Dr. Matt Buckles. Not only was he interested in who we were and where we lived, he asked about our work.

"What line of work are you in?" he directed toward me.

I was ill prepared to answer his simple question, because I don’t have a simple answer.

"That’s hard to explain," I began. "I work for SUPERVALU, out of Indianola, but I work with retailers…technology…you know registers, computers and credit cards."

It was a poor explanation, but I’ve learned a simple answer such as, "I’m with a wholesale grocer," leaves folks the impression I sell groceries or that I work in a warehouse, or else they really have no clue as to what I really do. If I tell folks all the technical aspects of my work, many find it a bit overwhelming or "information overload," and do not grasp the fundamentals. Maybe, I should just say that I’m a Retail Technology Specialist for SUPERVALU and leave them wondering what that is.

"SUPERVALU put bread on my table for several years," Bro. Matt responded. "My father-in-law owned a store in Bude, MS, before selling it a few years ago to his store manager."

He went on to explain his father-in-law was a Mr. Dillon whose business partner was a Mr. Smith. I remember meeting his father-in-law when the business was named D & S Super Valu.

Someone interrupted the pastor, and I sat down beside Barbara who had been reading the worship guide while I was talking to Bro. Matt. She had found the portion of the guide for the evening service and pointed to a couple of names we recognized. Gordon Sansing was scheduled to preach Sunday Night and Lee Gordon was to sing a solo. We were tempted to stay for the evening service, but decided not to push our physical endurance with what would have been an almost four-hour drive putting us back in Pontotoc around midnight.

Minutes later the rest of the Hess family arrived. Dawn Hess was the typical proud aunt, holding Mary Addison, the four-month-old daughter of Courtney and Alan Loving. Courtney teaches 4th grade, and Alan is Minister of Youth (Jr. High) at FBC, Jackson. The lovely Mary Addison, after being adored by numerous individuals, was taken to the church nursery prior to the worship service. Alan, Courtney, and Dawn sat beside Barbara and me.

The pastor welcomed all guests to the morning service, recognizing as special guests, those in town for a Class Reunion, and he recognized the rest of Jim’s family, the Lovings of Jackson, and finally the Carters.

We appreciated the recognition, but we were there to recognize a significant milestone in the life of our special friends, Jim and Sheila. Moments later a representative of the Senior Adults and the president of the Adult Choir stepped to the pulpit to recognize Jim and Sheila on the occasion of the Twentieth Anniversary of their ministry at FBC, Vicksburg. After comments appropriate for the occasion, Jim and Sheila were informed that the Senior Adults and the Adult Choir had raised a love gift of eight thousand dollars and had decided it be used as an all expense paid trip for Jim and Sheila to travel with the Senior Adults to Hawaii at the end of December.

Knowing how much Jim Hess enjoys fishing and knowing how much his friends enjoy fishing with him, I could not help thinking, "For eight grand, they could have bought a really nice fishing boat."

Still, even for me, a trip to Hawaii would be hard to turn down, and it would be harder still to live with my wife, who would remind me every time I went fishing that she missed the opportunity to see Hawaii, because I wanted a fishing boat. Maybe, those who chose the trip for Jim and Sheila did the right thing.

Barbara and I had the opportunity to congratulate Jim and Sheila, immediately following the church service, and, with a host of others, we made our way to the luncheon in the Family Life Center. We were told to choose the beverage of our choice and find a seat at any table, where our meal would be brought to us.

The tables were decorated for fall, each with a centerpiece of mums. The mums had a ribbon stripped with a musical theme tastefully mingled with the blooms, and staked into the plants were caricatures of Jim directing and Sheila playing the organ. It was worthy of a picture, but our camera was in the car.

We had just been served and were about to begin eating when a couple in our age group asked if we were the Carters from Pontotoc.

"I’m Jeanell Hill. I’m Lee Gordon’s sister, and this is my husband, Tom," the wife stated.

We had met before, but I was glad to be reminded of their names, since names have developed the annoying and sometimes embarrassing habit of dropping out of my memory. Soon, Jim, Sheila, Dawn, Courtney, Alan, and Mary Addison joined us. Jeanell told us Lee Gordon, went hunting with his bow and arrow on "the home place" close to Meridian and killed two deer, a buck and a doe, during the weekend. She also shared that she and Tom and two more couples had recently returned from a twenty-one day tour of Europe, fulfilling Tom’s lifelong dream.

After the luncheon, Jim and Sheila invited us to their home. Barbara and I stayed until three o’clock before beginning the drive back to Pontotoc. Barbara napped a time or two along the way, and I almost pulled over to let Barbara drive, but realizing we were within thirty minutes of a fuel stop, I elected to keep driving.

With Baptist churches growing, with some changing worship formats, and with ministers moving about, it’s rare to hear of a minister staying the course at any given church for twenty years. But, it’s also refreshing to know that some folks have the grit as well as the grace to endure when trials come, and trials really do come to those seeking to minister to others. Jim and Sheila Hess are such ministers, and I won’t be surprised if I’m invited to their twenty-fifth or maybe even a thirtieth anniversary honoring them at FBC, Vicksburg.


Sunshine Girls Merilese And Katherine

I imagine folks who have grandsons consider them special. I know from personal experience that granddaughters are special. And, like many other grandparents, I love seeing the grandchildren arrive, and I love watching the taillights fade as they are leaving. My two youngest granddaughters are Merilese and Katherine. They will turn seven and four, respectively, before too long. They are at the age where life is filled with wonder. This year, Merilese began First Grade, so her age of wonder will soon be gone, while Katherine’s is about to peak. Their young minds are still inquisitive; they embrace learning as fun, and they don’t have a care in the world. Well, at least they don’t until they don’t get something they want, but they’ll grow out of that. Collectively speaking, they are as happy as a dead pig in the sunshine and may rightly be considered as Sunshine Girls.

A couple of Saturday’s ago, Katherine walked out to where I was cutting grass in the circle and asked if she could ride with me. Two years ago, she didn’t want near a riding lawnmower – the noise scared her – but there she was ready to climb alongside her Daa. Though Merilese could always find enough room on the seat to sit between my legs, Katherine could not and wanted to sit on my left thigh where she could hang on to me with a one-armed hug. After about fifteen minutes of riding, she was almost asleep, so I asked her if she wanted me to stop and let her get down. She didn’t, but on the next lap, Barbara came out and asked if she was ready to get off and Katherine took the offer.

An hour later, I was blowing the grass off the mower deck, before washing off the dirt. Merilese and Katherine were playing nearby, when Katherine came over.

"I smell just like you Daa," she proudly claimed.

Thinking she might become a gardener one day, or at least a woman who actually likes to mow, I quizzed, "You do?"

Sunshine Girls At Work I imagined her response would somehow relate to the bittersweet smell of a freshly mown hayfield, maybe the pungent aroma of wild onions, or even the earthy scent of dust particles that lodge in ones nose, and perhaps one of those smells is what she had in mind when she responded, "Yeah, I stink."

When you’re at a certain age, work is fun, at least until the fun wears off. Last Saturday, the "grands" were back early. I was trimming shrubs in the front flowerbed beside the chimney.

"Can we help, Daa? Daa can we help?" they chorused.

"Sure, you can," I replied, making no effort to correct their grammar. "But, let me find you some gloves."

I found the mauve and white garden gloves that Barbara had hardly soiled the one time she used them and gave them to Katherine. Merilese put on my other pair of leather gloves, and the sunshine girls followed me to the flowerbed. I began to toss debris onto and near a small hedge beside the walk and asked them to toss the trimmings into the lawn cart.

"This is stuck, Daa," Katherine complained, as she attempted to pick up hedge and all.

I explained that the hedge was not part of the trimmings and told them I had some more near the chimney that I’d let them pickup. We repositioned the lawn cart, and they busied themselves with the cleanup task. Barbara and Rayanne came outside to check on us and made a couple of pictures of the sunshine girls at work with Daa. However, the fun was soon over, and after we carted the second load to curbside they were off to explore other worlds before their age of wonder is no more.


Bodock Beau Things People Do

Among other traits, people can be pompous, immature, and proud. Here’s what I mean.

Poor John Kerry. . . 
He throws away someone else's medals.
He drives someone else's SUV.
He marries someone else's wife.
And he inherits someone else's money.

I think we should all vote for him to go be president of someone else's country.

Shared by Bob Jackson

Men Will Be Boys

When one of his players was thrown out at home, the high school baseball coach from Davidson County, N.C. went ballistic.  He charged the ump, screaming and protesting the call until he was tossed from the game. 

Following the rulebook, the ump ordered the coach to "go where I can't see you." 

That's when the coach jumped onto home plate, saying, "guess I'll just stand right here, because you haven't seen anything that happened here all night."

Submitted by Gordon Sansing

The Nursing Home

President George W. Bush decides it’s time to do some public relations at the local DC nursing home.

The President begins his "tour" down the main hallway and passes by a little old man who doesn’t seem to notice him.

President Bush backtracks to the resident and asks, "Do you know who I am?"

The little old man looks up from his walker and says, "No, but if you go to the front desk, they will tell you your name."

Contributed by Kim Goslin

Share this article with a friend.


get this gear!

Home

Copyright © 2000 - 2004 RRN Online.