A Prophetic Voice 25 Years Ago

        A little over 25 years ago I made a visit to Lexington to meet with a man whom I had admired from a distance.  Dr. Hoke Coon served as Senior Minister of First Baptist Church of Lexington for 27 years. He had a remarkable ministry both in the church and the community.  Following his retirement the church formed a Search Committee and they were trying to convince me to become Dr. Coon’s successor.  Before I agreed to say yes, I wanted to talk to Dr. Coon, face to face. 

        Most ministers who follow a beloved, respected, long-tenured pastor like Dr. Coon don’t stay very long.  The same principle is true in coaching and business.  The legendary predecessor casts a shadow too great to overcome. But I immediately sensed it would be different with Dr. Coon. 

        We met over coffee and after a few pleasantries he looked at me and said, “I was exactly the age you are now when I came to Lexington.”  (I was 36)  “I didn’t think I would stay until retirement,” he went on to say as he stirred his coffee.  Then he looked at me and with a twinkle in his eye he added, “And you don’t either.”

        The truth is, it never entered my mind that I would stay in Lexington until I retired.  I preached my first sermon in Lexington 25 years ago next Wednesday on April Fool’s Day.  And if the good Lord is willing, the creek doesn’t rise and the faithful flock at First Baptist can put up with me, Dr. Coon was most prophetic. 

        Lexington has become our home and we feel blessed to be a part of a caring church and community.  Each Sunday I have the awesome and joyful privilege of sharing the good news of the Gospel to my church and over the radio. I’ve had the joy of watching children grow up in the church and become mature adults.  I have witnessed many life milestones and have had the sacred responsibility of walking with families through times of illness, heartache, and death.  I’ve had the great joy of presiding at many weddings and the solemn task of conducting way too many funerals. I get to go to youth camps and go on mission trips with our young people.  And traveling with Senior Adults is always rewarding. 

        Every week I have the joy of leading community Bible studies at the church and the YMCA.  For well over 20 years I have been blessed to share with you, the readers of the Dispatch through this Religion Column—a task I inherited from my friend, Lee Jessup.  I’ve helped write a book on Davidson County History.  I had great fun working with my good friend, Harold Bowen, broadcasting Lexington football games and American Legion Baseball games.  I’ve been able to help with campaigns to build the Davidson Medical Ministry Clinic, the Hospice House, and the Chapel at the Prison.  I’ve served on the Boards at both Lexington and Baptist Hospitals.  I’m proud to be a part of the Kiwanis Club and every summer have the great joy of working with children at Kamp Kiwanis.  I even get to give the blessing at the BBQ Festival every year!  Wow!  I think I just heard the angel Clarence say, “You’ve had a wonderful life.”

        It would not have been possible without Dr. Coon.  That day we met over coffee he offered to leave the church.  I told him that I wanted just the opposite.  “I need you to help me,” I said.  “I want you to be as involved as you can be.  There is enough love in a church for more than one minister.”

        Help me, he did.  He became my mentor, my confidant, and my friend.  But he always stayed in the background.  He was a humble servant to the end. 

        If the Lord is willing, I’m looking forward to several more years of service in our church and community.  This is what God has called me to do and l love what I am doing.  My wife, Joyce, and I are blessed in so many ways.  We have a wonderful family, five precious grandchildren, and we love our favorite town—Lexington.  

        Twenty-five years ago Dr. Coon knew something I did not.  I’m thankful for his prophetic voice.

                                                               

                                                            

Travel Is the Best Education

        We returned Monday night from a wonderful, relaxing 10-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise.  The idea for this trip was born last year at the Kiwanis Valentine Dinner when Jim and Debbie Tate were talking to us and we were all bemoaning the cold, miserable winter weather.  Jim and Debbie love to cruise—so we started talking about taking a Caribbean Cruise the next winter.  And we did!

        We always like to travel with friends and we were joined by Kathy Hinkle, Linda Engstrom, Kay and R. N. Hardin, Tom and Ann Lackey, and Jim and Debbie.  It was a great group and we had fun traveling together.

        Our cruise departed from Fort Lauderdale on Friday, February 27.  I’m a firm believer that you should never wait until the day of the cruise to fly to the port—too many things can happen.  We decided to fly to Fort Lauderdale on Thursday and spend the night before the cruise.  On Monday morning before our departure, Jim contacted me and asked me if I had seen the weather report for Wednesday night.  I had not.   Snow was developing and it looked like Charlotte would be hit with a major snowstorm.  Tom and Ann had decided to drive to Florida and they were looking like the smartest ones in our group.  I contacted the others and we made reservations at an airport hotel thinking that if we were at the airport, we would have no problems.  Little did we know. . .

        The snowstorm was looking more and more like a certainty and we left Wednesday afternoon for Charlotte.  Kay and R. N. rode with us.  After checking into the hotel we went for an early dinner with Jim and Debbie.  Linda and Kathy came a little later. 

        Around 6:00 p.m. the snow started.  We had just finished dinner and Jim and I decided that we needed to take our vehicles to Park N’ Go that night, rather than wait until morning since they were calling for 8 inches.  We asked the shuttle driver if he could just drop us back at the hotel, rather than take us to the airport.  He said that he had never done that before, but he was happy to oblige. 

        When we got back Kathy and Linda were checking in.  We had reservations on the 8:30 shuttle the next morning to the airport.  Our cars were parked.  We were ready to go.  But that is when USAIRWAYS decided to take the forecast seriously and we were notified that all USAir flights the next morning in Charlotte were cancelled. 

     Jim and I jumped on the hotel shuttle and went to the airport as big flakes of snow were falling.  We went the USAir counter and thankfully had a very helpful agent.   As she was trying to rebook our flights Jim and I watched the board behind her lighting up like a Christmas tree with one flight after another reading, “Cancelled, Cancelled, Cancelled.”

        When the airline cancels your flight the computer rebooks you.  Our rebooking information was coming to us on our phones.  They had us leaving Friday morning and flying to Philadelphia!  We knew that would not work.

        The agent would find us some seats but before she could book them, the computer would grab them first.  She was fighting the computer and the computer was winning. 

        Finally she said, “I’m sorry but I can’t get you to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow.” 

        But then she added, “I can get you to Miami, if that would work.” 

        Miami is only 30 miles from Fort Lauderdale.  Soon we were all booked, not on the same flights, but we were all booked to Miami.

        Linda and Kathy took an early afternoon flight to Miami and were waiting for us when we arriving around 6:00 p.m.  Our travel agent, Angela, had arranged for a driver to meet us and without any delay we were our way to Fort Lauderdale. 

        We arrived at our hotel and they informed us that they were overbooked and did not have any rooms.  If you travel you know that you must expect the unexpected, which is what we have learned to do.

        We had a wonderful cruise.  The weather was perfect, the ship was lovely, the food delicious, the fellowship was fantastic.  Most of the trips we take are filled with excursions, historical tours, and events.  But Joyce and I decided we were going to spend most of our time relaxing.  We didn’t get off the ship very much but enjoyed all of the exceptional services and amenities that come with modern day cruising.   We had dinner together with our group several times and both Sunday mornings we gathered for a time of meditation and reflection.  We came back refreshed and renewed.

        The young man who picked us up at the Miami airport told me that he was back at work for the first time in 3 years.  He went on to explain that he had cancer and had been through extensive surgery and treatment, but now he was healthy enough to work again.  Suddenly, cancelled flights and overbooked hotels seemed very small in comparison.

        Since our hotel was overbooked they sent us to the Hilton and refunded our money.  Not a bad deal considering we were about to spend 10 days sailing the beautiful Caribbean Sea.  And we were healthy and blessed to be able to travel. 

        My grandmother used to teach me that travel is the best education.  Her words continue to be true.