Growing up in this church was hands down the most incredible thing that could have happened to a kid like me. It instilled values and beliefs that I remain true to this very day and made me many, many friends for life.
Some of them I still see on a regular basis. Some I see only at funerals (increasingly so in the past few years ) and some I run into out of the blue.
Tonight was one of those 'out of the blue' times. A lot of people make fun of Facebook and using it. Granted I am not one of the game players or "App" addicts...but if that's what you like, you'll like FB even more! I simply use it to make friends, find old ones and promote my blog (yeah I know that last one's selfish.)
A month or so ago I was at work and waited on a family that I THOUGHT I went to school with the daughter at the table. Until I saw the credit card I wasn't sure but (as usual) my memory was right and I reconnected with her after 30 some odd years. I told her about FB and I could tell she was as wary as I was in the beginning. I told her to just get her daughter to set every thing up...that's what I did...let my teens get me rolling, give me a short tutorial and I was off down memory lane like a house on fire!
The next day her name popped up on my friend requests and I sent her all the people that she would remember from school to her "friends suggestions."
BAM! Another middle aged person sucked into the FB craze!
She came into eat at the restaurant a couple of weeks later with three other friends she had reconnected with on FB...technology helping us ole farts "Make new friends and FIND the old."
Tonight she came in again and brought a friend I haven't seen since probably the late seventies . Not only did I know this girl from high school but grew up in East Point Christian Church with her...from early childhood through VBS and on to youth retreats at Woodland Christian Camp.
We laughed and talked of old times. She knew both of my parents just as I had known both of hers (her Dad was such a cute man and I always loved his name..Ezra.)
She asked about some of my parents friends and I told her I had kept in touch with some their closer ones.
I told her about a year or two ago when I and my sister went to a funeral for a fallen soldier shot down in a Black Hawk...his Dad had grown up in our church as a youth just as we did. My sister and I sat on a pew together in East Point Christian Church...with my parent's closest friends on the pew right behind us. Mr. and Mrs. Fowler and Mr. and Mrs Kinnett. I told my sister I felt like OUR parents should be sitting right beside them. These four people were like extra parents to us as kids and have loved us even more since our parents died...sending Christmas cards every year and keeping up with us throughout our adult lives.
In the middle of the funeral a cell phone began ringing behind me and my sister. It wasn't a quiet "BUZZ" you hear when the phone is on low or vibrate..it was more like a "Jitterbug" cell phone on the "Call For Help mode."
It rang and rang and rang.
Finally my sister and I hear Mrs. Kinnett whisper to Mr. Kinnett that his cell phone was ringing.
He didn't hear a word she said...straining forward to hear the words the pastor was speaking.
Finally she said (quite loud) "CLYDE...it's your cell phone."
Still no response. She finally tugged on his jacket and said even louder "It's YOUR phone, Clyde ..your CELL phone is ringing!"
My sister and I were absolutely crying tears trying to keep composed.
These are the delightful kind of characters we grew up with in this church and I wouldn't trade them for a million dollars.
I told my friends this story tonight as we reminisced about growing up in East Point and the wonderful Christian Church that we all loved.
These are the memories that will last a life time...these are the friends that will last a life time.
To have these memories are precious ...to reconnect with other friends that share your love, memories and beliefs are just as precious.
To laugh with this girl after over 30 years and still recall all the wonderful times and escapades we all had as youths is a gift in itself.
Thank you Pam for bringing Alicia in and Thank you Facebook for giving us ole farts one more shot at some really good times !!
Jeez...when did we all get middle aged?
The second picture is of my friend from the way back past when she was a "Russellette'...an older version of Massey's Guard. The last is of her on the basket ball team in high school. That's what I always liked about her...she could wear a fringe bathing suit or a pair of sweats and still be cute!
Til next time... Ole Codger Cotton
PS remember as always...click on photos to see in original size !
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