Sweet Billy, 91
..Today is my Dad's Birthday. He died in August 99. On the main marker at his grave, the one he shares with Momma, it says: The Godly He Doth Set Apart.
I have already testified on Mike Huckabees national Day of prayer, on facebook walls of Collinsville Trade Day, and a former member of Bethany Baptist church in Gaffney, Elaine Fowler; testified there about my Dad as a prayer warrior.
Daddy was the pastor of Bethany for 16 years.
He liked Baseball, though he wasn't all that good at it. I joke he's the last batter in Moneyball, the one Brad Pitt rewinds for insight.
Dad excelled at insight, though he wasn't always the most eloquent at his explanations of new visions. He conveyed insight from the heart. The Bible says its whats in the heart that counts. That was brough home for me this week with a feature on Will Campbell in the Nashville Tennessean. Google it.
Daddy was the Will Campbell of Gaffney. Wayne Whiteside, Johnny Dawkins, Florence Reaves, Kathryn Sossamon, Janelle Moss, James Broome and Joe McCluney woulda told you that.
He loved going to the Southern Baptist Conventions before the fundies ruined it. When Momma would go she would take in the workshops and preachin while Dad worked the Halls. She would brief Daddy and that's how he concocted his report, the presentation after Training Union back at his local parish would come from.
Sometimes he and another local preacher would fly out to Portland or somewhere. Bobby Crocker, his buddy from Draytonville had a hilarious anecdote about Portland.
He'd call in Carolina in the Mornin and give Raymond Parker a report on big WAGI FM (waggy). Raymond would say when Dad hung up, Billy Fox calling in live from Portland, or Pittsburg or Kansas City wherever.
Toward the end my Dad was a big fan of the Apostle. He had the little tape of the soundtrack. Billy Bob coulda put him in the movie, cause Apostle he was. Amen.
I have already testified on Mike Huckabees national Day of prayer, on facebook walls of Collinsville Trade Day, and a former member of Bethany Baptist church in Gaffney, Elaine Fowler; testified there about my Dad as a prayer warrior.
Daddy was the pastor of Bethany for 16 years.
He liked Baseball, though he wasn't all that good at it. I joke he's the last batter in Moneyball, the one Brad Pitt rewinds for insight.
Dad excelled at insight, though he wasn't always the most eloquent at his explanations of new visions. He conveyed insight from the heart. The Bible says its whats in the heart that counts. That was brough home for me this week with a feature on Will Campbell in the Nashville Tennessean. Google it.
Daddy was the Will Campbell of Gaffney. Wayne Whiteside, Johnny Dawkins, Florence Reaves, Kathryn Sossamon, Janelle Moss, James Broome and Joe McCluney woulda told you that.
He loved going to the Southern Baptist Conventions before the fundies ruined it. When Momma would go she would take in the workshops and preachin while Dad worked the Halls. She would brief Daddy and that's how he concocted his report, the presentation after Training Union back at his local parish would come from.
Sometimes he and another local preacher would fly out to Portland or somewhere. Bobby Crocker, his buddy from Draytonville had a hilarious anecdote about Portland.
He'd call in Carolina in the Mornin and give Raymond Parker a report on big WAGI FM (waggy). Raymond would say when Dad hung up, Billy Fox calling in live from Portland, or Pittsburg or Kansas City wherever.
Toward the end my Dad was a big fan of the Apostle. He had the little tape of the soundtrack. Billy Bob coulda put him in the movie, cause Apostle he was. Amen.
posted by foxofbama | 4:43 AM
1 Comments:
I wish my mama was alive to read this post.
My grandfather, her dad, was the same kind of preacher. But he died long before I was born.
My other grandfather lived his faith. He was well known for taking in strays of the human kind. He raised not only his children but many others. I never met him either.
My dad also showed the world his beliefs through the same compassion. He never met a family he could not help. Dad would not attend the church I grew up in, but after I went away to college, he and mama moved to a small rural church in the community he grew up in. It felt comfortable. I don't think he missed a Sunday except when he visited grand children or took a short vacation.
Three men that influenced me greatly, even though I did not know two of them. All three would be upset over the current affairs of the Baptist church. I'm gettin' that way too.
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