As Mary Graduates From High School… 06/02/2022
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My oldest granddaughter, Mary, is graduating from high school this Sunday. I have to admit that I am at a complete loss on how to process this new season in her life. I can’t believe how emotional I find myself. I don’t remember being nearly this distraught when my kids, Ben and Terri, graduated. Then again, when Mary’s dad, Ben, graduated from high school, it reminded me that some kids graduate Magna Cum Laude, Some graduate Summa Cum Laude… Ben graduated Thank the Laude!
I think as I am getting older, I am beginning to understand how short and fragile life really is. Tomorrow is not guaranteed and all we really have is the present which make these moments, like graduation, so precious and dear.
I doubt that many of you have ever seen the 1986 movie “Peggy Sue Got Married.” It was certainly forgettable in numerous ways… But there was one scene that is so memorable to me. While Peggy is celebrating her 25th High School reunion and is about to be crowned “Reunion Queen,” she abruptly faints and finds herself transported back to 1960, her senior year in high school. What I remember most is when she went home from school… and walked through the door… she found herself back home again with her mom and dad and little sister, she didn’t realize how much she had missed and cherished those times… Suddenly the phone rang and her mom asked her to answer it… It was her grandmother who had passed away many years earlier. Overcome with emotion, Peggy Sue broke down and cried, unable to talk to her…
Oh, how I would love to talk to my mom and dad and see my sister and brother once again.
I think what I take away most from this movie is that life is so precious and we should cherish each moment that God has given to us… because one day, all the people and things that we so readily take for granted today… may one day be gone. Later in the movie, when Peggy Sue was finally able to talk to her grandma, she told her about her life and how once grandma and grandpa were gone, the family had drifted apart. Grandpa said that he always knew that it was grandma’s strudel that held the family together. Peggy Sue also told her about her children and that she had named her daughter, Beth, after her. Grandma replied… “If you believe it, darling, then I believe. Being young can be just as confusing as being old. The things that happened to me fifty years ago are more on my mind than what happened yesterday…. Right now you’re just browsing through time. Choose the things you’ll be proud of. The things that last…”
This would be my advice to Mary as she graduates, goes on to college and begins this new chapter in her life… “Choose the things you’ll be proud of. The things that last…”
And maybe one last thing… Don’t forget to call your grandma!
I put together this video of some of the precious moments of Mary’s journey so far…
Mary, congratulations… We love you and can’t wait to see what happens next!
Love,
Grandpa and Grandma Higdon
PS: The music is the theme from Peggy Sue Got Married
“We the People…” 07/03/2020
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We The People…
“We the People…” What powerful and poignant words… words that have bound us together as a nation for almost 250 years, words that have blended together generation after generation of our tired and poor “huddled masses yearning to breath free.”
“We the People,” with one hand firmly secure in God’s grasp, and carrying in the other hand, all of our worldly belongings, bravely risked all that we had, even our very lives, and stepped aboard a ship that was bound for the New World. “We the People” struggled to survive in a challenging and sometimes hostile land, but despite the difficulty and the cost in lives and treasure, “We the People” forged ahead, undaunted and unwavering in our resolve.
“We the People” gathered together in a small room in Independence Hall on July 4, 1776 to ratify a document written by Thomas Jefferson, declaring our independence from England… It read in part, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”
Fifty-six delegates of the 2nd Continental Congress stood up and signed a document that would be considered treason in England, and could ultimately cost them their very lives. “Give me liberty, or give me death!” declared Patrick Henry. This point emphasized even further by Benjamin Franklin who said… “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” Words that were further punctuated by Nathan Hale, who when asked if he had any last words before his execution said… “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
Then, in words immortalized by Ralph Waldo Emmerson, “The British fired first but fell back when the colonists returned the volley. This was the “shot heard ’round the world.”
“We the People” fought the battles of Lexington and Concord, “We the People” endured together the horrific and demoralizing conditions of Valley Forge… and when all hope seemed lost, “We the People” rallied and were lifted and inspired by the heroic leadership of General George Washington.
Ultimately, with final victory in hand, a new nation was formed… “A new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
Years later this new nation would be profoundly and horribly tested as Civil War broke out, pitting North against South… brother against brother… a war that would tear and test the very fabric of our nation for generations to come… a war that we are still feeling the effects and the ramifications today. “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.” (Abraham Lincoln, June 16, 1858)
The names Antietam, Bull Run, Vicksburg and Shiloh soon became household names and President Abraham Lincoln, bearing the full weight of his office, stood on the hallowed ground of Gettysburg and declared “that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
“We the People” have persevered and endured… we fought a World War that was described as “the war to end all wars…” only to find ourselves facing war once again only a few years later. We endured a “Great Depression” and we watched as the dark, storm clouds of war gathered across Europe.
Then on a quiet Sunday in December, “We the People” listened in horror to our radios as we heard reports about an attack on our Naval Base at a place called Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands, where 2403 service members lost their lives… “We the People” were called to arms and inspired by President Roosevelt when he addressed our nation saying… ”Yesterday, December 7th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan…
“We the People” responded to the call, just as every generation had before… “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” (Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto) Every man, woman and child sacrificed for the war effort. Our Greatest Generation lived up to their name…
Then on Tuesday June 6th 1944, “We the People” 150,000 strong, along with our Allies embarked on the largest seaborne invasion in history. “The Longest Day” ended with the Allied forces establishing a foothold that would never be relinquished and the beginning of the end of the war was complete.
“We the People” endured great hardship and loss. We sacrificed, we persevered, we suffered and we kept the faith… Finally on September 2, 1945, the war was finally over. “We The People” were once again at peace… only to find a new war beginning, a different kind of war… a “Cold War”
“We the People” then began a season of prosperity, a time of building, and a time of progress. Interstate Highways were built, cities and towns grew exponentially… it was a time of great advancement… but not for everyone… It was also a time of unfairness and unrest. Jim Crow laws and segregation were the law of the land and in Montgomery, Alabama a woman by the name Rosa Parks was jailed for not giving up her seat on a bus to a white man.
Inspired by the injustice, “We the People,” led by a young minister from Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama stood up and followed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s dream… “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” A dream that even today, “We the People” are still wishing to come true…
“We the People” were also inspired by a young president who challenged our nation to reach for the stars… “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth…. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…” (President John F. Kennedy)
And although he wasn’t alive to see the fulfillment of his dream, “We the People” joined by the people of the world watched breathlessly as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin piloted “The Eagle” moon lander above the surface of the moon… with only 30 seconds of fuel remaining… calmly, Neil Armstrong radioed the report… “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” A few hours later with over half a billion people watching, Neil Armstrong climbed down the ladder and announced, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Throughout our history, “We the People” have faced countless trials… we have endured times of war and we have treasured times of peace… together, we have wept tears of joy and tears of sorrow. Together, we have faced the worst tragedies known to humankind… we have faced drought, fire, famine, flood, earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, and hurricanes. On September 11th 2001, we watched in horror as our nation was attacked and terror reigned from the skies… but whenever we have been knocked down… “We the People” have always collectively gotten back up, and begun again.
On July 4th, I challenge each of us to remember our past and look to the future… a future of hope and a future of peace. Let it always be our prayer that this nation… our nation, “under God, … shall not perish from the earth.”
Blessings,
Pastor Jim
Sowing Seeds… 06/25/2020
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Matthew 13:1-9 The Parable of the Sower
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Precious Memories… On This Father’s Day 06/19/2020
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The most special people in my world….
Perseverance… a Fishing Story 06/17/2020
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“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8
Patience is a Virtue… 06/10/2020
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Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (James 5:7-8)
Liminal Space… 06/04/2020
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“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
I have never claimed to be the smartest person in the room… (nor have I ever been accused of it) and I can’t tell you how many times I have been told… “You just don’t understand!” (Sigh) But the truth is… there are a lot of things that I don’t understand. Just this morning, I was reading an article that talked about “Liminal Space.” Now I must concede that I have heard the expression used hundreds of times before, and, admittedly, it is usually used by people who are a great deal smarter than I am… but, until now, I have never taken the time, or bother, to look it up. So this morning I took a moment to find out what is “Liminal Space” … Do you know? Am I the only one who didn’t know?… Good I’m glad I wasn’t the only one.
“The word liminal comes from the Latin word ‘limen’, meaning threshold – any point or place of entering or beginning. A liminal space is the time between the ‘what was’ and the ‘next.’ It is a place of transition, a season of waiting, and not knowing. Liminal space is where all transformation takes place, if we learn to wait…”
Liminal space… Wow… I love that expression… a time of transition, a time of waiting, a time of not knowing, a time between the ‘what is’ and the ‘what is next.’ My friends, we definitely find ourselves in “liminal space.” The Corona virus has upended everything that was “normal” to us. Our daily and weekly routine has changed completely and we wonder when (or if) our lives will ever get back to “normal” and if so, what will a new “normal” look like? As a church, we find ourselves in a season of preparation for reopening our worship services, although we are still not sure exactly what that will look like. As the United Methodist Church, we find ourselves in a season of waiting to discover what will happen after the rescheduled General Conference next year. We are definitely in liminal space.
But the good news is that we are not alone… we have One who is journeying with us, we have One who will never leave us, abandon us or forsake us, we have One who will walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death.
My friends, in this season… in this liminal space, may you… “be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,” Colossians 1:11
Blessings,
Pastor Jim
The Cookie Thief 06/03/2020
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“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9
Are We Related? 05/28/2020
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1851-1933
My Great Grand Mother
Over the past few weeks I have been spending a little time exploring my family heritage. Those of you who have done a little bit of genealogy on your own or spent time on Ancestry.com know the thrill of clicking on one of the “leaves” and discovering a link to your past that you never knew existed.
One of the challenges that I have faced is the fact that I never knew my grandparents, they were gone before I was born, and when I had the chance to pay attention to my Mom and Dad and learn from them… well, I was young and foolish and just didn’t care… oh how I wished I would have listened when I had the chance.
My Great Grand Mother
and Great Grand Father
One thing I have also learned is that you should be prepared for what you might find. I know that we would all like to discover that we were related to George Washington or Abraham Lincoln… But we might also discover that our ancestors were not quite so noble.
I remember one night as I was discovering information about my Great Great Great Grandpa Samuel Higdon that I came upon a document that indicated that Samuel Higdon owned slaves… I must admit that my heart sank. To be honest, I didn’t think that any Higdon had ever been wealthy enough to own slaves, but there it was….
As I began to process what that meant, I started checking dates and I realized (with great relief) that it couldn’t have been him, he would have only been 10 years old at the time. Apparently, the slave holder in question was a Great Great Great Uncle… (probably a part of the family that we didn’t associate with) LOL
I also discovered that my 5th Great Grandfather, Thomas Higdon, fought in the American Revolution… And yes he fought on the American side (Whew) But also contained within the information I read about Thomas Higdon was the names of deserters from his unit. (I had a huge sigh of relief when his name wasn’t listed among them)
Anyway, genealogy is a fascinating journey of discovery and when you open a page of history and standing right before your eyes is someone that you recognize… it is a surreal experience.
I was amazed when I saw the resemblance between my Dad and my Great Great Uncle John Andrew Higdon
Long before I knew him
1911-1982
1869-1947
My Great Great Uncle
Perhaps, one day I will discover that I am related to some great figure of history… but for now, I am quite content to just learn a little more about those who went before me and where I came from…
Blessings,
Jim
The Bridge Builder 05/27/2020
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And now for something new…
Joy in the Journey 