Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

As I scroll through my Facebook feed on this the first day of 2015, I am inundated with Happy New Year wishes, resolution suggestions, and schedules ranging from organizing your household to streamlining your home school life to reading your Bible through in a year. Amongst all of these, a Bible study caught my attention. It was probably because the house is quiet and I’m home alone while the guys have gone to town to catch a movie that I actually slowed down my scrolling long enough to notice this one. The fact that it said “12 Days” helped. I do enjoy doing something that gives me a specific time frame for it to be over. I was curious so I downloaded the study and read the first day’s assignment. I don’t want to share the study with you just yet. I don’t like sharing something I haven’t read through completely but I would like to share some thoughts it triggered. The fact that it provoked me to think about it long enough to write something about it tells me this will be a profitable study.

The study is from the book of John — one of my favorite. They are all my favorite but when I’m studying the book of John, it is my favorite. I have had my children and my Bible class students memorize quite a bit from the book of John. We did a VBS one year that taught the 7 miracles found in the book of John. I have written children’s songs based on the miracles found in John as well as the “I Am…” statements found in John.

As part of today’s study, I was asked to write down 5 people or groups of people who have positively impacted my faith in Jesus. This got me to thinking about all the different people throughout my life who have had that positive impact on me. Some of these people I don’t even remember their names. I just remember a moment in time that they had some influence on me that sent me in a direction closer to Christ. Some of these people have helped me in the past, present and I expect will help me in the future as we both seek to serve our God more fully.

One of my earliest memories of Bible class, I’m not sure where this was but possibly in Pampa, TX, has had an impact on me. I was 4 or 5 years old. I remember the class being in a basement. I don’t recall it being especially cheery in the room. There was a long table with pews on either side. Maybe they were benches but I remember there being an arm on the end like a pew so that’s what I thought it was. It must have been my first time in this class. I was terrified. My mother took me to class and attempted to take my doll with her so that I would not be distracted by it. I don’t remember the teacher’s face or her name but I remember her telling my mom that I could keep the doll. She sat me on the end of the pew nearest to her and my doll was right by my side. I don’t remember what the lesson was that day but I remember a scary moment in my life being lessened by the kindness of a Bible class teacher. She probably does not remember that day but I do and I try to show that same kindness to students coming to my class for the first time. I would like to thank her for that little lesson in love and kindness that has stuck with me for 50 years.

I remember a girls’ class we had at Bell Avenue in Amarillo. I don’t remember the teacher’s name but I remember a few things she said. She was the mother of all boys (3 or 4, I don’t remember how many she had for sure). She said that she wanted to teach the girls’ class because she knew how she wanted the girls in her sons’ lives to behave, dress, believe in God. I remember her talking about how important prayer was. Not a huge thing to remember but the fact that it has stuck with me 40 years shows how a little statement said to a young person can have an impact on them their whole life. I had no idea I would eventually become the mother of 6 boys. I have thought about her off and on, wondering if I was raising my boys to her satisfaction. I would love to visit with this teacher of mine again. I imagine we would have a lot of things to talk about. I would like to thank her for giving me a little glimpse into the life of a mother of all boys and taking the time to teach me things that helped me along the way.

I remember a teacher at Florida College (a little over 30 years ago). I only attended there one semester. I took Bob Owens’ New Testament Church class. That was a life altering class for me. The transition to adulthood is difficult for anyone but I was not only trying to figure out who I was and what the truth was but my whole family was doing the same thing. I was very confused. What I thought I had been taught all my life was being challenged by those who had taught it to me. Bob Owens’ class was the light I needed to guide me in the right direction. I remember sitting in that class thinking to myself that what He was showing me in the Bible was what I knew to be true. I no longer needed to be confused. I know he had many students sit in his classes and I was there such a short time that I don’t imagine he even knew my name but I thank him for being there to guide me at a time when I needed him and was receptive to God’s word.

I remember Pat Fontenot. Steve and Pat stayed with us in Houston MS while Steve preached a meeting there. I remember 2 things she said that have stuck with me.
I had just become a young mother. The world and even local events I was hearing in the news was scary and overwhelming. What would happen to us all? How could we have a positive impact on society? How could we teach all these people that were lost? Without even verbalizing these feelings to her, she made this statement — Do what you can in your little corner of the world. Whenever I get overwhelmed with all that life throws at me or I see the horrific things people are willing to do to each other, I remember her words. My family needs me. My friends need me. I need to work with what I have and who is around me. God didn’t ask me to solve the world’s problems but to do what I can in my little corner of the world. Thank you, Pat, for putting it all in perspective.

Without realizing it, Pat also gave me the courage to home school. She didn’t even talk about home schooling but she did tell me about a decision she and Steve made about their daughter that did not keep step with society’s ideas of good parenting (it had nothing to do with home schooling but the details are not important here). It didn’t even keep step with their fellow Christians’ ideas of good parenting but they knew it was best for their daughter and they went with their gut. It turned out to be a good decision. For the first time I realized that as a parent I had to do what I thought to be right even if society, my brethren, my friends and family thought I was making a big mistake. Thank you, Pat, for giving me the courage to defy the norm and home school my children.

I could go on and on about various people who have impacted my faith in Christ but I’ll just name one more. Shirley Cain Barnhart. When we lived in La Porte, TX, Shirley had a huge impact on my life. She was one of those older women who did not shy away from sharing her experiences and advice but at the same time she didn’t force it on you either. Shirley taught our ladies’ Bible class. She was a loving mother/grandmother. She had made mistakes in her life prior to becoming a Christian and she never hesitated sharing them with us so we would not make the same mistakes. There isn’t any one particular thing she shared that comes to mind. It’s more of a life that is willing to give to others. She was always there to take care of whatever needed taking care of. I say “was” just because she isn’t here with me now but I know that she is still in La Porte taking care of whatever needs done. Thank you, Shirley, for teaching me to be a devoted mother, grandmother and wife.

I feel like the author of Hebrews in chapter 11 when he says, “Time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barack…” There are so many others who have helped me along the way. Some are faithful Christians who encouraged me to follow Christ as they have done. Some are unfaithful Christians whose lives have shown that a life without Christ is not what I want. Some are babes in Christ whose zeal for the word makes me want to be a better Christian. Some are seasoned Christians who know their days here on earth are limited. Their lives are truly a blessing to all who have been touched by them and I am thankful for each one.

I wrote a children’s song called “Thank You, Thank You, Thank You”. During a study of Timothy we were trying to teach the children that they should be thankful for those who teach them about Christ. Most of the song is self explanatory but the one little part about the “sweet little old lady who lives in the blue house right down the street from me” was about a couple here in Huntington — Tommy and Kathryn Gordon. They are an elderly couple who are always interested in teaching others. They regularly passed 2 little boys (about 9 and 10) on the way to church. They exchanged waves each time. One day they stopped and asked if the boys would like to go with them. The boys ran in to ask their parents who said, “yes”. Those boys rode with Tommy and Kathryn for several weeks after that and I was blessed to have them in my Bible class. What a lesson Tommy and Kathryn taught us all about taking the time to notice the little ones and simply to ask someone if they’d like to come learn about God. My hope and I’m sure theirs is as well is that these little boys who have since moved away might one day remember the kindness they were shown and be encouraged to follow Christ. Thank you Tommy and Kathryn for that wonderful lesson.

“Thank You, Thank You, Thank You”

It might be my mother or my daddy or the sweet little old lady
Yes the one that lives in the blue house just down the street from me.
It might be my uncle or my brother or my aunt or my big sister
Or a teacher or a preacher or a stranger that I meet.
It might be my grandpa or my grand ma who have always been so good to me
My cousin or my best friend that I’ve known since I was three.

No matter who it was or where it was or when it was or how it was
I thank you now for sharing Jesus’ great story with me.
There were times I wasn’t very thankful and I didn’t want to listen
But I did and now I know you did it ’cause you cared for me.
So, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you very much.