Growing up a pastor’s kid you realize early on that not everyone is in your life because they just like you. Some people hang around because they want a close relationship with the pastor, some because they have a messed up theology and want to be closer to God, some because they want something from the church. Then on the other hand some don’t come around because you are in the pastor’s family. Maybe they don’t like the church, a leadership style, the worship, or they don’t know how to socially interact with pastor’s kids (which by the way is no different than interacting with anyone else).
Honestly, nobody ever pointed this out to me, I just somehow figured it out…sometimes I was treated differently, good or bad. Looking back at my childhood and beyond, in those most formative years, very few people pop out in my mind as someone who genuinely cared for me and my family, no motives.
Jerry is one of those people. I have very early and vivid memories of Jerry eating dinner on Wednesday nights in the church fellowship hall. You walk in the door and to the far left all the way on the end was where Jerry sat every week.
This also happened to be where my family chose to sit as well…probably because Jerry was there. I remember as a child taking my dinner over to that table, setting it down gently, anticipating the meal that was to come, after all I had been outside playing ball for the last 2-3 hours and I was famished. Every week after setting down my dinner I needed to go locate a drink. Mmmm…sweet tea! Ok, honestly I didn’t like the tea the church ladies made every week, but my parents weren’t about to get me a soda. That’s ok…the tea wasn’t so bad that five or six packs of Sweet N’ Low couldn’t fix it.
After making my special concoction I would always return to the same seat where I had left my food a minute prior. It was gone…it was always gone! Perhaps the entire meal, just the dessert or anything in between, I never sat back down to the complete meal that I had placed there. After several minutes of searching Jerry would always get me to look somewhere for my food and by the time my eyes returned to my place setting the food had been returned.
I always knew Jerry would take it. Although to this day I am not sure where he hid it, I never really cared. It was always a genuine interaction with an adult and I loved it! Each week I looked forward to that game with Jerry…he is awesome.
Jerry was the hardest working man the world has ever known (not exaggerating). He probably mowed 10 yards a day, starting early in the morning and going to dark. He was a work monster, a former Army Ranger (hoaah!), he new about the benefit of working hard, he could not be slowed.
One summer Jerry needed help. So who did he hire? Me. This was the era well before iPods and easily portable tunes, boom-boxes were still the rage. Actually as I remember it, Walkmen had just come out…which means you needed a thing call a “cassette tape.” One day with Jerry, I asked him if it was ok while mowing to being listening to my cassette player. He said “no problem, if I need you I will throw something at you.” I guess I assumed this meant he would throw something near me to get my attention. Boy, was I wrong. One time, Jerry needed me. He hit exactly where he intended and I never wore my headphones again while working for him. I love Jerry, he is one of a kind. I still flinch when turning on my iPod.
The sad truth about life is you rarely meet Jerry’s. People who love God so much that they love those around them without wanting anything in return. I had thousands of moments with Jerry, from him calling me to ride my bike to his house to see the rabbits that were just born in his yard, or him teaching my dad and I to make a pine-wood derby car (that’s right, he taught both of us…at the same time). When thinking of Jerry I can’t help but smile thinking of all the laughter and joking.
At 6:16 this morning I received a text message from my dad it read, “Jerry just went home.” He had battled Leukemia and won, but it was the toxic treatments that took him down. A moment of deep sadness quickly turned to excitement and happiness. Happiness for Jerry, he is now with his Creator. Happiness that I was blessed by God to know a man like Jerry.
I don’t know if I would have turned out differently had I never knew Jerry. But, I do know that God put Jerry in my life for a reason and for that I am eternally grateful.
I fully expect, while at my first meal in heaven after returning from getting a drink that I will find my dessert missing.
Love you Jerry, see you soon!
