Why I love old folks... Part II

In my previous post, I talked about some of the reasons why I love the seniors I minister to @ FBC Crowley. I want to add another reason why I love old folks. W. H. "Boog" Kitchens.

I love old folks because I had the best old folks to be around when I was growing up. My examples of old folks were not the cantankerous old folks that you see in Grumpy Old Men, or read about in church planting articles. My rememberances of old folks come from my grandparents, and they were all a hoot. I never really knew my Dad's father much. He died when I was young, but I do remember him being a loving grandfather. My grandmothers were lively, fun, and always loving. But then there was the best grandparent a kid could ever ask for,............... W. H. "Boog" Kitchens.

I love old folks because of my mother's father, Boog. Boog was hilarious. He used to get on the floor and play with us. He made paper hats and would draw pictures with us. Boog would take me fishing, and show me the coolest car in the world, that would run without a key in the ignition! Boog would take us to town, and buy us candy. Boog would let me wear his old "Bear Bryant" Hat in the store even when it embarrassed him because it was so old and dirty. Boog would let us ride with him on the "Big Red Mower," and would "water" my sister and I with the flowers. What a great example of an older person.

I learned to love Boog even more as I got older. I would sit with Boog on the porch swing at his house, and we would talk about what it meant to be a good person. Those talks made me want to be one. He would poke fun at me and ask me about my girlfriends, which I did not have at the time. It helped me understand that a little ribbing is an ok thing. Boog was the one who taught me how to work with wood by making rubber band guns, and rubber band boats. I still love to make furniture, and work with my hands today. Boog was a prankster, and a great joke/story teller. It is from him that I developed my sense of humor, and my love to sit around and talk with friends. Boog's influence really shaped my life.

I finally learned how to deal with some tough times because of Boog. Unfortunately, I didn't learn how to deal with tough times because Boog sat me down and talked with me about them, but rather because Boog brought them on. W.H. Kitchens fell and broke his hip, and because of diabetes he had to have his leg removed below the knee. Boog later died because of complications to the surgery to remove his leg. All this crushed me. My favorite person in the whole world had gone to be with the Lord, and I did not know how to handle it. I didn't go insane, or get depressed, but I did have to start thinking about life in a different way. In his death, Boog taught me that I needed something outside of myself to help me through hard days. I eventually was awakened to the fact that laying my cares on God, through Christ and his Holy Spirit were the only way to deal with my toughest days. From Boog I realized that I needed to live for God, and trust in him.

So, that is why I love old folks. I had the best examples as I grew up. I had lovable examples, and so I love old folks now.