When you woke up this morning, it is my prayer that you thought of yourself before anyone else, and declared how special a person you are in so many ways. You may be a special wife, parent, sibling, friend, spouse, etc., but you never remind yourself that you are special also. If you don’t do it, in many instances it will never be shared and said unless you say it to yourself. Give God thanks for being his masterpiece, made in his own image.
God has blessed all of us to meet some special people in our lifetime. In this message, I wish to concentrate on some very special people in my life solely from Calvert County, Maryland. My wife and I will always be indebted to them, for they have meant so much to us. None of us should leave this earth without telling some people who are genuinely noteworthy to us that they were and still are indeed appreciated. Take time and write them or visit them. Let them know they are special.
Just a few days ago, we funeralized my mother-in-law who I considered to be a very remarkable person. She was the woman who gave birth to my wife, so for that, she was special. There were other characteristics about her that caused me to have fond memories of her. For three years, Mother Ray and Daddy Ray allowed my wife and me to live in their home. There were some days that I loved her dearly, but there were others I wanted to choke her (LOL). Make no mistake, there were days she not only wanted to choke me, but to make sure I was out of her sight (LOL). Over the years we grew to love and respect each other immensely. Stories have been told about the difficult and tough life she had to live and the people she had to take care of at an early age. She did it because she was extraordinary.
I take great pride in the fact that I helped my mother-in-law pass her GED. She was determined to fulfill her calling to be a part of the medical profession. Before she could do so, she needed something to show that she had a high school diploma. We rejoice in the fact that she lived out her dream and became a Patient Care Technician.
When you look back over your life, think about those people who were special and supported you in your endeavors.
Remember, this is about Calvert County significant people. The Spriggs, Easton, Plater, Ray, Jones, Fowlers, Smith and Johnson families will always be dear to our hearts. When we look at the footprints in our concrete in our home, we think about the Easton and Plater family who charged us nothing. When we look at the framing and siding on our home, we see the fingerprints of the Spriggs, Smith and Jones families. When we hear the voices of encouragement and support, we think about the Ray family. When reminiscing about relationships, we include to the building block, the Johnson and Fowler families.
All of the above families are appreciated, but it was in Calvert County where I met the aforementioned families who I called the “Praise the Lord People”. It was not customary for me to call someone on the telephone and the first thing they said was, “Praise the Lord.” The answering machine even said, “Praise the Lord.” Even when you saw these families in public, their salutation was, “Praise the Lord.” I asked myself, who are these “Praise the Lord People?” It was easily determined that they were people who loved the Lord and were thankful for all He had done in their lives. These were people who saw their parents and grandparents rise above their circumstances and they were simply giving God praises and thanks. Don’t get me wrong, I knew the Lord for myself, but I was not a member of the “Praise the Lord” assembly at that time. These were spiritual and sanctified folk, and their spiritual being caused me to be a better Christian. Their “Praise the Lord” was sincere, and not a cliché’.
Matthew 5:16 tells us: “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:14: “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?”
We are reminded of the company we keep. I take exception with the apostle Paul somewhat, for how can we influence unbelievers if we do not associate with them? The key point I believe is that we should be an influence on the world rather than the world influencing the believers.
Just my thoughts!
Robert Earl Slade, Pastor
