The Parable of the Duct Tape

Posted from Pinson, AL-

I attended a funeral for a good friend today. He was one of my Chili Cook-off Buddies and I am going to miss him. But I didn't stop in to tell you about someone you really don't know. I did stop in to tell you about the lessons my friend is still teaching from Heaven's shore.




Wade, Brad, Ragan, Betty and Chef Clayton - 2007 Alabama Wildlife Federation Wild Game Cook-off State Champs





Ragan's pastor, Brother David Awtrey, of First Baptist Church Pinson told us of Ragan's Duct Tape Bible. He supplied the following Parable of the Duct Tape. (Pastor, I will try to do your message justice here because it is extremely relevant and highly noteworthy).

When something is broken, the first thing that usually comes to mind (at least my redneck mind) to repair it is duct tape. Duct tape fixes everything! I recall a local morning show character, Earl Pitts, from years ago citing duct tape and a coat hanger to fix everything from a broken tv antenna to the radiator in your car. Even the NASCAR crews use duct tape to repair fenders on wrecked race cars. I mean they go to great expense to create these super fast machines yet they trust simple duct tape to hold it all together after a crash. Jesus is like the duct tape. When we are broken and beat up He can fix us. Patching us up like the duct tape on a race car, Jesus can heal the hurt, He can mend a broken heart and He can restore our sinful lives to glory through His ultimate sacrifice on the cross.

Duct tape is also quite hard to tear. Duct tape is very durable, I mean look at those race cars. When they've been damaged the sheet metal flops around and threatens to fall off at every bump. But, once the crew starts carefully placing it on the ruptured sheet metal, the car becomes sturdy again. When we read God's Word daily, He will make us so that we don't tear so easily when the trials come. And when we have Jesus in our lives He binds us with His love and makes us sturdy again so we can weather the storm.

Lastly, Duct tape sticks to just about everything. Jesus is this way with us; He sticks by us through the storm. He never lets go of us. He told us He would never leave us nor forsake us. If we stick with Jesus, He will guide us in every aspect of our lives. He will hold on to us through the storms of life. When the wind blows and the waves threaten to sink us, He will calm the storm. We need to put our trust in Christ and stick by Him just as He sticks by us.

I will never look at another piece of duct tape the same. In fact I need a good bookmark since my last one is quite worn. Seems to me a small piece of duct tape should do the trick and last me a good long time. Not only will it serve to mark my place as I study my Bible but it will remind me of a dear friend and the fun we had at work and at play. So long, until we meet on that Beautiful Shore, Ragan! I am proud to have known you and thanks for being my friend!

Psalm 34:8

Time Flies By

Posted from Pinson, AL ---



Wow!!! What a weekend!!! I have just attended my 20 year High School Reunion and it was a blast. I can't believe it has been 20 years since we graduated high school. Everyone that attended was still looking great after 20 years; as one classmate mentioned, "Time has been a friend to all of you!!". Michelle, I couldn't have said it better. But, it is amazing how time flies by.



It seems like just yesterday we were cruising the Wal-mart parking lot or the local theater. We spent so much time together not just in class but in the band, on the football field, volleyball or basketball courts, and all the sign painting parties for the pep rallies. Those were good times and times we will not only cherish for a lifetime but times that we will miss as the stresses of the day press upon us in our adult lives. Time flies by.



There were many conspicuously missing from the events of the weekend, each unable to attend due to a schedule conflict or perhaps for some other reason. But there were nine classmates who had no choice of whether to attend or not. Nine classmates taken from us all too soon. Lives cut short by disease, illness, and unexpected accidents. I'm sure other classes have lost more of their beloved friends over a twenty year period but these are different. These were OUR BELOVED FRIENDS... they were the class of '87... THE BEST... and we miss them dearly. We've bid them farewell but we'll 'Never Say Goodbye'. Boy, how the time flies by.



We are planning some more frequent events. Maybe we'll find it easier to keep in touch if we see each other more often. As we grow older we'll start to find that there are more and more missing from our ranks. So, we should try harder to keep in touch because, just as we leaned on each other through our glory days, I believe we'll need each other even more as the time flies by.



As for me, we may not have been the closest of friends in high school but each of you have played a part in my life. Even if you never uttered one word to me, you have helped to shape my life and I am thankful that I met you all and I am a better person for having known each of you; I love you all!!



And as the time flies by, we will spread our wings like the proud Eagles we are, and we will soar on the winds of time.



Erwin Eagles Class of '87

"One Hell of a Class"



Brad





Technorati Tags: High School, Reunion, Friendship

School Days

From the faded hallways of my mind as I reminisce about my high school days –

As I read and add posts about my upcoming 20 year class reunion on the reunion website, I can’t help but think of another first in my life. My daughter, Jordan, started to K4 last week. I didn’t tell Jennifer or Jordan that I planned to go with them to take her to class on her first day. Boy, were they surprised and happy. I had always planned to do this when the time came, though I didn’t know if I would be sad or if she would scream her head off and not let go of mommy and daddy, I wanted to be there for my baby girl. I am happy to report that her first day was quite uneventful; in fact she went straight to her seat and simply told mommy and daddy bye. I am grateful that she enjoys school very much and she is eager to learn.

I began to recall my own first day of school and how eager I was to learn, too. I thought of all the friends I had made over the years and all of the good times and some of the bad. You know, it is quite funny some of the things you do remember. As I recall my high school days, I remember many things but the memories I treasure most are the friendships. Some have continued and grown and flourished over the years and some were fleeting acquaintances along life’s highway. No matter what the level of relationship was back then, though we may have been best of friends or maybe we just shared a class together, I am thankful for having known each and everyone of my classmates. I hope I can pass on to my children how important it is to have a few solid friendships; those that last through the test of time, girlfriends/boyfriends, being grounded, good times and bad. And to also have relationships with others that may not last but they do create fond memories of our youth.

So, to Paige, Everett, Mike and Tracy; thank you for being there whether I was up or down, happy or sad, serious or clowning around, and for accepting me for who I was. To all the rest of my classmates, thank you for being a part of my life and thank you for sharing your lives with me. Know that I care for each and every one of you and no matter what our level of relationship was or is; you can always count on me.

Brad Walker