I've been pondering a statement made a little while ago that daddy wouldn't be pleased with the work we are doing in our community with the Foundation because we are bringing attention to ourselves. Even though daddy is no longer with us, I still want to please him and I find myself gauging some of my life's decisions based on what I think would make him proud and would meet his approval. So of course it is critically important that what we do within the organization for which he is the inspiration honors his memory and glorifies Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd.
Daddy had a gift of recognizing a person's need without their asking. He also had that "charisma" about him that drew folks to him. Robert Phillips told me, "you just wanted to be around him". He went about fulfilling needs in a very unassuming and quiet way and never did it for his own glory. He always wanted to be last. We have pulled together as a group to seek to accomplish the tasks of meeting the needs of our neighbors, although not in the exact way daddy did it, but still with the same motivation. Neighbors helping neighbors - "doing good deeds".
The Tuscaloosa News published an article on June 22, 2002 about daddy's inspiration and motivation for putting a 6 foot statue of The Good Shepherd in his yard. In the interview, daddy is quoted as saying, "I didn't do this because I wanted glory. I did it to glorify The Lord". He hoped it would "get people to think and do good deeds." When we publicize an event we are doing as a group, it is not for the purpose of bragging or bringing glory to ourselves, it is 1. to share the love of Jesus Christ; 2. to encourage those who are down on their luck; and 3. to motivate and inspire others to do good deeds.
