Who on earth inspires you and why?
I don't know how many people read my blog but I would love to know who makes you smile each day. What is it about them that makes you want to be around them? What is it about them that makes you feel good?
I have many I'll share later!
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4 comments:
The world makes me smile. Strangers a bus stops make me smile. Courteous people holding the door for me make me smile. AA members make me smile. My staff makes me smile. And then here's a short list:
Aaron Henley
Shon Kendall
Jamie Self
Julia Thornton
Melissa Smith
Chad Hughes
Becky Andrews
About 10,000 others
and of course, my friend, YOU!!!!
My children are my inspiration. I think that is adequately reflected by my blog. Our conversations often make me laugh and even more often they make me think... because children don't know they shouldn't ask certain questions or what is an acceptable observation. They just say what they think, and that kind of honesty is beautiful.
There are 4 blog entries that have provoked me to think this week. Terry Rush wrote about being targeted by the enemy. Wade and Heather Hodges have each sounded off about leadership in the church, but I think the most thought provoking entry this week was a question humbly penned by Brenda: Who inspires you?
I found myself contemplating this while I jogged this week, and thought I’d try to articulate my answer. God has put plenty of people in my life to provide the inspiration I needed to bring me to the point he wants me today.
Nora Nadine Denton-Yerton: My Granny – she was a woman ahead of her time. Aside from raising four children she also owned and managed a family Laundromat, was a den mother for many years and city wide PTA president for several terms. As the first of 13 grandchildren I enjoyed a few yeas as an only grandchild and bonded as deeply with her as my own mother (as my mother lived with her during my father’s deployment to Vietnam). She helped mold and nurture my spirit from birth.
Thomas Roland Yerton: My Papa – was a rough and tough cop and eventually spent 29 years running the Tulsa Police Academy. After a bought with cancer he softened his rugged exterior letting his soft insides show for all to see.
As people began owning their own washing machines in the 60's he sold the family business and became a repair man to supplement his income and the entire mid-town Tulsa came to love this cop-turned-washer-repair-guy. As a young boy I would go with him every Saturday to fix washing machines and as he worked he would minister to people. Often staying hours after he slipped on a new washer belt to help them resolve their domestic and personal problems. I think it was from him that I learned to taking that extra few minutes to listen to someone – just to listen – can make a world of difference to them.
Carrie Etta McClain-Yerton: My paternal great grandmother – balanced out the numerous prejudices of her husband and instilled a love for God in her 8 children that endures still today in her grandchildren, great grand children and great great grandchildren. At least 12 of her 60+ great grandchildren are deeply involved in ministry work of some type. As a teenager I spent many weekends mowing her lawn and helping her work in her garden, and as we worked she would tell me about her own childhood. Like many born in the early 1900 in Indian Territory she and her family farmed the land they lived on and enjoyed the excitement of a new frontier, and a new state. From her I learned the value of hard work and the rewards that come through sweat equity. More importantly I learned the difference between being prideful and taking pride-in-a-job-well-done
Ira Eugene Cowen: My maternal grandfather – Had a heart for God and spreading the gospel, but a very limited vision, and had they known about it when he was young would have definitely been diagnosed ADD. He was a goofy sort of guy who you just could not help but love. He was always learning more about life and expanding his understanding of what living out God’s will meant; eventually extending God’s love and grace, and seeking personal forgiveness from, his gay brother and sister-in-law , both of whom whose lifestyle he preached against and for along time condemned. Even as he approached his 80’s he continued to impress me as he shed the church traditions he held as Gospel and expanded his mind to see all people as God saw them. As he shed his pharasetic vesture and became more Christ-like in his witness, he touched more lives than he ever did as an Oklahoma/Arkansas circuit preacher teaching strict compliance with non-biblical church of Christ heritage values. I think the biggest lesson I learned from my grandpa is that you should always, always, be willing to learn and to constantly reassess what’s important in life, in love, and in spiritual matters.
Oprah and Joyce Myers-has always presented information that challenged my thinking and understanding of different point of view. I find their personal struggles and determination to rise above their circumstances truly inspirational stories.
Brad Voss – In a moment of quite talk God used him as a vessel to truly change the direction of my life and spin me on my ear. He inspired me to stop and listen as God was talking to me, to follow His lead and have faith that He will take care of me and my family.
Barbara Henry and Ruby Bridges inspired me to be brave in the face of mortal danger. To stand up for what is right, no matter the cost, and no matter how bleak the outcome may seem – because God can intervene at a moments notice and turn even the ugliest of circumstances on its ear.
Tom Stone and the Stone family – forced by the Indian Removal act to uproot from Kentucky and move to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears this g-g-grandfather not only found the strength and determination to do so , but was able to turn an awful event in to immense blessing for him and his family in Oklahoma. In all of their struggle and turmoil, he took in my g-g-grandmother and her unborn child, married her, and raised that child as his own. The Stone family legacy is one of enveloping the neediest among us and setting them back on their feet. If not for the extreme kindness of a family who was suffering the most horrible persecution from the government they fought boldly to preserve just a few years before, I would not be here.
Bill Shaffer- The scoutmaster of troop 26. While he has no children of his own, he has been a father figure to many. He is truly incredible. His legacy to me is one of being selfless; to plant even though I may never see the reaping.
Terry Rush – while I do not know him personally, I find his blogging intriguing and inspired by his relationship with God’s Holy Spirit. Somehow he always seems to post a message that speaks to my heart just when I need it.
What strikes me odd as I write this is that I really have no one who I am in a relationship with now that provides inspiration, save Christ – and I'm not sure how to feel about that.
Yes, Christ alone should be all anyone needs. But, now that I’ve written about these great people from my past whom I have looked up to and who have early on laid the stones of the path I followed through my youth, I find myself suddenly yearning for someone to inspire me now – and I differentiate between inspire and lead – I don’t know that I need led by anyone other than Christ, but would like to be affiliated with some one who truly inspires, encourages, and provides guidance ( the word shepherd comes to mind).
I suppose equally important to Brenda’s question of who inspires me, is who am I inspiring?
So who inspires you?
I also agree with Terry - BECKY ANDREWS inspires me. The first time I ever participated in a VBS I was paired with Becky as we led our little tribe of Judah around the 29AD marketplace. And now, the way she handles ISWW - wow! I know what kind of job that is, is she does it with such seeming ease - and with such humility - very inspiring!!!!
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