Tribute to a Hidden Arrow

Yesterday would have been Dad’s 94^th Birthday. It’s hard to believe he’s been gone for a year. Yes, gone from us, but home in heaven with the Savior he loved above all. During his lifetime, we often combined celebrations of Dad’s birthday with Labor Day Weekend. I still remember the barbecue turkey and strawberry shortcake! So, thoughts of Dad are very much present this Labor Day Monday.

This morning, Lynn and I read and talked about the familiar story of King David’s mighty men found in 2 Samuel 23:13-17. We gave thought to the three warriors who heard David’s complaint of thirst, while he sought refuge at the cave of Adullam from the Philistines in the Valley of Rephaim. And, it was not just for water that he thirsted, but for water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem. As the story goes, the three mighty warriors, risking life and limb, fetched water from that well and brought it to their beloved King. But, the King did not consume the water in huge desperate gulps. No, because of the supreme value he placed on the selfless sacrifice of the three mighty men, David poured the water out on the ground as a holy libation to the Lord.

It occurred to me, that God was speaking to me about my father, but also of my mother, and each of my grandparents, those “mighty for God people” in my life. So, in my journal this morning, I wrote these words:

“Grateful people pour out to others the blessings God has given them, which came to them on the shoulders of those who have gone before them.”

Dad, you may not hear my voice above the roar of the saints and angels who sing praises around the throne of God, but if perchance you can, please know I am grateful to God for you!

God help me pour out, what you’ve so richly poured into my life, through those upon whose shoulders I stand!

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hiddenarrows

So, who is this guy? Ed has had over 30 years of ministry experience, sixteen of them as the pastor and lead elder of Greenwoods Community Church in the southwest corner of Massachusetts. More recently he fulfilled a four year term as the transitional pastor at Leesburg Alliance Church, Leesburg, Florida. In addition, Ed has had nearly 13 years of experience in the field of geriatric healthcare. Ed is happily married to Lynn, having recently celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary. Lynn is a true partner in ministry, having served Greenwoods Community Church as its Children's Ministry Coordinator for over ten years. She is a decorator, colorist, instructor in furniture painting techniques, and an artist in her own right. Lynn is also active as a women’s outreach speaker for Stonecroft Ministries in Florida. Together Ed and Lynn have a mingled family, consisting of ten adult children and twenty-three grandchildren, scattered north and south, and coast to coast across America. God has given Ed a burden to be a mentor pastor, developing leaders for the church in the 21st Century. One way in which he is fulfilling that calling is through Rockbridge Seminary, where he serves as an adjunct professor of Spiritual Formation. Ed has earned degrees from Cairn University (B.S. 1971), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M. 1979), and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (D.Min. 2007). He has published several articles on the Spiritual Heritage of Litchfield County, Connecticut, and led several tours of sites associated with the Village Revivals that spawned the Second Great Awakening in New England. In his spare time, you are likely to find Ed at the piano or pecking out a blog on his blog page, https://hiddenarrows.blog View all posts by hiddenarrows

2 thoughts on “Tribute to a Hidden Arrow”

What a blessing, thank you for sharing this Dr. E! My Dad would have been 90 last month. I think fondly of him often everyday. A good and hard-working man all his life, he came to the saving knowledge of Jesus on his death bed, a mere 6 hours before he passed. Like you, the emptiness I feel at the loss of his physical presence cannot compare to the joy I have that he’s along side your father (and countless others), singing praises to our Heavenly Dad.
Blessings,
Chuck

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