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9- |
Relay for Life Event |
Amherst Va |
Sing For Survivor Celebration |
6:15 PM |
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11- |
Lynch Station Baptist |
Lynch Station Va |
Preach |
11 A.M. |
|
15- |
Carriage Hill Retirement Hm |
Bedford Va. |
Sing |
4 P.M. |
|
16- |
Brookview Retirement Hm |
Keysville, Va. |
Sing for Residents |
10 A.M. |
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18- |
Stanton Baptist |
Moneta Va |
Preach |
10:45 P.M. |
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24- |
National D- |
Bedford, Va |
Sing |
7 P.M. |
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25- |
Lynch Station Baptist |
Lynch Station Va |
Preach |
11 A.M. |
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29- |
Toms Brook UMC |
Toms Brook, Va |
Sing |
10 A.M. |
Upcoming Events
Why do things happen the way they do?
I was in ninth grade at Liberty High School, sitting in Mr. Robert Ashwell's English class when the PA speakers disrupted the relative quietness of the moment with this alarm: MR ASHWELL, CAN YOU PLEASE SEND RICK DELLINGER TO MR. LEE'S OFFICE RIGHT AWAY". Being the class clown I usually was, as the rest of the kids made fun of the mysterious trouble I was now in, I acted as if "it" was in fact a gift to be sent to the principals office, all the while my mind was racing, wondering.... what HAD I done now? Mr. William N. Lee was the principal of Liberty at that time, and even though I'd only been in high school half a year, I had the dubious privilege of an audience with the big guy a couple of times already. For me it meant double trouble, because Mr. William N. Lee just happened to be an elder in my church as well, so I not only got it at school, but later I usually got in trouble at church too. I should explain, my dad had been pretty sick with heart problems for a couple of years, and that necessitated my sister and I to "live" with various church members, while my mom attended to my dad at McGuire VA Hospital in Richmond. Sometimes she would be gone 2, even 3 weeks at a time, depending on the situation, and the "church people" always took care of us. When I arrived in the office that day, things were somehow different than my previous visits.
There wasn't the "boy-you're-in-trouble-now- big-boy-looks" like I usually got, and the secretary was almost gracious as she took me back. When I walked into the office, I really began to get scared, because lo and behold, there stood my sister! First thing she said, was the first thing I thought.... what HAVE I done now, that it was SO BAD they had to call my sister in on it? In a few moments, the door opened, and in walked my principal, and my Pastor, Donald L. Gardner from Bedford Christian Church. As I remember it, there wasn't alot of mincing words. Basically Mr. Gardner did the talking, as tears ran down Mr. Lee's face. The words he said went something like this; "kids there was a problem with your dad this morning in Richmond, he had some sort of attack, an aneurysm moved, and he's gone". I was 15 years old? I was just beginning to figure out what life was all about, or so I thought? I remember watching their mouths move, but I couldn't understand the words any longer. Maybe I had heard enough, to the point I no longer chose to understand? Or maybe it was just more than I could comprehend?
March 6, 1973 was the day my father lost his struggle with life. He lived through a stint in the service where he spent time inside a tank with people shooting back at them. He lived through a broken back, lung surgery, eye surgery, heart surgery, and a truck wreck where his partner was killed. 35 years later, I've often wondered... why him? Why then? I went through 4 years of high school listening to other kids complain about their "old man" who treated them so badly, all the while wishing I could just TALK to my dad one more time. If life is really about learning lessons, I wondered long after I stopped being a kid, what WAS the lesson I was to learn here? I must admit, I was bitter at God for many years, and yes, there were even some days I was mad at my father for leaving me. For years I thought.... OK God, if there's something I'm supposed to GET from all this loss? You need to show me, because I can't see it?
Maybe the lesson is how precious life is in itself? The bible is very specific about our lives and how we are to approach each day. The scriptures tell us from the day we are born, our days are numbered... God knew the day you would be born, and yes, He even knows the day you will die. We as Christians believe God's word when it says our life is but a vapor, we're here... and then we're gone? Hebrews 9:27 tells us everyone will die once, unless the rapture occurs, its a fact of life. The old preachers used to say, "if you LIVE long enough, sooner or later you're going to DIE". But that only has to happen once... You see I believe my dad believed in Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and because of that belief, he only died a physical death. His spirit went to be with The Lord. The thief who hung beside Jesus on the cross asked Father, remember me when you reach your glory? And Jesus gave him the same reply He gives you and me today if we ask, Today, you WILL be with Me in paradise! But not if you don't believe. The bible is very plain; to be separated from God, is TOTAL separation. So much so, that you will die the second time, and be cast into a place more horrible than we could ever imagine. But God doesn't want it to be that way, and it doesn't HAVE to happen. You too can have assurance of an eternity spent with your heavenly Father, if you'll simply ask Him to come into your heart. If you're reading this, and you've never excepted Christ, has it occurred to you why you've read this far? Maybe God is speaking to your heart right now? Find the salvation page here on the website, and read God's plan of salvation, and PRAY for God to save your soul! Then let someone know what you've done. Get yourself in a good church. If you can't find a church, e-mail and I'll help you!
So maybe the lesson is, each year on March 6th, I'll continue to reminisce back on one of the darkest days of my young life, and I'll continue to try to understand what it is I'm supposed to learn from all this. I'm not ashamed to admit it, 35 years later, I still miss my daddy. But every day I live, I know now brings me closer to the day when soon my days too will be accomplished, and God will hopefully send an "angel band" with a greeting? Your Heavenly Father says, come on home.... and your dads waiting too!
In Remembrance of my dad 
Gordon Rinker Dellinger
May 5, 1926 - March 6, 1973