When Guy Sayles called me to go Seminary, no one was more proud that Granddaddy and Grandma Carver.
During my 5th year of College, Guy calls me on the phone and tells me to come to Seminary and so I do.
That's how I got "called".
My grandfather, Ira Vernon Carver, was an uneducated man who loved learning, especially everything he could about the Bible, and in his sixties is trying to teach himself Greek! He wants to read the New Testament the way it was written. He and Grandma are the epitome of good people trying to follow Jesus as best as they know how.
When I tell them I'm attending the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, they are estatic!
"Our prayers have been answered," Grandma gleefully exclaims and I make a mental note to tell Guy.
They visited several times and once I impulsively ask if Granddad wants to attend classes with me and he's beside himself with excitement.
He dresses for it as he always did, wearing a white shirt, red tie, dark sweater vest and trousers. I wear an old football jersey, jeans with holes in the knees and boots. He fits completely in with the other students making our way through crowded hallways.
Dr. Dale Moody is preparing to begin his "Systemic Theology" lecture when he spies my grandfather beside me.
"Who is our visiting dignitary?" Dr. Moody asks gravely.
"This is my grandfather," I proudly announce, "Rev. Ira Craver, Rothwell Baptist Church, in Pooler, Georgia.
I don't really care for Dr. Moody, having no idea why theology needs to be systematized in the first place. This is my second class from him and I'm not enjoying this one much either. So I'm completely unprepared for what happens next.
"Rev. Carver," he beams broadly from the podium, "would you please honor us and lead the class in prayer before we begin?"
My grandfather is in shock and doesn't move. I stare at him and then at Dr. Moody. The silence is deafening!
Dr. Moody strolls over to my grandfather and places his hand on his shoulder.
During my 5th year of College, Guy calls me on the phone and tells me to come to Seminary and so I do.
That's how I got "called".
My grandfather, Ira Vernon Carver, was an uneducated man who loved learning, especially everything he could about the Bible, and in his sixties is trying to teach himself Greek! He wants to read the New Testament the way it was written. He and Grandma are the epitome of good people trying to follow Jesus as best as they know how.
When I tell them I'm attending the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, they are estatic!
"Our prayers have been answered," Grandma gleefully exclaims and I make a mental note to tell Guy.
They visited several times and once I impulsively ask if Granddad wants to attend classes with me and he's beside himself with excitement.
He dresses for it as he always did, wearing a white shirt, red tie, dark sweater vest and trousers. I wear an old football jersey, jeans with holes in the knees and boots. He fits completely in with the other students making our way through crowded hallways.
Dr. Dale Moody is preparing to begin his "Systemic Theology" lecture when he spies my grandfather beside me.
"Who is our visiting dignitary?" Dr. Moody asks gravely.
"This is my grandfather," I proudly announce, "Rev. Ira Craver, Rothwell Baptist Church, in Pooler, Georgia.
I don't really care for Dr. Moody, having no idea why theology needs to be systematized in the first place. This is my second class from him and I'm not enjoying this one much either. So I'm completely unprepared for what happens next.
"Rev. Carver," he beams broadly from the podium, "would you please honor us and lead the class in prayer before we begin?"
My grandfather is in shock and doesn't move. I stare at him and then at Dr. Moody. The silence is deafening!
Dr. Moody strolls over to my grandfather and places his hand on his shoulder.
"Rev. Carver, we are indeed honored to have a Minister who is out there doing the Lord's work, like you are, that I ask you, please lead us in prayer."
And he leads my granddaddy to the podium, turns him towards the class without moving his hand off my grandad's shoulder.
And my Granddaddy prays.
And I cry.
An uneducated itinerant preacher leads us all within the hallowed academic institution of higher learning (at least it was in those days)in prayer.
He was mostly quiet the rest of the day.
He smiled, shook hands, marveled in the library, drank endless cups of coffee in the cafeteria but didn't have much to say.
Back home he found Grandma and the two of them disappeared for a while.
When they left a few days later, hugging and telling him I love him, he whispers in my ear, "Thank you."
It makes me cry now, writing this out.
There was nothing systematic about that day but the theology sure was pure.
I think about this now because my Mom reminds me of it, and she had told my Uncle Jerry (who's going through very similar stuff as me) and they decided I'd never written the story down and need to do it right now!
And he leads my granddaddy to the podium, turns him towards the class without moving his hand off my grandad's shoulder.
And my Granddaddy prays.
And I cry.
An uneducated itinerant preacher leads us all within the hallowed academic institution of higher learning (at least it was in those days)in prayer.
He was mostly quiet the rest of the day.
He smiled, shook hands, marveled in the library, drank endless cups of coffee in the cafeteria but didn't have much to say.
Back home he found Grandma and the two of them disappeared for a while.
When they left a few days later, hugging and telling him I love him, he whispers in my ear, "Thank you."
It makes me cry now, writing this out.
There was nothing systematic about that day but the theology sure was pure.
I think about this now because my Mom reminds me of it, and she had told my Uncle Jerry (who's going through very similar stuff as me) and they decided I'd never written the story down and need to do it right now!
So they made me do it.
But I've had the most marvelous time visiting with them again today, crying like a baby.
___________
But I've had the most marvelous time visiting with them again today, crying like a baby.
___________
I had no idea how hard my celebration of life would be! Hear all about it at
https://gofund.me/ffda4f4b
