I am awakened in the wee hours of this morning…with thoughts of my dear Aunt Freida (my mother’s only living sister), my Uncle George, and their children, my cousins…the Heuer family.
In all of my growing up years, I remember living with an abiding anticipation of the visits that my family would make from our home in Illinois to their home in Columbia, South Carolina, and vice-versa. There was nothing that we (the Hindmans) longed for more than those times when our families could be together. With four children in each family, it was guaranteed fun for us. There was the natural familial bond that existed between our families, and then there was a special, additional bond created by our mutual faith in God. My mother (who was the youngest in her family) always especially admired Aunt Freida, as anyone who knew her, would. She was, and still is I am sure, a gentle, loving soul…with much the same sweetness to her personality as our dear Grandma Enyart.
Just this past week, Uncle George has passed from this life and he is now in the presence of the Lord. This, I know. I have been remembering him and the ways that this man, who truly was an Uncle-in-Love (by marriage), touched my life. Some of the things that I recall about Uncle George just make me smile…random memories.
On one occasion, Uncle George had purchased several girls’ hats from Roses just after Easter…so we (his daughters and my sister and I) chose our favorites. It seemed such an awesome bounty to me. Thanks, Uncle George!
I remember a car trip from South Carolina to Illinois. My cousin, Lonnie, had gone home with my brother, Ron, and I had stayed in Columbia with my cousin, Janet. It was a “kid-switch” trip, I am sure…as there were several of those throughout the years. Anyway, it was just Aunt Freida, Uncle George, Janet and I in the car. The thing that stands out to me about the trip was that Uncle George chose the station-scan feature on the car radio, and played it like that during the entire nineteen hour trip, never stopping on one station to listen. Aunt Freida begged him to stop it on a station, but it seems to me that we listened to the radio like that for the whole trip. Music…static…talking…static….commercial…static…music…static, etc. It was funny to me, especially in the areas where no stations would come through…just static…static…static. That still makes me smile. I am sure that he was just trying to stay awake.
Church played a big role in all of our lives. It seemed like we were either going to church, talking about church, or the kids were “playing church”. Those were wonderful days and wonderful times.
Even though I went to church every Sunday morning and night, Tuesday night and Friday night (not counting revival services), it was at Uncle George’s church that I grew “hungry” for the infilling of the Holy Spirit…and was subsequently, baptized in the Spirit. That was significant in my life. Thanks, Uncle George!
As a little girl, I remember hugs and encouragement from Uncle George…and in the few drive-by visits with him after I became an adult…the same. We never parted ways without prayer. I smile as I recall that Uncle George’s prayers were always marked with a rhythmic “bounce” of fervency. I am confident that he prayed for us all many times throughout his life.
There were and are a lot of things about Uncle George that I don’t know or can’t remember…because we (our families) grew up and life and it’s responsibilities happened…but Uncle George had a definite impact on my life. I cannot separate a memory of him from an impression of his faith. There was no question about the fact that he loved God and that his passion for the Lord defined him.
Uncle George was a fine, godly man, husband and father, who touched countless lives and I just want to honor him and his memory today. I loved him and I will always be thankful that he was a part of my life.
The abiding anticipation that I live with now is not necessarily a family gathering in this life…although that would be a blessed gift…but it is an abiding anticipation of the day when we all gather around the throne of God. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins (so many who have gone before)…family and friends…to lay our crowns at His feet in worship. For believers (as we are) this is only a temporary separation. We will all be together again…and his home-going will only make the family reunion that much sweeter.
I love you, Uncle George! I’ll see you later…
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only,
but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
II Timothy 4:8
