Where Are They Now?

Huntsville, AL. 26 June 2007., The Athens FCC was expecting to welcome two new additions to its "booming" membership today as the Carter family and the Ogles returned home from long trips to China. Unfortunately, the expected arrival of Lily Mei Carter and Paul William Ogles today at Huntsville International Airport did not happen, much to the disappointment of the massive crowd that had gathered to officially welcome them home. I should say that both the Athens FCC and the Decatur FCC were very well represented in the welcoming committee. But, alas, problems with Northwest Airlines resulted in cancelled flights and disappointed well-wishers. We were so disappointed because all of us know how important and how moving it is to arrive back in the United States and to have an airport full of friends and family there to show their support for you. So, we pray that alternate travel plans will result in both families arriving home safely tomorrow - or even later tonight.

On the other hand, it did make for a nice reunion for four little "Jiangxi Girls." Lily Grace, Grace Anna, Katie Lin, and Addie Liu all hail from Jiangxi Province in China. Is God up to something here or what? I mean, how else could you explain four little girls from the same province in China, half a world away, ending up in North Alabama within a few miles of each other. That is awesome. We also know of at least three other "Jiangxi Girls" who live in Limestone County. Check out the pics below. And yes, Sonya, you may pirate these till your heart's content! In fact, I have a really good one of you and Katie Lin - if you wish to have it I will send it by email. A good one of you and Addie Liu too Alisha - I can send it by email too if you wish.




Waiting patiently for Paul William and Lily Mei

Let's Paint Our Fingernails and Toenails

Yes, I have gone off the deep end, but no I am not planning soon to take up the habit of putting good model car paint to use on my fingers or toes. It's a reference to a cool little birthday party Lily Grace went to. It's been awhile since this birthday party, but the pictures were just too good not to share. So here goes.

"I'm the birthday girl, can you tell?"


Kate is one of Lily Grace's best friends in life. And she just turned three. She shares a special bond, along with Sarah, in their heritage and the circumstances of their lives. It really amazes me to see these three little girls together. It's almost like they each know deep in their hearts what the others have been through. They seem to know instantly what each of the others is thinking. Kate is the silly one, always stirring up laughter with the other two, while Sarah is the more reflective one. The look Sarah often has on her face when she watches the other two seems to say "There they go again, I told them not to do that." Lily Grace seems to be somewhere in between the two. She can be silly or reflective, depending on the cirmcumstances. However, good luck to Kate and Sarah if they try to get a word in edgewise around Lily Grace. Lily talks a blue streak. For Heaven's sake, sometimes we can't even get a word in! When they hug each other, it's as though Kate and Sarah and Lily Grace have known each other all their lives but haven't seen one another in years. It's as though they are saying to each other "I know, sweetheart, me too."


"Kailee in a reflective momemt."

"Karlee has that wind-blown look!"

Anyway, Kate celebrated with her sisters Karlee and Kailee by having a totally girl party and they invited Lily Grace to come over and join them. Somewhere I missed the memo on what this party was about and that the men were supposed to stay home. Last time we went to this house for a birthday party, we painted a real horse blue, so naturally, I was expecting something similarly manly. Other than Kate's dad (Drew), Austin and I were the only men there, like two bulls in the china shop. The girls kept looking at us like "Are they leaving yet?" We were seriously outnumbered, so we were thankful that none of the girls came up with the idea that the men should participate in the party goings-on. Because this was something totally foreign to me and to Austin. They were fixing their hair, putting on fancy dresses and headgear (I think they're actually called headdresses, I'm not too sure), painting fingernails and toenails, and even putting on lipstick (or gloss or chapstick). Then if that wasn't enough, they all went for a stroll with their babies. The only thing us guys recognized was that there were birthday presents, cake, and cool aid. Finally, something familiar!
"Strap those baby dolls in tight and let's get ready to rumble - buggy bumpers!"



But Lily Grace had the time of her life, as she always does when she celebrates with her bestest best buddies (sorry, had to get something manly in here). She loves spending time with Kate and Sarah and Karlee and Kailee and Lily and Ashleigh. Thanks Drew and Lori for inviting Lily Grace to the party. Hopefully, Austin and I didn't shock anyone by hanging out and tryin' to learn something new about how little girls work! I think we're going to check into how old they have to be to sign up for softball!!

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, and Lily Grace

Father's Day Musings

Trying to get things back to normal ... There are some other posts that I need to get to, things like birthday parties (the pics are coming Lori and Laura, and the'll be worth the wait!), Memorial Day, and Christian concerts, but for now, I'll focus on our little miracle, Lily Grace, and her big brother, Matthew Austin and her big sister Amanda. I really feel like I'm the most blessed Dad in the whole world, but I'm certain that every Dad feels the same. So please forgive my biased and unmitigated boasting about Lily Grace and Austin and Amanda in the following paragraphs.

Austin is having a really busy summer. He has more energy than anyone I've ever seen. He finished the school year at East Limestone on the "A" Honor Roll for the entire year. He accomplished this while participating in band, managing the high school football team, and playing on the jr varsity golf team. Wow, no wonder we hardly ever saw him during the school year. After school let out for the summer, Austin immediately set off for Petra camp - a week of Christian youth fellowship and worship. He really enjoys his time in the Word and we couldn't be prouder of him for that. He's even teaching Lily Grace about Jesus and how much God loves her. He has a passion for Christ and for the music that leads him to worship. This week he had one of his goals fulfilled in that he met the lead singer for Hawk Nelson and talked with him a little while as we waited out the thunderstorms at Faith and Fireworks Night at the Joe. Austin showed Jason (that's the lead singer) a drawing of the group that he had made on the way over to the concert. Jason was very impressed and didn't want to autograph it because he didn't want to mess it up (he autographed the drawing after we told him it'd be ok). After the concert and after the baseball game, Austin spent a little while talking to the drummer, getting tips for his own drumming at Isom's Chapel. When we left, Austin was so excited at getting to meet and talk to them, you'd have thought the Red Sox had just won the pennant or that the 'Noles had just claimed the national championship.


Some early summer golfing


Austin and Jason, Buds! "Don't Even Think About the Earrings and Hairdo, Austin!"

A Drawing of Hawk Nelson's Latest Album Cover

As for our little miracle, Lily Grace is doing just fine, thank you. She's completely potty trained now (sorry for the graphics, just had to get that in there), telling us well in advance of every need to visit the potty. One night at a local pizza restaurant, she and Connie visited the potty and when they returned, Lily Grace made certain that everyone in the room knew that she'd just used the big potty! A few clapped at her achievement! (Others finished their meal quickly and left in a hurry for fear of what future announcement might come from the little prodigy.) Memaw has taught her to count to 10 and she usually gets all the numbers in. She occassionally tries for twenty, but the teens get her confused. Last night, as we were relaxing together and having some snacks, Lily pulled a Doritos chip from the bag and said "Look Amanda, a triangle!" We all laughed and she thought she'd just told the funniest joke ever. Her clothes and shoes have to match (which of course relieves me of most of the dressing responsibilities) and she'll tell you if they don't. Yesterday, we took Lily Grace and Austin to a party at "Pump it Up" in Pelham. The party was sponsered by the International Adoption Clinic in Birmingham. So we got to spend some quality time with Lily's doctor (Jennifer Chambers) and her twins Lily and Kate. After a few nervous minutes, Lily Grace was off and running (literally), mixing it up with all the other little international kids and having the time of her life.

Jesus said "Let the little children come to me."


Getting Ready to Swim - More on this in a Future Post!

As for Father's Day, it was kind of tough. It seemed as though there was this gaping hole that needed to be filled, something that needed to be done, but there wasn't. I tried to fill it many ways, but nothing worked. One father said that the best way to do it is to keep God at the center of your life, show love and respect for your wife and children, and pray continually. Sounds like good advice to me.

But having children to be a father to certainly helps. This was the first of what I hope are many Father's Days that I get to spend with Lily Grace and with Austin. It's the coolest thing in the world knowing that God let me be a Father to Austin and to Lily Grace, especially after the rough start she had in life. I am so blessed to have this privilege (not lucky mind you, because with God there are no coincidences or luck - He plans it all) and I praise God and thank Him for that. And if all that weren't enough, just when I really needed it, Amanda comes in with a big, no gigantic, chocolate chip cookie that says "Happy Father's Day!" Thanks Amanda, I needed that. You're one special "daughter" too!




Lily Grace and Amanda, Sisters Forever!

Oh, one last thing. Since my own father passed away Memorial Day, I guess God decided to comfort me with a cool little present of His own. This week I pulled a book off the shelf in my study that I hadn't touched in 20 years - oh come on now, you have books you've not touched in a while too. This book was about Aristotle. My father had given it to me when I finished high school or maybe college, I don't remember. Anyway, just out of the blue, I picked up the book and noticed something folded up inside it. I pulled it out and discoverd a newspaper article from June 20, 1973 announcing the opening of "The Music Center." There above the half page ad was a picture of my father, proud owner of "The Music Center," a new full service music store set to open in Athens on Saturday the 23rd of June 1973. How cool is that? Thank you, Father!!

Next post ... a birthday party in Florence - lots of pics!

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace, and Amanda

If I Could Save Time in a Bottle ...

When she first saw her Papaw lying there in the hospital, she put her index finger to her lips and admonished everyone to be quiet "cause Papaw is sleeping." She didn't understand the gravity of the circumstances, only that Papaw was trying to rest and we were making noise. Again, "quiet, Papaw sleeping." Lily Grace was simply acting on the innocence and faith that God granted her according to the richness of His words in Ephesians. She had no idea how profound her reaction was. It was simply love, not complicated, not complex, something she still has in abundance, not having experienced the worldly attacks on her faith that we all face at some time. Later, as Memaw was trying to tell Amanda what had happened and tears were filling her eyes, Lily would tell her "I love you, Memaw." Again, her words were nothing but what Jesus had given her to help her cope with a world guaranteed to disappoint. The littlest among us gets it. She understands the full range of our emotions from 'excited' to 'happy' to 'sad' to 'distraught.' She even understands 'confused,' a rather complex emotion that most adults don't even get. I don't know how, except that she is gifted by God to have this understanding at such an early age.


If I Could Save Time in a Bottle, the First Thing That I'd Like to Do
Is to Save Every Day Till Eternity Passes Away, Just to Spend Them With You
If I Could Make Days Last Forever, If Words Could Make Wishes Come True
I'd Save Every Day Like a Treasure and Then, Again I Would Spend Them With You
If I Had a Box Just for Wishes And Dreams That Had Never Come True
The Box Would Be Empty Except for the Memory of How They Were Answered By You
But There Never Seems to be Enough Time to Do the Things You Want to Do Once You Find Them
I've Looked Around Enough to Know That You're the One I Want to Go Through Time With

- Jim Croce

I've tried several times over the past few days to write this, but I simply have no words. And there's a good reason for writing it. The bottom line is this. If you have a mother, a father, a grandmother, or a grandfather that you can visit, stop reading this and go visit them. Tell them how much you love them at least once a day, because it's not part of God's plan that they will be here with you forever. If you are raising their grandchildren or great grandchildren, take them to visit at least once a week if possible. There is nothing so important to a grandparent as to see a smile on the face of their children's children. It's a positive confirmation of their contribution to God's plan and the future of their families. Please don't deny them the joy of seeing those little smiles as often as possible. I don't know why it took me so long to figure out this simplest, least complex of moments we can share.

It's funny how the littlest among us sometimes have the most understanding and most caring and loving approach to the important people and events in our lives. It is those same events that can sometimes work so hard at stealing our innocence and our faith away from us, turning us into cynical adults as we grow older. My confession is this, that in this area, I have left a lot to be desired. I simply got caught up in the daily activities of life (work, church, youth sports, ...) to the point that not enough time was spent with my Father. And now the Parkinson's disease he has battled so bravely for the past 10 years has claimed his life. Dad passed away on May 31st, Memorial Day. So again, the only reason for this post is to try to encourage others, who still have the opportunity, to spend as much time with their parents and grandparents as possible.


I gotta keep singing. I gotta keep praising Your name.
Cause that's the only way that I find healing.
Can I climb up in your lap, I don't want to leave.
Jesus sing over me. And I gotta keep singing.

- MercyMe


My Father left a legacy in Limestone County, in that he was known by nearly everyone as someone who had taught them or a friend or relative how to play guitar or bass or banjo. Our pastor put it nicely when he said that Dad decided early in life not to let the music stay within him, but rather to let it out. And let it out he did. He taught me to play guitar. His music encouraged Austin to play drums. Now we share that gift every Sunday morning during praise and worship at Isom's Chapel. And for that, I am thankful to him. My sister was led to sing in church through his encouragement and has a wonderful voice (even though we have to continually encourage her to hold the microphone close!). He taught my nephew, my cousin, and his brothers. He has former students that have performed and still perform in recording studios in Muscle Shoals and in Nashville, as studio musicians. He pioneered local music stores, including The Music Center, The Guitar Studio, GS Music, and Bama Recording.


Dad played music with Ray Sawyer before Ray became Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. He managed several bands, including Dexter and the Derbies, a 70s group that included Dexter Greenhaw, who became one of the best band directors North Alabama has known until his own untimely death earlier this year. He has former students who now teach and have taught hundreds of students themselves. He has students who built guitars and other special instruments for Roy Clark and Glenn Campbell. One former student spent many Saturday evenings on the set of that old American iconic "Hee Haw," playing bass for the Hee Haw band. We even saw him in a few of the skits they would do on the show. Interestingly, this student recently called Dad after several years without contact, just to say that he was thinking about him. Dad even taught a blind man how to play the guitar. And Mr. Waddell became one of his best students. As long as I can remember, when people find out that Don Green was my father they would say "Oh, he taught me [or a relative or friend] how to play guitar, bass, or banjo."


But of all this, the greatest legacy Dad leaves behind is that he had given his life to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in 2002. After a lengthy stay in the rehabilitation center in Huntsville, he and my sister had a long talk (and walk) with Jesus one night and the next day Dad called me and said "Get over here, I have something to tell you." He let me know not to worry about him anymore because he was saved! We prayed together and from that moment on, I knew that he would be OK, no matter what Parkinson's did to his body.

Each day I rise and I think about ... the things that I must do
My Father, the battle rages on
This world around me I've come to know in my failures replaces you
My Father, the battle rages on

I'm trying to do what's right oh Lord, but sometimes it seems so hard
The reasons for my actions are not clear
But when I close my eyes and I think about the things you've done for me
I realize the things I do help You bring lost ones near

So I put on my full armor God ... and I stand in defense of You
My Father, the battle rages on
But I know that with You by my side ... and with Your soldiers too
My Father, the Victory is won!

- Original



With Father's Day coming up, may I suggest that you take your Father to his favorite restaurant, buy him his favorite meal, then take him home and read Ephesians Chapter 2 to him. This is one of the most uplifting chapters, to me, in the entire Bible. This was the last thing I did with my Father, reading the entire book of Ephesians, even the verse that says "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." I think he smiled a little at that one! Oh, and don't forget to get your father something really cool for Father's Day. Don't make it a tie or or new pair of pants or some other clothing item, make it something personal that creates a memory that lasts beyond the gift. Something that he'll think about for years to come. Or maybe you just want to sit and talk with him for a while.


Happy Fathers Day Dad. We Love You and Miss You,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, and Lily Grace