Archive: May 2013   |   View all recent posts

05.30.13Seniors Philip's Senior Session

H ere's wishing you all the best Philip as you begin preparing for your future. I especially want to thank you for being a good friend to my mom. There is something special about someone your age who is so kind to older folks, I know your parents must be proud of you.

05.26.13Personal Dad

O n May 26, 2002... eleven years ago to this day, my dad left his home here on earth and made his heavenly flight. I remember the days leading up to his passing. He was still taking his morning 3 mile walks. I asked him many times if I could walk with him but he always said that it was his time to spend alone with the Lord. I know that during that time he not only prayed for us, but as he walked by his neighbors homes he prayed for them as well. Dad grew up hard, he lost his dad at an early age. When I was a boy people would stop me on the street and say, 'are you Pack Slate’s boy?'. Yes sir I am, I'd say. 'Boy you don’t want to mess with him,' they'd reply. And, I could tell many stories about dad but the one he would want told most--the one that became his identity, was when he knelt at the alter at Bethel Church, gave his heart to Jesus. He never looked back. Daddy had a tremendous amount of faith and was never shy about sharing it with others. That night as we waited in line at the funeral home, people from all walks of life shared stories of how dad had touched their life. We stood in line for nearly four hours and the last person in line was a young boy that worked at Food Lion. The young fellow only knew dad from his visits to the store. He told us that dad was always good to him and that he would miss his words of encouragement. We never really knew that dad had touched so many lives, he was very quiet and very seldom left the house. In closing, dad was such a positive influence on me. He was always optimistic, even to the point that it sometimes got on my nerves. One of his favorite things to say when I was down or discouraged was, “nothing happens down here son that doesn’t go through the Lord first”. It’s funny sometimes how the things that irritate you most about the people you love are the things you miss most about them when they’re gone.

05.23.13Personal Mom

W e celebrated mom’s 80th birthday last Monday. Family and friends gathered to share old stories and memories of the good times past. It’s really hard for me to believe that she’s actually 80 years old and that I’m really not that far behind. You know, I grew up in a different time than kids today. We didn’t have political correctness or a real concern about building self esteem. The line between right and wrong was clearly defined and if you crossed that line, then you knew without a doubt what the consequences were. Oh you could play dumb but it very seldom worked. I’ll tell you this and I promise I’m not exaggerating, most of my summers from age 8 to age 12 I usually got a “whupping” at least twice a week and deserved every one. I probably deserved more but I was pretty sneaky. By the end of the summer if I happened to walk by mom and she reached up to scratch her nose I hit the floor with both hands wrapped around my head. I wouldn’t take anything or trade places with anyone for my childhood, it was the best it could possibly be. My mom was the one most responsible for that. She loved my sister, my brother and me as good as any mother could and I believe she did her absolute best as a mom. She’s always been a giver, I only hope I can learn that from her. As I looked across the room that night, I wondered how many people had sat at her table sharing a meal or a cup of coffee. Mom’s kitchen has always been open and has always been the heart of our home and still is today. I challenge anyone to visit her and walk away without eating something. It always seemed that anyone who was down and out or hurting in some way, always found their way to our house. Mom had an easy ear to talk to, I guess it was a strong sense of empathy from growing up in a difficult environment. Her eyes have seen it all, the light and the dark, the good and the bad. She never got a college degree but you can trust her judgement almost all the time. I love her and she will always be one of the two most inspirational people in my life. Thank you mom for being who you are and for always being there for us ... Happy Birthday, again! A Son Remembers It’s just a kitchen table, much the worse for years of wear, With MEMORIES in each scratch and stain from all that happened there – The paint that never would come off, a scissor nick or two, the dent where something heavy dropped, a bump of dried-up glue the scorch left by a cookie sheet, worn and faded where HANDS WERE HELD and elbows propped and countless stories traded. It doesn’t show the teardrops, and it has no voice to tell the SECRETS shared, the JOYS revealed, but those are there as well. Around the kitchen table, Life was HAPPY and SECURE, and my heart will feel that love as long as memories endure. Hallmark

05.14.13Engagements Lacie and Clay's Engagement Session

Just a few images from Lacie and Clay's engagement session. What a beautiful couple!

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