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“You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves of your heart — your stories, visions, memories, visions and songs. Your truth, your version of things, your own voice. That is really all you have to offer us. And that’s also why you were born.”
Anne Lamott

“You are going to feel like hell if you never write the stuff that is tugging on the sleeves of your heart — your stories, visions, memories, visions and songs. Your truth, your version of things, your own voice. That is really all you have to offer us. And that’s also why you were born.”
Anne Lamott

Category: Intersections

Intersections – Religion

George 0 Comments

This post continues a series entitled intersections. As I reflect on my life’s journey, various intersections along the way come to mind. My ambition was for a straight and narrow path. but,  that’s not how life goes.

In the early years of our marriage, our religious experience was mostly characterized by regular church attendance. The demands of small children and irregular shift work impeded the kind of church involvement we had experienced growing up in our respective families.

Moving to Louisville in 1964 we joined (placed membership) the Okolona Church of Christ. Our pattern of regular church attendance and nominal involvement continued until the arrival of a new minister and his family. We were immediately drawn to them and they became our surrogate family. That influence, plus the encouragement of the educational minister, led to some teaching opportunities ( my 2 years of Christian college education was a qualifying factor).

I experienced an emergence of religious fervor fueled, in part by the guilt of youthful indiscretions, abandonment of faithfulness (sins of omission and commission),  mixed with a desire to be a good Christian. Also, there was the fear of going to hell.

As a result, I dedicated myself to correcting my life and trying to do everything possible to be a good Christian. Those days were exhilarating. I was a rising religious star.

During that time I was particularly convicted that Jesus calls us to help the poor and disadvantaged.  I became aware of a need at the East End Boy’s Club in downtown Louisville. They were in need of coaches for youth football on Saturdays. I signed up and was pleased to find an opportunity for ministry that was also fun and rewarding.

It was on a Saturday while coaching at East End Boy’s Club that I experienced a  memorable intersection of life and religion. I remember it with great clarity As I watched those young boys, images of my young, pregnant wife at home with our three energetic boys and no driver’s license, or car for that matter, flooded over me. Their husband and father had abandoned his responsibilities to them so that he could satisfy his religious needs. The voice I heard was clear, “What a fool you are”!

That was the first time I realized the destructive potential of religion. I resigned from that volunteer opportunity and returned home to ‘”coach” our young  boys. I would like to say  that event marked my transformation from religion to the pursuit of a relationship with Jesus, but it wasn’t. Only years later would I understand the implications of religion to my spiritual  journey.

 

 

 

Intersections – Career Path

George 0 Comments

 

At twenty years of age, newly married, with a baby on the way and working part-time for $1.25 per hour, I was thinking more of short term survival than the future or a career path. I was not thinking of my life as a journey, certainly not a spiritual journey. In those circumstances I was living life like a teenaged driver, driving too fast on unfamiliar roads at night, only able see as far as the headlights allow. The only direction I had was, “keep her between the ditches”. Careening down the road, I took the first turn that came my way.

It was 56 years ago that I walked into the Ford Motor Company Nashville Glass Plant as a new employee. It was both exciting and scary. Getting to work at Ford was a blessing. The opportunity did not come not because I had been recruited for my skills and talents. Joe Clark, a good friend of Ann’s family worked there and had the influence to get me hired. He literally sneaked into the employment office past others waiting for an opportunity to go to work. Ann and I did not have two pennies to rub together. We were living with the Clark’s until we could get on our feet. I guess I couldn’t reach my bootstraps.

For the next 40+ years my life was pretty much defined by “I work at Ford’s”. My work experience was rewarding both materially and personally. I am thankful for the opportunity that came my way and it is good to be reminded that it was only because of the graciousness of others that it was possible.

Not all intersections are opportunities to decide which direction you will take. Sometimes they are a cattle chute. So much for career planning.

 

 

Intersections – It is not good for man to travel alone

George 1 Comment

What has proven to be the most significant intersection of my journey came on the first day of classes at Abilene Christian College (now Abilene Christian University) in  September 1960. ( Full disclosure: there has been some disagreement over the details of the story to follow. However, my account is completely true to my memory.)

The first class I attended was something like University 101, an orientation class for freshman. It was held in a large classroom with 150+ in attendance. I arrived late and there were no visible empty seats, so I made my way to the back of the room. About 3/4 of the way back, I was surprised to hear a sultry voice call out, “You can sit here, big boy.” I looked over and there was this attractive brunette with a weird small gray streak in her hair with an empty seat beside her. Although, I managed to appear unfazed, as though I was used to such come ons, I was stunned. I did not know her name but she knew mine. 

That’s how George ezell from Florence, Alabama first met Ann Watson, aka Dee Ann Watson, from Memphis, Tennessee. That first encounter was interesting but I did not perceive it to be “the moment”. At that point, I don’t think either of us thought anything would come out of our meeting. It was only later that I came to understand that there may have been forces at work beyond our understanding. 

I had no idea that In 1937 L. Arnold Watson traveled from Idaho to attend Abilene Christian College. On the first day of classes he met Ruby Mae White from Abilene, Texas who was also starting her college career. Their meeting began a courtship that would result in their marriage two years later. Leaving Abilene to move to California, they eventually had five children, three boys and two girls. Four of those children, including Dee Ann Watson, attended ACC. 

Our first meeting pushed the pebble off the ledge. After a slow start our relationship began to gain momentum and by the end of the second year we were engaged and left Abilene and married in June 1962. Subsequently, we had five children, three boys and two girls. Four of our children attended ACU. 

For 56+ years Ann has been my traveling companion. I hope that the legacy of her parents will continue and we also will enjoy 74 years of marriage.