A Few Thoughts Remembering James L. Kilgore

Words fail me and tears flow and I’m not even trying to stop them. Bro. James Kilgore & Ima Kilgore have always been in my life for as long as I can remember. I love reading all the posts of what Bro. Kilgore meant to so many people. We all feel like we was his favorite. 😊 It takes someone pretty great to do that.

When I was growing up the Kilgore’s were highly admired and respected in our home. When Bro. Kilgore visited, it was as if The Lord was walking into our home. At one point in my teenage years Bro. Kilgore spoke words into my life that I have carried with me since that night. There have been those simple yet powerful messages that put me in the altar, on my face, asking God to please help me and give me a burden for souls and love for people like Bro. Kilgore. The warm handshake. The gentle hug. The firm, “Sis. Ronda…”(wouldn’t you like to know). 😊

When Bro. Kilgore became our superintendent in the Texas district you can imagine my delight when Sis. Kilgore asked me to be the organist for Ladies conference. I played those years along side Jeanetta Orange on keys. We had some great times. Sis. Kilgore had a certain way she wanted the music for those conferences and we did our best to make it to her liking. Bro. Kilgore asked me to play the organ for him on numerous occasions at camp meeting & conferences and I was always a little nervous but he was a gem to work with. However, (this is just a little funny) one year he had preached a beautiful message on unity and the man that was leading music for that particular service got up and began to sing the Sunday School song, “when we all pull together”. Bro. Kilgore was NOT very happy about that selection and came to me and said, “Ronda! This song is not right”. I quickly told him I sure didn’t choose it and he said, “I don’t care. Change it, now”! Yes sir! I did and did it gladly. We went on to have a wonderful alter service but whew! We laughed about it later but at that moment I wanted to crawl under the organ and I could have killed the man that put me in that position. On another note, I loved how he would go to the pulpit and begin to sing, “What a day that will be”. Won’t it be wonderful there”, “Jesus is the sweetest name I know”, and many other songs like these. Those were the most precious times for me as an organist. I will cherish these memories forever.

I could go on and on with memory after memory of Bro. & Sis. Kilgore, but I’m just one person in a sea of people with memories of great people. What a giant of a man he was. You are missed already, Bro. Kilgore and will be missed until we meet again. Tell Mother & Daddy that I press on in apostolic doctrine and identity and I will meet them in front of the throne, soon!
Rest in Peace my dear Bro. Kilgore.

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My! My! My!

Tonight at Bible Study, my father-in-law (B.J. Hurst) sang the special.  My mother-in-law (Dorothy Hurst) played the keyboard.  I followed along on the organ. 🙂  Dad sang, “No One Cared For Me Like Jesus”.  I just have to say, I hope I can sing and hold my notes like he did tonight when I am 76 years old.  He did an incredible job.  However, that is not what I really want to point out about his singing.  When he finished singing,  there was such an awesome spirit of God that once again came into our service.  I often tell our chorale that we must have the anointing that breaks the yoke.  And, we also have to live a life that backs up what we are singing about if we want God to move when we sing.  I saw it and felt in action tonight.  I don’t know about you, but as for me, there is just something about a saint of God that has lived their life for Christ that is so special.  When they sing, it touches me deeply.  I know some people may think, “well, you were just giving an old man something to do so he would feel good”.  Well…not so.  You see, I know the life that my in-laws have lived.  Dad is a good man.  He has given his life to the work of God and has been ever so faithful.  He is one of the most giving individuals I know.  I just think that when the Lord heard B.J. Hurst singing tonight he was impressed. 🙂  No, not by the good voice but by the faithfulness of one of His servants.  Hence,  the Spirit that came to visit us tonight.  The Lord moved in the miraculous with healings and many, many other blessings.  My! My! My!  I thank God for “old” saints of the cross.  When they sing, teach, preach or testify, I sit up and take notice and I believe that the Lord does too.  He did tonight.  🙂

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Happy Birthday, Nathaniel

Hope your birthday is just the beginning of a year full of happiness!

You have always been so special. I am so very proud of you. It’s easy to feel nostalgic about the little boy you used to be. However, it’s even easier to feel proud of the man you’ve become. You outgrew my lap long ago, but you will never outgrow my heart! You bring joy to the heart. You are a blessing. It is truly a gift to have a son like you who grows more precious with the years!

A son is:
the happy memories of the past,

the joyful moments of the present,

the hope and promise of the future.

Nathaniel, my pride and joy, as a boy and now as a friend.

Happy Birthday!

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Think Pink?

Disclaimer:  I know that “Think Pink” is the motto for breast cancer awareness.  This article has nothing to do with that.  I wholeheartedly support breast cancer awareness and I “Think Pink” where that is concerned.  My mother was a victim of breast cancer, therefore I support 110% anything that can be done to prevent it.

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A lot has been said of late about the church being to feminine.  I don’t agree with this take on The Church.  At least not in our church or the churches I am associated with.  There is a lot of surveys floating around of “why men don’t go to church”, etc.  However, on this score, I am thankful for the body of Christ that I am a part of.  The men in our congregations are completely sold out to God, by far the majority.  The ministry that I see on a consistent basis are true MEN of God.  Not a feminine one in the group. 🙂  I am thankful for that.

I do, however, see this trend happening more and more concerning marriage.  I’ve heard it said to husbands, “You have to learn to think pink”.  Huh?  Is that even possible for a man to do?  “You need to get in touch with your more feminine side”.  Huh, again?  Please don’t get me wrong…I want my husband to be sensitive to my needs but I want him to do it like a man, not like I would.  I see this same thing in raising children.  The mother doesn’t want to leave the kids with daddy to long because he lets them get dirty and smear peanut butter and jelly on their face. 🙂  I am a firm believer in the fact that kids need both parents influence.  It is good for the kids to hang out with dad every once in awhile.  My children tell me stories of how when I was gone to a ladies conference or some other trip and Nathan (dad) was left in charge.  It is quite funny to me.  Here is one incident…when he would fix their oatmeal in the mornings before school, they said he let them put as much sugar and butter in there as they wanted.  I can just imagine the oatmeal floating in a yellow “lake” of butter. 🙂   You know what?  It didn’t kill them and now they have those funny memories.  There are things they could get by with Dad that I would NEVER have allowed. 🙂

I am simply saying…in the kind of world we live in, we are being bombarded on every hand to become something we are not intended to be by God’s design.  Personally, I like men to be men and women to be women.  What in the world is wrong with a woman being feminine?  Ruffles, lace, sweet smelling perfume…?  A little pampering never hurt anyone. And, what in the world is wrong with a man being masculine?  I’m afraid sometimes that America has “suited” up the ladies and put “ruffles” on the men.  Let us be what we are intended to be!  Please don’t start trying to make me think “blue”.  I don’t think I could possibly pull that one off.  As much as I like to relate to my husband and son, I like to do it in my feminine way.  And, as much as I like for them to relate to me, I know that no matter how hard they try,  they will never be able to think “pink”, totally and completely.  It is just not in our make-up to do so.

Men, be the man God intended for you to be and love your wife, your daughters and your sons like a man should.  And ladies, be proud.  Hold your head up high. Keep that feminine mystique about you.  God made us all like He intended.  He did not make a mistake when he made you what you are.  Don’t allow the world around you to squelch it. 🙂

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