A VISIT TO SPRINGFIELD

Springfield, Missouri is my hometown. I still have a number of friends there as well as a few relatives. One thing is missing when I return to that city. I always had a place to stay when my parents were living. Now that they are deceased, I feel a bit like an orphan when I return. I always like to drive by the house that my parents owned for so many years. It is a large yellow brick house that one real estate person said was one of the ten best built homes in Springfield. After my parents died, the people who bought the house trashed it and it was sad to see what they did. Now, someone else owns the house and they have restored it pretty much to the place it was when my parents were living. When I lived in Springfield, I owned a three story English Colonial home. Inside, it was very special with a large living room and a fire place. There were so many special things about that house that I wished that I could have moved it to St. Charles and Sue would have had a blast putting her touch on the inside.

I had a meeting with Ken McClure and Dale Moore. Both of these gentlemen are employed by Missouri State University. I have known Dale for a short time, but I have known Ken for many years. He has had several important jobs for the state of Missouri. He was director of budget research for the Senate Appropiations Committee; He was a judge for the public service commission; He was the chief of staff for Governor Matt Blunt. It is always fun to be around Ken. One time in the 1970's we were singing at a church that had a dress code. For men, your hair could not touch your ears or your shirt color. He sent me a little drawing of a man with a crew cut and under the picture wrote "Jesus." The pew I was sitting in shook as I tried to control my laughter. Ken, Dale, and I are talking about forming a Southern Gospel Quartet and I have lined up the necessary personnel. I can't sing worth a lick anymore because of sinus, but I may be able to play the piano. Bill Ursury and Scott Landon from our church will join us and this has the potential of being a pretty good quartet.

While in Springfield, I met with Arthur Mallory, who is a special friend. Arthur is the former president of Missouri State University and the former Commissioner of Education for our state. He always has great insight into any area of education and I like to run ideas past him. He told me about a man who has taken the job as interim president of a university. Arthur told him that he will want to be the president and that has come about. He asked Arthur what he should do as a president. His reply was that he should walk around the campus and speak to the students, smile a lot, and pick up pieces of paper both inside and outside the buildings. If he would do those things, he would be a successful president. Arthur began the Parents as Teachers program that now is in many foreign countries as well as the U. S. A former president of the Missouri Baptist Convention, Arthur SERVED our denomination very well. He is one of my heroes.

Dave and Bitty Fay are long-time friends. Dave and I went to high school together and were best friends. I dated Bitty and we have always been good friends. They invite me to stay with them and that is always enjoyable. This time, Bitty got out some old pictures from dances we attended and Dave forwarded them to me. I sent them to Sue to see if she could pick me out and she did that with little trouble. Dave and Bitty will come to St. Louis this summer, stay with us and we will go see the Cardinals.

I am fortunate to have a few good friends who have been friends for such a long time. God is good all the time.