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Today’s Blog Post
I am happy to introduce to you, Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Jeanette Kidd
What am I talking about?
Last Saturday was the Wedding for Jim Kidd and Jeanette Wells… now Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Jeanette Kidd. They were “engaged” for over 31 years. WOW!
In actual fact they had been living common law for all that time – perfectly happy with each other…but then a whole lot started happening and they decided that marriage is what they always wanted.
The common law arrangement, though recognized by the Government of Canada, is NOT RECOGNIZED by certain religious persons. In fact some of these folks can be downright miserable with their responses. I have watched the super religious people condemn others for years.
That is why Jeanette and Jim had not attended church for 24 years. They were not ashamed of what they were, they were just avoiding making these righteous into more angry people. In fact as I spoke with J and J they were open about how they felt… but never once condemning anyone. The other side however did their stuff and acted in their super spiritual ways… turning people off completely in the name of “their holiness”.
I have to bite my tongue at times when I hear this kind of “super crap” in the name of God. Thank goodness most of this kind of thing is trapped in the Vatican and only gets out once in a blue moon… yet we still see it in small pockets here and there.
In spite of this J and J were happy.
On a fateful day in 2003, September 13, met this special couple at the bed side of Jeanette’s son. The hospital had called me to come and administer a prayer and spiritual help to this needy family. I stood beside Christopher Well’s bed and prayed for him. But at that moment he was only a few hours away from meeting his maker.
Christopher was tall, strong and very sharp. He had some problems yes… and he had made some choices that had put his health at risk from what I gathered. And at this moment his body could no longer fight off ravishes of the sickness that had invaded it.
Jeanette stood beside me… along with the others that day… each was crying as they let Christopher go into the loving arms of his Maker.
At a moment like this I have no idea who is who in the hospital room. I do not know if they have been good church attendees and supported their local church, kept all the religious rules and rights, and more importantly did THEIR RELIGION MY WAY….!!!!
All that mattered at that moment was that someone offer them love and understanding in this very dark time.
I prayed and we all cried with tears running down our cheeks. YES – I SAID “WE”. I cried with them because I care.
A few days later after Christopher had slipped away I received another call. It was someone calling on behalf of the family to ask if I would conduct Christopher’s Memorial Service. I was deeply humbled by that simple request and honoured that they would consider me for such an honour.
WOW! What a service it was to be!
In the audience was about 80+ people from what I remember, divided into two sections, left and right as I looked at them.
On my right was the family filling the small chapel back to about half way. Behind that was almost the entire staff from Wal-Mart where Jeanette and Jim work.
On my left was a solid block of unlovely people, all street people that I recognized from Peterborough. These were all the people that Christopher has “ministered” to.
As one of these folks came forward to share a few words she described how much Christopher loved everyone around him, how he had helped so many other folks on the street, how he had read the Bible to them and encouraged them when they were down… and how he had lived a Godly life in front of them.
Did you catch that? Christopher had lived on the Street... he was one of those dirty(at times) Street People that really bug “Good Christian People” (GCP)… that they frown on without hesitation. Contempt is their favourite evil to dole out.
You can see I have a problem with “Good Christian People” at times – specially when they wrap up in their sanctimonious garments and do the “Pope Thingie” – “hey you outta on my lawna… getta offa my lawna… you not as good as me…” (you must make the sign of the cross when you say the words…) but of course it is “in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!”
We buried Christopher and cried.
The audience was filled with Pentecostals of all sorts – which I had no idea were in Christopher’s family until we had some Funeral Food afterward. There were on fire Pentecostals, turned off Pentecostals and ho hum Pentecostals. Christopher had loved them all… and they came for him from across Canada.
Most were blown away when they found out that I was asked to do this service and was also Pentecostal!!!! How did Jeanette get in touch with you? Were you Jim’s minister? How? Why? When?
Time went by and Jeanette’s brothers came into my life. He was broken and bruised. Life since he ran away from the church had been HELL. He was once Pentecostal too and had stood beside the bed on September 13th 2003 when I prayed for Christopher… and his life fell apart since that time. His name was Daryl.
Daryl came to church alone. He met some people and it wasn’t long before “Good Christian People” asked about him. When they found out about him and how he lived… they did their thing again. Standoffish was their best they could offer… because he lived in SIN.
Whatever!!!… get a life you GCP!!!
Daryl brought his sister Jeanette because he had found someone that would love him no matter what… and “Jeanette, you won’t believe this… he is the Minister that was at the Hospital and that buried Christopher!”
Jeanette came to church and we all loved her. Later Jim started to come too. He loved the music and the church and the people and well just everything. He has talked to his own mother about what he has found in church and what has happened to him. They listened closely…
Well there is far more to tell… but the end of the Story is the Best!
Last Saturday I stood before them with their families and asked God to bless them. In fact “Blessing” is what I talked all about. Jim was a Blessing to Jeanette when he came into her life. She had four little kids and was lone, as a turned off Pentecostal, far away from “Good Christian People” that had condemned her.
Her fist husband, with whatever church background. was a drunk and lust filled man that ran around on her all the time… leaving the children and his wife for another.
On Jeanette’s first honeymoon he took off at the Reception with some not so nice wedding people to get more drunk. He disappeared until Monday of their Honeymoon.
Jeanette was afraid of marriage, church, and people that act that way… she stayed away along time.
You have to know that part of the story to understand what the Word “Blessing” means to Jim and Jeanette.
That is why there was such a powerful sense of God’s Presence there. (On the side – the GCP never showed up thankfully).
I want you to go back and look at the Photo at the top… that is Jeanette and Jim with all her kids and grandkids after the wedding. They are one happy bunch to say the least.
Take a look at the photo again… the two granddaughters had brought the Photo of Uncle Christopher and sat it with them on the front pew. They wanted him there for Nana.
In all my years I have never been so deeply moved by one family and one experience that has touched my heart so much. This is Christianity at its best. It is not the kind that is on or in a “Vatican Attitude of ingratitude”. This kind is real.
And some day if you want to meet what some real Christians… I would like you to meet Jim and Jeanette Kidd. They are amazing – simply amazing!
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
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