A Wise Builder

Today I went to visit my daddy's best friend.

 

Few pastors have real friends.

Oh, there are members of the church who are great laymen.

There are great deacons, elders, trustees and stewards who support

the pastor through his ministry.

 

But there are FEW real friends.

 

My daddy said, "You can count them on one hand."

Brother Foskey was on that ONE HAND.

 

I called him "Preacher," as most called my dad "Preacher."

 

If I had to describe "Preacher" Foskey, I'd say he loves people.

He pastored churches for many years.

He retired, but never ceased to preach and build churches.

 

He physically built more than his share of buildings. 

He was custodian to our church campground for many years.

He was always building something with rough calloused hands and the sweat of his brow.

 

But it takes more than a pair of hands and a strong back to build a church or

repair a broken church.

 

It takes a heart.

 

It takes loving people.

 

It takes humor and a whole lot of laughter.

 

Preacher Foskey is all that!

 

 

 

When our church was broken and in transition, he built bridges.

He was the nails and the glue that held us together.

  He was a peacemaker.

 

He was someone I could talk to.  I'd speak my mind and he's say shake his head and say,

"Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie."

But I always went away laughing and feeling better for having talked to him.

 

Before he left us, he gave us all crosses that he had built with his own hands

like the one above.

 

A stroll around the house, his wife, Ms. Mary showed us some of her favorites...

 

 

This was built from wood from her home place.

 

 

Another treasure made in his wood shop.

 

 

We sell some of his birdhouses at the shop.

 

 

He made a cedar chest for his wife and all his children and grandchildren,

A BEAUTY!

 

 

In his humor, he made several canes for those he thought

may one day need one.

My husband got one!  I think he intended for him to use it to hook me back in!

HE HAS A REAL SENSE OF HUMOR!

  This is the one that he now uses himself:(

 

Then there were more sentimental pieces.

 

 

This was her favorite and I think mine too.

It was made just for his sweetheart.

I'm tearing up here:...))

 

Preacher and Ms. M act like newlyweds.

They both were married with children-she to a preacher man and he to a preacher's wife who they both lost and grieved.

God brought them together.

 

 

He asked her what she wanted to add to their home that would make it feel like hers.

She wanted a sun room. 

He built it with his own hands.

 

 

 

She asked for a bay window.

It's the first one he'd ever built:)

It's her favorite room!

 

 

A gift from someone in one of the churches they built.

A GREAT man, a GREAT name!

 

 

As I was leaving, I saw this windmill and old metal trash bin.

Just loved it and snapped a photo.

 

This was attached to his wood shop.

 

What an incredible man and woman!

 

A builder of lives...

 

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock..."  Matthew 7:24

 

Everett Foskey, a wise builder!