Transitions are part of everyday life. They can transform us physically, mentally or spiritually, but we usually don’t control the timing of transitions. Sometimes transitions happen gradually. We grow older, hopefully smarter, and we progress through school, work and eventually retirement. Other transitions happen suddenly due to an unexpected turn of events. These can also involve our physical capability, our mental understanding or our spiritual maturity.

The following story involves an incident in the life of the C&W singer Charlie Pride who lived in North Dallas at the time. Charlie has sold over 70 million records and is a part owner of the Texas Rangers. At the time of this event, Charlie (now 76) still liked doing his own yard work. As he was working in his yard, a woman pulled over to the curb and motioned for him to come to her car. She rolled down the window and asked if he could do her yard also. Charlie replied that he could, so she told him where she lived a few houses down the block.

When Charlie was done with his yard, he loaded up his pickup (every C&W singer has a pickup), drove down the block, knocked on her door, and she told him what she wanted done to her yard. When he was done with the requested yard work, he knocked on the door again and she told him to come around back and she would pay him. On his way to her back door, Charlie went to his pickup and pulled out several of his records. When she asked how much she owed him, Charlie told her that she didn’t owe him anything, but he had something to give her. Then he autographed his records, handed them to her and went back to his home.

I like the story for several reasons but especially for the way Charlie was able to take a teachable moment, and through creativity make a transformation in the life of a person who had only seen a black man in her neighborhood doing yard work.

The transitions of pastoral leadership for youth and adults happening at FUMC Bridgeport aren’t of our timing, but I am honored to be the interim pastor until July. Who knows what opportunities for transformation will happen when we believe that the God of creation is still making all things new?

~ Pastor Woody