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Doris Groat

A little boy (spot where Dad accepted Christ) …a few summers ago. . . kneeling beside a guy named Brandon who knelt here beside a boy named Cory, who knelt here beside a man named Roger, who wouldn’t have met Cory if it weren’t for Green Pastures which wouldn’t be here except for Bud and Doris. This building is made of stone and wood, but the difference Bud and Doris made is eternal. In a few weeks another hundred or so kids will sitting where you are now . . and they’ll be a lot younger and noisier than you. . and many will leave with Christ in their hearts. . . all because of what Doris and Bud built here. “A river touches places that it’s source will never know.” Bud and Doris never knew most of the kids and adults who’ve found the Lord out here, but provided the place.

Watching CNN Saturday night. . . a show about the people of Appalachia. . corn chowder. She really is gone.

You can’t give a eulogy to Doris. . must be Doris and Bud. . .all one word. She could shout “Bud!” and be heard in Meredosia.

Bud and Doris took in a young man who was sort of homeless. . . he helped Bud place the rocks on the front of this building. “Bud would pull himself up on the scaffold one arm at a time. . .took him forever after his leg went bad. He’d tell me which rock to give him. He’d turn it over several times, whack a little bit off one end and then fit it perfectly into place.” The young man is now a minister.

Doris could manage money. Let’s face it, Doris was tight. When she’d order a Pepsi she demanded to have only a little ice. The ice was taking up room instead of the Pepsi she was paying for. When we’d eat hamburgers at their house up there on the hill the ketchup always came out of little plastic McDonald’s packages. We often had prison work teams come out here. . .Doris cooked but they brought their own food. . .so she kept their leftovers and fed them to us the next day. Doris once asked if I’d give the campers a short lecture on how to use less toilet paper.

Doris was a force of nature. Pouring concrete for this floor…narrow board…12 foot drop… “Don’t spill the concrete!”

Yet as tough as she was, tears were always right below the surface. Girl. . .testimony about her puppy. She’d always ask Bud to pray. . . no matter what the occasion, it was always, “Lord, we thank you for this beautiful day.”

You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love that you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday
You can remember her and only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on

So in four weeks this altar area will again be covered with kids praying. . . and Doris will be smiling. . . and Bud will be smiling. . . and Jesus will be dancing for joy.

Amazing Grace, Blessed Assurance me: piano

Just as I am Room at the Cross

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