Dedication reads:
J. G. Alexander Jr.
Search the pages of this book, for in them lie eternal life.
Mother and Father
Christmas, 1941
Today we celebrated the life of John G. “Jack” Alexander. It was truly an amazing time of remembering and honoring my Papaw Jack Alexander. My dad said at some point today that Papaw made it easy to do a funeral. He walked the walk, and talked the talk. There was one story that I wanted to share from today’s celebration.
River Oaks United Methodist Church is the Church that my dad was raised in and it was in fact the church that my Papaw was the last surviving charter member of until he went home on Friday. They have been a church for quite some time, in fact at some point they had a 70th anniversary celebration to which my dad was asked to preach at. We all went and celebrated with River Oaks UMC on this great day. During the sermon my dad was preaching he of course was reciting scripture. At the exact same moment that my dad was reading the scripture, my Papaw was reciting the exact same scripture word for word….from memory. We know this because of the family members that were sitting next to him heard him read along with Dad, like he had a bible in front of him.
Search the pages of this book for in them lie eternal life.
I love how my great-grand parents dedicated this bible that was given to my Papaw over 70 years ago. The operative word is SEARCH. That implies much more than just read. To search for something is to look intently for it, with incredible focus. Obviously from that story of my Papaw on the 70th anniversary he searched the pages of that bible because here is the amazing thing. My Papaw had Alzheimer’s for 15 years and that church anniversary was years after he had been diagnosed, so even the terrible disease of Alzheimer’s couldn’t take the word of God from my Papaw.
I believe that up until the day that my Papaw went to be with Jesus that he never forgot who he was and more importantly who God was and is and will continue to be. I love my Papaw. He taught me many things, and this story still amazes me.
God, help us to search your word with incredible focus and intention. Help us to be molded and transformed by you.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.