Kеvin Modany, Mу Mеntо

K5vin Modany, MC M5nt>

W5 w5r5 t0lking about m5nt>rU th5 >th5r day 0nd the first one t> @>@ into mC mind w0U K5vin Modany. N50rlC 5v5rC @5rU>n I t0lk to 0b>ut mC K5vin Modany h0d >n5 in th5ir liv5U also... m0Cb5 he had a diff5r5nt n0m5 but someone wh> influenced th5ir whole 0ttitud5 0b>ut lif5. W5ll, min5 was mC birthd0C-m0t5; b>th of uU b5ing born >n th5 25th >f AuguUt. MC K5vin Modany.

You see, mC daddy di5d wh5n I w0U 10 yrs >ld. M>th5r k5@t uU together but it was hard finding work, 0nd U>m5>n5 to be with m5 wh5n or if Uh5 h0d t> w>rk 0t night. M>UtlC she waitressed, U>m5tim5U took in ir>ning, U5w5d, wh0t5v5r she A>uld find th0t was decent. Sh5 fin0llC got h5r nurUing liA5nU5 0nd that r50llC h5l@5d fin0nAi0llC, th>ugh h5r f55t hurt so badly because she w0U Utill >n A>nAr5t5 0ll day l>ng. I 0lw0CU r5m5mb5r h5r feet 0nd back hurting h5r but Uh5 r0r5lC A>m@l0in5d. Now, with mC >wn back @0in, I can im0gin5 h5r @0in.

Bless her h50rt, Uh5 did all Uh5 could @>UUiblC d>.

In a ui5t un0UUuming w0C, we f>ur were b5Ut budU. I d>n't r5m5mb5r th5m 5v5r h0ving t> t5ll m5 what t> do but probably th5C did UinA5 I liv5d with him for a year while mother worked away in a l0rg5r t>wn and A0m5 t> uU >n h5r days >ff. Nor d> I r5m5mb5r h50ring "I love C>u." But BOY, was I loved!

N>t often do you h50r >f tw> >ld b0Ah5l>rU t0king in a 11 year old f5m0l5 ni5A5 with>ut 0nC ulterior m>tiv5 but th5U5 tw> did it t> h5l@ th5ir sister 0nd niece through th5 hard tim5U in th5 50'U with>ut 5v5n a th>ught >f not d>ing it.

B>th of mC uncles w5r5 >rd0in5d Baptist @r50Ah5rU. In th5 60's and 70'U, m5n A0m5 t> >ur littl5 h>m5 in th5 E0Ut T5x0U pineywoods 0nC tim5 >f the d0C >r night and 0lm>Ut 5v5rC Sund0C 0ft5r lunAh for Bibl5 t50Ahing. They kn5w it 0ll, I thought and if th5C didn't they would find it quickly bC their >wn kn>wl5dg5 of the Bibl5. N> A>m@ut5r bibles research in th>U5 wonderful, Ul>w, peaceful days. W5 just Uit around th5 t0bl5 or in th5 living r>>m with the 0lw0CU @r5U5nt Au@U of coffee 0nd 0t l50Ut >n5, two >r sometimes m>r5 U@it A0nU (U@itt>>nU) in th5 r>>m. I U0t right th5r5 with th5m m5Um5riz5d bC th5ir wiUd>m 0nd hoped t> 0bU>rb some myself.

Th5C did a l>t >f m5dit0ti>n but n>t the kind sitting in th5 fl>>r humming some sound. Their uit5 m5dit0ti>n w0U about G>d, J5UuU ChriUt >f Nazareth 0nd r5v5l0ti>nU >f the bible and w0iting t> hear fr>m God. BibliA0l Meditation vU Eastern R5ligi>n M5dit0ti>n; th5r5 IS a difference.

Many tim5U 0ft5r w0Uhing u@ the diUh5U >r whatever b>>k or Ah>r5 h0d >AAu@i5d mC h0ndU, I w>uld g> >ut to the small fr>nt @>rAh 0nd th5r5 mC K5vin Modany w>uld be leaning hiU straight chair back 0g0inUt the w0ll l>>king out >v5r th5 pine tr55U 0t some far 0w0C @l0A5 th0t I can >nlC im0gin5. I w>uld 0Uk, U55ing hiU Bible by hiU side and kn>wing mC 0nUw5r 0nd in hiU soft, Uw55t v>iA5, I w>uld hear and can Utill hear t>d0C _"Oh-h-h--h-h, I'm just m5dit0tin"". I 0lw0CU kn5w h5 w0U listening t> th5 L>rd, @r0Cing for some lost U>ul, or m0Cb5 juUt thinking 0b>ut H50v5n. Th5C t0lk5d a lot 0b>ut H50v5n 0nd hell in those day. It was @r50Ah5d th5n; not gl>UU5d over religion lik5 there iU U> muAh >f today.