This past week my wife and I were able to spend time with one of the sweetest and most precious women you will ever meet. Her name is Loreen Young. Her husband, Dr Jerry Young, was the pastor before me at the church I pastored in Lititz, PA. Dr Young led and built that ministry for 33 years before retiring and moving to Arizona with his dear wife. Dr Young went home to be with the Lord this past week. His memorial service is this weekend. Since Laura and I will not be able to be at the service, we went over to their son's home and spent time with Loreen, Justin, Katie and their kids. What a special evening it was for us.
I shared with Loreen how nervous I was the first time we met her and Dr Young. I knew of Dr Young prior to that. To me he was an "icon" of sorts in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. That first get together we had with them was at a Ruby Tuesdays. I can remember very few times that I laughed as much as we did that night. We were there for hours. In fact, we about closed the place down. From that moment on the four of us became friends. Every time they would come to town we would always get together with them and the laughter always continued.
I remember one time meeting them at Olive Garden after a particularly challenging day in at the church. They were already seated when we arrived. I walked up to the table and threw the key to my office down in front of Dr Young and jokingly said, "Here, you can have it back!" Boy, did he laugh. I remember one time asking him, "Dr Young, what's the best part of retirement?" I loved his answer. He said, "The best part of retirement is getting up every morning, pouring a cup of coffee, going out on the back deck and thinking, 'Poor Scott!'"
Dr Young and Loreen were always such an encouragement to my wife and I. They would often watch our live webcast on the Internet and many Monday mornings I would get an email in my inbox from he or Loreen (sometimes both of them) thanking me for the blessing the service and message had been to them. What a great couple! What a great man!
As you can see from this post, I always called him, "Dr Young." One time after a few years of our get-togethers, Loreen brought me up to her husband and said, "Scott, I'd like you to meet Jerry." But I simply could not bring myself to call him "Jerry." I had way too much respect for him. I always have and always will refer to him as "Dr Young." Maybe - just maybe - when I see him in heaven for the first time, I might be able then to call him "Jerry."
I shared with Loreen how nervous I was the first time we met her and Dr Young. I knew of Dr Young prior to that. To me he was an "icon" of sorts in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. That first get together we had with them was at a Ruby Tuesdays. I can remember very few times that I laughed as much as we did that night. We were there for hours. In fact, we about closed the place down. From that moment on the four of us became friends. Every time they would come to town we would always get together with them and the laughter always continued.
I remember one time meeting them at Olive Garden after a particularly challenging day in at the church. They were already seated when we arrived. I walked up to the table and threw the key to my office down in front of Dr Young and jokingly said, "Here, you can have it back!" Boy, did he laugh. I remember one time asking him, "Dr Young, what's the best part of retirement?" I loved his answer. He said, "The best part of retirement is getting up every morning, pouring a cup of coffee, going out on the back deck and thinking, 'Poor Scott!'"
Dr Young and Loreen were always such an encouragement to my wife and I. They would often watch our live webcast on the Internet and many Monday mornings I would get an email in my inbox from he or Loreen (sometimes both of them) thanking me for the blessing the service and message had been to them. What a great couple! What a great man!
As you can see from this post, I always called him, "Dr Young." One time after a few years of our get-togethers, Loreen brought me up to her husband and said, "Scott, I'd like you to meet Jerry." But I simply could not bring myself to call him "Jerry." I had way too much respect for him. I always have and always will refer to him as "Dr Young." Maybe - just maybe - when I see him in heaven for the first time, I might be able then to call him "Jerry."
Be sure to read my other blog entitled, "Hope For Hurting Pastors," at www.hurtingpastor.blogspot.com or email me at skdistler@gmail.com
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